Zebra painting - Work In Progress - Stage Six

I have been sick with flu the past couple of days so didn't get much time to work on the painting. Today, I did manage some time to develop the foreground a little more. I'm kinda liking the richness of the foreground colours but I'll see how the Zebras blend in before I make any changes there. If anything I will tone it down and make it appear more shaded.

Zebra painting - Work In Progress - Stage Five

More progress on the Zebras -

I've started roughly blocking in the Zebras and will now work back and forth between them and the foreground colour and details until I'm happy with it.

How to make a paper bead

I had a few inquiries about how I made my paper beads from this post so I thought I would share this You Tube link which I found to be very helpful. There is a bit of a music clip intro but wait it out because the visual instruction for the beads is worth it. Have fun and, if you do make your own beads, please feel free to post the link to your beads in the Comments section of this post as I would love to see them. Have fun!

The Zebras Return - Work In Progress

I felt the urge to get back to the Zebra painting yesterday much to Beau's delight. The foreground still has a fair way to go and will not be staying in all those orange tones even though Beau loves it like that.......he LOVES orange! I've at least covered the canvas, apart from the Zebras, which I may actually start work on next so I can get a better idea of where I'm headed colour-wise for the foreground. Decisions....decisions....

Zebras - Acrylic - Work In Progress

Paper beads and day-tripping

WOW! Where has the past week gone? Last Sunday, Aaron and I made paper beads and what fun we had! This is the first of a range of technique projects that Ro is planning for our email art group - Global Brushstrokes. Mine are the red beads and Aaron's are the green and pink ones.

I even got to make some more little notebooks.....YES.....you know how I LOVE those! We embellished the notebooks with our beads. I think they look great!

I'm pretty sure Aaron is planning on giving his to, Michelle, his sister......so Shell, if you read this, keep it to yourself. hehehe

Update on the Lorikeet and Jack Russell terrier paintings - Deidre and her husband, Clarry, LOVED them! She sent me a beautiful card of thanks. Apparently, they both got quite emotional and even cried. Brad, my eldest son, took this pic (with his mobile phone) of the paintings in their new home.

Yesterday, Beau decided to take me, Brad and Aaron for a drive to the country. I adore long, country drives! Heck, who needs a roller-coaster ride when Beau is driving?!! My stomach did quite a few jolts going up and down the hilly areas..... hehehe

We stopped at Burgess Park -

There are camping facilities there too.

A lone dandelion greeted me on the creek bank -

You wouldn't think we were in the middle of winter with what we're wearing, would you?

We stopped at the side of the road to take some pics and the cows immediately gathered around. Such inquisitive animals. I love their large ears.

The road home -
We had a fabulous day!

Which Sports Car are you?!

I'm a Mazda Miata!

You like to soak up the sun, but your tastes are down to earth. Everyone thinks you're cute. Life is a winding road, and you like to take the curves in stride. Let other people compete in the rat race - you're just here to enjoy the ride.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Blog Award

I feel so lucky to be chosen by two other bloggers for this award. Thank you, Margaret from Waterblossoms and Julie from A Succulent Life.

Here are the rules -

1. Display logo and link to who gave it.
2. Nominate at least 7 blogs.
3. Add links to those 7 blogs
4. Leave the nominees a message that they received the award

My seven 'Brilliant' blog/bloggers are -

Luci
Maria
Romona
Kate
Jessica
Rhonda
Becky

NOTE - Participation is entirely optional so please don't feel obligated.

Cody - Trip to the Vet

Yesterday, my little Cody was desexed and micro-chipped so spent the day at the Vet's clinic. The house felt so empty without him here. Aaron and I could hardly wait until 3PM rolled around so we could go pick him up. Cody was still groggy from the anaesthetic as you may be able to tell from the pic. He slept for hours in his comfy, new bed with his new toy. He has to wear the 'cone' on his head for seven days to stop him getting to the stitches but it doesn't seem to bother him too much. The 'desexing' thing was not an easy decision for me to make but I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that it was the right thing to do. If you are undecided about desexing your pet, you may find this site helpful. It certainly helped me to feel better about making this choice.

Free the Dancing Bears

Nearly a month ago, I watched a documentary (I think, it was on Animal Planet) about rescuing the Dancing Bears of India. I was so upset to see the plight of these beautiful creatures that it has played on my mine ever since.

Last week, I purchased a 6 months sponsorship from Free The Bears. Her name is Pinky and she is an Indian Sloth Bear. Mary Hutton, the founder of Free the Bears, helped to set up and fund the Agra Bear Rescue Facility in India.

Click on image to enlarge

After the slaughter of their mothers, young cubs are taken by poachers and sold to, the Kalandars, a nomadic tribe of India. In primitive conditions, and without anaesthetic, a red hot poker is used to pierce through the cub's very sensitive snout area and then jute rope, deliberately used because it is rough and painful, is pulled through and left there. The wound often becomes infected and never heals properly. The canine teeth are then knocked out with rocks or hammers and the bear's claws are also removed. The Kalandar tribe then force the bears to 'dance' by hitting them about the body with a stick and tourists pay money to watch them. The bears literally live a life of agony. This cruel practice was banned in India in 1972, however, it still continues illegally. Thankfully, welfare organisations are making a difference and have set up sanctuaries for rescued bears to live out their lives in peace and safety. They are also helping and educating the Kalandar people so they can find other means for earning a living.

How we can help -

1/ Tourists - Please DO NOT give them money! It is not entertainment but a terrible act of cruelty! Money is what motivates the Kalandar tribe to continue with this barbaric treatment of a threatened species.

2/ Donate money, purchase a gift from the welfare organisation, or sponsor a bear.

Please take a moment to visit the website and read more on the great work they are doing to help the bears.

Other links to help Save the Dancing Bears -
Kartick Satyanarayan
Wildlife SOS

Sad news today....

My sister phoned me to let me know that Lachie, the Jack Russell Terrier I painted, passed away a few days ago. Lachie has battled with cancer for some time now and had a leg amputated last year in the hope that it would save his life. Sadly, it wasn't to be as the cancer had progressed to his lungs. Deidre is understandably devastated.

I'm glad that I stuck with painting the plaid blanket instead of a plain coloured one because it was Lachie's favourite blanket and buried with him. I feel so sad for Deidre as it wasn't long ago that she lost her beloved Rainbow Lorikeet. I do hope my paintings will bring her some peace and comfort.