Blue Eyed Hoot -Guest Heart Thursday

Yesterday, after picking a big bowl of blackberries, the wee girl and I made one of the best blackberry pies I've ever tasted.  Then my darling niece and I spent the afternoon painting together. 

Here is the first little painting I did--I was told owls have blue eyes!  Who knew?  lol  My niece knows "lots of stuff."  (grin) Of course, there are hearts hidden in this painting.  Have a wonderful weekend.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

Flower Hat -Guest Heart Thursday

I've had my little niece over all this month and we have had a wonderful time so far.  We make crafts, go for walks, play in the creek--bring home things like mashed flowers, interesting seeds, ancient bottles and old bones.  We also play dress up.  I could not resist drawing her here.  And, of course there are hearts hidden all throughout the drawing.

Everyone should see life through the eyes of a child.  It has a precious shine to it.  Have a lovely day!

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

Rockin' Hearts -Guest Heart Thursday

I decided to draw these two lovers as mountains, complete with trees, meadows and water.  Mountains, strong and sure, last for all time--as does true love.

Of course, there are lots more hearts hidden in the picture.  How many can YOU find?

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

Miss Lily Twinkle Eyes

I was visiting a friend last week.  When she showed me pictures of her little granddaughter, I was captivated by this lovely child's twinkling eyes.  What a precious little girl!

I couldn't resist drawing little Miss Lily Twinkle Eyes.

Legend of the Ohia Tree -Guest Heart Thursday

This drawing was inspired by a recent blog entry, by my sweet young friend Maria Kristina Maano.  She wrote,"I saw many dull and short trees with bright red blossoms. I wondered what a contrast! Then learned about a legend of beautiful Lehua flowers on Ohia tree."

It is a beautiful, but tragic story.  There once was an uncommonly handsome young man named Ohia.

He loved a beautiful girl called Lehua.  They had pledged their lives to one another.

But one day Pele, the goddess of the volcano caught sight of him and because of Ohia's beauty, she wanted the young man for herself. She appeared to him in all her glory--a stunning woman with flashing eyes and glowing red hair waving to her knees.  But Ohia refused Pele's love, saying, "My heart already belongs to Lehua."

Pele had an explosive temper.  Because her love had been spurned, it turned into hatred.  In fierce anger, she turned Ohia into an ungainly, ugly tree with gnarled silvery bark.  When Lehua saw what the goddess had done, she fell upon her knees to beg Pele to be merciful and give Ohia back his human form.  But Pele held a great grudge against the young man and would not relent.

So day after day Lehua sat at the wooden feet of her lover, arms entwined about the twisted silvery trunk of the tree.  There she stayed, weeping and wasting away.

Seeing the girl's deep devotion and terrible anguish, the gods took pity upon Lehua and turned her into a red blossom on the Ohia tree.  In this way the two were reunited for all time.

It is said if anyone separates these lovers by plucking the flowers, 

they begin to weep and their tears turn to rain.  ~Copyright ©2013 by Beth L. Niquette

Maria writes, "...I think many pluck these flowers and hence it rains all the time!"

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

Hearts and Tulips -Weekly Word Sketch

This week's word is "Hearts."  I love to hide hearts in my artwork--so this was a LOT of fun.  Here is my sketch for this week.

We are expecting thunderstorms, they say--though it is clear and beautiful, without a hint of clouds, rain or thunder.  Have a lovely week everyone!

If you would like to join us for weekly Word Sketch, click on the picture below to visit Oak Moon Studios for the details.

Skunk Hearts -Guest Heart Thursday

This is a little doodle I did last night--inspired by our recent visitor, who's delightful face quite took my fancy.  Of course, there are plenty of hidden hearts to be found.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

Circus Menagerie -Weekly Word Sketch

This is a lineart drawing from some time ago. I thought it would fit for one of this week's words--circus!

This week has been an adventure--not much time for artwork or drawing!  We have discovered there have been critters living beneath our home.  My darling husband set a trap--thinking he would capture an opossum--but what we found instead was a little skunk.

Dealing with this little fellow has been pungently interesting.  We eventually had to hire someone to come out and take him away.   He is now free and happy in the Baskette Slough, a wildlife reserve near here.

Have a lovely day!  If you would like to join us for weekly Word Sketch, click on the picture below to visit Oak Moon Studios for the details.

Baby Fae Nest -Guest Heart Thursday

Years ago, I read of a rare type of bee which takes the petals of flowers to make a beautiful nest for her young.  She painstakingly removes flower petals from all color of flowers to create this small bee baby house.

It came to my mind that perhaps Faeries might do the same for their little ones.  Hence, I have done many drawings of faery babies sleeping in flower petal nests--just like Bee Babies. Of course, there are hearts hidden in the petals of this teeny one's tiny nesting place.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

Storyteller -Weekly Word Sketches

I chose the word "dreaming" from this week's list.  My drawing is an old lineart sketch from way back.  This young fellow has always been a dreamer--here he is in the midst of his dreaming, holding all of his listeners enthralled.

If you would like to join us, you can click on the picture below to visit Oak Moon Studios for the details.

Hearty the Goldfish -Guest Heart Thursday

I adore goldfish.  I'm so excited--I cleaned my pond for the first time in over a year.  Sunday there will be goldfish residing in my little pool.  I have missed watching them dart through the lilypads on a sunny day.  In my enthusiasm for the arrival of my tiny new friends, I doodled Hearty the Goldfish.  Of course, there are hearts hidden in this graphite drawing.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday. 

Venus at the Waterfall -Weekly Word Sketches

I was honored to be invited by my wonderful Friend, Tammie Lee, to join her at Oak Moon Studios for Yarrow's new meme, Weekly Word Sketches.  This is the first week--I'm happy to be in on this wonderful idea from the first!

The two words which caught my attention were Legend and Melody.  The picture which came to mind is the above sketch.

Venus at the waterfall,

Music sings like mist,

Swirling into the air...

To dance on her fingertips.

~Beth L. Niquette

If you would like to join us, you can click on the picture below to visit Oak Moon Studios for the details.

Climbing Roses -Guest Heart Thursday

Here are two of the darling little faeries who frequent my garden.  They especially love to climb on the roses in the early morning.  The tall red rose bush by the wrought iron fence is their favorite!

Have a lovely day, everyone--may the sweetest of faeries visit you in your garden!

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday. 

Rainbow Angel -Guest Heart Thursday

This is an ACEO--a tiny piece of art the size of a baseball card.  I created this doodle while watercoloring with my tiny niece.  Everyone should have the opportunity to see the world from the eyes of a six-year old.  Of course there are hearts to be found.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday. 

SKETCH BOOK UPDATE: I was so heart broken when I lost my sketchbook and thought I had lost it forever. I looked everywhere, made phone calls, put it out on the internet...then Monday morning I was cleaning the house for housesitters, when I picked up a dark blue cloth bag. Beneath it, half under the carpet, between the wall and our dining room table--was my sketchbook. I have NO idea how it could have slipped beneath the carpeting--but someone suggested it must be Toez the Polydactyl cat. Hmmmmm....scary thought. (grin) I can't tell you how overjoyed I feel to have my sketchbook back!!!!!

Painting Roses -Guest Heart Thursday

I've always dreamed the flowers in my garden are colorful because God's littlest angels, the fairies painted them.  When I was a little girl I dreamed of winging from blossom to blossom with my pocket's full of paints.  What fun that would be!  I am so grateful to have had a sister with whom to share those fantastic stories.  My sister.  And today is her birthday!

Happy Birthday, SissyClytie, and Happy Guest Heart Thursday!

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.

 

Missing Sketchbook--My Heart is Broken

Wednesday evening some friends we hadn't see in years took us to an early dinner at Red Lobster in Salem, Oregon.  I brought my sketchbook along.  I don't know how I could have been so forgetful, but I left my sketchbook in the booth where we were sitting--we left at 5 p.m., just before the evening rush.

By the time I realized I had left it behind, it was too late.  When we called Red Lobster, no one had turned it in and my sketchbook was gone.  My name wasn't in the book.  I'm praying my "logo," BLN, which is included in each drawing, will give enough of a clue that the person who found my sketchbook will be able to find me.

This sketchbook is filled with notes on life and drawings of people I love--including a brave young lady, who has been very ill.  I have also been working on a cartoon of my cat.  I had scanned in every one of those drawings, except, somehow I missed the most important one--a drawing of the brave girl I wrote of at the beginning of this paragraph.  How I missed scanning it in, I don't know.  The finished piece was to be a gift.

If you are the person who picked up my sketchbook, perhaps you are trying to find me--please write to me at beth @ niquette. net.  The reward for the return of my sketchbook is an original drawing to express my gratefulness.  The art would be of anything you like.

I would be eternally and ever grateful to you--would likely hug you to bits should you return my sketchbook.  I can't tell you how much this would mean to me.

My offer is a long shot, I know.  Like a finding needle in a haystack.  I don't know if I ever will hear from the person who took my sketchbook.  If this person contacts me, it would be a miracle. 

Toez in a Roze is one of the sketches in my sketchbook, as is the dear brave girl above.  I'm praying for a miracle.

Gift of the Frog Prince -Guest Heart Thursday

When I was small, I loved the story of the frog prince.  This is an ACEO (2.5x3.5) I drew of that funny fellow.  I love his water drop jewel.  I'm sure any true princess would love such a beautiful gift. Since this Frog Prince has hearts on his back--I thought him perfect for Guest Heart Thursday.

I also felt it would be fun to tell a story on myself which will make you laugh (or gag).

When I was around eight years old, my family decided to spend an afternoon at the Molalla River by Knight's Bridge.  It was a warm sunny day and the river was just right.  To my joy, I found a frog.  It was HUGE and a lovely yellowish green.  I had never seen a frog that big before.  Steeped in fairytale lore, I thought to myself, "It's the frog prince."

The only problem was, the frog was dead.  But I was convinced a kiss from my lips would revive the poor thing. I was sure a prince would appear.  To the horror of my cousins and siblings, I kissed him.  Sadly, that enormous frog lay cold and inert.  No magic there.

So, I wrapped him in a towel and that fat yellow frog went home cuddled in my arms.

During the night he disappeared.  I was SURE he'd come to life and would be back to say thank you.  But alas, I never saw him again.  I was teased about kissing that frog for EONS!  (grin)

Years later, I found out Mom had buried him in the garden. You can see--I've always had a GREAT imagination! (haha)

By the way, I have a chance to win a small original painting of my own dear Polydactyl Cat by one of my all-time favorite artists.  If you'd like to vote for Toez, visit Sandrine's Gallery.  Have a lovely day and happy Guest Heart Thursday!

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.