Doodle Art Posters

Way back when....in the late 70's/early 80's I was obsessed with Doodle Art.  I begged my parents to buy me these big posters that came in tubes sold with vibrantly colored markers of intricately drawn images that I would spend hours coloring in till my hands hurt.  Of course I never finished them!  I was drawn not only to the slightly abstract flow of the black on white line drawing, but to the endless possibilities of color placement and combinations.

The company was started in 1972 with the poster "Ecology" and now they have over 90 different designs.  Here are a few that have been colored in by some dedicated artist....All photos from Flickr.

"Ecology" 1972

"Mythology" 1973

"Butterflies" 1973

"Sunken Treasure" 1973

"Jungle" 1974

"The Sea" 1983

"Dragon Fantasy" 1983

"Flowers" 1986

"Kaleidoscope" 1988

"Threatened Species" 1991

"Great Barrier Reef" 1992

"Bugs N' Birds" 1996

"Fairy Tales" 1996

"Aquarium"  (Not sure when this is from, but I think it's the most recent.

If you're interested in buying posters to start your doodling, you can buy them online at DoodleArt.  They are also selling them on Amazon.

Counting My Blessings

I was thinking about posting some of my goals [resolutions] for 2012.  As I was contemplating what I would share, I was thinking about how truly blessed I am.  I am surrounded by so much love and I love what I do.  Instead of posting what I would like to accomplish/change/achieve/acquire in 2012, I'm sharing 10 of my many, many blessings.

1. Husband

AKA: best friend, funny man, fellow foodie and amazing chef.

 2. Family

It got a little smaller last year, but that brought us together.

3. Friends

AKA: extended family...people I can enjoy food, cocktails, and great conversation with and know they'll be there in a heartbeat if I ask.  No matter how long it's been since we've seen each other, we just pick up right where we left off.

4. The Kitties

AKA: The Tuxedo Collection.  Poe, Marky and Mandu.  Our kids.

5.  Living in Sunny California

Still....everyday on my drive to work I give thanks for this one.  Until I run into traffic and start swearing.  :)

6.  Job That I Love

I really do.  It was difficult to find a picture to represent my job--as I want to keep my blog separate from work--so this is a shot I took at one of the trade shows (Magic) that I go to twice a year.  This was a display of some fashion trends--a couple years old now.

7. House

Not just the beautiful new back yard--but the entire house!

8. Car

I live in LA--I spend so much time in my car, I BETTER enjoy my ride!  I gave up my beloved Mini Coop this year for this bad boy.  Love it!

9. Opportunity for Travel

I went to Italy this past year for work, but added vacation on and went to Venice.

10. The Hope and Possibilities that 2012 will bring.

I look forward to continue to count my blessings throughout 2012.

Happy New Year!

Adult Beverage of the Month: Eggnog Martini

Here's a little Christmas cocktail to enhance the Christmas Spirit. 

The Eggnog Martini

Ingredients:

 1 oz. Vodka

1 oz. Amaretto

1 oz. Eggnog

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.  Shake well and pour into a Martini glass.  Dust with freshly grated nutmeg.  Serves 1

Cheers!

Merry Christmas!!

Travel Diaries: Rome-the Street

To continue with my Rome travels, in addition to all the pictures I took of Historic Rome,  just walking through the streets was a feast for the eyes.  I had fun with my new camera and even more fun with the Camera + app.

Night shot of Piazza del Popolo

Close up shot of the lion.

Outside the Villa Borghese

Walking down the street, peeking through an open door, I found this beautiful courtyard.

Borghese gardens

With this shot I wanted to get a sense of the timelessness of the Coliseum with the rushing traffic.

Another shot in the Borghese gardens.

Colorful people.

Prociutto di Parma--not so appetizing now...

The flight of the swallows at sunset--breathtaking and surreal.

The mighty Vespa--when you see the tiny streets of Rome, you get it.

Gate detail in Piazza Venezia.

More food.

The new and the old...

Ancient ruins near the jewish ghetto.

The gardens outside the hotel where I stayed.

Cobblestone streets.

Scooters everywhere--Piazza del Popolo in the background.

I'm working on the Venice pictures now.

Travel Diaries: Rome-the Historical

I recently had a business trip to Rome.  I spent most of my time there in meetings, but I had a little bit of time to do some sightseeing.  I visited some of the places that were most memorable to me from a previous visit: Villa Borghese with it's stunning Bernini's (unfortunately, no cameras allowed, so no pictures), the ancient Coliseum, majestic Piazza Venezia, Piazza Navona, Fontana di Trevi--not to mention just walking through the picturesque streets of Rome, observing the rhythms and flavors of Roman life.

I bought a new camera before the trip, so needless to say, I took almost a thousand pictures--edited way down here.  These pictures are the Historical sights I experienced while in Rome.

The Coliseum

 This was walking down the street (pictured above) from the Coliseum.  Not sure specifically what it is, but he looks like Caesar.

Piazza Venezia

Piazza Navona

Fontana di Trevi

The Vatican

In addition to my new Canon 60D, I purchased the Camera+ app for iPhone.  You can see the fun I had adjusting the photos and adding different frames--you can tell which ones are my favorites.

My husband met me in Rome and we continued on to Venice.  So expect to see lots more pics of the trip!