Artful Dreamer

Well, Christmas is over and the hurrying and scurrying are about finished.  I hope everyone had as nice a time as we did.  Got to spend time with most of the grandkids and that was great.  It looks like Santa answered most of their letters - not always the full amount, tho.  Kids have some big ideas but are actually happy with less.  I suppose they figure it doesn't hurt to ask.

This has been quite a year for the flu.  We've been in bed the past 3 days and it seems like we were definitely not the only ones hit.  Glad it's about over.  Lost a couple of pounds so that's not all bad.

The drive to Chisago Lakes was absolutely gorgeous on Christmas eve.  The trees were covered in snow and the weather was mild.  It's been nice all week but there are rumors of LOTS of snow by the weekend.  Hope not.  The roof will probably collapse with any additional.

The twins, Nick and Sydney had their church Christmas program.  That age is so darling.  It was extremely low-key so that was nice.  Syd was an "angel" and her halo was tilted down over one eye, but that didn't seem to bother her.  Nick was a "star" and he made sure it was high and bright.

When I was in Montmarte, France, there was a gorgeous carousel below a huge cathedral.  I think Froggie and Mousie enjoyed riding on it.

Have a great new year!

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Christmas is only a few weeks away.  It is so great now that I don't have to go crazy shopping.  More time to relax and appreciate what Christmas really means.

It looks like a Christmas wonderland here with all the snow.  I wonder how much more we'll get this winter.  Guess we don't have to worry about winter burn on the lawn and flowers.  We've been feeding the birds and, I assume, the squirrels, rabbits, and mice.  They're all welcome during the cold weather.  We've had coyotes crossing our yard at night.  When Santa came in his "sleigh" the other night, the fire truck siren started the coyotes howling.  Quite a musical number.

I baked sugar cookies today, so the house smells festive.  Homemade cookies are always so good!

I've been working on my Froggie book.  This beautiful pond was by Notre Dame.  What a beautiful area.

Too bad most places were closed on strike when we were there.  It seems it is a fairly common occurrence which is frustrating.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

More snow!!!  It's beautiful, but I think we have enough now.  The snowplow just put another foot of the stuff in the driveway.  It's COLD!, too.

I'm suddenly in the mood for making sugar cookies.  Guess it's good weather for that.

I have all my Christmas finished and out so that feels good.  I also make cards for all the grandkids and have that done, too.  Now what to do 'til Christmas.  I'm sure I'll find something - might even put up a tree this year.  I have so many beautiful ornaments from over the years, it's about time I take them out again.  I gave the ones from ages back to the kids so they can remember them, too.

Sure glad I don't have to go out and fight the holiday crowds.  I've made it easier for myself and I'm sure the kids appreciate that, too.  Impossible to know what anyone wants anyway.  I'd rather give them things during the year when I see something they'd like.

I made a Miss Mousie for the kids this year.  It was fun and I hope they like it.  Of course, I put the usual glitter on it.  My grandkids always know it's from me when there's lots of glitter falling out of the envelope.

Merry Christmas from all of us.  Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

We have really got a lot of snow.  First it rained yesterday, then it snowed all night.  Makes for dangerous driving.  Tonight it is windy and COLD.  I should have gone to a meeting tonight but couldn't force myself to drive on the icy roads.  Guess it's old age setting in.

Once again, it is beautiful, though.  The trees are covered with ice and snow.  The branches are awfully heavy so I hope they don't break.  We lost a lot of branches in the last ice/snow storm.

It looks beautiful if I don't have to go out in it.

Our little weathervane is looking like a farmer working in the snow.  Time to quit for this year.

I've been hard at work getting out my Christmas cards so I haven't had time to do any fun projects for a little while.  Oh well, I'm sure I'll have time next week.

Enjoy the snow!

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Thanksgiving is tomorrow.  Lots to be thankful for - family, friends, food, shelter. . . . .

The weather is supposed to be stormy by tomorrow so, hopefully, people won't try to drive beyond what the conditions allow.  It's not worth it to get into an accident.  A lot of people will be working sanding and salting the roads tomorrow, so we can be thankful for them, too.  This week we've seen a lot of people in a hurry, taking chances passing the plows and trying to pass on the shoulders.  Not a good idea!

I wish my granddaughter in Washington and my daughter in Arizona could be here this year, but that's a long drive.  Telephones and emails are great to keep in touch.

I've been taking advantage of the cold weather to work on a few projects.  I finished another "Froggie" page.  When I was in Paris, there were artists all over.  Many were excellent and it was great to see their work.  There were also those who constantly approached tourists in the hopes of earning a few dollars.  This artist seems to be very persuasive.

Mousie makes a great model, tho.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

We just went to see Harry Potter.  I don't know why, but I can't really seem to get into it.  I love Narnia and the Lord of the Rings, etc, but not Harry Potter.

 I think I'm finally finished with my painting of the French countryside.  It was really fun to do.  Now I can concentrate on "Froggie".  I go crazy if I don't have a project to work on.  Think my brain must be hard-wired goofy.

I've been trying to take a decent photo of it, but it's really hard.  Guess I'll have to have it digitally scanned. Wish it weren't so expensive.

Anyway, this is what my photo of it looks like.

Hope you like it.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I've been working on a new oil painting.  I haven't used oil paints for about "1,000" years but they were always my first favorite medium.  I quit because they were so messy and smelly with the turpentine, etc.  Now they've come up with a water mixable formula that are very odor tolerable and dry more quickly.  They are definitely the medium for me.

It seems like I am stuck on painting French based studies this year, but it is a fascinating place to see.  I loved all the ancient forests and buildings, the cuckoos singing in the forest early in the morning.  My favorite place was the countryside and the people there.

This is one of the many photos that I used when painting my new picture.

It is typical of the many farms and fields that dot the countryside.  I loved watching the sheepherders and cow herders spend each day just watching their animals.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Another beautiful day!  Have to go to the dentist in a little while, but that, too, shall pass.  Not my favorite thing, but so much better than the "old days".  Imagine having a root canal with a foot pedaled drill.  And that was a step up from the past.

TJ's piano recital was great.  He is improving so much - I'm very proud of him.  It was at a nursing home so the older folks could interact with the kids.  A great idea!  The kids wore their Halloween costumes so it was a lot of fun.

I finally finished another page of my Froggie book.  Here they are seated at a bistro table sharing a soda.  This picture was inspired by a photo of my potting shed.

It could easily have been at a little French bistro - sitting in the sun.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

This has been a very busy weekend so far.  Luckily the weather is absolutely gorgeous.  The sun is out but there still is a crispness in the air - supposed to be 61 degrees today.  What more could you ask?

Yesterday I went to breakfast with two former co-workers.  It was fun to see them again (and gloat a little about being retired).  It's always great to reconnect with people.  I do miss them.

Then my daughter and I went to St. Cloud to the Christmas opening of Accentric (a wondrous store with loads of good things).  They had wine tasting and goodie tasting but also about a "million" people milling around.  Have to go back another day when you can actually move around.

Then to our annual Artists del Norte art show at the Blaine Government Center.  I hope some of you will be able to view this show during the month of November.  We had tons of goodies there, too, so I think it's time to think a little more about nutrition.  Always good to splurge, tho.  I was fortunate enough to win the "Award of Excellence" with one of my digital photos.  Some of you have commented on it so I'm happy to share this good fortune.

It is printed on metallic paper.  It really gives it a neat effect.  This was originally a photo of two cactus flowers in Arizona.  I played around with it in Photoshop and was amazed at the colors that it produced. Hope to be able to do more of this in the future.  Right now, tho, I want to try painting with oils again.  I haven't done that for many, many years, so it will be a challenge.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Wow! Fall is really here - cold and blustery.  No snow yet, tho, so that's great.  I think we finally have everything put away in the yard so if the "big one" hits, we should be ready.  Always so much last minute stuff to do.

Elections are finally over so, hopefully, the signs will all come down.  They are so distracting.  It's good to get the election ads finished on radio and TV, too.  It's interesting, but enough is enough.

Halloween is over, too, so now it's Thanksgiving next.  Thanksgiving kind of gets lost because everything is gearing up for Christmas long before Halloween is over.  It's time to just take the days slowly and enjoy the seasons as they come.  I wish we could think of Christmas with it's true meaning instead of commercial ads to buy more and more!

I've been trying to get time to work on my Froggie book and have the first page finished.  I hope you enjoy this new book.  Hopefully Mousie will "let loose" a little more.

This is how the streets looked the day we got to Paris.  It was raining softly and people were walking in the rain and shopping.  Beautiful!  We had to run to catch our train so I snapped this shot while we were running.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I can finally get back at my computer and some projects again.  We put a new hickory floor in my studio so I haven't been able to move around here.  I really like the new floor, tho.  I've been trying to find homes for things but can't seem to down-size very well.  Hopefully, I'll be able to organize a little better, tho.  I seem to be heading in all directions but I guess that's a learning process.

I've been going to a sleep therapist to see if I can get help getting to sleep.  I think they've all be to the same school - I guess I'm not meant to sleep.  Too many things to think about.  Somehow when I do the relaxation breathing, I'm panting for breath after a couple of minutes.

We went to look at a camper awhile ago.  Somehow it seems better in my imagination.  I had to rough it when I grew up and don't think I want to go back down that road again.  I love my creature comforts.  Maybe it's just me, but a chemical toilet isn't such a far step from the old outhouses.  And who wouldn't miss the old Sears catalogs.

I'm finally coming to the last page of my first book.  Now Froggie and Miss Mousie are heading off on their honeymoon - in France.

The End

I have started on the new book - Froggie and Miss Mousie in Paris.  This is the direction it will be going -

Hope you'll enjoy the new book!

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

The weather has turned really cold and rainy.  Just in time for Halloween - it's always nasty for the trick or treaters.  They all have cute little costumes and have to wear winter coats.  Now they're not allowed to have parties in school or anything to have fun with their costumes.  What a shame!  Seems like all our holidays are becoming "verboten".  Sorry, guess the weather is making me gloomy.

On a positive note, it's a good day to do fun projects and catch up on things that have been neglected during the summer.

Here are a couple of pictures of our October full moon.  I didn't have the patience to do a time-lapse picture but this give the Halloween feeling.

I love this time of year - spooky witches and goblins.

I'm having a new floor put in my studio so I have to move all of my art supplies out.  Puts a damper on getting things done but it'll be nice when it's finished.

I'm trying to get at my next book, "Froggie and Mousie Go to France".  I've got a start.  Here they are saying goodbye to all their friends for the big voyage.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

We've been having a very nice rain.  I'm sure the farmers wouldn't agree with that, but for us suburbanites it is much appreciated.  Helps to get the trees, etc, ready for the big winter coming up.

It's almost Halloween.  I love this time of year.  There were LOTS of people slogging through the pumpkin patches in the rain today - bet they wish they had come sooner.

I used to think I had to make everything from scratch, but Bakers Square pie and other goodies seem to fill the bill just fine.  Guess I'm getting lazier but that's OK.  I even bought a rotisserie chicken today and it was great.

I've been working on another of my photos in Photoshop.  It really is addicting.  I took a photo of some rocks in a stream and played with them until I came up with this.  I think it's kind of interesting.

I love playing with the colors.

Luckily Miss Mousie has Froggie to protect her.  Here he is with his trusty sword to the rescue back by his friends.

Have a great day!

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Well, I'm back from Massachusetts, etc.  It's a beautiful state, but . . . the weather was COLD, RAINY, and windy.  Guess I needed a reality check from the beautiful weather we having in Minnesota this Fall.  Tamara makes a great travel guide - saw lots of fun places.  The food was great, too.  Always nice to home, tho.  I've had a bad cold since I got back, but I guess that's what airline travel does.  I also had to do battle with the airlines because someone stole several things from my checked luggage.  Hope I get a good response from them.

-- Made some new friends on a farm in Mass.

 -- view from the farm

I should be outside getting things put away, but am still dragging from the trip.  Tomorrow  . . . . . .

I have been experimenting with lots of things like encaustic and burns, but, so far, things haven't turned out like planned.  For one thing, the gold oil paint stick that I bought in Mass. was stolen from my suitcase.  Now I have to find another one.

Even the wedding events in the forest aren't without dangers.  The one version of Froggie and Mousie has the wedding guests eaten by the cat and one version has them trying to get away in a boat and are eaten by a big black snake.  I re-wrote my own scenario to make it happier.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I have to leave for the airport in a few minutes.  Going to Massachusetts to visit my daughter.  Hope to get lots of pictures.  We're leaving this beautiful 70-80 degree weather and heading to cool and rainy.  Oh well, we can't be spoiled all the time.  The leaves keep falling and now there are hardly any left.

I used my new little mini-torch today and did a glue burn.  Not sure if I like it or not, but plan to dry a shellac burn next.  Have to keep trying new things.

I'm posting the wedding dance for Froggie and Mousie.  Even the little lady bugs can dance.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Another absolutely gorgeous day!  Wish it would go on and on.  I don't think it could be improved on.  I keep picking away at getting the yard ready for winter, but I hate to do it so soon.

My remaining goldfish are happily swimming in their tanks.  Wish I hadn't lost the big ones.  I guess they made the tastiest meal, tho.

I'm going to start a new project so I bought a small blow torch.  The only problem is that it came without fuel and I'm not sure where to get some.  Kind of useless this way.  I want to use encaustic techniques with shellac, burn it and see what happens.  Could be interesting.  I'd better step a long way from the house with this, I think.

Richard just got back from Michigan with his pigeon racing friends.  Sounds like they had a great time.  Lots of snoring going on in the motel rooms so I was glad to stay home with my dogs.  It really is a good hobby for him.  It gets to be quite involved with the clocks to time them, etc.  I'm glad I don't have to figure the races.

It looks like there is a lot of celebrating with Froggie and Mousie's wedding.  Maybe that's what's going on when you hear a lot of birds singing and frogs croaking.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I can't believe how beautiful the weather has been!  It's been such a great Fall so far.  I've been trying to do some of the yard cleanup while it's nice, but it's always tempting to "leave it a little longer".  My mums are fabulous this year.  I started with 2 about 15 years ago and have now divided them into 21 and they're so big they are ready to be split.  They are REALLY hardy.

I'm planning to go to Massachusetts next week to visit my daughter, Tamara.  It should be beautiful although the leaves are probably mostly gone.  Oh well, it's a gorgeous state and it'll be great to see her again.

I've been working on a fairy photo.  The little girl was so perfect for it.

Well, Here comes the Bride; Here comes the Bride!  Miss Mousie makes such a beautiful bride.

Lucky Froggie.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Well, it was time to finish picking the garden and cleaning it out.  I think the growing season is finished.  We're supposed to have the "big frost" tonight so that will finish everything.  We've had a couple of light frosts but there's not too much damage.

Oh well, now the pressure is off.  I want to get at some of my indoor projects - all kinds of new ideas.  I don't know if there will be enough hours in the day to get at everything.  I LOVE retirement!!!  Wish I had as much energy as when I was 20 years old.

Our dogs enjoy running through the leaves.  They still don't understand the concept of staying in the yard.  I think they trained us.

Here's a picture of Petey taking a nap.  He knows how to make himself comfortable.

He's lucky he's so cute because he sure can be naughty.

This is my drawing of the handsome groom in my book.  

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

We went to the apple farm a couple of days ago.  I love this time of year - apple pies and apple donuts and apple cider, oh my!  Everything tastes so good.  Their caramel apples are fabulous, too.  I get hungry just thinking about it.

I'm cleaning out my fish tanks again.  Just can't seem to make myself get rid of the goldfish.  Guess I'll give it another year. They really are beautiful.

I'm going to Massachusetts in a couple of weeks to visit my daughter.  She said it is absolutely beautiful right now.  Hope at least some of the leaves stay on the trees a little longer.  I'd like to take a lot of pictures.

We had a tiny little frog on one of the plants in the garden.  He was so cute.

This is another favorite of mine in my book - the fox, Reynard, playing the flute.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

We just went to such a good movie.  It was "You Again" with Betty White, etc.  What a good time.  Just think - no swearing, no sex, no violence!  Guess it can be done.

The sun is out again.  Hurray!!!  I just went out and picked some lavender from my garden.  It smells so good.  I'll have to dry some.  I added some to the encaustic I'm working on and it smells great - hot beeswax and lavender.  Good combination.

Tomorrow's supposed to really beautiful so I'll have to plan to spend the day out there.  Hate to miss the good weather.  I have plenty of projects to keep my busy once the snow flies.  Now it's time to clean out the fish tanks.  I'm having a hard time letting my goldfish go so may keep them for another year.

I had such fun drawing this old time parson.  I love crows and I thought he did a magnificent job.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

The spiders are busy weaving webs this time of year in the house and everywhere.  Guess they know it's Fall, too.  The way it's raining outside, I suppose everything wants to come in.  I can't believe how much rain there is - Hwy 52 closed - sandbagging at Pine Island.  Getting kind of serious.  I hope the farmers will be able to get their crops in this year.  It was too wet for a lot of the corn, etc, last year.

I think we'll have to pick our squash before the garden gets too wet and everything rots.  We had a great garden this year so we were very lucky.

I'm going to have to do some housecleaning.  I just bought another book on photography.  I'm totally hooked on buying books right now.  Have to quit!!!  There are just so many wonderful ideas out there and I want to try them all.

I've started on my Paris "Froggie and Mousie".  I'm using the rainy street scene from our trip to France.  We were running from the subway to catch the train and I snapped a great market scene in the rain.  

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I'm finally back again.  Went for an all night and all day sleep study at Abbott Hospital.  They confirmed what I told them all along - I can't sleep.  Didn't need to go there for that!

It's really looking like Fall now.  Guess tomorrow's the first day of Autumn so I guess summer's over.  Our garden is almost finished producing.  Time to bring the squash in.  The buttercup ones are awesome.  Nothing like fresh produce.

I've been trying more things with encaustic.  Now I want to buy my own personal blow torch.  I've got equipment for almost every type of project, but there's always something new to buy. 

This is the drawing I did of the band that played at Froggie and Mousie's wedding.  It's one of my favorites.

This is a photo I found on the internet.  It's from the floods in India.  Even there, Froggie is a gentleman. I thought it was an amazing photo - from a very terrible disaster.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Our big garage sale is over so now I can hopefully concentrate on doing some fun stuff.  I really want to get at encaustic painting.  This means I'll have to gather up some equipment like tuna cans, etc.  I went to the grocery store today and bought some tuna.  I guess I remembered it as being much better.  Hope I can make do with just one tin for melting wax.

The weather in Rochester was very cold for a garage sale.  We were surprised that it was so cold in September.  Maybe if we do it again, we might have to try July.  We almost froze in October last year - maybe we should just forget the garage sale and go shopping instead.

I still have to decide what I want to do with my goldfish.  Hopefully I'll be able to part with them, but I'm weakening.  I've had them for several years.

I'm hoping to get started on Froggie and Mousie in France this week.  I have some ideas I am anxious to try out.  I took lots of pictures when I went to France, so they'll be great to work from.  Here they are still getting ready for their big wedding.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I went to a very interesting workshop yesterday- encaustic painting.  So of course I've already invested in books and material so I can try it again.  I seem to keep the art stores in business.  Oh well, someone has to keep the economy going.  It brought up a lot of other fun, new ideas so it'll be worth it.

The weather has been great!  Our garden is still producing but I can see it's winding down for Fall.  We'll have to pick our squash pretty soon and hope that they're ripe enough.

We had a lot of woodchucks this summer and I thought they'd be perfect for making the black-eyed peas for the wedding supper.  So, they are the proud owners of Chuck's Woodfire Grill.  The hole in the background is the way their den actually looks (minus the ladder).

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

The tree that I used for this drawing is our old boxelder tree in the back yard.  Unfortunately, the name of the tree is also exactly what it does.  In the summer the tree is completely red with baby boxelders bugs.

It is really fall-like today.  I have gotten in a cleanup mode and am trying to ready a few things outside for winter.  I discovered the more I think I have to have in my yard, the more work there is to do.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I have been having a lot of fun learning new techniques with my camera and Photoshop.  I think I know a lot of the tricks, and then I discover a lot more.  It's amazing what the new technology can do.  I don't think I'll ever give up the physical aspect of painting and drawing, though.  I really am enjoying combining all these things.  Now I have the urge to go out and take some more photos.

I went to Spring Brook Nature Center and had a healthy stroll and good photo ops.

Here is another addition to my "Froggie and Mousie ..."

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

It looks like Fall is really here.  Leaves are changing, it's getting cooler at night, days are getting a little shorter.  Pretty soon it will be time to finish things up outside for the summer and let the plants rest.  I had a thought today; would this be my last week this year to wear my white capris?  That used to be the rule - no white after Labor Day.  Or have we moved on?

Seeing Uncle Rat standing by his fireplace reminded me that pretty soon we'll be lighting fires again and that awesome wood smell will be in the air.  School will be starting in a few days.  I used to love that time of year - school supplies, the smell of new books, seeing all the kids again.  I went to a country school for the first 6 grades (my class had 5 pupils).  It was great!  We had a "furnace" in the corner.   We would put our potatoes on the furnace when we came in the morning.  By noon our potatoes were baked and the schoolroom smelled awesome.  We had little school plays and an actual "rhythmn band" and little uniforms.

I hope you enjoy this drawing of Uncle Rat.  (Does Miss Mousie really need his permission?)

Artful Dreamer

I have been looking at some other blogs.  There are some very creative people out there.  I hope, in time, I will be able to meet some of them.  It's always fun to interact with people with lots of different interests as well as reconnect with old friends.
It's hot out again today so I won't be doing much out there.  I try to water things in the evening when it's cooler.  At first this year we got too much rain, now it's really hot and dry.  Good for the farmers, tho.
I'm posting yet another page from Froggie and Mousie.    They are almost like one of my family.  It's hard to look at mice and frogs the same way again.  I did have a nest with mother and babies in my computer desk.  They, however, had to go.

I started working on a clay "neanderthal" type man.  I got inspired by a friend who has a neighbor with a hairy back, etc, who works in the yard in just his Speedo.  Eek.  It's fun to work with clay.  I love to make strange characters (one of them my alter ego).  She seems to have a lot of fun.

Kind of from the ridiculous to the sublime, huh?

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

Another beautiful day.  Wish it could last for months and months yet.  I love to be outside and dig in my gardens, but part of me looks forward to staying in the house and working on projects.  There are a million things I'd like to do.  One good thing about being retired is that I can "march to my own accordian".  Of course it takes me twice as long to do it now but that's OK.

A lot of my flowers have slowed down but there are always beautiful Fall flowers to take their places.  I keep seeing other yards that are so beautiful, that I want to do it all.  I think I'm going to let go of my goldfish this year.  I really love them, but they are a LOT of work.  I'm trying to find a good home for them.  They keep multiplying so it gets to be a problem.  Some of them are getting to be a good size.  I've had them for quite a few years.

If they could stay outside all year round it would be easier.

Here is another page in my Froggie and Mousie tale.  Hope you enjoy it.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

I just finished working on a crazy photo.  I picked some wacky vegetables in the garden and just had to use them somehow.  I call them Mr. and Mrs. Veggie Heads.  I think they look quite good together.

I hope you like them.  I appreciate your comments.

Sharyn

Artful Dreamer

We went to the State Fair this morning.  There were cars lined up for miles waiting to get in the gate.  It was $11 just to park, plus $9 each to get in, so we were practically broke before we even got in.  Oh well, it's only once a year.  Got my Pronto Pup and Cream Puff fix so now I'm good to go.  At that time of morning, the lines at the designer coffee stands were the longest.

We went into the horse barns.  I have never seen such huge horses in my life.  They took the old draft horses and bred them much, much taller.  They mostly use them for show - they have never been ridden.  The few that are, the people need a ladder to get on them.  (The girl beside them was tall, close to 6".)  They also need ladders to groom them.  Their hooves are a good 8" across.  Beautiful beasts.

I remember when we were kids, and the farmers used horses for farm work.  Their hooves thundered across the yard as they pulled the wagons for threshing from the fields.  I swear the earth shook from the weight.  Those memories are awesome.

Artful Dreamer

I'm having so much fun with this I thought I'd keep on going.  Today I ran into some old friends from my former neighborhood.  It's always fun to reconnect with friends and also to make new ones.  That's what I hope to do with this.
I said I'd share some more of my book "Froggie . . ." so here is the next one.  These are done with colored pencil, so they're a little more difficult to scan.

Besides illustrating and painting, I am also learning new things with Photoshop.  I love a good challenge.  When I started with Photoshop, I eased into it with simple things such as playing with my grandkids photos and my flowers.  That was so much fun, I began to push things still further.  The one problem I have is that I think I have to own every book and magazine known to man in order to learn things.  However, I have to learn that sometimes experience is the best teacher and most importunately to create my own style.  So that is what I'm trying to do.
I really enjoy using my own photos instead of using standard shots that can be gotten from a lot of sources. It makes it much more personal.  For this photo, I used a picture of one of irises and of my little twin grandkids.  Really thrilling to do this.

Just go for it and have fun.

Sharyn