Catching up...

I have a few paintings I'm working on- really. I feel like this week has been uber busy and I haven't really gotten anything done done. But, things are coming along. Watch for the new paintings soon. In my free time (lol) I've been daydreaming about our little munchkin set to hatch early September. What will he look like? What will his personality be like? Will he look more like his mommy or his daddy? How the heck am I going to be a MOMMY!? See, there are so many unanswered questions. I freak out, get really excited, hurt and whine, freak out again all in a matter of minutes. This adventure will be the most unnerving, I presume, as well as the most fulfilling. I just have to stop stressing. It'll be fine, right?

AHHHH!

It's a...

BOY!!

The stats...

We had our appointment this morning, but I think I'll hold off telling you the news for a few days, just to add to the suspense. (Although, Mike's already let the cat out on his blog. But, if you want to have a little fun vote here and then check your answer!) So, I thought I'd give you some stats about the old wives tales I've been studying up on... Feel free to change your vote if you so desire based on the findings.

-Heart rate: 142
-Carrying high (from what I can tell so far)
-The hair on my legs is growing at the same rate as before, as are my fingernails
-My feet are always cold, but that's how they were before the pregnancy
-Mike doesn't seem to be gaining sympathy weight
-I am 25 and got pregnant in December (for those of you interested in the Chinese lunar calendar)
-My urine has been a dullish yellow (some of these are so ridiculous!)
-I usually crave salty or sour foods rather than sweet (which is weird, by the way- generally I LOVE me some sweets)
-I have been getting headaches, especially in the past several weeks
-If someone asks me to show them my hands I would probably do so palm side up
-A needle dangled from a thread directly above my wrist swings side to side (across my wrist, not from arm to hand.)

Okay, carry on! I'll let you know the news in a few days... unless I get too excited before then!

Cast your vote...

I just barely figured out how to add a poll to my blog, so it's a little late. I'll just have to wait to tell you the news until all votes are in! We find out on Monday... 1.5 days away! I'm pretty excited to be able to call our little bun "he" or "she" rather than "it." While you're at it, perhaps you could leave a comment about some baby names associated with your vote. We're taking any and all suggestions, so help us out! Oh... I think baby's moving around- it's like butterflies or popping popcorn. Isn't pregnancy weird and awesome and exciting and... weird?! Okay, get to voting and suggesting. :)

I'm blue

I'm not really "blue." Don't worry! We don't have cable television, so we have to watch conference online. That's fine except that I can't really sit still, watching my computer screen for two hours at a time. I needed something to keep me busy while I could listen to the messages. This was that something for this Sunday morning session. I really want to be a better painter and I really want to be able to paint portraits as I envision them. Ugh! Well, here was an attempt to keep things loose and simple. I should have stopped long ago, before crispifying the edges and adding too much detail. Now, the more I mess with it the worse it's getting, so here's where I stop.

Monochrome portrait study
6X8
Oil on canvas board

Little bird watcher

I have been painting a lot this weekend, trying to get a portrait done for a friend. It's not quite done, but I needed a break, so I did this little one. The reference photo was taken from the Police concert in Salt Lake City last year. This little girl was pretty cute with her binoculars, not really watching the concert, but watching her sister mostly. I used that really textured handmade paper like I used for the work boots a while back. It is fun to work with, but I think it's not quite right for this scene. Perhaps I will try it on canvas some other time.

Watching
6X6
Oil on handmade paper

Passion for Painting

For those who take a gander at my blog regularly, you know that I have been participating in the Different Strokes challenges pretty regularly since the beginning. I post my submissions nearly every time there's a new challenge and have had a great experience being involved with other fine artists. It is fun to look through each person's submission and try to gain a little bit from their creativity and style. I have "met" (web met, anyway) many artists I would have not had exposure to otherwise. Well, there are certain artists that I am particularly drawn to through each of these challenges and I have received a painting award by one said artist: Lesley Spanos

Thank you very much, Lesley! So, as part of this award I am to list 7 things I love and tag 7 other artists for this award.

7 Things I love:

1. Soup- I could probably eat soup every day and be really really happy about it.
2. Discovering new musicians- I love happening upon some really fabulous local music or obscure musical genre that I am able to adopt as a fave.
3. My family- of course that definitely means my super awesome, way-too-good-to-me husband, my parents and siblings, nieces and nephews, who live too far away, my extended family in various parts of the world, and my friends along the way who have become family on some level. (These are in no particular order, by the way. I love my family more than soup!)
4. School and learning- I have been working on the same degree for several years with life happening in between, but I am always very excited when I get to take classes! Currently I am taking 12 credits at the local community college!
5. Yellow ochre and titanium white- my two favorite colors to paint with. I can't get enough yellow ochre and I love finishing a painting with that highlight of white. I also love linseed oil.
6. Laughing- sometimes I just laugh at really silly, random things because it makes me feel good. I think Mike likes it to.
7. Sun and warmth- I am often cold, even in the summer, so on the rare occasion that I am warm and cozy I am in love! I love soft, cuddly blankies and super hot showers just to kick things off in that direction.

Okay, now 7 artists I nominate... (Some that seem to fall into that drawn-to category)

1. Sally Tharp
2. Maria Kovalenko Leysens
3. Dana Cooper
4. Debbie Miller
5. Carolee Clark
6. Torrie Smiley
7. Ed Marion