Happy Draw a Bird Day

Happy Draw A Bird Day! This special holiday is in memory of a special girl, Dorie Cooper. To try and cheer up her uncle, who was in an English hospital after being injured in WWII, Dorie asked him to draw her a bird. He drew a picture of a robin (which wouldn't be the robin we'd think of in the US, this is an English robin), which Dorie laughingly told him wasn't very good, but she would hang it up in her room anyway. Her honesty and cheerfulness encouraged her uncle and every time Dorie came to visit, he and the other wounded soldiers had bird drawing contests. 

Sadly, Dorie died at a very young age. She was struck and killed by a car at age 10, just three years after starting the bird drawing contests with her uncle. Soldiers, nurses and doctors from the ward her uncle had been in filled Dorie's coffin with drawings of birds. Dorie is now remembered by those she touched on her birthday, April 8th. They honor her memory by drawing birds. 

I was deeply struck by this story. What Dorie started was so simple, but it made such a difference in the lives of so many. 

I celebrated Draw A Bird Day by drawing a burrowing owl in the journal, 642 Things to Draw, that I share with my sister. I love owls - they're beautiful birds! 

Did you draw a bird for Draw A Bird Day? If you did, please share it with DABDAY.com! 

Drawings in Progress

These are some drawings I'm working on in a journal that my sister, Brittney, and I share. The journal is called 642 Things to Draw. We pass it back and forth after making a few drawings in it. 

Working in the journal is fun. It's also a way to share an activity that we both enjoy. We don't live in the same city and are both pretty busy, so we don't get to see each other very often. 

Love you, Britt!

Skreened

Skreened is an awesome t-shirt printing company located right here in Columbus! Using Skreened's website, you can create your own unique custom t-shirt, tank, hooded sweatshirt or tote bag. Remember the owl drawing I was working on last year? I finally finished it and with help from Skreened, turned it into a Black Owl t-shirt!

Laser Beams Engaged

My sister and I share a journal called 642 Things to Draw. It's book full of prompts for you to draw, doodle or sketch. We pass it back and forth, each of us doing a few drawings before giving it back. Just to have something to work on when I don't have the book, I asked my sister to pick twenty random items from the book for me to draw. This is one of them, I believe the book just says "laser beams" but my sister insisted a cat be included, so I drew Olivia.

Owl - Updated

Still working on it!

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Brownies

I enjoyed peanut butter swirl brownies and red tea this afternoon after a long day of summer camp!  I made these treats yesterday using the Skinny Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction.  They turned out really well and the recipe is already gluten-free!

I made the gnome mug last year following Martha Stewart's instructions for Dot-Painted China.

Sidewalk Chalk Cat

Today's photo of the day is of this very ginger cat that a child drew while participating in today's Family Fun activity at the Conservatory.  Today's Family Fun was a 'Butterfly Carnival' and in addition to drawing butterflies outside with sidewalk chalk, we also made the Sharpie 'tie-dye' t-shirt I posted about earlier this week and spin art.  

Owl

A drawing I'm working on...