Bo Says Thank You Auntie Kate

I've mentioned before that our son's dog, Bo, has been living with us for several years. Bo is getting older now. I believe he will be 12 years old this May. He has a nice little coat that he wears when we go for walks. Bo loves his coat. But recently when the temperatures have been so low, I found that his tender ears get really cold on walks. I mentioned this to our daughter Kate who is a whiz with a crochet needle. So Kate made Bo this little scarf.

It can go over his head or be worn down on his neck. Oh my, he loves this scarf! And it does keep his ears quite cozy and warm. Once when we were taking his coat off after a walk, his scarf slipped off by accident. I picked it up thinking I would put it with the leash and coat. But Bo came over and touched the scarf with his nose. And then stretched out his head and neck indicating he wanted me to put it back on. Awwwww!!!!!

Touching things with his nose has always been a form of communication with Bo. Even when he was quite young, if he wanted me to come along outside with him, he would touch my leg with his nose and then look out. Is this something other dogs do? Or is it unique to our Bo, saved off the streets as a puppy?

Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

Black Friday Weekend Sale

In an attempt to do my part to help you avoid the crowds this Black Friday weekend, I am offering my Cat and Dog Portrait Workshops at a one time amazing price.  You can enroll in the Cat Portrait Workshop or you can enroll in the Dog Portrait Workshop.  And if you are really enthusiastic about both, you can enroll in Both of Them! for an even better bundled price.  

These workshops are cram packed with information about how I draw portraits with a simple graphite pencil. 









I include all my special techniques. I will walk you through each and every step from a plain white piece of paper to a splendid portrait created only in graphite. I will teach you the tricks to create a portrait that will come off the page with depth and with personality.

And the icing on the cake is that you can email me with your questions and with pictures of your work so I can help you along the way. These workshops are so much fun and students that have preceded you have had wonderful success. You can see some of the portraits accomplished by my students here in this video.

These workshops are open "forever".  So, if you are a beginner, you can purchase the workshops at this one time amazing price and save them for when you have completed my Pencils Series.  The Pencils Series 101, 201, & 301 will prepare you thoroughly for these Portrait Workshops.

So, hurry over to Creative Workshops for more information and to sign up.

Sign yourself up, sign your friends and family up.

Just think, you could be finished with your shopping with one click. And then you can spend this hectic weekend reading a good book.

Ahhhhhh!!!!!




Wind and Honey Creations
Creative Pencils - Online Drawing Lessons

Work By My Students

Wind and Honey Creations

Smile, Its Wednesday!

 

 

Wind and Honey Creations

Shedding Season Has Begun!

Lydia has begun shedding earlier this year.  I don't know if that is a reflection of the harder winter this last year.  Or if it is a warning of the hotter summer to come.  I hope it is more about the winter passed than the summer coming.  We have a brushing session like this daily now as I attempt to save my carpet from looking like the yard.  But the funny thing is the clumps in the grass don't stay long.  The birds think Lydia's hair is lovely for nest making.  I imagine little baby birds all snuggled up in white blankets of Lydia's winter coat.  I wish I could be in just the right spot at just the right moment to get a picture when the birds come to gather.  They look so funny as they fly away with tufts of white hair hanging from their beaks - kind of like little Santa Birds.    

Wind and Honey Creations

Opps!

You mean I wasn't supposed to chew up the cat's brand new wool mouse?

Wind and Honey Creations

Silent Sunday

The Premio Meme Award - Dah tah Dahhhhh

Tapestry316 of ETSY and tapestry316.blogspot.com has honored me with The Premio Meme Award. Tapestry316 is a watercolor artist with a love for animals that is communicated clearly through her art. Here is one of my favorites.

I want to Play

I have yet to find out if there is a mirrored ball trophy or million dollar prize that comes with this award. But, never the less, I am pleased to have received it. So while I wait for my check to arrive in the mail, I will comply with the steps to participation by telling you 7 little known facts about me.

1. I eat the crust first all the way around when I eat toast.

2. I collect and love to escape through reading children's books.

3. I played the trumpet in a presidential inaugural parade.

4. I have an obsession with rocking chairs.

5. I love African music.

6. I am allergic to mushrooms.

7. And the most delightful one of all - I have kissed a real live-fully awake- lion on the nose.

And now I will pass this award on to 7 other bloggers. Maybe they will get a mirrored ball trophy.

http://artsnark.blogspot.com/

http://beyondcraftworks.blogspot.com/

http://faeriegood.blogspot.com/

http://twostraycats.blogspot.com/

http://althena12.blogspot.com/

http://thewhytepaper.blogspot.com/

http://lolalynn.blogspot.com/

Custom Original Pet Portraits

Lydia the Angel Dog

I've got to share the story of what happened yesterday with Lydia, my 17 month old Great Pyrenees puppy. We were going for a walk yesterday. She's still got a lot of puppy in her so its quite a romp. But she's pretty obedient. And she doesn't usually think she has to greet the people we pass. We just walk on by. We were walking past a house and she kept looking over at a very elderly man who was doing yard work in his back yard. Already this was unusual behavior for her. He was probably about 40 feet away from us. He was busy and not even noticing us. Finally she stopped and turned her body sideways from the way we were walking. She was facing the man and his backyard. I pulled a little on the leash and told her to come on. She stiffened her legs as if to dig in her heals and wouldn't move. And she looked at me with a gentle but determined look that said, "I'm not going anywhere." It was at that moment that the elderly man came walking through his gate. She got so excited and began to bounce around. By now he noticed her and as he walked toward her, he talked to her. As soon as he got close, she sat down very calmly for him to pet her head. Then she lifted herself up on her hind feet slowly and gently and he reached out and held her front feet in his hands. She then put her face about 1/2 inch from his face and smelled his breath - something I've never seen her do. After that, she sat down again and he rubbed behind her ears for a while. And then we went on with our walk. 

One other time she showed this kind of awareness of the feelings of others. She saw a woman in the vet's lobby. Without any hesitation the first moment she saw her, she reached slowly and put her feet around the woman's neck and lay the side of her face against the side of the woman's face. I was afraid the woman would be upset and reached for her, calling her name. But the woman, who now had tears streaming down her face, said, "No, she's alright. She knew I needed this hug today."

I've had animals my whole life and believe they are very sensitive to our feelings. But I'm starting to think this puppy has an extraordinary sensitivity. I can't help but wonder what is going on in the elderly man's life that Lydia felt the need to "minister" to him yesterday. I was glad to have been able to facilitate the moment for her.

Let me introduce you to Lydia.  She is my puppy.  Yes, she's still a puppy.  She weighs about 100 lbs.  and is 27" at the shoulder.  But she's only 15 months old and won't be finished until she's 24 months old.  She's such a funny dog.  She has a favorite stuffed monkey. She carries it around and brings it to me to toss across the room.  She then meanders over to get it with kind of an Eeyore look.  Yet, she brings it back wanting me to toss it once again.  It has a sound device in it's neck that sounds like a chimp.  If she accidentally hits it and makes the sound, she throws the stuffed monkey down on the floor and jumps back in surprise.  No matter how many times, she always acts like it's the first time.  I've also included some more pictures of my art.  

Thanks for looking

Elizabeth

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