Happy Halloween

Just popping in to say hello, Happy Halloween and to let you know that we weathered the storm quite easily.  We had high winds and some snow flurries but kept our power.  My husbands hometown received about 15 inches of snow, but blessedly we were spared that.

Hubby and I are going to a Romney/Ryan rally tomorrow so he went to see his barber to get spiffed up a bit.  Normally one doesn't post a picture taken with one's hubby's barber, but today is different...

 Remember to click on the photo to see a larger version.  And no I'm not wearing contacts, my eyes are cat green

When hubs called to tell me that Rocky was in full regalia, I told him to come and get me and we could take pictures of her.  I grabbed a holiday themed necklace, drew on some 60's styled eyeliner and called it a costume so I could be included in the pictures.  You know it's always about me, me, me.

Did I mention last post that I was making a quilted handbag?  I went through my fabric stash, found some fun fabric, quilted it and using a commercial pattern came up with this...

I do have to admit that the current trend of Vera Bradley quilted bags did influence my most recent sewing project, but I have had the pattern for about five years and the fabric just as long.  The pattern called for pre-quilted fabric or quilting your own, and as I mentioned,  I opted to quilt my own.  I used the contrasting trim fabric for the other side of the fabric, eliminating the need for a lining.  I added an extra pocket on the outside and adjusted the pocket inside to fit my lifestyle.  I carried it today for the first time and it was very comfortable. I used Butterick pattern #B5197 if you are interested.

So that's it for today.  Hopefully I'll be back soon with pictures from the rally.  Remember that Tuesday is election day and it's a privilege to vote.  Make your voice heard and vote intelligently, not emotionally.

See you soon!

Happy Saturday (or Frankenstorm Eve)

Well, we aren't supposed to get much of the rain from the storm, but you never know.  We went out yesterday and got some additional nine hour candles and an emergency crank radio. 

We had just gone to the store Thursday, and have plenty of food on hand.

The front yard is raked in case of an early snow...

 (yes, we have to rake even though we have no trees in the front yard...)

 and green beans are on the stove.

We will be spending the evening catching up on the shows recorded on the DVR and waiting to see if we even get one drop of rain.  I am not being snarky really, I am thankful that we aren't in the direct path of the hurricane.  It's just that the media tends to want everyone to freak out over everything and especially near Election Day they are already running around like Henny Penny telling us the election may have to be postponed.  I, for one, am not a "freaker outer" so boo and hiss lame stream media...you can't scare me.  I'm prepared and will hike to the polls (in case of Zombie attack) if required.

With all that being said, enjoy the rest of the weekend, try to stay safe if you are in the direct path of the storm and remember that now and always, God is in control.  Do your part and things will be as they should.

xoxo

Pictorial tour of my daily life...

Well, kiddos, it's me again.  I had initially planned to wait until I completed my drawings before posting them.   I suppose I am like many of you, in that sometimes I start another project before (gasp) finishing the current one. This is what I have done, so I decided that I would stop dragging my heels and go on a post the photos anyway.

With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to take you through some of the current projects that I have going. Remember this needlepoint project?  Well I did finish it, but this photo is to show you the black and white color chart in the background.  The color chart for this project "spoke to me".  I thought that it would be fun to take this color chart and make a pen and ink drawing from it.  So this is what I started on...not sure if it is done yet.

This turned out better than I had anticipated.  If you are stumped for a design, or aren't one that can do drawings or doodles from your imagination, this just might be a good source of inspiration.

It's not quite a zentangle, but it allowed me to use various designs and repetitive shapes in a fashion that I find quite interesting.

As much as I love to draw or do needle work in the living room while I watch television, there is a downside.  I, being the spoiled child that I am, don't like to put my toys away.  It doesn't take very long for a previously neat living room to start to appear less than straight...

If you come to visit me, don't expect to have a large glass of sweet tea, as I've used most of my large cups for holding my colored pencils.  I start off neatly, but as I work through a drawing, not only has my 1950's end table become completely overwhelmed with my accoutrements and paraphernalia, it usually spills down to the floor below...

In this photo, I attempted to used some creative cropping in an effort to make the extent of my mess less alarming.  I usually have books and magazines and catalogs for each of the project that I am currently working on and once I have gotten something out from storage downstairs, I just don't want to put it away. I'm just like that.

The main thing that got this drawing frenzy started was a tutorial that showed an easy way to draw op art.  Using the ideas presented in this tutorial, I came up with this...

It's not really an optical illusion, as the coils are supposed to look like they are moving in some fashion, but it was fun to work on...for a while.  After working on it several nights in a row, I was bored with it and went on to something else.

That something else is often called impossible art.  It's a form of optical trickery that makes your brain kick into overdrive.  I'm all about the brain and visuals, so this was right up my alley.  You may think it is a bit confusing to look at, you should try to draw it.  Even with a sample to go by, it is almost impossible to get your brain to "switch over" while drawing these illusion.

The tuning fork was almost impossible to draw.  Not impossible in a "drive you crazy" way, but impossible in a "I know I can do this" way.  There are lots of illusion art out there.  I'm sure you have seen the sidewalk art that is illusionary, but have you seen the art done on a rooftop that looks like giant spiders...

I know, it's freaky.  You can read about it here and see how it looks from the rooftop instead of above.  It's very interesting.  Please check it out.

Now I know that my skills in illusionary art don't compare, but it's fun to dabble in.  There is something called impossible architecture that is a bit easier to draw.  I came us with this one...

If you click in, you may be able to see various levels of stairs that when turned in different directions, change the look of the drawing.  On the right page is a spiral that I have started and I'm not sure where it will be going, but go it will.

When I wasn't making myself crazy with op art, I was cutting out slacks...and making rice bags.

I tried five times to get blogger to accept this picture in the direction that it was taken, but to no avail.  Please humor me and tilt your head to the left to see what a rice bag made from monkey flannel looks like.  Hubby loves monkey art and he picked this fabric.

The pants and the rice bags were made downstairs in my basement on my Bernina and seams are pressed open in the laundry room.

As I sew, I usually watch television.  I can never get the remote to work with the television, unless I stand up, and I'm way too lazy for that.  With that in mind, please see my redneck solution...

Yes, in order for the remote to activate the sensor I had to elevate the television and what better to use than books.  So I have my studio television securely lifted on a stack of books.  Necessity is most certainly the mother of invention.

Well, I suppose that is it for now.  A blog post that should have taken about an hour took four hours.  Recently blogger changed things and if I turn my camera when taking the picture (an old habit from my 35mm SLR days) it requires tons of photo program work to get the photo to load correctly. 

Hope everyone has a great week and stays (or gets) creative.  We'll talk soon. Take care.

Just saying hi...

Since I still don't have anything to brag/post about yet, I'll just show you this picture of me and my hubby.  Timbo and I had a little function to attend Friday night and we got a passerby to snap our picture.
Hope you like it.

Yep, it's me in all my long haired, no glasses glory.  Looks like I could have used a bit more paint on the old barn, but it's all good.

My three month, cataract surgery follow-up appointment is tomorrow,  but other than that ,the upcoming week is appointment free.  Seems like a good week to amp up the gym workout and start sweating out some of the junk food toxins that I seemed to accumulate this weekend.  I find myself falling into the "I'm so good all week" routine that I treat myself with junk food on the weekend and undo everything I did during the week.  I'll bet I'm not the only one that does this.

As they say, tomorrow is another day.  We'll talk soon and I promise I will find something artsy and interesting to blog about, really I will.

Where is she???

Oh, not to worry, I'm hanging around.  I've been a bit on the lazy side, drawing and eating cake.  When I finish coloring in my current doodle, I'm post it.  In the meantime, check out this tutorial for an op art drawing.  This is what I have been working on and it is quite time consuming but fun.

In the meantime, here is a funny little cartoon.  Hope you get it.

Later.

Doodles

No, as much as I wish I were talking about cheese doodles, this is something completely different.

As yummy as they look with that other worldly, beautiful orange color, I'm talking about doodling as an art form.  I have mentioned before that I think everyone has an artist lurking inside their bodies, and a good way to nurture that artist, is with another kind of doodle.  As you may have seen over the years, a whole new wave of books and blogs and such have been dedicated to Zentangling.  Poo on that, I am talking about sitting around drawing while you watch television.  Nothing with a fancy-smancy, made up name, just drawing or doodling. 

Oh, now you are getting ready to whine, I can hear you tuning up.  "I can't draw", "poor me, I'm being left out of all the fun".  Shut your crying, you big baby and go get your notebook and pens.

You can use a composition book to draw in, and just a good old fashioned ballpoint pen will suffice.  Personally I like to add a bit of color and I have boxes full of markers and pens at my disposal.  If you prefer pencils that's fine too, as long as you don't postpone the drawing by erasing everything that's not perfect...grrrr, don't get me started on that.  Can't draw a straight line?  Duh, find something with an edge on it and use it as a guide.  I'll bet you have a credit card in your purse...use that if you don't have the world's most perfect ruler.  As you can see, I am eliminating all your pitiful excuses for not drawing.  So now get off your butt...oops, I mean get ON your butt and draw.

Absolutely cannot think of anything to draw, because you are still trying to fight me on this??? Draw a letter or two.  Yeppers, you heard it here first.  Alphabets or monograms are some of the best things to start on.  Who doesn't love a monogram or a fancy drawn letter?  There are gazillions of decorated monograms that have been created since the beginning of your specific language.  (see how p/c I'm being here?) If you still need a nudge, do an online search for ideas. Pinterest or Google or Etsy. You know the drill, stop dragging your feet on this. (Y'all know I'm just kiddin' dontcha?)

Anyway, here are the monograms I drew this week while sitting on my keister watching the telly.

S is for Susan, as most of you know.  It's a fun letter and you can do all kinds of things with it.

T is for Timothy.  I don't know if I've ever mentioned his name here, just calling him DH for dear hubby, but he does have a name and it has many fine letters in it.  Starting with T.

Ok, now scroll back up to my letter and click on it.  You will see that I started out with the letter S and embellished it with those silly little petal flower that everyone has been drawing since first grade.  That's what it's all about.  Your favorite little thing to draw, be it flowers or moons and stars or Scottie dogs, I don't know...just draw in some little things in to fill out the letter some. I often add leaves to make things look "viney" and I love circles so I do lots of circles.

OK, now scroll back down to Tim's letter and you will notice several things.  One it has additional lines added that make it look.....drum-roll here please... "3 D".  One of the most fun things to do is to add perspective to doodles.  It's really easy to do.  Just check out the internet for drawing 3D and you will find easy instructions.  "What?  Shoot, quick stomping your foot.  I'll do it for you."  Here.  Satisfied?

Seriously though folks, I used black felt tip pens and then filled in (we are too old to just say we color) with markers.  You can use markers or crayons or other dry media that you can just grab and use.  Keep it simple to start.

Hope you have fun drawing your letters.  Send me a picture of your finished art and I'll post it here.  I really will.  You'll be instantly famous.

Another experiment...

So, at the risk of boring you all to death, I'm posting another picture of a bracelet.  Practicing beading can lead to one of two things...either something that works in jewelry or something that doesn't.  This most recent piece was supposed to be a wide cuff, but I made it too wide and it was uncomfortable on my wrist.  So I sewed the edges together and made it into a tube and it still works as a bracelet.

 I purchased the size 6 beads in Autumn colors, which worked well together, and while it doesn't really match anything else I have, I think I can find something that will coordinate with it. 

As you can see, it looks different on a dark background,

so perhaps a navy blouse or the ever present black top will work with it.

While going through my stash of beads last week I came across this owl pendant.  I got this in a grab bag of  broken jewelry at a flea market and it just so happens that I have a friend that collects all things owl.

Yes, this little pendant is going to my friend and trainer, Chelsea.  Sweet little Chelsea was recently diagnosed with cancer and after trying various treatments over the past few months, her doctors told her yesterday that she will have to start undergoing radiation.  Hopefully a little vintage owl pendant will help keep her mind off of things a bit.

Well, that's it for today.  Hope everyone is hanging in there and getting ready for Fall.  I'm not sure what is on my agenda for today.  I deconstructed the shawl that I showed you last post and I'm thinking about making granny squares with the yarn.  I found a pattern for a granny square sweater that looks promising.  I'll keep you posted.

See you soon.  Let us hear!

Peyote

I remember hearing murmurs, back in the days of my youth, that someone "was doing peyote".  Well, the peyote that they were doing was certainly different from the peyote that I am doing.  The peyote they were whispering about is a cactus that has hallucinogenic properties and has been used for years in religious ceremonies of various "indigenous people" of America  (for those less politically correct...American Indians).  During these ceremonies bead covered gourds are used and over the years the beading technique used for this decoration came to be known as peyote stitch, or gourd stitch.

I have a fairly ample supply of seed beads that were a gift from a very lovely gal some years back.  I have used these beads in jewelry making, as well as bead embroidery and even mosaic work.  They are so pretty, sitting there in their little plastic tubes and I love how colorful they are.  Over the years, as my cataracts gradually began affecting my sight, I stopped using my seed beads.  As many of you know, I had my cataracts removed so I am now delving back into my stash of tiny beads.  With the help of various types of magnifiers I am attempting to relearn peyote stitch.

Just to get back in the groove, I started out with larger sized beads.  Using various colors of size 8 seed beads, I whipped up this little color block bracelet. 

I fashioned a button and loop closure for the bracelet and added some larger glass beads for fringe, as well as weight.

Now I'll tackle peyote using much smaller beads and see what I come up with.  I purchased this magazine

 at Books-A-Million this week and it has fun projects in it.  I also have a very nice loom that another sweetheart of a gal got for me, and the projects that you can make on a loom with the tiny beads are really nice.

When not reading or beading, I've been crocheting a shawl, and I've done this much so far...

At first I thought it was finished, but when I tried it on I realized that it was too thick to be a scarf, but too narrow to be a shawl... so back to the hooks for me.  I'm currently adding a triangular shaped piece to the back to make it more shawl like.  I'll keep you posted on that.

Hope everyone is having a nice September and if you're like me, you are waiting in anticipation for Autumn.  I love Fall and everything that goes with it.  Sweater weather is what we called it when I was younger and it's not here yet, but almost.

Well, children, that's it for now, but take care and remember to stay creative. xoxo

Empty Chair Day

Today is Empty Chair Day.  This is a follow up to the speech that Clint Eastwood gave at the RNC, where he spoke to an empty chair on the stage and was addressing questions to it as if the current president were there.  We watched the speeches and I thought it was very well done.  He ad libbed most of it (meaning actually that he didn't use notes or the teleprompter) but he IS an actor and presented in a way that made the non-conservatives go crazy.  They just didn't get it.  Anyway, this led to people hitting the internet via Twitter, etc, with all kinds of things that they would have said to the (empty chair that is the current) president.  Many of these comments were accompanied by pictures of an empty chair.  Hence Empty Chair Day.  Hubby posted this shot with the following caption...

"Forced to carry his own clubs, Empty Chair prepares for a day on the links".

Normally, I don't blog about politics, but I think that it's a good way to get people to speak out about things.  People that normally don't speak out took part in this over the last several days, and I think that is good.

If you are interested in seeing what folks are saying on Twitter, just go to the site and search for #EmptyChairDay and the tweets will start rolling up.  I'm sure there will be similar things happening that are related to or are a result of the DNC which is this week.

That's all for me today and by the way...Happy Labor Day.

Calling it quits...

Calling it quits??? Is she crazy? Naw, I'm not quitting blogging, I'm just finally throwing in the towel on my current painting.  It started out to be an actual representation of a photo that I took of Peri in the train station in San Fran on the morning of our initial departure.  Once again I am reminded that a pretty cool photograph doesn't always translate into a beautiful painting (even when the subject is beautiful in her own right).

I may have mentioned that I take photos during my painting  process to  see what errors jump out at me.  Well, after forty photos and forty changes and forty layers of glazes, I have completely changed the photo from a bright sunny morning shot to a very dark and moody painting and it's still not "right". 

I'm going to post it anyway and say up front to my sister, who I love dearly, that I'm stumped and am calling it quits...I mean complete.

Keep it mind that this is a somewhat large painting, approximately 16 x 20 and I painted it on watercolor paper instead of canvas.  Originally I wanted to convey the brightness of the sun coming into the windows reflecting the lightness of our mood and our anticipation of the trip.  This never happened to my satisfaction.  I kept all of the photos of the process and will perhaps put them on my Flickr page at some point.  In the mean time, I give you a very different version.  The original plan was too busy and didn't highlight Peri in the way I wanted.  So I basically just blocked everything out with shadowy greys and blues and chalked it all up to experience.

I did finish up the crochet tote bag that I was working on.  I haven't made a handle yet, because it worked so well containing my wayward yarns that I don't want to empty it yet.

I have no new projects in the works, except a crocheted shawl that is working up slowly.  Who knows what I'll do next week.  Might be jewelry, might be sewing, might be more painting.  I guess we'll see.

Have a fun weekend and don't forget to stay creative.

Another week, another project

Well, another week has passed and I do have a new painting on the easel.  It's one from our train trip, but I was almost done with it when I realized the perspectives were off in several places, so I'm going to let it sit for a while until I decide what to do with it.  The good parts are very, very good but the bad parts are very, very bad.

Now with all that being said,  I went ahead and started a crocheting project.  I suppose you realize now that I, for some reason, must have something to do with my hands.  I just can't not have a project.  Currently, I am crocheting a tote bag/basket to use as storage for my yarns. Sounds sort of freaky doesn't it?  Storing yarn in yarn...somewhat cannibalistic.  Anyhoo, I've looked at Etsy, and I've looked at Pinterest and I've looked at lots of fiber sites like Ravelry.  After doing much research, I decided to wing it and design as I go.  I really like doing crochet this way.

So, that's all for today.  Hopefully in a week or so, I will have a picture to share of the tote/basket which I am making using a large hook (M) and three strands of different colored yarn.  Wish me luck.

Another Monet

Well, I didn't work on any art yesterday because it was our anniversary. YaY, twenty-four years! If you're new to my blog you can read about us here.  It's a re post of a post, but the sentiment is still the same.

We had a quiet day, ate lunch at a little barbecue place and watched old black and white movies together at home.

Last week I started another Monet painting, just to practice the technique.  I enjoyed your suggestions on the next one to do and even Peri's suggestion of using this technique on one of my own photos.  I'm having so much fun I'm sure all the suggestions will become paintings and yes, I'll send it to my very special friends that suggested each one...cause that's how I roll.

Back to the matter at hand, I thought it would be fun to post the steps that I used to create my copy of one of the versions of Claude Oscar Monet's "Woman With A Parasol".  Actually the reason I chose this one for my next practice piece, is the fact that there is no detail in the face and I like the wiggle room that this style affords me.

So here we go...

 In stage one, I drew the outline of the woman holding the umbrella.  To do this I traced the picture from my book onto vellum and then used the grid method to enlarge and transfer it to my sheet of watercolor paper whichI had measured out and taped down to my piece of Masonite board. It's a fairly easy process.

Next I blocked in some shadows and clouds and such...

Here I have really tried to begin developing the sky.  I worked on this for a long time, probably longer than necessary, but I was having fun.

This is the version that was almost complete.  In order to see where there are glaring mistakes, it's a good idea to either take a photo of your painting and look at it on the digital screen, or if you are still holding out and haven't gone digital...sit down with the painting to your back and using a large hand held mirror, look into the mirror at the painting behind you, basically from a different point of view.  It really helps to see things like clouds that need reshaping, or a dark area that draws too much attention to itself, thus moving your eye in the wrong direction.

Here is the final version.  I did some finishing glazing with a grayish blue watery paint to push the sky and clouds back a bit more behind the subject and decided it was done.  Knowing when a painting is done is one of the challenges that I often have.

Well, hope you liked this little tutorial of my progress.  I'm chomping at the bit to do something else, so it's back to the drawing board for me.  Hee hee, get it?

Copying the Masters

Every artist, whether it is the scrapbook artist working at the kitchen table or the professional painting for his livelihood in a huge studio, at one time or another, needs inspiration.  We have had the "to copy or not to copy" discussion several times, so I'm not going there.  What I'm doing today is showing you my latest painting.  Inspired by the age old tradition and learning technique of copying masterpieces of years gone by, I present you my version of Monet's Boating on the River Epte. 

I chose this particular painting because I had just painted over a used canvas with black gesso and was looking for something that would benefit from a dark background.  While painting, it seemed to be getting darker and darker, so I used my artistic license and lightened it up a bit.  It is sometimes hard to copy a painting on a smaller canvas.  The canvas I used is 16 x 20, which is fairly large for me, but not the large format that Monet used on this painting. It was originally painted on a 52 x 59 inch canvas and the tone of the original is a bit different from my version.  That being said and also pointing out that, as so often happens, the girls on the skiff look very much like my sister and me when we were younger... I have to say I'm quite happy with it.

It is done is acrylic heavy body paint, versus oils as in the original.  I haven't decided if I am going to varnish it or not.  As a general rule, acrylic paint doesn't need varnish to protect the painting, but if you are going for an "oil painting look" a gloss varnish is sometimes used.  What do you think? Gloss or not? Also, what painting from Monet's collection should I do next?  Not sure, feel free to browse through his collection at this website and make your suggestion.  Who knows, if it looks good upon completion, I just might send it to you.

Oh and here is the original version....

I see now that my oar need to be curved much more, but still I'm happy with it.  Let me know what my next Monet should be. 

No, that's not what I do...

If you think that I sit around all day eating bon-bons, no, that's not what I do.  Only because I do not have any.  Seriously though, when I'm not reading or cooking or watching the tube, OR doing needlework, or blogging, or surfing Pinterest and StumbleUpon, I create art.  As I said in my last post, not all paintings are successful, but you cannot have success without practice (that's what I call most of my art, anyway).

Here are the most recent practice pieces...

 (Edit:  I was just told in a very snarky fashion, after posting this painting on my Pinterest page, that this is Mount Garfield in Colorado. To which I thanked her profusely for making my day by recognizing it from the painting.)

This is the painting of the neighborhood at the bottom of the rock formation.  The  picture that I took is so much better than this rendition, but still I can find things about this that I like a lot.  The smaller house on the right side of the scene and the larger one just to the right of middle.  I like these.  The mess over on the left looks like a monkey came in during the night and played with my paints.  This piece was done in lots of layers of thinned out liquid acrylic.  I think I will probably try it again in pastels when the notion hits me.

This next one is completely out of my comfort zone.  Peri calls this style poster art.  It is done in acrylics and I was going for a graphic artist look.   My initial thought was to do several styles of painting using the colors pink, cream and green.  I was wanting to frame some art for one of the bedrooms and that is the color scheme.

I am doing these paintings on watercolor paper, but I may switch over to stretched canvases.  This next one was going to be a companion piece to the heart, but that studio monkey paid a visit and I had to change it significantly...

I went on and signed this, but it still needs a great deal of work.  So far the only thing I like about it is the signature and I messed up the date when I went to put '12 under my name and it looks like 72.  I know I'm probably too picky, but you know how that goes.

So that's it for today.  What's on YOUR easel?

You are what you are...right?

My next post was going to be a tutorial of a painting that I have been working on, but it turned out so awful that I may not even post the finished piece.  I know that having a piece of artwork turn out to be unsuccessful doesn't mean I'm unsuccessful, it only means that it's a work in progress. 

Speaking of a work in progress, aren't we all just that?  It's all about growing and becoming what you are destined to be...at a certain time.  What you will grow up to be, perhaps.  I remember telling my mother that I would be so glad when I grew up, because then no one would be telling me what to do.  Well, I guess I never grew up, because that never happened.  People still tell people what to do, from what foods are good and bad for them to what clothes and makeup to wear.  Which brings me to the purpose of this post. (nice segue, huh?) In the 1980's I had my colors done by a friend that was working for a cosmetic company called BeautiControl.  It was the home party type of deal where the demonstrator decided what colors you looked best in by placing swatches of different color fabrics under your face and had you to look in the mirror to see whether the warm swatch looked better than the cool color swatch.  It was fun and a new take on the at home selling party.  It was just the beginning of me being totally convinced that I could not, EVER, wear certain colors on or near my face.  She decided that I was a Winter and should only wear silver jewelry and jewel tone fabrics with the addition of black or white. 

I suppose for the most part she was right, but I didn't realize how firmly she believed in her work until I invited her to a Christmas party.  There was another guest who had also had colors done and was not supposed to wear warm colors  or jewelry.  The girl made her entrance in a beautiful sequined party top that belonged to her mother. This was a really high end piece of clothing and the mom had relented and let said daughter wear it to my party.  Well, let me tell you, Cindy, the color lady, almost fainted.  She went from being shocked to being mad.  Her word was law and that girl had no business wearing those colors and to top it off...she had on GOLD jewelry.  Cindy could not enjoy my party.  Ahhh, but I digress...

All of this is leading up to the fact that I went to the mall yesterday after finding that we now have a Bare Escentuals retail store in town.  Good thing I didn't know that it's been here for almost a year now. ( My loving sister got me the Bare Minerals starter kit and lots of brushes and accompanying eye shadows several years ago when I visited her and we went to ULTA, another great store. Thanks, Peri!)

I went in to replenish my foundation, because I have been making do with Merle Norman for several years and it's just not the same as Bare Minerals.  It's pretty good, but not the same.

I was waited on by the nicest young man, by the name of Tyler.  Tyler and I hit it off immediately.  I knew he was a professional because he had his brushes in a apron around his waist and he was whipping them out like he was a gunslinger in a spaghetti western.  He knew his stuff and showed me colors that he thought would work for me and when I told him, "oh, I can't wear warm colors",  he took his wrist and stroked a warm color foundation on his wrist (he is more of an olive complexion) and then stroked the same color on my wrist.  Guess what?  The color worked for both of us.  He told me I can wear any color that I want to, there is no one to stop me.  He reminded me to wear what I liked and not worry about what I'd been told in the past.  He didn't try to push anything on me and simply showed me that sometime things work that you didn't know would.

Well, $150.00 later, I'm restocked on all the colors that I KNOW work for me and I also indulged in the desert colors that I didn't think would work.  So, here are some photos of me wearing warm colors ON and NEAR my face.

The title of this post is "you are what you are...right?" because I decided not to photo shop out my wrinkles and saggy eye lids and double chins.  And yes, I'm wearing that same twenty year old tie dyed shirt that I cut the neck so it wouldn't choke me.  It's a recurring piece of clothing in this blog.

Please do not be alarmed at the drooping eyelid on the right.  It's just gravity taking hold after all these years.

Now my hair is actually longer than this, but I had both arms raised trying to take these pictures myself.  See those lines along my throat?  I am hoping that they are also due to the positioning of my arms, but I'm not too sure.

Here is a similar shot, but if you look closely, you can see the pepper part of my salt and pepper do.  It is still quite dark in the back, but when I wear it down it is covered up by the top layers of silver.  I have so much hair that it's like wearing a hooded sweatshirt.  With the weather in the triple digits almost all of July, that means pony tails and buns for me.

Actually, the main reason for posting these not-so-flattering shots is just to say hi.  Also, to let Peanut know that I'm still alive and kickin' and to remind myself that even though there will always be someone telling me what to do, I'm going to do what I want to anyway.  After all, I am what I am, right?

This is not my art

No this is not my art.

I am seriously considering doing something similar and this tutorial is extremely good.  It shows how a few simple shapes and watercolor washes can create a really nice piece of art.  Check it out here.

Seriously, go to Grow Creative for an excellent tutorial that will inspire those who think they couldn't manage a painting this complex.  You'll be surprised, I'm sure.  I haven't met Elise but she certainly has an impressive blog.

Now, if I can just get motivated enough to actually get my art supplies art and make some room to do some art.  My studio table is covered with everything from beads and wire to polymer clay and saw blades.  My own dear Mother, RIP, used to say to me that if there was a flat surface in the house, I would make sure to clutter it up with something.  I think I can make room on the kitchen table for some watercolor supplies.  I think I can....we'll see.

Happy Sunday

Well, the storm is over and the sound of chainsaws is finally dwindling down.  The streets are stacked dangerously high with tree limbs and branches.  There are still folks without power in other neighborhoods. 

Since it's been too hot to go out to do anything much, I'll show you several pictures of toppled trees from last week.

These were trees at the mall...

Every street in every neighborhood we passed look like this...

and the work removing them began almost immediately...

but the thing I like to remember is that when things are broken and we have survived the storm...

God shines His light on you.  Please join me in breathing a sigh of relief and saying a prayer of gratitude for surviving the storm.  I feel in my heart that those who lost their lives in the storms and the heat and the unusual accidents that seem to be plaguing this country are in His arms.  I try to remember to pray for the ones still here because even though they know their beloved ones are with Him, it is so hard to let them go.  I've been reading Ecclesiastes recently and this verse comes to mind... 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die ... a time to weep and a time to laugh ... a time to mourn and a time to dance...
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)

I hope you have had a good week.  Try to stay cool and comfortable and thankful for weathering the storm. Perhaps this week will be your time to dance.