Barn

Graphite on Bristol Smooth

Well, I finally finished my Barn.  I played it safe and just added bushes.  Also, I finished that big commission.  One more to go and I will have plenty to post….well…If I split it up and show you one doggie at a time.

      I have had a lot of stuff going on lately.  All good though.   Here’s a breakdown:

~David and I joined the Band Boosters and we’ve been doing a lot of chaperoning and fund raising stuff, which led to a bunch of football games and competitions.  I felt like a teenager again, hahaha!  It’s been a lot of fun watching Alana perform and seeing her in her uniform.  She looks adorable.

  ~ I finished my Excel class and got a certificate! It wasn’t that hard and I already knew a lot of what they were teaching, but it helped a lot.  They will probably have a class that goes in more depth in January and I will hopefully  take that class.  I have one more Powerpoint class and I will be done with that one too.  Yeehaw!

 ~I was able to figure out how to crochet a flat granny square.  Now I’m working on a hot pink blanket .

~And I joined in the Not A Fan series at Church.  This has been a great class so far, and I’m really learning a lot.  I have also started studying independently.  I’m thinking about writing an online journal…I still have a lot to ponder. The reason I want to do it separately is because well, this is an art blog, but I would post a link in case you would like to read it.  It may be a little amibitious..heehee

~I don’t have a picture but I finished my last set of curtains for the bedroom.

If my posts have seemed a little sporadic ….well, that’s the reason.  I have to admit though, its felt good to get out and to be busy doing something different.

This post ran a little long…As a reward for boring you to tears, I will be posting not one, but two Zentangle patterns early next week:)  So until then,  have a great weekend!

Be Well and Happy!

Well, I am finally able to post the necklace and bracelet.   I made these  pieces for myself and I love them.  I also believe this necklace fulfills one of my New Year’s resolutions, so that’s a plus.  The fairystone was a gift from my little sister.  I made this necklace pretty simple, because I didn’t want anything competing with what fairystone represented as well as not competing with the stone itself.  I think using just three simple seed bead strands worked out really well.   If you are not familiar with Fairystones here is a   link  http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/fai.shtml.  This explain where the stones can be found and the legend of the fairystone.

Well, I guess that’s about it for me today.

Be Well and Happy!

Yay, I finally finished my pet portrait commission, but I can’t post it until he receives it.  Also, I’ve beaded two necklaces and bracelet that I’ll post next week.  And during Irene’s meanness (leaving us with no power) I learned the necessary stitches to crochet a shawl that I want sooooo bad.   Yes, it’s an extremely large amount of work to learn for one garment, but I want it sooooo bad.  Most of the time I’m a teach a man how to fish type a gal and I guess crocheting is one of those times.   I know I sounds like that I have ants in the pants disorder, but I’ve been having a pretty good time.  I’m definitely not an arts and crafts snob…and I hope you aren’t either;)

Now on with the tangle pattern.  I had fun with this one…it’s called Sssnake and is supposed to resemble snake skin. I don’t care much for the actual creature, but even I can appreciate the glorious colors and patterns that snakes have.   I hope you like it and will incorporate them into your own Zentangles.

Sssnake

Below is the snake pattern in my Into the Wild zentangle.

Be Well and Happy! 

W.I.P. Barn

    This is one of the projects that I have been working on.  This piece is not very big sizing in at 5 1/2 x 7 3/4 in. but has been very challenging as well as taxing on my nerves.  If you click on the image you will see that it’s about 70% complete and I have myself hemmed in a corner.  In my ref picture there is a big evergreen covering most of my tin roof (coming from the right).  I decided to leave that out.  I really didn’t have problems with that, because I’ve seen enough tobacco barns in the span of my life to make an educated guess. On the lower bottom right, (the white area) is where a bush is supposed to go if I don’t change my mind.   I’m still having problems with that tree.  In the ref. picture it has leaves, and I didn’t block them out before I drew the tree, and now I don’t know what to do and I’ve been drawing around my problem.   A commission came in that I need to get started on so thankfully, I don’t have to decide anything right now.  I guess I could take the easy way out and make it a winter scene.

What do you do when you have a technical difficulty?  Do you push it to the limit or do you play it safe?

Be Well and Happy!

Yes, I’m interrupting my Into the wild tangle series to bring you a new pattern. 

This pattern is from a symbol that is as old as the hills.  I haven’t seen it anywhere on the net used in Zentangle and I can’t figure out why is hasn’t been used before.    It isn’t really a pattern, but kinda is and would be very useful in your pattern arsenal:

You got it….Peace signs and you can use them in so many different ways.  I got the inspiration from my daughter, she loves them!  All girls gotta have their flower power.  Here is some art using the PeaSe pattern:

 This heart is a variation of the heart that I learned how to do from Zenspirations Joann Fink at http://www.zenspirations.com/.  I love her work and it took every bit of self-control that I have not to go out and buy gel pens.  Seriously, she’s that cool:) Her tutorials can be found on http://tanglepatterns.com/.  Hop on over there,  you’ll love it!

Be Well and Happy!

 

On Saturday, July 30, 2011 we lost our 9 year old Samoyed Sam.  I was hoping to post a tribute but the words won’t come, so I will leave you with this quote:

   “The misery of keeping a dog is his dying too soon. But to be sure, if he lived for 50 years and then died, what would become of me?”                   -Sir Walter Scott

It has been pretty busy around here.  My mom and niece spent last week with me and that was a lot of fun.  We had a rabid raccoon hang around the house which wasn’t so much fun.  I was hoping it would leave, but I ended up having to call Animal Control.  And now Alana is spending the week with her cousin.  Also, I have a huge 18 x 24 painting that I’m working on as well as a dog portrait and barn scene.  All three are a slow process, but I hope I can show you some new art soon.  In the meantime, I have a new pattern to share with you:

Izland Flower

I’m sorry that this pattern is a little rough, but I lent my sister-in-law my pattern book so I had to redraw it.  She loves Zentangling now:)

Here is my W.I.P.

ENJOY!

Be Well and Happy

This is my pattern called Che-ta.  I think this pattern is pretty cool too.  The inside is shaded in with pencil and looks good in “real” life but doesn’t translate well in my sample. And below is my W.I.P.

ENJOY!

Be Well and Happy!