I miss my mind the most.

Trying out Picasa2

2006-04-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo of one of the neighborhood cats, I wanted to get her close up but she just wanted me to pet her head. Everytime I got down to her level she ran towards me- so all of the close up shots turned out like this, a tad blurry. I still like this shot though... what do you think?

What color SHOULD my blog be??

2005-11-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

Your Blog Should Be Purple

You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything.You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.You are a bit distant though. Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

This is funny because my MAIN blog (over at typepad) IS purple, fancy that!

I've got one hand on my Pocket Mod...

2005-11-21T23:33:00.000-08:00

While perusing the message boards at designdigitals.com I came across a mention of a really cool website. It shows you how to make a handy little booklet out of a normal sheet of printer paper (with a little trimming). I couldn't possibly explain it as good as they do on their website. It's called a Pocket Mod and it's my cool thing for the day.
Check it out now, thank me later.
~jen

P.S. if you are sitting here at this blog and wondering why i never seem to post anything... it's because i'm doing it elsewhere....

islandtime.blogs.com

come and knock on our door, we've been waiting for you!

Words of widom Wednesday

2005-11-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

Today is Words of wisdom Wednesday, no I didn't forget. I'm just late. I had grand plans of doing it up last night and having it ready to post first thing this morning but sleep won out. That and the fact that Mr. island was playing on line poker, we need another computer.
Anyway, I am borrowing today's quote from another blog that i recently discovered, BAD! Kitty Art Studio's Artists blog. Her name is Heather. Great blog and great artwork.
This quote is pretty self explanitory, and I remember reading it somewhere at school when i was younger and it stuck in my head ever since. I always pray for strength- first on my list- never trying to pray away my current conditions. I beleive that we meet everyone and experience all that we do in order to learn something, good or bad, to make us better people. There will always be obstacles in your life, it's best to wish for the strength to get through them than to wish they weren't there. No obstacles to challenge us?? What the heck fun would that be??

~jen

Bursting at the seams...

2005-11-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not just talking about my pants either. My brain is just brimming with ideas right now. I was laying in bed for at least 2 hours last night thinking of all kinds of creative projects I'd like to do. How I would like to redo my halfbath, the mantle on the fireplace, the watercolor paintings I'm going to start and a large painting of the kids for my living room. It was nuts, i just couldn't calm my brain down enough to let me go to sleep. I should have gotten out my sketch book and started jotting things down... most of my ideas are probably already forgotten. One thing i did jot down before I fell asleep was a drawing of Paige (a charicature) as the beginning idea of a cutesy painting i want to do of nolan and Paige for the living room. I used Paige's crayons because they were the closest at hand.

The nose needs a little work but on a whole I kinda like how it turned out. The next step is working on a body for her and a layout for the painting. I did one of Nolan too, it turned out cute and prominently featured on his head was his swirly cowlick.
I'm off for lunch with Suz,
Chat with ya'll again later,
~jen
p.s. there is a new scrapbook layout in flickr if you care to look.

Words of wisdom Wednesday

2005-11-02T09:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, can you believe it, yesterday was garbage day which means today is words of wisdom Wednesday. That also means that tomorrow is music makers... just have to remind myself so i don't forget like last week.
The weeks quote is one that i lifted from an email signature. I have been a non-participating member of illustration friday for awhile and this quote is featured at the end of the weekly drawing theme emails. I really like it. Sure, being safe is comfy- but it is also Boring. Once in awhile take your ship for voyage to far and exciting places that you've never been. You most likely won't regret it and even if you don't enjoy yourself- you WILL have something to talk about for many moons ahead. Enjoy!

Dora Meets the stylist.

2005-10-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

Dora Meets the stylist.
Originally uploaded by island artist.

This morning i noticed that Paige's Dora doll had some of her hair cut off at crazy angles. So like any parent I asked her about it. She nonchallantly tells me that she cut it a long time ago. My gosh, where did the hair go? I never found any piles of cut hair in her bedroom or the bathroom... I'm just thankfull that it was Dora's bangs and not Paige's bangs. Whew!!

Words of Wisdom Wednesday, once again.

2005-10-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

yes, I'm actually on time this week! This quote really puts into words something that I've realized in the last few years of my life. I suffer from depression as do many other people and I'm sure that a lot of people would live a happier life if they just got on the medication. For the rest of the people that walk around with frowns on their faces and furrowed brows, this quote is for you.
Bad things happen to good people all of the time. The only thing that separates the successful and happy people from the rest is all found in their attitude towards the bad situations. I wish I had been able to realize this earlier in life- but better late than never.

Do what the lady says will ya? Be happy, and be happy like you mean it!
~jen

For those with Children, or just children at heart...

2005-10-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be nice to share some of Paige's favorite websites. She recently learned how to use a mouse thanks to a free Dora the Explorer computer game that came in her cereal box. I have been telling everyone that it was the best 4 dollar video game (that came with a free box of cereal) that I have ever bought. The only problem is that now I am competing for computer time with her. I didn't think that would become a problem until she was MUCH older. I'm proud of her for being so comfortable on the devil machine (which is what i fondly refer to our computer as) but also frustrated that we only have ONE computer! LOL! Everyone should have such terrible problems hey? Anyway- For those of you who also have children that love to use up your blogging time, I'd like to share the webpages that cause all of the problems.
Disney (who's that??)
CBC Kids
The Treehouse
Nick Jr. UK
Nick Jr. US
There is also a Barbie site that Paige loves, but it's hard to navigate and the games are kinda stupid. Do you think they would appreciate the feedback?? They'll probably say "come back to our site when she is older than THREE.
This is where I'll leave you, but if you have anything new to add to my list- PLEASE share the wealth... When she has played everything there is to play on these sites, I may be in trouble. I'll have to break out the big guns, playdough.
Take care everyone,
~jen

Words of Wisdom belated

2005-10-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

I am sorry to be late with me second edition of 'Words of wisdom Wednesdays' but Thursday is better than never (and you can quote that). Personally I'm blaming this entirely on Suzanne. She introduced me to a brand new batch of online digital scrapbooking websites and I've been completely obsessed with it ever since. I don't think I'll buy another actual piece of scrapbooking supplies ever again. doing it digitally is so much LESS stressfull. I'll be posting some pictures of my scrapbook pages in flickr. I'm quite proud of my accomplishments.
As for my belated quote, this one is from another funny character- Charles Manson. I wanted to feature another quote but I couldn't remember the exact wording off the top of my head and I couldn't find any references to it on the internet. This one is just as special and I hope you enjoy it.

Check out the icon in address bar!!

2005-10-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

I spent the day learning how to make Favicons!! it's the little icon in the address bar next to the url or web site address. it will also appear next to the bookmark if you should bookmark it. Cool eh??? Of course you wil only see the icon if you are using the netscape and/or firefox browser...bummer bout that.

Shampoo in the sink

2005-10-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

Shampoo in the sink
Originally uploaded by island artist.

Do you remember doing things like this when you were a kid?? I remember shampooing my hair with the garden hose in the back yard. I also remember having tea parties out on the porch and making 'forts' with my mom's dining room chairs and some blankets.
Those were the days weren't they??

Paige all wet

2005-04-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

CIMG3091
Originally uploaded by island artist.

the first days of Summer have arrived and so have the sprinklers and bathing suits!! Paige is Loving it. It's nice to be able to burn off some of the excess vinegar that has accumulated over the winter.
Enjoy the pics.

About me...

2004-09-02T10:31:00.000-07:00

After reading Chicalookate's blog entry the other day, I was inspired to write a list of Things about me. The list usually has 100 points but I'm all about quality over quantity. Besides, I don't have time to think UP (and then type) 100 things you would care to know about me OR that I would be willing to share ::wink:: Here it goes:
1. I always read magazines from back to front.
2. I actually wanted to be a librarian when i 'grew up'.
3. I was voted the 'friendliest' person in highschool.
4. I love to travel.
5. I wish I had done more with my free time before I had kids.
6. If spagetti was the only food on earth I would be in HEAVEN.
7. I type 90 words per minute.
8. Rollerblading used to be my favorite exercise (can't really remember why I quit).
9. I hate being criticized (even constructively).
10. I don't have great Friend skills.
11. I love to garden and grow things.
12. I miss painting.
13. I hate being pregnant.
14. I am a slow grocery shopper.
15. I love Root beer.
16. I prefer things that smell nice.
17. I NEVER watch daytime TV.
18. I love watching stand up comedy.
19. I miss living close to my family.
20. I HATE being sick.

I may slowly add to this list or revamp it as I see fit... I hope you learned something new about me today. LOL!
~jen

Vegas is the Place

2004-08-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned that Mr. Island and i are going to Vegas in 11 days- for the first time??? We've been talking about it for ages and finally decided to take the plunge after we managed to pay off all of our debt this summer. We'll be staying at the Golden Nugget which I hear is a really nice place. I am a complete Vegas idiot so I will be a total tourist once I get there. We are going to see 'Mama Mia' and Rita Rudner's show while we are there and I hope to do a little shopping and see the sites, I'm not a big gambler but I could be persuaded to drop a few coins in the slots, you know, just to say that I did.
For those of you who have already been there, What should we be sure to see?? I'm excited because Hubby and i really deserve this holiday- I'm going to throuroughly enjoy it.
Well I should run, I look forward to your Vegas travel tips!

Hugs and buffets,
~jen

Flylady is a wench

2004-08-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have been referred to this Domestic nazi's website several times. I know if seems like I'm unorganized and generally a disheveled mess but what people understand is that I am currently choosing to be this way!! Really, I DON'T feel like I'm that much of a MESS!! If I wanted to act like I had the ever watching eye of a boss, I'd go back to work. There is a reason i choose to work at home, because i can be my OWN boss and dictate what I do and when I want to do it. I know my schedule doesn't work for everyone but too fricken bad. I've got alot going on 'upstairs' on a daily basis and I deal with daily life the best I know how.
Polishing my sink to a glistening shine as to see my reflection is not on my list of priorities, sorry flylady. The funny thing about her sink polishing is that it should be a rather straight forward job. Grab an SOS pad, scrub every surface thouroughly and rinse. Done. This unfortunately isn't the way Flylady does it....nooooo... she's got to use the 12 step process involving several different soakings with several different chemicals and a lot of scrubbing followed by DRYING out the sink with clean towel. Is this woman RETARDED??? The reason women go to her site is to try and streamline their days, not take half a fuckin' day to polish the bloody sink. I do understand her point about having a nice shiney sink but com'on people she goes a little overboard. I went through the site, mainly because I can't diss the woman without knowing what she's all about. She's got some great ideas and I will morph some of them to suite my needs BUT as for putting my running shoes on first thing in the morning... Forget it, unless i have somewhere to go and even then flip flops suite me fine.
I know everyone could use a little organization in their lives, and when I want to I can be quite organized. With all of that organization comes alot of stress, if things aren't working out the way you organized- all of your planning goes right out the window and you need to sit down with several stiff drinks to calm down. That is just the kind of person I am. So I don't stress about much these days, it keeps me happy and sane (the zoloft helps too) and in turn it keeps my hubby happy (unless he's out of clean boxers, then he's not so happy) But everything gets done. Maybe not today, or the next day but it gets done.

so peeps please lay off with the reccomendations to the flylady... I've got IT!!
Hugs and vaccum cleaners

~jen

Happy Campers

2004-06-30T03:54:00.000-07:00

[b]Yahoo![/b] We are officially on our way to our [url=http://www.hornbyisland.net/]first camping holiday[/url] ! The last little jont was just a test drive. This is the real thing. After putting too much money into our car to get it 'trailer hitch ready', purchasing all the appropriate camping food, crayons, beach toys, and dog food... I think we are ready. I'll be sure to take many pictures and feature them when we return (July 5th). I hope everyone has a fun and safe July 1st (in Canada) or July 4th (US) weekend and I can't wait to read all about it. I wanted to mention a blog you should go and visit...[url=http:koocb.tblog.com]KoocB[/url] . I had stopped by one day to have a read and was really impressed. I noticed that her header needed some spicing up so I took it upon myself to add said spice. She loved it and is now using it on her blog! I'm like a proud momma- showing off the fruits of my labours. Please stop by and let her know how fantabulous it is- as well as her blog. :D Our neighborhood is in an uproar tonight, one of my neighbors walks her poodley dog every evening and tonight on her way home her dog was attacked by a pit bull from down the street! She picked her dog up and held him above her head to protect him and in the proccess had her body scratched up and her hand bitten and a few fingers broken. I was not aware that a pit bull lived in that house and I've walked by with my 2 year old in one hand and my small dog in the other. That freaks me out [b]big time[/b]. There are alot of small children in my neighborhood that walk by there... including a daycare full of children that take daily walks by there!!! The police were alerted to the problem but I don't think there is much that can be done. Very sad. Another case of BAD owners, not neccessarily a bad dog. On a different note... I did Excellent today on my eat@home plan. I did not eat one piece of fast food... with the exception of a muffin I bought at the grocery store with my groceries. It wasn't healthy but I don't know if I classify it as 'Fast food' I mean geez. Mr. Island and I are very proud of ourselves... we've gone 4 days so far?? is it 5?? I'm really impressed and can't believe how easy it has been. Well I should run, we've got an exciting day ahead of us. Take care all! Hugs and Fireworks, ~jen

Dog Sitting for the Outlaws

2004-06-29T02:40:00.000-07:00

[b]Well[/b] today has been another boring, uneventful day with the exception of the fact that my inlaws picked up their dog today. We've been watching Molly, the cairn terrier, for the last couple of days and she managed to crap on the floor 4 times and pee once (that I noticed). I know the dog isn't completely stupid so it's really frustrating to see a 2 year old dog having accidents when it should be asking me to go outside. As much as you like to blame the dog for that, its just bad 'dog parenting'... it wasn't trained to ask so it doesn't. Leaving hershey squirts on my carpet is only one of many things that I dislike about the dog. It's yappy. When I say yappy, I don't mean poodle high pitched yippy yappy, I just mean that you'll be sitting there enjoying a silent moment and the dog will come out with a barage of barks for NO reason. Hence the bark collar. Normally I may not agree with a bark collar (my dog doesn't have one) but this dog is so yappy... it's completely neccessary if only to keep me from kicking it in the chops. Also, there is the persistant attempts at escaping out the front door. My dog has only done this a couple times and it usually was because of a 'Bad' cat within view or a 'shifty' looking male walking by our house. Molly will sneak through the tiniest slot left by your legs in the crack of the doorway and once she is outside she runs around like a lunatic and pretty much just keeps on running with no will or inclination to return to her home- the place she gets all of her food and sleeps. If Piper hops too far out of the door you just have to let out a sharp whistle and she returns likety split (unless she's after that nasty old cat)... not molly... you could whistle till your lips fell off and she would keep on running. Now that is just plain stupid. I know why she doesn't want to come back home... but that would take another entire blog dedicated to puppy training. You know, that wouldn't be such a bad idea. If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I absolutely [b]adore dogs [/b]and all animals really. But this is one dog that I'm glad to be free of. I kinda feel sorry for it, it's only a dog right?? Oh well... I'm only human and a human can only take so much Shat, pee, free wheeling escapes and incessant barking. Is it because the dog is pure bred?? My dog is sharp as a tack and she's a total soup hound... Is it the lack of proper training?? OR BOTH?? One thing I know is, it's sad. and the other thing I know is; I don't want to sit Molly anytime soon. ~jen
[b]**Dogs (and kids) are like Farts, You can stand your own, but you can't stand anybody elses**[/b].
- some stand-up comedian

Show & Share

2004-06-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

I haven't been doing much art to blog about lately... the weather is to doggone nice to be couped up in my hot studio these days. I've been creating in different ways. I've been teaching myself photoshop... that is alot of fun. And I take my camera out everyday and take pictures of interesting stuff around me. My digicam is so fancy (Casio QV-R40) that I am still learning how to use all of the settings that comes with it. It takes beautiful pictures though... even I haven't been able to screw up too many! I was in my patio today taking some 'before' shots... so I can work my reno sketch around the actual photo. Well, that is my idea, i don't know if I'll be able to make it work or not. I have a new plant flowering, it looks like some form of a lily... very gorgeous.

The frogs were also hanging out in the sunshine. The are getting really big, I don't know how because I don't feed them a dang thing. I love how bright green their noses are. 'Mr. Sunbaker' actually let me get really close to him with the camera without diving in the pond for privacy. He must be turning into a star and getting used to the constant barrage of paparazzi (me).

He's also got a little buddy that hangs out really close by... there are 4 frogs so I really don't know who is who. I just pretend I do.
Well I should go lay down for my usual 'siesta' while the getting is good. I'll look through my scanned artwork later on for more to share with you guys. Hugs and New Lilies, ~jen

Lazy Days...

2004-06-27T03:37:00.000-07:00

Well first day on the 'Eat@home' adventure went well. I also had alot of boosting from my neighbors. We are working out a walking schedule which is above and beyond the call of duty, but it is very much needed. My Neighbors are awesome- Moving to this neighborhood was the smartest thing Mr. island and i ever did. Really. I'm in the middle of a Patio renovation. I finished clearing out the roses that were attacking my dog everytime she went out to take a dump. I found lots of dead plants underneath the killer rose and discovered that everything is being strangled by a mutant clematis vine. I'm working out the plans for the patio right now and will hand them into the strata council shortly. Once it is approved... I'm on my way to PATIO BLISS. I'll post a detailed drawing right away and share all the details with you. Aren't you excited???? Well I am going to hop along to bed now- I'm beat. I think I'll even post some artwork later on, yes, that would be fun. i know this is a boring blog- but it had to be blogged. Sorry! Take it easy all, Hippity hop and Hugs all around, ~jen

What's For Dinner??

2004-06-26T01:27:00.000-07:00

Now that I have started thinking about NOT eating [b]OUT[/b] for thirty days (in reference to [url=http://www.tblog.com/templates/index.php?bid=islandartist&static=213844]yesterday's blog[/url] .) I have once again come to the realization (no, this isn't the first time) that I CAN NOT COOK! The main menu of items i prepare on a daily basis consist of the following: Stew (any meat variety), Pasta and sauce, pasta and meatballs, rice and meatballs, stirfry (any meat kind), Roasted chicken breasts with anything, sandwiches (hate sandwiches) and last but not least i make a MEAN and TASTEY roast beef. This all sounds great but after a week... it can get boring as heck. I am the type of person that would eat the exact same thing every day of the week. But my hubby can't handle that kind of monotony. When the menu gets boring, Mr. Island likes to eat "Cheese Thing" which consists of whatever I made- covered in a thick bubbling layer of cheddar. Or, if we are out of cheese he makes himself a big plate of "Cheese Fantasy" which is a big plate of whatever I made and he [b]imagines[/b] it is covered in a thick bubbling layer of cheddar. He eats 'Cheese fantasy' alot. I am considering taking some cooking classes to try and widen my horizons in the kitchen. I used to really enjoy cooking- back in the days when it wasn't a [b]Thrice daily[/b] chore (because I lived at home and Mom did most of the cooking). Nowadays, I am just so lazy and bored with the whole 'cooking' thing it seems I'd much rather pay someone at McDonalds or A&W to cook dinner for me. ALSO, i don't have to dirty any pots, pans or plates that way. I really want to change that now, I think we would all see a difference in our lives, I know it sounds dramatic but i think the trickle down effect would be greatly rewarding in the end. Are any of you guys Chefs in your own mind??? Whats your best recipe? Keep in mind I need quick and simple (ish) and preferably lower in fat (cause I got enough of that already). I'll take any recipe because with one month of eating 'IN' i'm going to be doing alot of cooking. I will need all the help i can muster. I have an idea- if you guys message me or email me your bestest- fave recipes, I'll do up a tblog cookbook with them included in PDF format so everyone can print their own off!! Wouldn't that be cool?????? I look forward to seeing what ya'll come up with! Well I should hit the sack... tomorrow morning comes early around this house. Hugs and breakfast links, ~jen

Supersize Me NO MORE!

2004-06-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

Last night Mr. Island and I went to see the documentary Movie "Supersize Me". WOW.

This fella goes on a 30 day McDonalds diet. He is only allowed to eat it if McDonalds sells it. He visits doctors throughout the misadventure and the results of his new diet are SHOCKING! It really woke me up to how I have been living the last few years of my life. It also put alot of my health problems and weight problems in perspective. If you eat Fast food- OF ANY TYPE (including JUNK food) you MUST see this movie!! I am seriously considering purchasing a copy of the film for every elementary school in my town and having the 4,5,6th graders watch it. Children are HUGE targets of the fast food industry, they work on brand imprinting from the age of infancy! It's shocking to see on the big screen, I tell ya. Did you know that these companies don't even refer to you and I as 'customers'?? We are referred to as 'Users', and thusly classified as H'eavy users' and 'super heavy users' and so on. It's all rather sickening. If you want to learn more about this fantastic movie go to the [url=http://www.supersizeme.com][b]website[/b][/url] and watch the [url=http://supersizeme.com/home.aspx?page=movietrailer]trailer[/url]. Watch out, viewing this movie may seriously curb your chances of having any future 'Mac Attacks' or really any greasy cravings what so ever. Mr. island and i have decided to try 30 days without eating out. We are only eating home made food, that we have made ourselves. Hopefully 30 days grows into 40 which grows into 50... and so on. This also means junk food and my personal favorite, Tim Hortons Coffee. I love it and I have an unnatural addiction to it- hence it is OFF the menu for the next 30 days. Wish me luck, I think I may need some withdrawl therapy in a few days... it's all good though. I need this. How often do you Guys eat out?? What is your fast food of choice? What would a typical meal of fast food consist of for you? I'm so curious, After years of never touching McD's I am currently a big fan of a quarter pounder meal - with cheese of course. My personal fave fast food burger joint is A&W. I'll eat anything on their menu. But NO MORE. I'll keep Ya'll updated on my progress with this, Hugs and spring water, ~jen

Vegetating and thinkerating...

2004-06-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Don't you love my "faux" words in the title??? LOL It's either creativity, bordering on genious or complete idiocy... jury is still out on that one.

Artsy photo of the maple tree outside

I wanted to have a blog up earlier today but i opted for the sweaty afternoon nap instead. They say that most people spend a third of their life sleeping... I will have spent a little more than that I'm sure. But it's time well spent all the same. Tonight, Mr. Island was a tad bit edgey so he and Paige went off to the Harbour for a stroll by the ocean.

:::peace & quiet:::I'm starting a 2 paintings tonight as soon as I'm done this blog. One commission and one large (2 foot by 3 foot) canvas painting for Paige's bedroom. I'll post progress pics tomorrow, that is, if I have any progress! I have been trying to learn a few things about Photoshop these days and using the photos of the neighborhood children as practice material. I fiddled around with one of a GORGEOUS little girl named Chantelle http://img44.photobucket.com/albums/v135/islandartist/blog%20pics/Chantelle_copy.jpg and emailed the photo to her parents. They posted it at the [url=http://www.jonessoda.com/gallery/view.php?ID=240911&offset=622]Jones Soda[/url] (photo #0000240911) website for consideration on a label! Isn't that the nicest gesture?? Please, if you have a moment- stop by the jones soda site and vote for it! Thank you Laurie, It made my day. Well I should be off to paint my little fingers off... I'll catch up with ya'll later if time allows, Hugs and fresh cut grass, ~jen

Elephantosis

2004-06-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

Howdy yall, sorry for missing my blog yesterday. It was hotter than blazes here and I just wasn't in the mood to sit in my HOT HOT HOT computer room for any length of time at all. Thanks All for taking the time to comment on here though, I love hearing what ya'll have to say. I'm such a slacker when it comes to checking up on everyone elses blogs. I only get to about 4 a day and sometimes only on every second day!! I'm working on becoming more 'regular' with my 'blogly' visits. [url=http://magoo.tblog.com]Magoo[/url] recently asked me if I've ever painted elephants... HAVE I ever. Last fall I just woke up one morning with elephants and giraffe's on the brain. I managed to get the elephant out on paper (still no sign of the giraffe though). I posted it for sale and a bidding war broke out! After the painting sold I had emails from far and wide wanting more elephants- Who knew???

http://img44.photobucket.com/albums/v135/islandartist/blog%20pics/Elephant.jpg Click here for larger version
I have to say that Animals are my absolute favorite subject to paint. I am also a big fan of flowers, but animals seem to have something much more personal that strikes a chord with viewers. They are so innocent and yet they seem like they know it all, old souls. I had never even attempted an animal portrait until January 2003 and now that is all I ever seem to do anymore. They seem so effortless for me and the results are very spectacular and rewarding. It was also around the time when i realized that ART is what I am supposed to be doing with my life. I've been wasting such a fabulous gift by not using it. I literally didn't pick up a paint brush for 4 years. Can you beleive that?? I look back now and don't know how I did it. I am creating on a daily basis now as you all know and my day doesn't feel quite fulfilled if I haven't created something before I go to bed. I DO have an ongoing creative project, my 2 year old daughter, This project is cramping my style a little these days but we are managing okay, I think she's turning out pretty good. She's even managed to take a liking to painting and drawing which pleases me to NO end. She's lucky she's got a mom with a bad art supply addiction... my collection of art supplies is endless and inspiring to say the least. Well people- I've got to go and make sure my 'creative project' isn't throwing things in the toilet... What would you like to see me try next?? That would be a great creative diving board, don't you think???
Hugs to all, ~jen

Love you Dad!

2004-06-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a great father's day Dad, I missed you today. I called home but missed you by 15 minutes!! I just wanted to let everyone know what a great guy you are.

My dad always takes the greatest interest in whatever I do. He treats me like a friend as well as his daughter. I always feel like the smartest, prettiest, and plain' ol' best when I'm talking to Him. He goes out of his way to make life easier on me, be it fixing my car or repairing something in my house... he'd do it without a question. Thanks for everything you do and have done for me. I know I'll NEVER be able to repay you for making my life such a happy one. Please don't work too hard, and take the time to come out to the island for a visit. You deserve it. I love you Dad. ~jen

Trailer hitching 101

2004-06-19T04:13:00.000-07:00

Okay here's the update... We hitched up the camper to our car that just had new rear shocks installed 2 days ago and the hitch was practically TOUCHING the ground. We made it down the street a block and a half when we decided it wasn't worth the stress... so we rode back to the ranch and unpacked the camping food and the beers. We called around and found out that the car needs SPRINGS not new shocks. Great. They'll be installed next week sometime. I think we made the guinness book for world's SHORTEST camping trip! I'm not even close to being upset about it though... beleive me I've got enough work in my studio to keep me busy for a awhile. Thanks to my SIS, for posting the blog this afternoon. My computer decided it was too bloomin' hot and shut [u][b]its self off[/b][/u] in a little comatose fit. It took an hour in the 'OFF' status before it decided it would let me turn it back on. There was no virus, no funky spyware (I checked it all)... it was just too dang hot today. I really don't blame it at all for taking a break. Well, I'm off to bed, It's been a busy day of packing and then unpacking and i need to get some rest.
~jen

And now for something completely different!

2004-06-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

MEOW

Hi Ya'll... this is IslandArtist's sister: [url=http://roxgirl.tblog.com]Roxgirl... [/url] My sister is out camping and has been having some computer problems, so she asked me to post this painting. I can personally vouch for how beautiful this painting is... it hangs in my front foyer in my house (she gave it to me as a gift, how thoughtful of her!)
I absolutely love this piece!!! My sister is amazing with watercolors!!! (And I LOVE cats :))What do you think? ...just another one of IslandArtist's works of ART... she's got mad skilz :wink:

They'll All come out to meet us When we come!

2004-06-18T19:52:00.000-07:00

I've spent the day packing clothes, food, doing laundry and cleaning the car to get ready for our camping trip this weekend. I've only got two things left to do before we leave... Blog and pack my painting gear! Since i haven't had much time to work on any artwork for awhile I thought I would post something that not many of you have seen.

For Jun: It's 8x10 watercolor on 300 lb paper with black gouahe background accents.
It's a magnolia blossom. I painted it from a photo I stole off the internet somewhere. Just look at it, it was begging to be painted. I've got several disks full of my own magnolia photos that are begging to be painted but unfortunately I have more reference photos than I have time at the moment. Soon I'll get to them. Real soon. I wish Everyone a nice hot, fun, cool, relaxing, productive, and delicious weekend. Go out and roast something over a fire, it will do wonders for you. I'm going to be roasting lots of stuff over the fire for the next couple days and perhaps even roasting my buns on the beach...ahhh. Don't worry you'll be seeing lots of pictures. Of the holiday, not my 'roasted buns'. Hugs & charcoal briquettes ~jen BTW: My sis will be posting something on my blog this weekend- it's artwork I did for her, come by and check it out!!

Sneak peeks!

2004-06-17T04:28:00.000-07:00

I'm so overjoyed. I was able to work on a painting for the first time in a couple weeks. It felt good. Really good. Damn it, i don't want to stop but i know I'll regret it in the morning if I don't. Here is a sneak peek of the commission I'm working on. I made a cute little ditty out of it with photoshop... I want to eat it.

and just for good measure... here is a picture of my daughter and i horsing around on the lawn this afternoon. She was having a 'Peeggee back' ride... she loves it, my back- not so much.

Well I'm going to hit the sack... we are going camping again this weekend because they are forcasting SUPER HOT weather all weekend. Now that we have a camper we have absolutely NO excuse for not taking it out and sitting around a campfire. It's going to be delicious and I'll be sure to take lots of pictures too. Take care all, Hugs and tomatoes, ~jen

Gossip good? Gossip Bad.

2004-06-15T16:38:00.000-07:00

After doing a little personality survey on [url=http://scubadiva.tblog.com]Scuba's[/url] blog I started thinking about one of my answers. She asked " What is one thing about your personality that you would change if you could. " I said "I would like to gossip less".

I never used to gossip, I just kinda kept to myself all the time and 'listened' to the murmuring around me. A few years back I worked in an office that was the gossip training ground for me. Those people sucked me in chewed me up and spit me out a true, certified grade A, gossip. Now, I find myself 'passing on' tidbits of info about everything and anyone whenever I find a willing ear.

In the strata community where I live, We have a nasty neighbor that is currently suffering delusions of grandure. He thinks he is the absolute ruler of the neighborhood and everyone must listen to him OR ELSE. He and his wife are oft the topic of conversation around the curbside. As far as I'm concerned we talk about them to prepare ourselves for their insane behaviour. We also discuss how to deal with current situations... is that really gossip?? It is mostly negative but THEY are mostly negative... 'nuff said.

When I used to be a graphic designer (in the 'gossip training' office), we would talk about co workers personal issues~ that, I feel bad about. It's their own business and us forming skewed opinions doesn't help them deal with it- in fact, it probably added MORE stress to their working life because they knew everyone was talking about them. Incase you don't know already, the only way to understand a person is to walk a mile in their shoes, really, it's true.

I suppose blogging is a form of gossip... at least the way some people use it. I find this more of a 'Therapy' than a gossip session- some people keep paper journals and some people keep online journals. It's all probably better out there than it is renting space in your head. Besides what would all of us do all day if there weren't any blog gossip to keep up with???

I rest my case, I'm an incurable gossip.
Hugs and gossip,
~jen

C is for Camping.

2004-06-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a mini slide show of shots from the camping trip. There would be more shots but apparently i've used up all of my tblog image hosting space... you sure don't get much!
[u][b]Pictures of our Camping trip![/b][/u] We had alot of fun even though it rained the entire time. It was nice knowing that we could curl up in a heated camper at the end of the night and not in a soaked tent. That being said I hope that our next camping trip to [url=http://www.tribunebay.com/]Hornby Island [/url] is a MUCH drier one!! My child refuses to STAY down for a nap... I'm ready to get out some valium. That would be for ME, not her... but maybe it would be more effective for HER. Okay I'll catch up with ya'll more later when I can hear myself think...
~jen

Happy BIG 3 0 Mr. Island!!

2004-06-14T00:16:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our very wet camping trip, just in time to have showers, naps and a bit of birthday cake. Ken turned thirty today and He seems none the worse for wear to me.

[image]islandArtist_1337684164.jpg[/image][LINE] [image]islandArtist_776358454.jpg[/image]
Ken with his mullet of younger years LOL!

Here's to you Kenny, I'm glad you had fun on our first camping trip of the season and I hope we have many more good memories in your next Thirty years. Thanks for sharing them with me. I love you honey. Even with the mullet. Hugs, Jen and Punky

Cherry Berry Quick- Steps

2004-06-10T02:43:00.000-07:00

That's what I'm going to be having tomorrow after all of the damn Cherries I ate today. My FIL had a man come to trim the fruit trees in the back yard and i went over and picked the shorn limbs clean of cherries. They also had a ton of baby pears cut off... too bad, they would have been really tastey once they were full grown and ripe. So many beautiful fruites down the tubes. The cherries were just starting to get their blush and in another week or two would have been absolutely perfect- but my pleas to hold off a week fell on deaf ears (I had a RUDE adjective in mind but deaf will do.). No matter, the sour cherry stage is fine too and after all, beggers can't be choosers. Here is the artsy fartsy photo I took of the few I have left...

[image]islandArtist_269264097.jpg[/image]
I propped the few ripe ones to the front... and I ate those first!Well I'm working on a commission tonight- and took a break to blog... now it's back to work! Catch up with ya'll later!
~jen

What I won't be Having today

2004-06-09T10:54:00.000-07:00

[image]islandArtist_996284743.jpg[/image]

I am awake... still. I was so tired last night I coudn't stop yawning. BUT when I climbed into bed and felt the familiar tingling in my arms and legs I knew what my body was telling me:

[b]**CAFFINE OVERLOAD**. [/b]I had a large diet coke for lunch, an iced capuccino after that and a cup of coffee at the In law's place. I was wired for sound last night. I just tried to lay back down for some sleep and there was no way.. I should go and jog down the street to get the gross feeling out of my body. I'm going to be completely screwed up for the rest of the day. It didn't help that the dog asked to go out 3 times during the night and Paige woke up a few times ready to PLAY. Ugh. Well I'll leave you with this chipper blog entry until I can manage something more interesting. By the way the painting at the top was done in oil pastels on a 5x7 piece of illustration board. I put it up because it makes sense... drink too much java and you'll be up all night looking at the moon and the stars. Enjoy people. Hugs, ~jen

Angel Captured!!

2004-06-08T04:50:00.000-07:00

Ya'll are probably sick to DEATH of seeing pictures of my daughter but this one is more than just a picture it is ART. I have created it myself entirely- I brought the precious angel into the world and I caught her in action, being her beautiful self. Take a look and tell me if I'm wrong.

[image]islandArtist_128218242.jpg[/image]

I went in to check on her before I hit the sack and I couldn't beleive how beautiful she looked with the night light drifting over in such a soft way through the bars of the crib and onto her cheeks. I scrambled to get my digicam to find it OUT OF BATTERIES!! I charged them for 5 minutes so i could get enough juice to capture the moment. She looks good enough to eat. Okay- I'll try to keep the kid pics on the down low for awhile LOL! I should get to some real art one of these days hey????
~jen

One at a time

2004-06-08T02:08:00.000-07:00

Here is my portrait for the day. I managed to deal with Paige for the first half of the day, then I dealt with the Insurance company the second half of the day which was closely followed by beers and pizza at our neighbor's place (thanks Suze and Kevin!!). So suffice it to say it has been a full day at the Islandartist house. I only managed one portrait again, but one is always better than none, right?? Today I arrived at none other than [url=http://fotocali.tblog.com]Fotocali[/url] on my list of requests. You've all chatted with him on tblurt, you've probably seen the magnificent photos on his blog- now see the portrait of the man- done as I see him. I highly doubt he really sports a punk-like-pompador hair do, or cleft in his chin... but in my imagination he does. I know for sure that he takes magnificent photos and his blog is chock full of eye candy. He has a penchant for nude self portraits I've noticed so he is naked in my portrait as well (what do you mean you didn't notice????). I love the way he plays with light and shadow in his photos which is of course the very heart and soul of any artwork wether it be photographic or otherwise. I featured a nice shadow behind him to illustrate this fact. Isn't he handsome?? If you havent checked out his blog- you are certainly missing something.

[image]islandArtist_423230993.jpg[/image]
Handsome anyway you look at him!

I hope you like it Foto- it was fun. I think I'm starting to get the hang of these watercolor crayons- they have a very nice smooth appearance compared to the old trusty crayolas. What do you think??? Next on my list of portraits is Misskendy... discuss amongst yourselves. Well the flames blew it, but they sure came a long way this year. I'm still depressed. Nothing another Molson Canadian can't fix... tee hee! I'm off people- to blog another day, Love and Pizza, ~jen

My Favorite things...

2004-06-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hello all, Hope you had a delicious weekend and Monday isn't treating you too badly either. We managed to buy a new car, so that stress is over.... aaaaahhhh. I'll take a picture of it when Mr. Island leaves it at home for more than 3 minutes. I'm working on some portraits right now and hope to have them posted later on this afternoon. In the meantime I wanted to share a few of my favorite things... Of course these probably aren't a suprise to most of you. Here we go:
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The nectar of the Gods as far as I'm concerned.
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She's been quite a pill lately but I love her anway.

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Who doesn't love this face??

Okay, I'm off to try and get Paige to stop whining and also do some portraits in the middle time... if there is any. If you've got kids, and even if you don't, please give me some ideas of how to keep [url=http://www.tblog.com/user_images/islandArtist_1146147887.jpg]this kid[/url] amused without involving myself in the activities... is that possible??? Am I dreaming? I can't even read a newspaper without her crawling ontop of it and poking me in the eye... HELP! I knew I could count on you guys, Love and marshmellows, ~jen

Late night Portrait Session

2004-06-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight I only managed one... I was going to go for two but sorry peeps, I'm bushed. Paige has learned how to climb out of her crib and she Terrorized Ken and i All night by coming into our bedroom unannounced.
[b][i]us: "ZZZzzzzZZZZzzzz" Paige: "Daddy look what I found" Us: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! Who is this creature in our bedroom!?!?!?!?"[/i][/b] :shock: It was like this every hour on the hour until 4 bells after midnight. Suffice it to say we've both been zombies all day and i should have been in bed an hour ago. That being said... here is the portrait. I know alot of you will be happy to see this one. He's an illusive fellow and one I know you all are eager to see a likeness of. [url=http://www.tblog.com/templates/index.php?bid=cyberpal&static=196182]Cyberpal[/url] . You've read his blog, you've enjoyed it but what does this crusader really look like??? I was given a 'backstage pass' and gained a glimpse at the man we know as cyberpal. Of course, I took several artistic liberties... cause well I'm creative like that. But I think he'd aggree that it's a dang close representation.
[image]islandArtist_662414063.jpg[/image]He's tall- real tall. At least in relative terms to my 5 foot stature. With that height comes a debonair appearance and clean cut, sophisticated look but don't get me wrong he's your typical guy. Listening to his iPod, you may catch him at a party- hanging out with the fella's or pickin' up chicks. He's got tickets to the show (only the best of course) I asked him If I could come but he couldn't hear me with that dang ipod on. I hope you like it CP, you got your very own blog 'reveal' (I hate that word but it fit here) Don't you feel special??? Good. Well I'm off to hit the sack. Thanks in advance all you beautiful people that leave me feedback on these masterpieces- Without you I would be *nothing*... or [i]something[/i] like that. ~jen

Hands of Love

2004-06-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished painting... Thanks for all of your ideas but putting Paige's little hands on there just seemed so perfect, Thanks Catherine. I don't know why I couldn't think of it myself!

[image]islandArtist_1389614791.jpg[/image]
The entire piece.
9"x 12" Canvas
Artist grade acrylic paint- using only fingers as brushes.
That's for you Jun.
[image]islandArtist_1142278797.jpg[/image]

Is that cool or what??? I love it, and I want to do a few more, I just need to go out and buy a few more canvases. Of course I'll post the work up here as I get to it. I've got 2 commissions that need to be completed before July and another one that is due whenever I'm inspired. That will keep me busy for awhile. The meeting with the insurance people went okay this morning. Even though it went 'okay' didn't make it any less stressful. The woman was very friendly but still managed to leave me with the feeling of being a criminal. I really hate that. Maybe it's a guilt complex I have... not sure. We are just going to take whatever they give us and run with it. Can someone please tell my husband to buy a fuel efficient vehicle instead of a westfalia VW van!?!? He's got his mind set on this and it's just not practical budget wise. But sometimes ther eis just no talking to that man- He's lucky I love him to death. Anyway, I'm going to work on portraits as we speak... I'll have them posted a little later on. Hugs and spagetti, ~jen

Some pics of the day...

2004-06-03T14:00:00.000-07:00
Didn't do much today, just hung out with my girl and played with the neighborhood kids in the sunshine. It was fun. Here are some shots I took of her Paige and Piper in the afternoon sun that was streaming into my bedroom windows.

[image]islandArtist_30920395.jpg[/image]
Thinking hard like only a 2 year old can.

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Look at that cute face!

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Being cute, getting away with murder no doubt..
Sorry for not getting any portraits done... Tomorrow will be the DAY OF THE PORTRAIT... I promise. I also finished the FINGER PAINTING!! I'll post a picture tomorrow after I get back from the insurance adjusters office... Wish me lots of Luck!!! Hugs and Sidewalk chalk, ~jen

Late sunday bloggin'

2004-05-31T01:23:00.000-07:00
Well today my hubby and I drove to a town called Duncan to look at cars. Suprisingly enough most of the used car lots were virtually empty! There must have been a used car blitz that we didn't hear about. We didn't find anything but It was a nice drive anyway.

On a different note, I discovered something cool in my patio pond today... Lily pads!! There are three little lily pads floating on the water! It looks so cool. The frogs will like them too once they get bigger. Hopefully i get a Lily in there too, that would be so exciting!! Here's a shot I took yesterday:

I hope everyone had a lazy Sunday and enjoyed themselves... I did. My laundry is piled to the rafters and my kitchen looks like a bomb went off... Oh well tomorrow is a new day. If your lucky tomorrow may even feature new portraits!!
Yahoo!

Creatively yours,
~jen

Burnt Offerings

2004-05-29T23:38:00.000-07:00
Well today has been a really humdrum yet exciting day all rolled into one.
First of all it's over cast, humdrum.
I'm not feeling well, humdrum.
My house is a disaster area... hum diddly drum.

My hubby went to the dump today and his pathfinder decided to spontaneously combust on the drive home... exciting.
He's okay but the truck is a shambles. The inside was completely gutted by the flames. We weren't expecting something like this to happen (does anybody??) so now we are looking for a new vehicle so he can get to work. Fun.

Paige decided she wasn't going to have a nap today and I decided to have a migraine. So suffice it to say I didn't get a chance to work on any portraits... I'll try my best tomorrow...
I think some sunshine would straighten me right out.

Well I'm going to go and finish my 'chores' for the day...
then I'm off to sleep...ah to dream.
Night all,
catch up with yall in the morning.
~jen

Bills are EVIL

2004-05-28T15:19:00.000-07:00
I'm just sitting on the computer, well actually sitting at my desk that happens to hold the computer as well. Anyway, i'm adding up all the bills. We went on holiday at the beginning of the month so as is our usual practice, we ignored last months bills to ensure we'd have enough money for our much needed vacation. So most of the bills are a month behind which makes the numbers not so pretty to look at.
I'm in charge of the bill paying... that's why i get kinda stressed out when this happens. Since we bought the new (samller) house it's happening less because there is more money to go around. I can't wait for the day when I can pay all the bills without worrying about prioritizing the bills so I can pay half now and half later.
Oh well, I'm not the first person in the world that has had to fret about money and I am absolutely sure I won't be the last.
...As soon as i get my paintings hung in a public place I'll be making so much money that I will be able to light the fire place with 100$ bills **She dreams**
Speaking of art, I am working on my portraits for the day RIGHT NOW! I'll have them up in a couple hours when my daughter goes down for her nap. right now she's 'calowing' with her momma.

Check out the flury of activity in that drawing hand!

Someone, I know exactly who... Left a beautiful ROSE on my front doorstep this morning. Thanks Laurie and Dave, it's absolutely gorgeous and greatly appreciated by me and the family.

So let me know if you have problems with money- and if you don't, Give me some tips on how to balance it so I don't feel like an idiot- err, well... at least less of an idiot.

Thanks guys, I knew I could count on you to make me feel better!
Hugs,
Jen

The Zoo song

2004-05-26T13:49:00.000-07:00
My aunt recently gave me a box of childrens cassettes and one cd. The other night while i was looking for a distraction I put the CD on for Paige. Well... She loved it. She danced in a circle in her bedroom for an hour. The unfortunate part is that she only LOVEs the FIRST BLOODY SONG!!!
I've heard it so much that the chorus just plays in my head constantly.

"We're goin' to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo,
How about You, You, You?
We're goin' to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo..."

The repition goes on from there... every bloomin line in the song is repeated over and over ad nauseum.
That kid is lucky I love her so much and like to see her happy or that CD would be in flames on the BBQ right now.

On to the artwork...
I've got another fairy in progress, but since I'm busy going to the zoo, zoo, zoo I can't concentrate long enough to complete her. She's the best one by far... my favorite of the three (including the two I showed ya'll yesterday).

She's not finished but already looks very promising!

A note to all of the people who have asked for Crayola portraits: I have your names all down on my MASTER list. I will do a portrait for everyone, no worries, due to the length of the list it may take me a little while to get to yours but I WILL do them all. All i really ask in return is that you visit my blog once in awhile- It's difficult to get excited about doing a portrait of someone I NEVER see visit my blog!
To those of you who DO visit and leave lucious & tastey comments I thank you so very much. Your portraits have either already been done or are on the top of the list. ::kisses on both of your cheeks:::

Hugs to all,
~jen

Whimsical Ladies

2004-05-25T15:02:00.000-07:00
I completed a couple new paintings last night while I was suffering from a bout of insomnia. I sketched these out while i was on holiday and they have been waiting patiently to be painted in. I really like the "Batwoman".
What do you think??

The photo is a little washed out due to my cheapo scanner.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't like this one for some reason, what do you think? My first mermaid!

It's an over cast day, and due to my horrible sleep last night I'm really tuckered out today. Paige, my mother in law and myself will be going to Shrek 2 tonight. I think Paige is old enough to sit through a movie now :::fingers crossed::: Wish us luck!

Let me know what you think of my latest work, your comments are so much appreciated!

Doing it creatively since 1974
~jen

Celebrity sighting update!

2004-05-14T16:49:00.000-07:00
Okay, remember several blogs ago I mentioned seeing Ryan Peake from nickleback on the ferry to Nanaimo?? My hubby had also seen Berry Pepper on the ferry one time... well today Paige and I went into Gap for Kids and who was at the back buying clothes for a lucky little girl??? Barry Pepper!!

[image]islandArtist_515497038.jpg[/image]
Barry Pepper in Saving Private Ryan
He looked right at me and smiled and I thought that he looked so familiar... it wasn't until I over heard the two 'Gap girls' talking in the back room that I realized why he looked so familiar. He was alot SMALLER than I Had thought. Probably 5 foot 5"... not at all like I imagined. The way the girls gushed over him at the counter was totally embarassing for all woman-kind. Does anybody need TWO girls to ring in their toddler outfit??? Ugh! Anyway, [i][b]I[/b][/i] thought it was exciting. Gap had alot of Beautiful little girls clothes as usual but they were all priced out of my league... LOL! I bought a sale one... I don't know why. Okay i'm going to be posting camping pics next... Just have to get my girl down for a nap. ~jen

I should be sleeping....

2004-04-30T05:07:00.000-07:00
I should be sleeping right now but I always get a bad case of nerves (good excited nerves though) and I'm wide eyed and bushy tailed until we get on the road the next day. I'm so going to be hating life tomorrow LOL! Road trips are fun even if they last 15 hours... I'm so going to be hating life tomorrow. Here is a self portrait of me right now... I know you guys have been waiting for another one of these. Check out my bed head... [LINE]
[image]islandArtist_882879961.jpg[/image]
[LINE] I'm going to be posting road trip pictures as soon as I get in so make sure to come back... I'll also be totally freaking out without access to my blog, is there any sort of drug for that??? isn't that sweet? I'm going to miss you guys... who'd a thunk it!?!? now get busy and leave me a note about how much you miss me... ahem... or not. I should get to bed now. ~jen

Broken Bed

2004-04-29T11:24:00.000-07:00
This is embarrassing, and I shouldn't even mention it but I gotta because I've been laughing myself silly for hours about it. Last night my husband and daughter were jumpin' on our bed. Being the happy moron I am, I thought I would join in. Even thought the bed is (was) this ginormous wooden structure, it probably wasn't designed to have [b]two [/b]full sized adults and a toddler jumping on it. All i did was leave the ground, and as soon as I landed on the bed **CRACK**! Followed by the sound of my dog yelp under the bed. The ebd collapsed on one side! Now, I'm almost possitive that the bed had a flawed piece of timber holding it up... you could tell by looking at it....ahem... that being said, we were looking for a new bed anyway. Anybody want a sleigh bed in need of minor repairs?? :oops: Now we have the mattress on the floor and you know, the room looks a hell of alot bigger! I wish I had taken pictures of the aftermath but I was so stunned and feeling like a bloated elephant I forgot to get the camera. Anyway, My hubby is a doll, he wasn't even angry... he just cleaned up the mess. I **LOVE** that guy! Today is Packing day... tomorrow we leave to Alberta for a holiday!! How exciting, it seems like forever since i saw my family!! Today is a happy day, and I finished another one of my 'fairy' paintings yesterday. I'll post it later when I have a chance to scan it in the computer. Keep your eyes peeled! Gotta run, ~jen P.S. My dog is fine, the bed thing just scared her!

My daughter has RTS

2004-04-29T10:24:00.000-07:00
That stands for [b]Rotton Toddler Syndrome.[/b] She's pretty much spent the day following me around from room to room screaming her head off. [line]
[image]islandArtist_702550138.jpg[/image]
Paige, pulling on my shirt and screaming... nice.
[line] WTF?!? I actually had to get her a bottle (to plug her mouth) and hold her down for awhile before she would cool off. It's amazing, I don't know how she has the energy to keep it up. Now she is playing in my closet... thank the lord. she can scream all she wants in there... but she is actually quiet right now and talking to herself... it's blissfull. I love the little monster- don't get me wrong but sometimes... [b]*insert music to 'tainted love' here*[/b] 'I Feel I got to, get away, I've got to run away...". I'm sure I'm not the only one... other mom's just don't talk about it for fear of looking like a 'bad mom'. Phooey. I'm a wicked mom. I play alot, sing songs, dance, make Mac and cheese everyday for lunch and especially love coloring! What kid wouldn't want me for a Mom??? Heck i'd want me for a mom! And if I had me for a mom, i would go off and play for 5 hours [b][i]by myself[/i][/b] so she could have some time to feel like an adult human being and read the news paper. Is that too much to ask? I didn't think so. ~jen

Painting Part Deux

2004-04-28T16:08:00.000-07:00
I was reading through my painting lessons of yesterday and discovered that I had forgotten a very important thing! BRUSHES!
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You can't paint anything without a brush. For watercolors you need a certain kind of brush- one with a short handle that is designed for watercolor (short handled brushes are for sitting to paint and long handles are for standing to paint- at an easel). I use only one kind of brush- which is my own personal preference- the style of brush is a [url=http://www.currys.com/brushimage/brushes2500.jpg]ROUND[/url] I have a few different sizes ranging form 4 to 8. I also have a large one inch [url=http://www.currys.com/brushimage/brushes202.jpg]BRIGHT[/url] that I use for washes. As for natural hair or synthetic... my favorite brushes are all made of tacklon, even though everyone raves about sable. In the past I had an extensive collection of [url=http://www.currys.com/brushimage/goathair.jpg]Chinese bamboo brushes[/url] - they are inexpensive and keep a fine point really well. They come in goat hair and sable hair, Sable is more expensive. When shopping for brushes think of it as an investment- these supplies will give you years of loyal service if taken care of properly. Now after you have invested some money in a brush or two, you will want to know how to take care of it. FIRST rule is NEVER and when I say NEVER I mean NEVER leave your brush in water, not even for a minute. The water will deteriorate the hair in your brush and can also cause the glue holding the hair to break down thus letting the hair out of your brush- very BAD. Also if you leave a nice pointy brush in a cup of water the tip will become bent and that really sucks when you are trying to paint- beleive me, I've done it. Roll your brushes in a place mat to prevent the ends from getting bent or crimped, this will permanently destroy a good brush. Yes, i've done this too. My daughter even bit the end of a brush once and crimped it at a 90 degree angle. Nothing i could do would get it back to normal. After every painting session make sure to clean your brushes very well, rinse them under cold water until no more paint comes out- then wash them some more. Some paint pigments stain the bristles but this doesn't effect the brush in any way. That's about all i have to share on that subject... Let me know if you have any questions or if I forgot something obvious. Now, GET PAINTING!! artfully yours, ~jen

Stupid Skills to pay the bills.

2004-04-28T06:18:00.000-07:00
Well I heard back from the client with the '3 Doxie' painting. She absolutely loved it and said it brought [u]a tear to her eye[/u]!! She even paid me 10 dollars more than I requested!! I did end up adding just a little bit to the background. basically a little more shading and some pattern on the chair that the dogs are nestled in.
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It looks fantastic and I'm so glad and releived that she loves it. Yahoo! Bring on another commission!!! ~jen

So you wanna Paint, Do ya??

2004-04-27T18:36:00.000-07:00
I was recently asked by [url=http://jenarathbun.tblog.com]jenarathbun[/url] How should she go about starting to paint. I had so much to say on the matter that i thought I'd just do a blog on it. I started painting in watercolors for several reasons. First of all, to buy a full set of watercolors won't put your credit card in the red. They are inexpensive and though you may think the tubes are small- they last [b]FOREVER.[/b] You can get away with cheaper paints without a problem but DO NOT skimp on the paper. Quality paper is so important when learning- great paper can make painting fun and easy While cheap paper makes painting difficult and frustrating- even for those of us who have been painting for years.
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Good Papers are: Arches (140lb and up) Bockingford (250 lb only) Saunders Waterford (200 lb & up) There are more kinds but these are the best of the economical ones. You will want to purchase a COLD Pressed paper- you will get the best results while learning the following techniques. and your paper should be taped down (on all four sides) to a rigid surface to avoid cockeling (warping) of the paper. Secondly watercolors are less messy- especially if you have little ones around. Most pigments will not stain surfaces or clothes which is really nice cause I am messy. To get started: I reccommend starting with learning the basic watercolor techniques. There are several and a few are; Washes Wet in wet Wet on dry dry brushing burnishing Lost edges and found edges pulling up paint (variations of this are endless) Salt technique (a favorite) If you are an accomplished drawer- try using a india ink pen (available at Micheals in the scrapbooking section) and sketching out a fun drawing and using the watercolors to wash in (I've done some funny random portraits this way except using crayon or acrylic for color). After you have had some practice learning several techniques you can try implementing them into a painting. You can use photos or do an abstract piece- I started with abstract peices so there wasn't so much pressure to have everything just perfect. It took me 10 years to be comfortable enough to attempt portraiture (super hard). But whatever you do, the most important is to paint what feels right to you and have fun, LOTS of fun!! If you guys want any help, pictures of techniques- books to read on painting- drop me a line and I'll be more than happy to help you out. The best way to learn is to teach something and I love sharing. Come on now, don't be shy!! ~jen