Hmmph, 7 Things, huh?

I have been tagged, by the lovely and talented http://cathiebyershamilton.blogspot.com/, otherwise known as the Bean Counter. At first I was like, aaaarrrgggh, I am not going to come up with 7 things, then I got to thinking and it wasn’t hard at all. So, hold on to your hats, cause yes I was THINKING, and they may not be interesting, but they are true. Seven Things To Do Before I Die illustate a children’s book travel to italy get a massage live by the ocean get another dog live in a villa in Tuscany see my son get married Seven Things I Cannot Do waitress back-flip clean up puke tie a man’s tie put in a contact lens bungy jump ice skate Seven Things That Attract Me To My Mate he is fun and easy going his poems (doesn’t have time to write them anymore) the way he looks at me (or at least the way he used to when I was younger) the way he love’s the children, he’s one awesome dad his will power his ability to socialize he loves me Seven Books I Love (I haven’t read alot lately, but any of these I would read again!) DaVinci Code, Dan Brown The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, C.S.Lewis Sector 7, David Weisner (any book from him is wonderful) The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, Chris Van Allsburg Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle Point of Origin, Patricia Cornwell Pet Cemetery, Stephen King Seven Things I Say Hey, there I love you you little turkey kiddo NO, TOUCHING Don’t do that let’s hit the road (jack) Seven Movies I’ve Loved The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (unbelievably awesome…cannot say enough) Pretty in Pink Valley Girl (OMG, I had such a crush on Nicholas Cage in this movie) Monsters, Inc Rudy Titantic Shrek Seven People To Tag (I can only come up with 4 people I am comfortable enough to tag, sorry) http://karinart.blogspot.com/ http://blog.thesilentk.com/ http://blog.creativekismet.com/ http://www.hereslucy.squarespace.com/ Thanks Cate for thinking of me….

Messenger Bag

Messenger Bag

It is school vacation week and my girls are off skiing with their grandparents. George and I are holding down the fort and quite lonely I might add. My oldest daughter has been carrying a backpack to school for the last 3 years, and she and I discussed that a messenger bag, that you put over your head and under one arm might be easier to handle. Second grade has not required more than one book, and one folder, so far. I hope she likes this little surprise I made. Ooh, focus on the bags, and not on the messy kitchen …please.

Inspire Me Thursdays

Inspire Me Thursdays

Due to my screaming child, I was flustered when I last posted and forgot to put the link in for http://inspiremethursday.blogspot.com/ . I apologize. But it got me thinking about some playing cards I got a long time ago. I went digging and found them. Fifty-six contemporary British artists have been especially commissioned to contribute to this unique interpretation of a pack of playing-cards. Each card represents the original work of a different artist. David Hockney, Paul Huxley, Philip Sutton, Peter Kinley, well, there is 52 more. These are sort of like Artist Trading Cards…

Artist Trading Card

Artist Trading Card

How much fun was that! I have never made one of these before, and to think, with all the projects I have going on right now, withinn 1hr I started and finished this one! Check out http://inspiremethursday.blogspot.com/ for more atc’s! This image immediately came to my head. Being the painted pear, I naturally had to include pears, and the symbolism of picking one pear out of many…someday there will be a basketful of my trading cards!

These Boots Are Made For Walking

George got his braces today. These braces are necessary because he is a toe walker. He has done this since his first steps, and it is probably just a habit thing, that he hasn’t grown out of. If he doesn’t stop this, and walk correctly the tendon over his heel will need surgery. His foot does not flex at a great enough angle. This eventually will affect his posture and spine. He is such a happy kid, and was brave and engaging throughout the whole appointment! All my kids are so chatty, but it is less uncomfortable when it is someone that doesn’t mind a chatty kid. Here’s a peek at my new daily chore! He has been such a sport! He was treated to icecream after and even shared ONE bite with me! It is hard not to feel guilty, but all I know is he still loves me. I am off to spend some time with my brave little guy!

Painting Journal

Though I have not had as much time as I would like, I have been able to sneak in the attic enough to get a little farther along. I am not sure I like the size of the red berries. It is interesting getting the perspective of looking at it on the monitor. I am getting a different feel for it, right at this moment, then the feeling I was getting while painting. Like stepping back, this is yet another way to check the work.

In the Pink

I thought I would share my blooms! As well as practice taking pictures. I actually got the manual out for my camera. My pictures have been dreadful, I apologize, and hopefully I can master this fine art! What a wonderful treat of color, during the dog days of winter. For some reason, they are climbing. I am not a green thumb, and they sometimes get overwatered when the children find the watering can, and then sometimes they get neglected. I have found geraniums to be a very generous plant for those who tend to underwater. The next bit of pink is a wonderful red pepper sauce over bowtie pasta I made last night. I had some beautiful red peppers and for the first time, roasted them myself. Not too hard to do. Just brush with olive oil and set under the broiler. Took longer in the broiler than I had expected. But the skins do peel right off. Heavy cream, fontina, sour cream (should have included riccotta, but I had none.) Parmesan cheese, garlic and pureed tomatoes. Yummy

Monkey See Monkey Do

This is a warning for all cooks who have a toddler in their midst. Do not let your 3 year see you making chicken piccata (or veal). This action of pounding the meat with the mallet, is too overwhelming, and you may find them mutilating any food item put in front of them. Though it is a plastic, play hammer, it can cause jelly to squirt to all corners of your kitchen. You have been warned.

Saving Face

Saving Face

One of these pictures was a valentine’s present for the man of the house. I’ll give you a hint – it is one with 4 people, (one of the upper 3). This was a true gift because I never get in pictures. And to get in one, willingly, even with me taking the picture is, well LOVE. I shy from a camera lense like a claustrophobic shy’s from an elevator, an acrophobiac shy’s from tall buildings. I have walked looking at my feet, for fear of seeing a reflection, for so long, that my posture is a joke with the staff at the gym. In a brief moment of weakness, my kids actually gave me the confidence to do this. While he was opening it in front of the children, he gave each a compliment. My oldest says, “What about mom?” His reaction was not mean or insensitive but slow in vocalizing. Later he confides and says that I am much prettier than this picture allowed. Why aren’t you smiling? – is another question I was asked. Well, after so many jokes of having a fang tooth one tries not to share it with the world. Yes, I have an “eye” tooth that has wandered forward. I was blessed with braces and a retainer as a child and young adult. Though due to age, stress, night grinding, it now points forward. I don’t know how I could have forseen this or prevented it, and yet, as a lesson in life, I still get made painfully aware of it. This is not a plea for pity! When you subject yourself to be photographed next to such youth and vitality, you must have guts. I once read an article, that said a woman should stay on the “bottom”, because gravity will make her more appealing, seem thinner, less wrinkled, and so on. Really, I thought I couldn’t go wrong with this staging. And good golly, it took forever, and my arms ached. What does a camera weigh anyway? When I became afraid of dropping it on someones head, we switched to a new position. Then we went with just kid shots. After an hour of begging, pleading, threatening, even bargaining for candy and baked goods, I walked away with 50 or so pics to weed through.  I sold my soul for this. But I did it with love, for love, and maybe that is what you can really see in the picture. Happy Valentines hon.

Illustration Friday – simple

This is not an illustration in my opinion but rather a painting. But I got to thinking about how simple a white bowl is. A small white bowl placed on the table, nothing in it, nothing around it. Honestly it is was the hardest still life I painted in college, painting a white bowl. This is not my college painting, but a piece I did last year, for a show in July. It took me weeks, actually maybe more than two months come to think of it. When you really study a white bowl, there is absolutely nothing truly white about it. What eludes me is that fine area between shadow and hightlight. That is a precious, sensitive area, that if not captured correctly you can lose the integrity of the whole piece. http://www.illustrationfriday.com is a site that provides a word weekly to illustrate.