Yesterday afternoon My Sweet Garden buddy and I went out to the garden to do a fast harvest of the garden before we had to be off to Dove's play.
"Can I Come Mom!, I love being in the garden with you!"

That little man did the duty of onion pulling.
He was a great help. I posted over at "BEE BLISS GARDENS".
I was a real joy to see the harvest of the efforts 26 this haul, 9 last week and there are I think three more in ground. Once they fall over it is time for harvest.

It was so fun to go to the play as a family. Just as I was loading up the kids the "daddy Man" pulled into the drive way.
The kids went with him and I met them all in the parking lot.
My husband and I had a whole 45 minutes embrace as we sat together and took delight in our daughter.
Dash was a bit of a clown and embarrassed her.
She gave him the "what for!" when she got off the stage. Dash was making the performers laugh. He just loves that power of laughter. We allowed his little pal to sit with us , but almost three times sent him to his parents. I mus t be just an old codger but the kids need to know how to respect others who are trying to do a good job. The kids all worked so hard. Earlier there were8 of the 28 absent, just skipped out on the others. Some were ill...many just skipped out. So several had to read lines of others looking as if they had not learned all the lines. I do wish that the teachers would of acknowledged that.

I flew out the door at the end .

Took a short cut through the reservation and got to the party.
The first to arrive.
So I helped out (very little) my SIL and one of her daughters (my niece) set it all up.
They are pro's...

My niece was not so such surprised as just STUNNED!
It was a well pulled off surprise.

Well much to do today.

I am going to do two demonstrations for the kids at the elementary.
Had an idea of doing an acrylic of a dream catcher for the 4 TH graders and have for the 2 ND graders a book image with fingers holding it. I think I'll tell them about the wonder of (all most) all you need can be found in a book.

Better go water the garden, chickens and dogs.
Tomorrow....
stay home....
REST....
bake a cake....oh my life is full.
I am so glad I am made able, it is a ride.

Did I tell you...
It really felt GOOD to come home last night to my family.
My friendship with my husband is the greatest joy.

Painting portrait

Tweaking the mouth and highlights

I varied the high lights on the nose and gave more refined lip. I still do not like the light under the lip.
I'll try the back ground idea thanks for the input.

Shirley,
Is this what you were thinking ?
before

Carnival of Family Life Before and After Portrait

The Carnival of Family Life THANKFULNESS EDITION will be hosted this coming
Monday, November 24, 2008, at On the Horizon. this link.

On the subject of Family Relationships and Self-Improvement:

"I believe in God,
It's time to believe in myself"

I recently wrote this on my big white dry erase board. I had overheard it at a meeting when a woman was sharing about her new perspective and the way it was making a difference in her life.
It was the week of my Jewelry Show and Social.
The children had heard me say this and saw it on the big board in the hall.
Dove my sweet Daughter found me the other day eating what I should not, and for reasons that were not hunger.
I am appreciative that, she confronted me with such loving boldness that I was startled into change.

She said..."I thought you said you were going to believe in your self Mom?"

A wake up call had I, to the importance of my witness, to her,
and to my Son as well.

What is the Christianity that I am introducing them into ?

Before
15 years or so ago

When I painted this years ago, I only thought of myself as long hair. As if a vale covered my view.
It did.
Pain dimmed my eye to the promise, the beauty that was and that is me.
I wore an adornment because I could not see that I WAS the adornment.
Life is a progression of discovery.
It may take us many years to see our self as we wish we were able.

I removed that flower, to be and became the bloom itself.
Yesterday as I again took the courage to face the power that has been placed within me.
With raised shoulder I pressed into a puffy dress.
Again needing to let go of the covering of hair.

Life is a journey of self discovery, of discovering who HE made us to become. Letting go of what our wounds create in us is hard.
Unashamed I am made of form female, and full of the joy found as woman.


My Daughter came in.
and said "she should have red lips mom, because they would be pretty."

After
this is today...

Well I have come a long way in how I perceive myself. I know I need a little tweak and a bit of a shine here and there. I have had to lower my shoulders and relax a bit.

We redefine and refine ourselves daily.

As we do our families watch our lead.
We are in a privileged position.
They look then at who they long to become, and reach farther to achieve the desired goal.
It is in each of as parents a great duty and privilege to Believe in ourselves.
If We believe in God...
Then it is time we believe in who HE created us each to be.
Our children need us to show them the way.

It is not for us to leave off in the begining, or in the middle of our journey.
We must each continue this life long task.

Learn something new today.

Take interest in your passions.
Gain understanding and knowledge.
We may have Raw talent,
but only need to give time to developing a skill.

Portrait Painting

Painting skin tones in Portrait Painting is a fun avenue of expression. This was an interesting skin tone chart I found.

If your desire is to learn something new, GO FOR IT! So many folk say things like "I cant do that" or "I could never do that"
What a way to shut down the thrill of your own exploration.
We may never be great at something , but if we never try how can we ever know.
If there is something that you always wished you knew, Educate yourself.
We live in such a marvelous age of information.
Study to show yourself approved applies fully to every aspect of life. Not just or only the spiritual.
What do you want to learn to do? Is there a financial constraint? Well reading is often free. You never know when a mutually interested person might delight in a conversation with another of like mind, and share their own love of it by sharing their knowledge even their extra supplies. You with a skill... remember to pass it on. What you know may just be a longing you can fulfill for another.
Pass it on. Make this world a better place.
Share your knowledge.
That is what I love about blogging. All of you teach me .
Be open to the knowledge. Understanding is the beginning of it once you practice what you know then after many a moon wisdom begins to develop.
Wisdom is broad range including the spiritual the arts and the sciences, Languages , mathematics. The ability to appreciate culture will open you up to such great understandings that prejudice could just expire from your mind.
Home economics will give you a better place to live and a greater life to enjoy.

A Self Portrait in oil, my travel easel

Many years back I found this wonderful easel at Costco.
It was loaded with oils, water color pigment and a pamphlet on painting.
All for $20.

The retractable legs clip on to the side

This has rode with us camping a few times.
One of the many art forms I enjoy is painting.
I have a talent but very limited skill.
I did not have an education in a school.
Mr U.'s Mother however is a well known artist. This is her web site.

As you can see it simple slide open and screw nuts keep it togeather

Once the legs ate out , it just stand up

The easel then slide up into an open position.
The drawer holds paints, in my case the oils. I have yet to toy much with water color.
Under the drawer is a slot for brushes.
My precious brushes.
Now some 15+ years ago my MILove (she is a respected artist)spent some time with me and on a fine afternoon she gave me a lesson.
With brush in my hand at my first lesson this came out of my brush, out of me...

I was panic stricken with the power of it. I created something that looked like me. It was good and I just could not get over it. When I was painting I felt a power flow through my brush that just made me shake.
Dove confronted me the other night .
She said " Mom , I thought you were going to believe in yourself?"

I have set up the easel. It is time that I again touch this my self portrait. She deserves to be painted.
She deserves me to believe in her and in that power within my brush to create a finished painting.
I studied color a bit and will keep trying to find my wax paper palate pad, board and it just occurred to me what I am looking for . It is my wooden paints box. I forgot about that. That is where I will find the rest of my supplies. My mission is to find it.
To finish what HE started in me and through me.
To pick up the brush and trust that power that HE has placed within me.