Monday, April 30, 2012

uncommon garden gala

i am grateful for the creativity and vision of some people. not everyone turns their backyard into a garden of delight. nor do they open it to the public once a year to support the arts. thank you, dan, thank you. you are a visionary and a light.

built stone by stone, he breathes fire as night falls.


her fire was as the siren's song


Friday, April 27, 2012

my first and i am totally in love

i have waited, not patiently, to see my first bear in the wild. i have waited for a long time. stomping my mental foot when i see people in LA having a bear sighting. passing all the bear crossing signs where, by the way, i have NEVER seen a bear crossing. or even loitering.
but this week, up in the smoky mountains, i saw her. or him. at close range. i am so grateful and will forever love this bear. thank you, little bear baby, for coming to meet me! big bear hugs!

looking right at me!!!!!!!


Sunday, April 15, 2012

mom loves a party

my mom always loved a party. recently, one of my brothers-in-law turned 50. a bunch of people gathered to celebrate and as i looked out the kitchen window, i was reminded that my mom wouldn't miss it for the world. plain and simple. love.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

this little pencil went to work






saw these fun sandals in a catalog. 

the inktense pencil sans water. i love using the sakura micron pens for outlines as they are waterproof and don't care if i paint all over them. without the water, it's all pencil-y.
add water and they come alive.


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

a serious love

oh, derwent inktense pencils, how i love thee. let me count the ways.

1. i love you because you are a tease, appearing all demure and then coming on like mae west.
2. with the encouragement of a smidge of water, you like to be pushed around. 
3. once dried, you WILL NOT rewet no matter how i try. you have chutzpa! 
4. your resist outliner is so clever...graphite that doesn't smear, even if you want it to!
5. you are intense...oh, i get it...inkTENSE. clever you. ink instead of watercolors. 
6. there are 72 of you! and each of you lives with me and fits in my great milk mustache maker cup!
7. you are a light packer when we hit the road...a water brush, some paper and a few colors and we are outta here. 
8. you are purdy! smooches.