Thursday Art Date: Rough Textures

Hello Friends! 😊😊

Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Rough Textures. Today I'm going for art that is a little prehistoric! I'm thinking rough textures of the Jurassic period! Do you recognize who Bugs is channeling today?? The late, great, Steve Irwin. The Crocodile Hunter. Crocodiles, (according to Max Stockdale, a Vertebrate Macroevolution and Palaeoecology, associate of the University of Bristol) from 200 million years ago look surprisingly like the ones we know today. Though they kind of scare me, I think they are fascinating creatures!

Here is my croc in ink and graphite. I actually started to draw Steve Irwin, but got very distracted by pets and couldn't finish it. So I opted to draw a crocodile instead. Steve Irwin was a passionate fighter for the conservation of animals; and of animal rights - especially those of crocodiles! So sad that he passed away too soon!

Another prehistoric rough texture critter was the dinosaur. Here is Dino Flintstone! This is for you my friend Dino from Ridge Tails Blog!

My latest art tutorials are up on my YouTube channel! Click on the images above or the links below to check them out!

Let's Draw John Travolta (time-lapsed)
Let's Draw A Crocodile (real-time with voice instruction)
Let's Draw Dino (real-time with voice instruction)

My latest video is also up on my Spiritual channel! If you'd like to see it, please click on the image or this link:

Red Riding Hood and Innocence

On the food front we are eating lots of cold meals, like salads and sandwiches. Corn is in season, yum! One afternoon of cool weather encouraged me to make a skillet Mac and Cheese (but I had no macaroni, so I used capellini!). I followed a recipe from Taste of Home that used Velveeta cheese. It was good, but I prefer my own cheese in the mix!!

I made a very easy strawberry shortcake. I've made it before with store-bought sponge cake. You just whip some cream, top the sponge cake, then add strawberries. I did add some rum into the cream before I whipped it, maybe a teaspoon, just for flavour! 

Garden news! Give me a HIGH FIVE!!! SIXTY SEVEN bulbs of garlic are now harvested and hanging to cure in my basement! It smells like a diner down there! ☺ What the heck am I going to do with all that garlic???

I am finally getting some lettuce! I planted this in June...we've had so much rain, I wasn't expecting much.

The mint is growing like mad!

I've been working so hard outside lately, despite the heat wave. There is so much to do before winter. I moved 20 cinder blocks behind the wood shed...and I moved this entire pile of scrap wood from the front property to a place that edges the acreage.

This is the before and after. It took me 3 hours. Our intention was to burn it all, but with all the rain this summer, we couldn't keep a good fire going in the barrel. It'll sit in that pile until it either composts or we have conditions that will allow us to burn it!

The pets are all keeping cool and doing well! My daily walks with Charlie and Jack are the highlight of my mornings!

This week's highlighted artist/blogger is Heidrun from Soul and Mind and So On blog! Heidrun shares beautiful photos (like the one above), poetry and food for thought.  Please visit her blog! 💗 

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU MAY BE NEXT WEEK'S FEATURED ARTIST/BLOGGER!

That's all for now folks! Please check out the link widget below for more "Rough Textures" creations! See you soon!!! 💗 💗 

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Upcoming Art Dates For Rain's Thursday Art Date:

September 2nd: Fine Art - Expressionism
September 9th: Fine Art - Minimalism
September 16th: Fine Art - Pop Art
September 23rd: Fine Art - Sculpture
September 30th: Fine Art - Surrealism

Click on the links for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨

Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! All spam and non-related links will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).

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Thursday Art Date: Reflections and Mirrors

Hello Friends! 😊😊

Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Reflections and Mirrors. Bugs Bunny is definitely expecting the magic mirror to tell him he's the fairest of them all!! (And the sneakiest!!)

Here is Harpo Marx, drawn in charcoal. I chose Harpo this week because there is a fantastically funny mirror scene in the Marx Brothers movie Duck Soup where Harpo apes Groucho - trying to trick him into thinking he's looking into a mirror.

Here's the scene from that movie - I love those Marx Brothers!

Lucille Ball re-created that same scene in one of her shows where Harpo guest-starred, here's that scene as well, my gosh Lucy was one of the great comedians!! 

Kiefer Sutherland was in a horror/thriller movie called Mirrors, so I decided to draw his portrait in ink and graphite. He is such an intense actor, I really loved him in the television show 24 - which I binged watched over one-week's time in the summer of 2011! I drew him from one of the 24 promo photos online. You may also remember the post I did where I talked about being an extra in one of his films!

More reflections - both in the water and in my mind 😊 ...a self-portrait by the moon, painted with acrylics!

My latest art tutorials are up on my YouTube channel! Click on the images above or the links below to check them out!

Let's Draw Tweety Bird (real time with voice)
Let's Draw Harpo Marx (real time with voice)

My latest video is also up on my Spiritual channel! If you'd like to see it, please click on the image or this link:

Kitchen Magic: Making Homemade CheezWhiz

Back by popular demand...FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! We had a few nights of tortillas: Scrambled eggs with green onions on melted Cheddar, egg whites with Feta and tomatoes on melted Cheddar; and scrambled eggs with green onions, homemade salsa on melted Cheddar...notice the melted Cheddar theme here! 😊 

More cheesy goodness...our monthly cheese fondue and a pizza poutine with grape ice cream sodas! The pizza poutine is fries topped with Mozzarella, Parmesan petals and hot pizza sauce!

I made another one of those easy pies...I used the Fluffy Key Lime Pie recipe, but substituted the graham cracker crust with chocolate cookie crumbs...and switched out the lime yogurt and Jello for cherry yogurt and Jello and it turned out amazing!

These are my lazy furries trying to keep cool during our current heat wave!

This week's highlighted artist/blogger is "EC" from Elephant's Child blog! I love visiting EC's blog, mainly because she shows me photos of kangaroos, which I will never see in my lifetime in person! She features photos of wildlife and her garden and hosts "Words For Wednesdays" - every Wednesday, a meme encouraging you to write! Please visit her blog! 💗 

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU MAY BE NEXT WEEK'S FEATURED ARTIST/BLOGGER!

That's all for now folks! Please check out the link widget below for more "Reflections and Mirrors" creations! See you soon!!! 💗 💗 

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Upcoming Art Dates For Rain's Thursday Art Date:

August 26th: Rough Textures
September 2nd: Fine Art - Expressionism
September 9th: Fine Art - Minimalism
September 16th: Fine Art - Pop Art
September 23rd: Fine Art - Sculpture
September 30th: Fine Art - Surrealism

Click on the links for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨

Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! All spam and non-related links will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).

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Thursday Art Date: Weather and Weather Lore

Hello Friends! 😊😊

Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Weather and Weather Lore. Bugs Bunny was having a great time singing in the rain for this week's art date!! I drew him with Sharpies and Prismacolor Pencils, then added the rain effect with Photoshop.

After a violent storm at sea, a three-hour tour turned into a 15-year shipwreck for Gilligan and the rest! 😊 I drew Bob Denver with ink and graphite. I loved this tv show!

Here's one of the many silly scenes from that show!

Kermit the Frog drawn with Prismacolor Pencils. I remembered Kermit singing the song "Rainbow Connection" and since a rainbow is a phenomenon of weather, I think it fits the theme!!

Here is a cute little video of Kermit singing that song in the swamps!

One of my favourite scenes from the Wizard of Oz is when Dorothy looks out of her window during the tornado and sees her nasty neighbour turn into a witch! Actually this scene really scared me as a kid! I drew it with ink and graphite.

For the Weather Lore portion, I chose Red Sky At Night, Sailor's Delight, drawn with ink and graphite.

And finally, a little snow! This is my charcoal drawing of The Snow Queen. I was inspired by Tilda Swinton's portrayal of The White Witch in the Narnia movies.

  

My latest art tutorials are up on my YouTube channel! Click on the images above or the links below to check them out!

Let's Draw Eddie Van Halen (time-lapsed)
Let's Draw Kermit The Frog (real-time with voice)
Let's Draw A Sailboat on the Sea (time-lapsed)

Also, I have started my spiritual channel on YouTube, Spiritual Rain. Many of my friends know that I don't follow any particular religion or spirituality, but I do love the earth, nature and the seasons. I read Tarot cards and try to work a little magic into my days! This is what my channel is all about. I will be adding a new video every week. I hope that you enjoy it, if it's your cup of tea!!

As for food, I have been so busy with the videos that I've forgotten to take foodie photos! Once I get into a proper schedule, they'll be back!! Here's a little pasta dish with fresh fettuccini!

Here are Charlie and Jack, enjoying a walk in the fog with me! All of the pets are happy and healthy! 

I won't be able to join link parties for a while I think! But I would like to highlight two lovely ladies, Eileen from Eileen's Saturdays Critters and Angie from Mosaic Mondays. I've been participating in their link parties for quite some time and I met so many beautiful people that way! Please visit them! 💗💗 

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU MAY BE NEXT WEEK'S FEATURED ARTIST/BLOGGER!

That's all for now folks! Please check out the link widget below for more "Weather and Weather Lore" creations! See you soon!!! 💗 💗 

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Upcoming Art Dates For Rain's Thursday Art Date:

August 19th: Reflections and Mirrors
August 26th: Rough Textures

Click on the links for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨

Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! All spam and non-related links will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).

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Thursday Art Date: Ditches and Holes

Hello Friends!! 😊😊

Welcome to Thursday's Art Date, today our theme is Ditches and Holes. What a way to travel, burrowing through holes in the ground! Bugs always forgets to take that left turn doesn't he? Poor Daffy Duck isn't too happy about getting lost!

My latest art tutorials are up on my YouTube channel! Click on the images above or the links below to check them out! I'm starting to do more "talkies" rather than just time-lapsed videos.

Let's Draw Daffy Duck (real time with voice)
Let's Draw Spinal Tap (time-lapsed)

When Marlene first came home with us in 2015, she STUNK. Stunk like skunk. Yes, she'd been skunked and it took a few months for her to "de-stinkafy". Once those skunks spray the animals, not much can get rid of that "fragrance". We tried home remedies, a product called Skunk Off...and they masked the smell, didn't get rid of it completely. Marlene STILL sticks her nose in holes, ditches and drain pipes when I walk her...

Eyes and Noses

Life is so busy! I'm working very hard on my YouTube art channel and I have a spiritual channel in the works as well. I have a huge list of house things to take care of before winter! Have I mentioned that I just love where I live??? The people here are so nice and the area is so beautiful and quiet. I feel like moving to New Brunswick was my destiny...to find myself, heal from past wounds and live a life of gratitude and joy. 

On the food front, it's been lots of leftovers, frugal meals like pasta and sandwiches...and one day of decadence. Baked Camembert in puff pastry. Oofa. Of couse it's one of my Cams...the many benefits of cheese making! 😁

I also made this Key Lime Pie. I found the recipe on Taste of Home and it was really easy and delicious! I'm going for simple recipes these days!

How could I get a portrait in this week's theme you ask? Well, how about a Black Hole? In a few Star Trek episodes, there were mentions of Black Holes...and impressive synonyms like "Black Planets", "Parallaxes" and "Quantum Singularities"...I'm not a big trekkie but I did read this on a die-hard fan forum!! Here is Mr. Spock from the original Star Trek Series (IMO the best version of Star Trek!). I went for a minimalist charcoal approach for this portrait. I recorded this tutorial in real time and it's scheduled to be uploaded on my YT channel at the end of August.

Photo: Space.com

Speaking of space!!! If you can get yourself to an area that is free of city lights and street lights, the best time to see the yearly Perseid Meteor Showers will be overnight on the 11th of August. The showers are happening now, but you'll be more likely to see them overnight on that date as they are at their peak. I watch the skies every August and seeing a shooting star is very magical! I'll be up on my roof watching the skies next week!

I'm linking up with these wonderful bloggers today, or at least trying (!!), please visit them for some really interesting posts! And why not join in on the link parties? You can meet some really nice people!! 😊

Friday August 6th : Paint Party Friday
Saturday August 7th: Eileen's Saturday's Critters
Monday August 9th:  Angie's Mosaic Mondays

This week's highlighted artist/blogger is my friend Sandy from Messy Sketches All Year Long blog! Sandy is a lovely artist, this is just one of her many beautiful paintings. Please visit her blog! 💗💗 You can find her on Instagram here!

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU MAY BE NEXT WEEK'S FEATURED ARTIST/BLOGGER!

That's all for now folks! Please check out the link widget below for more "Ditches and Holes" creations! See you soon!!! 💗💗

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Upcoming Art Dates For Rain's Thursday Art Date:

August 12th: Weather and Weather Lore
August 19th: Reflections and Mirrors
August 26th: Rough Textures

Click on the links for ideas and inspiration! Remember it's all about creating. You can showcase your paintings, drawings, photography, sculpting, baking, poetry...whatever you like! 🎨

Don't forget to add the URL link to your post (not your blog) to the link gadget below to share your wonderful creations! Please revisit to make sure you don't miss those who join in a little late! All spam and non-related links will be removed! The link gadget expires Friday at midnight (EST).

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