If you have been wanting to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, please consider giving to an organization called Modest Needs. Modest Needs was started by Keith Taylor, with his OWN money...he set aside several hundred dollars per month in order to help others avoid financial catastrophes. Your donation is tax deductible. I just made a donation of $25, which I wish could have been more...I know we all feel that whatever we have to give is such a 'drop in the bucket,' and not very helpful...after all, who has the billions of dollars it will take?... but if everyone who can make any donation, of $5, $10 or even matching what I gave, it will add up to a lot. Modest Needs is trying to raise at least $5,000 for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Would you be willing to match my $25 donation?
It will take about 2 minutes or less
CLICK HERE to access secure donation form

What is Modest Needs?

Modest Needs is a non-profit organization reaching out to hard-working individuals and families who suddenly find themselves faced with small, emergency expenses that they have no way to afford on their own.

Most persons living paycheck to paycheck earn just barely too much to qualify for any type of conventional assistance. This means they can't receive the help they need to overcome a short-term crisis - until they've already lost everything.

Modest Needs exists because we think there's a better way to do things. As far as we're concerned, no hard-working person should ever have to choose between taking a child to the doctor and putting food on the table.

How Modest Needs Works

At Modest Needs, compassionate persons whose lives have been touched by kindness pass that kindness on to hard-working individuals and families struggling with the burden of an unexpected emergency expense.

We do this by helping these persons to afford small, emergency expenses like those we've all encountered before: the unexpected car repair, the unanticipated visit to the doctor, the unusually large winter heating bill.

Operating this way since 2002, Modest Needs' donors - regular people just like you - have kept 1643 individuals and families from entering the cycle of poverty over a small, emergency expense. And in keeping with our philosophy, we never ask for anything in return.

How You Can Help

By choice, the work we do at Modest Needs is funded exclusively by the generosity of private citizens, with gifts typically ranging from $5 to $100 at a time.

If your life has been touched by kindness, and you're looking for a meaningful way to pass that kindness on, we hope you'll contribute to this work. At Modest Needs, EVERY person has the power to change a life.

Here is an excerpt from the latest Modest Needs newsletter:

"Like most of you, I’m sure, I’ve spent much of the last two days glued to the television reports coming out of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. If you’ve seen the images of Biloxi, Gulfport, and New Orleans in the wake of this disaster, I think you’ll agree that Biloxi Mayor A. J. Holloway was not exaggerating when he called Katrina ‘our Tsunami.’

For those of you who’ve asked, yes indeed, Modest Needs already is receiving applications for help from Floridians affected by Katrina. We haven’t yet begun to receive applications for help from persons living in Mississippi or Louisiana – it’s just too soon. But over the next few weeks, we will certainly be inundated with requests for help from persons living in these areas.

Specifically, over the coming weeks, we’re expecting to see literally hundreds of applications from people seeking types of assistance not generally available elsewhere – help to afford expenses like insurance deductibles, or to replace personal items (like clothing) lost to Katrina.

I think we’d all like to respond to as many of these very special requests for help as we can, as quickly as we can. So today, I’m asking for your help to create a special pool of funding at Modest Needs. My goal is to raise a modest $5,000.00 designated exclusively for applications directly related to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

If you’ve seen the news coming from the areas hardest hit, you know we’re going to need every penny of that over the coming weeks – and then some."

Closeup of face and small details. On the original artwork, her face is about the size of your index finger fingernail...it is quite tiny!

Closeup of her garment....

Here is Empress Theodora of the Byzantine Empire, completed. Opted not to include halo - but I did put in some hints of arches behind her...the arches were initially drawn in more obviously, but they tened to be a distraction...however, I didn't want the background to be totally plain, so I hope this works!



book illustrator

HURRICANE KATRINA
GO HOME!

Such a pretty name for a horrible storm. I am really worried for the people there. What a terrible thing to have to go through.

Yesterday in a report on CNN, I heard the emergency management leader for the Parish that New Orleans is in (can't remember what the name of the parish is, but his name was Walter Maestri ) said that fatalities could be 44,000. Today, I haven't heard them replay that report. I bet that they were asked to please not play it anymore, it was sending people into panic...and to get all those people out of there, they need people to pay attention and take it very seriously, but panic doesn't help anyone. People actually die because of panic conditions...so I guess that is wise, but wow, it is so frightening.

I was just telling my daughter that no matter how technologically advanced we get in our world, - and here we are, knowing this thing is coming, and there is really nothing people can do except run and pray.

We really need a Jimmy Neutron to destroy it before it hits, but that's fantasy. Reality bites.
It makes us realize how truly helpless we are...so we can send a space shuttle on missions, go to the moon, etc...but we can't stop this monster.

I live near Atlanta, so I expect some storms, and maybe even some tornado warnings, but that is all we will have to cope with.

Residents of Biloxi MS and New Orleans LA... Please be safe, forget about material stuff, and just get out of there with your loved ones. We'll all try to help you recover from this. I am really sorry and wish there was more we could do.

PS I found a roundtable discussing that includes Walter Maestri on PBS.org. Not any more hopeful, but good information on Hurricane Katrina as it relates to New Orleans. HERE IT IS

Another cute one from Lori!
I colored my favorite ones blue.
----

Don't let your worries get the best of you, remember,
Moses started out as a basket case

Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited -
until you try to sit in their pews.

Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisers .

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose,
but mosquitoes come close.

When you get to your wit's end,you'll find God lives there.

People are funny, they want the front of the bus, the middle
of the road, and the back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your door forever.

Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

God Himself does not propose to judge man until he is dead.
So why should you?

Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

Peace starts with a smile.

I don't know why some people change churches; what difference does it
make which one they don't attend.

A lot of church members who are singing "Standing on the Promises"
are just sitting on the premises.

We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges

Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

God grades on the CROSS, not the CURVE.

He who angers you, controls you!

If God is your Copilot - swap seats!

PRAYER : Don't give God instructions -- just report for duty!

The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.

The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not
protect you.

We don't change the message, the message changes us.

You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:
1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

GOD PROMISES A SAFE LANDING ...NOT A CALM PASSAGE.

Here is the last illustration (in progress/unfinished) for the history book. This portrait is of Empress Theodora. All the reference pictures I can find of her show her very flat...as in, mosaic. No depth or realism at all...so I am basing the artwork on those, but 'fleshing' her out, rounding her, going to make her look more like a real person, because...hey, she was!

Because I want her to look like a real person, I'm not really sure whether the 'halo' effect is going to stay or go. In real life, she would not have had a halo around her head, is my argument.

My husband on the other hand (my resident historian) thinks that to keep the halo would allow her to represent her time period better. But no other people in the book have halos, is my response to that...I am open to opinions. Please throw me a comment! The halo is there right now, because it's a lot easier to have it in the artwork and then cover it up if needed later, than to not have it there and then later need to try to erase graphite pencil to put it in.

I think that the kids age 8-14 (target age for the book) will be more intrigued if they can see all the historical people described in the book as real people who lived in real times.

This drawing still looks cartoonish at this stage, but within the next day or so, you will see it evolve. Be sure to check back!

PS: Dad, I miss you. I know you are having the best birthday ever in Heaven. Big hugs!

Another of my portrait artworks made the Top Ten list on ArtWanted.com ... CLICK HERE to check out the comments!

Here is King Wenceslas, ....finished - unless someone points out something I should fix!
I just realized I have been misspelling his name as Wencelas, when it should be Wenceslas.
Or it could even be Wenceslaus.

The artwork is 4.75"x6.75", which includes the border. So it is pretty small.

See yesterday's post if you would like to see it in progress.

Ah, those were the days huh? Just sit around on the throne with ball and scepter...I'm sure that's not accurate, maybe we should read the book!

When I know more about where and when you can buy the book, I will be sure to let you know.

Ah, the world is wonderful at 5:22 am. I almost went back to sleep, but thought of all the wondrous time I could have TO MYSELF, even for just a little while today if I would only get up. So now I am enjoying some time to think.

Downside is, I am in a way trapped. I would like to go into the kitchen and get some food or some milk to drink, but that would undboubtedly start the dog barking for attention. Call me crazy, but I do NOT want to take the dog out to pee at this time of the morning in my skivvies. Nobody wants that. I think there are also laws against it. Actually, if there aren't laws against it, there should be laws against tired, pregnant women in their skivvies and flip-flops walking dogs. The barking would also start a chain reaction: it would wake up Little Man, and then all my alone time will have flown out the window.

The 'rough' drafts of what the history book cover will look like came to me in email yesterday. May I just say, YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Oh my gosh, Cathi of Book Cover Express is so talented! I wish I could share the covers here, but they are not for public view at the moment. All the contributors to the book are voting on which cover they prefer.
When I can share them or the winning cover, I will be sure to post it here.
I can't tell you how exciting it is!

I didn't get a chance to work on the Wencelas art any more yesterday. Hopefully today during Little Man's naptime again.

Wahhh, yesterday I was feeling sorry for myself...okay I still am...I want a studio, a real studio...ok, I would just like a room of my own. Wasn't it Virginia Woolff who wrote, "everyone needs a room of his own"? Mmmm, my dream art room would have an area for drawing and a separate area for just scrapbooking. All the bells and whistles....all the organizers, bins, shelves, etc all fixed up, labeled, just like they do in that show, Mission Organization
Well a gal can dream, can't she? I am just bummed that as the family grows, I have no more room for my drafting table. Right now, I use my lap-drawing boards, and they are good, but having a table and a room where I can keep all my tools out would be really nice. At least I have a goal: in 3 years, we will move to a larger house.

I also think about Erma Bombeck - everything she said was true! She may have said it in a humorous way, but let me tell you, it was true! Somehow, she was able to find time to work, write about it, and laugh about it, and I can too.

Here is King Wencelas, history book illustration, in progress. A LOT more work to do on the crown and scepter...and then more detailing and the highlights to bring out with erasers. I use several kinds of erasers, but most commonly the Pentel Click-Eraser and Kneaded Rubber eraser.

This keeps reminding me of a king on a playing card. I think it is the border that is doing that... I will need to fight the urge to put a heart or a club in the top right corner!

Darla Dixon
Portrait Art and Illustration
http://darladixon.com

I just love the Optimist's Creed, from Optimists International

The Optimist Creed

Promise Yourself-

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Great Dane pencil portrait by Darla Dixon of www.darladixon.com

DOGS

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
- Anonymous

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
- Will Rogers

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.
- Ann Landers

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
- Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than they love themselves.
- Josh Billings

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
- Andy Rooney

We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare.
And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made.
- M. Acklam

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.
- Rita Rudner

Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never bathed a dog.
- Franklin P.

If your dog is fat, YOU aren't getting enough exercise.
- Unknown

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a can.
That's almost $21.00 in dog money.
- Joe Weinstein

Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? We come back from a grocery
store with the most amazing haul - chicken, pork, half a cow. They must
think we're the greatest hunters on earth!
- Anne Tyler

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look
that says, 'My God, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'
- Dave Barry

Dogs are not our whole life, but they do make our lives whole.
- Roger Caras

If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket
and then giving Fido only two of them.
- Phil Pastoret

My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am.
- Unknown




pencil portrait

If you have kids around age 8 and up, then you should know about the 'Choking Game' Peer pressure plays a large part in this.

Kids from age 8 all the way into high school (but really strong in the
middle school/junior high years) are sometimes playing a 'game' that
goes by many names - some of them are:

The Dream Game
Flatliner
BlackOut
Pass Out

It may be called something else in your area.

What it is is basically kids tying something around each others' necks
to induce unconsciousness, then releasing the ligature so oxygen comes
back to the brain and they get a head 'rush.'

Psychologists on the show noted that it's not 'bad' or troublemaking,
drug using kids who do this, but usually the straight-as-an-arrow
kids. The idea/game is usually introduced at parties.

Kids in that age group are really into experimenting with their
bodies, and they don't realize they could DIE from doing this.
They usually don't have access to other drugs and they are seeking
this 'high.'...they are kids that would generally say no to taking
drugs and alcohol but they don't think of this as being dangerous.

Kids will try to do this by and to themselves, using bungie-cords,
belts, dog collars, whatever. When done by themselves, once
unconsciousness happens and there isn't anyone around to remove the
neck tie, then of course death occurs.

Some signals that it may be happening is if your child is suddenly
spending a lot more time alone in his or her room than usual.
Also to look for: bloodshot eyes, complaint of headache, if you find
things knotted and tied to your child's bed or other furniture.

A scary thing is that they are even finding websites and chatrooms
dedicated to this deadly 'game.' The experts recommend that parents do
a check of the History on their computer to see if their children have
visited any of these sites (look for anything that sounds related or
unfamiliar to you).

Please let your friends know about this if they have kids in this age
group. I talked to my kids about it and one of them said she had heard
of Pass Out, that it sounded familiar.

Darla
http://darladixon.com/

CNN

http://tinyurl.com/7kxgv

Lawrence KS

http://tinyurl.com/a8z5y

ABC News/ 20/20

http://tinyurl.com/baq4v

CBS News

http://tinyurl.com/8uprg

I am really pleased with how this one came out. I love the contrast level...I really enjoyed everything about it. I finished this up last night around 11 pm - Midnight.
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I just received the galley proof of the history book by email - I still have
2-1/4 illustrations to do, and send them my photo (eeeek!)
and then I will be "done." The book has an ISBN (International
Standard Book Number) and everything, and it looks FANTASTIC!

My artwork is in it like plates, and then in the back of the book,
there is a timeline in which my small versions of the same art is also used.
What a nice thing to wake up and find in my email!
Sure beats the Nigerian scam emails from Mrs. Miriam Abacha!

I woke up today at 4:30 am, after waking up each hour (practically) during the night.
Of course, my first thought was, "Oh yay! I can use this time before everybody gets up to get some
work done!"...and two minutes after saying that, I hear Little Man calling from his room. I swear, I think the boy has some kind of mommy-homing device, he can just sense when I am awake.

Yesterday, Little Man had his first try at preschool. He was there 4 hours. Separation was fine. We told him we would be "BACK," over and over. He didn't even fuss or cry. However, when we went to pick him up, he latched onto me like velcro. He could not be moved off my shoulder. I have never had him hold me so hard! He had a lot of fun playing with the other kids his age. They worked on learning the letter B. As I was putting him in his carseat, he said "B!" then "Backetbawall" (basketball)...so he did really learn about the letter b. :) He was really tired and after some juice he had a nice long nap in the afternoon.

I also got to meet Luana of My Simple Indulgence at her new shop in Loganville GA. Very pretty store! Gorgeous items. Handmade handbags, jewelry, etc. I have some pieces of my artwork there now, on consignment. It will be interesting to see what happens. I am also going to make some pieces especially for her store when I have time to do so.

Kids and responsibility...The girls have their summer reading projects due today. DD1 got hers done (after much struggle) but DD2 does NOT have hers done.
I have to resist the urge to 'save' them all the time. Their successes are not MY successes, and their failures are not MY failures. I have realized they will have to come to terms with their responsibilities. I have my own responsibilities, and they have theirs...to learn and grow. I have been saving them too much. I keep finding homework papers (10% of their grade) all over the house, project papers (40% of their grade), and I am continually giving them to them and telling them to put them away. No longer. They will need to learn to step up to the plate and not depend on me to catch them (in the non religious sense, anyway).
It is really hard to step back and watch them mess up and suffer a bit - but in the long run, I think natural consequence is the best teacher.


Darla
Portrait Art and Illustration
http://darladixon.com/

Mr. Thermometer decided that DD1 could stay home, with a temp of 100. DD2 was doing a slight fake, she might feel kind of bad, but Mr. Thermometer noted no 'real' fever (most of her feeling bad was due to not wanting to go to school by herself).

I'm not feeling so great myself - I think nice new ailments come home with every new school year.

I just updated the Emergency Information page for the Household Notebook. What is a household notebook, you ask? A household notebook is a three ring binder with plastic sleeve inserts in it. The first page is the Emergency Information page. Put all the emergency, doctor, close relatives and neighbor numbers on it, as well as our address, phone number, and directions to the house. Then I have sections for 'to-do' (routines), School, Menu Planner, Home Repair Directory, and Addresses.

It is very handy for whenever someone is helping you at the house, babysitting, or if you have to leave the house in an emergency, you will have all your most important information in that binder. For the ultra-organized, you could even copy your health insurance cards front and back, and put them in there, too. See the Organized Home website and the links on the left that read: "Free Printables"

Flylady.com calls it a Control Journal. You can call it Bob if you want, but just make one. You can even order them from the Flylady.com site already set up if you like. I just use a basic white 3-ring binder and dividers and clear inserts for mine. If you are always short of time and you think you will never get around to setting one up, then just buying one may work best for you. I like to make my own, because then I decide what is most important. The free printables will get you on the right track.

DD1 just told me that the scenery behind Joan of Arc looks like a cape.
She is in the target age for the book, so that tells me I better do some adjusting there...

Both girls are claiming their 'sick' and they want to stay home from school today (yeah, riiight)
Mr. Thermometer will make the ultimate decision.

I was out from around 6:30 pm to past Midnight last night...no, I wasn't bar hopping.
You know me better than that, dahlink!

I went to the Kidsignments sale at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. I took my 'tween' daughters with me. We thought we were well prepared with a laundry basket that had wheels - nope.
If you don't know about Kidsignments, it's a HUGE consignment sale that is held in 3 buildings.

We only went into one building, and I am exhausted today. On the upside, we did get a TON of really good stuff - lots of clothing for the girls, some toys for little man, and I bought a few small things for the baby and a top-of-the-line bassinet for the new baby. Good thing the bassinet had wheels, we piled it high with clothing at the sale and used it as a makeshift shopping cart!

Here is what was so tiring....the line to checkout was (literally) probably a mile long.
We were in line for at least 2 hours.

The girls had some close calls to breaking down and fighting.
It was pretty easy to squelch the rebellion, though. I just said, "Oh, you want to fight? I thought you wanted these clothes! We can leave right now if what you want to do is fight. I can leave this line anytime and go home, I would love that!" I know, I am a sarcastic meanie. But it stopped the problem dead in its tracks, and 1,000 other moms who were there in line could appreciate it, I'm sure.

The sale is going on this week. Make sure you check the website, www.kidsignments.com The reason we were there last night is that it's the Seller's Preview Night. It is much easier to navigate later on in the week. There will still be fantastic deals. One of the last days, things go to half price....so I do recommend going, just not when you're pregnant and tired.

There ARE a lot of fantastic deals. My girls are crazy about Limited Too clothing, so when I can get Limited Too jeans for $5, I am thrilled. The jeans would be $30 or more in the store.

My advice if you plan to go:

• Take something with wheels to use for shopping. Many people take a laundry basket and tie a belt or a rope to it. Even large trash cans with wheels are handy.
• Eat a good meal before you go.
• Take some change for the vending machines
• Take a bottle of water or a snack with you
• Wear normal shoes, not flip-flops - safety pins are used for the tags and to hold the clothing pieces on hangers, and sometimes they end up on the floor. My daughter accidentally stepped on one, it went right through the flipflop, and stabbed her foot! (she is fine, but we all wish this could have been avoided)
  
• Shop for specialty baby equipment, toys or supplies before you go shopping for clothing. There is usually a TON of clothing, and if you had to, you could come back another day or on the halfprice day to get clothes.

I'm glad I got so much work done yesterday - all the laundry is done, except of course, the new clothing we bought at the sale. I am going to take it easy today, going to the sale and standing in line was really rough on me. I am just exhausted.

Here is the revised version of St. Joan of Arc. I removed the ornamentation on her armor, to better match the text in the book - it says her armor was 'white' - meaning, without ornamentation. I kind of miss the thingamabob (whatever that thing was) being there, it kind of balanced out the picture...but it is most important that the illustrations match the text in the book.

Thanks also to Kim J., who told me that something about the lack of a thumb showing in her left hand by the flag was a problem. (I think that part of it was that a fold of the flag made it look like her thumb was freakish)...the fold looked like a super long thumb! But now I have changed the fold of the fabric, and added just a hint of a normal sized, human thumb.

I really do appreciate the input!


Want to see the first version? See the post of August 9th 2005.

Here is the revised version of St. Patrick...I changed his staff to have a cross atop it.
See Monday August 8th post for the previous version.

Johannes, you've come a long way, baby...I will work on the border and a few more details today.
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I worked from 10 pm to midnight on Gutenberg...I am almost done, just need to finish up the border. I will have a scan of it in awhile.

Looking for some main dishes your kids will actually eat?
Check out this new blog!

Portrait in progress of Johannes Gutenberg, another one of the history book illustrations. I was hoping to get it completely done during Little Man's nap today, but I hear him waking up now, so that plan is shot...tonight or tomorrow, I will do more work on it, probably finishing up with the border tomorrow. Be sure to check back to watch it progress from this pretty tacky looking stage to something recognizable!

Here is Little Man on August 2.
I gotta ask ya...do they GET any cuter than this?!?
Ok..ok..yes I am biased - I think he is the cutest thing ever.
The goofball haircut is my work - thankfully it has already grown down almost to his eyebrows now, just in almost two weeks it's grown that much! Read the post below for his 2nd birthday info! Prepare to not be overwhelmed with excitement LOL

'Little man' had a nice 2nd birthday yesterday, except for the still recurring tummy troubles. We blew up about 7 balloons and he went crazy with us slapping them around the living room.

DH (stands for Dear Husband) brought home a yellow cake with chocolate frosting (Pepperidge Farm)* and some ice cream. He also brought a candle in the shape of the number 2.

Little man blew out the candle on the first try! I told him it's like blowing bubbles, so he got the gist of what to do immediately.

*Here is the mommy guilt: I really wanted to make his cake, but I could just never get around to it, so many other things that had to be done and I wasn't feeling well. Isn't that terrible? But I think at his age, does he know or care whether I made the cake or not?!? Not really. I think it is better that mommy is well and not cranky, so I'll just have to get over the slight guilt feelings, because it's silly. It's just perfectionism really.

We gave him a wooden train set - the kind where the train cars connect with magnets, and he really enjoyed that. The girls each gave him a small stuffed animal. He caught on to the ripping open of the birthday presents pretty quickly.

We didn't go overboard with the event or the presents, and I think it was just right for a 2 year old. Any more than what we did would have probably been stressful. He knew it was a special event for him.

Little man woke up this morning at 6 am. (yikes)...I could really use more sleep. Because the dog hears us being up and active, he thinks it's HIS time for everything too (dogs don't wear wristwatches, durn it)

I have already read him (the boy, not the dog) Hop On Pop and some of Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go. The kids in the stories are still hopping on Pop and in Cars and Trucks and Things That Go, Officer Flossie is still trying to catch Dingo Dog. Goldbug is still around, but you have to look closely for him. LOL...I tried to read him P.D. Eastman's Are You My Mother? Because that was one of my favorites when I was little, but I think the illustrations just aren't colorful enough for him. He will probably enjoy it in a year or two.

I have just been informed by Little Man that he has a 'poooooop.'
What a great way to start a day!

Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
http://darladixon.com

I know it's going to be an 'interesting' day. I dreamt that I was pregnant and hurting. Then I woke up. I was really pregnant and hurting. I guess dreams really do come true! Ah, these last 8 weeks or so of pregnancy are just zooming along, arent they?!? (that is that sarcasm again!)

This is pregnancy at age 40 folks...I do NOT recommend it! LOL!

But actually it is strange, that sometimes I can actually forget I am pregnant, I feel that good...and then other times I feel so much pain, I am uncomfortable sitting OR lying down - I guess it has a lot to do with the position of the baby. If I'm sitting too long, I almost feel paralyzed when I try to walk.

They always want to hear my complaints when I go to my obstetrician visits, but I feel that it's a waste of time to complain there too much...the only thing that will make all this go away is to have the baby!

DS (Dear Son) is two years old today! Happy birthdayto my lil guy! He is the greatest. Unfortunately, he has had diarrhea for two days straight now. I hope he will be better today, so he can enjoy cake and ice cream. His eating has been fine, it's just that you have to cut out sweets to help stop diarrhea. With toddlers, it's the same chant: "juice, juice, juice!" all the time. So I give him 3/4 water with 1/4 fruit juice in it until he gets over this problem.

I kept the birthday gift buying under control, because I think too much stuff to play with is actually overwhelming at his age. We bought him a wooden train set. My sisters both sent him birthday money. Early this week, we will take him and his sisters to Chuck E. Cheese. We'll take lots of pictures, and I will do a scrapbook page.

His tummy troubles have gotten me behind in my art work. If today goes well, I need to make some alterations to some of the book illustrations, start on another one, scan them, scan a dog portrait I'm working on, and email the dog portrait client to tell them why I am so behind! Argh...I really thought I could be done by now...well, in the old days without kids and pregnancy, I could've.

I have a 3x5 card with my 'to-do' list on it. That card is really filled up!
The girls don't have school today, so maybe I can really get it all done.

Have a great weekend!

Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
http://darladixon.com

I attended the ABWA (American Business Women's Association) meeting last night. Wow, I just love that group...what a fascinating group of ladies. I stayed there and yakked my head off until the restaurant started flicking the lights as a subtle hint for me to waddle out of there. We had a great speaker, Ms. Szabo from the Gwinnett County Solicitor's Office. I didn't think the food was as good as last time, but maybe it's just my pregnancy. Ugh, I had heartburn and I was up until 3 am.

I should have picked up everyone's marketing materials, but I wasn't really thinking ahead and about you, my blog readers (oops sorry, selfish moment) so I just picked up business cards, brochures, and catalogs that were of interest to me, center of the universe that I am!

So here is what I have to share with you - go there, buy something!

A Divine Consign Boutique
Clothing, jewelry, gifts
http://www.adivineconsign.com/
This is a store located at 2411 Heritage Village, Ste 2
(Oak Road and Main Street of Snellville)
Snellville GA 30078
770-978-6011

The Linen Lady (Kathy Porter)
Over 200 designer bedding collection samples for you to view in your home at your convenience. Create a personalized look for your bedroom, guest room, youth and now baby bedding. Fabric and window treatments are also available for a coordinated, sophisiticatedlook.
Office: 770-466-2592 Cell: 770-365-9995

Traci Smith
Pampered Chef
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/traci
404-797-1193

Terrific lady, and I just love Pampered Chef products...if you have never tried them, you really should. The baking stone is one of my favorite products, but the chopper is also phenomenal!
If you've never had a Pampered Chef product, they are high quality, easy to use, and they LAST. I'm not much of a cook, but the right tool will really make it more fun, so if you end up cooking more at home, it's healthier for you, and in the long run the products pay for themselves because you save money by eating at home instead of going out. Traci lives in my neighborhood, and I was so happy to meet her.

I also got to finally meet Georgette Lake of My Special Events.net in person. We know each other only through online networking so it was really nice to be able to put a face with a name. She is doing Hospitality for the ABWA group.

Cathy Moody of Southern Living at Home was also nice to talk to, her website is http://www.southernlivingathome.com/cathys
Cathy's presentation was so nice, I wish I could hire her to speak about my art...I can do the drawing, but standing up in front of people and doing a presentation is a challenge to say the least. I think artwork is so personal, and maybe that's why I have trouble, I am afraid to sound like a braggart if I promote myself too strongly up in front of people!

Well, that's all I have in front of me at the moment about the meeting.

I need to fill out some paperwork now and get a little bit of pregnancy lie down time before my toddler boy wakes up again...but oops I think I have blown my chance by writing in this blog, because I can hear him calling me. Hey, sleep is overrated, right? And after all, I AM in training for having a newborn!

Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
http://darladixon.com

And...here she is finished...I think. It's funny, every time I think something is finished and I scan it, I always see things that need fixing. I guess that is a good thing. I would like the fleur de lis to look better, but each of these illustrations are quite small. Each of the ovals in the corners are about the size of my pinkie fingernail for example! So it is really hard to work in a space that small. Her eyes are about the size of the head of a pin. I used a mechanical pencil for the eyes and still didn't get as much detail in as I would have liked. I would love to hear your comments, anything you see that you think would make it better.

Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
http://darladixon.com

Today I'm working on the Joan of Arc artwork. See below. I am putting a fleur-de-lis in each oval in the corners. So far it looks a little muddy, (that is my term for when the shading is happening, but no highlights yet, so it looks muddy!) I am excited about how it will look. Just have to wait for little man (almost 2 year old) to take his nap so I can work on it. I will re-scan it after I work on it today, so be sure to check back! :)

Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
http://darladixon.com

Saint Joan of Arc, work in progress
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Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
http://darladixon.com

The picture of St Patrick (one of the book illustrations)...the topper of the walking stick/rod is probably going to be changed to a cross.
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Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
Book covers, custom art, illustrations for books
http://darladixon.com

Peter Jennings, the longtime anchor of ABC's "World News

Tonight," died Sunday, the news network reports. He was 67.
See www.CNN.com

Lung Cancer is the #1 Killing Cancer - READ HERE


Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
http://darladixon.com

This is wonderful...it's a musical sketch pad. CLICK IT!

Darla
Pencil Portrait Drawing Artist
Drawings in graphite pencil
http://darladixon.com

One of the book illustrations I just finished. I have 3 done, and 3-4 more to go.
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Here is the second picture of the Bull Terrier.
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