Did you ever meet a young child that you just didn't like for no apparent reason? Say, for example, you met a five year old towheaded, blue eyed little princess... and you just wanted to sock her in the nose. Have you ever had that happen?
What if she was a snitch and a tattle-tale, or a manipulator who whispered in the other kids' ears telling them to go ask for this or for that? What if she was perfect and to make sure you knew it, she would yell out "I didn't do any of that! I was a good girl" when you were chewing out the other kids for some infraction or another? What if she had to know everyones' business, be they adults or children, and she watched your every move.
Have you ever met a child that caused negative feelings to be felt? No? Yeah. Me, either.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Who Are These Clowns?!
My sincere intention was to use another photo of a clown and produce a magnificent drawing of said clown. It ain't gonna happen. (source photo from wetcanvas.com/portrait/April Challenge) I couldn't catch a likeness, I couldn't get myself in the zone, so instead I went for a blind contour drawing. Only I peeked. A lot. I tried two times. Results below.
On a different note, 5 yr old Vyron was showing me a toy he had. He said he had borrowed it from his playmate Aubrey. He waited a second and then said "I've been borrowing it for 5 years."
On a different note, 5 yr old Vyron was showing me a toy he had. He said he had borrowed it from his playmate Aubrey. He waited a second and then said "I've been borrowing it for 5 years."
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Walking Stick
(Over at Magpie Tales a weekly photo is posted and those who want to can write short stories or poems that may be triggered by the photo. They then post their link to the story at Magpie Tales. I thought I'd give it a try this week. How about you?)
The click of her heels on the tile floor echoed through the empty house. Well, almost empty. Placed in strategic locations were a few large and colorful bouquets. Silk flowers.
The woman walked to the mantle and adjusted the placement of the vase by moving it off center. She stepped back to view it. Yes. Off center was best.
When she had first started using flowers to bring some warmth to an empty room she used real ones, but it didn’t take long for her to see the folly in her ways. The real flowers triggered allergic reactions in a couple of viewers so she quickly switched to silk. Besides, they could be used over and over again. It saved her money.
The woman turned and looked around critically at the space. Everything looked in order for the open house. A card table with four chairs sat in the corner out of the way. Flyers were stacked neatly and flowers were placed for dramatic effect. Sunlight flowed into the rooms. All was well.
There was one last thing to do. The woman walked over to the table and grabbed a black walking stick and took it into the den. She leaned it up against the wall. If she was going to sell this house she would, indeed, need a miracle. Who knows, perhaps a viewer would remember the movie and the importance of the walking stick and what it represented. Stranger things than this have triggered a sale.
“Besides” she thought to herself, “this house screams for a walking stick. Its on 34th street, for gawd sake!”
The click of her heels on the tile floor echoed through the empty house. Well, almost empty. Placed in strategic locations were a few large and colorful bouquets. Silk flowers.
The woman walked to the mantle and adjusted the placement of the vase by moving it off center. She stepped back to view it. Yes. Off center was best.
When she had first started using flowers to bring some warmth to an empty room she used real ones, but it didn’t take long for her to see the folly in her ways. The real flowers triggered allergic reactions in a couple of viewers so she quickly switched to silk. Besides, they could be used over and over again. It saved her money.
The woman turned and looked around critically at the space. Everything looked in order for the open house. A card table with four chairs sat in the corner out of the way. Flyers were stacked neatly and flowers were placed for dramatic effect. Sunlight flowed into the rooms. All was well.
There was one last thing to do. The woman walked over to the table and grabbed a black walking stick and took it into the den. She leaned it up against the wall. If she was going to sell this house she would, indeed, need a miracle. Who knows, perhaps a viewer would remember the movie and the importance of the walking stick and what it represented. Stranger things than this have triggered a sale.
“Besides” she thought to herself, “this house screams for a walking stick. Its on 34th street, for gawd sake!”
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
More Amazing Paper Art
I have to bring this link out in public so folks can take a look at the site. OMG... its AMAZING paper art!
Check it out here.
Alices Wonderland left the link in a comment and its too juicy to have any one miss out on seeing it. Thanks Alice!
Check it out here.
Alices Wonderland left the link in a comment and its too juicy to have any one miss out on seeing it. Thanks Alice!
Bring In The Clowns
As I mentioned earlier, I finished the boy clown painting even though I would have normally tossed it.
Here's the resource photo again, from wetcanvas (portraits, April challenge):
I would like to keep trying this one, so I'm keeping the reference photo on hand. Now, on to another clown.
Here's the resource photo again, from wetcanvas (portraits, April challenge):
I would like to keep trying this one, so I'm keeping the reference photo on hand. Now, on to another clown.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Paper Art
OMG, You've got to check out this paper art. Its amazing... at least to me. Lorraine Nam.
There are others who do awesome things with paper, too. Check out Dude Craft's blog. He shares things he's come across and its amazing what can be done with paper.
There are others who do awesome things with paper, too. Check out Dude Craft's blog. He shares things he's come across and its amazing what can be done with paper.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Looks Like a Do-Over to Me. WIP
I checked out wetcanvas.com, in the portrait section (see April 2010 'challenge'), and decided to try to do the April challenge. (Sorry, I don't remember exact words... challenge or some other word.) They had posted a couple of photos and I liked the one of the child dressed as a clown.
Here's a WIP that went horribly downhill from this stage. Its a Try it again, Crusty, 'cause this ain't gettin' it.
Here's the original photo.
On another note, 6 yr old Darius has another milestone going on, he's losing his front teeth.
His front tooth has been loose for a while. Last night he was drinking from a pop bottle and somehow got his snaggled tooth caught in the opening. I think he said he bumped his tooth hard. Anyway, it was bent back and looking sad. This morning he came out to show me his treasure. He had his tiny front tooth in the palm of his hand. D said it came out during the night and we both agreed he was lucky to not have lost it. A Tooth Fairy alert has been sounded.
Here's a WIP that went horribly downhill from this stage. Its a Try it again, Crusty, 'cause this ain't gettin' it.
Here's the original photo.
On another note, 6 yr old Darius has another milestone going on, he's losing his front teeth.
His front tooth has been loose for a while. Last night he was drinking from a pop bottle and somehow got his snaggled tooth caught in the opening. I think he said he bumped his tooth hard. Anyway, it was bent back and looking sad. This morning he came out to show me his treasure. He had his tiny front tooth in the palm of his hand. D said it came out during the night and we both agreed he was lucky to not have lost it. A Tooth Fairy alert has been sounded.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Birthday Boy
One of my grandsons had his fifth birthday party this past weekend.
He doesn't look a day over four.
He got some pretty good gifts. This was the only picture I could find that did not show the chocolate around his mouth and cheeks and on his shirt sleeve.
The two brothers could not be more opposite. D is slow moving, tall, and stocky like a linebacker. V is short and slender like a little firecracker. V doesn't just walk across the room. He shoots like a rocket and then just flops his body down on the couch. Sometimes he misses. Other times he just stands in place doing mini jumps, you know, just to release all his pent up energy. "Where'd he come from, anyway?" said the slug-like grandmother to the empty room.
He will never ever have to worry about putting on extra weight. His may be the opposite concern, how to keep the weight up.
"Where'd you say he came from?"
He doesn't look a day over four.
He got some pretty good gifts. This was the only picture I could find that did not show the chocolate around his mouth and cheeks and on his shirt sleeve.
The two brothers could not be more opposite. D is slow moving, tall, and stocky like a linebacker. V is short and slender like a little firecracker. V doesn't just walk across the room. He shoots like a rocket and then just flops his body down on the couch. Sometimes he misses. Other times he just stands in place doing mini jumps, you know, just to release all his pent up energy. "Where'd he come from, anyway?" said the slug-like grandmother to the empty room.
He will never ever have to worry about putting on extra weight. His may be the opposite concern, how to keep the weight up.
"Where'd you say he came from?"
Thursday, April 15, 2010
For Those of a Certain Age (6.5 minutes)
Those of a certain age will get the humor. Those younger, not so much. Tim Hawkins - Old Rock Star Songs.
I pilfered this from Coal Creek Farms dot com. Hey. I'm a Gatherer. What can I say? I go out and gather things and bring them back home. Blame my ancesters, k?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
She tried
(sorry for the faint photo)
all i did was listen
"all i did was listen" is the name of a blog I came across that contains a very colorful character and wonderful examples of what can be expressed with a simple line and lots of color. I was impressed with how many different feelings could be felt from just the lines. No facial features at all.
Check it out here.
Check it out here.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Random Memories
Random Memories
*When we would have family gatherings the kids (adults) would reminisce about their childhood, usually with a lot of laughter, and most of it at my expense. One time my son was talking about how, if they asked to do or go somewhere, I would say ‘no’ and then continue on with an explanation of why.
“We couldn’t ever get just a ‘no’… she always had to explain why.”
Then others would join in with examples and lots of laughing would follow. But I’m here to say that I was being efficient. Any mother knows that when you tell a child no, the next thing out of their mouth is always a loud, whiny “why not?” I just eliminated that step.
*Manipulation. My then teenage son came to me one day to share that he was smoking. “I want to know if I can smoke in front of you. Isn’t it better to be up front then to sneak around and do it behind your back?” I told him he couldn’t smoke in front of me. I couldn’t stop him from smoking when he was away from home, but I was not going to make it any easier for him smoke by allowing him to do it in front of me. The wind left his sails. (he smoked in his late teens and early 20s then he quit. I continued.)
*I learned about party phone lines when I was around seven, I guess. Three short rings was my grandmother’s line. I would sometimes quietly pick up the phone and listen in to other people’s conversations. I didn’t do it more than a couple of times, not because I got caught, but because the conversations were boring.
*Playing kick-the-can after dark. The streetlight was home base.
*My grandmother seemed to always have on an apron. I remember clean sheets and towels on the clothesline fluttering in the breeze. Those same sheets would feel cool and fresh when I climbed into bed in the guest room.
*I can remember the shocked look on my grandparent’s face one time when I was spending the night. I must have been around six or seven. It was about 6:30pm when I asked my grandmother if I could go to bed. It was a surprise to have a child ask to go to bed… and that early in the evening. Lawrence Welk made me yawn. (The downside to this is that I’d wake up before dawn and have to be quiet for hours.)
*Saturday afternoon matinees at the neighborhood theater. $0.25. After spending a couple of hours in a dream world, walking out the side door into the alley was always a shock. (I can even remember the name of the little theater. It was the Bob White theater. And I never once wondered who Bob White was.)
*I thought Elvis was corny as were The Beatles.
*Bucky Beaver sold toothpaste in ads.
*Romper Room called my younger sister once. We were watching tv and the Romper Room lady picked up her magic mirror to look out at the audience. She’d call out different names, and then she picked up the phone and dialed a number so she could talk to one of us. Our phone began to ring. Mother and I were practically shouting at my sister. “The phone. The phone is ringing. Go answer it, sis. Its Romper Room calling!”
(I don’t remember what happened next.)
Got any random memories to share?
*When we would have family gatherings the kids (adults) would reminisce about their childhood, usually with a lot of laughter, and most of it at my expense. One time my son was talking about how, if they asked to do or go somewhere, I would say ‘no’ and then continue on with an explanation of why.
“We couldn’t ever get just a ‘no’… she always had to explain why.”
Then others would join in with examples and lots of laughing would follow. But I’m here to say that I was being efficient. Any mother knows that when you tell a child no, the next thing out of their mouth is always a loud, whiny “why not?” I just eliminated that step.
*Manipulation. My then teenage son came to me one day to share that he was smoking. “I want to know if I can smoke in front of you. Isn’t it better to be up front then to sneak around and do it behind your back?” I told him he couldn’t smoke in front of me. I couldn’t stop him from smoking when he was away from home, but I was not going to make it any easier for him smoke by allowing him to do it in front of me. The wind left his sails. (he smoked in his late teens and early 20s then he quit. I continued.)
*I learned about party phone lines when I was around seven, I guess. Three short rings was my grandmother’s line. I would sometimes quietly pick up the phone and listen in to other people’s conversations. I didn’t do it more than a couple of times, not because I got caught, but because the conversations were boring.
*Playing kick-the-can after dark. The streetlight was home base.
*My grandmother seemed to always have on an apron. I remember clean sheets and towels on the clothesline fluttering in the breeze. Those same sheets would feel cool and fresh when I climbed into bed in the guest room.
*I can remember the shocked look on my grandparent’s face one time when I was spending the night. I must have been around six or seven. It was about 6:30pm when I asked my grandmother if I could go to bed. It was a surprise to have a child ask to go to bed… and that early in the evening. Lawrence Welk made me yawn. (The downside to this is that I’d wake up before dawn and have to be quiet for hours.)
*Saturday afternoon matinees at the neighborhood theater. $0.25. After spending a couple of hours in a dream world, walking out the side door into the alley was always a shock. (I can even remember the name of the little theater. It was the Bob White theater. And I never once wondered who Bob White was.)
*I thought Elvis was corny as were The Beatles.
*Bucky Beaver sold toothpaste in ads.
*Romper Room called my younger sister once. We were watching tv and the Romper Room lady picked up her magic mirror to look out at the audience. She’d call out different names, and then she picked up the phone and dialed a number so she could talk to one of us. Our phone began to ring. Mother and I were practically shouting at my sister. “The phone. The phone is ringing. Go answer it, sis. Its Romper Room calling!”
(I don’t remember what happened next.)
Got any random memories to share?
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
"Can I wash the dishes?"
How often does a mother, or grandmother, hear that request? Not often at all. In fact, about the only time one would hear that is if it comes from someone who is not responsible for cleaning anything. A child.
There was only V and me at home at the time. I was ready to surf the web. V was ready to interact with me in a very engeric way. When he asked if he could do the dishes I said sure. I figured I would simply clean up the mess afterwards.
When I went to check on him I was a little surprised at his style. V has his own style of performance sometimes.
The mess in the photograph? Just keepin' it real.
There was only V and me at home at the time. I was ready to surf the web. V was ready to interact with me in a very engeric way. When he asked if he could do the dishes I said sure. I figured I would simply clean up the mess afterwards.
When I went to check on him I was a little surprised at his style. V has his own style of performance sometimes.
The mess in the photograph? Just keepin' it real.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Saturday, April 03, 2010
Census
Have you sent in your Census form? I misplaced mine for a while but came acrossed it last night. Its completed and waiting to be taken to the mail box.
A little bird told me that if you don't send it in the government tracks you down and harrasses you until you scream UNCLE...UNCLE SAM, STOP!
We had a monsoon yesterday. Today is just normal rain. Cold rain at that.
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