Can you believe it's Monday already?
Where did the weekend go?
Oh yeah, we were stuck at home, that's where
it went. Thank you ice storm! (sarcasm)...
well I hope everyone had a safe time...
I know my kids got a little stir crazy,
they enjoyed the ice for awhile and then it got old!

I learned at least two important things from this ice storm:
-we really should clean out the gutters before they fall off.
-there is a reason that plastic dustpans aren't generally used as ice scrapers.

a new drawing by my daughter (11 yrs old). Her drawings are usually situational comedies. I just love her ability to show expression in her figures!
Posted by Hello

and a close up view
Posted by Hello

Don't miss Jib Jab's Second Term!

I would like to thank this lady for looking out for me! I appreciate the referral!

BabySewCute.com

http://www.babysewcute.com/

We specialize in handmade baby sweater sets, blankets, bibs, booties,

dresses, and other fine quality baby gifts!

This little map shows where my site visitors (to www.darladixon.com) are coming from. I wonder, where are the Alaskans?
Posted by Hello

I worked on BT's son's portrait, it is an age regression picture.
Her son is about 8 yrs old in the photo and I am making him toddler-aged.
I scanned it, and now I see all kinds of things I need to change. It's funny, for me, scanning the artwork shows me things I need to change, just as many artists use mirrors to see what they need to adjust in an artwork. I need to make his cheeks chubbier and give the tip of his nose more of a baby look, then I will be done.

PW's artwork of a room is going along well, I am expecting some titles for the books that are on the bookshelves in the drawing (they all have particular meaning), then I will put it all together, probably in one sitting or late night draw-fest. Most people will look at the artwork and go, "huh. A room. hmm." But for the people giving it and the person receiving it, everything in the picture has a special 'inside' meaning. It will be really special. I get excited just thinking about that.

I still have on my mind that I need to finish JC's portrait. I just need some research time. I need some research time for PW's portrait too. I don't know what artists did before the Internet. On one hand, it is a distraction and can tend to get me behind (my brother in law calls it a Tangent Machine and I think that's pretty accurate!) but on the other hand, when I need to see a photograph of something so I can draw it, it sure is handy!

My daughter seems to have the flu (her fever comes and goes) and I have had a headache off and on (the same old congestion headache) for about 3 days now.

I am still trying to get some things ready for the Tsunami Relief yard sale that's coming up this week. I still have people bringing stuff by to donate. That is SO nice of them. I am trying to stay focused and I want to get all my art wrapped up within the next couple days. That seems like an impossible mission sometimes, but I have to set goals if I expect to meet them. I usually do, with God's help.

Darla

I have always considered 7 to be my 'lucky number' even though I'm not superstitious. Isn't this interesting?!?

You Are the Enthusiast

7 You are outgoing and playful - always seeing the happy side to life. You're enthusiastic and excitable. You love anything new. Multi-talented, you do many things well... and find success easy. You prefer to keep things light with others. Opening up is hard for you.

What number are you?

Today couldn't have started any better. It's going to be 67 degrees today. This does a lot for my mood! Also I clicked on the radio and the first song I heard was Everyday I Write the Book by Elvis Costello and it doesn't get much better than that. The only problem I've had this morning was getting DD1 out of bed. She wants to stay up late and sleep in all the time.

I'm not ashamed to brag on myself this morning either. I have to say that removing all the junk from their room and then having them sort it all out and deciding what would go back in their room was brilliance! We have really great stuff for the tsunami relief garage sale and now their room is orderly, with bins for toys and stuff that are actually labeled! Now everything has a place. I wish I had taken a 'before' picture. You wouldn't believe the transformation. It is like a room makeover. It is an attitude-makover too, because there has been much less squabbling between the girls for the last two days. I think decluttering the room removed a lot of stress.
I'm surprised that they let as much stuff go as they did. I think they went to school in a much better frame of mind this morning than usual. It is such a relief that that's done.

Today to work on the artwork that is lined up on my fireplace mantel! Having my son 16 months ago took away my in-home 'studio' (the so called 'spare' bedroom) and space is at a premium. I like putting the artwork on the mantel for more than a couple reasons, the main ones being: a) it's safe from destruction by the toddler; and, b) I can see at a glance the jobs to do; c) Most of the art is too big to fit in a file anyway! I have about 5-6 jobs going right now. I love them all. I will be working like a madwoman the next couple days.

Thanks for stopping by,
Darla

The Gwinnett Daily Post (reporter and photographer) are going to be at
my house today (at 2 pm) so I just got done with a 'stash and dash'
(quick clean up and hide the dirty pots and pans in the oven LOL) They
called me around noon today!

I have at least 3 neighbors who are going to do this too -
they are very excited about it, it is going to be crazy but I think really fun.

The newspaper wants to do human interest stories on what families are doing to help the tsunami victims.

Darla

You Are a Dreaming Soul

Your vivid emotions and imagination takes you awy from this world So much so that you tend to live in your head most of the time You have great dreams and ambitions that could be the envy of all... But for you, following through with your dreams is a bit difficult You are charming, endearing, and people tend to love you. Forgiving and tolerant, you see the world through rose colored glasses. Underneath it all, you have a ton of passion that you hide from others. Always hopeful, you tend to expect positive outcomes in your life. Souls you are most compatible with: Newborn Soul, Prophet Soul, and Traveler Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

I found a lot of humor in this (and truth) because my little guy is 16 months old.
Thanks to Cheryl

I am a Toddler!

If it's on, I must turn it off.

If it's off, I must turn it on.

If it's folded, I must unfold it.

If it's high, it must be reached.

If it's shelved, it must be unshelved.

If it's pointed, it must be run with at top speed.

If it has leaves, they must be picked.

If it's plugged, it must be unplugged.

If it's not trash, it must be thrown away.

If it's in the trash, it must be removed, inspected,and thrown on the floor.

If it's closed, it must be opened.

If it doesn't open, it must be screamed at.

If it has drawers, they must be rifled.

If it's a pencil, it must write on the refrigerator, computer monitor, or table.

If it's full, it will be more interesting emptied.

If it's empty, it will be more interesting full.

If it's a pile of dirt, it must be laid upon.

If it's a stroller, it must under no circumstances be ridden in without protest. It must be pushed by me instead.

If it has a flat surface, it must be banged upon.

If mommy's hands are full, I must be carried.

If mommy is in a hurry and wants to carry me, I must walk alone.

If it's paper, it must be torn.

If it has buttons, they must be pressed.

If the volume is low, it must go high.

If it's toilet paper, it must be unrolled on the floor.

If it's a drawer, it must be pulled upon.

If it's YOUR toothbrush, it must be inserted into MY mouth.

If it's MY toothbrush, it must be inserted into YOUR mouth.

If it has a faucet, it must be turned on at full force.

If it's a phone, I must talk into it.

If it's a bug, it must be swallowed.

If it doesn't stay on my spoon, it must be dropped on the floor.

If it's not food, it must be tasted.

If it's food, it must NOT be tasted.

If it's dry, it must be made wet with drool, milk, or toilet water.

If it has a tail, I must yank it.

If Mommy wants me to come, I must run away.

If Mommy wants me to go away, I must CLING ON FOR DEAR LIFE!

If it's stacked up, it must be knocked down.

If it's sticky, it must go in my hair.

If it's bath time, I must run around naked till I am caught!

If it is Mommy or Daddy, it must be hugged.

I am wanting to do something to help the tsunami victims, so I'd like to give to Unicef.
The children over there need help - I saw a man from Unicef on CNN yesterday, and he said the children suffer greatly - imagine being a kid and seeing your parents (and more) washed away from you by those huge tides - and he said a great threat to the children is sexual exploitation, and that that has been a problem for the last 10-20 years in Thailand. That makes me sick.
He said that it is going to take a lot of time, 2-5 years or more, for children to come to grips with what has happened to them.

I'm tired of feeling helpless and I want to do something. So I thought, I have a garage jam packed with stuff. I'm thinking of having a fundraising yard sale. All the money to go to Unicef. It's a win-win situation...I get a clean garage and also get to send money to Unicef. Now I'm thinking bigger...I think I will let all my neighbors know, and maybe we can make it a neighborhood thing.

Here is a list of charities, if you are interested

American Red Cross International Response Fund https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation-form.asp

AmeriCares South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund https://www.americaresfoundation.net/donate/default.aspx?id=South%20Asia%20Earthquake%20Relief%20Fund

Direct Relief International International Assistance Fund https://www.directrelief.org/sections/support_us/d_donate_now.html

Médecins Sans Frontières International Tsunami Emergency Appeal http://www.msf.org/donations/index.cfm

Oxfam Asian Earthquake & Tsunami Fund https://secure.ga3.org/02/asia_earthquake04

Sarvodaya Relief Fund for Tsunami Tragedy http://www.sarvodaya.org/

UNICEF South Asia Tsunami Relief Efforts https://www.unicefusa.org/site/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=duLRI8O0H&b=277271&en=ceKIKHPkG6LzGIPrGbJALJNnFcJSJ3MCIhIPKZPwEiKMLVMIH

I got myself into a grump-fest last night and had a hard time crawling out of that hole. Everything was grating on my nerves. I snapped at my husband.

I needed 16x20" paper for a portrait, and I didn't have that size, but I had ONE sheet of 18"x24," so after some careful marking and measuring I was ready to cut it down to the right size. Then after all that, I notice that the paper is bent in a place that can't be avoided. Well, my client is not going to get the portrait done on bent paper.

My husband suggests I run out to the store to get some, and while I'm at it, get some chocolate, or whatever it takes so I don't kill the family. (he said so jokingly, but hey the PMS can be that bad I swear sometimes!)

So I run out to Hobby Lobby, and they were closing the doors right then. Made me think, there should be a special identification badge for professional artists, so we can get into craft and art stores, even if they're closing...like "here's my badge, let me in, don't worry, I'm a PROFESSIONAL!" and they should say in a French accent, "but of course Ms. Dixon! Please entre-vous!" with grandiose arm swooshing and cater to my every whim.

But alas, it doesn't work that way, so I was off to Joann Etc. (we don't have a Dick Blick store or other real 'art' store in Snellville). Yeehaw, Joann's was open until 9 pm, so I was able to shop, but they also didn't have my specific paper I needed in stock. They did have 16x20 size paper, but it was flimsy, non archival stuff that I wasn't going to use. That didn't stop me from buying some other papers and pencils though :) Oh man, I am a MAJOR art and office supply junkie. If I won the lottery, that would probably be the first place I would go.

Still need the 16x20 paper though. Nice excuse to go to some more art shops.

This site will tell you what song was number one on the charts on the day you were born:
Mine was Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds (and I love that song, too!)
Find out yours and let me know what it was!

I didn't write this one, but I love it!



EVERYONE REPEAT THIS WITH ME:



Bill Gates is NOT going to send me money, Victoria's

Secret doesn't know

anything about a gift certificate they're supposed

to send me, and Ford

will not give me a 50% discount even if I HAVE

forwarded my e-mail to more

than 50 people. I will NEVER receive gift

certificates, coupons or freebies

from Coke Cola, Cracker Barrel, or Old Navy if I

send this to 10 people who

don't know who I am anyway.



My phone will not MYSTERIOUSLY ring after I forward

this. There is NO SUCH

THING as an Email tracker, and I am not STUPID

enough to think that someone

will send me $100 for forwarding this to 10 or more

people.



There is no kid with cancer through the "Make a

Wish" program in collecting

anything. He did when he was 7 yrs old. He is now

cancer free and 35 years

old and DOESN'T WANT ANY MORE POSTCARDS, CALLING

CARDS OR GET WELL CARDS!



The government does not have a bill in congress

called 601B (or whatever

they named it this week) that, if passed, will

enable them to charge us 5

cents for every e-mail we send.



There will be NO cool dancing, singing, waving,

colorful flower, character,

or program I will receive immediately after I

forward this. People are just

trying to talk me into doing it to make me look like

a fool.



The American Red Cross will not donate 50 cents to a

certain individual

dying of some never heard of before disease for

every email address I send

this to. The American Red Cross RECEIVES donations,

they don't donate!



And finally, I WILL NOT let others guilt me into

sending things on to my

friends for fear they will think I am not their

friend...or by telling me I

have no conscience or don't believe in JESUS CHRIST.



Now, repeat this until you've memorized it and then

send it along to at

least 5 of your friends before the next full moon or

you will be constipated!

Happy New Year from Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am working today, (and watching the Rose Parade) so I welcome the visitors who are coming here from my link on PayPal Shops and from anywhere else! Send me an email anytime at darla.dixon@gmail.com
Have a great day!

Darla