Saturday, 11 July 2009

zentangle & favourite childhood toy/doll


the past few days have been nice but strange
we dropped aaron over to michelle's and alex's place for a few days on wednesday and it's been soooooooo quiet without him here at home. of course, the fact that reece is also away at this time only adds to the strange quietness that we are unfamiliar with. they both arrive back home tomorrow (sunday) and, even though i have missed them terribly, i'm sure i'll be craving the quieter moments before too long. lol
anywho, i did this zentangle last night whilst watching smallville with brad.


micron pigma pen in 5"x5" sketchbook
click on any image to enlarge

i've been slowly filling the sketchbooks i started when i was a member of the everyday matters group. each week, they would give a topic for members to sketch. as i joined the group later on, i had numbered the pages of three sketchbooks for all the previous sketch topics so that i would eventually get caught up. even though i'm no longer a member, i do hope to fill in all the tasks eventually.
the topic for the sketch i did today was to draw a favourite childhood toy/doll.


bess has been with me ever since i was nine months old


pigma micron pen, graphite and coloured pencilin A5 sketchbook
an excerpt from a previous post about bess, just in case you missed it -bess was made in england and has the word 'RODDY' imprinted at the back of her head. she is 17" in height. i did a little research a while ago and it seems 'RODDY' dolls were made in the 1950's and are now classified as 'vintage'. she has a hard, plastic body with a soft vinyl/rubber head.....when you squeeze her head, she squeaks. she has sleepy eyes too which means they close when you lie her down and open when you stand her up. she's lost a bit of hair around the forehead and her tootsies are a little worse for wear too. you see, when i was still just a toddler, one of our german shepherd dogs decided to try and eat bess. thankfully, she was saved from the jaws of death just in the nick of time. to be honest, i really don't know what it is about bess that i loved so much to have kept her close to me all these years.....i mean, check out that garish yellow hair!!! i know i had much prettier dolls that have come and gone yet bess has always remained the constant in my life.
she is now very special to me
do you have an object or toy from childhood that you now hold dear to your heart?

love, light and peace
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21 comments:

  1. platitudinal11 July 2009 at 16:02

    Dear Serena, your zentangle is beautiful. I always love the intricacies of the pattern you created. I wonder what sorts of thoughts go through your mind as you are making your zentangle. Wow, Bess is certainly well loved! :)

    I know the feeling of strange quietness without the kids around. You'll have them back tomorrow, enjoy your peace for now.

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  2. Genie Sea11 July 2009 at 21:30

    That zentangle is mesmerizing! :)

    Bess is an absolute charmer! How wonderful that you still have something from childhood.

    We moved so much a cross the ocean that I have no artifact from my childhood. They are all in my memory.

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  3. Brandi Reynolds11 July 2009 at 22:50

    that zentangle thing is cool!

    I actually have a book of richard scary's stories that I loved as a kid and practically memorized. I still have it and it's kept safe as it is falling apart at the seams.

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  4. Art by Darla Kay11 July 2009 at 23:02

    Bess is adorable Serena! And I love the zentangle! Those amaze me, you are good!!
    ♥Darla

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  5. Shashi Nayagam12 July 2009 at 02:35

    Lovely sketches. The doll must have comforted you in your childhood so perhaps that is why she is so dear to you.

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  6. Jennifer Rose12 July 2009 at 07:14

    I actually don't have anything from my childhood due to moving around a lot :/ I wish I still had this stuffed kitty that I got when I was probably 3 but who knows where it is now. Never really had dolls, my sister is terrified of them lol

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  7. Rita12 July 2009 at 09:50

    So funny! I drew my doll for the EDM challenge, too, that I got for my first birthday! She's 57 years old--a cloth or rag doll. (The drawing is on my flickr account.) My dog destroyed my sister's and my original Barbie dolls with the striped bathing suits. :( I was working my way thru the challenges, too--and got sidetracked a long time ago. I should get back to my EDM sketchbook, too. :)

    I think I need to look up what zentangles are. Been hearing about them and seeing them. Are there rules to these doodles?

    Life will be quieter all the time soon enough, right? They grow so quickly!! I love that you spend art time and outdoor adventure time with your children. :)

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  8. sandy12 July 2009 at 10:47

    Great zentangle, which is something I want to do...and loved your sketch of your doll! Glad she was saved.

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  9. Janet12 July 2009 at 15:27

    Love the zentangle! I find they're almost like a meditation when I'm drawing one....I just feel so relaxed.

    I didn't have a favorite doll but I do have one that I've had since childhood. She's not very pretty and she's a bit worse for wear but I keep her for sentimental reasons.

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  10. Serena Lewis12 July 2009 at 16:04

    thanks, luci. :) i don't think much at all when drawing zentangles....i just go with the flow not knowing what is coming next. it's quite meditational.

    thanks, genie ~ :) bess is the only thing i have from my childhood. i can't remember what happened to some of the other childhood objects i loved.

    thanks, brandi ~ :) i remember loving enid blyton and hans christian andersen stories when i was younger.

    thanks, darla ~ :)

    thanks, shashi ~ :) you're probably right.

    jennifer, i wonder what it was about dolls that had your sister so terrified of them. mind you, bess is quite a scary looking doll. :)

    rita, how neat that we both drew dolls for this EDM challenge. :) go to http://www.zentangle.com to read more about zentangles, their origins and guidelines. there's a gallery too.

    thanks, sandy ~ :) i'm sure you would enjoy drawing zentangles.

    thanks, janet ~ :) i also find it like a meditation when drawing zentangles. bess is definitely not a pretty doll either....there must be something about her that i cherished as a child to have kept her with me over all my prettier dolls....maybe it was the squeaky head ~ LOL

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  11. Julie12 July 2009 at 16:20

    Oh Serena...I LOVE Your Zentangle...and I adore your doll!!! Bess really is beautiful! I had a black doll too, that was made from fabric, but I don't know where I lost her over the years...probably in a move!
    You inspired me to post about my childhood doll....hope you can come over and see her!!!

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  12. Miss Robyn12 July 2009 at 18:09

    Bess is adorable!! I love to hear that people have kept their childhood toys.. I have alot of mine some are being sold right now and my favourites packed away in my childhood treasure chest.

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  13. Unknown12 July 2009 at 23:25

    thats one gorgeous zentangle. one of the best I have seen, well who am I to judge?, what I mean its one of my favourites!

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  14. Anonymous13 July 2009 at 09:20

    Your zentangle is great! I love these so much. I really can't think of a single childhood toy, I had several things I was fond of (a raggady ann doll, a stuffed dog-I wasn't permitted the real thing, lots of coloring books, Barbies).
    Have a great day!
    ~Dawn

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  15. Norma Soulet (AZArtist)13 July 2009 at 13:15

    Wonderful Zentangle and Bess is so cute. I bet drawing her brought back wonderful childhood memories.

    Hugs

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  16. Michelle Eaton13 July 2009 at 16:33

    Great Zentangle Mum! I should get back into doing some.

    Beautiful stetch of Bess! She is such a weird doll with that yellow hair. You wouldn't find anything like that nowadays.

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  17. dyanna13 July 2009 at 19:23

    Nice blog.

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  18. Thomas Sheridan13 July 2009 at 23:10

    I love the zentangle. I do that kind of thing all the time and I had no idea what they were called. Mine are more like Mandalas but same general idea. The doll is beautifully drawn too.

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  19. Anna Rosa Designs14 July 2009 at 14:47

    Hi Serena,
    I've awarded your blog with an award.
    Please see my blog for details.
    Hugs,
    Anna

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  20. Maria Catalina Wiley14 July 2009 at 19:26

    Love your latest zentangle Serena!! I am trying to catch up on all my favourite blogs ... I have been 'lost in action' lately LOL :)

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  21. Serena Lewis15 July 2009 at 06:24

    thanks, julie, and i LOVED your doll post ~ :)

    thanks, robyn. :) it's lovely that you have so many things from childhood. bess is all i have but i wish i had more.

    thanks, messyfish...i know what you mean ~ :)

    thanks, dawn. :) you know, i don't recall having any barbies though i think my sister did.

    thanks, norma ~ :) i did think of a few childhood memories of me with bess while i was drawing her.

    thanks, shell ~ :) you do lovely zentangle work so yes, do some more.

    thank you, dyanna ~ :)

    thanks, thomas. i love the mindless relaxation of drawing zentangles....i just go where the pen takes me ~ :)

    thanks, anna....will check it out ~ :)

    thanks, maria. you've been a busy girl ~ :)

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