Hi everyone. Here is the final pic of the pastel beach picture. I like it although I do want to try this same picture in crisp watercolors to see what effect I get. I have watercolor paper all sketched out and ready to go. I will try it soon.
I also attached a first attempt at watercolors in a floral theme and a pastel pic of a cute snowman in pastels looking up with hope at a Christmas star. How’s that for diversity???? Hope you like them all. Enjoy!
I am in the process of finishing a pastel picture of a girl on the beach. This is a little difficult, as I am at a stand still right now trying to figure out what color I should render the sky in. The ocean is so blue already, I am wondering if I should do a pink sky. I don’t know.
I just can’t wait too finish this and start on other projects! I will let you know when I finish.
Girl on the beach
I finished my latest, a still life. I haven’t done a still life in a very long time, so this was interesting. I did this one from one of my photographs. The paper was dark and so it gave a darker tone to the picture. When I put it in iPhoto to crop it and edit it, I decided I would see what it would look like saturated and brightened a bit, and this is the result. Here is the original, the darker one, and the brightened version, which I like also. Which do you like???
Strawberries and Cream Still Life
The Original Darker Version
Early in the summer, my daughters and I went to the park not far from us that is right on the water. We love to go there when the air is still and it’s not too hot. Then it is perfect. If you go during the week, it’s even a bigger plus because you don’t get all the noise from kids and loud motorcycles and such. Just perfect quiet. The boats glide out over the water and the only noise you hear is the water hitting the rocks on the wall.
What I really think is neat when I go there, are the strange trees that are just grouped together in the picnic area. They are not too tall, very light in leaves, and their trunks are “wavy”. I think they are beautiful, but I’ve never seen trees like this. I keep telling myself that it was probably the wind that made their trunks grow like that, when they were growing. I don’t really know. Anyway, they make for some very interesting pictures…as you see here.
The Very Interesting Trees
Now this day that I brought my camera, I did the usual shots of the kids, the water and then the trees. Although the trees were beautiful, there was something else in those pictures that was just as beautiful, that I captured almost by mistake. Look closely….. Do you see it???
The Other Beautiful Picture
Yes, that picture was perfect. I could not have taken a better picture. I hope my husband and I are just like this couple here in the years to come. So cute!
So, next time you take a picture, look closely…you might just find another treasure there. I did! :)
I am noticing that this post on this story (which I hope to get published soon) seems to be the most popular on my blog. I am bringing it back to the front page of my blog to see what kind of views this could generate again. This has proven to be very interesting and has given me a little more encouragement on my end to seeing it in book form someday. Thank you all. 
I’m finding out that as I get older, it doesn’t take too much to make me happy anymore. It’s all in the little things. The things that might go unnoticed to some. I was thinking about this the other day while I was cleaning up the kitchen the other day after dinner and soon had all my kids (and the boyfriend of my daughter)chipping in to help. It wasn’t only surprising, but it felt good. I was extremely happy! Thanks guys!
This morning I went to make breakfast for myself, and the kitchen was spotless….even after the kids had had their breakfast. It felt good not to have any coffee spots and jelly wads left on the counter, along with eggshells in the sink. Usually I find that, and it seems I’m the only one that cleans it all up. But not this time. And guess what? I even got to open a new jar of instant coffee. I broke the seal and had that first cup of fresh coffee…me! Now this was going to be a good day…I just knew it.
There are other little things that make me happy. Let me just share my list with you. Maybe you’ll find you have the same things that make you happy.
-A new tube of toothpaste, not crumpled.
-When I find the ice cube trays have all been refilled… and not by me. No more trays in the freezer with just one cube!
-The pile of clothes on my bed I had planned to fold, my daughter does for me without even being asked!:)
-A day that is not only sunny, but just slightly warm…with NO wind. Pure happiness.
- When my husband tells me he loves me and ”You’re so pretty!”, or that he’s so lucky that I’m his wife, even after 26 years of marriage.
-My kids still tell me they love me or they still like to give me hugs even though they are in their teens.
-When my jeans fit perfectly.
-Chocolate martinis and white zinfandel.
-Trying out a new restaurant or a going on a surprise outing with my husband.
-Shopping with my daughters. They can be pretty funny.
-A full tank of gas.
-A day of doing nothing but sitting around and watching movies and having popcorn…just chilling. Whatever happens, happens.
- My quiet time at night when I can do whatever I want without interruption.
These are just a few of the things I can think of right now. I will add more as I think of them .
But I think it is so funny how simple things like hearing crickets chirp on a warm summer night, or sitting out back on my deck to read a good book and hearing everything around me, makes me feel just like everything is alright. I’m happy. It doesn’t take much.
And you know what… I’m happy with that, too.
I am writing this in my blog to see what people think. This is a story I wrote from my childhood, which stands out in my memory as clear as it happened yesterday, but in fact it was 40 years ago. I wanted to reflect the images and the way I remember the way the days felt back then. I’m sure if you grew up in the 60′s, you can relate to this story. This is one is on it’s way to a publisher as we speak. I can really picture this story as a children’s picture book. I hope you like it. Enjoy. Cheryl
JOLLY JOE, THE ICE CREAM MAN
The nickel mom gave me was clenched tight in my sweaty, left fist. It wasn’t going anywhere, at least not yet.
I sat patiently on the curb in front of my house, drawing pictures on the roasting pavement with rocks. It was something to do while I waited-waited for the sweet sound of the ice cream man.
Those summer mornings of long ago always dawned hazy and cool, but by noontime, turned sunny and sizzling. Cicadas droned their long, lonely songs promising another day of uncomfortable weather; while dogs laid lifeless, panting heavily in the shade.
Since it was too hot to play, the neighborhood children sat quietly in their wading pools, played board games or just read books. It seemed the whole neighborhood was sleeping.
Suddenly we heard it!
“Clang!” “Clang!” “Clang!”
Oh, that marvelous sound!
“Clang!” “Clang!” “Clang!”
The ice cream man was coming and his bell broke through the still, dank air like shattering glass! The red and white truck gleamed as it rounded the corner of our street.
“Clang!” “Clang!” “Clang!”
His bell beckoned every child and the neighborhood sprang back to life again. It was like magic!
His name was Jolly Joe and he was always on time, half-past noon. He wasn’t your ordinary ice cream man, and he didn’t drive an ordinary ice cream truck.Unlike the larger, square trucks today, Jolly Joe’s truck was small, and all of it’s corners were rounded. Vibrant stickers of assorted, frosty ice cream treats were strewn across it’s sides, seeming so real and tasty, our mouths watered in anticipation.
The back of his truck was made of smooth, shiny aluminum and had small, compartment doors cut into it. Each door had it’s own lever, but had nothing to reveal the treasure it held deep inside. I’ll never know just how he did it, but he always knew which door to open for each child’s special selection.
Clutching my nickel tight, I’d run to the back of the truck where a small group of children were quickly gathering. Jolly Joe jumped out and walked toward us. The sun glistened upon his greased, jet black hair. He was an older man with a pleasant face and a welcoming smile. He was short, round, and yes, very jolly. He knew us all by name and knew all of our favorite ice cream treats.
There were chocolate nut cones, ice cream sandwiches and assorted ice pops in every flavor. Strawberry Shortcakes, Chocolate Eclairs and Cherry Bombs to name just a few.
Then there was my favorite ice cream of all -the Buried Treasure! It was called the Buried Treasure because you had to eat all the raspberry ice cream to discover the “treasure” deep inside. An imprint on the plastic stick! It might be a lion, a dog, or even a funny clown. Whatever it was, it was well worth the wait!
The money belt Jolly Joe wore around his middle made a merry “chink”, chink” sound as he collected coins or just made change. Small puffs of freezer smoke escaped each compartment door as he opened them one by one.
Then it was finally my turn! He dug his arm deep inside the frigid compartment up to his shoulder. He’d pause for a moment, and a puzzled look would cross his face. Then quick as a flash, he had it! My Buried Treasure! I couldn’t wait to taste the cool, sweetness sliding down my parched throat.
I managed a muffled “thank you”, as he tousled my damp hair.
Choices were made. Money was exchanged. Then as quickly as it had begun, it was soon over. It was time for Jolly Joe to go.
He climbed back into his cab and waved us off. Excited, sticky-faced, children were everywhere, playing and laughing again.
“Bye!” they all called back. Then the merry bell rang again.
“Clang!” “Clang!” Clang!”
Over and over it rang, until it slowly faded in the distance.
How I hated to see him go, because then I knew it would just be another long, hot and boring day again. But I knew the next day he’d be back again. I’d clutch my nickel tight and run, and it would be magic all over again.
THE END
How I remember Jolly Joe
I love this quote! Trying to find the “positive” in any situation can be difficult, but if you really look hard enough, you may find it. This quote really does make you think.
I had posted this awhile back, but thought because this illustration looks so much like summer, I’d post it again. I love the roses and the way the girl is all dressed in her summer dress and straw hat. I just want summer so badly, can’t
Thorns and Roses
you tell?
I really have to buckle down and get back to drawing. It really is a stress reliever! My colored pencils are calling me! I feel so bad as I look over to my desk, and everything is just sitting there…untouched. The colored pencils in their holders and paper strewn in piles on the floor and in drawers. I’ve got countless magazine clippings and photos of things to give me inspiration for the quotes I want to illustrate. I say I will get to it, but I never do.:( It is really rather sad, because I feel like I’m losing a part of me, and when I do start back up again, I feel as if I’m starting from scratch all over again.
I will do this…I will.
But for now, here is another “Beautiful Girl” with her heart wristlet. (I love putting hearts into my pictures!) Enjoy! :)
The Famous Hibachi Grill
Sitting out front on our porch (70′s)
Oh yes, I remember summer in the 70′s like it was yesterday. These times were the best. I was just a teen experiencing love and everything was exciting.
Tank tops,bell bottom jeans and cut-off shorts. Hanging out on the front porch with my sister and friends. Tan and slim and acting goofy, waiting for it to turn dark, that’s all.
We always had potato salad and burgers on the grill…the hibachi. Dad would use the charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid (I can still smell it to this day) and waited for the charcoal to turn to hot ash. After dinner there would be toasted marshmallows, which always had there own unique taste. That was the smell of summer, along with the smell of Skin-So-Soft from Avon. After a day at the beach, you would come home and have a warm bath to wash off all the sand and the coconut-smelling Coppertone suncream (hardly ever used a shower) and the oils would soften and smooth the skin to feel like velvet, and the smell…heavenly.
Some “Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific” or “Herbal Essence” (just one fragrance) shampoo and you smelled great! Everyone had long hair…until Dorothy Hamill came on the scene. That’s when I cut mine.
Anyway, when we would have cook outs, my dad would go down the street to get ice, not at Sunnybrook Farms Milk store but the ice house, which just cut ice for you. He would load the ice in metal garbage cans 3/4 full and then load every soda imaginable in there. Every can was icy cold…and I’m sure, very sugary. Who cared! After dinner we always had Entenmanns Cakes, chocolate chip cookies or brownies, which were then, rather new.
I think of it now, when my sister and I would sit outside on the lounge chairs all day, starting as early as the spring just to get a tan, it was like even though we sat in the driveway, men were everywhere gawking. From the pizzeria behind our house, where the guys constantly put out trash, especially when they saw us out there. To the milk man, bakery truck man,egg man, meter reading guy…everyone came to the house. How did we ever get any privacy??? I can’t believe how you had all these people showing up at the house.
Do you remember the ice cream man…and then the lawn mower truck (they would also sharpen your blades). They had a truck that sounded like the ice cream man, and it always fooled me!
My sister and I hung out on the porch most of the time blasting our stereo from the living room listening to tunes like “Na Na Hey Hey” and “OOh, OOh Child”. If not that then we would listen to her toot-a-loop, does anyone remember this thing???? It was a radio shaped like an O and you could open it and sit it on a table in the shape of an “S”. Look it up on google. So funny.
We had Prell shampoo and floating Ivory Soap, then there was also Irish Spring or Tone, and Colgate Toothpaste. That’s the names I remember. My Mom smoked “BelAirs” or “Salems” and Dad always smoked the filterless ”Lucky Strikes”. You could also buy these at the gas station down the street in a vendor machine…anyone could buy them. Amazing.
Rocky Point Amusement Park was our destination in the summertime. It wasn’t summer until we went their with our boyfriends or friends. That was the best, besides long days at the beach. Clamcakes and chowder…and still we were thin!
Yes, I remember it was like yesterday. and I would take all that stress- free time back in a minute, before they invented computers and cell phones and all the interruptions that go along with them.
These were definitely good times…good times.
Here are some songs that epitomize the summertime of the ’70′s. Perfect!
Be Sweet
This is an illustration I did which started off as a series I wanted to complete (Be Sweet, Be Kind, etc).
I always loved those large multi-flavored lollipops, but never really had one. At the bakery, those lollipops always looked so delicious in their wrappings, sitting on the countertop in a colorful bunch. My mouth watered just looking at them. They had to be the sweetest candy ever, and that’s why I drew it in this illustration with this pretty, little girl in her summer dress. She does look sweet, doesn’t she?
