"Big Splash In A Small Pond!"

"Big Splash In A Small Pond"

Strawberry

Some New Colored Pencil ACEO's...

I am learning some new colored pencil techniques from a book I recently purchased titled "Colored Pencil Painting Bible" by Alyona Nickelsen.   Ms. Nickelsen brings the dynamics of colored pencils to a wonderful new level.  I know I will never be able to accomplish work like hers ... but I am certainly learning to improve!

"Cherries"

"Indian Corn"

"Bubble Wrapped"

I guess I was in a silly mood today when I drew this sketch ... I was remembering when the kids were little and I would let them have a bubble bath and they would sink down below the bubbles and pop up! I guess a good title for this sketch could be .... "Bubble Wrapped"...

Monarch Butterfly

"My Girl" Day Twenty Ink Sketch

Years ago two very special dogs came into our lifes, Suzie aka Yellow Fawn and Dexter aka Moose.  They were anonymously given to my parents who eventually gave them to us and they became dear and precious members of our little family.  As far as we could discern they were in the Rhodesian Ridgeback family.

Thumbing through my albums today, I came across a photo of Suzie and it just called out to me as the subject of my Day Twenty Sketch.  Now, mind you, drawing animals is not something that comes easily to me.  I finally decided to challenge myself further in Brenda Swenson's 75 Day Sketch Challenge and at least attempt this drawing.  So here is

"My Girl"

 

Happy New Year!

Karen Anne

"Soldier Boy"

 I am so enjoying going through my old albums!  Today I found a photo from 10/4/1993 and decided to sketch what I call "Soldier Boy"....

This "75 Day Sketch Challenge" is fun!

Try it you'll like it too!

Karen Anne

PS  This sketch is available in my IrelandBrady.etsy.com Store in ACEO format.

The bond between brother and sister.....

Recently I decided to take on "Brenda Swenson's 75 Day Sketch Challenge" in which a participant draws one sketch per day for 75 days using only ink ... NO pencils or erasers allowed! Today was my eighteenth day and I chose a photo of two of my grandchildren (when they were much younger). I have never sketched two figures together on one page without first making pre-drawings in pencils with lots of erasures to be sure that proportions are close to what they should be. Never the less, I decided I would try ... the result is this sketch that I really like! The lesson I learned? You never truly know what you are capable of doing until you really try.....

I have this print available as an Open Edition ACEO in my Etsy Shop.

My Third and Final Entry to the December ACEO Challenge ...

Outside of our kitchen garden window we have an arborvitae that stands at the east end of the window.  We also have a family of squirrels that nest in the tall blue spruce in our front yard.  The squirrels gather and bury nuts all over our yard, later they will dig up their little treasures and many a time I have been working in the kitchen and a motion will capture my attention outside of the window, I look up and I'll see a little squirrel happily munching on a tender nut morsel. 

This happened again today and inspired my third and final entry in The ACEO Challenge which I have titled "Garden Window Visitor"....

 Happy day all!

Karen Anne

Two New ACEO Challenge ACEO's....

Have you visited The ACEO Challenge Blog lately?  This month's challenge is ".....Out Your Window" ....  here are two views from two of my windows!

Merry Christmas ... and if you have a chance ... enter your view in this month's ACEO Challenge!

Karen Anne

"Dance Of The Gecko's"

I have had numerous requests to illustrate a gecko design and this past week I finally did just that!  Here is my latest piece of art titled "Dance Of The Gecko's", hope you like it!

Pisces aka Two Salmon - a new zentangle inspired illustration

 "Pisces aka Two Salmon"

I have been having fun creating illustrations using zentangle inspired patterns; in this illustration I had drawn the border first, because my inspiration GPS just wasn't working. As the border was coming to completion I kept thinking of salmon (why salmon? I don't know!) so I went with this theme and the result is the drawing you see in this listing. I like the way it turned out and hope you do as well! The original drawing was done on an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper, but I have reduced it down to be able to offer it in ACEO format.

Great times camping result in latest drawing!

This latest drawing is titled "Rosa's Flounder". We were down at the Pacific Coast in a campsite on Whalen Island the past few days and had great weather and a wonderful time. On Monday morning the camp host, Rosa, came by and showed me her catch of the day, a beautiful flounder, which inspired this drawing. The best part, however, was when she offered to filet the fish and give it to us for dinner! Cooked up in butter with pepper, season salt and garlic powder it proved to be the best tasting fish I have ever eaten! I remarked that it tasted a bit like delicate shrimp and Rosa said it was probably because flounder feed on sand shrimp. Guess I'll have to get a fishing license for my next trip to Whalen Island!

"Rosa's Flounder"

Happy day all!
Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady aka HummingBelles

Some new One Dollar ACEO's.....

"Kickin' Back At White River"

 

"Zentangle On Blue" 

 

"Undersea Panel Number Three" 

Some more Danny Boy ACEO's ...

This past week I have been going through my art work in preparation for a local show we will be participating in on August 6th (will let you know more about it a bit later) and I found two drawings of Danny Boy that I had not listed in My IrelandBrady Etsy Shop.   So I decided now was as good a time as any to list them and share them with you in this blog.

The first is "Danny Boy With His Chew"

 

the second is "Danny Boy Under Cover" 

Happy Day All!

New Undersea ACEO's!

These are two new illustrations I created for my new "Humming Belles" Etsy Shop, which features paper dolls that transform into fairies, mermaids, and mermairies!  You can learn more about them by visiting their Etsy Shop or by visiting and following their "Humming Belles" Blog.

The "Humming Belles" wanted an undersea scene added to their portfolio and requested I create a two part set to give them more space to play in.  In the first scene, a sunken fairy castle, a clown fish and a sea horse are featured; in the second scene we find an octopus, an angel fish, star fish, mussels and much more!  These illustrations are listed in the "Humming Belles" Etsy Shop in full color, as pages to be colored by you, and finally as full color ACEO/Trading cards.

"Undersea Scene Number One" ACEO 

"Undersea Scene Number Two" ACEO

May you always have

Love to share,

Health to spare,

 And friends who care!

The Times Of Danny Boy

Good Day!  I have four new ACEO's to share with you.  These little drawings are all based around the character and antics of our little min pin, Danny Boy.  Danny Boy loves to be outside when it is warm and the sun is shinning.  But occasionally he does get

"Caught By April Showers"

At other times he will be outside, enjoying a warm breeze and soaking up the sun when out of no where he will be surprised by

"Danny Boy's Nemesis"

Most of all Danny Boy loves going on long walks in the early evening hours with his "Dad".  Danny Boy especially enjoys the springtime and is constantly stopping along the way and 

"Taking Time To Smell The Flowers"

Once he and "Dad" get home from their evening walk, Danny Boy proudly bounds into the house to let "Mom" know he has done his job and exercised "Dad"!  For this outstanding job he earns a reward of some kind, in this case it was one of his favorite treats - A Chew!  Unfortunately, this presents the poor little fellow with 

"A Dog Gone Dilemna"

And he is confronted with the challenge of finding the ultimate safe hiding place for his treasured treat!

May you always have

Love to Share,

Health to Spare,

And Friends who Care!

Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady

"A New ACEO for The ACEO Challenge"

Hi all!  It's been a bit since I have made an original ACEO so I decided to take on this month's ACEO Challenge with its theme of "April Showers".  I have additionally taken on a challenge from my hubby to draw a picture of our little miniature pinscher, "Danny Boy".  Drawing animals is, in itself, a very big challenge to me so I have really made a concerted effort to study Danny Boy and finally came up a small illustration that I will actually share.  Bear in mind that Danny Boy loves flowers (he is always burying his little nose into any flowers he finds on his travels) but its "I'm out of here" when it comes to showers!  That said, it took a real act of courage by him to pose for this illustration, he hopes you appreciate his efforts.

This little ACEO is titled "April Showers Bring Sweet Flowers"

May you always have

Love to Share,

Health to Spare,

And Friends who Care!

Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady

"Two New ACEO's"

I have been busy working on celtic knotwork design exercises and finally decided it was time to do some ACEO's.  This first one is a variation on a design I learned through exercises in Sheila Sturrock's book, "Celtic Knotwork Designs" ......

"Celtic Knot in Purples and Blues"

In this next ACEO I have combined my love of drawing people with my love for celtic designs and come up with my version of "Irish Eyes Are Smiling". The inspiration for this came from a picture of a mountain man my husband was using for one of his projects. When I saw the picture I saw an Irishman in his kilt and holding his shillelagh (prounounced shih-LAY-lee), a far cry from a gruffy looking mountain man wouldn't you say! Anyway, that is the image I saw in my mind and drew.

"Irish Eyes Are Smiling"

I have listed both ACEO's in My Etsy Shop today.  If you get a chance, stop by and visit!

Happy Day!

Karen Anne aka IrelandBrady

"A Wee Bit O' Irish Cheer!"

St. Paddy's Day is just around the corner, may you be starting off right with a wee bit o' "Irish Cheer" in the charming company o' this spirited little leprechaun! 

"Irish Cheer"

Mounted on Celtic Knot Design Mount Mat

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

Karen Anne aka Ireland Brady