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!

Crocheted Headbands

I started crocheting back in December, and I'm totally into making these adorbale baby headbands. I made this purple one for our little friend's 1st birthday. She's a purple girl and her mummy always dresses her in purple, so I put together a purple-themed gift. I tried the headband on Miss Gracie and she loved it! she would wiggle her head and look in the mirror and laugh! Soooo cute. Mark told me i should make a bunch and keep them with me when I'm out and about so if someone asks where I got it I can tell them I make them and have some for sell! Good idea. I've seen these type of headbands for sell online, but never in a store or mall here in virginia so that's why i decided to make my own. I know they have them in Utah...and probably elsewhere. I'm working on the next one already. I have many girlfriends with little girls who i'd love to send these to as gifts.

My husband

Mark wonders about my email address that I created and use only for this blog. He asked me if I was trying to meet men. Lol. Maybe I'm naive and dumb, but when I thought about being an anonymous, lonely mom, I only thought about how being a mom is a hard job, and often a lonely one. And as far as the anonymous part, I had originially wanted to blog anonymously. I still don't think he understands it - or me for that matter. But that's okay, we have a lifetime to understand one another. He's dying to have another baby and I've been avoiding him like the plauge! haha. I'm just not ready yet. I told him maybe this summer I'll think about it. I'd rather be pregnant through the winter anyway. My sweet mark...I miss him when he is gone and he's gone all the time. He works too much overtime to buy me things. Or so he says (I think he is just teasing me), but I don't feel like I really get to buy anything. I think he uses all of the money to pay off our mortgage in a couple of years ... instead of 15 or 30 we have a 5-year plan.

I wish I could post a picture of him, but he takes awful pictures because he's always making a face of sorts...or he closes his eyes to avoid the flash (so annoying). Well, actually, I found one that is semi-decent. I think I look awful, and it isn't focused, but here goes anyway.

Naners

Gracie and I picked up her favortie food (bananas) at Wegman's today and while she was taking her afternoon nap, I was inspired to draw! just a little quick charcoal drawing for fun. I'm still working on this - the shadow is strange looking.