Settled in the Maritimes of Canada, surrounded by the forest and Acadian Mountain Chain, I live a simple life of gratitude. This blog is a journal of my art, food, furkids, garden, home, my life and my thoughts. Thanks for reading!
Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Westerns! Bugs is acting out a very cliché scene from many-a-Western movie!
Playing with watercolours
I do love visual stories. I used to be an avid book-reader. When I burned out in 2003, I suffered permanent cognitive skill function; and one of the issues I have is the inability to remember things in the short term. This makes reading books very difficult and frustrating for me as I tend to re-read paragraphs over and over because I can't remember what I just read! I've become a visual-gal and movies provide wonderful entertainment for me!
I've been really loving these 3-D Trick Art tutorials I've found on You Tube! Have you ever tried them?
Most Westerns are dominated by a male villain/hero. I loved the movie The Quick and the Dead because Sharon Stone played a tough yet vulnerable heroin in the Wild West. It's a great movie, also stars Gene Hackman (who plays a wonderful villain), Russell Crowe and Leo DiCaprio.
A GREAT Western movie that is on my top ONE...is The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. This movie has it all. And it has a cast of greats: Lee Marvin (always an amazing bad guy), John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart. Of course there are many amazing supporting actors like Andy Divine, Vera Miles and Strother Martin. If you're a Western fan, I'm sure you've seen this movie! :)
Here are the guys one by one (drawn in charcoals):
Lee Marvin
The Duke
Jimmy Stewart
We've been eating leftovers this week and trying to "eat from the freezer"...this happens every year after the holidays! A great comfort food to try is Tortilla Soup.
I've been donut crazy lately too. I made my Baked Jelly Donuts. I also recently got some donut pans and I'm going to try to make all sorts of baked donuts in the very near future!
Incoming!
Shoulders
Hairy Woodpecker Couple
Here is a 9-second video of an Evening Grosbeak hanging out on my window sill!
And a 14-second video of me snow-shoeing with Charlie. She would love to live outside in the winter! She looks so happy.
I'm linking up with these wonderful bloggers today, please visit them for some really interesting posts! And why not join in on the link parties? You can meet some really nice people!! 😊
That's all for now folks! Please check out the link gadget below to see more Westerns artwork!
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"The Big Combo" (Acrylics 2016)
February 11th: Next Thursday's theme is February Films - Film Noir. Click on the link for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨
Thursday Art Date With Rain. Click on the link for a description of the art date as well as a list of upcoming themes.
Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! Also, if anyone adds a link that has nothing to do with the art date theme, it will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).
Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Mysterious and Dark. Bugs came up with the idea to pose as The Phantom of the Opera. That was a very dark and mysterious tale!
💗 I'm sorry I haven't been commenting on your blogs my Friends, I have been visiting though...life is a challenge for me these days. Please know that you all just bring so much joy to my life!! 💗
🌟🌟 A note for February's film-themed themes (say that 5 times fast)...you don't have to be a movie buff to participate! For example, next week is Westerns...it can be anything related to the Wild West! I come up with these themes to challenge you and help you find your creativity, and to help me do the same, so please don't think you can't participate because there are any rigid rules!! 😊 🌟🌟
Alien 3-D Art
One of my favourite movies is called The Night of the Hunter. It's starring Robert Mitchum, directed by Charles Laughton. It's very dark, very mysterious and extremely creepy! Well Friends, I'm not proud of this drawing of Robert Mitchum at all. I had such a hard time with it! Usually when I'm doing my charcoals, I feel relaxed and happy...this week has been emotionally draining and it shows in my artwork. Ugh. I decided to post it anyway because this blog is about my life - good or bad! Sorry Mitch! Next time I'll do ya proud!!
When I was a young girl, I learned how to play the piano. I played until I was 17 years old. Ever since then, I've dreamed of having a piano again. Well, guess what? I got a digital piano! It's used but in great shape so it was in the budget! I love it. I have to relearn, but it's coming back to me! Bringing this instrument to my home makes me feel like my life is becoming more balanced. I'll serenade you all some day in the future! 😊
Blogging friends are the best!! My friend Phil from the UK sent me this Bird Guide Book! I aim to put it to good use! Thanks Phil!
Date night at the bird feeder
In Flight
I'm still not sure if this gal is a Downy or a Hairy Woodpecker. I'm leaning towards Downy because of the length of her bill, but I have nothing to compare her to!
I'm linking up with these wonderful bloggers today, please visit them for some really interesting posts! And why not join in on the link parties? You can meet some really nice people!! 😊
That's all for now folks! Please check out the link gadget below to see more Mysterious and Dark artwork!
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"High Noon" (Prismacolor pencils 2019)
February 4th: Next Thursday's theme is February Films - Westerns. Click on the link for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨
Thursday Art Date With Rain. Click on the link for a description of the art date as well as a list of upcoming themes.
Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! Also, if anyone adds a link that has nothing to do with the art date theme, it will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).
Hello Friends!! 😊😊 Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Board Games and Game Night. Tweety Bird is having a grand old time playing Jacks. (I personally don't have the dexterity and was never good at that game!)
🌟🌟 Remember the link party is open until Friday nights around midnight so you have plenty of time to join in! It's a great way for people to see your art, your photography, your creativity! And you can meet lovely people this way!! Also, instead of answering questions on your blog posts, I will be answering them in the comment section from now on, so check back! 🌟🌟
My favourite game as a kid was Snakes and Ladders! I remember playing this game with my beloved Grandfather - great memories!! (Drawing done with ink and graphite).
"You've gotta know when to hold 'em..." - Kenny Rogers, The Gambler. When I discovered Kenny's music in the 1980's, I was a hardcore punk/alternative chick, so I had to hide my country music leanings 😊. ... I drew this with charcoals.
I loved Kenny Rogers, I got to know him with his song The Gambler - a song about a poker player. His song "Lady" is unbelievably romantic. Another favourite, "Islands In The Stream" with Dolly Parton. (Dolly is so cute in this video!)
Critters...Leo sunbathing - omg isn't he cute?
"The Twins" Jack and Marlene - always joined at the hip!
New birds at the feeder! A lonesome crow.
Woodpecker (Birding friends...is it just "Woodpecker" or "North American Woodpecker" or "Hairy Woodpecker"??) I think this is a female.
A lovely surprise, Evening Grosbeaks!!! It took me some time to identify these lovely birds!! They LOVE the black sunflower seeds!
The trailcams are amazing for taking action photos!
And the second dessert was Milles Feuilles. I challenged myself on this one, and they were so delicious!!
Are you a red wine fan? The Puglia region of Italy produces some AMAZING red wines, full-bodied, rich and smooth. This was a good one. No sourness...just a lush and flavourful wine. Stains the teeth and tongue a little black though lol...my Grandfather used to say that a black tongue after a bottle of wine indicates a great wine! 😊
I'm linking up with these wonderful bloggers today, please visit them for some really interesting posts! And why not join in on the link parties? You can meet some really nice people!! 😊
That's all for now folks! Please check out the link gadget below to see more Board Games and Game Night artwork!
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"Night On Bald Mountain" from Fantasia (Ink and Graphite)
January 28th: (Really??? End of January already???) Next Thursday's theme is Mysterious and Dark. Click on the link for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨
Thursday Art Date With Rain. Click on the link for a description of the art date as well as a list of upcoming themes.
Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! Also, if anyone adds a link that has nothing to do with the art date theme, it will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).
Hello Friends!! 😊😊 Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Birds and the Sky. Did you know that Daffy Duck auditioned for the starring role in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds? Mr. Hitchcock didn't see the irony of a bird being hunted by a different swarm of birds so he hired Tippe Hedren instead. Trivia: Tippi is the mother of actress Melanie Griffith. The Birds is such a great film, it's very suspenseful! Though I know it's fiction, I still get a little butterfly in my stomach when I see a large flock of black birds! The actual birds in the film were trained by an animal trainer and consisted of a mix of ravens, crows, sparrows and gulls.
🌟🌟 Remember the link party is open until Friday nights around midnight so you have plenty of time to join in! It's a great way for people to see your art, your photography, your creativity! And you can meet lovely people this way!! 🌟🌟
I took out the watercolour paints this week and tried my hand at clouds in the sky. I find painting clouds to be very challenging...I need more practice!
A watercolour hummingbird for Alex's birthday card. His b-day is tomorrow and I have some great food and sweets planned for him!
My idea of bliss...sitting with Jack and watching the starry sky. I did this with white charcoals.
I love this one! I followed a 5-hour tutorial to paint this duckling. It's done with coloured pencils actually. If you use solvent between layers, you get a nice painterly effect.
Critters: New birds at the feeder!
I had to ask my birding friend Phil to help me identify these, I'm such a novice! The consensus is that these are House Finches. They are lovely!
Charlie and Oscar the Cat watching the birds.
Wabbit tracks in the backyard. 😊😊
Mexican Night: Huevos Rancheros, Refried Beans and Spanish rice. My friend Elizabeth sent me her recipe for the rice and it was delicious, thanks Elizabeth!
I tried a new recipe, Pour In The Pan Pizza. It's basically a focaccia bread topped with cheese, tomatoes and oregano...and mamma mia...it was one of the best pizza's I've ever eaten! The crust is nice and crunchy but the dough itself is soft. You don't need to overload this with toppings for a delicious meal! Not sure why they called it "pour in the pan"...it doesn't quite "pour"! Click on the links for the recipes! PS: I'm halfway through updating my Recipe Page with all of the food I've made since Halloween, I should have all of the recipes up by the end of January!
I'm linking up with these wonderful bloggers today, please visit them for some really interesting posts! And why not join in on the link parties? You can meet some really nice people!! 😊
That's all for now folks! Please check out the link gadget below to see more Birds and the Sky artwork!
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Monopoly game card (drawn in ink)
January 21st: Next Thursday's theme is Board Games and Game Night. Click on the link for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨
Thursday Art Date With Rain. Click on the link for a description of the art date as well as a list of upcoming themes.
Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! Also, if anyone adds a link that has nothing to do with the art date theme, it will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).
