tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169368312009-12-17T08:09:09.579-08:00Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.comBlogger716125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-57473494464560984942009-12-13T11:38:00.000-08:002009-12-13T11:41:25.712-08:00

I've worked on her more--worked thru the place where I thought "Ugh. I ruined her." Now I can see that I didn't.

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-1513937183212813352009-12-11T09:29:00.000-08:002009-12-11T10:07:40.281-08:00

Been experimenting with doing an underpainting before I do my faces--makes a difference, especially since the Golden Fluid Acrylics and Golden Open Acrylics that I use are (mostly) translucent. The most opaque paints I use are the cheap craft acrylics, and even those aren't completely opaque...I started this yesterday, from a sketch done last year. I'll post more as I work today.I've also been

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-55983179927555698872009-12-03T12:17:00.000-08:002009-12-03T12:45:48.754-08:00

Things have been hopping around here! Last Friday afternoon, my dad came for a kind of spur-of-the-moment visit all the way from Michigan! He's 83, and lost his hearing completely several years ago (his hearing had never been even close to good, as he's been legally deaf my entire life)--he hasn't been here since then (I think he thought he'd be a bother), and are we ever glad to have him! He

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-5873139041964539832009-11-16T16:07:00.000-08:002009-11-16T16:14:14.748-08:00

With Joel driving, I've been without a vehicle three days a week. I've gotten lots done in the studio and some done in the house (I have my priorities straight, huh?). I kept thinking "the right car will show up," since we didn't want to buy a new car...My friends and I got together two weekends ago, and when I drove up, there was my friend Becky's cute little red car--with a "For Sale" sign in

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-25402515534875569862009-11-16T15:57:00.000-08:002009-11-16T16:02:40.226-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, both girls were home sick. The doorbell rang--ding dong ding dong ding dong!The older man who lives down the road was at the door. He'd been on his way to a neighboring town when he came across a litter of seven puppies that someone had dumped on the road. Two had been hit by cars, but he picked up the remaining five and took them to a vet in town. He finished this sad

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-69984704335907296232009-11-16T15:54:00.001-08:002009-11-16T15:57:34.671-08:00

Most of the football team got Mohawk haircuts for last Friday's big game against the cross-town rival (Richard also happens to be principal there). Katie took this of Joel after the game. Looks pretty fierce, doesn't he?

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-33011601775878008532009-11-05T12:03:00.000-08:002009-11-05T15:05:29.754-08:00

I've written before about my goat-wrangling adventures--I showed you videos and pictures of our two baby goats, here and here and here, illustrated funny things here, and shared ridiculous misadventures with my goats here. All in all, I have to say that the goats are a pain in the neck. They don't stay in our pasture very well, the one who has one tentacle left thinks he's a LUV MACHINE, and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-34258299732295053122009-11-05T09:45:00.001-08:002009-11-05T10:45:13.225-08:00

I love Vistaprint! I've used them to print my business cards and the postcards I have for sale for the last three years, and I've been thrilled with them each and every time I've ordered. After my first order, they send me regular emails for specials, and I've taken advantage of these specials to have stuff printed for an incredibly reasonable price.I've put a widget in the sidebar that will take

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-55890993655498362592009-11-03T19:50:00.001-08:002009-11-03T20:00:46.878-08:00

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-47601047215211072782009-11-03T08:34:00.000-08:002009-11-03T09:21:13.826-08:00

Okay, it's been awhile since I posted here; life has just been hectic with Joel playing football and getting his driver's license (and OHMYGOSH how did THAT happen?), and Katie finishing tennis and starting basketball and being very determined to improve her writing skills for her Honors English teacher, and Jenny just being Jenny, singing a solo in her old piano teacher's fall recital and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-34099683260145359452009-10-12T12:04:00.000-07:002009-10-12T12:07:37.287-07:00

Written over and over again on the background:"...she knew she needed neither magic nor wings to follow her dreams..."

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-24536945283329481682009-10-09T12:45:00.000-07:002009-10-09T19:40:14.643-07:00

The writing here reads:tonight each star is a memory andeach dream takes you out and abovethe whole world below youfly away on your dreams

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-50312949238321586842009-10-05T13:52:00.000-07:002009-10-05T14:01:23.937-07:00

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-81300605333299348732009-10-05T12:52:00.000-07:002009-10-05T13:06:45.912-07:00

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-9990837261384201142009-09-24T08:25:00.000-07:002009-09-24T08:37:11.370-07:00

A couple of you have asked about the Paypal button, below. It's really quite simple to add.Sign in to your Paypal Account. Once you've signed in, you're going to choose the "Merchant Services" tab. This takes you to the page above. There are all sorts of options, including adding a "Buy Now" or an "Add To Cart" button.In this particular case, I think it's FINDING the information--once you're

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-73636399665117395262009-09-23T12:07:00.000-07:002009-09-23T12:12:50.387-07:00

I've posted a flickr slideshow in the sidebar, featuring ATC's. I will be scanning more as I make time. If you're interested in one, please let me know and we can trade info.Katie has a tennis match this afternoon, I get my root canal finished tomorrow morning, and Friday I may go to the coast to do some winetasting with my friend Dianne (making sure, of course, to hurry back so I'm home in time

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-9555977124138735582009-09-21T12:07:00.000-07:002009-09-21T12:27:35.086-07:00

Order these for a holiday gift for yourself or others--hang them on the wall or send them in the mail--this set of seven professionally printed postcards, each sized 4" x 6", featuring my original paintings--only $10.00, free shipping.

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-18778458678652692762009-09-17T08:19:00.000-07:002009-09-17T08:23:44.760-07:00

I get the root canal finished today--LOVE the new dentist, who, in his own words, 'does not believe in unnecessary pain'. Saw doctor two days ago, he doubled my blood pressure med.Fell down the stairs two nights ago and twisted my good ankle! It's swollen but not too painful--I apparently cannot talk on the phone and walk down stairs at the same time...(ah, you say, but can you pat your head and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-87115557889810481212009-09-14T11:45:00.000-07:002009-09-21T12:40:06.777-07:00

She looked forward with her heart, on and on, into the infinite...

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-5218412002089755582009-09-13T14:08:00.000-07:002009-09-13T14:20:00.275-07:00

A few months ago, I lost an old filling and broke off the back part of the tooth. I've been avoiding going to the dentist for several years now, ever since a horrible experience getting my teeth cleaned. Friday, the broken tooth started to really hurt, badly enough that I called the dentist. I tried a new dentist on the recommendation of a friend--a dentist who used happy gas for adults and

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-17914007028890526842009-09-08T14:55:00.000-07:002009-09-08T14:59:45.121-07:00

Okay, the kids are all fever-free and back in school. The cat is no longer hopping around on three legs and has been (against her/his will) evicted from the studio.I found some sinus medication in a drawer, so my blankity-blank headache is gone. Sort of.I have actually planned the meals for the rest of the month and done my grocery shopping, and tonight's dinner, vegetable beef soup, is bubbling

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-60942841145623924842009-09-03T14:55:00.000-07:002009-09-03T14:59:00.953-07:00

Everyone's back at school today; no fevers for over twenty-four hours. I took a long nap this morning after everyone left, just to do a little catching up myself. The kids aren't little anymore, but when they're sick I don't seems to sleep much, and considering that I've been sick, too, I was tired.Joel's football team has a scrimmage tonight. He won't play, but we'll go anyway to support the

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-20718461021677957612009-08-31T09:45:00.000-07:002009-08-31T09:59:55.639-07:00

I know, I know, it's H1N1, but I wanted to get that alliteration in there...I'm going to make a long story short--Joel's come down with the flu. It's been flying through all the football teams (at Joel's scrimmage last week, there were FOURTEEN kids missing, including the backup quarterback, who, it turned out, was in the hospital...)No, he hasn't been tested--at this point, apparently, they're

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-54433342028950662262009-08-27T08:39:00.000-07:002009-08-27T13:16:42.412-07:00

Came down this morning, put the cat outside, turned on some music, and just started pasting and painting. there's a cycle to this, I think. Someone compared it to a field lying fallow, and I guess that's accurate, but sometimes it's hard to get started again--in this case, I think that there are almost too many new 'what if's' rolling around in my head--pick one, run with it--that's what I need

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-41975680281399924322009-08-26T10:26:00.000-07:002009-08-26T10:28:44.088-07:00

Have a little trouble getting back into the groove. Sigh.I expected this, which maybe made it a self-fulfilling prophecy. What do YOU do when you're having trouble getting started?

Karen Smitheynoreply@blogger.com6