This Orange Cat (too early) for Halloween!

2 Easy Steps to Remembering You Are WORTH It!

Hayley Hobson | September 14, 2013 | Living

1. You Set the Bar.  You got it. You do. You get to determine what you’re worth.  Now, don’t become a complete diva, but make a list and write down what you feel you deserve. And once you’ve compiled it, put it in a place you can see it and live by it.  Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you. Let them follow by example.
2. Value Yourself.  Interpretation: stop hanging around with deadbeats who are bringing you down. Stop lugging around the extra baggage.  Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you; let go of those that are not allowing you to grow.
Such great advice!!!
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Copyright Beth Parker Art 2013

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A Bit Too Early for Halloween!

I couldn’t help myself.  I drew the cat and the rest of it just kept coming.  Sorry for being so early.  “D

Hayley Hobson

Hayley Hobson is an author, speaker, business coach, yogi, Pilates and holistic nutritional expert based in Boulder, CO. Hayley creates lifestyle transformations by coaching her clients to strengthen, nourish and evolve through the cycles and shifts in life. Combining cutting edge understanding in all three disciplines due to years of anatomical study and dietary theory, Hayley’s approach leverages their blended benefits and results. Her unique and intelligent style promotes strengthening while softening–empowering her client’s to heal not only their physical bodies, but their hearts and minds as well. Hayley studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, continues her studies with David Wolfe, raw food expert and is an essential oil expert in her own right.  She is a doTERRA Certified Oil Diamond Director and a Pangea Organics Beauty Ecologist.

Her insights and articles can also be found on her blog, Mindbodygreen, Elephant Journal, Masters Shift and Islaorganics. She has also been featured in Pilates Style magazine, Natural Health magazine andTriathlete Magazine.  She has fun running and playing in the mountains with her husband, former world-ranked triathlete, Wes Hobson and their two beautiful daughters, Makenna and Madeline . To learn more about her nutritional courses, events she’s hosting and custom programs go to hayleyhobson.com or follow her on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest.

Who Lives In The Pumpkin House? – Watercolor & Ink

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.”
–Mark Twain

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Who Lives In The Pumpkin House?  – Watercolor & Ink

Some of you may remember this one.  It’s from a year or two ago.  I didn’t have time to do something Halloweeny in time to post it today.  Have a wonderful Halloween!  Are you in costume at work today?  Tell me about your costume.  I have on a necktie.  Yup.  That’s it. 

Mark Twain

Samuel Clemens was born on November 30‚ 1835 in Florida‚ Missouri‚ the sixth of seven children. At the age of 4‚ Sam and his family moved to the small frontier town of Hannibal‚ Missouri‚ on the banks of the Mississippi River. Missouri‚ at the time‚ was a fairly new state (it had gained statehood in 1821) and comprised part of the country’s western border. It was also a slave state. Sam’s father owned one slave and his uncle owned several. In fact‚ it was on his uncle’s farm that Sam spent many boyhood summers playing in the slave quarters‚ listening to tall tales and the slave spirituals that he would enjoy throughout his life.

In 1847‚ when Sam was 11‚ his father died. Shortly thereafter he left school‚ having completed the fifth grade‚ to work as a printer’s apprentice for a local newspaper. His job was to arrange the type for each of the newspaper’s stories‚ allowing Sam to read the news of the world while completing his work.  More…

Black Cats are Haunted by Halloween – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

“Were the diver to think on the jaws of the shark, he would never lay hands on the precious pearl.”
– Saadi

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Black Cats are Haunted by Halloween – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Ink

Haunt is the word of the week on Illustration Friday.    If you see a black cat over the next few days, give them a friendly pat or hug.   This is a scary time of year for them.    Their owners hide them inside  to keep them safe from all the pranksters that are out and about after dark on Halloween.   So… I thought I’d paint some happy looking black cats. 

I have an alarm clock that automatically changes for daylight savings.  The problem is the clock is 15 years old, so it changes when daylight savings used to be.  The moral of that story is… I got an extra hour of sleep today.  I was an hour late for work, but since I work by myself, I’m the only one who noticed.  he he

About Saadi

Saadi was a Persian moralist poet best known for Gulistan (The Rose Garden), which combines prose and verse, and Bustan (The Fruit Garden), which includes histories, anecdotes, and fables. He was born in 1184 and lived in Shiraz in what is now Iran. For 30 years, he traveled throughout the Middle East, including Turkey, Egypt, and Arabia. One of his most famous poems adorns the entrance to the Hall of Nations at the UN building in New York. He died when he was 107 years old.

Trick or Treat!

“Were the diver to think on the jaws of the shark, he would never lay hands on the precious pearl.”
– Saadi



Happy Halloween!   5″ x 9″ Watercolor & Sharpie

I painted this little scene last year.  Although I did have a little time to paint this weekend, I never thought to do something goulish!    It did feel good to put paintbrushes to paper!

We also put the hardtop back on my little Jeep Wrangler, so I guess that means our summer is over!  It is going to be around 70 today, I think.  That will be nice for all the little trick or treaters.   Eufaula merchants, like me, will be giving out candy between 4-6 today.   I love seeing all the cute little kiddies in their costumes. 

About Saadi

Saadi was a Persian moralist poet best known for Gulistan (The Rose Garden), which combines prose and verse, and Bustan (The Fruit Garden), which includes histories, anecdotes, and fables. He was born in 1291 and lived in Shiraz in what is now Iran. For 30 years, he traveled throughout the Middle East, including Turkey, Egypt, and Arabia. One of his most famous poems adorns the entrance to the Hall of Nations at the UN building in New York. He died when he was 107 years old.

Halloween Ghost (I mean Guest) House

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders.  Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
–Antoine De Saint-Exupery



Halloween Ghost (I mean Guest) House – 5.5″ x 8.5″ Watercolor

Welcome to the 2011 Halloween Blog Challenge!  Hopefully we will have links to posts from other artists, with their contribution to the challenge.  I can’t wait to see what everyone does.

My computer will be down for hard drive replacement until this afternoon.  I’ll be around then, to see what you have done.  Booooaaahhhhhaaaaa! 

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry , officially Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger de Saint Exupéry  (29 June 1900 – 31 July 1944, Mort pour la France),  was a French writer, poet and pioneering aviator. He is best remembered for his novella The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) and for his lyrical aviation writings, including Night Flight and Wind, Sand and Stars.

He was a successful commercial pilot before World War II. He joined the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) at the outbreak of war, flying reconnaissance missions until the armistice with Germany. Following a spell of writing in the United States he joined the Free French Forces. He disappeared on a reconnaissance flight over the Mediterranean and France in July 1944 and is believed to have died at that time.
His literary works, among them The Little Prince—translated into over 230 languages and dialects—propelled his stature posthumously after the war allowing him to achieve national hero status in France. He also earned further widespread recognition with international translations of his other works. His 1939 memoir, Terre des Hommes, was used to create the central theme (Terre des Hommes–Man and His World) of the 1967 international exposition in Montreal, Canada, Expo 67, the most successful world’s fair of the 20th century.

Cat at Lighthouse

“While the right to talk may be the beginning of freedom, the necessity of listening is what makes the right important.”
–Walter Lippman



Cat at Lighthouse – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

This little guy is just a reminder that tomorrow is the Halloween Blog Challenge.  Post your Halloween painting to your blog and link back here, so we can go see your work.  Last year was so fun.  I hope you’ll come by and see what everyone (hopefully) does.

Walter Lippmann (23 September 1889 – 14 December 1974) was an American intellectual, writer, reporter, and political commentator famous for being among the first to introduce the concept of Cold War. Lippmann was twice awarded (1958 and 1962) a Pulitzer Prize for his syndicated newspaper column, “Today and Tomorrow.”

Walter Lippmann was born on 23 September 1889, in New York City, to Jacob and Daisy Baum Lippmann; his upper-middle class German-Jewish family took annual holidays in Europe. At age 17, he entered Harvard University where he studied under George Santayana, William James, and Graham Wallas, concentrating upon philosophy and languages (he spoke German and French), and earned his degree in three years, graduating as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa society.

More…

Pink Flamingos Everywhere

“Don’t assume a door is closed; push on it.  Do not assume if it was closed yesterday, that it is closed today.”
– Marian Wright Edelman

 

Pink Flamingo Watercolor

Yesterday, I was flamingoed!  Yes, it’s true!  Kana Tyler over at Kana’s Notebook  flamingoed me!   Here is her flamingo.



When Kana started blogging, she thought her audience would be only her husband, mom and dad.  When she discovered the joy of community that comes with blogging, she wanted to thank some of us by flamingoing us.   Read her post here and all of this will make more sense.    I have been enjoying Kana’s blog very much, as I do all of you in my blog roll.  I don’t get around to comment as often as I like lately, but I very much appreciate my blog community.

So, consider yourselves flamingoed, too!



Don’t forget that Friday is the day to post your Halloween Challenge post, be it a painting, a drawing, a poem, or whatever makes you happy.   Post on your blog and come back here and give us a link, so we can go see your post.  I can’t wait to see what you do!

My Pink Poppy Flamingo looks like it’s already in costume.  he he  I painted that one in a hotel room,  during a terrible snow storm last February.  Remember? 

Marian Wright Edelman (born June 6, 1939) is an American activist for the rights of children. She is president and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund.
In 1953, her father died when she was 14, urging in his last words, “Don’t let anything get in the way of your education.”

She attended Marlboro Training High School there, and went on to Spelman College and traveled the world on a Merrill scholarship and studied in the Soviet Union as a Lisle fellow. She became involved in the Civil Rights Movement, and after being arrested for her activism, she decided to study law and enrolled at Yale Law School J.D. 1963.    More…

Halloween Blog Challenge - Invitation

“If my doctor told me I only had six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood.  I’d type a little faster.”
–Isaac Asimov



Where do Ghosts go for Fun and Relaxation?  (I guess they go sailing) 
5″ x 7″ Watercolor

I loved our Halloween blog challenge last year.  I’d like to invite you all to play again.  Paint, draw, write anything Halloweeny.  It doesn’t have to be scary.  Last year I did cutsy.  Remember Ryan’s portrait of us?  I have a copy handy if any of you have forgotten.    It was so fun!  I have flies buzzing around my head.  he he

Post your contribution to your own blog and comment here with your link.  Let’s post on Friday, October 28th.  I can’t wait!

Asimov was born (officially) January 2, 1920, in the town of Petrovichi (pronounced peh-TRUV-ih-chee), then in the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (czarist Russia no longer existed, while the USSR hadn’t formed yet) and now in Russia. It can be found at latitude 53°58′ N, longitude 32°10′ E, about 400 km. southwest of Moscow and some 16 km east of the border between Belarus and Russia. Born to Jews in the early days of the RSFSR, there are no accurate records, however, and it is possible that he may have been born as early as October 4, 1919.

By March 18, 1941, Isaac Asimov had written thirty-one stories, sold seventeen, and fourteen had been published. At that time, he considered himself nothing more than a third-rate writer. That evening, he sat down to write his thirty-second story, based on an idea suggested by Astounding editor John W. Campbell the day before. By April 8, he finished the story, titled “Nightfall”, and on April 9 he took it to Campbell. Two days later, he received this letter from Campbell, and the history of science fiction was changed forever.   More….

Halloween Blog Challenge

“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence, but it comes from within. It is there all the time.”
– Anna Freud



Halloween Party
5″ x 6″ Watercolor and Sharpie


Today is the day of the Halloween Blog Challenge.  An invitation went out within our blogger group (that means you!) to paint or create something Halloweeny.  Post it on your blog and comment here, with a link to your blog, so we’ll know where to go look at everyon’s art.

Ryan, from asmalltowndad blog, is away on his annual Halloween camp-out.   He did an amazing painting and you can go see it here.  You’ll LOVE it!!  I did, and I have flies buzzing around my head in it. 

I have had a lot of fun this week, doing all these little paintings.  I like the fun and playful side of Halloween.  When I lived in Huntington Beach, CA, there was always a party.  I have great memories of those parties.  I lived in a neighborhood close to the beach, where most of my neighbors were in their 20′s.  We made Halloween a fun holiday.

Now, I understand that the same (average income) young couples could probably not afford to live where we lived and the houses we lived in have probably been replaced by taller, fancier homes.  I was lucky to have that time in my life.  It was a terrific place to spend my 20′s.  We also had St. Patrick’s day parties, Cinco De Mayo, 4th of July….. you get the idea.  Yeah, we had fun!

About Anna Freud

Austrian psychoanalyst Anna Freud was a pioneer in the field of child psychiatry; she also worked closely with her father, Sigmund Freud, in developing his theories. She was born in Vienna in 1895 and fled to London with her parents in 1938, escaping the Nazi regime. When her father became sick with cancer, she took over his studies, becoming his intellectual heir. She founded the Hampstead Clinic to work with children. She died in 1982.

Jack-O-Lantern Home and Devil Costume

“From quiet houses and first beginnings,
out to the undiscovered ends,
there’s nothing worth the wear of winning,
but laughter and the love of friends.”
–Hilaire Belloc



Jack-O-Lantern Home
4″ x 6″ Watercolor & Pen

It’s the eve of the Halloween Blog Challenge.  I painted this one, because I really don’t like scary stuff very much.  Just to show you… I’ll share my version of a Devil Costume. 




Devil Costume
4″ x 4″ Watercolor

Sorry…… I am in the Halloween spirit.  Don’t forget tomorrow is the day we post our Halloween art to our blogs and link back here, so we all know where to go look.  I can’t wait!  he he

Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc (27 July 1870 – 16 July 1953) was an Anglo-French writer and historian who became a naturalised British subject in 1902. He was one of the most prolific writers in England during the early twentieth century. He is most notable for his Catholic faith, which had a strong impact on most of his works and his writing collaboration with G.K. Chesterton.  Recent biographies of Belloc have been written by A. N. Wilson and Joseph Pearce.  For more, go to Wikipedia, the source for this information.

Manikin Trick or Treat

“Calm self-confidence is as far from conceit as the desire to earn a decent living is remote from greed.”
– Channing Pollack



Manikin Trick or Treat
5″ x 9″ Watercolor and Sharpie

Even a studio manikin wants in on the fun of Halloween.  I did this on some cheap paper I had here at the sign shop.  I’m having way too much fun this week. 

My very worst Halloween was when I lived in Huntington Beach, CA and my sister lived in San Diego.  They were having a Halloween party and I didn’t think I was going to be able to make it, since it was on a Friday night and I had to work that day.  At the last minute, I decided to go and I quickly came up with a pink playboy bunny costume.   (Okay… I was 27 and slender)  I got to the party a little late and when I walked in the door…… I discovered….. much to my dismay…. that the theme for the party was dungeons and dragons.  (gasp)   Everyone was in dark robes and I stood out, big time.     Can you say “Awkward”? 

About Channing Pollack

American playwright Channing Pollack is best remembered for his work massively redesigning the plot of the film Metropolis after it was shot. He was born in 1880. He worked in every aspect of New York theater, first as publicist for the Shubert family of theater owners, then as a drama critic who was banned from every Shubert theater, and finally as a playwright whose work included the morality play, The Enemy, as well as Clothes and The Fool. He died in 1946.

Witch’s Brew

“Our lives are filled with demands, responsibilities, expectations, places to go, people to see, things to do. We may get so caught up in the next task that we miss the golden moment happening right now. No matter where we are or what we are doing, if we stop to breathe slowly and notice our surroundings, we will find something to appreciate. We may see a glint of light reflecting off a pane of glass, the look in a friend’s eyes, or a small thoughtful thing that our partner does.

Spiritual development is nourished by our senses. The sights, sounds, tastes, touch, and scents in our immediate surroundings are the doorway to awe and mystery. When we awaken to the ordinary beauty in our everyday lives, warm and loving parts of ourselves grow and extend out to those we love.

Quiet yourselves for a moment, slowly breathe in and out, and focus on something you appreciate.”

–Merle and Mavis Fossum



Witch’s Brew
4″ x 6″ Watercolor and Sharpie

You may remember the pot from another post.  I was in the Halloween spirit and just changed it up a little.

Merle Fossum, MSW, LMFT, co-founder of St. Paul’s Family Institute, teacher, supervisor and clinician since 1963, offers regular consultation to Sanctuary’s staff.  Mavis Fossum is a family and marriage therapist.
They are the authors of  The More We Find Each Other.

Cat Costume

“We arrive at the truth, not by the reason only, but also by the heart.”
– Blaise Pascal



Cat Costume
4″ x 6″ Watercolor Postcard

Not exactly what you expected, eh? ha ha ha 

Don’t forget that Friday, October 29th, we are going to post Halloween pictures (or whatever) on our blogs, then link back here so that we can go look at everyone’s art.

It’s Halloween week, so I’m going to have some fun!  I had a busy weekend, so the only painting I got done was a quick 30 minute anniversary card for some friends that were coming over for a shrimp boil.

Believe it or not, that was my authentic first shrimp boil.  We cooked new potatoes, corn on the cob and 7 lbs of shrimp,  all in a big pot.  Then you just put it all out on the table and everybody digs in.  It was really fun and delicious!  Thanks, Bobby, for bringing the food!

About Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal was not only a mathematician and philosopher, he was also an inventor, having created the hydraulic press and the syringe. He was born in France in 1623. He showed a gift for math early: At age 12, he started rediscovering Euclid’s theorems on his own. Later, spurred by a friend who liked gambling, he developed the theory of probabilities. After a life-threatening accident in 1654 he had a religious conversion, which led him to write about religious ethics and belief. He died in 1662.