Happy Father's Day and panning for gold

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! Yesterday, Frank and I headed up to the mountains. This is my feeble attempt at a map, it's not to scale and the mountains look really childlike compared to the real thing... but it's just a map. I'll have to practice more...

I am a weather fanatic, I usually always watch the weather! Well, this time I didn't and we were planning on heading to the mountains to go panning.... Needless to say, in the future I will always watch the weather... We got up to cloudy skies and threats of rain but headed out anyway. I love to go panning. No, I've never found a big nugget, or even a small one. A microscopic one yes... I don't pan to get rich, I just enjoy the hunt, and it's good exercise. The hiking and lifting rock, try it sometime... Anyway I got in a few hours of panning before it started to sprinkle. We decided we'd better pack it in, and we did just in time. As soon as we got on the highway it started pouring!!! And it poured for the entire 2 1/2 hour drive back to the Springs!!! But we had fun and it was so nice to get out of the city!!!! You get so caught up in the routine, it's so nice to break it! We'll have to head up to the mountains more often!

A couple of ATCs

These are a couple of ATCs I just did this past weekend. I wanted to do some more and some fabric ones but I didn't have time. These are fun and fairly quick to do.

Garden of the Gods, Colorado- another sketch/painting

After a disappointing early morning treasure hunt (garage sale-ing) I decided to grab my watercolor sketch book and head down the road to Garden of the Gods. It's very busy this time of the year with all the tourists, but they're nice and we have to share our beautiful places. It was a beautiful sunny day, which was really nice after all the cloudy weather we've been having! I really need to get out and do more sketching while it's nice!

Lilacs sketch

The lilacs bloomed beautifully this year! One of my bushes was just loaded! I brought in a couple of sprigs and put them in a huge ball jar I have. Back when I was doing just painting I would do a watercolor still life with lilacs every year. You really have to draw fast to capture them before they wilt. They usually only last one day. They smell so wonderful! I really wish they could bloom all summer! One of these days maybe I'll post some photos of my paintings...

Another Shopping sketch

Back in May when I took my daughter's shopping again I found some interesting things to draw. I loved the pig with wings! This was right about the time the swine flu news came out so maybe unconsciously I was thinking about that, or maybe the fact that I need to go on a diet...

I'm behind on posting!

I'm behind on posting! I started the next Moleskine before I finished the last, so here is one of the first sketches in the new Moleskine. My sweet husband brought home these gorgeous orchids for me on Mother's Day ~ notice that it has two stalks blooming! How cool is that?!!!

Another Moleskine finished!

I finished another Moleskine in May. I think this is the 4th one I've finished. I like to spray all the colored pencil sketches with Pym II, it's a protective sealant.

I've been so busy recently with my son graduating that I haven't had time to sketch daily, but I always try to do some kind of art of everyday, even if it's collage or cardmaking or quilting arts etc...

Might be time for a beer

I rarely drink anymore. Occasionally though a nice cold beer just hits the spot. I might have one of these tonight, my son is graduating from high school!!!! I am so proud of him I could just explode!!!!

You know it's funny, at the time you don't think graduation is that big of a deal but when you're a parent it takes on a whole new meaning!