Swarm or at least a small swarm of bees

For Illustration Friday a small swarm of bees. There really were bees in the garden only a few days ago, then we had snow, rain, sun, and freezing again! Poor bees! We have neighbours who keep bees and have had them swarm through our apple trees it is quite a sight and sound experience.

Hot Layers!

How many layers? Too many to count. Layers being the Illustration Friday challenge. Crazy indian bedspread table cloth, crazy being the Theme Thursday challenge, layers of different flowers and hot colours. Hot being the Three Muses challenge . Spring will be coming eventually we are expecting snow again, the brave winter aconite and crocus are out and the dahlias are but summer dreams.
Being back at work full times stretches  me to try and and combine all the art challlenges that I can. I'm trying to discipline  myself to at least spend some time painting each week.

Words, Quotation and Sweater What could these things have in common?

 

The starting point: West Coast Tofino in a Cowichan Sweater for the Illustration Friday Sweater Challenge. Nothing more coastal. This is my old sweater (20 + years) that my daughter now loves, totally in fashion again. Then scanning and adding pen (never know quite when to stop)

Then adding words/quote for the Theme Thursday Word Challenge

Then the quote which is one of my all time favorites for the Three Muses quotation challenge.

Which one do you think works best?  I have looked too long. Here is a link to an amazing uplifting short clip it has nothing to do with the challenges other than being a great short that my husband received and immediatly had to share, the production quality is great as well as the message.

Black and White Home

Home  in Black and White with faithful pets waiting. This was done in watercolour and then scanned in greyscale.

In Reverse!

Reverse or fastforward, I'm ready doggles and all! Lets go...

Surrender Illustration Friday

 

As we garden and watch things grow we realize that we have to surrender to Mother Nature with what ever comes at us including the DEER!!!! 

We have tried some crazy deer repellants, I have found nothing that works, any tips out there? I'm working on plant 1 for us, 2 for the bugs and slugs and 3 for the deer.

Red and Black Challenge

The birds have been going crazy feeding the past few days. This bird is a creation of my imagination, I don't think there is a bird with quite this colouring!
They are a joy to watch. Challenge from Theme Thursday

Spring can't wait for the flowers

I have been looking through seed catalogues, the spring fever is starting. Three of my favorites cosmos, helenium, and nigella.

Chickens and more dusty chickens

Chickens everywhere! Which chicken is the keeper?
I decided to add to this posting to include "dusty chickens" Since chickens love to have dust baths, I played around with watercolour, digital and collage. I couldn't decide...I am stuck on this theme as I would like to have chickens again. They are very comical to have around the garden.
There is a great kids book Chickens to the rescue that I have used for library class visits, the children love it!

Deja vu

Do you see yourself? Or have you seen this face long ago? Is this the face of your grandchild to be, or the face of your child, or face of your childhood?