Mornin'!

Here's my breakfast. I think I'll have this most mornings from now on. My cholesterol was found to be high. I'm not going to fret too much, but make a few changes.

There's actually some oatmeal under there somewhere!

Thanks for your kind remark on my fox, Pom! I wasn't too happy with it, but was getting the urge to get past this swap obligation and on to some "free" painting without deadlines. So, I decided to accept it as it was. :)

Time to pack my granny bag and head to dd Micah's house. Packing goodies and coloring options and some reading for myself, though I seldom do that when I get there. Be prepared; that's my motto!

Have a great day!
Shalom!

Another swap completed...

Here's card #4 for the Biological Illustration swap...

Time for beddy-bye!

Good-night for now.

A little art work before work work...

Whew! Yesterday was a long one. Work from 9-5 frying chicken in the deli. Come home for a couple of hours to eat and dry some laundry. Drive the 12 miles back to town for a deli meeting, which consists of a Hugo lady giving us a talk on customer service and watching a video on how to be a good deli person. That meeting lasted from 8-9 p.m. I was scheduled to be back at work at 7 this morning, but I switched shifts with a younger coworker who likes morning shifts. So now I don't have to be to work until 2! (Then four days off!!)

I was "in the mood" to do some drawing and painting, so I thought I'd work on my wildlife swap. Today's subject was a snowy owl. I just love their pastel colors!

Here's my art studio for the day...

...the pencil sketch...

...and Snowy Owl. Ready to be cut out and put in a baseball card sleeve!

 

Just finished this book. It was a fun read, though I'm still trying to figure out how to apply it to myself!

 

 

This is how my dining room table looked a couple of days ago. I'm sorting through piles of photos, getting all of the grandkids photos together so I can make some choices. I'm trying to get caught up on organizing my photo albums. Some of the pics will get shipped back to parents once I have enough for my albums. You just can't get everything in there!

 

The view out my window.

 

Working on my book/article notes.

 

These were taken the last time I babysat (last Friday). I think everyone was getting pooped out!

Tomorrow is babysitting time again. The week sure flies by!



 

Is anyone else going to see Son of God? I cry every time I watch this preview. I'd better take tissues.

 

 

Have a great day!
Shalom.

Writing!

Since getting my computer debugged and my word processor reinstalled I've realized there's nothing keeping me from writing something! I have three "projects" in the works. So, I may try turning off the TV and doing some brainstorming. I'm doing rough outlines with lots of random notes. I have a long way to go before something materializes, but this is a beginning. And it's so much FUN!

Here's my latest ATC. I'm glad this swap isn't due for two more months! I'm taking a long time to get around to making cards!

It's getting late and I seem to be the only person still online, so I'll take the hint and head for bed! (I wrote this a few days ago and must have accidentally hit "save" instead of "publish". I was wondering why it had been so long since I've posted, lol!)

Nighty-night and shalom!

Morning sun...

The creations and pursuits of mankind can sometimes become stale; boring even. But have you noticed that sunrises never get old? Neither do the moon and the stars at night. I keep taking pictures trying to capture their beauty. They can't really be imprisoned on camera. We just have to hold that beauty in our memories.

 

My dear daughter, Micah, entrusted me with a secret a couple of days ago. She and her husband, Adam, were expecting their third baby! She was excited, but unsure how I would react. She had gotten so many comments over the last few years about not having too many babies (she wants six) at such a young age. I was delighted and knew God would provide. Then yesterday she suffered a miscarriage. She left a sad face text message on my phone while I was at work. I called and she told me the news. It was a sad time for all three of us. I hope she will tell her siblings. They would want to pray for her and comfort her. I feel some comfort knowing that this little one was met at the gates of Heaven by Jesus...and Grandpa. :)

 

I'm thankful that Micah wasn't home alone when this occurred. She was at a MOPS meeting (Mothers of Preschoolers) at our church. God made sure she was surrounded by friends who would look after her and her little girls. Her sister-in-law and others watched the girls while Micah went to the clinic. I wish she would have called me at work. I would have gone with her. But I'm so glad she wasn't alone.

 

I'm also thankful for the hope that is within every believer in Jesus. We can look forward to seeing all of our loved ones when our time here is over. No fear!

 

Shalom!

Morning moon...

I got a couple of pictures of the moon this morning just before it went behind the trees.

I love the little  halo around it.

 

 

 

Not much going on today. Just a lot of sorting through old pictures. I'm going to eventually finish up some photo albums and make a little album for each of my kids. Any left over photos may be packaged up and sent to each child. I'll still have a box full, but not quite so much! :)

 

Have a nice Sunday evening and shalom!

 

Time with the girls...

I do enjoy spending time with my grandgirls, Audrey (2) and Hazel (1). There's never a dull moment! Hazel is usually taking her nap when I arrive, so after visiting with daughter Micah before she leaves for work, I wash up any dishes and pick up toys.

The girls got a ball pit type toy for Christmas. The pit has disappeared (presumably punctured) but the balls remain! I've corralled some of them in the shopping cart...

 

...plastic food in its basket...

...Valentine bears...

 

...blocks bagged up...

 

...rocking lion in his corner...

 

...Bubble Guppies doing their thing on TV...

 

Audrey is usually painting within a few minutes after her Mom leaves.

 

Her favorite game...

 

The keeper of the gates, aka Homer. Being a Border Collie, he feels obligated to corner me until I pet him. :)

 

The view out of the dining room window. Note Homer keeping an eye on the "livestock". (There's not any legitimate livestock work for Homer to do around this little farm, but we like to let him think he's doing an important job.)

 

The neighboring corn field.

 

 

 

I asked Audrey what she was drawing. "Mr. Krab!" As in SpongeBob Squarepants.

 

Hazel's up! This is the only unblurry picture I got of her. Notice the blocks scattered in the background. Once she enters the scene all of those carefully picked up toys get dumped back on the floor and playtime begins! I love it!

This is my latest ATC. This swap involves drawing/painting wildlife. Wolverine!

 

At this ATC website and another drawing site I go to there is increasing concern over copyrighted photographs being used as references for drawing. The other site actually closed down and now we have to draw from "real life" or our own photos. This ATC site hasn't done that yet. It would be pretty hard to draw most of our subject matter from real life or our memories. So, who knows.

 

I'm off to spend some time going through piles of family photos to try to get them in some kind of order and get rid of unwanted/excess stuff. I'm also trying to give each of my kids a collection for a photo album. Long-term project! I hope to also do some reading and...

 

take a nap!

 

Have a great weekend and shalom to you all!

Sent myself some Valentines gifts!

I decided to sit myself down and do something I've been putting off. Signing up for online banking. Yawn. But it will be good to be able to see what my account is up to.

I'm going to drop my computer off at the computer place and have my favorite computer guys debug it and reinstall my word processor, which I uninstalled for some weird reason. Then I can begin my great American novel. :) I will also see if I have an antivirus thingy or if I need to get one. Pop-up boxes all over the place.

Here are my two Valentine's gifts!

 

I heard about these over at ATC's for All and thought they sounded very interesting!

 

Early tomorrow morning I'm scheduled for a mammogram. Fun, huh? Not expecting any great revelations. Just ticking off the "to do" boxes.

 

I don't work until 2 today (2-8), so I'm having a nice relaxing morning. (Well, at least after I figured out the banking account thing!)

 

You all have a great day and lots of shalom in the Lord.

Thanks, Pom!

Your letter was such an encouragement that I had to put it in a place of prominence!

I love the shaggy doggy and the little face. Still loving your artistic style! You also have such a way with words. I'm going to take a page from your book (your blog post) and have a nice cup of tea. I am so tired after work today. I think I'll put my feet up and watch the latest installment of Downton Abbey. Then a hot shower and some Bible reading. I was going to draw but I'm just too pooped out!

Here's a random shot from my camera. I looked out the window the other morning and wondered what kind of critter might have made that little zigzag trail in the middle of the photo. (You may have to click on it to make it bigger.) Any ideas?

An evening filled with shalom to all who stop by here! :)

29 Faces-Day 7

This is only my 3rd or 4th face (haven't kept count!) and I'm afraid I'm not doing well keeping up with this challenge. I think I'll just have to admit that there are other things I need to be spending time on right now and I can't really commit to doing art in such a "daily" fashion. :) Not that I won't be doing art; just that it will be sporadic. SO, by way of explanation, this little face was made for an ATC swap called Column A/Column B. You pick a word from column A and a word from column B and mix them to create an ATC. I obviously chose Buddha and sockmonkey. No offense to anyone, I hope. I think he's adorable!

So, for now this will be my final face unless I just happen to make something, in which case I will post it under the 29 Faces label.

Have fun, all you face makers!  See more faces at 29 Faces for February!

29 Faces-Day 3 and a private ATC trade...

It's Day 3 of 29 Faces in February!
You'll never guess who this is supposed to be. No... don't try...you'll really never guess. Unless her crooked tiara gives you a clue. Ah well, it's all in good fun, right? :)

 

Go on over to Ayala Art's blog to see more daily faces!

 

And now on to other things!

A private trade is when two folks decide to send ATC's to each other privately. I sent a card with a drawing of Gollum to a gal who goes by the pseudonym Poonwugget over at ATC's for All. In return I got the mother lode of artwork!

 

An adorable envelope!

 

This is called a blind-drawn card because she drew the birds without looking, then finished the card and added a caption to give it a story.

She also included an extra card which I like a lot. She really has a way with colored pencil, and unlike me, she actually creates original characters. I admire her skill!

That's all for me right now. I have another early shift tomorrow and the evening is waning!

Thanks for dropping by and shalom!

Some ATC's, etc.

I had a lunch guest today, then did some art, so I'm just now checking my blog. I see lots of new blog posts on my blog list! I may have to look at them all when I get home from work tomorrow. I get up early tomorrow (5 a.m.) so I won't hang around for long now.

My friend Joyce and I had a really nice visit, ate sloppy joes, chips and lemon bars and plan to do it again soon! She had to scurry home before 4:00 to watch the Superbowl with her son-in-law. She suddenly realized she didn't have anything to prepare for him for a snack, so I asked her to please take the rest of the sloppy joe fixings and lemon bars (and chips) because I need to get back to my "healthy" eating! She gladly did so, and that helped us all out a lot. :)

Here are four ATC's I made for the February Bizarre Holidays swap:

 

Enjoyed doing these! I'm off to bed and I'll check in with my bloggers tomorrow!

 

Shalom and good-night!

 

29 Faces-#2

 

 

For Day #2 of 29 Faces.

I usually find an image on Google to draw from, or perhaps an illustration in a children's book. This morning I decided to just wing it from my brain.

I always regret that. :)

The result is usually not very exciting.

I guess I'm just a copier.

And that's okay. I'll try again tomorrow!

Have a great day.

Shalom.

Busy Saturday...AND 29 Faces!

First of all I'd better get my "Face of the Day" on record! Today begins the 29 Faces Challenge for February! I chose to do a portrait of none other than Charles Dickens. His name was mentioned in an ATC swap, so that's where the idea came from. If only I had drawn him on an ATC I could have killed two birds with one stone, so to speak! Click the 29 Faces button on the right to see more faces!

It's been one of those Saturdays full of errands to do and a few business matters that I haven't looked forward to. But now it seems I'm on the "other side" of all of that and have time to blog and draw! Woo hoo! I had to drive to the bank and drop off garbage at the "dump", about a 23 mile trip. Then on my way back I took my car for an oil change at Walmart. I also exchanged some slippers my daughter had given me for Christmas (too small) and shopped for groceries.

 

The slippers my dd bought me were more "grown-up" than these, but they didn't have any in my size. I like these fuzzy slippers!

 

 

I splurged and bought myself some colorful pens and some new ultra-fine black pens.

 

 

I also bought three new tops. I've gone through my closets and bagged up so much that I never wear.

 

As you can tell I have fairly simple taste in clothes. I've never been very interested in fashion. As long as I'm not naked! This blue shirt reminds me of the Levi workshirts we always wore in the '70's.

 

 

I love the color of this shirt. Matches my fuzzy slippers!

I was telling my daughter how I'd splurged on shirts and markers and we were laughing at my idea of splurging! Walmart shirts and Sharpies!

 

 

I've been trying to eat healthy, but I just couldn't resist!

 

 

Now I'm getting healthier! I know I should probably buy salmon steaks, but frankly I prefer something I can open and eat quickly. I've been buying salmon in cans, but by the time I finish the can the salmon is beginning to taste a little shop worn!  These are just right for individual servings and fairly reasonably priced.

 

 

More cheating! My mom loves Milanos, so these are in her honor. Of course, I'll be the one eating them! The Fig Newtons are to feed my grandgirls when I babysit! (I bought lots of little snacky items to put in my granny bag.) The potato chips are for tomorrow when a friend is coming for lunch.

 

My friend, Joyce, doesn't care much for chocolate, so I thought lemon  bars sounded kind of delish! This will be my first time having a friend over since Bob went home to be with the Lord. Actually, we've never been ones for having company over even though Bob was quite the outgoing person. I think he preferred to go to town and visit around. I grew up in a family where we just didn't have company over. We were a band of hermits, I think, though I didn't realize it at the time. :) I'd like to cultivate my hospitality skills, though I suppose I'll always be a bit of a recluse. It's in the genes!

Haven't decided on whether to have chicken stir-fry or sloppy joes. I'll just ask Joyce what she prefers when she gets here! We have lots of catching up to do!

 

 

One of my other splurges is books. I'm always coming across a title that sounds interesting. In my life before widowhood I never would have bought so many books (except at the library book sale), but now I feel like it's okay. I'm trying to be a little less stingy with myself. Besides, I'm pretty good at finding books for .01 + the standard $4 shipping fee from Amazon. A pretty cheap book! I'm still going through my fascination with Orthodox Christianity and monasticism, so that's the story behind these book

 

Have a great and cozy evening and much shalom!