Just dropping by

**Burpee** · 30 May 2009, 04:21 AM

I came, I left. Felt a bit guilty about it so I thought I'd drop in and see how everyone is doing. Looks like the forum is busy and lots of smiling faces here and some new people too.

I work during the summer, spend time gardening, golf (free because of work) and have been painting more (picture AND the outside of the house). When I do get on the computer I weed through emails.

This weekend hubby is gone with the guys on their annual 'fishing in Lake Erie' fishing trip. That gave me some extra time to drop by. I haven't even opened XX since my last picture or been to any of my other fave sites. I came here first

Hope you all are doing well and keeping busy as well. hugs, Nancy

**Crow Haven** · 30 May 2009, 05:02 AM

Hi Nancy! It's good to see you around here -- I know how it is with summer = great weather and loads of fun things to do. Great to paint outdoors, too, and enjoy nature's beauty. Have a great summer!
---Maya

**zaphodeist** · 30 May 2009, 05:07 AM

Glad you're well ... was wondering where you'd vanished to and/or what you'd been vanished by!

Enjoy

**iamtheblues** · 30 May 2009, 05:28 AM

Good to hear from you, Nancy. Glad you haven't deserted us completely.
Saludos,
Bob.

**morphonius_821** · 30 May 2009, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by Burpee

I came, I left. Felt a bit guilty about it so I thought I'd drop in and see how everyone is doing.

Hi, good to see your back...
It would excite us all to take a peer over your shoulder and see what you have been painting outside....Perhaps you could arrange a sneak peek?

**Burpee** · 30 May 2009, 09:07 PM

Thanks for dropping in to say 'hi' back at me.

The painting outside is the side of the house, lol. Everyone grab a brush!! I've painted it 3 times by myself and this is the fourth time. I'm not as keen about it as the first times, lol. It's a ranch and very easy to paint but it's still too much like work.

I painted two pictures so far and I hate both....so I went to the library and checked out a stack of painting books. I am learning alot more than I thought I would and am enjoying reading them. I have new blank canvases. If I get one I'm happy with I'll share but don't hold your breath, lol. I'm very hard on myself.

**HayTay** · 01 June 2009, 02:43 AM

Nancy,

I'm glad you popped in to give us an update. It sounds like you've got a busy and active summer schedule ahead of you. Don't let us hold you back!

The family and I took a road trip to Virginia yesterday and on the return trip stopped by a Cracker Barrel restaurant for an early dinner. While ambliing through the gift shop I spied something that made me think of you. After we finished eating I asked my daughter to snap a photo of it with her cell phone. I hope you like it...

Don't wait until the fall to stop by again,
Harry

.

**geminiguy** · 01 June 2009, 01:02 PM

When you're done there.... my house could use some touching up too

**morphonius_821** · 01 June 2009, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Burpee

Thanks for dropping in to say 'hi' back at me.

The painting outside is the side of the house, lol.

Cool nice choice of subject matter...are we taking cladding/timber boards the way light falls on these is a very interesting study.

I'm only having fun with... but when you do finish painting them perhaps you might want to consider doing a painting of them.

The only reason i said that was that the lady who ran an art studio i used to go for a while as a kid did some fantastic oils of just around her house... a wall... whatever...amazing stuff...i remember one that was just like the entrance to here house which was just a little nook (wooden boards) and it had a pot plant and that was it...
The area also had an overhanging tree which dropped a leafy blotchy light pattern down over the whole thing and how she captured this from such a bland subject was awesome.

**Burpee** · 02 June 2009, 04:04 PM

HayTay, that's where my moniker came from, Burpee Seeds. Very clever catch and lovely picture. My first ever online avatar was of a Burpee Seed packet with bright orange poppies on it. I looked for brussel sprout seeds in the stores this year but couldn't find any. I'm going to have to place a Burpee order quickly if I want to have a chance of growing any this year.

Geminiguy, if you supply the beer and grill I'll drop by to help you paint...as soon as I get a chance

Morph, I'm thrilled by architcture. I love looking at and snapping pictures of the old building downtown. If I had a decent camera I might end up with some keepers someday, lol. Two nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night with an image of a cathedral type building in my head. The image was of the building painted in watercolors with blues, tans and off whites. As vivid as though I was looking right at it.

The reason I'm having such a hard time painting is that I'm using acryllic instead of watercolor and I'm not used to them. I was trying to paint like you would with oils...or how I imagine you would paint with oils because I never have. I didn't want any canvas to show through but I'm seeing that it is ok with some styles of acryllic work. I also had to learn to blend colors because acryllic dries so fast you don't have much time to blend.