What I Did On My Summer Vacation

I've got a friend that I used to work with that I really admire. She rides horseback, takes ballroom dancing lessons, is an accomplished pianist {although she'd say she 'takes lessons'}, is learning how to play the violin and the cello. She does it all. The thing I admire about the most is that she has the best attitude and she is always trying something new.

And I want to be like her when I grow up.

So, when the summer came around, Emma and I decided that we were going to work on our drawing skills.

Now, Keith and his brothers are all artists, and they are amazing.

I remember when Justin was little and drew something in chalk on the ground and I asked what it was: Aunt Lori cutting his hair. And then, bam, I could see the perspective and I was amazed. Even, Emma draws all the time on every scrap of paper she can find and she is amazing.

I am not of this stock. I just married into the family. And I've never really thought of myself as someone who can draw or who could even learn how to draw.

But, I have been inspired and I think that even I just might be able to learn how to draw. And my inspiration was Leah. She didn't doodle as much as her brother and sister as a kid, but she took a couple of art classes in high school, and, well, you've seen the beautiful pieces of art that she has made.

I'd gladly take as a gift anything that she would draw

{hint, hint}.

At the beginning of the summer break, Emma and I went to Michael's and bought Pencil Drawing: A Complete Kit for Beginners. It came with pencils, paper and instructions.

And, so, here is what I did over the summer...

The first day I did a little bit of testing out of the different pencils that came with the kit and drew the first picture in the book {skipping but reading over lots of good info on perspective, etc}.

My second drawing was a walnut.

{It's either got a tumor or its pregnant.}

But, progress is progress.

And my third drawing was of two glass bottles, which I am quite proud of.

And from Emma's sketch pad:

Emma loves to draw wolves and is quite good at it. She has been getting help from some online friends...

...and, yes, that does freak me out just a little 

so we have the "internet safety talk" every so often

Emma's kitty. She had a friend over and they jumped ahead in the book. And you can tell that Emma didn't really need to go page by page.

Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.
Gilbert K. Chesterton