What Kind of Cookie Are You?

You Are a Jam Cookie

On the outside, you project a straight-laced, innocent vibe. But on the inside, you're complex, exotic, and full of flavor.

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

I usually don´t like these test, but I was "forced" to do this one by a friend (Thanks, AC! At least now I´m relieved from my obligation!!!!!! ;) ). I like the result, so I´m posting it here.
So what kind of cookie are you? Please post the links to your cookie test results in the comments!

EDM #108 - Light Bulb

I tend to overdraw and to get lost in details. But I´m trying to keep my lines and the sketches simple. So this one was good practice.

Japanese Ladies (ATC)

Just like the kois from the last post, a lot of the Japanese culture seems amazing. Specially Japanese art is really fascinating. As soon as I find more time, I´ll post about dragons, tattoos, etc.



Here are some Japanese ladies on atcs. Done only with black and metallic markers.

Lucky Koi

Today is jcfischer´s birthday. He´s our best friend from Switzerland.



Koi fish are part of the ancient Chinese culture, and is where the concept of Yin and Yang comes from. Where there is balance between Yin and Yang, there is long life, happiness and abundance. The black fish represents the Yin, and the red fish the Yang. Koi and tattoos of Koi are traditionally considered lucky.
Dear Jens-Christian, we wish you a wonderful and fulfilled life. Happy Birthday!

EDM #54 - Someone You Love

Today my daughter (4 years old) told me that when she grows up, she doesn´t want to be like me. She wants to be normal! ;)
I tried to find out her understanding of the term `normal´, but she didn´t feel like telling me. I adore her and I´m sure I´ll hear more wise words from her. :)



This is my first portrait ever. It shows her asleep on the table - tired from Kindergarden.
There´s a lot to improve and a lot of things I would change, but I´m satisfied with my first attempt.

EDM #46 - Something Holiday Themed

This postal stamp was designed by Chen Shaohua specially for the Chinese New Year 2007 - The year of the red fire pig.

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in pig years tend to have excellent manners, make and keep friends, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners. Humphrey Bogart, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Mahalia Jackson, David Letterman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were all born in the year of the pig.



To those who can read Chinese: The pic I found on the net was so tiny, that I couldn´t see any details of the Chinese signs. So these are not really Chinese signs, but the ones I mostly made up myself.

EDM #104 - Salt & Pepper Shakers

Usually when we go on vacation, we stay at places where we can cook ourselves. It´s always nice to go food-shopping in a different country - sometimes even adventurous.
One thing we always get is a set of salt & pepper shakers. I take them back home with us and once they are empty it´s time for the next trip. The salt is already empty, so the next vacation shouldn´t be too far away. :)



I made a mistake in the moleskine entry. We didn´t get this set in Calpe. It is from Novo Sancti Petri, Spain.

EDM #84 - Bread

Banana Banana Bread

We just had this delicious banana bread today. I found the recipe on recipezaar posted by Shelley Albeluhn. There´s nothing more to say than try it yourself!

Clowns in the Carneval Season (ATC)

I love them both, unfortunately I don´t have the colored one any more. I´m sure these clowns will cheer me up. It´s Carneval season here in Germany and I bet I´ll see some of the clowns out there in the streets the next days.

Moody Blues (ATC)

A lot of thinks have to be done, the kids are sick, no sleep the past nights...
I´m having the moody blues!

For Lionheart!

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)
~ e. e. cummings

Happy Love Day!

It´s already February 14 here in Germany. I wish all of my friends and blog visitors a wonderful Happy Valentine´s Day!

EDM #106 - Something Tart or Sour

This is the current challenge EDM #106. I wanted to keep up with the group. Only two challenges (EDM #104 Salt and Pepper Shakers, EDM #105 Pair of Scissors) are missing from the list. I will catch up soon.
I have never tried an Etrog/Citron but it is supposed to be tart and sour. Someone told me Etrog jam tastes great. Has anybody of you tasted the fruit or the jam?

Happy Birthday, C.!

About one year ago I wasn´t feeling too great. Somehow I had lost many of my friends in the past years (due to life changes) and then C. showed up. Right on time. :) It was wonderful meeting someone who just accepts me and I´m very grateful for having met her. She´s a good friend of mine now and today is her birthday. I wish her all the best and hopefully we´ll know each other for a long, long time. :)


This is the birthday card I drew for her.

I Love The Rain

My husband started a German literature blog last year. This Monday he´ll be posting about rain.
I love the rain. He hates it. I´m happy when it rains, he gets depressed.

EDM #103 - Exercise Equipment

Ever since I was about 15 years old I wanted to have a unicycle. Nov. 2005 - getting 30 years old - I received one from my family as a birthday present. You can´t imagine how happy I was to receive it. One year has passed and I still haven´t learnt how to ride it.
But we are moving soon and our new flat has a long corridor. Perfect for practicing! :)

Concert without Saxophone (ATC)

Every two weeks we have a babysitter and my husband and I go out for the evening. This Wednesday we went to a concert: Concert (1958, for piano and orchestra) composed by John Cage.
Cage wrote "My favorite music is the music I haven't yet heard. I don't hear the music I write: I write in order to hear the music I haven't yet heard."
It was more of a happening than a concert and we did enjoy the evening.


(There was no sax played at the concert, but anyway I like this pic. This one was done using only Sharpies.)

(I had to leave the concert earlier, so maybe I missed the sax. My husband said he did hear one.)

The fourth

Comics and Manga (ATC)

Another huge interest of mine is comics - specially manga and dark art comics.
Usually manga refers specifically to Japanese comics.
Literally translated, manga means "random (or whimsical) pictures". Modern manga developed from a mixture of woodblock printed books and pictures with foreign art movements.

Here are two manga atcs of mine. Very simple - black & white:



I plan on practicing the comic style once the other moleskines are full. In case anybody is interested in drawing mangas the Manga University gives good instructions.

EDM #102 - Power Plug

Just a very quick illustration of a power plug, so that I can soon catch up with the current challenge (#105 - Scissors).

Hommage to Artists (ATC)

I won´t have time for drawing a pic every day. So if I don´t have anything new to post, I´ll share with you my favorite ATCs I made the past year.

Here is a mosaic of my favorite swap ever at atcards.com. I had so much fun doing these Artist Trading Cards and learning about the different artists and their styles. (Thanks Seraphic!)
Most of these cards were done with ink pen and Sharpies.

Favorite Artists #1 - holly

Another method of trying to improve my skills, is copying the work of artists I really like. I draw/copy 3 to 5 pics of the artist I like and then I try to do my own.

The first artist I chose is holly (quinquereme) on deviantart. Her ladies are just cool and I love all the details she adds to her illustrations. Check out her page and don´t forget to have a look at her bling-bling fingers. ;)

So here are the copies I made:





And here is my own interpretation:
(Can anybody find the secret message?)

EDM #101 - Bar of Soap (Every Day Matters)

To force ;) myself to get more routine in sketching I went out and bought 7 Moleskines and joined the EDM-group, which grew out of Danny Gregory's weblog. There is a weekly drawing challenge and members share their drawings in the flickr group.
I started with EMD #101. So I had to draw a bar of soap. I´m surprised (and satisfied) how it turned out, as I hadn´t expected to draw a recognizable bar of soap. :)



I´m not sure whether I should color the sketch. Any ideas?