Haven't been around lately

[ellen]

I haven't been on lately so I wanted to give some updates...

My tortoises are growing like little weeds. Today I got them a cuttlebone and they love it. I've been giving them vitamin powder, but one of the many guides I read said cuttlebones are a good option as well because they like to sharpen their beaks (and I'd rather them use that than each other's shells).

I had to go anyway to get them new lights. Two of their lights burnt out! I think I might send an angry letter to the company. I also picked up a new albino corydora for my 30 gallon fish tank. They accidentally gave me a snail. So I'm likely going to end up with a snail infestation.

Found a kitten! She lives in the kitchen. You can put her anywhere in the house but she goes back to the kitchen. When she sees you she'll yowl as loud as she can and start purring. She's a tabby or a domestic short hair of some kind.

Tomorrow I'm selling art at a Horse Rescue fundraiser. I've finished 2/5 new ink pieces and I'm selling some old works I did in my beginning art class.

I also have a set of commissioned portraits to finish tomorrow after the fundraiser.

I wrote a 50,000 word novel in 30 days during National Novel Writing Month (November).

Uhhh.

My final critiques (art classes) are coming up for this semester and I'm graduating from college in May. Not a fancy degree, just general studies at community college. I plan on continuing and getting a digital art degree.

Hmm, yeah that's about it. Otherwise I'm just waiting for my nopales to bloom so I can collect fruit for my babies. My aloe vera plant is blooming and my chiltepin plant is 4ft tall now!

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, its plain to see, you've been mighty busy! Glad to have you back.

 

[wellington]

Wow, you have been busy. Glad you were able to find time to make it back here. Good luck with all you have coming up. Wouldn't mind seeing some pics of your art.

 

[ellen]

Thanks for the warm welcome back!

Here are some of them... I think. I'm still not too good with this attachment system yet.

I'm currently taking a life drawing class. I've tried to attach some sketches done in class on my computer (my teacher's the coolest). Some were done in a minute, then the next few in ten minutes, then the last couple in 30 minutes.

For my final portfolio I took one of the 10 minute pieces and finished it.

Then there's a funny self portrait.

If I have time, I might try to do my exaggeration / caricature piece as someone riding a tortoise.

 

[lovelyrosepetal]

I like your art. You are really good. Sounds like you have been quite the busy beaver. What was the novel you wrote about? Nice to have you here. Good luck with your studies and all the stuff you have going on.

 

[ellen]

Sorry for the late reply! Thank you very much!

The novel I wrote was a fantasy piece. I'd love to give a ton of information, but I'm afraid to say much until I publish it. What I can say is that I've been working on the world for about five years now. I've thought about every facet of their world from an anthropological point of view. Their language, social norms, mythology, politics, religion, traditions, etc... It's been a very long term project for me.
--

New updates:

I just started a second novel as well (sci-fi), and I'm debating whether or not to start a second fantasy novel in the world I've worked so hard to create. I'm not much of a writer, but writing is becoming a hobby for me.

My tortoises are growing steadily, Merlin caught up to Morgan again. Both are slightly pyramiding. I sort of feel like I failed them, but I love them nonetheless and have since changed their diets. I bought a seed mix called Short Stuff from Native / Seed SEARCH. It has grasses and wildflowers that they'll get to enjoy once it warms up... If the plants try to sprout again, that is. I didn't think to cover the pot and after the snow I realized I had sprouts.

My laptop's motherboard died so I've been reading a lot lately. I read two NaNoWriMo author novels, then I asked my dad for suggestions. Since I was finishing a book a day he lent me an omnibus called The Great Book of Amber. It features the full ten book series The Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny.

I got seven plants for my birthday. Desert Lavender, Penstemon, Desert Globemallow, Curly Mesquite, Fairy Duster, Dyssodia, and Evening Primrose. Needless to say my tortoises are enjoying their new food. I took them outside to browse earlier because it's beautiful and warm out aside from the wind.

I just gave an 11 minute presentation about desert tortoises in my biology class. I forgot to mention their taxonomy and phylogeny, but I got full marks nonetheless. I feel a lot more confident in my tortoise knowledge now. Plus it was kind of nice getting graded for immersing myself in tortoise books. It didn't feel like work.

Attached is the last painting I completed for my digital art class. We were supposed to make brushes to use in a program called Painter and then use them to create a landscape. I made cacti brushes.

 

[mainey34]

Welcome back. So glad to hear that you have been keeping busy. I love your paintings. I hope to hear that you have published a few books. So nice to hear what you have been doing. Thank you for sharing....

 

[Jacqui]

My aloe vera plant is blooming and my chiltepin plant is 4ft tall now!

I didn't know they bloomed even! Boy have you ever been a busy person!

---

When you get that book published, I for one will be turning green with envy!

 

[ellen]

Thanks. I was originally studying translation and interpretation (Spanish and Russian) but everyone told me I was stupid not to do art. I've been drawing my entire life. I wasn't entirely sure I was going to switch to art, but last semester my teacher recruited me into the digital art program.

I have no publication plans yet, but I plan on looking at my novel rough draft this spring break. Or I might work on one of my other projects. I haven't decided yet.

I didn't know aloe bloomed either, so don't feel bad... LOL