7th March 2015

I did a doodle today as it's 'Social Media Saturday', where I will doodle a social media story that has stuck in my mind this week. Funny, worrying, weird or wonderful, anything seems to go in Social Media World.

And this week? World Book Day saw schools across the country embracing literature and those characters that have made a mark on children. Schools have started a trend of allowing pupils to dress up and come to school as their favourite character from a book. So what, oh what, were the reasons behind an eleven year old boy turning up as Christian Grey from 50 Shades of Grey? His favourite character? He even turned up to school carrying cable ties and a black mask.

So many questions and so many inappropriate things about this. Has he read the book? Have his parents talked about the book with him? Did his parents think this was a funny joke? What did the other children at the school (as young as 5) think about it? I won't go on, I think you get the point. Let's hope his parents do!

6th March 2015

I did a doodle today using Pale Pink, as put forward for this week's #colour_collective

I have had a busy day, so have pinked-out a bit on the inspiration stakes (and energy stakes too), so here are two totally random Pale Pink doodles... I promise to do better next week!

5th March 2015

I did a doodle today, well three doodles as part of 'Thursday's 3 Things'.

Thing 1.
Working on a client document this morning and got my illustration going way way waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off mark, turning what should have been 'generic dudes' in to some actually quite freaky, frightening horror film castings. Stick man was by far the best. Back to the drawing board tomorrow!

Thing 2.
Lunch in a lovely country pub always brings about a little randomness, and I was not disappointed today. Five minutes of arrival and we had claimed a new friend, aka Fred from the Village. Fabulous old gent and not shy in coming forward, so opened with a hat story and how said hat is now listed in his will. This then led to the sharing of what he wishes to happen to his body when he dies - he has donated it to medical research. Brave and interesting, but not the best bit... If Fred dies outside of 50 miles from his chosen donation hospital, he has to pay the additional transportation costs ('dead' not being a viable excuse to not pay).

Thing 3.
Back to the doctors again with Little One for more ear checks. Little children and ear wax. Where does it all come from?

4th March 2015

I did a doodle today after spending a blissful morning in the (slightly icy) sunshine, gardening. When I moved in to my house last year there was not a leaf, shoot, petal or berry to be seen. Nothing. So after putting in the structure of a garden (less decking, more decorating) I now get to pop in plants, climb climbers, sneak in shrubs and get fanciful with flowers.

The pots are planted, the beds landscaped and the trellises in place... now if only spring would come along and help these little tiny babies sprout, grow and burst open. I can't wait.

Doodily Organised

As those who know me will testify, politely I am sure, I like to be a tad organised. It is not a controlling thing by any means, it is simply that forty years of trying things through different ways and means has led me to the unashamed reality that I work best with structure and organisation. Clean desk, neat lists, time-tabled events... I do manage to throw in a fair bit of impromptu spontaneity too.

As such, I am introducing a bit of structure to this blog. Rather than completely random, spur of the moment, muse of the day, thought of the hour approach, I am theming my days. Now I may not always stick to the daily theme, if something more colourful and inspirational with three heads and flowers for feet pops along, then it's every doodle for themselves. But to try to help me get the best out of my doodle time, I now have a doodle day planner...

Now, if any of you would like to join in, then please jump on board any day of the week and throw your creative two pennies worth in to the mix. Simply tweet @vrheal_author #ididadoodletoday

3rd March 2015

I did a doodle today in a line. Not a straight line, but a continuous line, an outline, where my pen was not allowed to leave the paper till the image was drawn. A snapshot of a snippet of woodland wildlife.

TOP PICTURE: I just like to set myself silly tasks and challenges from time to time, keeps boredom at bay. So I challenged myself to draw an outline of a picture, but my pen had to stay on the paper. It only left to add the 'dots' for the eyes.

BOTTOM PICTURE: I then decided to allow myself five minutes (only) to add to the picture and then a further five minutes to provide some colour.

All a bit of fun, and certainly relaxes the creative part of the mind. It's like the essential warm up stretches before a run.

 

2nd March 2015

I did a doodle today as the first of a new collection of doodles: Ickle Mondays.

Every Monday, I will doodle a set of ickle characters, from cute fluffiness to hairy monsters, all sorts of ickle things could pop up. I hope you enjoy them and that they bring a smile to the start of your week.

Happy Ickle Monday.

1st March 2015

I did a doodle today as I have spent the day being a nurse. My little one has caught a bug and she has been very sick (literally). I don't think my landing carpet has ever been washed as thoroughly as it has today (twice).

I am, as always, astounded at how young children deal with illness. Unlike us delicate adults, they get ill, go quiet, watch tv and then jump up and bounce about. They undeniably always end up 'sogging' again ten minutes later, but they are either sorrowful little bundles or up-and-at-it bouncing life forces - no inbetween. It rarely takes them long to fully pick themselves up and recover, whilst us adults (I won't dwell on one gender more than the other!) tend to let our 'ailments' linger and fester that bit longer. Mind you, I'd still have to clear up the sick!