Cootey's Critters

Counting by Critters

2005-12-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

While I was trying to get to the other side of the desert, I suddenly remembered I had a coloring book I wanted to share with you. It was my birthday present to myself and my Christmas present to all of you. Forty pages of wacky, weird critters to help Preschoolers and First Graders read and learn their numbers, including activities. It's a free download. Enjoy.

E is for Eerie

2005-12-20T00:37:00.000-07:00

I am finally reaching the other side of the desert. If I'm not imagining things the plants taste bitter like licking lemon flavored stamps. It could all be part of a heat stroked dream, however. A nightmare that looks like a disgusting, ugly, letter E is in front of me sniffing flowers and it wants me to sing Broadway showtunes to it. I should also mention the flowers keep looking at me.

D is for Dirty

2005-12-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a week and I haven't seen the edge of the desert. I'm starting to get worried. Good thing I'm dragging a dozen cork cactuses for water. Or is it cacti? Cactususesi? Oh no. I'm getting delirious. I think that dog looks like the letter "D". Waitaminute! He is a letter "D". I think I'll call him a Dirgadoo. This planet is so strange. Hope I get to the other side of this desert soon.

C is for Cranky

2005-12-07T13:31:00.002-07:00

I decided to walk west as far as I could go and came across a desert. Before I cross it I thought I'd find a way to carry water with me. I heard a "Cuh! Cuh! Cuh!" and discovered this critter cutting cork cactus for water. There's water inside of it! Isn't that cool? Now if only I can get past this "C" shaped critter to get some. He doesn't like to share.

B is for Bizarre

2005-11-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

My second week on the Planet of the Alphacretters has been spent mostly looking for food. The trouble is I don't know what I can eat, what I can't eat, and what might eat me! When I saw color bubbles floating by some bushes I was desperate enough to try to eat them, but this brigand jumped out and tried to eat my knees. It's OK. I bet the bubbles probably tasted like soap anyway.

A is for Alien

2005-11-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Great! I went out searching for critters and I was nabbed by aliens! Now I'm marooned on the Planet of the Alphacretters with nothing but my sketchbook. The first thing I saw was this little Bullet Sharkfly. When you look at him just right he sorta resembles the letter "A". Pretty flowers, too, but they smell like old sneakers! Yuck.

Ornate Tufted Grollop

2005-10-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

I had a whole family of these in my backyard one summer. They scurry about like quail. Usually they like to live near streams but since it rained a lot that summer I had enormous puddles all over the place. Since I was drawing critters who looked like numbers I thought this critter looked ten-ish. What do you think?

Disgusting Creepy Crawly

2005-10-21T09:45:00.000-07:00

I almost stepped on this guy! Isn't he gross? I came across him a few summers ago. I guess he walks on those tiny little feet but he was sunbathing when I found him. He kinda looks like the number nine. When your mother tells you she has eyes in the back of her head, I wonder if she looks a little like this under all her hair?

Cold Winter Critter Gives Me the Eye

2005-10-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

I'm sure glad this guy was wearing a scarf. It was cold that day. I don't normally sketch in the winter during a snowstorm but I saw this critter when I was taking out my trash. I ran back inside and grabbed my sketchbook and fortunately he was still there when I came back. My eyes got all watery (and icey) just watching him. He never blinks!!

I Didn't Know That Worms Could Draw!?

2005-10-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

I was hopping up and down with a pack of toecats when this critter appeared at my feet. She very sternly shushed me quiet and told me to stop making so much noise. The toecats disappeared in the bushes and let me take all the heat. How mean! Apparently, we were hopping up and down over a worm school and had knocked all the kids' artwork off the walls. I felt awful bad about it.

So Sleek and Sixy

2005-09-30T23:57:00.000-07:00

There's only one thing I want to know about this critter: How does he float in the air? When I saw him I couldn't believe my eyes. No strings. No wings. How does he do it? Do you know?

Freakish Five Fish

2005-09-16T23:39:00.000-07:00

Here's one that I'm glad got away. I was fishing one day in the marsh when I slipped off the dock and came face to face with this guy. Wow! Is he ugly! I didn't imagine he tasted any good, but I was afraid he felt differently about me!!

Just For You

2005-08-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

I came across a critter spa in the middle of the woods one day. I tried peeking into the tiny grass hut but they threw mud in my eye. I guess they wanted their privacy. When this little hair ball came out I quickly sketched her before she skittered away.

I never imagined the woods would be filled with so many critters not found in school books. Maybe I should name this one "Hairballius Ad Absurdum" to stake my claim to fame.

Toe Tappin' Three Eyed Critter

2005-08-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know much about this guy but from what the other critters told me he's quite the dancer. Just by looking at him you'd think he was all left feet.

Slimey Spacefaring Snake?

2005-08-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Wow! I was so busy with my kids this weekend I couldn't get to my art desk in time. Hope you haven't stressed out waiting for me. I found this beaked snake slithering about my notebook and thought you might like to see him. I kind of like him. I wonder if he's from another planet. Come to think of it, our snakes don't have beaks, do they?

World's Ugliest Amphibian Critter

2005-07-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

I'm still traipsing about Utah looking for new and interesting critters to capture in my sketchbook. My early work featured a lot of number themed critters and I thought it would be fun to capture some alphabet themed critters. But I haven't found any yet. So here's an ugly number dude from my old sketchbook. Let's start with number one and work our way up again. Don't forget to send me your critters and be sure to leave comments. Do you think this guy is as ugly as I do?

Ten Times the Coloring Fun

2005-07-22T23:15:00.000-07:00

While I was walking around the woods sketching critters oh so long ago I came across another one of those worms. This time he was standing next to a friend and they vaguely reminded me of something. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, so I sketched them while I waited for the answer to come to me. It never did. I wonder how they eat without fingers or toes?

Color some fur onto this Slinky Slith

2005-07-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

I didn't draw too much detail on this critter because he creeped me out! Look at the way his eyes stare! I had the willies up and down my spine for hours. Ooooh! I got 'em again.

Here's a Hairy Hachie Hoping for some Hue

2005-07-08T07:05:00.000-07:00

I called this guy a Hachie but I can't remember why. He hops about the forest. It is funny to watch. But what is really funny is watching him swim. He likes to do the backstroke while swimming in tight little figure eights. I tried talking him into swimming a figure nine, but he wasn't interested.

Terrifically Ticklish Toecat

2005-07-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

I almost sat on this Toecat. Good thing I noticed him or I would have been in for a sore surprise. He looked exactly like the number Seven so I thought I'd add him to my collection of critters. No, I didn't take him home! I sketched him. I wouldn't have the foggiest idea what to feed him, and he'd ruin my water bed...

Fun to Color Furry Critter

2005-06-25T03:07:00.000-07:00

I can think of half a dozen reasons to like this critter. 1) Spots 2) Fur 3) Whiskers 4) It's smiling 5) Spots. Wait, I already listed that. How about it has arm ears? 6) It looks like number six!

Have you ever seen anything like this?

2005-06-17T03:02:00.000-07:00

This is a weird one. I was excited to find it in the woods and sketched it quickly before it bounced away. What do you think? Is it a bird or a bug? I think it's a little of both. But don't birds eat bugs? I wonder if it gets confused when it is hungry?

Oh oh. Now you've done it!

2005-06-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

Something about this stern critter makes me think that counting isn't as easy as 1, 2, 3. There must be something more to it. This Mom was scolding her children when I started to sketch her. What number do you think she looks like?

Spooky Critter Creeped Out From Under A Log

2005-06-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

After drawing the cuddly Fuzzle I was surprised to find this guy sneaking out from under the log I was sitting on. Gave me a fright. Lots of legs, only one arm, but tons of fun to draw. I wonder if he's an animal or a worm?

Two Critters To Color

2005-06-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe how much email I received over my last critter. Well, most of it was spam, but I'm glad some of you liked it. Now you can start liking this one. I call him a "Fuzzle" and he resembles a number, too. Can you guess which number? Yeah, I know. You guys are pretty smart so I'll see if tomorrow's critter can be a tougher challenge.