And Puppy Dog's Tails.....That's What Little Boys Are Made Of

This is Bo!  He is a Boxer/Lab mix (and probably some other stuff too!)  Bo is my son's dog.  He was rescued by my son off the streets 7 years ago.  Bo is staying with us for a while.  So now Lydia has a companion for running in the backyard and letting the neighbor's know that there is an invader in their yard.....one that has little tiny ears and a long busy tail and hides nuts under the trees.  I know the neighbors are so grateful for these barking alarms.

Bo has a sneaky way of getting you to get really close to his face while he looks into your eyes sweetly.  Then when you have your guard down and least expect it, he'll reach over quickly and slurp you right on the neck.   Eewww!  : )  But he means well.

Bo is a funny dog.  He loves bread.  In fact he'd rather eat bread than meat.  One evening recently I was baking some homemade rolls.  Bo ran around all the while tossing his toys in the air and practically skipping down the stairs.  He was a happy and contented boy when he finally got a warm roll straight from the oven.

And since we're in a doggy mood here today, here is a new addition to my shop - a giclee print from an original painting.  This happy Old English Sheep Dog wants to join your home or bless someone as a Christmas gift.

Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

What Is Your Perspective?

I've come to the conclusion that our outlook on life can be determined by how we look at a tree - or maybe how we don't look.  Have you stopped to look around at the trees and the changing colors?  Have you taken a moment to notice them?  Because they will only be there for just about that moment.  Soon all the leaves will be on the ground and the beauty will have changed. 

The tree above is outside of my studio, and this is how most people would see it.  But if you look more closely you will see it something like this.

But I am convinced that the only way to truly appreciate a tree, the only way to truly experience it is to see it like a child.  So first one has to lie down under the trees in the grass.  One has to experience the crunch of the already fallen leaves on the grass.  

And then the magical moment is when you turn your face up and look straight up into the tree thus getting the perspective of a child.  I'm convinced that trees truly love children and children love trees. There is a love affair that goes on between them that gets lost somewhere in those teen years.  So I dare you today to go outside and find one tree to look at with the perspective of a child.  It just might change your day.

Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Whose Got the Pumpkin?

In my last post I bemoaned the late summer temperatures that were keeping the feeling of Autumn at bay.  Since I wrote that post the temperatures have dropped about 30 degrees and we've had nice soft cool rains.  The leaves are beginning to change and the days are quite pleasant.  The cats are enjoying time in the open windows of my studio.

I'm reminded of the hay rides we used to go on as kids.  With these moments and moods in mind I've created two new ACEO (Art Cards) in an Autumn theme.  An ACEO (Art Card) is always 3.5" x 2.5".  It can be made with just about any material you'd like.  I've seen them made in clay, quilted fabric, canvas, paper, and stained glass.  Both of these original cards were created digitally and then hand embellished with a variety of types of colored pencils - oil, wax, and watercolor.  And then they were finished off with a touch of India Ink.  They may both be found in my Etsy shop.  The actual cards do not have a watermark on them.

And now, just for fun, I'd like to share a recipe with you.  This is perfect for a cool Autumn breakfast or a raining afternoon snack.  Here is my own original Creamy Pumpkin Spread recipe.  For my vegan friends, a non dairy cream cheese substitute will work just fine with this.

Creamy Pumpkin Spread

8 ounces of Neufchatel cheese

1/2 Cup pumpkin 

(I used fresh that I had previously cooked.  But canned would work fine.)

4 Tablespoons Agave nectar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of each (Ginger, allspice, cloves)

1 teaspoon Vanilla

This creamy spread is wonderful on hot English Muffins or Bagels. I've been wondering how yummy it might be on pancakes!  Ha!  I'll have to try that!

Enjoy!

        

Wind and Honey Creations

The Frost Is On the Pumpkin

Well, actually the frost isn't on the pumpkin.  We are having an unusually warm September - low 90's.  I just thought that I might make some weather suggestions to see if it would help.  Of course, later we'll be complaining about the cold. But for now, for just this day, it would be nice to have a bit of frost for those pumpkins.

Autumn is my favorite season.  While growing up Autumn meant the football season.  I'm not such a big sports fan.  But I was in band and we were at all the games and we marched in the half time.  Plus those players on the field were my friends.  It was an exciting and fun time.  After I was married, we always took our kids on a camping trip in the Autumn season.  We had wonderful family time and have many happy memories about sitting around the campfire in the cool of the evening.    One time a raccoon shimmied down the tree right beside us and walked over to the picnic table.  He promptly picked up our entire brand new bag of marshmallows and ran off with it.  We weren't sure whether to laugh or to mourn the loss of our treat for later.

I went to my high school reunion this last weekend.  It was the (mumble mumble) year for us but the first one I had been able to attend.  What a delight it was to see my friends from those football and band days.  There were a few that were unable to attend.  But many were there.  -  Great times!

Here's a piece from my Etsy shop that reminds me of Autumn moons.  He's promising her the moon!  She's not so sure.....

Wind and Honey Creations

A Gift For You

The classes that I teach locally are about "to commence to start" as my mother used to say.  I have last minute details to work on and my room to set up.  This time of year is always full of anticipation with new classes and new students.  All of my classes are either full or almost full.  I will also be adding something new to my teaching ventures this Fall.  I will be offering video classes for Homeschoolers through my Wind and Honey website.  I taught my own kids through homeschooling and taught art classes to homeschoolers for over 10 years until I moved to my current town.  I'll share more about that later.

Today I'd like to give my collage artist friends a couple of images that I believe would make fun backgrounds.  Feel free to download them if you would like.   I took these pictures on my recent trip to my husband's parent's house.  I thought they would create an interesting look behind a variety of vintage images.  I'd love to know how you use these.  Post your links here if you do so we can all enjoy them.



Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

Decadence Abounding!

This beautiful circle of temptation is the New York style cheesecake my daughter made for me recently.  It is topped with ganache and fresh strawberries and the crust was made from crushed almonds.  Oh My!!!  It was soooo good and soooo rich.  Of course there were absolutely no calories.  Don't you know that if you are having wonderful family moments that the calories don't count?

Now........off to the tread mill!

Facing Forward

My journal has finally arrived for the Sketchbook Project.  Its funny how a little book with a plain brown cover can be such an exciting arrival.  Its blank pages hold potential for new ideas, thoughts, images, and creativity.  How much fun is that!?  The topic I chose for my project is Facing Forward.  Its seems appropriate to me as we come to the end of summer and prepare to enter September and Autumn.  I know most people think of new beginnings in January with the change of the year.   But to me, that always just feels like the middle of winter.  I'm sure all those years of school have affected my mindset.  September just seems more the time to face forward to new beginnings.

I found this precious little nest in the yard a few days ago.  It has been hot and dry here so there have been no blusterly storms to toss the nest out of the tree.  I choose to think its owner was also facing forward.  Perhaps her young little inhabitants had matured and grown to the point that they no longer fit in the tiny nest which is only about 3 inches in diameter.  Perhaps they are enjoying a feast with their friends on the watermelon I set out last night for the turtles.  Certainly there was enough for Cleopatra, Claudette, Miss Mae, and Goldie to share with the birds and even with the squirrels.

And as I think about facing forward, I've just come from my husband's parents house where we went through a box full of old family photos.  Some are quite old with no name.  It is sad that now no one knows who they are.  All we know is that they are family in some way or another.  Many of them are young, facing forward to their own futures so long ago.   I've included one here that I'd like to share with you for your own art projects.

Silent Saturday

Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

Oh My!  Kenya thinks working on lesson plans is sooooo much work!  It just wears him out!  

Bless his heart!

Inspired by the Creativity of Children

In keeping with the theme of children's art in the last few posts, I've created an original collage for the Crowabout Challenge.  This is for week 87.  We'll just ignore the fact that I'm 2 weeks late.  This collage is entitled Through the Window and it is meant to make one ponder the creative thoughts in the imagination of a child.  I've always remembered fondly a quote from the old Muppet Babies cartoons.  Gonzo said "Who knows what weirdness lurks in the minds of kids."   LOL!   That would definitely have been true at my house.

This collage began as an original digital collage printed with archival pigment inks.  It was then hand embellished with a variety of artist colored pencils.  And then mounted permanently on a gallery wrapped canvas painted with acrylic paint.    It may be found in my 1000Markets Shop.

On another note, I've been gathering a few treasures from sales lately.  I thought I would share.   I bought this suitcase from Aunt Agnes (as her niece running the sale called her).  The others have come from various sources.

Isn't this pin cushion sweet?

There was nothing in the thread box.  But I thought the box itself had enough character to stand on its own.

Dancing Swans all in a row.

I bought the photograph of this woman framed.  It is not a print but an actual photograph in 11 x 14 size.  Is this woman anyone famous?  Should I be recognizing her?  I'd love to share her with you for art purposes. But would love even more to know something about her.  Feel free to download her and please share your work with me if you do something creative with her.

More Fun Kid's Art

As promised, here are more examples of art created by my students last week.  The artists that created these birds and lemurs are 6 and 8 year olds.  Aren't they fun!

Now!  If these kids can make such fun, expressive, and creative art, then SO CAN YOU!  Just let go and have fun!

Oh The Talent of Youth!

I'm in the midst of teaching kid's daily art classes.  Our focus this year is Animals of the Rainforest.  The younger kids are creating 3-d art and the older kids are drawing animal portraits.  They are working in charcoal, graphite, and colored pencil.  Here are a couple of wonderful examples of Bengal Tigers.  The artist are 8 and 13 respectively.  Don't you just love those unruly whiskers!

I'll be back in a couple of days with more pictures.


Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

Where Are You Vacationing This Year?

Vacations are traditions that create mixed memories.  Stories about childhood vacations may have tales of adventure, fun, and meeting new friends.  Or they may be filled with memories of overworked parents determined to have fun even though they were hot and tired, vehicle breakdowns, and chronic sibling rivalry in the car.  We probably all have a few of most of these.    

Where will you be vacationing this year?  Do you have great adventures planned or rather a quiet time to just rest and reflect?  I'd love for you to comment here about your vacation plans or memories.   

I've created a vacation journal using ecru colored handmade papers.  It is embellished with an original digital collage I made using the images offered in this week's Crowabout challenge.  Perhaps writing in a lovely journal especially chosen for our vacation could reshape our memories. We could choose to write only about the wonderful, the funny, the endearing, and the happy parts of our vacation.  Then in years to come, perhaps - just perhaps, the less than wonderful parts of our memories from vacation time will have faded away.

Wind and Honey Creations