Pencil portraits by Tabby

This summer has been absolutely unpredictable and crazy.  Slowing down for those hot, lazy summer days? Ha!  Not us!  I've been trying to declutter the house, get two rooms painted, I've had some harvest from the garden to deal with, I've got Hunter's school books ordered but still need to plan his next school year and start that very soon, I need to also plan some things for Solomon, and then there were all those hospital visits with Tabby.  Oh - and about two weeks of computer and printer woes for me to battle.  June and July are also crunch time for a big annual work project I help my dad with.   Throw in 3 kids, regular chores, cooking meals, taking care of the dogs, chickens, and goats, etc etc and well ...  you see why summer days are not relaxing and my "therapy sessions" (blogging) haven't been happening.

And - Tabby was in the hospital emergency room, again, part of last weekend.  (We really thought her appendix had ruptured!)  If you think of it, if you would pray for complete healing of her stomach, we would be grateful.

School started back for Tabby this past Thursday and she is SO happy.  She loves school.  She's been really looking forward to a "graphics and website design" elective that my brother Patrick is teaching.  But alas, last night, her laptop seems to have died again.  Tabby had bought a refurbished Apple laptop last December.  A few weeks ago it died.  The Apple repair people couldn't fix it - they said it was "vintage."  However Hunter looked at it, pushed a few buttons, and the thing sprang to life again!  It was hysterically funny and amazing.  Maybe he can work his magic one more time so she doesn't have to drop Patrick's class.

Computer woes - aren't they just the worst? We've become so dependent on those pesky things!

One thing that Tabby did get done this summer, in between health problems, were drawings.  She started out by doing several pencil portraits for friends of movie characters and celebrities they liked.  Then my mom hired her to draw a portrait of each of mine and my brothers children.

Here are Tabby, Hunter, Lilly, and Solomon:

If you know my brothers and their children, you will recognize them below:

Several people have asked Tabby about doing drawings for them, which is great.  She needs a little side business.  If you are interested in hiring her to do some portraits here are the details: 

- cost is $20 per drawing (they take her an average of 4 hours)

- she is only comfortable, right now, in doing drawings that only feature one child, no groups.

- she works from photos - she likes photos that feature the person close-up (see above examples). 

- photos need to be clear - and she will look at them to decide if the angles and such are so that she feels she can successfully draw them

- she is comfortable drawing both children and adults

- now that school and cross country have started again, she won't have lightening fast turn around on projects - but she'll get them finished the fastest she can

If you are interested in hiring her, just let me know! 

Now I must get out to milk those goats, feed the dogs and chickens, and then my own kids, and start another crazy day.  :)  Being busy is ... GOOD.