Coffee with a Canine

This is just a quick post to bring you up to date on a bit of news. My dog-loving Canadian friend was interviewed on a really neat blog called Coffee with a Canine. The interview was about our relationship. Well, mostly it's about me.

outside Varandas Bar, journal sketch, ink and watercolour

I contributed this sketch from my journal. There are also a couple of photos with the interview. You can check it out here. Coffee with a Canine. While you’re there, have a look at some of the other posts. You’ll be introduced to a variety of people and their canine friends.

Tchao-wow!

and the award goes to...

I’ve been given an award!

Petra of http://www.indivisualism.com has given me a blog award. I’ve never gotten an award. I’m suitably humbled and tickled. Or tickled and humbled. Or tumbled and ….. Okay, I’ll stop. But I must say “Thank you Petra!” and encourage you to visit her blog for some fantastic eye candy and inspiration. 

Now, I had to ask what the protocol is after winning a blog award. Petra says one version is that “you have to share seven things about yourself and then pass the award on to seven bloggers. Another one says you have to pass it on to 15 blog(gers) with less than 200 followers.  I think the important thing is to be happy about it and pass it on to whoever you think deserves it :)" Or I can do what Petra did and throw out the “rules” and do whatever the hoopity-hoop I want to do. So. Hmmmm.

Okay, I’ll play by the rules for a change.  I’m choosing to award 15 bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers. It was really tough to narrow it down to 15! I’ve come across so many enlightening, creative, silly, fun, and inspirational blogs these past few months.  But here’s my short list. Check them out. There’s something there for everybody!

http://arwenspack.blogspot.com/  This blogger knows how to embrace life as dogs do.

http://callingcrowstosea.blogspot.com/ Nancy is an up and coming blogger with a sensitive perspective on life. Only five followers so far, so show her some love!

http://danscanvas.blogspot.com/ He’s never afraid to try something, always willing to examine his methods, and he’s got a sense of humour to boot.

http://diondior.blogspot.com/ She’s bursting with creativity in the face of adversity.

http://www.dogfostermom.com/ She’s a guardian angel!

http://thehappypainter22.blogspot.com/  She’s a painter. She’s happy. Need I say more?

http://jean-townsend.blogspot.com/ Check out her great series of mug shots.

http://joneri.blogspot.com/ Jonas looks at the world with eyes wide open.

http://katerinademianiuk.blogspot.com/ This animation student has a sweet and goofy style.

http://lorraineshirkus.blogspot.com/ Her oil paintings have a lovely dreamy quality.

http://michelemeisterart.blogspot.com/ Michele has a great series on the go. It involves wolves. It’s mysterious. ‘Nuf said.

http://penspaperstudio.blogspot.com/ A fun sense of humour really comes through in her quirky illustrations.

http://pincelesrabiosos.blogspot.com/ He has great variety in his drawing style.

http://real-life-journals.blogspot.com/ Her books on journaling are some of my favourites. She doles out inspiration to create with both practicality and poetry.

http://tomsarmo.blogspot.com/ He calls his studio Cranky Bird Studio, but you’ll feel anything BUT cranky after visiting here.

Start the presses! I’m publishing a book!

Start the presses! I’m publishing a book!

This is the cover, a self-portrait.

That’s right. I’m going to be a published author! I’ve always LOVED books – all sorts of books. Books that tell a gripping story, books that introduce me to a different point of view, books with luscious illustrations, silly books, serious books, true books, false books.  And now one of those books will be my illustrated journal!

Of course I couldn’t do this on my own. I have always depended on the kindness of strangers and for this book I had the help of a stranger who has become a friend. I’ve mentioned her on this blog once before. She’s the dog-loving Canadian and it was actually her idea for me to publish my illustrated journals. Let me tell you, when she first suggested it my tail almost wagged right off my butt!

If you want to see more about my friend, she has her own website you can visit. www.kristawells.ca

Obviously this isn’t something I could have done on my own, even if I had thought of it. I am a pretty resourceful dog but there are just some things I can’t work around, the principal one being money: In order to publish a book there are expenses and I don’t think they take bones in lieu of people money. So not only has my dog-loving friend come up with the brilliant idea of publishing my work, she has also very kindly offered to deal with the money and logistics of it all.

I've never understood why people value this ...

... more than this.

If it was dogistics rather than logistics I could have taken care of it. But there were contacts to be made, people to confer with. Other people-y business-y stuff. Now, I’m pretty good at communication, but it is a two way street and there are some people who just don’t know how to communicate with a dog. This could have been a problem, but my friend was the interpreter when necessary. I just kept doing what I do and she took care of the rest.

“So,” you ask, “what’s going to be in this published illustrated journal?” Well dear blog readers, you will recognize a few of the illustrations but most of it will be all new to you. You’ll read more about my everyday wanderings, including a couple of very cool road trips, a close encounter with a famous movie star, observations on the absurdities of people, doggie soul searching, recipes for delicious snacks, sightings of rare birds… all illustrated in my mish-mash style of watercolour and ink, relief prints, collage, scribble, photographs, gouache, acrylic … Hmmm, is there a medium I won’t try?

Part of the published journal covers an intense period in my life, a period of searching for my roots. I’ve always known who my mother is, but until recently I didn’t really give much thought to who my father is. It’s not a question we dogs spend a lot of time chewing over. Readers will be able to follow my quest to find my father and consequently, the meaning of life. Intrigued? Stay posted and I’ll give a very loud bark when it’s available. Aurrrrrrrooooooooooooooooo!