Frost on the Pumpkin

We had our first frost of the fall yesterday.  The appearance of the 'frost on the pumpkin'.  Since I don't have my pictures and I don't have any pumpkin pictures anyway, I decided to just have some fun and draw a pumpkin for you.  It's been a while since I've done any drawing but zentangle; I'm a little rusty.  I had fun doing the drawing and experimenting with my watercolor pencils and colored pencils.  This is not best work but it is bright and cheerful so I decided to post it anyway.

While I was out walking the dog this morning, yet another frosty morning, I noticed the frost patterns on the roof of my neighbor's house.  I thought they were kind of interesting and graphic in nature.  I then noticed the roof on my house and how very different mine looked.

Apparently the house next door has some heat leaks in their attic, which caused the patterns on the roof.  Our roof was solid in color indicating no leaks.  Pay attention here, whether you are a DIY kind of person or not; if you want to know how well your attic insulation is working, go out on a frosty morning and photograph your roof so you know where you need extra insulation.  I wish I could hire myself out to the contractors in our area to do this, but I'm sure if I give them this idea, they will just do it themselves. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing my frosty mornings from my point of view (I don't have much in the way of editing programs on my husbands computer) even with just basic editing and maybe you can use this idea to help with your heating bills this winter.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

BTW I did get my computer back today but it is like a brand new computer, no programs but what comes with the computer and no data.  It was all backed up on an external harddrive, but I still have to put it back on my computer.  They completely wiped my computer and physically took the computer apart to get any dust or whatever from the inside, so basically I do indeed have a new computer.  It will however take a little while for me to get it back and up in running so please be patient.  ♥Johnina♥

Zentangle Everywhere

This another book I got for my birthday.  Didn't have to ask for it; it was on my Amazon wish list.  Yoga for your Brain is a fun little book with lots of zentangle designs in it.  I do my doodling and zentangle on envelopes instead of my sketchbook, so I can share them.  After I went through this book this is the first envelope I did.                   It was fun to do. Although it was not perfect it was still bright and cheerful to send.  I send out quite a few cards with my photos in them. While the person who received the cards may have enjoyed the photos I decided that doing art on the outside let more people enjoy the cards I sent out. Years ago I would do some art on my envelopes that I sent to the kids and grandkids, but had stopped as I put a lot of effort into the finished picture on the envelope so that I was not sending out as much mail. Now using envelopes instead of my sketchbook; I may not send out my most perfect more elaborate artwork but it is always bright and cheerful and fun for me to do.

This book also pointed out all the zentangle designs all around me.  It gave me a new perspective on some of the photos I was taking and using them in another art form.  Suddenly the close-ups of architectural details that I had been taking were giving me ideas to use in this new (to me) art form.  I think this really came home to me when I saw Kung Fu Panda 2 with the grandchildren.  This movie start out in Zentangle style,  but all through it is ideas in the background for zentangle designs

Look at the windows, columns, floors and ceilings and all kinds of other archetecual details for amazing designs.

I've also found some pretty amazing blogs and websites with zentagle and doodle designs in them.

http://lifeimitatesdoodles.blogspot.com/

Draw, Doodle and Decorate

The Daily Doodle

http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/

Terri's Tangles

ENJOY

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

PS to participate in my give away please click here

Fantasy, dream or goal

Since I have been making progress on my knees and being able to walk with greater ease; it is now time to work on my arm and hand damage.  I have neuropathy in my right arm and hand and have had two surgeries to keep my arm and hand working.  At one point I had to teach myself to write again much less paint or draw, but after many months I was able to do that.  I discovered that some of the skills the artistic skills never really left; I just had to learn to control the pencil or brush again; the artist eye was never lost which is why I took to photography so fast.  Photography became another way to artistically express myself.  At first it seemed easier just to look for the composition and than push the shutter.  I have since learned that there is more to it than that to be able to fully express myself to my fullest artistic ability and I'm still learning that and enjoying the learning process.  However the best rehabilitation for my arm and hand is drawing and painting.  When I fell and hurt my knee; I grabbed a handrail and re-injured my arm and hand and untill now I really did not take the time to work on rehab for it.

I enjoy fantasy novels and drawing fantasy figures and creatures.  I find I enjoy making the differences and the freedom of composition creating such drawings provide.  Many fairy tales are  great metaphors for life.   For many years now I have wanted to write a fantasy novel as a metaphor for my life and maybe a way to do some healing.  I have actually started this project.  It is in a pink notebook with some pictures, character descriptions, a few scenes and dialogues.  Like the title describes is this just fantasy for me, a way to take me out of this world for awhile or is it a dream to work on occasionally to make me feel like I'm making progress or a goal to be set and worked and reworked until progress is made and the novel completed?  I've been thinking about this since I was offered a blog award but one of the requirements was to tell several things about yourself that others don't know and this is on of my secret fantasies, dreams, goals that most people do not know about.  This is a biggie for me.  Do any of you out there have secret goals or dreams that seem at times impossible (cuz if you thought it was possible or easy you would tell others and do it)?  Tell someone or put it in the comments and maybe serendipity will find a way to make your dreams come true.