IF: Clumsy

Trying to wear that 5 inch heel when you are over 45 can make you seem clumsy. I'm definitely not 30 anymore. How did 40-something get here so fast. My mind still tells me that I'm 25.

IF: Wilderness

My submission for Illustration Friday.

Books Read in 2009

My first book read for 2010. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society which I really enjoyed. I give it five stars. My goal is 60 books for this year.I never set goals as far as my art is concerned so I am setting one this year. My art goal is to paint at least 12 pictures. Here is my entire list for 2009 of books read, my goal was to read 55 books.

56. KJV Bible (entire read 2009)

55. Mrs. Sartoris by Elke Schmitter

54. The Fixer by Mary Kay Andrews

53. How to Have the Best Christmas Ever by Julia Foster

52. The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz

51. Relentless by Dean Koontz

50. The Fly Truffler by Gustaf Sobin

49. Twlilight Eyes by Dean Koontz

48. The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson

47. Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran & Oscar and the Lady in Pink

46. Cold Water by Gwendoline Riley

45. A Dish Taken Cold by Anne Perry

44. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

43. Christmas Lights by Christine Pisera Naman

42. Without Blood by Alessandro Baricco

41. The Book of Proper Names by Amelie Nothomb

40. the Two-Pound Tram by William Newton

39. Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons

38. The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen

37. Evenings at Five by Gail Godwin

36. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

35. The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman

34. The Piano Teacher by Janice K. Lee

33. Sam's Letter's to Jennifer by James Patterson

32. Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

31. 100 Cupboards

30. My Cousin Rachel by Daphe Du Maurier

29. Love, Lies, and Liquor by M.C. Beaton

28. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

27. Abhorsen by Garth Nix (reread)

26. Lireal by Garth Nix (reread)

25. Lost and Found by Andrew Clements

24. Artist to artist by Eric Carle

23. Sabriel by Garth Nix (reread)

22. The Mark of the Angel by Nancy Huston

21. The House of Midnight by Lucie Whitehouse

20. Hula by Lisa Shea

19. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

18. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

17. The Serpent's Tale by Arianna Franklin

16. On Chisel Beach by Ian McEwen

15. The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger

14. The Shack by William P. Young

13. Icebound Land By John Flanagan

12. Midnight Sun (Rough draft) by Stephanie Meyer

11. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

10. Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

9. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

8. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

7. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (reread)

6. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (reread)

5. The Other Queen by Philippa Gregrory

4. The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill

3. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

2. Enchantments by Linda Ferri

1. The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Painting in Progress

I was very excited about painting this new picture but then I had to refocus and finish my reading goal for 2009. So instead of painting I finished my last two books. Yeah! I didn't want to do what I did last year by not completing my goal. Although the book was over 500 pages, my sister said that I should count that as 2 books but that'a not my way of counting. Hopefully I can work on the painting some more before my vacation is over.

Christmas is Coming.

Welcome to my home. Here are a view glimpsies of Christmas here. One of my three Christmas trees. This one is in the office.

Painting - Snow Joy

Yeah! I went in my studio and painted on a Monday Night. I didn't watch the football game because if I want more time to paint I will have to make time for it.

This current painting is called Snow Joy. As a child I loved the snow. I lived up North and I can remember sleigh rides, snowball fights, and of course making snowmen. When I was a teenager I loved to sit in the upstairs window and watch it falling. I live in Colorado after I was married, the snow was so beautiful in the morning before it was touched by humans and their machines. I didn't mind walking my children to school in the morning. But sad to say I live in Georgia now it's not a place where you know snow will fall. We did get snow briefly the beginning of January 2009 and it brought back all the wonderful "snow joy".

IF: Hatch

"These are mine" just keeping them warm until they hatch.

I've skipped the last couple of weeks of Illustration Friday and I really wanted to post something this week. I am not a sinister person but all I could think of was eggs hatching and I wanted to do something funny. My husband said that a cat keeping eggs warm was unrealistic. Well I hope everyone gets it. I have a cat named Sage. If you are a bird lover it's just for fun.

Painting - Coming of Age

"This painting depicts 2 girls coming of age. It was a special occassion and their mother allowed them to wear black.

I am the mother of 4 daughters. I tell everyone that I have 2 generations my first two are 26 and 22 the second generation are 15 and 13. My second generation is coming of age. While I was together with my family for the holidays my sister said that she couldn't get over how shapely my 13 yr old daughter has become. She wears a size 3 but she does have a figure. I never looked like that when I was 13. My nickname was "Bones" I would tell my firends that "thin was in" and they would reply,"but skinny is out.

Painting Today

Today it has been cold and rainy a perfect day for art. I had time to go sit in my studio and paint

New Drawing

This is my current drawing. I'm still adding ink to it. I was hoping to draw something in the background but I'm not sure what it will be. I would like to add more detail in my drawings. Although the coat seems simple I've spent an hour or so filling it in already. It is not quite what I wanted but I am please with it. See inspirational photo www.flickr.com/photos/diletta81/3229199533/

EDM # 7 - Tin from KItchen

The Everyday matters challenge is to draw a bottle, jar or tin from the kitchen. This tin cannister is older than 3 of my 4 children. My oldest being 26. It was originally filled with my favorite Uncle Ben's rice, which it what my mother used. Whenever I visit my sisters I like to look in their cabinets to see if they continue to use the same products that our mother used. I wonder if my daughters will only stick to products that I used.

EDM # 6 - Well loved object

In November I brought a new moleskin sketchbook with the intent that I would start from the beginning with Danny Gregory's Everyday Matters Challenge. My hope was to go thru the list in order. This is number 6 draw your favorite well-loved object/ or a childhood toy. Well my beloved is my iphone. How could I have ever lived without it. While we were on vacation I wanted to read while my husband slept and my book light was broken so I added the light app for my phone. Now I don't ever have to worry about buying another book light. My iphone is my beloved.

IF: Music - Can you feel it!

Upon seeing the topic for Illustration Friday I had to submit a picture with my headphones or earbuds. Whenever I listen to my music I feel as though it is moving thru me. In my drawing the hair says can you feel it.