The Guts of my Sketchbook.

 When the tempature dips down into the single digits, we consider it very cold. I know that the north thinks we are thin skinned but we also spend our summers in 110+ weather. The real extreme was the change Monday in the 70's and Friday in the singles. Cattle still must be fed and ice chopped for water.

Back in the warmth of the day I will go back to talking about my sketchbook. If you did not catch the first round here it is. We have all heard if looking a planner is like looking a brain. This is my planner, organizer, sketch area and so on. 

I have a Google calendar where I put appointments and such. I print out that weeks and write my to do list on it. This is my brain for the week for me to track the whole family.

Inside is also some of my doodles. This is the one I worked on for weeks during church. I can not sit and listen. When I draw I remember what was told. These drawings help me remember what I was learning.

These are also my stamps. When teaching kids I stay on my toes about changing it up. We made rubber stamps and these were a few of them.

A pocket is a must. From handouts to bills. I keep everything here. If you are interested I would show a few different pockets for sketchbook later. 

Of course some paintings. I worked with family on a church project and made a slide show backgrounds.

I am a big writer. Paper is my life. I have to feel the pen across the paper. All my list and notes just do not work on a tablet. So I journal, list and plan in this book as well. This is where all my dreams and hopes are wrote into actions.

I also cut up some watercolor paper. The good arches and put it in here. Then I create value sketches of my next artwork. Please feel free to ask questions. I love to share.

Here is some of my artist brain at work.

Another work I would like to share is the Christmas Bulbs on eBay. 

Looking at the Sketchbook

 

Many artist have trouble looking to find a sketchbook that works for them. I am no different. Being a farmers wife makes my needs more of a plein air artist than a studio artist. I work from the truck many times a month. So I will show you my life, brain and everything else.

My sketchbook is home made. Not something new to me. I have made sketchbooks for years. I love controlling the look and use of the book. I like to choose the paper I put in them.  Maybe I am a control freak but I need something that works.

My latest creation is more of a three ring binder approach. I like this because I can lighten the load of paper I carry and save the work and notes that I made somewhere else. I add paper as needed and take out old stuff to put in a storage binder as needed. The covers are Masonite or hardboard. I recycle an old college project to use them. They hold up to the elements, and my daughter Calamity Jane. It also makes drawing in the truck nice to have a hard surface to work with. I have used this while walking across the hay bales and making notes.

Over the next blog I will show you the guts of my sketchbook.
Check out my eBay Christmas Ornaments.

Farming Myths

 

I thought today that I would clear up some of the myths that I hear about farming.   These myths come from childhood books or creative imaginations.

1. What types of animals do you have. As in the books we all read as a child when people here you are a farmer they expect you to have goats, sheep, pigs, cows, and chickens. For the farms that I have been raised on we raise cattle. When I was a little girl, Poppy had chickens but the coyotes had lunch and we lost our chickens.
2. All cows are milk cows. Well all cows produce milk for their babies. Dairy cows just produce so much we get the extra to drink. The type of cattle we raise is mainly for meat. Your steaks, roast, and hamburgers come from what we grow.
3. We only farm. In the area that I live in we have a day job and farm is the retirement plan or the after work job. Understand in some areas farms can support the family. This clay soil is not the case. 
4. We live on the farm. Grandma lives on the farm. We all live close to help with the work but we live about 15 miles away from my families farm and my husband's family farm. 
5. Name our animals. When people think of a herd of cattle they think you name them all. Well yes the pets of the group you do but in general no. My show cows I showed in high school are named. The first few cows my husband got from his grandpa are named. The rest go by the number on their eartag or if they are in the way sometimes a not so nice type of name.
6. All the horned cattle our bulls.  I was with a grown woman the other day.  As we passed by a pasture she tell her child look honey all the horned animal are boy cows.   NO. Horns are just like hair. All cows, bulls and calves can have a variety of kinds. Calves have small bumps that will grow. Now just like our hair can be all colors depending on our genes. Cattle can have genes that do not grow horns, grow short fat ones, or, like longhorns, grow 10 foot horns.
7. Baby calves should be petted. Even my farmer daughter tells me "It's so cute lets pet it" Baby calves are cute but only from afar. You see calves can head butt you, and kick you very hard. This is to protect them from predators in the country. The other reason not to pet, she is usually with in a hundred feet, weighing a thousand pounds and can out run you any day. Mama. Just like any good mom she does not want anyone hurting her baby. You look like a threat. Now the petting zoos have babies that I pet. Yes, these are bottle calves. These babies think you are their kind because for some reason Mama cow could not take care of them. They understand that you touching them is part of them getting food and it is like a dog more than a calf when they become bottle calve. Believe me one of mine bottle calves followed me in the house one time. My mom was not amused. So in the end petting zoo or bottle calves are friends. A calf laying in the pasture is trouble.

I am sure I missed a few but this is a good start for clearing the farm air. (It doesn't always smell like a rose) Well with the sun up time is ticking.

Visit my eBay page to Bid on a Christmas Ornament.