Merry Christmas!

It's been a busy month! It started with my youngest breaking off his two front teeth, my eldest wrecking the Yaris (no-one was hurt, Praise God!, and the car will be fixed and returned in January, Praise God - it wasn't totaled), my youngest son getting his teeth fixed and three days later having one of the repairs pop off (it will be repaired in January), and the continued doctor visits for the youngest. He is learning and doing exercises for his old bladder issues. They seem to be working in that his muscles are getting stronger. The doctor says his muscles need to get stronger and he needs to learn to relax. This is going to take a while.

Mid-month the oldest two had finals. They seem to have done well and are very happy the semester is over. A4 has one more semester before graduation and M will be in her second semester of her first year. First semester of next year, M is planning on going to France as an exchange student.

Ab, Cy, and Megs have been working hard to finish up some of their work before the end of the year - preferably before tomorrow, so they can have next week off :)

Tutoring has been going well. The kids are great - especially once they get their confidence up and feel good about themselves.

Now as to why I haven't been posting, sometime shortly after the previous post, my computer stopped working properly. It has started freezing. It won't save my photoshop files and will only work with pdf's if I restart the computer. I'm not exactly sure what is wrong with it, it seems unstable. In Libya I had to replace the hard drive and there may be complications from that process. I have run some diagnostics on it and it says it is fine. In January I'll get more serious about fixing it :)

Pastor Derrick led us to this great Bible website: http://www.youversion.com/
The dramatic reading of the Bible is fabulous and they have reading programs as well that are individualized (I am going through a parenting one). We all enjoy listening.

Have a great Christmas and New Year!

Theta

Sketch #64 Leaf Dragon Green 13

This guy is an Oak Green Leaf Dragon. I had better finish his food soon, he's looking a bit peckish :)

Sketch #61 Leaf Dragon Green 11

This guy, I finally finished. I've been busy with the kids and I ate some things I shouldn't have. I had a taste of everything we cooked for Thanksgiving and have been paying for it since. My joints hurt and I'm draggy still - it's been a week and it may take 2 more to get the stuff out of my system. Definitely add in foods one at a time, I have no idea which of the myriad of foods I ate was the problem. I suspect several of them, which is not helpful either. Oh, well. The problem with my sketch book is that I haven't figured out how to color laying down or when my eyes keep insisting on shutting. It may be a while before I am able to post like I was :( 

Have a great day!

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a blessed day on this day of thanksgiving in America :)

This week has been a dry week for my posting, but I have done some sketching in my little book :)  I am hoping to get more sketches up after Thanksgiving, but it may not be until Monday as I have been quite busy with family things and tutoring (plus I've been reading my Alton Brown library book in 'free' moments). 

Tonight I cooked rice in the oven like he suggested in his book. It came out like Paella rice, there were no complaints from the eating crew and the baking dish was very easy to clean. Next time I may use one of the Corningware serving dishes I got from my mother-in-law ages ago and forget to use. They have each have a pretty tight lid so I won't have to cover the dish with aluminum foil and they are the perfect size for our rice needs. A4 seems to think we need a rice cooker. We are probably one of the only families on island that don't own a rice cooker :D

Blessings to you all!

Sketch #62 Green Leaf Dragon 12 Fall Maple

This guy has a maple leaf tail and snow cone head :) I felt like coloring him before #11 for the simple reason that I like his tail. The page after him has more leaf dragon food on it, which could account for his hunting expression.

Notes

The last couple of days have been very busy, plus we went to the library. So with being busy (everyday stuff, horseback riding, church, filling out a questionnaire from FeelGood TV, shopping for food, and schooling stuff), Mo's Power Point French presentation, and the Alton Brown books (one on cooking gear and one on his shows), I have not been on the computer except to check mail since Saturday morning. I am hoping to get a picture up today, but I have to work with the boys and then tutor, so we'll see.

Mo's presentation is looking quite good, however, it can only be done on my computer using the French keyboard. I will post it here if: 1. she gives me permission, and 2. I can figure out how to do it.

The books by Alton Brown are exceptionally good reading. He is a funny writer and his recipes actually work. I also like that he uses tools in different ways than intended by the manufacturer.

We bought our turkey for Thanksgiving and I'm thinking about starting a dry brining (consisting of salt, pepper, and herbs) on it today. Brining is supposed to be started three days before eating, so today is the day. We are also going to have: mashed potatoes, yams, corn, stuffing, rolls, cranberry sauce, gravy and Dh wants cake and pie "/ I'm not sure what kind of cake, but I think one of the pies is going to be lemon meringue. We have fresh lemons on the tree that need to be picked. We might make two and give one to Pastor, as he's been a bit down lately and it's his favorite pie.  Annabelle is going to be a big help over the next few days as we get everything ready.       (I'm putting this list here so I won't lose it, or forget something important ;) )

Time to get back to work.

Have a great Lord blessed day!

Sketch #60 Green Leaf Dragon 10

For some reason I felt like this guy had to have red ears, go figure :D I do like how he turned out even though it looks like he has a shock of red hair instead of ears.

I had a very busy day!

Omega's doctor appointment went well. He is going to have to learn some exercises to control some muscles that don't work quite like they should because of the diverticulum he had several years ago. He will go in again after Thanksgiving. They took us right away at the doctor's office, so I didn't get to draw much in my waitbook.

I also had a very enjoyable conversation from a lady at the Norwegian television station FeelGood. We'll see what comes of that later.

I even conversed with my mom and dad today, which was lovely. They are doing well :)

Have a great day/evening :)

Sketch #59 Green Leaf Dragon 9

This green leaf dragon has on it's fall colors. Cy thinks that they too lose their leaves in the winter... I'm not sure about that. I will have to delve more into their Life and Habits before I can confirm this rumor ;)

Have a happy, blessed day!

Sketch #51 Dragon's Prey

This sketch is of the Leaf Dragon's Prey. I brushed Delta Ceramcoat Sparkle Glaze from a bottle about 6 years old (I keep everything forever) over the flying prey and on the belly of the caterpillar. It shows up more as spots than sparkles online. The paper, being cheap sketch paper, crinkled a bit on the large expanse of the butterfly wings. It should flatten out after a while since it is in my sketchbook. My main concern is that the Glaze will stick to the opposing page and I may need to put some wax paper between the pages.

Sketch #55 Green Leaf Dragon 8

Here is my newest leaf dragon. He makes me think of spring. Cy wants him for a pet ;) I did do some sketches of what they could eat, I just need to color them in. I am thinking I should add some sparkle to the food sketches which means going through stuff to find pearlescent paint or glitter or something. Later... Found some sparkle glaze and glass finish, so maybe that will work. I know I used to have some glitter glue around here somewhere, too. One of those will work.

Yesterday was very busy, which is why I didn't get this up then. The boys had to catch up on some of their schoolwork and in the afternoon I tutored preschool and elementary math. The kids are so much fun!

Sketch #53 Tree

This is one of the trees we see on our drive over the H3 when we go to Koko Head Crater Stables. Hawaii has many trees that look like Dr. Seus trees. It's quite an artistic experience to see the variety of weirdness that trees can take on. I really should make some more studies.

Sketch #52 Guinea Pig

This guy looks sort of like one of our guinea pigs. He is a bit exaggerated and his ear is not quite right, however his expression is :D  I'll do a better job next time, since this is my first try at a guinea pig and I didn't have him in front of me. I also should do him in pastels so I can get the color right :)

Sketch #50 Flower 4

The colors on this one came out better. I also like the foliage. It is more complete than the previous one.

Sketch #49 Flower 3

I felt like drawing flowers the other day, so I drew two more. I wanted to do this one in similar colors to what I did, but my current colors are limited and I didn't have the colors I wanted to use. Hence, I am only moderately satisfied with the flower. The next one may go better.

#6 Layout for the 2011 Book

The 6th Layout for the 2011 Christmas Book is about Grandma Louise's visit to see us. This was the best visit we have ever had with her; we all had so much fun. Her visit was also special because she was with us for Easter.

Sketch #58 Christmas 2

This is the second Christmas card idea I have had. I like the "a" and "e" on this one better. I sort of ruled out the letters on this one so they are more even. I like the way the colors came out.

Sketch #57 Christmas 1

I'm starting to think about Christmas cards for this year. This is one idea I have. It is based on the design I made last year for the card sets I created for the Benghazi European School's Christmas Bazaar. I think maybe crosses would be nice between the words instead of the hearts. I like the way it looks, but I think for a final I should use a ruler. Also, I'm not sure about the "e's" and "a". I think they are too heavy.

Sketches #26 and #27 Line

 I inked these in and have not decided how I am going to color them. They would both fit nicely on cards and a sentiment could be added to the front. The colors change according to the sentiment chosen, hence I am having difficulty in committing to specific colors. I may end up coloring these on the computer or printing out several copies and coloring each differently, but for now here they sit :)

Sketch #40 Mini Elf with Mushrooms

Here is another scene with characters for Cy :) He says the inchworm is a baby dragon because it has a goatee.

Sketch #39 Two Headed Water Dragon

For some reason I decided to put two heads on this guy. One head seems to be of a happier countenance than the other.

Sketch #48 Green Leaf Dragon 7

This guy is a bit different. He is the last one of the leaf tail group I sketched.

Sketch #54 Colored Pencil Doodle 1

This one I did in colored pencil, no pre-sketching. I'm not sure if I'm done with it or not. I like the shape it currently has; it feels complete.

Sketch #47 Green Leaf Dragon 6

I gave this guy a pretty yellow head with a touch of orange for fall. He is curious about what is going on behind him :)

Sketch#46 Green Leaf Dragon 5

On this guy, Leaf Dragon #5, I put just a touch of yellow on his snout. It makes him look a bit like he has a goatee.

AB Fall Carnival Costume

AB was an elf for the Fall Carnival and her friend was BamBam. They had the coolest costumes! AB wore her abaya ( Dii I know you are going to have fits about my spelling! Shh...) as a cape. We braided just the fronts of her hair and it looked great.

Sketch #44 Green Leaf Dragon 4

This is the 4th leaf dragon in the series. I added a tinge of yellow and orange to his nose and tail. He has his sights on some prey :)

#5 Layout for the 2011 Book

For Christmas last year the girls received paint by number paintings. They really enjoyed completing them, especially because they were a steady thing to do while we were going through things and packing to leave Libya. We found out December 23 the company was sending us home, after Christmas presents had been bought and wrapped. They ended up giving their paintings to friends of ours there.

No one knew what was going to happen in Benghazi; Tunisia was okay as was Egypt. By the time we left in early January, things were getting out of control on both sides of Libya and a week after we got home, things sort of blew up. God sure takes care of us!

Sketch #45 Green Elf

This guy was better received than #31 the water fairy. The characters for a larger work are coming together. Someday there may be a gathering on a single sheet, someday... need some more characters first ;)

Sketch #43 Green Leaf Dragon 3

This guy is the brother of #41. I drew a bunch of these guys that are all very similar, but not quite the same. I had a very good time doing so, however, now I have to decide if they are all going to be spring colors or if some are going to be autumnal :)

Sketch #42 Green Leaf Dragon 2

This Green Leaf Dragon is a darker green with light green highlights. He has his eyes on some prey, and is ready to snap :) I wonder what he eats? Fish, dragonflies, snails, caterpillars?

#4 Layout for The 2011 Book

This is the 4th layout I've finished for the 2011 Book. This one has to do with relatives visiting. I have so many more to do...

Sketch #41 Green Leaf Dragon 1

This next group is a series of Leaf Dragons.  So called because they live among leafy foliage :) I am not sure if they are all going to be green or not. The first one is and perhaps the second...

Sketch #38 Blue Water Dragon

This is another Blue Water Dragon. I enjoy drawing and coloring them. However, if I am ever to finish the pages for the 2011 book, I really need to work on them :0 These guys are so much more fun and no pressure :D

Rainbows, Cavies, and AB

 It has been raining the last couple of days and this morning I caught part of a rainbow on the western side.  Off to the left can barely be seen a secondary one. It often rains in the afternoon and that part of the island is in the rain shadow, so most of my rainbow pictures are taken looking eastward. To catch one this direction is special.

This morning I caught AB holding Pirate. He has the sweetest disposition! She was an elf for the carnival and braided the front part of her hair. She also slathered green sparkly make-up all over her face... she got it all off, even the stuff in her ears, I was impressed. She looked great in her costume, hopefully I can get some pictures of her from someone. She did her make-up and stuff at a friends and I didn't get any pictures :(

Fall Carnival

 The boys dressed up as Asterix and an African Adventurer for our Church's Fall Carnival. They played a few games and then ate hot dogs, chicken nuggets, shaved ice, cotton candy, and popcorn. After eating they took off to the bounce house and played in there for a long, long time before going to get more shaved ice. Because they ate and played in the bounce house for so long, they didn't spend a lot of time playing games, hence their candy haul was very low (Praise God!). This is a good thing, they had a great time and they won't be on candy overload :)

Sketch #37 Green Sea Dragon

This guy like to swim in circles, fast. I was still thinking letters with this one, but I think numbers would be more accurate.

Sketch #36 Aqua Sea Dragon

This guy I decided to do in in lighter colors. I generally prefer jewel tones, so I like his head, but his body is okay... Also, I was thinking about the alphabet when I sketched this guy :)

Sketch #21 Tau altered

This is another collaboration between my Dad and myself. It came out kinda cool I think :)

Sketch #35 Horse

The kids wanted a horse drawing. I am, sad to say, not particularly good at drawing horses. So you see my attempt. Mythical creatures from inside my head's world come easier to me :)

Pictures of our flowers

The orchids that my husband rescued when we got back are now in full bloom! They are so pretty.

































































The passion fruit is blooming again. Their blooms are really neat looking.













 The white Bird of Paradise are blooming, but their huge blooms are behind the plants or hidden in their foliage. They have no stem to speak of and are stuck in the stalks of the plant, this makes them hard to see.

Cavies: Continued

I finished Pirate and Cream Puff's cage yesterday. Cream Puff is the closest one. AB and I went out and got the materials, then I made the cage, while she helped/watched/held the babies :) They like their new home. The next thing I need to do for them is make them a house. The cardboard one is very temporary (at least I hope it is). Making it will require another trip to the hardware store for materials and getting out the power tools. Oh, and making the plans for their house - one minor detail ;) I have an idea of what I want it to look like, so that's a start.

Sketch #34 Rainbow Water Dragon

I love the movement this guy appears to have, he's going places. His ears and head turned out just right :) This guy makes me happy.

Sketch #33 Red Water Dragon 2

I like how both of these guys turned out. They would be nice framed together.. I could flip one so they face each other, that would be cool.