Standing Still

New Painting: Standing Still
I've added the image (different words) to some things in my Zazzle store.
I think I'll wait until Monday to throw the original into my Etsy shop.
Let's say around noon...my time. :)
Have a lovely weekend all!

Around my house..

...there is always a thin layer (okay, sometimes thick) of dust protecting my most treasured possessions.


















Note: I didn't include my family because they are pretty good at keeping themselves clean.

An Infamous Encounter

Original painting in my shop! Can you believe it?
If you want to see the rest go here.

Eli is waiting to get on the computer so I don't have time for a proper birthday post, but...
HAPPY 45TH BIRTHDAY, MIKE DUDA!

I LOVE YOU!

Good bye Summer

Well the boys are off. Just us girls here now. (me, Penny, Misty, and Lisa)
I've been trying to keep busy and adjust to the quiet.
Took Penny for a walk and am about to hit the shower.

I finished up this commissioned painting this morning. Does anyone remember when all of my faces used to look like this?
I've called this "Here Comes The Sun". It's based on a sketch that I did way back in 2006... when I first began to test out my artistic wings. I've pretty much moved on from this type of girl, but it was fun to go back and see what she looks like all painted up.

Okay, next up. Some new original artwork for my shop. It's been forever!

IF - Caution

I was going to post this Little Red sketch anyway. But now I'm going to go ahead and use it for the Illustration Friday prompt of Caution. I mean really?. What was her Mother thinking?

Don't know if I'll do anything with these two. Just wanted to see what the Duda version would look like.
Her legs need work. And he doesn't look all that fierce. Oh well.

Messy Desk, Messy Brain

Remember when you were all like, "Your desk is so neat and organized." HA! Here's what it looks like now. My brain feels just as messy. So much going on up there! I feel like I'm in one of those dreams where you are running but not getting anywhere.
I seem to have accomplished very little this week and I don't hold much hope for today either.

Eli's fundraiser hoagies will be done today and will need to be picked up and delivered. Plus he has a scrimmage this evening.
If it was just practice I'd just drop him off and Mike would pick him up. But a scrimmage...I should probably stay and watch.
Hulafrogs need their finishing touches and then need to be packaged up and sent out.
Still anxious to make new art, but I may not get back at it until Monday.

This didn't help either. My nephew's new puppy, Jack.

You can't get much else done when you're lovin' a puppy. :)
And so that's what's going on here.
A lot and yet nothing.
I'll leave you with some pictures of my boys. Only a few more days of sleepin' in before school starts. :(

Josh was up late drawing and fell asleep on the couch.

Eli exhausted from yet another Pirate game. At least they won this time.

Taylor left on Saturday for school in Hawaii. Six hour time difference keeps Aaron up late texting (and channel surfing apparently). Here's the result.

Okay. I've got to move it, move it!

Hulafrog Group Photo

CHEESE!

IF - Wrapped

I have some newer sketched that I could have used for this week's IF prompt - Wrapped, but this older one was a perfect fit.

I have the last of my Hulafrogs sketched onto canvas and I'm off to start the painting. Yay!

Gotta Hurry

Wanted to stop in quickly and show you all this.



Judy over at Judy"s Crafty Moments did such a great job creating these lovely projects with my stamps that she went and got us on the cover of Craft STamper Magazine! How cool is that?

And also here's the latest Hulafrog.

Gotta run and get a quick shower. There are kids to pick up, hockey practice to get to, dinner to make, and Flight of the Conchords Season 2 just arrive from Netflix!

Story time

Hulafrog #8. Only two more to go...for now anyway.

I must admit I am hankerin' to paint something with long flowing hair and big blue eyes. I find myself sketching little girls while I'm sitting here at the computer. But green is good too. :)

Mike started another freelance job today. And Eli is off working at a local pumpkin patch to help raise money for ice hockey. (wrote the first check yesterday) Also his girlfriend and her family have been so helpful in this area. Letting him do yard work, throwing change in a big bottle for just this purpose, selling hoagies... He is very loved. :)

Aaron is over at Taylor's helping her pack. She will be leaving for school in Hawaii on Saturday. We are going to miss her so much. Thank goodness for Facebook. Meanwhile, after being postponed twice by the recording studio, Flyght will start recording their first tracks on Aug. 21. Hopefully this won't interfere with the beginning of school because I know which one takes priority for Aaron. Can you guess?

And Josh is thrilled to have SOLD his first drawing to his friend Kate for $7. Shouldn't be long before he has an Etsy shop of his own.

Okay, best go knock out a few more frogs.
Talk soon. :)

Hello Sunday!

It's going to be a hot one! No rain in our forecast.
We've been keeping busy around here. Me with the frogs, of course. Mike did some house projects yesterday. Hung the shelves in my little nook and moved a shelf in Josh and Eli's room from bunk bed level down to regular bed level. Now that room is need a major clean up! Those two have a lot of crap! (i mean treasures)

We're headin' out to Staples now to get some ink and run some other errands before temperatures reach the 90's. (for the 1st time since LAST June!) Eli's not happy about this since he has two deck games in a row this evening. It doesn't help that they usually have no subs either and that he ends up running for 2 hours straight. :(

Keep cool!

FAll Hulafrogs

Still working my way through the Hulafrogs.
Next up, Hulafrog girl in the rain.
I'll be working on it while we watch "The Emperor's New Groove". It's a family favorite.
WHY DO THEY EVEN HAVE THAT LEVER!?!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

IF - Impatience

For the IF prompt: Imapatience

If - Modify

I wish I could MODIFY my personality to be less like this girl...


...and more like this one. :)

Just taking a break from the Hulafrogs to post these quick, messy sketches for the IF theme: Modify.
The not-so-shy girl is part of a painting I'll be working on when I finish up with the frogs.
For those of you asking, unfortunately, the Hulafrogs won't be for sale. The originals will go to the lovely folks at Hulafrog and I won't be making prints of them. However I do plan on making some similar paintings sometime in the future.
Thanks for asking. :)

I think I'll be an artist!

Hulafrog #5. Halfway done!
I'm getting a bit anxious about not working with flesh colors! I already have some girl-y sketches that I'm going to work on when this project is done.
But I really am having fun doing these and can't wait to see the finished website.

In other news, Mike finished up his freelance job today so I guess it's time to start worrying again.
We're still good for now though. Heck we made it through the first month of unemployment so why not a few more?

Oh and just found out the other day that my cousin is expecting his first child. So congratulations to them and to all of the grandparents, aunts, and uncles that will also come into being on that day. :) Yay for babies!!!

Another day...

...another frog (or two) for the Hulafrog website.