Now that we're back from Encinitas and Rocky seems to have recovered from her mysterious ailment (tongue biting with possible bladder infection on the side?), I can laugh about our Thanksgiving trip. You see, Wednesday night Rocky was not well and to be honest I was pretty sure we would wake up Thanksgiving morning to find her passed away. That didn't happen and since we couldn't leave our sick cat home alone and we didn't want to cancel our trip down south to Encinitas, we took her with us. It all seemed too much like a scene from a Vacation movie and I was afraid we were going to have to transport a dead cat back home. *shudder* Rocky spent the whole way down on my lap or at my feet just resting while I pet her and again, since I thought we might lose her, it seemed like the right thing to do. Turns out it was. By Friday morning she was perking up and by Saturday she seemed mostly back to her 14 year old self. She rode home in her carrier and is doing well.
We celebrated Chris' 40th on Friday with the Hillmans and the Helgrens. He did a nice long ride that morning, we ate a nice brunch made by his dad, and then I served his requested quiche dinner and his favorite grasshopper pie, whipped up by his mom and I.
I made this little painting for him using an ink resist technique I learned a few years ago from an illustration class. Other than the masking tape not working out and the ink spilling out onto the frame, I'm pleased with it and Chris enjoyed it, too. The scene is from a mountain biking relay race Chris did in August in Simi Valley.
This is the original photo. I messed with the contrast of the picture to get the basic look, painted the scene with gouache (everything including white areas and excepting black areas), let it dry and then covered the whole thing with India ink. After the ink dried, I rinsed it and magically, the ink on top of the painted areas washes away, leaving the unpainted areas black. Last I went back in with gouache and a black ink pen and retouched some areas. Now we just need to matte it so you won't be able to see the awful ink spillage - et voila, fini.
And next, I had to go to the office on Monday to help transition a project from a manager who is leaving to another manager. While I was there, my work status came up, as it does nearly every time I'm in the office. So, you're not ready to come back full time? In my mind, I was laughing hysterically and thinking, "no, it'll be about 14 more years before I want to come back full time". But I simply said, no, not yet. Then on Wednesday, I had another work meeting and this time, someone else says, "Are you coming back full time?" Uh, no, where did you hear that?
And finally, I'm having a little autumn envy. Many in the blogosphere are basking in their autumn wonderfulness. I used to love autumn, the cooler weather, the crisp air, putting on a sweater... granted, where I grew up, it was not the traditional northeast autumn and we had a spell of "Indian Summer" as it was called, but it was a different season for sure. But here? Autumn is all about blazing hot, dry, hills on fire. So I'm having a little autumn envy. I know, it's only the first week, quit complaining. Ok.
One knits fingerless gloves.
One draws a ladybug with watercolor pencils.
Watercolor on paper, 7 inch by 7 inch. If you've ever read The Quiltmaker's Journey, you've seen those little pins all over the book. I had to try some myself.
My good friend read this poem at our wedding. She recently got married herself (eloped to Santa Barbara in fact) and so I've been working on some gifts: the napkins and this painting. I've had this frame bumping around for a while, originally I think it came from my Nana (my paternal grandma).
Yes, you've seen this before, but I took a better picture this time. And I'm entering him into a monster contest. This is Sofia's monster, named Murdoch. Acrylic on canvas board. 9 in. by 12 in.
Pen and ink with watercolor on illustration board. 8 in. by 10 in. This was done for my niece as part of a "secret buddy" exchange at her theater group. Her buddy describes himself as "metro" and likes to breakdance. Apparently, he loved it.
This is a quickie painting I did for my honey for his birthday in November.
I got together with some friends to dye silk scarves for playing. My girls got one of the rainbows pictured for Christmas and they love it!
Christmas card production this year...
A butterfly mobile for my twin niece and nephew.
...and lastly, a set of puppets for my niece to go along with a really cute story.
Acrylic paint and ink on illustration board. 9 in. by 12. in.
This is my entry for the 2007 Love Your Body Poster contest. I am pleased with the outcome. Wish me luck!
Gouache and ink on illustration board. 8.5 in. by 11 in. 
Acrylic on illustration board. 9.25 in. by 12 in.
Acrylic on canvas board. 10 in. by 14 in.
This is based on a photo I took of my two girls at a farm this spring. I am reposting a new version on Friday 6/9, which I think is better, not perfect, but that's what practice is for, right.
Acrylic on canvas board. 9 in. by 12 in.
