It's A Wondeful "Month"

Christmas Tree 2005

After completing NaMoBloPo (success) and NaNoWriMo, even though I missed the 50K word count I needed a weekend to play!

My daughter and I made Reindeer Gift Bags and Dammit Dolls (photos and instructions this week).

We baked, too! Pumpkin Bread, Cookies, and Peanut Clusters.

Tonight's Dinner and Art will be a plate of those goodies and my First Blog Giveaway!!

So check back after 7pm cst to enter the drawing.

While you wait head over to Melissa's Inspired Room for Creative Inspiration Week! Great giveaways there!

(Saturday Sighting Continuation of this post tonight as well)

Studio Friday: 7 Random Studio Facts

This week's topic for Friday November 23rd suggested by Robyn: THE RANDOM 7!

" 7 random facts/ studio habits. For example:
1. I cant begin my art until there is a a mug of hot coffee next to me and soft music playing in the background.
2. I have a good luck charm in my desk drawer. (It is a the third vertebra of a monkey or whatever)
It's just fun and some very unusual facts sometimes surface. We see lots of tagging but not studio oddities."
- Robyn

almost complete...Add work table, easels, stool, a couple of chairs


1) I have a studio!
2) It's a double garage converted into 2/3 part studio, 1/3 part library & my kiddo's hang out room. It has a propane wall heater, window AC, natural light from the North (and West)

3) I can't use my studio! Due to ALL the STUFF we (my kiddo and I) have stashed in there during our decluttering of the house in preparation to move when my farm sells.
4) Most of my "Arting" and "Crafting" materials are in my studio... Yep makes it hard to get to my materials due to ALL the STUFF in the way. (no way am I showing you a photo of that mess)

5) I believe all the Art on my Blog has been created while I am working at my real job!


6) Color pencils are a great portable medium. When I am ready to "color" in a sketch I select my colors then proceed to sharpen each pencil before I begin.



Seven must have tools, Sketchbook, sharpener, blender, eraser, and clips.

7) I do create "crafty" things at home, on my drafting table or dining room table. I have a corner in the great room with big desk to hold desktop computer, printer, scanner...drafting table and material table.

* the floor plan of the house I want to build or buy has a family/game room perfect for a studio. I want to paint one wall white,one pink/sorta fuchsia, one a golden yellow, and the wall with windows a turquoise.


NaNoWriMo Update: 38,456 words...didn't make it, but I had a wonderful afternoon and early evening with my daughter.

Photo Thursday: Happy

For More Thursday Photo Challenge

I Heart Yellow Houses

This is a little frame house I found in Plano, Tx. Next time I'm over there I'm going back to get a better picture of the detail on the mosaic.

When I write I like to have visual references. The characters in the stories I write need to live somewhere.

Houses inspire me to write worthy characters.

NaNoWriMo ... Novel excerpt from 2004

Our mother, an avid reader, and even more so while pregnant, named me while she read Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer’s Night Dream. I am Helena, or Lena, for short. We always shorten up our names before we started school, I went through a period of time, most of 4^th and all 5^th grade, answering only to Helena, usually waiting till whoever was calling me to say it twice. She was reading The Ambassadors, by Henry James, so that is how Chadwick got his name. And by the time mother was carrying Bart, her literary choices were quite different, with Chad and I, 2 and 4 years old respectively. He got his literally name from Dr Suess’s Bartholomew and the Oobleck. And Bart was supposed to be the end of this line of Carmichaels.

We weren’t sure what name mother would choose for the last wee one she carried. We all called this one the gift baby because we overheard mother muttering “the gift baby” several times a day. By this time her reading material was almost nonexistent, but she sure managed to eat a lot of rocky road ice cream, a half gallon would arrive by way of the mail boat every day for months. Plus, mother always had an orange, frothy concoction in a clear, cut crystal goblet, that she called “my mimosa”, but I knew there wasn’t any champagne in it. Mom was strictly a teatotaler, hot, cold, and many flavors, until at 40 she found herself gifted with another pregnancy. Then she carried the goblet and pitcher or thermos filled with the mimosa mixture with her everywhere. Chad and I were betting on Rocky, whether the gift baby was a boy or girl.. Bart was positive it would be Mimi, if a girl was born. I don’t think there was a literary reason for the name Meg, but at least she didn’t have to shorten her name.

I have not done a word count on my 2007 NaNoWriMo this week. I'll wait until tomorrow night.

The excerpt I shared is from a trilogy that began with my first NaNoWriMo attempt in 2004. I still work on the first and second one. The first is pretty much complete. Second one, started in 2005, I'm still editing. Third one was for NaNoWriMo 2006 and only has about 4000 words, but I do have a great outline and know the characters fairly well.

This year's "novel" has been fun, whether I make 50K words or not! Totally different, a romantic fantasy would best describe the genre. A Pirate is involved! Gotta Love Pirates!

When I sell the farm I will write, paint, create...

IF: The Zoo

"The First Zoo"
ACEO 2.5x3.5
color pencil
bristol board 100 lb.


For More Illustration Friday

Go visit Nat and his Art Giveaway! Time is running out! I've won twice I really shouldn't comment again but it's really hard not to... go check it out! Win some Art! He is only shipping to the US, though.

Monday Night Dinner and Art

"Orange Nude"
ACEO 2.5 x 3.5
Color pencil & Micron Pen
Bristol Board 100 lb.


I wasn't all that hungry after the four day food fest so I had one piece a pie left and the cow's head from this pie I made for Pioneer Woman.

Plus pie and whipped cream goes better with an abstract nude!

Please join me in posting Dinner and Art every Monday... leave a comment and I will link you here. When we get enough participants we can add Mr. Linky.

You may post anything creative, photos, scrapbook page, knitting, etc.

Saturday Sightings...Not on Sunday Either

Another day filled with interruptions... not only affecting Saturday Sighting but my Marathon NaNoWriMo writing frenzy for today.

Good interruptions, but interruptions none the less.

Plus I closed my eyes for just a second around 7:30 pm. I just woke up! I not only didn't post the continuation of the "house" ... I missed Desperate Housewives!

This fabulously quirky house deserves more than my half awake attempt at a narrative.
I will however post this...




This is a very sharp curve to the left. I saw the turret or cupola or whatever that top thing is called and a gargoyle?

How could I not go forward rather than following the main road to the left?

Saturday Sighting continues Next Saturday. Surely no more Life could happened, right?

Monday Night Dinner and Art ... tomorrow evening...

so in the mean time go visit Nat and his Art Giveaway! Time is running out! I've won twice I really shouldn't comment again but it's really hard not to... go check it out! Win some Art! He is only shipping to the US, though.

Update: Answers to questions asked in comments on Black Friday Post

HELP KELSO, PANTHERGIRL'S GREYHOUND! Shop Amazon.com through this link!

Saturday Sightings...Not

Well so much for posting more links to fab gift ideas on Friday and Saturday... it's almost over.

Ever have Life get in the way of blogging?

All is well. Family time was required.

So on Sunday...tomorrow I'll post more on this house.

Black Friday and "P Dub's" Pie

First let me say Y'ALL are nuts to get up really, really early to go out shopping today... and I thank God my daughter is grown up to where gift cards are a Good Thing!

Oh how I still remember the crazy women in Toys R Us and the rush of scrambling Moms and Dads when the doors of Target opened.

Thankfully, the nightmares have ended.

There is so much goodness in shopping on the web! Comfy chair, roaring fire, cup of cocoa...

So if you're like me...hanging out at home today. (of course, I'm still writing my novel for NaNoWriMo)

Here's few of my favorite places to shop online. I'll most likely add to the list through out the day.

Buy Handmade! Shop Etsy!

Looking for a calendar? Besides Mary Englebreit's I would like to recommend the most awesome photography calendar Ever!

Ever!! Especially if you love Horses, Cowboys, Cows, and Wide Open Spaces to grace the walls of your cube or your home!

Confessions of a Pioneer Woman's Calendar

International orders, too!

You don't read Pioneer Women? Never heard of her? Goodness, you must be the only one!

And she cooks, too!

Warning: her site is extremely addicting! You will be compelled to read All the archives, drool over her photos... well maybe not the calf nut ones... and want to cook just like her. I hope you like real butter!

Ree, will be posting her pie recipes soon!

And speaking of Pie! I made one, a Pumpkin Pie, in honor of Pioneer Woman, a little tribute, if you will.

Now, I won't even attempt to top her soon to be posted pie recipe or Libby's for that matter. I just change the Libby's back of can recipe to Splenda for the Sugar and Skim evaporated milk for regular.

But!!

Where I shine is in the foo fooing of the pie ala Martha Stewart!

Pumpkin Pie Ala Martha Stewart Version...



Pumpkin Pie Tribute to Pioneer Woman



Now if I just had her camera, her kitchen, her photographer's eye...


Check back often for more Online shopping goodness.


Note: Saturday Sightings Post tomorrow will be More on the Odd/Quirky House from last Saturday... I talked to the new neighbor!

Nov. 25th Update: To answer a couple of questions from comments so that those use readers may see them as well.

The Libby's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

I used Pampered Chef canape cutters for the leaves...however I couldn't find them on their site.
Perhaps a Pampered Chef consultant could leave a comment if these are still available.

The cow was made by using a cookie cutter I've had for years. I googled cow cookie cutter, found many, but none with that little tail.

One More Thing: If you shop Amazon you could really help out a fellow blogger, Panthergirl, by shopping through her site.

HELP KELSO, PANTHERGIRL'S GREYHOUND! Shop Amazon.com through this link!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Moo MmmMMooooo Moo

I have so many things to be thankful for...

I hope you and yours have a safe and happy day whether you are in the USA, celebrating our Thanksgiving holiday, or elsewhere in the World.

Photo Thursday: Black and White

For More Black and White

IF: Superstition

copyright 2007 Dawn
"Luck Ran Out"
ACEO=3.5 x 2.5 inches
color pencil
100 lb bristol board

Horseshoes hung above your door are said to bring the household Good Luck... Only if you don't let your Luck run out by hanging the horseshoe upside down!

For More Illo Friday

Happy Birthday...Baby Brother

When on vacations in Canada, Mom would put a life jacket on him before he left the beach front cabin. He had to wear it until he came back inside! I think he was about fourteen when he was allowed outside without a life jacket.

Kidding!



Also taken in Canada...Like Father Like Son. Inspecting fishing tackle. Inside!


Little Boy Blue! All dressed up! Blogs are useful to post OLD photos of siblings!


Giddy Up!


All grown up! His daughter, my darling niece on the left. Photo taken by our Mom. One of the few without her finger or camera strap in the way. Come to think of it I should ask my Step Dad if he took this photo!

Monday Night Dinner and Art

Even though I have not been posting much written content since I revived this little blog I have had an idea or two about what to write and how to share more of my Art once NaNoWriMo is over.

This is inspired by a little known group on Flickr called Monday Night Dinner.

I hope you will join me! Post some of your Art and Dinner on Monday Night, Leave a comment so those that want to participate can come visit you!

Not an Artist? Post a craft or scrapbook page or corner of your home... anything that might be pleasing to the eye as we enjoy the "dessert" of visiting your space on Monday night.

So no pictures of a sink full of dirty dishes, okay?



Color Pencil drawing from my 2004 sketchbook. Size is close to 4x6 inches.




Dinty Moore Stew and Cornbread. I add peas and corn to canned stew, plus a cup or so of water.Turns out almost like a soup. It's yummy. Easy and fast to cook. Perfect for a busy Monday night.

Note: I will be posting future Monday night Dinner and Art posts earlier than 11 pm. Blame this on NaNoWriMo.

Studio Friday: Color Wheel

My color wheel is a Rectangle



This is my "test sheet" for color pencil, graphite, and micron pens





It was time for a new page to hold my WIP


WIP for Illo Friday

For more Color Wheels. Check out Studio Friday

AND MORE:

I usually don't win a thing, but I won this wonderful drawing by Nat Dickinson.


It is postcard size. He is giving one away each day this month as he does NaBloPoMo. Check it out, comment, and win yourself some Art.

Thanks, Nat. I love it!

(Yes, I know this part of my post looks exactly like what I posted Thursday and Friday. I did a copy and paste! Go visit Nat and win yourself some Art... except NOT the cake card. I want that one! Woo hoo!!! I won the cake card!!!)

Oh and it's Nat as in Nathaniel, just so you don't think Nat is short for Natalie.

Edit: Martha Stewart's Mother passed away on Saturday

Saturday Sightings

Sometimes I will see something on my out and about Saturday drives that demand my attention.

This one had me coming to a complete stop!

well, almost and it's okay 'cause I have a bumper sticker that says

WARNING... I break for photo ops!
And may actually come to a FULL STOP!

Amateur Photographer on board







Okay, so technically I didn't do a Saturday drive today... but did you really want to see the mess and restoration of Christmas decorating.

I think not! It's not even Thanksgiving yet!

And just an FYI, the entire backside of this house is unfinished, unpainted, plywood I think. The east side is just the plastic sheeting that is put on before you install brick or siding.

Can you help but wonder about the people who live there.

Oh, yes it was occupied.

They had a sign posted on the front gate that the house was not for sale!

More about the location of this house next Saturday since I won't be driving anywhere, but franticly typing for NaNoWriMo!

Geeze, I could write about this house... should be good for about a 10K word count.

Last Day of Autumn

At my house anyway. After tomorrow it will be looking a lot like Christmas!


This table will be moved to hold a four foot prelit Christmas tree.



The mantel will be filled with Snowmen. This will be my first Thanksgiving with Christmas decorations!

Why? Cause NaNoWriMo !!!

I have friends coming to help me take down fall and put up Christmas. Call them my "pit crew". This way there is to be no stress as I head down the stretch next weekend to finish.

I'll decide tomorrow whether we eat turkey and all the fixings using fall decor place settings or Snowmen plates.



Or Chinette paper plates!


( and More)

I usually don't win a thing, but I won this wonderful drawing by Nat Dickinson.


It is postcard size. He is giving one away each day this month as he does NaBloPoMo. Check it out, comment, and win yourself some Art.

Thanks, Nat. I love it!

(Yes, I know this part of my post looks exactly like what I posted yesterday. I did a copy and paste! Go visit Nat and win yourself some Art... except NOT the cake card. I want that one!)

NaNoWriMo word count: over 11,000

I know I'm way behind...that's why I will be spending my Thanksgiving break writing!

(edit: I changed the comment setting to NO pop up window, to difficult to go to blogs of commenters using that little window...thanks for visiting!)

Photo Thursday: Portrait ( and More )

Portraits have never been my strong suit, but one Saturday morning a couple years ago my darling daughter plopped in the chair in my bedroom. So between the chatting and laughing... I starting snapping a few photos with my Polaroid P&S. So sweet, so innocent... she thought she should have had her "make up" on... I love her "bare" face.

The next two images are more of an actual representation of my usual portrait attempts!


Daughter cooperates... Dog doesn't



Dog cooperates... Daughter doesn't
( and More)

I usually don't win a thing, but I won this wonderful drawing by Nat Dickinson.


It is postcard size. He is giving one away each day this month as he does NaBloPoMo. Check it out, comment, and win yourself some Art.

Thanks, Nat. I love it!

IF:Scale

Copyright 2007
Scale
ACEO:2.5 x 3.5 inches
color pencil
100 lb. bristol board

*color is so much brighter in person. My scanner is not working, so I took a photo.

For More Illustration Friday

Studio Friday: Dots

Dots or Stripes? Definitely Dots!



AND this is my favorite purse!!



However, if Checks, Checkerboard, Gingham Checks would have been a choice... Oh buddy that would be my pick! I have checks all over!

For more dots and stripes