Frustration

 

This is me-- trying to get used to my new pen tablet yesterday.  I was very discombobulated--It's like trying to drive someone else's car.  I even got sad faces during the tutorial, how pathetic is THAT??  I think it will make my Photoshop work easier, eventually.   (This sketch does not represent me actually USING the pen tablet-- it was out the window in the snow at that point.)  

I'm doing better today-- I haven't rolled my eyes, not even once.

Illustration Friday-- Pioneer

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Saint Nicholas

 

Asher and I did some research on Saint Nicholas, and I remembered this painting I did a million years ago.  Well, almost a million.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

My Prince

Awww... I'd follow YOU anywhere!

Illustration Friday-- Undone

If you stop believing in Santa, does all the Christmas magic come undone?

 

This year was a milestone for our family.  (See my post on Dec. 12.)  I remember being told as a kid who was old enough to know better, (at Easter, probably to cushion the blow), and I thought it was just the coolest thing that my parents had pulled it off all those years!  I wasn't really expecting, as a parent, to be unable to determine Santa's status in my own  kids' minds.

Just two summers ago, it was revealed to me by my older son, Grayson, now 11, that he hadn't believed for a couple of years!  "It's just scientifically impossible" he said, but he also admitted that he was afraid it would all come to an end if we knew that he knew.  Asher, however, never doubted.  Until.... the wrapping paper he had seen in his stocking just last year was now being hauled out of the closet to be used as a family project!  Wait a minute!!  So, my husband and I had to go into "pick-up-the-pieces-and-make-this-okay" mode.  And, almost a week later, it is.  He does keep saying, "It WOULD be fun if..," and I keep thinking to myself, "Nothing has changed, my love, it will still be fun!"

Happy Birthday, Torrey!

Advent 3-- Name Above All Names

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...He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace  Isaiah 9:6

This is one of my favorite designs to paint that I have ever created.  It appears as a cross-stitch kit, woven throws and wall tapestries, tote bags, greeting cards and fabric.  Right now I am reworking it by replacing the figurative blocks with symbols, so I'm loving it all over again.  My greatest hope is that one person will look up a scripture reference contained here and be forever changed.

Spoiler Alert!

Oh, no...  Seems we mixed up the wrapping paper and brought some out to wrap the outbound packages... that was previously used only by a certain someone...

(Our youngest is 8, so I suppose it was time anyway, but this is one of those life moments we'll always remember, isn't it?)

Illustration Friday-- Hatch

A new life is hatched!

OK, so here's the crazy process I go through on Friday (four times now!)  First, I eagerly await the change of topic.  Then, when it finally changes, I have a moment of despair, thinking, "Oh rats, I don't have anything for that and I could never possibly think of anything, create it and post it in a week!  Besides, I really need to get my current projects done!  So I guess I'll just have to skip it this week."  Then I say to myself, "But I really want to do this!  I don't want to miss out on all the fun-- how can I pull this off?"

A couple of weeks ago, for "entangled", I pretended to watch the action-packed-car-chase-heavy-non-existant-romance movie that my husband and kids had picked for a family night, and lost myself in my sketchbook and all of Gerald and Celeste's happy dreams for their future together.  Then, of course, the agony was, "Can I possibly allow myself to post a sketch?  Yikes!!  A piece of art that hasn't been labored over and loved on?"  Ultimately, I did it, and I lived through it!  People were kind to me, and it was a lovely feeling.  And, I was able to spend time working on those current projects.

Last week and this week, I went through all of paragraph one, but then added, "Hmmm... I have posted a sketch, maybe I should come up with some amazing new concept and do a sketch."  Then I went to fold the laundry or some other such nonsense.  Meanwhile, images were scrolling through my mind and I actually remembered one or two that just might work.  Not to give up the wrestling match so easily, I then had to go back and forth between,  "Well, that doesn't quite fit, something painted purely for this really would be better",  and, "Just post it already!!!"

So here it is, I'm posting it.

Advent 2

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!  Psalm 126:3

It Snowed!

Hooray!  I love when it snows before Christmas!  Here in Pennsylvania it is really not uncommon, but it's always fun to have a snowman in the yard to brighten your spirits. My boys have to go out, come in, make hot chocolate, go out again, come back in (you get the picture) so I was inspired to post this by the piles of hats, mittens, boots and snow pants that we'll have to deal with later today.  

Illustration Friday-- Crunchy

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Alphabet Cuisine

 Crunchy, crispy, creamy, sour, spicy, tangy, tart, savory, smooth, rich, salty, sweet, anything but bland!

Advent 1

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.  Jude 1:2

Illustration Friday-- Entangled

The moment Celeste accepted his proposal, Gerald felt blissfully entangled.

Flying

As we were pulling away from our wonderful Thanksgiving festivities, literally 45 seconds into our journey home, our younger son, Asher, declared, "Next holiday-- Christmas!"

For the week of 10/09/09 on Illustration Friday, the topic was "Flying".  I know, I'm a little late to the party, but I couldn't resist posting this now that apparently we're in full Christmas mode at our house.

Save Room For:

I have a sweet tooth.  I do.  I love being in charge of the desserts.  If you are bringing the desserts to tomorrow's feast like I am, try making chocolate ganache and put it on anything you're making.  Anything.  Or, just eat it out of the pan! 

Here's a quick recipe:  Heat 3/4 cup heavy cream over medium heat.  Stir constantly and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and pour over 8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips.  Stir until melted.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  (If you can wait that long!)  It really is delightful, and can be used to glaze a cake or make chocolate covered strawberries.  And it's so easy!

Bountiful

O Lord our God, as for all this abundance... it comes from Your hand, and all of it belongs to You.  1 Chronicles 29:16

Skinny

A couple of weeks ago, before I discovered Illustration Friday, the topic was "Skinny".

It didn't matter how many batches of cookies Mrs. Claus baked, Santa was enjoying the tango lessons so much, he just became skinnier and skinnier!

Illustration Friday- Music

America the Beautiful-- lyrics by Katherine Lee Bates, music by Samuel A. Ward