Watercolor Landscape

I wasn't going to post this one since it is crappy , but here is my first attempt at watercolor - and a landscape.

Gracie Sublime

I wanted to post a pic of my final project for drawing II. Unfortunately it got smeared, smudged and bent as it was moved several times - otherwise I was really happy with the way it turned out. I used 9 sheets of paper as one big one, but plan on framing them individually in glass-clip frames and displaying it as one picture. If that makes sense. I think I'm going to try to work out some of the smudges as well - or maybe add more texture and depth to her shirt and her face. It might not be for a couple of weeks since I have four more finals to go until I'm DONE!

Happy Easter

Daddy and baby grace

Mark and I really enjoyed our first easter with Gracie. She had fun playing with her new wooden puzzles this morning and then had even more fun playing in the cupboards most of the afternoon while Mark and I worked on dinner together. We had a beautiful day and look forward to more days spent together with our little family.


Gracie has the best sense of humor and she cracks me up all day!


And Gracie LOVES to snuggle with her soft animals and cozy blankies!

Designer jeans

I'm really coveting a pair of straight or skinny leg designer jeans. Is it so wrong that I want ONE awesome pair of jeans!? I have one pair (non-designer. in fact, i don't even know how I came about owning these jeans) I seem to wear over and over and it is really the only pair i like. So I need another. It isn't the fact that they are expensive...if i found a pair at goodwill, i'd buy them! (that'd be awesome, right!?) Have you ever tried on nice jeans? They feel like your second skin when they fit right. Like they were tailor made just for you. And when I wear something I'm proud of, that I love, then I feel really, really good. Who wouldn't? I think this is normal...it isn't that i lack confidence or self-esteem...i just really like looking good. haha. :) And it doesn't happen too often.

I saw JT on Oprah last week. He sold me on his jeans. Owning a pair of William Rast jeans would be,..would be... my greatest accomplishment! Okay, okay, so not really. But I'd die an go to heaven (or hell) if I found myself owning a pair.

Graduation present anyone? I hear their sizes run big, so I'd be happy to own a size 4 (please! No, i'm not really a 4). Any takers?

Sweet chickadee and winter tree

This is the drawing I did yesterday for Gracie's room. Watercolor and colored pencil. I'm still working on the birdie, and I may do another wash along the background to make it smoother. It seems like I saw something like this somewhere- so i don't feel like I can take full original creative credit. This isn't my best, or my fave, but it's cute and sweet and will look good in the baby's room.


Here is a part of a landscape drawing i've been trying to get underway. This is the pond/lake at GMU. I concentrated on the tree closest to me, as you can tell from the drawing since it is the only part close to complete. I don't know when I'll have time to finish. All of the trees are blooming now anyway - and that changes everything when it comes to doing a winter landscape.

Hirshhorn Visit

Marilyn Monroe's Lips
Andy Warhol

Gracie and I visited the Hirshhorn in Washington, D.C. this morning. After driving around and around the mall looking for parking I finally found metered parking just to realize that I only had a $1 worth of change on me! err. But that gave us an hour. We spent the majority of our time in the Strange Bodies exhibit since that's what my assignment was about. I've visited the Hirshhorn a multitude of times, but I enjoyed taking Gracie with me this time and she was a trooper. She was happy, funny and patient. I found that I was actually inspired to create more abstract pieces and to think outside of the box in my artwork. I believe I always limit myself to drawing exact replications of what I see, and i think it will be liberating to let creativity flow with no boundaries or wondering what the limits or rules for what i'm working on should be. Today I'm working on a sweet chickadee drawing with pepto bismal pink sky using watercolor and colored pencil - it's a start. I'll post a pic when it's complete.

who knew? Brussel sprouts!

I've been following a couple of vegan blogs (vegan planet and what the hell does a vegan eat anyway) and have been experimenting with a few veggie only meals. So far, sooo good! Today I came across another awesome blog, barefoot something - i added her to my blog list - and she had some good recipes and ideas too!

Tonight's dinner was my own rendition of the barefoot blogs twice baked potato casserole (except no cheese in mine, white potatoes and diff vegs!) and totally tasty. As a side dish to complement the yummy casserole I decided to use a bag of organic brussel sprouts I've had in the freezer for a few weeks. I picked them up intending on using them in some recipe or other, but then I couldn't find the recipe. So, since my oven was on I thought I'd thaw them under some cool running water, toss them into a roasting pan - drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and nestled them in the oven next to the casserole. I don't know why I didn't think of making them this way before (i'm sure i've probably seen this somewhere). My little baby couldn't get enough of the brussel sprouts! She was so cute. I mashed some up for her and she ate and ate! mmmm! Tonight's dinner was so simple and so delicious. Who knew brussel sprouts tasted so good! I realized tonight that I'd never actually eaten them before. i will more often now, that's for sure!