The entire weekend was spent tucking in for winter which, sadly, always involves cleaning and the recognition that we need to offload some stuff.
This doodle was not in the recycle bin, but as I moved stuff around my office, I decided I’m decidedly too attached to originals. Combined with my neurosis-grade doodling problem, my attachment issues have created a decent stack of doodles – and not all of them doo-doo.
Then Maria Wulf of Full Moon Fiber Art and the next town over to remind me it was Give Away month and my turn to boot. It was kismet. It was magic. It was lucky I had decided to clean this weekend so I could go through my stacks and find something without needing to rearrange the trail of cookie crumbs so that my family could find me if I got lost during the search.
I stumbled on this sketch of our black cat, Snoop, sleeping by the woodstove from a post back in 2013, and decided it was perfect timing.
The sketch is pen and ink and a little watercolor pencil and will be included in a book I’ve just finished writing called, “My Sketchy Life.” It’s a 5×7 doodle which will ship on backerboard and clear plastic covering (to make sure it remains one of the clean things in our house). It’s not dishwasher safe, and, if you have a cat, expect them to request their own red-hot woodstove to sleep under.
If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment and then take a minute to visit the other artists in our group – Jon Katz, Maria Wulf, Jane McMillan, and Kim Gifford!
The winner will be chosen at random on Thursday.
“Let’s have some tea and gossip while our socks dry”.
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Love it!
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I’d love to be entered in the give away. Many thanks!!
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Please please pick me! I LOVE hybrid
Your doodles
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I don’t know how “hybrid” got in there!!
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Would love to give sweet Snoop a home as I contemplate Hibernation!
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It’s a wonderful doodle; my goal all winter is staying cozy with my cat in front of my fireplace (electric these days).
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This reminds me of our little house in the Maine woods where I grew up. I love it and it brings back some warm memories! Thank you.
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Thanks for this offer! I would love to have this “doodle”. It brought back such “warm” feelings of being at my Grandmom’s house in winter by her wood stove & usually finding a box of new kittens snuggled near the stove. Your work is good! Mary Ann
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Thanks, I always feel like Ma Ingalls in the big woods, except in this version it’s the big gal in the green forest.
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such a cozy picture.. .. I framed your ‘sleeping woman mountain’, which I love so much. . . would be great to have this for me and my kitty! stay warm, vg
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Black cats is da best
Wood stoves is da best
Blessings on your efforts
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What ? Throw away an original ? Is there some kind of tutorial for people like me with special attachments to anything non-digital ? tisk I can’t even bring myself to delete your posts….they touch me with giggles or soul sister colors.
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Oh my yes, wood stoves are cozy. I wish you the best this winter. And the kitty too.
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I have Diane Fiore “Sailboat” painting and a Kim Gifford “Pug” print. I’m shooting for a Rachel Barlow original!
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The best things in life are the simple ones.
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lovely picture – would love to win it thanks for participating
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Oh Rachel,How timely. We sadly lost our woodstove this week due to changes in insurances. I’m so sad about it. Let it go… I know. My favorite of your sketches is of a lady’s foot in the shower. You posted it many moons ago! Happy Fall, Cindy
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Oh, I’m so sorry Cindy. What a bad time to lose it. A pox on the insurance company!
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Thanks for the thoughts Rachel. Insurance companies are cruel. Any kind. Medical,home,fire,car, you name it. They suck.I hate Big Brother…
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My cat and I want your doodle-do in our kitchen. The wood is in (almost.) Thanks to Maria and Jon, I’ve now come to your place!
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Pick me, please!
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I became so excited I messed up my first comment. Love your blog. Can’t decide which I like more. Your posts or art. They fit perfectly together ! xo
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We just staked our first of 17 cords of wood for the winter. I am about to go through my clothes to put away cool and bring out the warm clothes. I stopped at a consignment shop to make arrangements to drop off clothes that I don’t “really” need anymore. My freezer is full of fruits and veggies from the summer harvest. I can’t forget to replant my geraniums for my east window so they can bloom in the winter sun and bring color to my heart and home! My stove warms a cat a dog and a bird 🙂
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I would love to win this sketch! The black cat looks just like my Samson.
Your work is so much fun to look at.
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It looks cozy! In my part of Texas, we don’t have much need of wood stoves, but I can’t resist!
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Another gem of a drawing, Rachel. Love them all!
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i would love to be lucky in the october giveaway. love this doodle. wish mine looked that good!!
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Looks just like the stove my Grandma has, and some years it had a kitty sleeping on the braided rug under it. Darling, and brings back nice memories. Would love to have this. Thanks for the chance!
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I love your simple pleasures drawings..they warm hearts everywhere.
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Rachel – I love your humor and your sketches are wonderful! I would love the chance to win both the pic and your book!
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Rachel, I love your blog and the sketch is lovely! Thank you for a chance to win!
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It\\\’s een a while since I took time to browse Maria\\\’s blog. Looks like a storm is brewing so it\\\’s a good time to wait for it to arrive. We need the rain any time here in TX. Thank you ladie for sharing your talents! I can see this one in my kitchen which is yello with sunflowers. I have to get up in the attic to find all my neat wall things. They are still boxed up from the move from WI 6 years ago. my kitchen only reacently was finished. This is a fixer-upper. And pay as we can afford to do it. Just 2 more rooms and inside will be done, but that includes 6 windows to replace and lots of flooring! It will happen eventually. I have faith in us getting it done and being able to enjoy our gorgeous home for a while.
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