Blogtober 30.

Blogtober is winding down to a close.   I only missed a few.   And yesterday I DID start, but ended up deleting it because of what Mom used to say.  "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."   Any thing I started to say just sounded bad, so decided to just give it up.  Might have been my mood or my attitude to extenuating circumstances.  Either way.  Neither blog worthy.


Today is our 33rd anniversary, and this month while helping him heal after the surgery the 'in sickness and in health' part kicked in.  But thats what the promise is, right?  He was there for me when I had the kids.  Its all part of the contract of the heart.  He is doing so good, I took the day off and we are going on a day trip when he gets home from PT.

Tomorrow is Halloween.  I didn't get crazy with decorating again this year.  Just a few things. I will work a little more on the porch and front yard for the trick or treaters between now and then, maybe when the sun pops out.  I just am not into this holiday anymore that the kids have flown the nest.

But there are still smiles involved.  In long marriages.  In Halloweens.  In life.

Stay tuned!

Blogtober 27

Tomorrow night is the Bra Art Auction, and with two separate entries, one of my own and one commissioned piece, I am anxious to see how they do.
I believe I have posted both of them previously in this blog, but here they are again.  Mine:

 And the commissioned pieces from old mam films for the ladies radiology department.

This event, this year, takes a little wine, and a good friend and a deep breath for reasons that I won't write here.  Here we go!  Wish me luck!  Stay tuned!

Blogtober 26

Once upon a time there was a website, (last I checked, it was still there, but looked pretty deserted) where artists made small cute pieces and left them in public places for people to find.  They would attach a little note saying something like, "YOU HAVE FOUND ART!  It was put there to brighten your day!  If it did, keep it.  If not, leave it for someone else.  If you want to let the artist know that you found it, leave a little message on this website..  www...."

Wouldn't it be great if a piece of art could make a difference in someones day?  Something totally random getting to just the right person?  Maybe it seems idealistic, but if you believe in signs, fate or just meant-to-be's, maybe those messages get to just the right person! 

There was also a website called You Are Beautiful ( http://you-are-beautiful.com/pages/about-us ) where the message You Are Beautiful is left in public places to encourage people to love themselves the way they are.  Not if they were thinner, or curvier, or blonder or taller, but just the way they are.
Randomly.  Like a sign from somewhere.

Art should inspire.  Art should lift up.  Art should be used for good.  Not evil.

Love that thought.  Stay tuned....

Blogtober 25

I had no idea that artists HAD a day!  On October 25th every year!  Wow!  I could have thrown a party had I known!

I have tried to get to a couple of artsy things... been really busy otherwise.  But you'll see them here first! Stay tuned...

And oh yeah... Happy International Artist Day!!

Blogtober 24

Its a beautiful Saturday, and the windows are open.  The day started out rainy and windy, (still windy) and on the coolish side of warm.  Sweatshirt weather.  With peek-a-boo sunshine.

I went grocery shopping this morning and when I came home a local 4H group was raking our front yard! Wasn't THAT nice?  They are going around the community doing their community work and they wouldn't take anything but drinks of water but we handed them tootsie roll pops too. 

While we visited with them on the front porch as they raked, we noticed a tulip bulb that I missed.  And then another.  And another.  I KNOW I didn't forget to plant all those.  The kids started looking for them (kinda like an Easter Egg hunt at Halloween!) and found just about all of the 3 dozen or so of the ones I planted the other day on top of the ground and all the empty holes I planted them in.  Something didn't apparently like them planted!

It seems that whatever dug them up wasn't after them.  So that made me think WHY?

As I went to the garage to get my shovel and my kneeler pad and gloves, I almost grabbed the bulb fertilizer bag that I used the first time.  A light bulb went off.  I usually buy regular bone meal, but this bag was different, (not sure why I bought it instead unless it was all they had?)  It said ORGANIC.  (Note to self: bone meal is ORGANIC, so if that is why I bought it, its a moot point!)  So I'm thinking it probably has some food qualities to it, and that was what the animal(s) wanted.

I was sore the day after I put those in.  It hadn't rained in weeks and the ground was hard.  Like I said before, it was raining this morning, and the ground WAS a little softer, if not muddier and messier, but I planted those bulbs ONE MORE TIME!  MINUS the ORGANIC fertilizer.  Hopefully they will now STAY planted.  Guess we won't know til Spring.  But know I am still in for one more sore day again tomorrow. 

In the words of Roseanne Rosanna Danna, its always somethin'!

Stay tuned.

Blogtober 21

Eye candy.

It doesn't just mean who you have on your arm, you know... it could mean this:

Or this:

 Or this and this and this....

None of these pics are my creations.  All of these are pics I have found on the web that I just like looking at. They give me pause.  They make me stop and just enjoy.  I know that there are people that took these pics, and yes, if I knew who they were I would give them kudos.  But I don't.  I hope they know that their work is in a special folder that I look in on a bad day.  One that I go to for creative inspiration.  One full of color and uplifting feelings.  If I were a published artist, and even if they didn't remember my name, it would be nice to know that something I did, makes someone feel good every time they look at it.  This is not to say that I would want someone to steal my photo to claim as their own for fun and profit.  That is lying and wrong on all levels.
I call it Eye Candy:  stuff I like to look at.  A collection, an arsenal, if you will, of feel good pics.
How can anyone have a problem with that?

What does eye candy make you think of?
Stay tuned...

Blogtober 20

Its getting to be bed time, and I am sitting by the open window, as its 70 degrees and there is a sprinkle of rain every now and then.  Its warmed up a bit and I am going to soak it in as much as I can.  I don't want to go to bed because it is supposed to get cooler the rest of the week.

It was a beautiful day.  I planted spring bulbs.  Tulips to be specific.  Bright pink, bright purple and a different pink.  Kind of like:

maybe the purple would be a little brighter.  I know me.  I know after a long winter, the brighter the color I see, the happier I will be.  I am planting some happiness for a time in the future that I know I will need it.  Thats what spring bulbs do!

I made a salad dish for about 40 people who will be attending a funeral dinner tomorrow for the local Legions commander.  I don't go to the meetings so when I am called upon, I try to help.


And after a long day at work, I am spent.  Its time to decompress.  Have a lovely day tomorrow and count your blessings!  I know today that I am!

Stay tuned.

Blogtober nineteen

Look at what this lady did with leaves.  I was married in October (30+years ago) and if I was going to do it again, I would want this bouquet!  Isn't it different and lovely? 
Art in all forms...  Creativity...  everywhere!  
Just thought I'd share.  I thought it was wonderful.
Stay tuned.

 

Blogtober 18

 Another thing I saw on facebook and is the truth.  I just don't get that shoe thing. 

Haven't had much time for art, and nothing new to report.  So I guess I will say...

Stay tuned.

Blogtober 17

Dang!  Missed ANOTHER one!

The challenge of Blogtober is to blog everyday.  Well, there are some days that there just isn't anything to report and life is pretty busy these days, so I am lucky to have five minutes as it is.  SO, that being said, my challenge is to do the best I can with it.

Well, I delivered the baby shower gift and she loved it. YAY!

I saw this on facebook (thanks to Jennifer Allwood) and thought I would share it, because I thought it was in tune with my handle here.  Paint Warrior.  I will have to ruminate on that one...  perhaps I would be more like a Paint Warrior Wannabe, as I am not able to paint for a LIVING.  But she sure looks like shes having fun!

Stay tuned!

Blogtober 15

Dang.  Missed another day so far.  But, nothing hurt. 

What do you do when someone hands you something to paint because they want to give it as a gift,   the design seems simple enough,  seems like a piece of cake, so sure! you agree to do it...

Then you find out that you're painting a cylinder.  Made of cloth.  That collapses.  With wrinkles.  How do you iron that? Should you iron that?  Whatever you make on this canvas should not be painted thick enough to break off the cloth, and should be able to move.  Light weight paint right?

Airbrush. The lightest paint I know.

So, Lets hang this cylinder up, then weight it down so that the wrinkles hang out. To get nice color, continuous, around this tube, you have to allow it to turn as you work, to make the continuous lines.  This works pretty good.

Until the subject matter needs to be done, which happened to be some characters.  Its been awhile since I airbrushed, and it felt good to pick up this medium again.  I think I would have done a decent job, had the cylinder not decided to turn as the air comes out of my gun.  I am a two handed airbrusher: two hands steadying themselves.  Now I am minus one because I have to hold the tube to keep it from rotating.

Why didn't you block it from turning, you ask?  Well, anyone who has used an airbrush knows that putting down the airbrush in the middle of painting promotes clogs and stoppages.  Thin paint shooting through pinholes with large amounts of air which is drying it as fast as it sprays, waiting for two or three minutes while I try to find something and rig it up to work, would have stopped this session pretty much right there.  I didn't have anything handy at that point in time to do so.  If I would have found something, I would have to totally disassemble the airbrush, clean it all out, reassemble it and come back a half hour later.  Doable, but I didn't do it.

I wasn't satisfied.  I thought I could buy another one of these canvas hampers and try again.  Well, that would not be profitable, and I have done art enough to know that perhaps, this project was in an ugly middle stage.  Many times I will get half way through a painting or drawing and find myself ready to tear it up and quit.  If I don't, I am rewarded with something much better than what I imagined would have come out of the ugly duckling I saw earlier.  So....

I may have outlined the characters in airbrush, but I finished them by hand.  Yes, the paint is thicker. Yes, the whole tube is wrinklier.  Do I like it? I do, but I am not confident enough about it being good enough to give as a present.  Do I think she will like it??  I hope she is kind because it wasn't an easy project.

I would love to show it here, but I hate to show gifts before the recipient sees it.  At any rate, its done, I don't believe I would want to do it again, and I am handing it back to her tomorrow.  Wish me luck.

Stay tuned!

Blogtober 13

Tomorrow, one of my bosses has been with the company for 30 years.  We are surprising her with lunch.  Since she also loves the Minions, I decided to throw this in too.

Its all a bit tacky yet, so hoping it will be all dry by morning. 

You just never know what each day brings.

Stay tuned!

Blogtober 12th

I saw this on Facebook yesterday, and I fell in love with it.   Yes.

I sometimes believe that there is a creative angel whispering to me... seriously, something pops in my head and I will find myself thinking, "now where did THAT come from?" 

Fragments of stuff in my brain, (its a wonder I can think at all) of things that get put together for better or worse, from all that I have seen, or been impressed with or someone that has inspired me with what they do.  Some have been long forgotten or stored in a filebox somewhere in the depths come to the forefront to be part of a new creation.  Sometimes its not me at all, but a random mix of things floating up from the depths.  Whatever hits the surface first.

Right now, there is nothing floating.  But I know this is temporary and we'll just stay tuned....

Sunday Blogtober eleven

Sitting on my porch watching probably one of the last of the warmer weekends end.  It was sunny, blue skies and about 70 degrees this weekend.

Its quiet now, but Oldest son and girlfriend and dog was here this weekend.  Got the eves cleaned out, and fall decorations out.  Bought some pumpkins, stocked the fridge for the week, and did the laundry.  (All but the hangin' up part.) Still have a few dishes to do and the garbage to take out then I am calling it a wrap.

We have had a few visitors this weekend and lots of phone calls from friends checking on The Hubs. Gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. 

Our youngest son lives over 500 miles away and has called once or twice every day this week.  We are so proud of the men that they have become.  We high fived ourselves. 

Artprize is now done.  Didnt get to make it this year, but next year- youbetcha!

Well, guess I need to keep pushing on so I can chill for the night... Stay tuned!

Blogtober ten

So...

We are hanging around home today, The Hubs, Kid and GF and Me. Oh, and my granddog Lunie.

 Its a beautiful autumn day with a hint of chilly.  The Hubs is getting around better, with no meds for pain, (he does have pain when he gets up and moves, but sitting he is good, so he chooses not to take them) and he is being a good patient for the most part.  No races yet, but we have high hopes for the future.

Remember I questioned whether to do the commissioned Bra piece for the Mammography department?  Well, I got some very old film type mammograms and they either wanted a wearable, or a lamp shade so that you could tell what they were.

Here is my answer to their request...

This one was still a little wet yet, thus the horizontal lines.

Very interesting conversation starters, dontcha think?  My sons girlfriend will have a story to tell how she came over and looked at mammogram films for an art project.  Bet there aren't too many stories like THAT around!

I finally got the call that the framing was done on The Tree... Here it is:

Of course, I didn't pull off the plastic before I took it to her.  But she was pleased with it!  Yea Me!

So thats the news for today, Artsy and otherwise.  Stay tuned!

Friday Blogtober 9

Whoops, missed yesterday.  Oh well...

I took today off to go pick up The Hubs from the hospital.  With the help of my sister and brother, we got him safely home and as I write he is snoring softly.

Now the healing begins.  Probably not as fast as he would like, but I think Mr. Patient he is not.

I am going to try to get some art done, but we have our son and friend coming in for the weekend tonight.  Oh, and the dog.  So its quiet now, but won't be later, so better do it while I can.

The frame shop has The Tree done.  I have to go pick it up.

My friend that bought the piano bench should be in town this weekend and picking it up!

And my beloved Red Wings start their season tonight!  YEA!!

Stay tuned!

Blogtober seven

UPDATE:  Progress is being made.  Things will get a little better every day.

Things on my mind... besides The Hubs and all the stuff to deal with there...

Another Bra piece.  Was I stupid to take this on? 

"The Tree" being framed.  Should be done tomorrow.

Certain housecleaning that needs to be done!! Tomorrow night!!

Family helping is a team building thing.

Another family member that is no help at all. "As much help as a sore butt to a shoemaker" to coin an old phrase.  Raising an issue when she shouldn't.  Adding unneeded stress.

Two funerals this week too.  Sending thoughts and prayers those ways.

And about a thousand other things that are too numerous to mention.  Little stinky things.

Tomorrow will be better.  Better every day.

Stay tuned.

Blogtober six

Its been one, long, day.

The surgery went well, now to get on with the healing business.  Thank you God and angels above.
Things I have learned today:

Having someone just sit with you while in the waiting room is something I will be doing for the next person.  It means a BUNCH.  I didn't think I needed anyone.  I was all big in my big girlie pants, but man, it was nice when my sister and my cousin showed up just to sit with me.  I will pass along the favor to the next friend or family member that needs me there.  Whether they want me or not.

There is nothing better than hearing the words, "Everything went fine!"

I am grateful that technology is able to take the pain away and he can up the quality of his life.

Coming home to a quiet house is way too quiet and I don't want to do this on a regular basis.

Never will I underestimate the power of good thoughts and prayer.  I am overwhelmed at the people on Facebook that prayed for us even when they didn't know what for. (I just asked for prayers without a reason until I knew it was ok with him to publicize) After, I am touched with the people that messaged us and just made conversation.   Some you wouldn't expect.

A good laugh or a good conversation from our boys is priceless for recouperation, especially when they are too far away to be there in person and calling their visits in.

Now its decompression time.  I have a cold, adult beverage and I am in for the night.  I know he is trying to sleep with the stat-taking, poking and prodding nurses, but in good hands.


I will continue to pray for others: Shells, Bob, Willie, Dave, Matt, Tamie and family, and Marv's family, wishing them all comfort.

I believe my beverage needs refreshing and I want to just chill the rest of this evening.  To all that read this: may your lives be blessed.

Stay tuned.

Blogtober five

The night before surgery and looking forward to the better days ahead.  Less pain on his part, and the waiting for this to happen since the day he had his pre-ops done, is not easy for him to do.   With God's grace, we will make it through with the help of family and friends. 

On the art side of the blog, I sent in my bra art and the committee sent me an email to ask if I would do a commission bra piece for the xray department, made of old mammography films.  I wasn't going to do it, but then had an idea and said yes (hopefully will try to work it in sideways) .  They are going to try to get them to me while I happen to be at the hospital tomorrow.  We'll see what transpires.

Here is hoping that there are bright skies ahead.  Stay tuned.

Blogtober four

I wondered about doing Blogtober because, in two days, The Hubs, is going in for surgery.  He needs a total hip replacement.  Actually, he needed it a while ago, but its now gotten very bad.  So life will be pretty busy for me in the next few.

I am trying to catch up on a lot of things, like finish up the art I need to, so I can be available for nurse duty.  I can't wait til he feels better again!  He has to be off the ibuprofen that works for him for this week prior to surgery, so I know he is gritting his teeth more than usual now.

I need to clean the house for the company and 'help' that will probably be coming in.  Groceries are bought, Laundry is done.  Today is a chilly, cloudy, breezy fall day, and after having breakfast with my siblings and siblinginlaws, doing a little shopping and a farmers market, we are both kinda crashing at home for a bit right now.

He has been flipping between the ball game, (last one of the season) and the Nascar race, and then I hear him snore.  Next I know, he's flipping the channels again.

Actually, once I get the Baby Shower present done, I think I am done with art until further notice.  Although I may sketch a bit in the next few days. 

I started the baby shower project yesterday.  I dragged out my airbrush, blew the dust off of it and started painting.  I am using the airbrush because its going to be a canvas hamper for the nursery.  Because its collapsible, I didn't want to put thick paint that may crack off one day, not that I expect them to collapse it on a regular basis, but because its so movable.

Well, airbrushing takes practice.  I love airbrushing, but I haven't practiced it in a while.  I am now at the point that I either have to patch and make what I have done, WORK, or go out and buy another hamper and start over.  I stopped when I got frustrated so getting back to it will take a bit of effort.  Cleaning up messes isn't as fun as creating!

I guess I can leave this blog with an artistic thought though:

Enjoy whats left of the weekend!

Stay tuned!

Blogtober three

A thought just occured to me while I watched my third tutorial video on Facebook this morning... that art is as relative as anything else in your life.

While I was watching this woman make an abstract painting in watercolors (no, I don't do watercolors but its fun to watch other medium artists do their thang) I realize that the theme of the painting that attracted me to watch in the first place is a definate difference in what she ended up with. (For the record I watched an Oil Painting technique this morning also, but I don't do that either. The third one was a Art Journalling video which I have tried, and basically suck at!)

While I appreciate the techniques and the creative mind she has, and the products she is touting on the video, I asked myself if I would buy that art from a booth.  My answer is no.   I gained appreciation for the piece by simply watching it be made, and if I saw it in a booth without that knowledge, I probably wouldn't value that piece as much.  In other words, it was fun watching it become what it became.  And the video did what she wanted, it taught me a few things.

Once the piece was done, it really didn't appeal to me personally.  I look at this like looking at a catalog of clothes.  Some may be beautiful on other people, but I know its not right for me.  Some may be the right color, or some might be the right size, but I don't have to like them all. Its personal preference like the clothes you wear, the color you paint your walls or any other decision you make.  You have to be COMFORTABLE with it.  Something in that piece has to resonate with you.

I think that art is in the eye of the beholder, and there are as many tastes as there are people.  You should always pick out your own art.  What makes you say "WOW!"  And it doesn't always have to match the sofa. The art you like says a lot about you.  I like to ask myself what I like and don't like about every piece I consider.

For me, I think this blog has given me the determination of  painting over a few canvasses that are less than loved that I have done.  Make something better out of them.  There are more canvasses being done these days than there are walls to hang them on.  So the ultimate purpose of those canvasses, in the long run, are to make ME happy anyway, right?  To express me.

Just my thoughts on a cool, blowy Blogtober morning....


Stay tuned!

Friday, Blogtober 2 2015

Happy Friday!  Did you know that Oct. 2 is Plaid Day?  Yep, I read that on Facebook last night.  And you know what they say, if its on Facebook it has to be true!

Well, I wore plaid today... (lumberjack red), and apparently nobody else got the memo.  Oh well... it WAS chilly out, and the plaid WAS warm, and its comfy on casual Friday.

Besides that, its First Friday.  Hoping to get down there tonight.  And with fall comes the fish fries at the local Legion. Gonna go try that tonight.

But first a glass of wine to say goodbye to the workweek, and hello weekend.

See you tomorrow!  Stay tuned!

Blogtober one.

Ok, we'll give it a shot, Blogtober, that is, with no promises.

Its 10pm on the first... can't wait too much longer to start Blogtober, but I'm in!

Well, as much as I hate to post things that I do for others before they get to see them, I doubt if they, or anyone close to them, will see them here. 

This is a poem that I calligraphied, for a friend, and did the tree to match.  So, although I don't get the poem, I like the tree.  It is on parchment paper with walnut ink and sepia pen. The artwork is only laying in the frame before I left it for framing.  I can't wait to see it done next week. I hope she likes it.

Next up: a baby nursery hamper and a rooster for a restaurant.
And a halloween sign. 

Stay tuned!