Another Book and More from a Favorite

I hadn't realized I didn't share these before.

I was testing the hero set of water colors I'd told you about, I didn't end up needing to sharpen them, so I'm not sure if they ended up with all broken leads like the artist's choice set, so I'm hopeful that they didn't I'd hate to have to try and replace them long after having ordered them.  So far they're working well.  And as we all know my anal tendencies mean that I have to color from the front on including title, dedication etc pages, so you will see a few from the dragon flies book before the before and after of the water color.  Then I'll also be sharing another from Ms. Marotta's Tropical World book.

Lots and lots to share today folks, hang on to your hats and enjoy!!!

I started the last entry at my apartment, and finished it while house sitting for my sister.  The light can be a little tricky to color, but it's quiet, and there's a NORMAL people size tub.  I did have to kill 2 black spiders, and we all know I don't like them cause they always try to eat me.......At least there've only been 2 so far!

Anyway, I do hope you all enjoy making your creations beautiful and I love when people share theirs with me!

Compensation and pension Dept VA

So, today I had an early morning appt at the VA for the compensation department.

It was basically a repeat of the one I had about 2 years ago, which I told them everything I told them again today.  Today I stressed that in my original award letter it outlined what should be in order for me to be placed at 100% service connected disability for my issues, which I told the lady that did my appointment today, that I'd told her all of this the first time and that all the situations and symptoms outlined were present then and still now.  So they'll resend it to the people to reevaluate, and they'll look at everything again, that they looked at the first time and hopefully this time it's placed as it should be.

Either way, I was extremely anxious and dizzy and on the verge of another anxiety attack.  I hate having to go back and back and back for things I've already established to fight them again and again, because all it does is cause me more anxiety, which is the thing I've been fighting and trying to avoid and improve all these years.  I hate it, hate it, hate it.  I just want it to be settled and over.

Anyway, with any luck this time it will be settled and over and I won't have to keep fighting.

Big Surprise, and Yin/Yang Flamingos

Today I got a HUGE surprise!

Remember last blog when I said I'd gotten the Artist's Choice 120 pencil set and was let down because the box was at least 2 times too big with no absorption material resulting in the leads breaking?  Well Today I got a new set, there was no email, no heads up, no apology for packaging, and yet....there it was!  I'm still dreading testing the other water color set of 72 that came with it in that package, because I'll just fall over and die of those leads are broken too!  But for now, I have this!  I love the way it's got it's own unique packaging which makes it easy to take with you, and I'm crossing my fingers that this time it's got no broken leads!  It came in a bubble wrap envelope this time so there's a good chance that the post office couldn't toss it around enough to destroy it.  Anyway, here it is so you can see how fun this set is for yourself.

Also, when I discovered the state of the last set I'd been in the process of doing what turned out to be an opposite color palette mirror, that I mentally picture as a Yin/Yang type of feature, to do some flamingos in Ms. Marotta's book.  When I originally looked at the picture, I thought I would color it in very colorful hues, but as I was doing it, I thought I would try to do something on opposite sides of the primary/secondary color charts as an opposite color mirror.  If anyone's done photography, negatives at a certain stage of the development process seem to have the opposite colors than the final stage.  I don't do that, but my sister is an excellent photographer, and if there's a name for this, she would know what I meant and what it is.  I've only seen the effect of it, but I'm not sure at what stage this occurs.

Either way, here is the flamingos I did with the last set, I hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed doing it!

New Books and Things

Well, I wanted to share a bit about the Vive Le Color books.

They're just that perfect size that fits into your purse should you want to take something with you to appointments, on planes, long drives, vacation or where ever you need to go.  I was excited to get mine and will share the one entry I've done in there so far.  I got the Japan book, and I just love it so far, even though I think I might need a microscope to see some of the things in there since they are a little small.

At the same time I ordered that, I also ordered a great set of pencils for travel, but I was disappointed in the packing, there was a box far too large, and no material to absorb shocks so all the leads in them have been broken.  I'll be contacting amazon to find out what I can do, since I don't like to spend money wastefully and it was a massive packing issue that resulted in the damage.  Otherwise the set is packed in a way that makes it easy to take with you as well, and I'm hoping they will replace it so that I can easily toss it on my purse whenever I have to go somewhere.  It was a set of 120 colors of artist choice pencils and again, I think they would be wonderful, if they are packed and shipped correctly so you don't have useless pencils with leads falling out every time you sharpen them.

Either way, enjoy today's entries.  The first is from the little Vive Le Color book and the other from Millie Marotta's Tropical World book.

As always I would love to see your art and hear your stories of how it helps you too!