That there is some pretty plain air - but it smells like chicken crap

As I said a few days back, I've taken up watercolor painting. In that, comes a flurry of purchases that I probably really didn't need, but wanted them anyway so I did it. :p  Something I'd been wanting to do, almost from day one, was plein air painting. 

Plein air means "in the open air".  I love watching videos of people finding awesome little spots and painting on the fly.  It's called "watercolor sketching".

So I assembled my purchases - a moleskin (actually, this isn't the official moleskin, I have one of those too!), my watercolors (totally random placement), a water bowl (which is the blue bunny ice cream container and the perfect size), a pencil and two brushes. That's what those gold things are.

See how pretty those brushes are?!
These are escoda kolinsky sable travel brushes.

Have I told you that brushes are ridiculously expensive?  Some of them each hair is laid in BY HAND.  No lie.

I saw a brush that was $1100.  *one brush*

I said "wow, a brush for $1100!"
Moving on.

Here is my cheap water bin from a single serve ice cream container.  I couldn't afford anything else after buying brushes. LOL. 

Please note the seashell I found in my yard.

How did a seashell get in my yard?

Anyway, after sitting outside for about 12 seconds, I realized it was pretty farkin' cold!  Don't let those sunny 47 degree days fool ya.  That's still cold.

Unwilling to just give up, I decided to just sit in my jeep and paint something I could see.  My waterbowl is in the console. 

I decided to paint the view of the big tree in the back yard, which isn't terribly exciting as it's still pretty brown out, but it was a good exercise in restraint.

As I put the painting on the dashboard to dry in the sun for a few minutes, I hear a "thump thump thump".

What was that?

"Thump thump thump" again.

What in the world?

that's when I see this:

A chicken, with her wee little brain with 7 tiny neurons flashing, decides it's a great idea to jump up on the bumper and peck all the bugs off the jeep.

Did I mention that the radiator is fairly exposed in a jeep.  yes, it's a really stupid design.

And I had a chicken pecking at it.

She fled as soon as I came around the corner.

And with that I say, every pain in the arse chicken I've had so far is one of those damn black barred rocks.

Something tells me I have chicken noodle soup in my future.

And a car repair bill.

Things I don't "Get" and one thing I do

There are a few things over the years, that on greater thought, I just don't "get".

It's not that I think they're wrong, or anyone is wrong doing them, I just don't get the reasoning behind it if you really sit and spend some time thinking about it.

For example:

I really don't get music.  (I'm obviously the only one.)  I say this as someone that was in choir for years, one of those years being swing choir.  It's not that I don't really get it, it's more the logic behind it.  Think about it - we make a ruckus on noiseboxes like guitars, drums and violins, then we shoot frilly words out of our mouths at the same time.... and we idolize those that do it well.  Heck we devote entire shows to it.  If you stop and think about it, it's very *strange*.

Since we're talking about strange, let's talk about dancing.  There's something else that if you think about the concept of dancing (throwing your body around the room in time with *music*) it just seems so odd.  Proof in point, look at a photo of someone dancing, it always seems kind of crazy looking.

Something else I find kind of weird, is humans needs to domesticate an animal and call it a pet.  What thought process did someone have to capture a wild dog, tame it, and then invite the wild animal into their home?  Or worse yet, a wild CAT, with it's sharp claws and pissy, uppity attitude?   Who thought THAT was a good idea? (not saying I don't like the outcome - I have a pissy cat and an uppity cat that rule this house).

I've also thought sports were strange.  Not only do a bunch of guys get together and throw around some sort of ball (unless it's soccer and they kick it around), but people clamor to watch it, and to top it all of we pay millions to players in the process.

Does that not seem *weird* from the outside looking in?

But there's one thing I know I've always been able to "get".

Art.

The idea of seeing something beautiful that pleases the eye, and the need to take it home and put it on the wall completely resonates with me.  The need to *create* it has always been there for me since I was a small child.

When I was a young kid, my mom became a painter (oils) and she taught me how to paint.  While other kids in Jr. High were getting allowances, I was selling simple paintings of unicorns (hey it was the 80's).  I would also sell drawings for $2.00 to my friends (and sold a ton of them), so it was no shocker that much of my high school time was sitting in Mr. Hunt's art room creating whatever the latest assignment was.

Sculpture, acrylic paintings, things made with plaster were common themes.  Our senior year we had no assignments - we just created whatever we wanted to create.  One thing that always stuck with me was watercolors.

I've come to realize over the years that watercolors are some of my very favorites.  That soft feeling with transparent layers of colors leaves me imagining what the scene really looked like.

Gene and I are members of the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art in St. Joseph, MO.  Obviously I've always been a fan of art, but on his own, gene has acquired an affinity for art also.  While I'm a fan of impressionism, Gene loves the renaissance style. 

Our house is maybe ... a little hodge podge.

Anyway, right before Christmas, the museum announced a watercolor class for adults and I told Gene that's what I wanted for Christmas.

Last Tuesday, I went to my first art class in *cough*20*cough* years.
I was the second to the youngest person there.
It was fun!

We learned a few techniques, came home with a little bird painting we made and I've been painting up a storm since.

Every day it's something new - sometimes I'm finding artwork of other artists and trying to copy it (it's a good lesson), or maybe trying to figure out a technique.  My second painting since the 80's, was the starfish above.

I love feel of the water and the paint. I love how it flows, and letting it do it's own thing is part of the art.  It's like the paper is creating the art, and you're there just watching to see what it creates.

Yesterday I made this goldfinch, my favorite bird (inspired by the work of another artist) and it got me to thinking about an old dream of writing and illustrating a children's book someday.

So I think I will.

I need a theme.

Who's with me?

I have a long, LONG way to go and it's probably something I would just make for myself and call it done.  But it would be a wonderful thing to pass down to my own kids and grandkids.

Then there's that part were I become a millionare and people fall in love with me.

You know... more than you already do.

:0)

Hush.

sweet miracles

I promised a couple photos. Here is little Francesca Perkins. 6 pounds 18.5 inches. About 12 hours old.

This is my first real shot at baby photos and the light was horrible. I've promised Stacy I'd take some more over the next couple weeks. Told her we needed to get home, great light and get that baby naked LOL.

I am here. I am Mz Cellaneous

Dont you love the word Miscellaneous? I've always loved it.

The other day, I was laying in bed staring into the darkness thinking whatever thoughts were keeping me from sleeping and the word Miscellaneous came to mind for whatever reason like it has 100 times before. I again thought to myself how wonderful miscellaneous is. Here's is a word that doesn't mean left overs. It means, something that fits in no other category it's so different.

When shopping on line, I find myself searching for the "misc" button. What might be so unique and different it can't even be categorized? That's where the creative stuff is at.

So back to being in the dark - I laid there and thought to myself. *I* am miscellaneous. I really have never fit into a basic category. So many categories, slots that people fit in, and I never felt like I fit into any of them.

In JANUARY, my resolution was to start a photography blog. I wanted to explore the idea/possibility of being a photographer semi-pro. As usual, one of my big hang ups is "where do I start?" I let that be my excuse for not starting anything. "I don't know what words to use to just start a blog". *eyeroll*

excuse.

nice.

So here lie Mz Cellaneous in bed, staring into the darkness thinking about where I do or do not fit into this world and bam... the words all came. A place to start and a lack of an excuse.

That was like, a month ago.

So I got a touch of the lazy too ok?

Will I talk about photography and post photos I've taken? yes. Definately.. and probably more than anything else because yes, I do want to start a part time photography business.

You'll also see me posed about art, parenting, scrapbooking and MISC!

I bore easily.. just a warning. I can totally see me not post for a month. I can also see me post 3 times in one day. It's happened. :p BUT, I'm going to make myself of a personal promise to post my photos of that week on each sunday.... well, a sampling of them anyway.

Now, just the intro of myself....
My name is Lana. I have a full time job in customer service... I really like my job a lot... I'm damn good at it. I have 2 boys, Seth (17) and Tanner (12). 2 pretty cool kids if you ask me. My boyfriend is Gene and pretty darn awesome himself I might add. 2 cats (Trust me, you'll see them at some point) and I love art, scrapbooking and photography.

{Order depends on my mood for the day}

Saturday, I'm photographing a special wedding - my baby sister's (she's 21, not much of a baby anymore). So I'll post some photos for you on Sunday. I swear!

I'll try to post some cutie baby photos I took a couple days ago. One of my bestest girlfriends had her 3rd on Monday and she's about a tiny little bundle of cuteness. *many baby photos to come*. Yay babies!

If you made it this far, well, you're probably my family or a good friend and thank you... that makes you awesome by default. LOL.

More later!