What I'm working on today

What I'm working on today
Originally uploaded by dudadaze3.

I'm thinking shades of pink...

Right Here

Finally a new painting. It's turned out kinda brown. Some people like brown, right?
Find it heresoon.
I'm headin' over to add it now.
Also, I just joined Facebook. Because, you know, I don't spend enough time sitting here. :)
Come be my friend if you're there too.

Flyght - Free My Soul

My son's band. He's the lead singer. :)

I think I got it right this time.

THIS is the image I was meant to recreate last week when I made my big blunder. :)
I sold the goof on ebay though so all ended well.

My main reason for writing a post today is to draw attention to this
and especially this!
Way too much of this going on lately. I've seen stuff out there that is similar too things I've created, but nothing as blatant as this.
Here's how I feel about it...

be awed,
be inspired,
but in the end, BE YOURSELF.

Weekend update

Flyght moves on to the finals after EASILY winning the Battle of the Bands on Sunday. Actually two bands get to move on but if it was only one it would have been Flyght. They brought the most fans and I think made many more with that amazing performance. It was crazy! Their energy level was off the charts. Jeff played so hard his fingers bled! It really was a battle. :)



I believe this is what happens next. They will face off against the winners of all the other PIttsburgh "Band BAttles" on April 19. Winner of that gets $500 plus 20 hours of studio time.
After that I believe there is a nationwide online vote for Battle winners from all over the country. The vote will be open for 30 days and anyone can vote as often as they want (?). I may ask for your help when that time comes around.
The winner of that wins a $25,000 recording contract. Second place goes on some sorta tour.
Anyway, that's how I think it will go. We'll know more come April.


I think that there are some videos and photos from the show out there somewhere. I'll see if I can get my hands on them.
I can't even tell you how proud I am of them (they really were so good!) and of all of their fans that made the trip into Pittsburgh (in the snow!) to support them. Especially to the cousins from Virginia who had to be back for work/school at 6:00 the next morning. I think they had fun, though. :)

Not such good news on Eli's end. Rams lose to Quigley in the first round of the play-offs. :(
I was really sorry we couldn't be in both places at once. His cousin, Shane, was so good to take him to the game. It's an hour and a half drive and they encountered a good bit of snow too. Thank goodness for cell phones. If I hadn't been able to keep
track of them I'd would have never been able to enjoy the show.

So after that busy week last week suddenly everything is done for awhile. No hockey practice or games. Turns out last night was the last deck game too.

So, time to regroup and get ready for the next flurry of activity. :)

A Happy Family

Aren't they cute. :)

IF - Instinct

Penguins communicate by vocalizing and displaying body language. This helps to communicate nesting territories and mating information.
What do you think these two are saying?


~okay so i'm modifying my new year's resolution to only use works created in the current year for IF~ :)

To keep your interest

Just posting some pictures of the custom piece I'm working on in case you were tired of looking at Flyght. As if!
As you can see these pictures still have the icky, smeary white background. I'm not one to paint the background first. That would be too easy.
We are having a busy week full of hockey and such.
It's been going like this:
Tues: eli has ice hockey practice
Wed: eli has a deck hockey game, aaron practices in our foyer with rick from lost 'n found for a show he's doing with them friday.
Thurs: eli has an ice hockey game (last of the regular season), aaron is going to jam night at the hot house
Friday: eli has a deck hockey game, aaron's show with lost 'n found.
SAt: my dad's birthday, eli has ice hockey practice at 7:45 am and a deck game at 4:30.
Sun: Eli's first play-off game (no idea when or where yet) Flyght's Battle of the Bands (not sure what time for that either)
And then the play-offs will continue (hopefully) into next week as will the deck games.
NO end in sight!
Don't worry. Their homework gets done
Good thing Josh is the artsy, homebody type like me or we'd be in trouble.
Okay, back to the painting.

New Flyght PHotos

Getting ready for Sunday's Battle of the BAnds with some new band photos.
You should go and see how they used these to pretty up their myspace.

I'm dumb.

So I was supposed to recreate this FAiry Tale painting for someone.
I mean, no I wasn't.
Wrong painting. :(
I'm dumb.
So this one is on ebay with a fairly low starting price.
My dumbness could get someone a nice bargain. :)
Click on this image in the sidebar to get to the auction.
Must run to the grocery store. MOre later.
Bye!

Happy Valentine's Day

Oh my!

It certainly was a blustery night here in the Mon Valley! Lots of creaking and groaning from this old house. We lost a couple of tree branches and a bit of our gutter guard, but the storm has passed. Unfortunately it took the spring-like weather with it. :(
I'm kicking myself for not taking advantage of it yesterday. Stupid computer!

Ah well. It'll be back soon I hope.
For now, l'm looking forward to Valentine's day. NOt that Mike and I ever really do anything special, but this year The Clarks (minus DAve) just so happen to be in the neighborhood! At a fire hall minutes from my mom's house no less. So we'll be spending an intimate evening with our boys and about 795 other screaming/singing Clark's fans.
Sounds perfect to me!

In case I don't get any computer time tomorrow (the boys are off of school), hope you all have a perfect VAlentine's Day too!

A Fowl Mood

I did a few sketches back when I was working on my chicken-themed custom piece. This piece came from one of those rejected sketches. It's just silly, but there was something about her face that I liked.
I'll be listing her in just a few minutes. Still not sure where.
Maybe here.
Maybe here.
Maybe both.
That's pretty much all I have to show for the weekend.
Aaron had a little show on Saturday and now he and Flyght are getting ready for a Battle of the BAnds on February 22. It's at the Saddle Ridge, Station Square, Pittsburgh.
They want Mike to design them t-shirts... like now. And Aaron's been working on revamping some of their originals.
Eli's been feeling a bit under the weather. He's got a deck game tonight so hopefully he'll be up for that.
Josh got his new John Lennon sunglasses and Brian Johnson hat and has been sportin' that look for the last couple of days. :)
I'll have to get some pictures. Wouldn't want to miss documenting this phase of he pre-teen years. :)

Ooh. YOu must go check out this give-away hosted by Patrick of The Cre8or's Touch. He's celebrating his 100th post by giving away this beautiful of art.

Go on over and wish him an happy anniversary and enter for a chance to win.

Red and White (mostly)

red and white (mostly)
Originally uploaded by dudadaze3.

This took me way too long to create.
But it's so pretty, right?
NOt sure why the one picture didn't load all the way. Click to go see the whole thing.

Have a lovely weekend!

Psst... I reduced prices on my VAlentine DAngles (1 left) and brooches.
YOu can find them in my etsy under sale.

IF - TIME

Time passes slowly when we're not together.

This and That Thursday

So this is silly, right?
I was looking at my poor chair. Well, not really my chair...I rarely get to sit in it. Mike usually naps in it after work. And during Penguin games it's all Eli's. It ain't right, I tell ya. It's clearly a girl-shaped chair. Anyway, we've had this furniture for a few years now, and what with 3 boys (and countless friends) it's beginning to show it's age. What were small little worn spots soon turned to little holes and more recently into larger holes.



While trying to think up a quick fix my thoughts turned to my latest painting. That's it. I'll patch this old chair up just like my little fairie's dress. It couldn't look any worse, right?

And so there it is. Still shabby, but now more me. :)
I don't know how long it will last. We do still have those kids. And they do like to sit.


Also, I never did show my sweet little valentine box and felt ornament that I got from Angela in the Prim and Whimsy Little Tokens of Love Swap. So here they are. Just the cutest with such sweet and perfect details. Thanks Angela!

What else?
I drew this little girl this morning while sipping my coffee. Unfortunately I didn't feel like getting up to get a good pencil and it became all smudgey. :( I'll have to give her another go.

And lastly, many thanks for all of the Artful Blogging love. I really appreciate all of the support and sweet words.

IF - Flawed

Her dress may be patched, and her stockings don't quite match but she's not going to let that keep her down. :)

"A Little Help"
find her here.
or here

Somebody pinch me!

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that my words and images would be published in a magazine. What are you, crazy?
And yet, here it is!

And that's just two of the pages! I'm also on pages 18, 19, and 20.
I am in the company of some amazingly talented bloggers such as Beth, Genine, and Dawn. And, believe it or not, there's even another Duda in there.
To see many more beautiful images and read all of these inspiring stories go here and get yourself one. You won't be disappointed.:)

Okay, moving on. I was tagged my Thelma to find the 4th photo in my 4th folder, post it, and then tag 4 more people.
I decided to use the 4th image in my 4th flickr set. You can click here to see it.
I tag: Jenn of Noodle and Lou Studio, Adri of Adri's ARt, Lulu of My Pink Turtle, and Marie of Blossom time Creations.
There, I actually followed through with a tag in a timely fashion. Yet another miracle!

I've sat here long enough now that my newest painting is certainly done crackling. I'm going to go rub some stain on it and I'll be back VERY soon to post/list it. So if you are in the market for an original don't stray too far from your computer. ;)

Happy Birthday, Lou!

I'd say Eli got a pretty good birthday present last night. Being a Steeler fan and all. Well, Steeler/Redskin...but still.
Congratulations, Steelers!
And, Happy 16th Birthday, Eli (Lou)!
We love you!!!

And, good luck tonight.
February 2 sure seems like the perfect day to get your 2nd high school goal. :)

Couldn't resist adding one of my all time favorite Eli photos. (with his cousin Roni)