Watercolor Wednesday Week 50

I can't believe I've almost hit one year of my goal to finish at least one painting a week!  I've not counted the 3 or 4 weeks during the last year where I didn't paint.  I've had a few people ask me if I sell my work and I am open to selling, I've just never sold a painting before.  All of  my work is done on quarter sheet Arches Watercolor Paper (which is 15 x 11 1/4 inches) or half sheet (22 1/2 x 15 inches).  None of them are matted or framed.   I know how to matte and frame and would consider doing it, if someone was interested and the price would need to be negotiated based on the kind of matte and frame and then shipping if applicable. The prices below are "Pre-Matte and Frame " and don't include any shipping.  To see all my other paintings click on the link below.
Quarter sheet- $40
Half Sheet- $70
 Anyways here are my paintings for this week, since it has finally decided to be winter around here, I've been in the mood to paint winter scenes!  Both are done on quarter sheet.

View my other work HERE.

Blast From the Past Day

Lilly's school is having spirit week and today's theme was Blast from the Past.  Lilly never passes up an opportunity to dress like the Native American she is.  Even though the Navajo didn't dress like this, this is Native American to her.  The top was made by my grandmother (as a Halloween costume) and the headdress was made by my father when he was in scouts...ha ha so neither one was made by a Native American.  Oh well.  Lilly was thrilled and when she walked into her classroom all the kids said "woah! Lilly looks awesome!"

Boys Day Out

Jarrett and Max went to the Monster Jam on Saturday.  They went LAST YEAR and sat really close, but Max didn't like sitting so close because he got "stuff" in his eyes and kept them closed the last part of the show, so we happily paid less money and they sat further back.

They had a good time, but since they went to the 2pm show, and there was one more show (@7 or 8pm) the trucks were "careful" and didn't break any tires off or crash.  Bummer for Max, since that's his favorite part.  Next year he will probably be old enough to make it to the later show (or maybe go to Las Vegas for the World Finals?????)  We will see what next year brings.

The boys stopped at In-N-Out for Dinner 

 And Max was one hungry boy.  He ate his entire HUGE cheeseburger, plus drink and fries.  

Girls Day Out

Jarrett and Max went to the Monster Jam yesterday so Lilly and I spent the day together.  We went to see the movie "The Secret World of Arrietty" 

The we headed over to Deseret Book and Lilly chose a diary with a lock on it.

Then we ate at Five Guys, for dinner.

The followed it up with dessert at Farr Fresh Ice Cream, where you get your ice cream and toppings yourself and pay by how much it weighs.

I got Black Licorice Ice cream, mixed with Peppermint, Cheesecake and White Chocoloate ice cream, Pirouette cookies, mini peanut butter cups, Hot caramel sauce and White Chocolate Fudge sauce.  It was delicious.  

Lilly got Bubblegum flavored ice cream with sprinkles, bubblegum, chocolate covered peanuts and mini peanut butter cups.

Sunday Sketches Week 18

View my other sketches HERE.

Lilly's Mix CD

 Lilly's first Mix CD.   She asked her Daddy to make it for her.  She chose out all the songs herself.  While most kids her age are listening to Hannah Montana, Lady Gaga, and Justin Beiber, Lilly can't stand it.  I'm quite proud.
I've never prohibited her from listening to any kind of music or said anything about the formerly mention artists.  (None of whom I care for.)  She decided what she likes, all on her own.  Of course she's listened to Punk Rock/Classic Rock/Indie Music since she was born so that obviously swayed her in the "right" direction to begin with, but I'm just happy she likes the same kid of music as us (for now).
I pulled out my old discman and Lilly thought it was the coolest thing ever!  She listens to her CD almost every day.  The earbud earphones are too big for her little ears ( like her mother.  I can't fit them in my ears).  So she had to keep holding them up to her ears.

 So we pulled out Jarrett's video game earphones and the work pretty well!

She reminds me of Riff Randell from Rock 'n' Roll High School with those big earphones on.

Keep Rocking Lilly and listening to good music.  Always!

Watercolor Wednesday Week 49

These are the paintings I did yesterday.  Both are done on quarter sheet Arches Watercolor paper.

See my other paintings HERE.

Dinner Organizing

Now before anyone thinks I'm completely moronic for doing this, I am by nature a list maker.  I function much better if I have a list.  When I was 10 I used to plan out my outfits for months at a time, knowing just what I was going to wear 8 weeks from today.  Weeks before we go on vacation, I make lists of what we need to remember to bring and do and buy before we go, so as not to forget to bring or do anything.  I like to make lists.  I thrive with lists.  Maybe this explanation made me seem more moronic than if I hadn't made this disclaimer.  But I am much less stressed out when I have a list.  Maybe I'm just OCD.  
Growing up, my mother always planned the meals for the week before making a shopping list and going shopping.  So I've always done the same.  Some weeks it's more organized.  (like I know which dinner will be for which night.)  Other weeks I just have the meals we will have for the week and then decide from the list, which meal to make each night.  Either way, I dread it.  Tuesday night into Wednesday morning before I go shopping, I'm asking everyone what they want to have to eat that week.  No one knows (or everyone always says the same things) and so I end up thinking of things.  It's a huge pain that I dread every week.
No more!  While I've been sick I have organized my meal making so that we will have something different every night for 5 weeks and then repeat.  Now, I don't have 35 completely different meals, some things are similar.  Like pancakes, waffles and french toast (yes we like to eat breakfast for dinner) or spaghetti, ravioli, tortellini and lasagna.  Similar, but different enough, especially if I switch up the side dishes. (Note: I made sure that the similar meals weren't used in the same week)

So first I sat down and listed all the meals I could think of that we eat in our dinner rotation.  I scoured recipe books and my recipe boxes for reminders on things that we like, but have forgotten about.  I came up with 35 meals.   Then I labeled them as pasta dishes, meat dishes and soup.  Then I made a paper with 5 weeks Monday-Sunday listed and filled in all the meals.  Making sure to put the more time consuming meals on the weekends and the quicker easier ones on the nights I knew we were super busy and needed a quick meal.
I also tried to put meals that used similar items together, like hamburgers with spaghetti, so I could use the hamburger for the spaghetti sauce as well.  Or meals that we would eat rolls with on the same week.  That way there is little waste. And If I'm going to go to the trouble of making homemade rolls, I don't want them wasted.

Then I got on the computer and made up a table with 3 columns.
1) for the day of the week
2) The menu items
3) Shopping list.  For all the things I need to make each meal.

Now at the beginning of the week I hang up that weeks menu, and I have my shopping list all ready, and heck I even have my shopping list all ready for the next 5 weeks, so If I see something on sale, I can know when I will need that item and grab it.  Once we get to the end of the 5th week, we'll just start over again with week 1.  And we can always add more weeks or switch up the order of the weeks.
This is the idea anyways.  We will see how it goes.

Sunday Sketches Week 17

Thank you everyone for all the well wishes!  All the good energy sent my way must have helped because I woke up feeling great!  I did 3 sketches all in under 15 minutes.  I concentrated on line, placement and movement.

Lilly eating breakfast with "bed head" hair. Her hand holding the spoon is evidence that I drew this in under 5 minutes it looks a little wonky as do her eyes, but when your study model keeps moving you have to too!

My little Max.  Also just up and eating breakfast.  He's got "bed head" as well.  This one of him was done in probably the shortest amount of time as he was purposely trying to finish as fast as he could as to not let me be able to draw him.  This one was probably 2 or 3 minutes.

  This last one is of my hubby doing something on this phone.  I took the longest time on this one...mostly just because he sits still.  This one was probably done in 8 or 9 minutes.

It's been a long time since I've just sat and sketched.  It brings me back to my High school and College days when we had 15 minutes to do 15 thumbnail sketches of the girls in the dance studio.  Focusing only on line and movement.  We then went back to the art room and had the remaining hour or so to choose one of the thumbnails and do a completed drawing of it.  It was tough at first, but it certainly made me a better drawer and be quicker at getting what I saw, down onto the paper.  As I've practiced sketching and painting more this year than any the last 10 years, my ability to draw, sketch and paint has come back and I don't want to ever loose it again!

Being Sick

Being sick is no fun.  All I've done since Wednesday is sit around and watch TV.  It feels horrible.  Anyone who knows me, knows I hate sitting around, and hate watching TV even more.  So doing both for the last 2 going on 3 days is torture.  I guess I need to raid Lilly's book stash and read me some good Diary books.
Hopefully this sickness passes soon and without a trip to the Doctors.  I hope I don't have anything serious.  I really shouldn't try and self diagnose myself....it's just scares me.  So far I may have Tuberculosis or Bronchitis or Lung cancer.  Ha ha!  It's probably just a cold, but I get a little carried away.  I haven't been this sick in a long time.
Here's to tomorrow being a better day.

Watercolor Wednesday Week 48

Just one this week.  But hey I got it done on Wednesday and I've been sick to boot.  I chalk it up to no Presidency meeting yesterday.
Anywho, you can view my other work HERE.

Valentines Day 2012

We made the traditional Valentines Day Treasure Hunt for the kids to find their V-day loot and it's fun because both the kids get it now. This one is blurry darn it!

Then it was breakfast, candy, and off to school for Lilly.  When she came home we still needed to make something for family and so we made a stamp out of a cardboard toilet paper tube and bent it into a heart shape and then dipped it into paint and then stamped it onto paper.

It was quick and easy and the kids had a good time.

Maxy is Sick

Max asked to watched his Monster Truck movie and then fell asleep on the couch.  He doesn't very often take naps so it's extra cute when he does.  Even though he is usually sick when he does.  Hopefully he gets over this quickly.  We are on day 2 of the fever.  If it's not gone in the next couple of days, it's off to the doctor we go.

Warm February

So it has been close to 60 degrees here.  In February.  Weird.  We usually have 3 feet of snow, with more on the way.  Such a strange winter this year.  The kids played outside most of the day while Jarrett fixed bikes and most of the week really, while I've cleaned up the yard and got planting bed ready for the perennials that have already started sprouting.  The kids were pretending they were acrobats and had on their "acrobat" clothes.

Max reminds me of Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins in this photo.  I think it's the neck.  I guess boys have bigger necks than girls, even when they are little.  Look at Lilly's neck compared to Max's.  Ha Ha!

Once again, I forgot to do Lilly's hair .  Why do I always do photo shoots on the days I don't do her hair?

On a side note, this girl has some serious arm muscle!  You should see her work the monkey bars!  She whips across and back in seconds flat, putting all the boys to shame.  And she told me she is that she is the most popular girl in her class now because she climbed up into swing (that some teenagers I'm sure) that had been thrown up over the top of the swing set a few times, and was up about 3 feet off the ground and that no one could get into, "not even the big kids" Lilly says.

The (poor) girl who lost her popularity to Lilly's acrobat abilities, had gained hers by making a paper chain at Christmas time that was "like 300 feet long" says Lilly. Funny what kids think is cool.  If only it was so simple in High School!  

Also Lilly's faded tattoo on her arm!  Makes it look like she did time somewhere back in the day, and it needs to get re-inked. She said no tattoos are allowed in school.  (After, I might add, I put it on.)  She was careful to wear only long sleeves last week.  (She hates long sleeves.  Always has.)  One day she forgot though and "everybody saw it."  But no one told on her because it was "the coolest tattoo anyone had EVER seen."

Max wouldn't cooperate yesterday (to get his picture taken.  No Surprise there.) and I had to practically hold him down for the one I did take.  But last night he came down with fever and nasty cough which is still present this morning.  He was patiently waiting for me to finish up on the computer so I could turn on his Monster Jam Wii game for him.  So  I snapped this darling picture of him.

Lilly's Valentines-2nd Grade

I know everybody and their mom has done this and probably is doing this for Valentines Day, but we seriously have shoe boxes of crayon bits that I just can't stand to throw out.  So we melted them in the oven in a heart shaped silicone baking thingy (very scientific I know) and made Valentine crayons for Lilly's class.  

Watercolor Wednesday Week 47

View my other paintings HERE.

Funny Faces