"Daddy's Home!" © Paula PertileI'm starting a new series of art for some books, and am trying to work out the style I want to do. Part of me wants to do simple watercolor. Part of me wants to do detailed watercolor/gouache paintings. Part of me wants to do my usual colored pencil thing. Who will win?
This was done with colored pencils. The background alone took forefreakingever. If you do colored pencil, you know what I'm talking about. And in this case, I'm not sure the final effect is all that much better than if I'd done something else. I kept going though, because I wanted to see it through. Oh, its beautiful, yes, but I think the subtle gradations and layers upon layers of color build-up get lost a bit.
Try as I might to do a quicker or simpler style though, I just don't think I have it in me. I like tight, detailed work. I love to render. I do not love to just whip things out. The art I'm attracted to is tight and detailed. Every time I try to do something 'fast' just to be practical, I'm unhappy with it. So I will soldier on in my quest for the perfect style/medium/technique.
And I will post results.
In other news, there is new addition to our little family. Willow - a sweet orange kitty who's been sneaking in through the cat door to eat and play with the catnip toys since just before Isabella died. I finally caved in and told her she could stay - and now she sleeps on the bed and is quickly training me to her preferences. She 'covers up' food she doesn't like (like its something in the litter box) and meows her approval if I get it right.

Sigh.
My local art store is having a BIG SALE on Thursday, so I plan to go stock up on a thing or two.
There are also gardening chores and general 'sprucing up' things to be done outside, now that the weather has turned to sun, finally.
Tomorrow I'm listening in on a phone call with Mary Engelbreit - one of Tara Reed's wonderful
monthly "Ask" phone calls she does. I can't wait!!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, a day early! Don't forget to wear your green or you'll get pinched (do people still do that?) Me, I'll be having my corned beef and cabbage and boiled potatoes and carrots- mmm.
Slainte!
This was a fun and easy painting project. I found this idea on
Charlotte's Fancy and she has step-by-step instructions. I thought they would be perfect rainbows for St. Patrick's day decor.
I love these
Bingo style dot paints, they are easy even for toddlers and so mess free. You can get real bingo dobbers, but watch out, they are not washable and may be slightly toxic.
We got ours at Fred Meyer but they have them all over. That brings me to my give-away today...the prize at the end of the rainbow...
With today's give-a-way from Kroger you could buy all your supplies for this project, or some green grub for your St. Patrick's Day feast....Leave a comment by 7pm PST, March 17th (in honour of St. Patrick's Day) to win a $25 Kroger Family of Stores gift card (which includes Kroger, Ralph´s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith´s, Fry´s, QFC, Baker´s, Owen´s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott´s Food & Pharmacy.) (open to US Residents only - I promise a give-a-way chance soon for my international readers.) Good luck!
The Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills provided me with the information, gift card and giveaway through MyBlogSpark for this event.

In the boys' kindergarten class this last week we made fun Good Luck cards for St. Patrick's Day. The idea is from one of my favourite blogs -
Zakka Life. She uses an ink pad for hers and they are much neater, but the kids in the class loved getting their hands in the paint even though there was an ink pad too. We used folded over green paper for the card, glued a white square on it and painted away and wrote a few words too. They loved embellishing the cards. Whoever the recipients of these cards will be they are definitely LUCKY!
Supplies: White and green paper, green paint, and thumbs (scissors and glue sticks are optional)



The first two leprechaun traps are in! Reagan, 4, and Collin, 5, of Massachusetts sent these photos. Good luck catching those little green men! But beware: they're awfully clever.

HAPPY ST. PAT'S DAY!
Holly has been celebrating, as you can see. Hope you have a great day.
Highlights Magazine has some great St. Pat's Day fun. Here is a link to their
Hidden Picture. And this link will help you create and play the
HAT O' GOLD Game.
Don't forget to try writing your own
Limerick. You'll probably want to try it on the Shamrock at
Limerick Fun. Or maybe the
Leprechaun Puzzle--all of those treats are right here on my website.
May the luck o' the Irish be with you!

Over at Scamp, an Irish illustration blog, Fintan Taite has shared a whole pot o’ gold’s worth of preliminary sketches and final artwork for a brilliant St. Paddy’s-themed comic strip wine label. The cartooning is stellar and the single green spot colour is super classy.
Previously: Fintan Taite
The Irish have been thinking green for centuries, and now I, too, have joined the bandwagon with The Night Before St. Patrick's Day.
This story idea was inspired by elementary school teachers in Lodi, California who, when I visited their school, asked if I had a St. Patrick's Day book. Upon learning I didn't, they then told me that their students made leprechaun traps which they baited with golden trinkets. On the afternoon before St. Patrick's Day, the teachers and janitor would spring all the traps and mess up the classrooms by turning over chairs and desks and making it appear as if a leprechaun had come looking for the trinkets. When I wrote this story, I paid ode to their shenanigans and have Tim and Maureen set a trap and catch a leprechaun, but they are soon out-tricked by him.
This book is available at bookstores, Amazon, and through Scholastic Book Club in its SeeSaw February flyer for only $1! No trick!
BOOKSIGNING ALERT! I'll be reading and signing this book at Fortuna Library Days at the library starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 14.
Let's say you're hell-bent on living in a Hobbit house but you'd prefer not to take part in that freaky gated community The Shire. You're looking for something a little more free. A place to truly let go and let be. Heck, maybe you just want a location that's, "a fitting repository for a ... valuable collection of J.R.R. Tolkien manuscripts and artifacts." That would mean taking a trip over to FineHomebuilding.com to view "a modern day cottage based on mythical literature."
I wonder what they'd consent to build for someone with a valuable collection of Rube Goldberg papers?
Thanks to Book Moot for the link.
I love the garland, looks great! and thanks... now I have that song in my head!
So pretty! Fun project.
they look so festive displayed across the windows too - I can hear you singing....:)