Pastel Magic

Some days pastels have to be loved for themselves.....



Having a bit of fun with a five by seven inch space, fuzzy board, and favorite shapes.


Playing with color. Playing with shapes. You have your own favorites. Use them - or dare to put a triangle where you'd always put a square!
I don't know why a sentence/thought will pop into the head, but I always try to write it down if it shows up. Ya never know if it might lead to the whole new next series.


These marks were made with some of the softest pastels on the table. Mostly Terry Ludwig goodies.


The marks ruled the composition. I tried to stay out of forcing anything. Play play pop pop. Very few areas of layering. The intensity of colors and their relationship to neighbors' colors and shapes became the main point of this little piece. Don't know if it's finished. But I do know that it's fun.

Goof off for even the tiniest part of your day today. In art, in taking a short walk, in ordering a different kind of coffee. In seeing how long you can hold your breath; dare to skip two, or maybe three skips down the sidewalk. It might be when the Magic happens!

Fare-thee-well and Good Luck!
Sue

Protection?

Teddy Wedged-Badly

OADMD - in Honor of Karen Grimm

The One-A-Day-Motivational-Drawing is today inspired by a remarkable woman. Karen Grimm lived a too-short, but really big life. Others will have different words to share. I wanted to gather inspiration from her long-time joy of life and ability to do well in many worlds.


This little page is a reminder that one can accomplish amazing stuff - if a person stays true to the quest. Hard work and heart can do tons. They can't do the impossible..... and that's a sad fact.


Thanks, Karen, for all you did in your many worlds - model horses, real Appaloosas, and flying - to name a few. A few of us will live differently from today - at least for a while. Touching folks' lives is kind of a big deal, and you touched so many. Here's hoping that these little scribbles keep reminding us of how some kind words or acts can make another's day or week or year.


Most often we take our days for granted. Cliche? Yup. But this day is all we might have. If we spend it bitching or angry we have spent that one more minute, hour, day bitching or angry. If we spend it joyful - it will have been spent joyful. too simple? Perhaps. Today is being spent sad yet joyful. And appreciating being able to see one more chickadee, admire one more baby lupine, and wash one more bowl.

Here in Minnesota May is that hard month of in-be-tween-ness. Lots of fields are still cold and empty. We want to see more green and feel more sunshine. But we have to learn to live with the day we have today. May it be a day of growth and a day filled with thankfulness.

Thanks again, Karen. Peter and your family is in our thoughts and prayers.
On to your next Grand Adventure!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue

OADMD - Llamas

Ah yes. Still with the llama theme. Oh well. At least I'm not still "seeing" them when I close my eyes. We must continue on with OADMD attempt to use up pencil bits. Llama inspiration? Ya sure, ya betcha.


Playing with our old friend OADMD April 26 (Frugal) permits us the adding of llamas and reflections upon these Fibery folks. Hour after hour the penned crew remained mainly calm and oddly interested and upbeat. Llamas are built much differently than our usual farm friends - in particular, their body part ratios do not compute to those of horses. We who have memorized equine proportions must retrain our eyes and hands. Heads, ears, necks, barrels, legs, tails - yes, the features add up properly, but their relationships are distinctly llama-y. More about this in a later post.


Yes, one can be both Relaxed and Alert. Maybe it's in the hay........


Goofing off time. Decorative features morph into llamas. This is madness. But the pencil chips ARE getting smaller. Do not forget the point of this post. We are using up pencil points - and still have quite the way to go. It's both exciting and dis-heartening to realize how much use can still be made of those tiny bits of used-to-be pencil. Next......? Inspirational fibers, of course.

To be continued............

Sue

Another Day - Another Llama

Llama Magic 2011

Look ma - no legs! Only kidding. Plenty of the short-hocked, two-toed, woolly shanked underpinning - just neated folded and out of the way.


Yes, I know. These two guys are not llamas. The ram is a sort of vintage English breed. As with some llamas and this sheep, well, the gate-way "drug" seems to be joining 4-H. Hoorah for 4-H!


Attitude is not a feature lacking in llamas. All present in the barn we were in seemed to practice a relaxed interest, yet not REALLY caring about what was going on around them. Perhaps we humans could learn from their example? Only late on the second day did a quiet resignation/boredom seem to set in. Well, with humans and animals alike.


Wake me when it's time to go home......


More wild llama action to follow. Kidding..... Only one bit of adventure on Sunday when an adult fleecy type tried to make a break for freedom. Enough calm and savvy humans were on hand to prevent escape and/or injury. Brought back loose cow/break-away draft horse/errant ewe adventures long set back in my city-fied brain.

Yes, many more photos of our new furry friends remain to be displayed and discussed. And then - let the drawing fun begin!

Looking out at daffodils - hip hip hooray!
And looking forward to vending our bear goodies at the 8th Annual Dolls in Spring doll and teddy bear show May 15th, at the Mermaid Event Center, 2200 Hwy 10, Mounds View, MN (corner of Cty Rd H & Hwy 10 just of of 35W). For more info: www.CPromotionsPlus.com

We will have some new images as well as our "classics." Come visit!

Fare-thee-well,
Sue