BCF: Praying Mantis

This is one of those bugs that is so facinating and strange, that I don't get creeped out by it! It was so interesting watching and learning about it's lifestyle.

High School Homework

I have been wanting to try to draw people, but find I am too chicken to do it when I think someone might see me. After all, usually the drawings are not the most flattering because I am just learning--so I am going to practice on my family. They are pretty understanding about my obsession.

It looks like I got her head kind of small in relation to the rest of her, but then again she is wearing a huge hooded sweatshirt so that could be part of the problem too. People shouldn't be any harder to draw than anything else, but they sure seem to be to me.

This could probably count as another interior too!

Ebony and Ivory

For Blind Contour Friday: our piano. Colleen doesn't play it much but hopefully someday she will for her own pleasure. She is pretty busy with other pursuits right now.

Challenge #51 Draw your TV and Favorite Show

I wish I had left some room on my page to journal, but I got carried away with this interior thing! This is another view of our family room/kitchen. We live in this room-fireplace, computer, TV, fridge, what more could you want? This TV slides out and angles so I can see it while I am cooking. When we aren't using it it hides behind a roll-down door. Tonite it is very cold and after Joe and I went for a walk I built a fire to draw by. That big pillow on the lower left is Louie's dog bed.

Playing on the TV is one of just about any show on HGTV. I love the shows like Design on a Dime and Decorating Cents that show great looking homes on a budget. And Divine Design...Candice can come decorate at my house anytime! For a long time we went down to basic cable and I did not miss much except HGTV. Thank goodness for football....that is the reason Joe wanted the extra cannels around New Years.

Ta-da!

I just finished visiting with my sister and her four year old. Little John asked her, "Mom, when God finished making the colors did he say "Ta-Da!" ?" I love that! And I wouldn't be a bit suprised if God said "Ta-Da!" After all, what a fabulous idea colors were!

Art Supplies in My Bag

Members of the everyday matters list have been sharing what supplies they are using. Mine are housed in a ww2 map bag that my dad used while he was in the army in the 1960's.
Moleskine large sketchbook
Grumbacher Transparent Watercolors
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens, S, F, M
Various leads in leadholders
Lead
Stadler white eraser
Eberhard Faber Drawing Pencils HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B

Lately, I haven't been using the pencils-only ink and watercolor.

The Good, the bad, and the ugly

This weekend was full of family fun and visiting relatives. One evening our whole family met a my sister's house for pizza and dessert, and I drew this bust that was sitting on an end table. The face looked tough, so I decided to draw the back of it--hey that turned out pretty good! Then I turned it around and gave the face a try-yikes! Poor lady, she really is quite lovely in person! Then I finished off with a blind contour of her.

Challenge #49 Draw My Refrigerator

I finally did another challenge and combined it with drawing an interior. This is one end of our kitchen including the frige covered with pictures of family and friends. Our frige is over 20 years old--my folks gave it to us when they got a new one. The ice crusher broke, but otherwise it's still going strong. I wonder if the new ones are made that well. Those french doors actually lead to a closet and I plan to put more pics in behind the panes.

I have noticed a shift in my thinking about my sketchbook...I used to be uptight about drawing in a sketchbook, worrying that I might mess up, and ususally I abandoned the sketchbook before long. This time I have stuck with it longer than I ever have. Some drawings I am happy with and some not so much, but each page is a new chance to try and to see things a little more clearly. It shows me learning and I'm liking that.

At the Dentist's Office

Went to the dentist's today and drew the waiting room while waiting for my daughter to get done. Inspired by Laura I am going to do some interiors this month. I didn't get done and actually wished I could sit there for a little while and finish, but...other things to do today!

Blind Contour Friday

Water....I had such trouble drawing the spout last time that I decided to bc it for BC Friday. Then I splashed some watercolor on in a big hurry thought cause I'm trying to get this up and not be late for work.

An Evening in Galena

Today we drove to Galena and had dinner, took a long walk in town up and down the hills, had dessert and drove back home. It was a little crazy to drive so far just for dinner probably, but we had such a good time. Galena is so beautiful and the land so different from the flat lands we live in that we always feel like we've really had a get-away. This drawing is by Galena artist Carl Johnson, Jr. He has a gallery of his work on Main Street-if you get to Galena, check it out.He has wonderful watercolors. This stairway is one of the ones we climbed tonite!

We had dessert at a tavern where they put butcher paper and crayons on each table for the diners' amusement. This is the couple who sat across the room from us. I pasted it into my Moleskine when I got home.

Galena on Dwellable

What city do I belong in?

You Belong in Rome

You're a big city girl with a small town heartWhich is why you're attracted to the romance of RomeStrolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in handAnd gorgeous Italian men - could life get any better?

What City Do You Belong In?

I don't ususally post these but I thought this one was fun--and I'd love to try Rome!

New Year's Resolution

This is my first drawing for 2006...I have not been doing very well in my goal of drawing daily and I feel uptight just trying to get back at it.

For EM Challenge: New Year's resolution

This year is the year I take better care of my body....starting with cutting down on the pop and drinking more water. Sorry for the sad little drawing, but that's the other resolution...draw everyday--good or bad regardless.

Merry Christmas Cards

This is the photo from our Christmas card this year- which I am just addressing tonight!

I drew this card about 10 years ago and had a box of them printed up in black and white-which is how we sent them that year.

I had enough left over to use them again, but I hated to send them out with the same look, so I decided to add some color this year. My mom, aunt and I watercolored them one night, and tonite my daughter did all the signing. I may get the hang of this delegating thing after all! We added some glitter too.

I wish peace and joy to all you internet friends this Christmas!

Another Chicago Page

I drew this light fixture and the opera singer on our Chicago crawl-tonite I added the Hancock Center from a photo Aor took. We are looking forward to going up in the evening one day soon to see the Christmas lights and have dinner.

Working and drawing

I drew this at work, and it is the first thing I have drawn in days. These days I work part time at a grocery store and a few days a month at this home deco. shop. I am not used to having so much of my time spoken for by an employer--I know, I'm spoiled. However the extra money is nice--especially in December! I should start drawing at the basketball games--that would add a lot to my drawing time!

We had a beautiful snow this evening! Everything is covered in a layer of sparkling white--I love snow!