2nd Drawing in 2 weeks

I've been busily working on creating this blog and although I am not all that fluent with all of its features, I am managing. I've learned a lot in the last few "quiet" days that I have had. Concentrating on me doesn't come all too often.
Also, I would like to share another drawing that I have been working on. I'm pretty proud of the fact that I have put into motion some ideas that have been long suppressed. Two drawings in two weeks is pretty exciting for me. I may just finally be on the roll that I've practically been tasting for some time!

It is a drawing of a little collection that I actually have hanging in my kitchen. I know that it is a bit light and that style is something that I will try and work on in future drawings. I usually don't have a heavy hand with a pencil, so it is difficult for me to perfect gradient. As of late, it is just so important for me to get these drawings started and work on them in any free time available.

Thanks for viewing and please leave a comment if you'd like.

Grand Dad's Baby Shoes

What beautiful weather we are having in the mid-west. It feels like a precursor into Autumn and really gets my creative juices flowing. The sounds and smells in the mornings from where I sit on the front porch and drink my coffee, are so refreshing and inspirational. Its a great start to my days!

I have picked up the pencil again and have finished a drawing for my sister in-law. (If she wants it.) I collect baby shoes and recently she brought a pair that belonged to my late Father in-law, her Father. The thoughtful gesture from her made me weep with both excitement and sentiment. I was truly touched and absolutely love the little worn black shoes. They seem to be filled with long ago memories and I can practically hear the giggles and coos.

So I decided to construct a little composition and draw the little vignette. It is done strictly with one Mirado Black Warrior HB2 pencil.

This drawing was a lot of fun for me and already, I am anxious to start another. My husband who is an illustrator and graphics designer is known to say that you can solve most of the worlds problems with just a pencil. Using this medium sure made me happy!

I hope somebody will take a look and give me some feedback. I never realized how time consuming blogging can be and finding all the special links and connections to get out there and get noticed is not as easy as I thought that it would be when I first started this. I do try to take time every day or so, to learn more about the special features, etc. But busy lives are stretched sometimes and I am a patient soul.

Thanks for looking!

New Grandbaby

We've known about our newest Grandbaby since very early into the pregnancy and are very excited about it. We shared a phone call this evening with our daughter in-law and learned of the gender. We now know that we are having a girl! No doubt this baby will be cherished (not using the word "spoiled") as are the first five grandkids. Children are such Blessings and I believe they keep us young. Witnessing them grow and seeing the individuality in each is simply amazing.

I'm looking forward to the up-coming farm life activities. The honey is needing to be extracted and there's tomatoes that are ripening quickly. I will be appreciating the work-up in the kitchen and am always very pleased when the larder gets stocked. The price of groceries lately have been strangely astronomical and there's very little said about why. Although we know the obvious reasons, it just seems a bit unusual when in one segment of the newscast we listen to, the report is on starving kids in the community having to rely solely on food banks and the free school lunches and the next segment is about profits. I'd be interested in hearing one about the waste that goes unmentioned.

 Continue to pray for those less fortunate!

I could easily be here all day and into the next (week), explaining all that my life has been included in since I last posted. As interesting as it was and while through all of our blessings and adventures etc., certainly deems worthy of documenting, I will just move onto making myself simply write again.

I love to create altered art, one-of-a-kind gifts and any number of pleasing and hopefully useful home decor items that I believe somebody will love. Finding the time all to myself to just create is sometimes a difficult endeavor for me and often-times, I will get frustrated because I get pulled into other directions, instead of getting to do what I want to do. I wonder sometimes if it is God teaching me patience.

I tell myself that anything that I accomplish in any given day, should be regarded as a true Blessing and nothing less. The ideas keep coming and although they don't always get put to a physical faze, as long as they come, it's good. Most of them do get drawn or written out, sometimes scratched on a scrap of whatever paper is in front of me, even if I lose it anyway, at least it was an attempt. I could probably just make a book of the ideas that I get and make a living off of the book. I wouldn't have to do the work... maybe just a prototype, as I usually don't have patience to make quantities. I am more of a one-of-a-kind person because there are just too many things that I want to try. Which leads me to...

Does anyone ever have the problem of never having enough supplies to create with? I can have a whole barn full of "stuff" and still not be satisfied. Especially now that I've been loving the mixed media and altered art. If I never had to come in and take care of the family, I would be elbow deep in art stuff from the time I wake till the time I sleep. Reality check!

It's good to be here again, but it's time to go create while I have good light coming in through windows!

Still Winter

Our measure of this "snow emergency" is 9.5". Hubby got the day off and spent about an hour blading out our driveway. I took the dog and the camera out for picture taking but it was difficult to get my camera to cooperate with gloves on and those little tiny buttons. It was really more fun just playing with the dog. He absolutely loves the snow.

I built a blueberry/strawberry mix cheesecake pie this morning and it turned out scrumptious. I had some crust leftover so I chopped up two apples and made a miniature fritter sort of thing with it. I love being snowed in. I tend to get creative and my survival mode sort of kicks in. I find and use up every little left-over and turn them into any little treat I can think of. My Mom taught me that.

There were ten of us kids and Mom would stretch the smallest amount of ingredients to make some elaborate and very satisfying meal with absolutely no complaints from any of us. I love what I've learned from my Mom as well as from her Mother, my Grandmother.

I also planted some heirloom tomato seeds and some lavender seed this morning. I have one of those portable four shelf miniature greenhouse units. It comes in handy this time of year for starting my seeds. I get rather anxious this time of year and the smell of soil gives me an awesome burst of energy. I use to raise worms and loved the smell they kicked up. I don't have the room for them anymore so I  let them all go and make their happy homes in my flower gardens.

Here is a photo of two of our little ladies who obviously aren't fond of this weather. The other is of ironweed. If those little garden fairies are still around this time of the year, I'd like to think these little snowcones are a treat for them.

Gift Show

It is January 27, 2013 ALREADY. Time sure flies when your having fun!!
The Holiday Gift Show has long since come and gone. I did manage to fill a booth and enjoyed being back in the excitement of sales. (Compliments were awesome, too). The couch did get finished. The garden provided an ample amount of produce in spite of the drought. Birthdays, Christmas, a couple weddings, among many other family affairs are all beautiful memories. I can't believe how time seems to just get away from me.

The studio and exercise room that was in the basement that I had previously posted about, has long since been changed again. My beautiful Mother 'n law has been diagnosed with Alzheimer/dementia and will be moving in with us so that we can do our best to give her the care and attention we feel she needs. We have done a complete remodel and turned the whole basement into an apartment for her. It has turned out beautiful with only a few more fine tuned projects left before it is ready for her move. This alone has been quite a project to see through and in doing so, I've re-arranged a lot of household "stuff" in order to make it work. Donation centers are awesome and it doesn't bother me a bit to be rid of excess bulk not needed. Why we brought so much "stuff" home through the years, is bewildering.

My latest project is down-sizing my crafty junk. I've dabbled in too many different art forms and feel the need to pin-point only one (or two) projects. Or at least just one project at a time. My problem is that I like creating things and am like a child when given all the "goodies" to play with. I am now giving tons of stuff away... first to my daughter, and then to whomever wants it. I have been helping hubby with computer generated graphics for his business and have had to focus on learning the software. I love doing it, but I will still always love getting my hands into physical art forms too. In saying that, my craft/guest room will be where I put that must-have treadmill that got moved up to the barn along with my exercise bike and stationary weight machine. There's no room for the stationary, but I can make room for my bike!

Okay, for now I feel that I have somewhat caught back up. I hope all is well out there.

Been Awhile

Yes, it has been a while since my last post. It hasn't become quite the habit  for me yet, but it's not that I don't think about it. Often times when at the computer, I think that I should write something and then I think, "no, that's boring" or "no, I don't have any followers yet anyhow"... so, I go on to something else. I also planned on adding more photos than I have.

I have been crafting. There is a local show that I use to participate in years back and have been contemplating getting back into it. I need to get my product inventory built up to a great amount so that when family life gets demanding, I can take a day from it here and there.

Today was one of those days where I took a break and visited with three different people. It was nice seeing people who I don't get to see often, but I really do feel like I need to pick my pace back up again tomorrow because I lost a day of production.

Oh, before I forget... I got to go to a flea market over the weekend and hubby and I wore ourselves out walking through it, but did find some treasures that I just love. Old skeleton keys, handmade lace, baby shoes, and old tin cup, any other odds and ends that make me happy!

Goodnight for now!