Mr. Monkey - Part 2

I love critters and I'm now a fan of this guy, too! His lovely people take him everywhere they go and he checks out the scenes, meets the people, talks with children, and is totally a lifelong learner and educator. What an honor to paint this!

"Mr. Monkey"

I started adding fur.

I sketched out his face and fingers and I changed the angle of his arm.

I gave him a few highlights because, well, every
monkey needs highlights, right?
I think he's adorable!
Keep your eye out for this fella on TV.
He's gonna be a star!

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Mr. Monkey - Part 1

I received the most awesome request the other day. A lovely person wanted me to paint a puppet. A monkey puppet. A fabulously funny, crazy friendly, spectacularly awesome, world traveling monkey! What fun!

I forgot to take more photos of my first stages. Here's the
first one I took. I started with woods at the bottom, a city scene in
the middle, and clouds at the top.

I wanted my clouds to be a little less cartoonish.

After looking at a bunch of Mr. Monkey photos on his Instagram
page I borrowed parts of three photos to create his head,
shoulders, arm, and hand.

I added more details to the buildings.

I painted in Mr. Monkey's shape so I could layer colors on top.

Click here to view my gallery.  Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

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Just Outside the Door

It's where our chickens have taken up residency. It took them about three months to come up with a group plan, but they seem to have realized that if they hover outside our back door to our deck, look terrifically cute, one of the humans who resides here is likely to go outside with something for them to eat.

Our girls are brilliant...and well fed.

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Skyline

There's so much new construction in this city of ours. Dave will take a picture of downtown and it's littered with cranes here and there...and then he'll take another one a month later and the skyline has changed with the addition of buildings. And bringing it right close to home, a house was torn down two doors away and a new house is being constructed and then on the other side of us a house is about to be torn down and two are going to built where it now sits. 

About twelve years or so ago this would have thrilled my little guy to no end. He LOVED construction and everything about it. 

He even named us construction truck names! 

Yup, yours truly was "Mommy Dump Truck".

Dave was "Daddy Crane".

Big guy was "Backhoe".

And the little guy named himself "Bulldozer". It suited him perfectly.

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Silence

This morning as I drove through our still pitch black neighborhood I spied a dog. An amazing dog. Only it wasn't an ordinary dog at all.  It was a coyote.  And it was simply magnificent.  The kid and I followed it for a bit in silent awe until it dodged up a driveway, disappeared, and we were left staring at where it had been. 

I love that my kid understands the value of silence.

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Objects up Close are Bigger than he Thought they Were

So we've been letting our cats be outside with our chickens lately.  By "with" I just mean they're underneath the same big sky.


Now, our big cat, Pug...well, "It ain't worth the trouble of gettin' my big ol' self over that fence."

Our littler cat, Tommy...well he jumped right over the fence, got right in the middle of the chickens, and "OH, MY GOSH...THEY'RE FREAKIN' PTERODACTYLS!!!"


I think there will be peace amongst our creatures.

 Click here to view my gallery.  Most of my paintings are for sale.

 

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Home Sweet Home

Rituals have changed in our house over the years.  When our kids were little we were all about making sure Santa, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny did their part in the eyes of our kiddos.  We'd stay up late, wake up early, and live in a state of exhaustion that was totally well worth it.  Over the years we've pared things back a bit.  The Tooth Fairy...well, she pretty much left he scene on her own as all those delightfully large adult teeth grew in.  But Santa and the Easter Bunny...they have been cling-ons.  Course now they don't cause us any lost sleep, thankfully.

So this morning I was out walking our dog at about 8:30.  I passed a house with little ones enthusiastically hunting for eggs in their yard.  "How adorable," I thought as I continued walking and thinking about how cute my kids had been with their own little Easter baskets and bunny ear headbands.

"My kids!!!!"  Yup, I'd forgotten to do my Easter Bunny job before I'd left. I think I'm taking this "paring things back" a little too seriously.

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P.S.  Just a reminder...all of my original paintings are 50% off to celebrate my 1000 paintings in 1000 days! Through 4/21 (my birthday)!  Message me the ones you'd like and I'll adjust the price (I can't do a blanket markdown on the site, unfortunately). Thanks!!! http://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/kali-parsons-3935

Schoolin' the Kid

Totally schooled the kid in a game of "Guess this TV Theme Song".  I felt like a rock star and was ever so thankful that the shows were heavily 80s and earlier.  While my kid should have been in awe (to give him credit, he did say, "You must have watched a lot of TV as a kid."), all I got was this.


Me:  "Man, I rocked at that game!"

Little guy:  "Yeah, but those aren't real songs, mom.  You're terrible at real songs."


...they are, too, real songs.  Sanford and Son intro...now that's a REAL song.

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Movin' on Up and Out

So the big kid's a tease.

Sometime before last summer he was all, "I'm moving out this summer."

I was all, "Woo hoo!  I get to have my own space to do art!!!  Oh, and I'll miss you, kiddo."

...and then he never moved out.

Well, a couple of days ago he was all, "I'm moving out this summer."

I was all, "Are you really?  I mean, that's great and all.  Do you think you'll really do it?"

And he was all, "Well, maybe."

...we'll see.

...and yes, I'd definitely miss him.

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The Dream

A teenager and a young girl walked into the women's locker room.  Here's what I heard.


Big Sister:  "Man, I wish our parents didn't live at our house.  Everything would be so much easier."

Little Sister:  "But that wouldn't last very long because we wouldn't have money."

Big Sis:  "You're messing with the dream.  In this dream we don't have to worry about that.  It's a dream!!!  You're no fun."


I walked outa there smiling at what must be pretty much ever older child's dream and every younger child's area of concern.

Ah...the dreams of childhood.

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Feeling all Grown-up and Stuff

So the big guy delayed his move-out date by a month.  You know, saving more money.  It's a good thing.  It's just what you want to hear your responsible kid say.  Mostly...until I get all self-absorbed and all, that is.  

Course I had my itch to do some furniture moving going strong.  And there I was, left with all itchiness and no scratchiness.  A couple days went by and then my genius husband said, "Let's rearrange our bedroom."  I think maybe he was feeling the itch, too.

Well, super excited I was!  And a little sceptical.  Our bedroom, in spite of the fact that it's the "master" bedroom, is quite small.  And our bed, in spite of the fact that both Dave and I are on the small side, is a king size.  Our bedroom is, quite literally, a "bed" room.  Well, a bed, two chests of drawers, two tiny bedside tables, a small chest for holding a very small blanket, a chair, a dirty clothes hamper, and a shoe rack (our closet is so small that we can't even keep our shoes in there).  Between my side of the bed and my chest of drawers there was no more than an eight inch gap to walk through. I did it sideways.  Hence my excitement.

So given the challenge of rearranging our things we dragged out the tape measure to see if it was even possible.  It looked to be so...so the bed was swiveled 90 degrees.  The chests of drawers moved.  The bedside tables repositioned.  The hamper relocated.  The shoe rack found a new home.  The tiny chest ended up in a perfect little hide-away spot.  And the chair was given the boot to the living room (where it's fabulous, by the way!).

And I tell you what, I feel like an actual grown-up.  I have solid twenty inches to walk on my side of the bed.  I can even open my drawers all the way. 

At forty-six I'm livin' large and livin' the good life, people!


...and waiting only two-and-a-half months till the big guy moves out to his fabulous grown-up place.

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Does this haircut make my butt look fat?

Our big puppy, Hazel, is perfect in every way.  Well, except for the fact that she sheds.  Oh, and that she has a list of phobias about a mile wide.  The phobias?  Don't bug us a bit.  They rather crack us up.  Seriously...afraid of moving leaves, Hazel?  The shedding?  Can't stand it.  We find mini-Hazels all about the house...masses of black hair in the corners, under the tables, rolling across the floor like tumble weeds...not attractive.

Anyway, It was time to give our Hazel a hair cut.  (Did I mention she's clippers phobic?)  I started with her back.  It's the easiest and makes me feel good because I can get a lot done quickly.  Then I moved to her legs.  She's not a fan.  I'm not a fan.  We did not have a good time.  Next chest.  Then neck.  Then the holy grail of awfulness...her head.

And then I declared that I was done.  Finished.  The rest would be for Dave to do.  When?  I dunno.  Ever?  I did not care.  I was done.

I released Hazel to go in the room where everyone else was hanging out.  She looked like a mythical faun...my sweet girl in puffy Russian-esque fur pants.


Dave:  "Wow...Does this haircut make my butt look fat?"


Totally...but don't tell Hazel.  She's cruising around the house shedding half as much as she did the day before, blissfully clueless.

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Watching

I was trying to figure out what time it was today...was scanning the room looking for a clock, and someone came up and pulled their phone out to let me know.  And then I realized that I was wearing my watch.  Guess I'm still not used to having it on as I never, ever wear it during the summer, evenings, or on the weekends.  During all those times I, too, use my phone as a clock.

But, for some reason, I can't stand using my phone as a clock when I'm at work (I teach three- and four-year-olds with disabilities...it's a great gig).  The thing is, I figure kids in general are likely surrounded by adults constantly checking their phones for email, facebook, phone calls, texting, weather, and for the time of day.  I just don't want to be another one of those adults in their lives distracted by such a gadget.

Course now that I've written this I realize that I'm doing a better job of teaching than parenting as my own children see plenty of me looking at my phone for all sorts of things.

And, I'd better get a grip on this dumb blond thing of wearing a watch and still not being able to figure out what time it is. 

I see improvement potential in my future.

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My Fabulous Summer

You know, I usually start my summer break sick, sick, sick...cooties from my precious students combined with exhaustion make for a perfect petri dish of funk.  But this year I somehow managed to earn a "get out of jail free" card and was off and out of town with nary a sniffle.  It rawked!

But...skip forward about nine weeks, and I've been sick as a dawg for three days now.  Officially hosting a pity party now.  And I go back to work next week!  So even though I've had what has likely been my most amazing summer break ever, I'm in panic mode because there's still more I want to do!

I suppose there's a lesson in all of this, a reminder for me to focus on the fabulousness and assume that this illness is a "break" of sorts.  So, here goes....


My Fabulous Summer (in no particular order)

• was in a commercial with my kid.
• saw tons of friends...from long ago and more recent.
• went out of town three times.
• was an extra in a TV show.
• painted, painted, painted...and wrote, wrote, wrote.
• renovated our kitchen (we did almost all the work).
• went on many Home Depot and Lowe's dates with my husband thanks to the renovation.
• rode my bike and daydreamed around the lake so many times.
• hung out with all different members of my family.
• watched tons of movies.
• went through all my clothes and got rid of tons.
• did the same thing with my little guy's clothes.
• prepared tons of my work for selling online.
• sold some of my paintings.
• started some ideas for a children's picture book.
• relaxed a lot!


OK, I feel better now...but I'd still really, really, really like to feel better by tomorrow.  Girl still wants to play!

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