Thanks for your prayers!

Josh was able to get a new vehicle using his insurance money for a down payment. His previous vehicle had been paid for, but he knew the insurance money wouldn't buy something reliable. So, he now has a car payment (as he said, like a real adult) but he said he's being blessed in his work and he thinks he can handle the payment. God will provide! Thanks again for your prayers. Here's my grandgirl, Starry, posing with the new/used car. :) At least, I'm assuming it's used. He didn't give all the details. Safe travels, little family!

Micah, Hazel and Audrey have all been under the weather the last couple of days, but everyone seems to be doing better today. Micah and I were at Walmart yesterday (along with Sully and Della) doing our grocery shopping together when Micah got a call from the school saying that Hazel was having tummy problems and was running to the bathroom a lot. So, we wrapped up our shopping and went and picked her up. She wasn't in a lot of distress, but they thought she should go home, of course. Then last night, after Micah took the girls to AWANA, Audrey 'fessed up that she, too, had missed lunch and recess because she had been in the bathroom. Micah told her she needs to tell a teacher if that happens again so they can call her. Audrey said she didn't want to tell anyone because she didn't want to miss school! That's our little Type-A Audrey! Anyway, all better today.

So, this mom will try to take a day off from being concerned quite so much with kids' challenges. But, of course, I will continue to pray without ceasing, I'm sure. You all know how that goes.

On the more artsy side of life, this is a postcard I'm making (4"x6") per a request on my ATC site. I'm planning to do colorful splashes of watercolor to finish it, but I thought I'd better take a photo of it beforehand, just in case I ruin it, ha ha! The gal I'm making it for likes "whimsical" elephants. I'm not good at cute or whimsical, so I thought some wild colored paint might fulfill that part. Actually, this is for a Blind Postcard swap,(meaning the recipient doesn't know what they're getting) so I could send her any theme I like, but I try to send something they've mentioned liking on their profile. So here he is...

 Looking through the pictures on my camera it looks like there are lots of photos I haven't shared of artwork, etc., so hang on. I'm about to dump it all on you!

Here are more of the pen and ink drawings for Inktober...

white gel pen on brown toned paper

also on brown paper

A thrift store mug.

One of the snails I brought home from the lake shore.

These four are for a Loteria swap. I'll post the finished versions below.

This little hedgehog was to fulfill a request on the ATC site. I also counted it for Inktober. It was outlined in ink and then finished with colored pencil. The background is a piece of decorative paper with handwriting and an image on the left. That's why it looks kind of weird. :)

We also did a Book Lovers swap where we drew stacks of books or bookshelves containing each person's favorite titles.

This gal mentioned that she likes badgers, so I added one. She also likes old postage stamps, so I used some decorative paper behind the bookshelf that had an image of an old letter on it. This bookshelf took SO LONG to make that I drew the rest of my cards, lol.

I just drew random books from examples I found online and then slapped titles on them, so their thickness doesn't correspond to how long the book would really be. The kids and I studied Beowulf in homeschool, so I know it's a very small book. But hey, it's all in fun!

Here are those Loteria cards after I painted them. Some of the images on Loteria cards are very politically incorrect, but probably culturally correct. I think the El Valiente one represents something to do with bullfighting, hence the bloody knife.

 My Facebook friends probably saw all my pictures down by the lake, but I'll post a few of them again for others. These were taken on Sunday after I took a walk. I always forget my camera, so I ran (drove) home and got it and took a second trip down to the beach of my local lake. (Lake Belletaine in Nevis, MN) I live 1/4 of a mile from there and hardly ever go down to the beach. What a shame! Anyway, it was a very pleasant interlude.

This is where I was sitting when taking most of the photos.

See those tallest trees in the middle of the picture? The highway runs along in front of those. If you follow it toward the left of the photo my house is just a "couple of blocks" away. Really a nice spot to live.

It was windy and the water was very choppy.

Hey! I think I'm caught up!
We're supposed to have snow either today or tomorrow. It will be our first for the season!
I'm surrounded by my art materials and lots of books, so this is the perfect time for snow. Just not too much, please. ;)
God bless you, every one! Thanks for stopping by! :)
Shalom!