"Inchies" and Other Stuff

(Wow! My second post in just a couple of days - things are looking up!)

I've been inspired by the artwork of ChrisJ, MorningAJ and others - especially their "inchies" (well, "twinchies" by my sister). You'll need to go to their blogs to see what "inchies" and "twinchies" are. Maybe you will be challenged to give it a try, like I did.

This Monday the topic is Smile. Funny that my sister and I both chose cats, although hers actually looks like a cat. Mine could be anything!  Bear in mind that this is the first time I have EVER tried to draw something in one square inch of space. It'll take some practice:

Here are some others I had practice with:

Secluded Dwellings

Trees
(those little trees look like skeletons, and the fish look like whales!)

If you have never tried this, you might be surprised at how difficult it is, and how awful they can look when they are enlarged for posting!

Now for a couple of drawings (of normal size) that I did over Christmas. It was great to do something creative other than writing for a change!

This was another try at a painting my sister and I each did, a couple of years ago. I think I much prefer drawing to painting.

This was copied from a cute Christmas card that struck my fancy

I think I will try next Monday's inchie - the topic is "flier" - maybe you'd like to give it a try. You can create it in any medium you would like, including scrapbooking material, stickers etc. If you click here you will be amazed at the creativity involved!

S'no Joke

Snow clouds

Snow Jewels

Snow Claws

Snow Tulips

Snow Pretty

We've had a quite a mild winter so far, with little snow, so I guess, when it comes, I am able to enjoy it more and see its beauty. 

The last three photos were taken just a few minutes ago through the living room window.  It's a long time since I have actually seen formations of snowflakes. They floated down and settled so gently - I am sure if I could magnify these photos enough we would be able to actually see some individual designs. So beautiful!

TRADITION....!

Every year, for the past five years, DOTH (Daughter Of The House) has maintained a Christmas tradition with TGS (The Grandson).

In his stocking each year (yes, he's 14 and Santa still fills his stocking!) he will find a new Christmas tree ornament. Sometime over the Christmas holidays (actually as soon as possible so that he doesn't have a chance to 'cheat' - but of course he never does!), he gets to search the tree for the previous years' ornaments. This year, not counting the current ornament, there were five on the tree. Of course, as he gets older it gets easier to remember. When he was little, a year was a long time to have to keep in memory what the ornament looked like. The fun part of this tradition is that for every one he finds, he receives $20 from DOTH! Let's see how he did this year:

Hmmm... let's see....
(can't believe he is almost as tall as the tree now!)

Maybe down near the bottom? That auntie of mine can be pretty sneaky, but I'll find them!
(He's not allowed to touch the tree, or the ornaments)

Maybe I'll see better from a distance....

Some MUST be in the back....

Yay!  I got them all!  I'm rich!

Well, we had a discussion after the game, this year. Annually, as the winnings grow, he will 'earn' a lot of money. So DOTH and TGS decided that he will keep just half the money from now on - to be used under his dad's supervision of course -  and TGS will put the rest into a 'bank account' for him. He can access the account at anytime - all he has to do is have his dad's permission to call his auntie for it.

I think that's a pretty good deal and a neat tradition. Of course, yet to be determined is when the tradition will end - perhaps when TGS has children of his own, and DOTH becomes TGA (The Great Aunt!)  -- well, she already is a pretty great aunt!