Work in Progress

Well as promised, here is the elusive gourd which is still a work in progress. I can't seem to decide to just be done with it. I had promised B's parents that it would be done in time for their departure this morning but alas it is not. Originally we talked about toying with some colored pencil on it and just doing periodic sections of color on the gourd. However, while sitting on the porch last night, hanging out with them and trying my hand at the colored pencil technique, we all fell in love with the effect! At which point I told them that I simply had to color the whole thing or I wouldn't be happy, and so I am going to finish the color work on it this week, put the clear coat on it and send it off in the mail. At which point I will post some better photos than these. By the time I went to photograph the pre-color phase of the gourd last night, it was pretty late and so these photos are not the best and there are far too many shadows but oh well. It's a work in progress what can I say. Oh yeah and I realized I didn't have the lid on straight....trust me the images do match up I swear. I'm also toying with adding some more grasses via wood burning but we'll see how I feel. For now I must say that I am stoked about the colored pencil effect. I had no idea it would look so good on a gourd, and I plan on doing more of those.

Stay tuned......

Sandiana

Happy Birthday to Me

Today is my birthday. I've been on this earth 33 years now, and most of the time I'm good with that. This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to spend the weekend in Portland with my sister and my adorable nephews. We had a blast but most of all we laughed and ate cupcakes at my favorite cupcake place in the world! I decided that today I would post photos that correspond to some things that I like and that I'm thankful for (trying to be more positive in my old age and all....). These are kind of in order of the photos.

1) most of these photos have blue and green in them. My favorite color is Blue. My second favorite color is green

2) I love cupcakes especially when shared!

3)I am in love with the pacific northwest! and so happy to live here

4)I hope to one day meet up with this guy in his natural habitat, because I am also obsessed with visiting Africa

5) I Heart the Ocean and I'm so happy that it's only over the mountains from my house.

6)I love photographing, smelling, receiving and giving flowers of any kind.

7) I really like waterfalls especially those surrounded my large rocks dripping with moss.

8) Wildlife is my hobby, my job and my passion, and anytime I can be up close with nature I'm really happy!

9) I like being silly and don't do it nearly enough. Thank goodness I have the boys to show me how it's done.

10) I don't have a photo here, but I have a wonderful husband, a wonderful family and wonderful friends. Tonight I also get to spend my birthday with my very cool in laws who traveled very far to see B and I and stay for my birthday, and have put up with my crabbiness from a long week at work and frantic over-scheduling from last week that left me stressed and grumpy. We have a nice evening of dinner and some porch time planned before they head back to Illinois tomorrow.

I've decided that this year I want to try and accomplish 33 new things or new places or new challenges. I'm off to a good start, and I'll post my progress here, but I thought who knows....if I can make it to 80 and accomplish 80 things in one year....wouldn't that be something!

Thanks everyone for humoring me on my birthday!

Sandiana