Friday, April 29, 2016

story rocks

Finally listed something I have been meaning to for months...
some story rocks...
A set of rocks with images drawn on each side in a handpainted muslin pouch....
all in white but I think the next one will have images in color, maybe on  clay "rocks" ...







First here's my bit from the etsy listing.....
"A simple pouch...
and some pretty river rocks....
some time to kill...
all add up to more than just a simple way to encourage creativity,
and pass the time you would have wasted in line,
in the drive-through
or waiting for your food in a restaurant.
They add up to making memories with someone special.

Carry this little pouch in your car or purse and pull it out when you need to entertain your children, (or yourself). Just have them pick three stones, and make up a story to go with the three chosen stones. If you are stuck for ideas, you get one "flip over", to turn a rock over to have an alternate image to use. If you think you aren't creative enough to do this you are wrong, and practice DOES make it easier. JUST TRY IT! If your kids are a bit older let them make up a story for you. Your kids might enjoy making little books to write their stories in. "





My story for you....Not an amazing story but just a simple story that came up after randomly picking out these three rocks.... you get the idea....
The CRESCENT MOON, the HOOT OWL, and the SLICE OF WATERMELON
     On the night of the CRESCENT MOON, deep in the middle of a long dark winter... a small boy with brown hair, and eyes so black they looked like midnight, sat up in bed because he thought he heard something strange. The boy was tired and lonely. He had been laying in bed wishing for a friend to talk to, someone who would really listen.
      He shivered in the dark of his room, listening for the strange sound, and suddenly he heard it again. It was a HOOT OWL. Outside his window, calling out to the young boy over and over. whooo. whoooooo. whooooooooooooo.
       The little boy was drawn to the window, and pried it open to hear the song better. A cold gust of winter air swirled in, along with some snow sparkling in the little sliver of moonlight. whooo. whooooo. whooooooooo. And, in flew the owl, who landed right on the boy's bed. It sat there, on top of the purple quilt the boy's grandmother had sewn for him as a baby, blinking it's big wide eyes at the enchanted boy.
      It was as if the boy could read the owl's mind because he felt sure the owl was asking for some food. It had been a winter of deep snow, and all the animals were struggling to find food. But the boy had no idea what an owl ate. He ran to the kitchen anyway and without turning on the kitchen light he rummaged through the open refrigerator, finding only a single SLICE OF WATERMELON his dad had cut for his breakfast the next morning. 
     The little boy grabbed the watermelon, hoping is father wouldn't mind, stumbled back up the stairs to his room, and placed the plate of watermelon on the bed in front of the owl, who immediately started eating nibbles of the pink fruit. He appeared to love watermelon. After 5 minutes of eating and eating, the owl looked back up at the boy, tilted it's head to say thank you, made a small owl noise that is impossible to spell out in a story, and flew back out the way it had came. 
     The boy and owl became friends on that night, and the owl came back often, eating nibbles of fruit and nuts from the boy's hands over time. 
     Each night they told each other stories without words.... and both of them were very good listeners.

Friday, April 22, 2016

hello spring finally

This week the snow is gone and we've had beautiful 80 degree weather...
what a difference a few days made...
there are tiny snow drops all over my overgrown flower beds... 
and the little purple flower are back in my yard, not violets yet, but something else, (I can't remember their name)...
actually I shouldn't have even mentioned them as I don't have a photo... 
But the purplish weed photographed is dead nettle. 
I do have tons of that up...
and I tried it in a salad this week as it is supposedly very good for you and completely edible. 
I didn't mind it but my family hated it.
 I did read on other websites that people often put it in smoothies instead of salads to get the nutrients without the texture.
 maybe I will try that,




as for art,
 I did a variety of things but only have one thing to show...
do you remember BigBig from last summer? 
(If not, then click here for one of many posts about our trip with Bigbig)
well, he was going to be in my alphabet book on the B page with this tiny sketch of him, but then I went back to an old idea I had for him and am off into a new/old direction!
I will let you know where it takes me later.
(I love twisted paths and divergent roads anyway...........)


Friday, April 15, 2016

hello

Another friday has come again so quickly...
I thought we were due for spring, I had some flowers up in my yard, little crocuses and then we got snow...
inches of snow...
days of snow...







But it has all melted again now 
and I have been working on a mandala (still in progress)
 

 for my e-class; 
Falling Into Mandalas 


coming out in July, 2016
You can signup at coursecraft here
 (also still in progress),

and I have been working on little alphabet children
 (I can't decide between detailing in pencil.... or pen. Goldie and Tim are pen, and Annie and Meg are pencil.)  
.





And I have been working on some fabric too, 
for Spoonflower's "Sprout" contest...
they are looking for a fabric that would work well in a Kimono style pattern. 


See you soon,


Friday, April 8, 2016

announcing....
the winner of my book giveaway...

Linda Kunsman!
Congrats Linda!

the book is on the way...

This week I have been working on coming up with characters, little girls I like... and it seems to have evolved into an alphabet book, without even trying...






 

I have three or four more already but I don't have photos yet.
Gotta rush...
Happy Friday!

Friday, April 1, 2016

glimpse in my sketchbook

 New blog and etsy headers and logos...
I have been playing around with making a logo, and finally settled on one. 



I have taken the extra piece of watercolor paper after cutting  my pages into squares to use for the mandalas I have been working on for the e-class, Falling into Mandalas, that I am creating. (hopefully it will start July 14th!), and I used those pieces to practice logos and headers. I have a new one on etsy that will show up April 1st, 



and you have already seen the new one here. here's some of my practices, and some girls from my sketchbook...
lots of bright color has been my plan lately....
and also!...
I have my own domain name now!
www.fallingladies.com
it's not complete yet but almost.
I am hoping it will make it easier for people to find me.







see you next time...
also: you have until midnight tonight to comment on my last friday's post to win a chance at the mandala book I am in called "Mandalas for the Inspired artist"
Good luck!
And thanks to those of you who have already ordered your own signed copy from me in person or on etsy!