Husband's Self-Portrait with Me

Stephen and I went hiking/camping this week and he took this photo while I stopped for a little nap. (you can barely see my knees to the right of him.)

Hiding From My To Do List

sp

{feeling overwhelmed...}

*with life

*with the weeds in our yard

*with always being tired

*missing friends

*figuring out how to be a pastor's wife

*with cooking--or lack of...

"this too shall pass...."

Bright and Happy....

hydrangea

took this photo of a hydrangea in our yard earlier this season.....then, I have been wanting to play around with masks in photoshop..so this is my first try....
definitely going to play some more...

Self-portrait Tuesday.

Don't my eyes say it all? :)

Belly Photo #1

I decided that once a month for self-portrait Tuesday I would take a picture that shows the belly. That way, I can have a photo record--and can share it with you--of the growth of the bebe! This was taken at 19 weeks along. On Sunday i will be officially half-way there!


This is a digital photo. I photoshopped it to be "charcoal" filtered because I did not want it to be in color.

California Poppies.

I chose california poppies for several reasons. First, they're the only practically flourescent flower I've ever seen. Second, one of my fondest memories of my old school is our "wildly" sucessful wildflower garden, which included these flowers. I had never seen them before they bloomed for us at school. Thirdly, these flowers remind me a sweet trip to Point Reyes, CA, with Lizard and WG, where we saw these lovely things growing wild....

This is definitely a quick study/sketch. I am still stuck on making a lino cut of this subject, so I didn't want to labor over this too much and get sick of poppies! I was going for a flea market/anthropologie type ptg., but may have inadvertantly achieved the Bob Ross look.... :)

Watered down acrylics on turqoise canson paper, which I had lying around.

hi.

Linoleum hasn't come. Working on something else flowery. Will post ASAP. Wanted to refer you to mountain mama's blog--she's played around with the flower assignment, too. (A few entries down.) Love, love LOVE everyone's contributions!!!!

Flowers -- a digital imitation of Eric Carle's style

I came, I tried, I decided this style is better left to real paint, paper and scissors!

Crayola Flower

So, this particular work of art came about as Aidan and I were coloring. You may be able to see the edge of a little dog in the picture as well. The dog is a quick and dirty representation of "Blue" from "Blue's Clues". You may also notice a few stray crayola marks that do not look intentional. I can tell you that they were indeed intentional--Aidan intentionally put the crayon on the paper and moved it. That's about as good as it gets for now. He does his best artwork in the bathtub with his bath crayons.

Anyways, I feel compelled to say that if you ever have the option between real "crayola" crayons and some cheapie imitation brand, go with "crayola". I made the mistake of going with the cheapies and I do not like them at all.

Perhaps with another art project I will actually break out my acrylics and some canvas, but for now, this was a fun little doodle to do.

Untitled Flowers I

I photographed the flowers with my digital camera and then inverted the image in Photoshop. I'm hoping to create and print a series of flower/tree photos this way. I like enjoying the image as if it was a film negative--the shadows are now the highlights.

"Mei"

First of all I must give a shout-out to my camera phone!! Thanks for filling in Samsung!!

Ok, now to my piece. This is my lino-cut entitled, "Mei". Mei translates as 'Plum' or loosely 'Plum Blossom'. It is also the name we have chosen for our baby we are adopting from China. : ) It is hand-colored with Pantone markers.

Reminder....

Starting this Sunday the 27th you can begin to post your works. Feel free to include some comments, including what media was used.

I have our next theme, but I am going to wait to reveal it.....

Seeing Red

I go through these phases when I'm feeling strong and giving and happy...and then phases when I'm tired and sad and weak. Right now I'm in a strong phase--rested from vacation and blessed by my time with family and with my husband. It's easy to be thankful right now and feel hopeful for the future...

(Completely unrelated...we have two little indentions in the wall where a fireplace used to exist several years ago and Stephen and I decided to spice up our white walls by painting these rectangle spaces red.)

In the midst of the waves..........

I have undergone some intense self-reflection as I have been trying to discover the source of my weird physical symptoms. I continue to have tingling in my face, arms and legs. Tests show there is nothing 'wrong' with me, but my anxiety ebbs and flows like waves as I feel the sensations in my body.

Time is funny that way...

Okay, so here's my first self-portrait. I have found myself feeling lately like time both races ahead of me to the point that I cannot catch my breath, and simultaneously drags its feet and will not get a move-on. Also, I feel like I have some different clocks counting down. There's the clock that counts down until my sonogram on Sep 5 ( I REALLY want to know if this is a boy or a girl, and I will be SO disappointed if this little one decides to remain modest at the sono). There's the clock that counts down until Aidan moves into his big-boy room (which will not yet include a big-boy bed since he loves the crib so much). Of course, there is the clock that counts down to the baby's arrival (otherwise known as "the remaining blissful days of only having to deal with one child instead of two"). And, finally, everyday, there is the clock that ticks down until Macon gets home. That last half hour always feels like it takes days to crawl by!

Self-Portrait Tuesday...At Loose Ends.

Life has been funny lately. For the first time, I'm not at work most of the day. M. is gone all day at school. My private classes will not start for weeks. On the one hand, I feel overjoyed to take a break from full-time teaching, like this new life is really going to suit me. But part of me is freaking out inside--"What am I going to DO today?? I should get a retail job somewhere. I should be making us some money....I'm going to go totally nuts at home."

Then I look around, REALLY look around, and realize all the tasks waiting in our apartment--all the ways I can make life easier for my husband, and all the opportunity I have to make things, to read....to slowly build up a business of teaching privately.

I've found that vacuuming and straightening can be meditative when I don't have a million other things pressing on me.

...................

These were my other options.

new here

YeAh!! i'm part of the 'artsy' club! a little intimidated by sweetpea's quest for linoleum...as i have NO IDEA what she's going to do with that....

my camera and paints seem so conventional compared to flooring....hmmmm........:)

thanks for letting me join.....

Posting here.

For those of you who haven't ever posted on a blogger blog before, all you do is click "blogger" in the upper corner, sign in, click on the green plus sign labeled "new post." Then a form will pop up for you to title and write a post. Next, click the publish button at the bottom, and you're good to go......

A Self-Portrait of Lizard

I am sitting in my breakfast nook trying to take some photos for some art ideas. I was trying out all sorts of facial expressions. The many faces of 'Lizard' so to speak. There are large windows on two walls that meet in the corner, so there is alot of light in this room. I love the fall and winter here. Lots of brisk cloudy days and this was one of them.

Unpacking Self-Portrait

I think this photo does a good job of expressing how I'm feeling at this point in the unpacking phase....small and overwhelmed by boxes...but in a light, happy way. =)

Here's mine--Self-portrait Tuesday.

I took this this morning. I was waiting for my dad to pick me up at our apt, as I'm working this week in his showroom for Spring Apparel Market. I was feeling kind of sassy because I've not really dressed up or worn makeup in while, since it's summertime and the livin' is easy....

I always love the shadows and light dancing on the blinds....

Self-Portrait Tuesdays.

I'm going to stick this site on our sidebar. I like the idea and think it would be fun to participate when we're up for it. I'm going to try to. Despite a lame digital.

Due Date reminder...

Ok everyone, beginning August 27th you can start posting your pieces. You can post through the 31st and then right after Labor Day I will post our next assignment. I can't wait to see your work.

It would be nice if you included a small statement about your piece as well.

I'm also hoping to do a lino-cut, but I'm still sketching. I can't decide what direction I want to go. At least I'm thinking about art!

.....

Okay, I've been unable to locate decent linoleum anywhere in this art-supply-forsaken city. I ordered some from a catalogue....hope I get it in time to whip out my flower project! :/

First One.

Assignment 1

I think for our first assignment we should do something familiar and accessible. So our first theme will be: FLOWER .

So get out your camera, brushes, carving tools, knitting needles, your kids crayons and make some art!!

--Lizard