Oh, Jan... I love your stories! Did I ever tell you that I hung from my fingertips from a third floor balcony when I was about 2?? Or that I got stuck in mud up to my armpits on my way to school one day and they had to pull me out by tying a rope around me and pull me out with a truck? My parents had their hands full with me!

Hugs, Didi

Didi, these photos are amazing! Do you do more photography, paintings, writing, crafts, or one of your many other talents?

It would be good to know what her emphasis is. It might be manyfold, like some of us, though. I don't really have any one art that is totally my passion.

I do a hundred things! Hahaha! I used to write all the time: poetry; newspaper articles; short stories; editorials; unpublished novels even! In fact, when I went to college one of my peers and I co-authored a research paper/booklet on how to start your own social service agency and it was put in the college library as reference material. :)

After Terry died I became unable to form any decent thought processes. I have always done arts and crafts, refinished furniture, sewing (clothes, curtains & crafts), played guitar, etc. but when I moved to the place I live now I really didn't have much room, plus I was still in that 'dark' place that I fell into after he died. Nothing really interested me - I buried myself in my computer. Then I began building websites and started creating graphics. Just before I moved here I painted my first painting. That was the one I called 'Solitude' - the one with the sunset in the background. I have only painted the 3 oils that I have posted here. I enjoy it, but, honestly, I find it difficult to motivate myself to start because I detest clean up! Again, I really don't have a good place to paint, either. I also started woodburning, but I haven't found the box that my tool is packed in yet!

After I moved here I bought a decent digital camera. Nothing great, but for me, a huge expense and something way better than I had ever owned. I started taking photos of the fields, my dog, my daughter, the trees, local rivers and ponds, my pets, etc. and I realized that I was beginning to actually see colour again! I think when Terry became ill I started seeing everything in grey tones.

Anyhow, the more colour that I saw, the more photos I wanted to take. I really love photography. I dream of taking a course in wildlife/nature photography one day and getting a really good camera. I would love to go to Kenya on a photography safari one day. It's my longest term impossible desire. :D

I am just beginning to write again, but in all honesty, I am very scattered still. I am working on a non-fiction book, well, actually, it is pretty much complete. I do need to find an agent though, as I have absolutely no idea what to do next. I think it will sell well, though, and is one that many people need to read.

I am now in the process of going through a lot of 'stuff' that I have been storing in the one heated room in the basement so that I can start doing crafts again. I do grapevine wreaths, floral hats for people's outside doors, gift baskets (especially for Christmas), ornaments, and many floral crafts. I garden, and most of the flowers I use for floral crafts come from my garden. I also make pot pourri, soap and scented milk baths or bath oils. I get bored easily, so I try lots of things. I have literally hundreds of craft books/magazines for ideas. I really want to get back to doing more crafts again.

Interestingly enough, I am very good at Halloween makeup and that sort of thing as well. I have taken a clowning class and appeared on the local cable TV channel and in the newspaper for it. I also took *ahem* belly dance classes. :) I have taught dog obedience, children's tap dancing, makeup classes to teenaged girls (strange for a tomboy who rarely wears makeup, huh?) and dog grooming too.

There I go... another book! Hahaha!

Thank you for your comments on my photos. I would really like to see what I could do with some good equipment!

Hugs, Didi

My emphasis is on living! :P That's the ultimate art form!

Hugs, Didi

The drawing I am posting is called "Florida-Get-Away". It took I believe 47 hours to complete. I have to check my log but too late to do so tonight. I am doing another piece for the same person of another structure. I had never drawn a palm tree before and the drive way was half concrete and half crushed shell. The photo I was given to work from was not complete. One end of the house was not showing. Everything in this actual house is white, carpets, furniture, etc. I doubt you can see all the detail. I resized it to smaller than allowed. If it is grainy, I will probably remove it and repost.

Attached Images

 

That's a black & white photogragh, right? Looks too good to be a drawing! :D






Just kidding..!

Absolutely incredible, Jan! Do you use a ruler to get your lines so straight?? I can tell that this is incredibly detailed. Your palm trees turned out great! Oh, I wish I had your talent! I can see what I want to do in my head... but I just do not have the skill (and probably the patience) to create them.

Hugs, Didi

There you go again, inspiring me! I am just in awe of your abilities, gifts and drive to have a full life. Thank you Didi for sharing some things that I am sure were difficult to share.

Have you worked in acrylics? Clean up is a breeze! Drying time is fast yet stays moist long enough to blend. If you work fast, it is that much the better but still is a great medium if you don't work fast. There is a solution you can add to slow the drying time if needed. Knowing you, I am sure you have used Acrylics and I am just rattling on.

I would love to read a few excerpts from your writings either on the public forum or via e-mail anytime you would have time to share.

I am so glad you are once again seeing in color.

Funny guy, you are!! LOL :p

Thank you Didi. It does show up grainy because of resizing I guess? Yes, I use a ruler when I do structures. I use to really want to stay away from drawing structures yet that is what I get the most commissions to do.

The only time I am able to have patience is when I am doing a pencil drawing. When I paint, no patience at all! :o

Well, it does look good enough to be a photograph! :)

Well, it's 3:31 am here, so I'm off to dreamland. Night all. Sometimes I wish we were all sitting around a great big round table doing this!

Warm hugs, Didi

You are being toooooooooooooo kind Craig! BUT, I appreciate your compliment. I am always open for those. :p

Just to get into the loop here again, I do have another image that I am going to post.

Good night Didi! Sweet rest to you! Wish we were all together also! Until later then! Jan

Maybe someday, that might be possible. You just never know! :)

When?? I am ready for it! :)

We were going down a main street tonight in our town and I am talking about businesses on both sides, business offices, restaurants, etc.. A four point buck ran in front of our car. Our car is in pieces. Totaled we think. What a night.