Leanne Wildermuth : Artist by Nature

Thursday Thirteen #17

December

2005

Thirteen Things about Leanne, Thursday, December 15, 2005
My other Thirteens

1. I don’t have a Christmas wish list. I don’t need anything, and I don’t want for anything, either. No one sells replacement body parts, so I guess I’m outta luck this year.

2. I am still working on my Christmas cards.

3. I still have homemade dough ornaments to paint and put together, and ship.

4. I would like to finish Joey’s underpainting this week, and I’m not sure when I’m going to have the chance.

5. I would have liked to finish reading all of the TT’ers from last week, too. I’m sorry that didn’t happen – I tried. I will continue to try every week, that I can promise!

6. I’ve had horrible dreams this week, I attribute it to the sinusitis. I keep waking up crying, or tossing and turning in fear and worry. Then I can’t breathe right for the rest of the night. Blech.

7. I have several more gifties to go, and Saturday looks like it’s THE DAY. THE DAY to get every single thing we’re getting. All in one day. That’s the way to do it! (Except I snuck in some stuff the last few times I ran errands. heh.)

8. Our baby girl (not such a baby anymore) was recommended and accepted into the TEC Program (TEC = Thinking, Enrichment, Challenge) ’cause she’s a smarty pants. Just ask her.

9. My favorite spoil-me-rotten cookies are Pepperidge Farm Raspberry and/or Orange Milano’s. Did you ever notice that a Milano is shaped like and is the same size as the average tongue? “The easier to eat you with, m’dear!” That’s what I’m sayin’.

10. People were slowing down and looking at me funny while I was building our snowman yesterday. SO? I’m a GROWN WOMAN out PLAYING IN THE SNOW all BY MYSELF. SO???

11. Hubby is home now for the Holidays! WOOHOO!

12. I hope to get to the Church to finish up that mural before Christmas, too. Now that Hubby is around, I just might get caught up on things!

13. I gotta make more cookies. What’s your all time favorite Christmas Cookie, hands down?

BLOGROLL: Please check my sidebar for the TT Logo and Blogroll. If you’re not on it and you participate in the TT, You can ADD YOURSELF TO THE TT BLOGROLL HERE! Those blogs with the yellow/black exclamation points have been recently updated.

LINKS TO THIRTEENS I’VE VISITED TODAY:
1. Momma K
2. Shelli @ Shelli’s Sentiments
3. Better Safe Than Sorry
4. Carolyn @ A Prairie View
5. Chickadee @ Musings from the Edge
6. Kat @ My Single Mom Life
7. Colleen @ Loose Leaf Notes
8. Holly @ Holly’s Happenings
9. Enigma
10. Lisa @ Just a Girl
11. Tommi
12. Marie aka PractGal
13. SusiePie
14. D @ Straddling the Line
15. Ivoryfrog
16. Judy @ Insecure
17. Ocean Lady
18. Fionna
19. Sallwood
20. Tammy
21. Lily Bleu
22. Jakapk
23. Sandra
24. Running2Ks
25. Lisa @ The Shizzle
26. Renee
27. Raehan
28. Lisa @ The World According To Me
29. Suzy

Leave your link in comments so I can visit you today!

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Photos With Santa

December

2005

This is what I did today, it’s a photo backdrop for the elementary school to use for Photos with Santa in a couple of days. Not only did I paint this thing – which by the way covers a good part of my studio floor at about 8 feet wide by 4 feet high – but I’ll be the photographer for the event, too.

The most important part of this backdrop, of course …

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Frosty… Our Snowman!

December

2005

Did I ever mention … I hate snow? But, for the past 2 hours, I’ve been out in it. Runny nose, rosy cheeks, big fuzzy boots, I’ve been out playing in the snow. I even waited until the kids left for school. I’m a bad mom. This is some good packin’ snow, ladies & gentlemen. Obviously. This snowman is a lofty 6 foot tall, I had to get his mid section up in two pieces.

Crud, I better get to work now. Hi-ho, Hi-ho!

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth, The Photog in Me

The Program

December

2005

For those of you who would like to motivate me (go on and try, I dare ya!) or join me on my program, give me tips, beat me over the head if I mess up – please. Do. I just added a page that I’m not going to link anywhere, so you’ll either have to remember it or save it or come back to this entry to get there, here it is: The Program.

The plan is to stay on course, every day, and get back on my treadmill since my back has been feeling better and it’s too freakin’ cold to leave the house to go swim in cold water. I’d like to think I’m not glutten for punishment at least part of the time! I have a ways to go, but I did it last year and I can do it again if I stick with it. I finally decided that since the Faith Hill Fairy isn’t going to wave her wand on my thighs and make them magically disappear, I had better get my butt to work. So here I go.

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Filed under: Chit Chat

The Tree

December

2005

Here’s the home to all of the pretty ornaments you’ve been seeing lately! I’m actually glad the top is all lit up, I’ll be able to detail our tree topper for you another day.

I’ve got a full schedule today! So for now, get cozy – grab some cocoa and just enjoy the warm glow of our Christmas Tree.

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Filed under: The Photog in Me

Dog Painting : Joey WIP #1

December

2005

THIS. This is what I do for a living. I paint. I finally, finally paint. I have to first give special thanks to Yellow Rose. Why? Last week I went to her blog for the first time, and she had some music playing on her sidebar. She was kind enough to let me know the artists, and this morning I downloaded an assorted variety of songs by The Corrs. That music (it’s Celtic, Mom) kept me in my groove while I painted today, and will be what I have playing in the studio while I’m working this painting.

BTW, this is an 11×14 oil painting, a custom dog portrait – he’s a black poodle. I’ll post another progress when I complete his underpainting.

Feels good to paint again. I needed this.

View my Custom Dog Portrait category to watch the painting as it progresses.

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Filed under: Chit Chat, Dog Portraits, Works in Progress

The Giant Snowflake

December

2005

Suspended from the peak of the roof (firmly attached at both sides so that the wind doesn’t carry it away) is this 18-inch snowflake. Blue icicle lights are draped across the house, white netted lights cover the 9-10 foot tall pines (bushy pines) on either side of the house. Getting a full shot of our light display at night isn’t easy, every photograph looks like a bunch of lights floating in the middle of black.

I upgraded my graphic program lastnight, I use PSP (Paint Shop Pro) formerly owned by JASC, now owned by Corel. I upgraded to PSP X (10.0), which has even more features and buttons that I need to play with. hehe! They have a couple of other programs I’m eyeballing as well. A small indiscreet program, Corel Painter Essentials, was tucked away in the folder and I doodled for a bit lastnight with my wacom tablet. I was like a kid in a candy store, playing with my new toys!

I took the girls Christmas portrait yesterday morning, it turned out really beautiful and looks so good I felt like a professional photographer for a day. I’m excited to finally work on our Christmas cards and get those out in the mail!

I resketched the dog portrait (that black poodle, Joey) yesterday, too. I plan to paint today in my small two-hour window of opportunity, so I’d better get ready for it, it comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

Happy Monday – only 12 more days until Christmas Eve!

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth, The Photog in Me

Family Flick Night

December

2005

(I took this photo at Sea World last Spring.)For those of you who haven’t seen March of the Penquins, you must! I loved this film. I do enjoy documentaries on animals and their behaviors, but I think even if you’re not one to get into that kind of show you would like it. Morgan Freeman did an outstanding job narrating – he has the perfect voice for it. The penquins amazed me, their behavior, their dedication and devotion made us laugh, and sniffle, and when the babies were born Caitybug and I were both in “awww”. It was beautifully done!

The Red Violin was interesting, and confusing, and interesting again. In the end, I liked it very much, guessed what he found out (not to give it away), and was glad the movie ended the way it did.

All in all, it was another good Family Flick night. How is your weekend going?

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Filed under: Available for Purchase, Home n' Hearth, Photography Prints, The Photog in Me

Happy Eggs : Good Eats

December

2005

This morning, while Chickeymonkey was cracking eggs for our morning scramble, our eggs made a face at us! I am hoping this is a good sign for our day and weekend, I’ve got some things to do as I’ve now volunteered for something that will cause me to virtually magically disappear for a few days. I’m not sure what I was smokin’ at the time I volunteered, but it must have been some good stuff since my head is still spinning!

I was very housewifey yesterday, did the grocery shopping, threw a wonderful and huge pot roast in the crock pot with some chopped veggies, balanced the checkbook (gulp – 4 months worth – I was behind!), paid some bills, and made some Peppermint Crunch cookies. I was hugely disappointed when I checked my roast after a few hours, I pulled a piece off to see how tender it was and I’d have sworn I was chewing on a tire scrap. WTH? I may very well be a failure as a cook, but as Lisa is my witness, I’m a damn fine baker!

After a few more hours in the crock though, it was falling apart and I felt better. It still wasn’t going to be edible in time for dinner though, so we ate out lastnight. After dinner, we stopped over at Blockbuster and purchased the new release “Fantastic Four” and it was so good! I usually don’t like that kind of stuff but it was really entertaining for all four of us snuggled up on the couch on mounds of pillows in our jammies and under blankets, nice and cozy. 🙂

We picked up The Red Violin (Lisa raves about it so I have to see it!), March of the Penquins (bought it), and a few others for weekend viewing. It should be a nice (warm, indoors, away from the icky cold snow outside) weekend!

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Filed under: Home n' Hearth, The Photog in Me