Pet Portrait Card Trade

I finished my first pet portrait tonight. It is postcard sized. I can't show it yet as we haven't gotten the address list and I can't mail it yet. I will show it after the person receives it. One down and at last count, 19 to go.

At one point during the process, I almost gave up and tossed it. It is a dog done in colored pencils. When it reached the ugly stage, it didn't seem like it would get past that stage. So a little erasing and a little more pencil, and repeat that a couple of times, and I finally reached a stage where I am satisfied. Not thrilled, but satisfied. Now on to the next one. Hopefully I will get a couple more sketched soon.

Wetcanvas Down Time

This was posted on Wetcanvas on the 27th.

" Important! Server Upgrade: Thurs. July 29th

Hi All,

This Thursday, July 29th we will be performing maintenance and upgrades to the site servers. We are very excited about these upgrades, because you should notice some improvements in the speed and responsiveness of the site.

However, during these upgrades, you may notice a service interruption that may last up to 48 hours.

We apologize in advance for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding."

Sadie Finished

I finished Sadie tonight. Not exactly excited by it but it does look like her. I find that I should take more time with the hair. After awhile, I just seem to pile it on. Kind of like the tinsel on a Christmas tree. I don't have the patience to do each hair.

Sadie

When I went to lunch with a friend last Friday, I stopped at her house on the way home. I had never seen her little Yorkie Sadie. Sadie didn't much like me, but I did get a few photos of her. I started this last night. Cps on colored mat board. About 8x10 inches.

Hong Kong - Virtual Paintou

I just finished my picture for the Virtual Paintout. It is about 4 x 4 inches and done with pens and colored pencils.

Books

I had one more ATC to do for the Drawspace trade. I did this one tonight. It shows that I like to read books. Two of my cards were mailed out last week. The final 5 will be in the mail today.

Now time to start doing some pet portraits for the trade on Wetcanvas. There are 17 people signed up so far and they have some wonderful photos posted of their pets. It will be hard to choose just one for each person.

Plein Air Day

I went out with my plein air group today to a private house with wonderful shade and lots of little enticing places to paint. Only 3 of us were there but the hostess fixed coffee, ice water, and had cookies for us. What a nice hostess. Done with mechanical pencil in my Moleskine Sketchbook.

Colors Trade

Here are the last two of my ATCs for the Colors Trade for Drawspace Forum. The dog and the happy colors represents my love of dogs and how happy they make me. The other is a California Poppy representing the state I live in. I have most of the envelopes finished; at least the ones I have addresses for. As soon as I get the last ones, they will be on their way.

Now that I am finished with one trade, on to the other one. The Pet Portrait Exchange. I'm not sure what size I will do. I thought I would do postcard sized but some collectors only collect the ATC size. So far there are only 11 signed up. Hopefully more will sign up. We already have a lot of very nice photos and of many different animals. Birds, goats, cats, and dogs so far. Anxious to see what else comes along.

Scavenger Hunt #185

We are on Scavenger Hunt #185 on WC. I remember when I was worried that we wouldn't make it to #100 and here we are almost to #200. It has gotten a new surge of energy and we have quite a few new sketchers and still have quite a few oldies but goodies who are so faithful. I have no doubt we will make it to #200. And who knows? #300? Wouldn't that be grand?

Drawspace Trade

On Drawspace forum we are having a July ATC trade. The theme is using colors to represent ourselves, country, etc. I did Zentangles using fine line markers and colored pencils.

The purple one represents my favorite color.
The red, white, and blue one (with a star and stripes) represents my country.
The purple and gold one with a cross represents my faith.
And the two gold rings represent my 39 years of marriage.

Sign up is still going on and so far there are 6 of us signed up. So until sign up closes, I won't know how many I will need to do. Back to the drawing (thinking) board

Pets

I joined a new project trade on Wetcanvas. It is a pet portrait trade. Each person posts photos of their pets and each person is to do one card for each person on the list. They can use any of the photos they choose. I uploaded some of my present and past pets on my Flicker site here.

New Wetcanvas Project

JustChaos of Wetcanvas just opened a new project trade. It is for pets. Each person uploads pictures of their pets and they will receive a card with one of their pets on it from each person who signs up for the project. I was in one once before and it was great. I even got pictures for some of my passed dogs. Here is the link for the trade.

Last Night

Last night I took the dogs to bed and while they settled down for the night, I did some artwork. I had wanted to do a Zentangle since that doesn't take a lot of thought. I didn't get the colors just right as the light in the bedroom isn't the best for art. Up close you can see white and the pencil strokes. But as it was just for me to get in some artwork practice, it doesn't have to be perfect.

The second one is from a photo I took at the California Living Museum (CALM) the first time I was there. I don't know the little critter's name but he/she was very friendly. Stepping up on the fence rails looking for food. He has little hard nubs on his head like where horns should be. I don't know if they didn't grow or were damaged. I was able to scratch his head.

Until I was petting the goats, I didn't know that the pupils in their eyes were horizontal. It gives them a strange look. I have seen photos of goats and I have probably been near live goats but for some reason I noticed the pupils this time. When I visit CALM, I always go to see the goats, sheep, and the mule. The pony was stolen but there is a new horse in the pen so the mule has company now.

I started the goat picture probably a year ago. Put it away, found it and put it in a storage box with other unfinished work. I think I dreaded going back to it in case I messed it up. When a picture is looking the way I want, I am better off finishing it then. When I put them away and later go back to them, sometimes they get ruined.

Happy 4th of July

Happy birthday to the US. It's that day of the year that brings about barbecues and picnics. Get-togethers and family fun. It is also a day of worry that someone will use illegal fireworks and start a fire at a neighbor's house or use firecrackers or some other explosive and blow up a body part.

When I was young all we had to celebrate were sparklers. Our parents lit them and we stood there and watched the bright sparkles. The most we did was move our hand around in a circle to watch the colors turn around. We didn't throw them or do anything unsafe. We got one small box of sparklers each and that was it. We only did it at home and with both parents there participating.

Now the fireworks packages cost hundreds of dollars and are much more sophisticated. They go airborne which is dangerous and the children use them for hours. Sometimes for several days.

And then there are the adults who don't live by the law. They smuggle in illegal fireworks or make their own with gunpowder or gas. Really dumb. And it teaches their children that illegal is ok. Then after someone gets hurt, they blame everyone but themselves. I don't know about you, but I don't want to live with any fingers missing or burns on my face and hands. Is it really worth a long time in pain and medical problems for just a few minutes of ill gotten pleasure?

I lived in Oregon for 4 years. They had the right idea. They had fireworks that they set off at the lake. I believe they were in or on something and were working from the center of the lake. Anyone could park around the lake (for free) and watch. It was a wonderful show. Reflections in the water. Safe with the water and just as pretty and better than doing them for yourself.

So tonight after watering down my yard, dry grass, and wooden fence, I will be tucked inside with my fur babies trying to keep them from being totally freaked out. And hope the time for the loud firecrackers is short so my dogs will go out to potty before bed time.

So not only a Happy 4th of July but also a safe one.

Appreciate/Appreciation

I read a lot of blogs almost daily. Today I was reminded about my word of the year. That word was Appreciate/appreciation.

On March 29, 2010 my life changed completely. That is the day my husband passed away. I know he went to a better place so I have tried not to be too sad at least for him. His pain is gone, he doesn't have to work when he would rather be retired, and he no longer has to worry about paying bills, not enough money, how will we manage with health insurance if he does retire.

But I was sad at the same time losing my partner of 39 years (plus 4 we dated). I think what I miss most is not having him to talk to about things that go on in day to day life. Now alone I have to worry about the lack of health care insurance, the bills, the money, and taking care of our house and babies. Sometimes it is just about overpowering.

I think I always appreciated my husband but it took his death for me to realize how much I should have appreciated him. Some widows at church let me know one day when I was complaining about my husband that one day I would wish to have him back flaws and all. Now that is my reality. I would take him back in a heartbeat flaws and all.

I am afraid I will have to opt out of my goals and my word of the year. I am not the same person who made the list of things I should accomplish this year. I am not the same person who had those hopes and dreams for the year. Since March 29, 2010, my only hope and dream is to make it thru such a traumatic time of my life. Just to make it to the other side of a horror I couldn't have imagined. A dream of finding some kind of normal again whatever that is.

I have been in an ATC trade for Primary colors. Some of the cards have reached their new homes. Because I still have no new art, I will share some of the cards with you.

Remember to appreciate what you have and who you have in your life because you never know when it will be taken from you. Don't wait until it is too late.

Sadly No New Art

Still no new art from me. I must be going thru a dry spell. Not liking it at all but what can a person do?

I did do some digging outside. Hubby had been working on the yard sprinkler system and there was a hole around the connection box. And a mound of dirt that was growing grass on top of it.

I will never understand how the dirt taken from a hole, is never enough to fill it back up. And when you water it, it packs down and there is even more space to fill.

To top it all off, I am really sore. My neck is killing me. What did my neck have to do with the digging? I'm dreading tomorrow as I am sure I will hurt much worse than I do now. I am just too old to be digging.

It's time for me to go to bed.