Spotlight On Baby Cakes

Sherrel & Ken run a small farm in Colorado. They have alpacas. An alpaca is "a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance."

(I got that off of Wikipedia. Now all we have to do is figure out what a "camelid" is. I'll leave that for you to figure out.)

She wanted a logo for their farm which included Housetop Mt., a peak that is visible from their home.

She also wanted Baby Cakes, a particular beloved alpaca of hers, included in the illustration. I don't know how the other alpacas feel about that. Sherrel thinks she is "awesome." I think it was Baby Cake's eyes that won her this place of doodle honor

This was a fun one to create. I really like how it turned out. The lettering was done entirely by hand. None of it was computer generated. Sometime ahead I believe Sherrel intends to post this on a web site. I did a quick internet search and this was all that I could find.

What do you think—about the logo I mean. Not alpacas.

May I Call You

More doodle nonsense.

If I'm sitting still then I generally looking for a pen and paper to do a little doodling. I think that I'm ADD, or DDA, or DAA., or DOA. About 25 years ago I became DAD. That has certainly contributed to my present state of insanity. Whatever it is, my brain seeks constant entertainment. One evening this came out.

Copy & Share If You Dare

In other doodle news: The Old Testament Project that I've been working on with the Youth Pastor at our church has taken another step forward. It took me a while before I was able to add another image, but here is the latest update. This is a scan of a poor photocopy that I made. It is drawn in pencil on an 11x14 piece of card stock. When finished we hope to auction it off to raise money for our youth group. I'll keep you posted.

Also: I was nosing around on Erika's blog and discovered that she has been doing a little doodling. I asked permission to post this fine effort.

She honored me by writing: "I've always been a doodler - especially in class. Recently I have been looking at Rick's doodles(aka works of art) and I have been inspire to try to doodle THINGS. I'm not too great but who knows... maybe practice will make perfect? I sure am a loooong way from even attempting a person ;-)"

Erika seems like a fun young lady. Visit her blog and encourage her artistic efforts. Then ask her what geocaching is.

That's enough doodle news. You may return you to your regular programing now.

Memories of San Diego

Heather is a friend of Teresa. Sometime back Teresa had me create a caricature of her husband and girls. Their husbands were a part of the same squadron. Apparently Heather liked the doodle I created for Teresa and asked me to create one for her too.

They live in Florida now but have found memories of their time in San Diego. She suggested that I put the San Diego Coronado Bridge in the illustration. She also wanted me to include a "KC130J" that her husband flies. I suggested that the plane could be towing him on a surf board since he is a surfer. She liked that idea.

I think that this might be the last of the Christmas gifts that I have to share from '08. I worked on this illustration a bit more after I had scanned it. So, you're not really seeing the finished product here. The main thing I did was to give the sky more color.

I remember getting a response from Heather about the illustration, but I seem to have lost it amongst all the stuff that I've collected on my computer. You'll just have to take my word for it that the she liked it.

Thanks again Heather. Hug those girls tightly. I made the mistake of letting mine grow up, and now a couple of them live too far away for me to do that very often.

Recently I received these photos from Diane of the unveiling of the birthday doodle that she asked me create for her husband of their whole family.

She wrote me and said, "Thanks again for the artwork! We have it prominently displayed in our home, and Kevin keeps an electronic print as his wallpaper in his electronic hand held thing-a-ma-jig. (He’s the technical one, as you can tell.) We will always enjoy this drawing!"

You might notice the envelope. I'm in the habit of putting a self portrait on the back before I mail the illustrations. Sometimes I get a lot of doodle time in while standing in line at the Post Office.

Thanks Diane. Great pics.
And "thing-a-ma-jig" is about as technical as I get too.

I need to create more doodles similar to my last post. I apparently struck a cord with a number of you because many were making a confession. I guess we need to get some kind of support group going here.

Thanks for all the fun comments. Now go get some help.

Blogging Addiction

Some- times I draw these doodles with someone like you in mind. But you wouldn't ignore the needs of your own children just so that you could get some more blogging time in.

Or would you?

Maybe it's time that you "fess" up, come out of your blogging addiction closest, and Copy & Share If You Dare this little doodle.

Go ahead. Start out by saying, "Hello. My name is _________, and I'm a blog-aholic..."

You'll thank me later.

(Just drop me a note when you do post this baby.)

The Grand Prize Is Right Here

On that faithful night, right back on January 4th, of ,09, a name was drawn right out of a rather larger Tupperware bowl. "What name was that?" you rightly ask. CHUCK! And suddenly, right on that spot, one man's life was forever changed. A mere pluck of a scrap of paper from a plastic bowl did all that. It is amazing how fate works.

Chuck is this year's recipient of the grand prize from my yearly Great Big Humongous Giveaway. Chuck is a nurse (God bless him), a University of Michigan fan (God help him), and the author of the blog: Chuck Thinks Right (God bless him more). From what I observed on his blog I think "right" means his political perspective and not necessarily the side of the brain that he uses - although both statements may be equally correct. Right?

After a few e-mail ex- changes, I offered to create a header for his right thinking, right brain, space on the web—something patriotic I thought would fit well. Chuck rightly agreed, and so I went right to it.

Chuck thought his doodle was righteous. (Well, he didn't exactly use those words, but that fits with the running gag that I have going here.)

Right away Chuck put up his caricature on his blog and gave me, what he called, a subtle plug. Actually, he went right over the top. (Do I seem to be over doing this to you? Maybe so.)

Anyway, thank you Chuck for participating in my giveaway. It was my privilege to create this little doodle for you. I hope you get many years of enjoyment out of it. Right on dude!!

And why don't the rest of you hop on over to his blog and take a peek at his header in use. After all, it's only the right thing to do.

Stinkers

Here's a crazy little doodle that I think some of you might find a reason to use.

Maybe you've been a bit of a stinker lately. I don't know, maybe you didn't send Grandma a birthday card—God forbid. But if you have been a bad little blogger, and you're in the mood to share to the details with the world, then please feel free to Copy & Share If You Dare this doodle to help you highlight you're walk on the smelly side of life. Please tell me when you do because I want to come and read the sordid details. Your state of embarrassment somehow makes me feel better.

I've had a lot of practice drawing skunks. One of my dreams is to write and illustrate a children's book. Over the years I've made up several stories that I've had a number of opportunities to share with children. Most of my stories aren't written down anywhere—they just rattle around in my head. One of my favorite stories is about a skunk named Sully. Some day soon I am going to start on that project. Someday... Soon...

(If you're not up on my request for my Copy & Share If You Dare doodles, then please take time to read the instructions in the right column. Thanks.)

Computer Confusion

Vincent and his wife Melissa are friends of ours. She asked me to create a surprise Christmas gift for him. So that's what I did.

Vincent is the computer guru at his place of employment and so I decided to put him the midst of a bunch of computer confusion.

I neglected to scan the photos that I used of Vincent so you don't have a way make a comparison between the real him and the doodled him, but I think that it came out well. They were pleased.

Now a blast from the past...

Many, many, moons ago Brenda commissioned me to draw an illustration of her husband Chris. Yesterday she presented it to him as a birthday gift. (Wow, Brenda, it's been nearly a year since I posted the caricature of your husband - no need to be in any kind of hurry.)


She said that he loved his doodle. I am told that he wasn't feeling very good that day. I appreciate him posing for these photos just to please me.

I also like the photos that Brenda posted on her Facebook account of their 25th Wedding Anniversary in Antigua.

Don't they make a cute couple.

I think that's a tiny outhouse behind them.

Nebraska has been experiencing an Arctic blast.
Brenda says that she wants to move to Antigua.
I can't understand why.

This is a photo of her foot.
For some reason she felt it important for me to see this pic.
The Good Lord only knows why.

Thanks again Brenda. You're a fun person to kid around with. Stay warm and give my regards to the family.

Cow Chips

Some doodles are best left unexplained. Therefore I will unexplain it.

Copy & Share If You Dare

Also: I'm still working on posting follow up reports from Christmas. I think I got more feedback and photos this year than I did the last. I really enjoy getting them.

Here is another...

Pat had me doodle up an illustration of her trooper son. She sent me this note and the following photos.

Hi Rick, I'm finally getting around to sending you a couple of pictures of Mike, taken on Christmas morning, as he opened his caricature that you made for him. Needless to say, he was besides himself when he opened it ... he just laughed and laughed and thought this was the neatest thing!!! He kept looking at it and pointing things out, and then he'd laugh and laugh. He was amazed at the story behind it. He was going to take pictures with his cell phone and send to his trooper buddies throughout the state (easiest way to get it everywhere instantly), although he admitted no picture does it justice. He's told me several times later that that was the best Christmas gift ever. *sigh* He's going to have it framed at the same place where he's gotten his diploma and class picture done so it's all matching.

Many thanks Rick for a job well done ... it was fun and neat seeing 'my trooper' soooo happy!!!

Now that's the kind of follow up report I love to get.!!! "The best Christmas gift ever?" What can I say? I'm practically speechless. Practically. Nearly. Almost. Eventually.

Thanks Pat for those very very kind words. And before I get a chance to visit your beautiful state would you mind giving me your son's badge number—just in case I develop any ticketing issues while I'm there. After all, I did create his "best Christmas gift ever." That ought to mean something in the court of law.

Dee's Mom

Dee requested an illustration of her mother to be given as a Christmas present.

(It seems that there were several homes around our nation, and beyond, where my name was being discussed around a Christmas tree. I guess I'm kind of a Christmas Cartoon Elf. Kind of gives me a warm feeling inside.)

Anyways, Dee wanted an illustration of her mother, sporting her signature red lipstick, while sitting at her computer. She also suggested a hot air balloon be included somewhere in the illustration.

(Apparently she likes hot air balloons and was not meant to suggest that she is full of it—just wanted to make that clear.)

One of the pics she sent me included what appears to be a lovely young granddaughter. So I place her in the basket—no extra charge. (Aren't I nice?)

I tried to find a report back from Dee regarding her mother's reaction when she saw the doodle. I think she sent me something, but apparently it got lost in the flood of e-mails that I get—including the ones from the guy in Nigeria who has the tempting offer that will make me rich. (I'm committing that one to prayer.)

Thanks Dee for making me your Christmas elf, and my apologies to your mother regarding the hot air remark.

Also...

Katie sent me these photos of her parents opening the doodle drawn by me, the Christmas elf.




She wrote and said...

Hey Rick, just wanted to send you a few photos of my parents opening their present. Sorry the lighting was bad, but you get the 'picture'. They loved their illustration with their grandsons...my dad couldn't stop talking about how cool it was. Thanks again. Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and happy New Year!!

You're welcome Katie.

Christmas Elf signing off now. Ho, Ho, Ho...

Driving Miss Daisy

Here is another illustration that was on someone's Christmas wish list. Kat wanted an illustration of her husband, George, in his golf cart with their "Soft Coated Wheaten, Miss Daisy."

This was a fun one. There's something about golfers that makes them easy targets for satire. Why is that? You will perhaps notice a number of different little jabs that I included to take aim at George. His driving skills for one, but the brand name of his golf bag is an obvious. If you study the doodle you will probably find several other bits of statire. Golf is comedy, I guess.

Kat entitled the piece, "Driving Miss Daisy." Apparently Miss Daisy enjoys a daily ride on George's cart.

Kat didn't provide a view of the front of the cart and I wanted a better angel of it for the caricature. So I did a bit of blog research on golf carts (there are HUNDREDS of different makes) and I found what I thought was the right kind—an E-Z Go Cart. Thus the name on the front of this particular model.

Kat posted photos on her blog of the unveiling. She said that George "was R-E-A-L-L-Y surprised by the "doodle" I gave him which was drawn by Rick of Organized Doodles. Rick did a great job! Just look at all the fun details! Thanks Rick for helping me surprise George. As you can see, it's already hanging by George's desk in the office."



Thanks Kat. I love the photos. Some how putting a frame around one of my doodles makes them look... I don't know... like real art somehow.

Give George and Daisy my regards. And keep those two off the fairways.

In other news: Thank you for all your prayers for my family and I regarding my BIL's, Jim's, death. It seems impossible that he is gone. I know that my sister Becky and her three girls could continue to use your prayers. The youngest daughter has her 17th birthday on the 16th of this month.

The memorial service went very well. There were probably over 550 people there. I shared a little - got a few laughs - which always makes it easier and Becky seemed to appreciate what I had to share.

On the way home we took time to stop at Multnomah Falls. They're located right on Interstate 84, and it's FREE! Since there has been so much rain lately the falls were particularly... well... wet? I thought I would just share a few pics of God's natural beauty. Copy & Share If You Dare one of the pics. Maybe it's time to update your computer wall paper....




I'm back to doodling. And I have a ton of stuff to post. So stay tooned!!!

Pay Attention!!

It's 5 in the AM here in Oregon. My BIL's, Jim, memorial service is today. My sister Becky has asked me a share a few words. So that's on my mind. I'm sitting in a motel lobby at the moment because the WiFi doesn't seem to reach our room. Grrrr!!!!

I really appreciate all the kind comments many of you gave on the previous post. This blog is suppose to be about crazy doodles, but every now and then life creeps in and one can't help but share. I appreciate your prayers from all my digital friends out there.

Still, there are a few doodle matters that I would like to go over. So, pay attention. Okay?

Leigh was was a winner of one of my doodles from my giveaway. She requested a copy of "Fat Music," which is a bit of airplane art that I doodled back in Oct. of '07 during one of my trips back to Oklahoma.

That choice presented a bit of a challenge for me since the original was drawn on a piece of paper meant for water color work. The texture of the paper made it difficult to create a clean copy. I ended up coloring the piece for Leigh because that covered up all the "gray extra areas" that the copier left—hoping that the alterations to the piece were acceptable for her.

Leigh wrote: Rick, I have to sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart! I received my "doodle" (which is so much more than a "doodle") of "Fatman Blues."

(She changed the name, but I'm ok with that. Going on...)

I LOVE it. Adore it. And I love that you added even more character by coloring it in. It rocks! I am going to have it framed before I post it on my blog. I want it in it's state of glory. I think framing it will just set it off more. Rick, I truly love it. It has a good home, I can assure you. I will treasure it always. Thank you so much for the opportunity and for hosting the giveaway. Leigh

Thanks Leigh. I'm so glad that you liked it. A doodler like me lives for comments like that. I'll look forward to seeing the post on your blog. Especially since I didn't get a copy of it in it's colored form.

Also...

Carolyn was the first to request a copy of Doodlenormous, my bit of cartoon crazory that I create for public consumption. After getting her copy she dropped me a note and said...

Hi Rick! Wanted to let you know the Doodlenormous got here today. I am so pleased with it and have been staring at it since I opened it. Only found 12 eggy's so far ... I will keep looking. You said on your blog that there's one doodle unique to every one. I think my unique doodle might be the super worm. Am I right? I totally loved your 'self portrait' on the back of the envelope. That will be framed too, by the way. :) Thanks again for making this available to us 'doodle freaks', love that I was #1! You rock, dude! Carolyn xxoo

Thanks Carolyn. Yes, you are correct, Super Worm is your bit of originality on your copy. He's slimy, but he's strong. And thanks for the xxoo's. I'm blushing at the moment. P.S. Hide the self portrait. You'll thank me later for that bit of advice.

If any of the rest of you crazy bloggers would like to purchase a personally signed, and numbered copy of Doodlenormous you can contact me at... green_rick@juno.com. For a mere $10 (Plus $3 S&H - 5$ outside the U.S.) I will be happy to send you an 11x14 copy of one. It's a small price to pay for the hours you will spend mindlessly staring at the thing. Hey! We all need a break sometime. Just do it!!

Also, I've heard back from Chuck the grand prize winner of my giveaway, and also two of the other prizes winners should be getting their prizes in the mail soon. One more is in the processing of deciding. Look for updates on that front.

And now!!! One more doodle for the road. Here's another bit of doodlery that is the product of a brain that was made to sit still in an airplane headed to Oklahoma for hours upon end...

Copy & Share If You Dare. Maybe you have an upcoming "medical event" that you're not looking forward to and you're looking for a bit of art to commemorate the story. Please free free to post this baby. If you do copy, just drop me a note to let me know. I like to know what dark places my doodles have been hanging out.

P.S. It's now 6:30 AM! Wow!! That took a while. I need a nap.

Gator Bait

When Jennifer ordered an illustration of her son she also wanted an illustration that is destined for some t-shirts some day. Being big Florida Gator fans, and not so fond of the Ohio Buckeyes, she requested this illustration...

Since the Gators are playing for the National Championship this week (I think) I'm sure that there will be people gathered around Jennifer's T.V. to cheer on their team.

By the way Jennifer, I was born in Oklahoma.

Also, Jennifer was kind enough send some photos of the unveiling, and to tell me about her son's reaction to his caricature.

She wrote me and said...

"Christmas morning was a ton of fun. We saved your drawing for last and when my son opened it he says (and I quote), "oh wow... how cool. Mom!! How did you get a black Tebow?? Oh wait... oh MY GOD THAT'S ME!!!!" And then tons of laughing/blushing ensued. He was so completely in shock and super surprised. Even still he will come to me and say, "Mom did you tell him to put (fill in the blank here) in the picture. I can't believe Rick though of that." Thank you again for doing this for us. I'll send you pics of it in his room as soon as we finish. We are late getting it finished as we all celebrating in the season of giving/sharing and have given each other the flu. Oh yea... and he JUST found the "extra eggy" a day or so ago"

That was a fun e-mail to get.

Thanks Jennifer. I always love the follow up reports. The pics are great. I love them!!!

Tell your son that I think he's going to make a great Gator someday. And that I hope we can still be friends after the bowl game.

Slowly I'm getting "Doodlenormous" request sent out. I'm looking forward to getting feedback on those. Also, I am hearing from the prize winners of my giveaway. Their choices have been interesting and I plan to update you on that in the near future.

On a sad note, some of you may remember my birthday tribute to my dear brother-in-law, Jim. After a 6.5 year battle with cancer, Jim left this world for the next very early last Monday morning. Family and friends will be gathering on Friday to pay tribute to this great guy. Your prayers are appreciated as my sister Beck, and her girls, deal with this loss.

Life goes on people—from this life to the next. Jim has finally been healed and for that I am very grateful.

I love you Jim and miss you already.

Drum Roll Please!

DUDRDRDRDRDR....

It's been a fun Great Big Humongous Giveaway. I passed my minimal goal of at least 200 post. I got a lot of help from some of you who were kind enough to post a link about the Giveaway. Thank you very much.

A special thanks to Dawn Meehan whose (nearly late) last minute post grab the attention of a number of her readers. Thanks Dawn.

By far, the biggest thanks goes to my own busy little fingers which did a ton of blog surfing to invite a plethora of bloggers on the web to come and check things out. Thank you fingers. I hope that I wasn't too hard on you.

I was happy to sell some copies of Doodle- normous. For a mere $10 (Plus $3 S&H - $5 outside the U.S.) I can make all your doodle dreams come true. Here's a sneak peak of what you will see...

Just e-mail me at green_rick@juno.com and I'll be happy to get one in your grubby hands. (That wasn't nice, was it?)

NOW, for the news you've been waiting for...

Last night my daughter helped me pick the names of the winners.

(One of you kind bloggers suggested that I use one of those automatic number generator sites. I really do appreciate the suggestion, but that seems so impersonal to me. Besides, how do I know that someone hasn't programed a favorite number into the number generator computer? I'll trust my daughters fingers over some unknown computer out on the web.)

So, with camera in my wife's hand, here are the results!!!!...

Prize Category #1: The winners of a free copy of one of my doodles are...

1. Fire Hunt, over at Fire Hunt

2. Leigh, over at Tales From Bloggerritaville

3. Geisme, over at Rantings From a Crazy Woman

4. Missy, over at Missyz Stuff

Congratulations winners! Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, will be to surf my blog and find the doodle that speaks to your heart, or funny bone. Then tell me your choice, and then I'll ship it your way!! I suggest you look at some of my older post, or the list of my favorite doodles shown in the right column. You choose which one you'd like a copy of and then give me your contact information by e-mailing me at green_rick@juno.com.

I'm looking forward to seeing which one you pick.

(This is a photo of my daughter looking goofy at me behind my back while I recorded the names of the winners. I made her stay up late to get the slips of paper ready for the drawing. She and her mother think I've gone nuts with this blogging thing. I don't know. What do you think?)

AND NOW!! For the Grand Prize Winner:

Congratulations to Chuck over at Chuck Thinks Right. (Which is obvious since he thought to sign up for my giveaway and won!)

Chuck, my lovely daughter has drawn your name out of the popcorn bowl. So, we need to talk. Please begin now getting some clear/large photos together that I can use to create your one of a kind caricature drawn with these already tired fingers.

Now Chuck, a word from last year's winner of this giveaway...

Dear Rick,

Just so you will know last year my entire life changed! Oh happy day! You will not believe it! Everyone started looking at me differently, I became a Major Player every where I traveled. Now I hang out with only the coolestt folks I have sampled many colorful foods while visiting several foreign places I am still on the go! Plus, Rick, much to my delight, I found complete peace and serenity very near my own home. What can I say? Thank you ever~so for making me a winner! I say this to the next winner of your. Hold on to your hat and enjoy the fame Sincerely, your friend in Florida

Thank you everyone who signed up for a chance to win.

I would love to give everyone a free doodle of their own, but, alas!, that's just not possible. But, if you're interested in purchasing one you can use my contact information to find out about how I price my caricatures. Most people find my prices very reasonable.

In the mean time I hope you'll stay "tooned" for further postings. Check in often as I try to post a new doodle every other day.

In fact a new doodle is long over due from me.

So here, for your nonsense pleasure, is another bit of nonsense drawn while on the plane during my recent trip to Oklahoma. Also, just colored this evening in my computer.

Maybe very soon you'll have a giveaway of your own. Please feel free to use this Copy & Share If You Dare doodle for yourself, and give me a heads up when you do.

Thank you all again. Stay tooned for more!!