What Is Your Perspective?

This post from November 2010 has been a favorite.  I'd like to share it with you here again.  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

Black Friday News

 

You have the opportunity this weekend to save some money while staying at home in your comfy chair!  Just think... Black Friday savings and no crowds.  You don't even have to get up early.  How fun is that?!

Creative Workshops is having a Black Friday sale.  If you purchase my Pencils 101 workshop, you will get the Pencils 201 workshop for 1/2 price!!  You could buy it for yourself and then again for a gift to a friend.  Then the two of you could work through it together.  That would be lots of fun.  You can inspire each other.

And then at The Graceful Artist, there are 3, count them..., THREE drawings for prizes over the Black Friday weekend.  Each prize is a stash of enticing art supplies.  Oh, the things you could create!  You can find out all about those prizes and how to get your name in the pot several times, by going to the Graceful Artist blog.

Have a very blessed day of thanks whether you are in the USA celebrating the tradition of Thanksgiving or if you are just a person filled with gratitude.

Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

A Day for Rest

Its a lovely Fall day at my house - sunshine, a breeze, and moderate temperatures.

 I'm taking some much needed time off for rest.  Then will be back into busy mode tomorrow as I go to teach a marathon 5 hour drawing class.  But my students are great so it should be an enjoyable afternoon.

I hope you are enjoying your day wherever you are and whatever it is filled with. 

I really liked the way this photo turned out and even the unusual dimensions.  I took the original at Whole Foods Market.   I cropped it from a larger one and then played with it in photoshop to get the dreamy feel.


 


Wind and Honey Creations

A Love Affair with Pumpkins

 

I love pumpkins!   I'm not sure what it is about them that has captured my heart.  But I've loved them for as long as I can remember.  Perhaps it is their shape.  They are so fun to draw and color.  The ripples in their form provide ample opportunities for creative shading and highlighting.  And yet they are not difficult to draw.  The natural variations in their shape gives lots of grace for those struggling with perfection when outlining their form.  

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 Perhaps it is the season they come in.  I love Autumn with its crisp new air.  I love the colors of the leaves changing.  Autumn provides a sense of nesting as we get out the quilts and prepare to snuggle in for the winter.   Autumn reminds me of the fun memories of football season when I was in High School band.  And although I'm not much of a sports fan, those were very important days that made a huge impact on my life.

 

Maybe I love pumpkins because I love its pie.  I love pumpkin pie so much that when I was growing up, I used to ask for it in lieu of a birthday cake.  And I married a man that loves it equally as much.   Just give me a good pumpkin pie and I'm a happy girl.  

We had a pumpkin vine grow up volunteer in our yard one year.  That was fun.  It was as if the seeds knew, just like those stray kittens know, that this was a house where they would be loved and well cared for.   The vine grew large and beautiful with all its twisty curls.  I think, perhaps, I will plant a pumpkin vine next year.  Or maybe 2 or 3. 

 

I can tell you this, though.  My love for pumpkins is definitely not because of their color.  I'm not really fond of orange.  Shhhh, don't tell my OSU Cowboy friends.  I will be the first to shout "Orange Power" at those games.   But only out of loyalty, not out of a love for orange.    

So I love my pumpkins, color or not.  And even though the reason is a mystery, I will enjoy them just the same.  Now, pass another piece of that pumpkin pie, please.

Wind and Honey Creations

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