I know that Halloween is just around the corner, but my husband says there’s another reason they came to visit. And what does this have to do with today’s tip?
AWAY WITH YOU, I SAID!
I went home to Illinois last week – for a workshop, class reunion (I won’t say which one) and also to celebrate a BIRTHDAY with my family. My husband Mike says my BIRTHDAY was the reason for the visitors that morning – we walked out the door and spied about 30 vultures sitting in top of a dead tree, with other circling overheard. “Lay down in the yard, be very still and see what they do,” he said. Funny guy.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH TODAY’S TIP?
Not a darn thing! Ha! Despite that, I thought you might enjoy taking a look at these really cool graphite thingies. There are two types pictured here and they are both water soluble. This means you can draw or shade with them, then touch with water and presto! The color runs.
Yes, they work basically like watercolor pencils but I love the bulkiness of these. Heck, I even like the cork holder they arrived in.
The ArtGraf product comes in tailor chalks (shown), sticks, a tin, a huge bar and also a strange little putty. There’s something cool about this tailor chalk set. I think it’s the shape of them, although I love the colors, too. You can also get them in the 6 piece set or individually: Sanguine, Ochre, Sepia, Brown, Dark Brown and Carbon Black – and many online retailers sell them, such as Amazon, Cheap Joe’s and the like.
They can be a bit messy, but who says messy can’t be fun? Anyone that’s been in one of my workshops may know about that.
The LYRA graphite crayon is less messy, only because it has a paper wrapper around it.
I think these water-soluble chalks will be fun to use in some up-coming pieces and I plan to give them a good try. If you use them, send me a photo!
BEFORE WE LEAVE THE TOPIC OF TURKEY VULTURES, take a look at this cute little baby.
Okay, so I’m joking once again!
Can you imagine her mom telling her, “Don’t worry, little one. You’ll be a real beauty when you grow up”.
Thanks so much for reading. Happy Halloween!
Kathie xo
Hi Kathie,
My Tuesday is brightened!! Funny husband !! I too love that cork holder!! Thanks for the tip!!
Rosita
Looking forward to how you use these! ??
Only Mike would think of doing that! Can’t wait to see what you do with these? I had a Turkey Vulcher once on a post outside. Scared the heck out of me! Only other Vulcher I ever saw before was in California! Have a great week?
Hah, also!! Didn’t we ALL look like that when we were born?! oh — no….? ;0)
I’ll wait and see how You do with the graphite products, Kathie — you are always a font of great info! Have a wonderful day — hope your birthday and reunion went well!
Oh, how I love your sense of humor. Will have to try these.
Unlike the Ugly Duckling – this one hasn’t a chance of becoming beautiful…….except to another vulture. Thanks for the laughs.
LOL. Love your stories AND your tips.
Thanks for the info. We have buzzards that come every year. They look do unreal when they are in the bare trees.
Hi
Have been trying pastels lately and these look like they will be fun to use. I paint at a senior center and one day while going in I saw about six turkey vultures on the roof. That got a lot of laughs from everybody who came in the door. Fortunately they got tired waiting!
Jo Ann
Love your sense of humor. Happy birthday…..I think?
I live at the top of mountain pass in California. The vultures all gather here to catch the thermals to migrate east. Thousands stop here to sleep for the night before continuing on their journey. We even have a group that count them every year and post their numbers in the paper. Why do humans want to keep count of everything?
We have lots of turkey vultures in So Cal. They’re beautiful when they’re soaring on updrafts with their huge wingspans. There was a kettle of about 20 of them the other day at sunrise and they were beautiful.. as long as you can’t see their faces!
Belated Happy Birthday! At least your husband wasn’t standing next to your birthday cake with a fire extinguisher in his hands…yes, mine did, the little dear. And on the cake was the direct dial number to the fire department!
Great giggles as usual. Thanks for all your tips and being you. Happy Birthday, Sweetie! 🙂
We have them too at our cottage in Canada, they have a huge wing span and can sore on the thermals for a long time. Happy birthday Kathie hope it’s a great one. Thanks for making us smile on this rainy fall day.
Happy birthday and many happy returns of your day. No vultures invited!
It is high Spring here. My garden floats on the fragrance of gardenias and is guarded by knee high snapdragons against Halloween monsters.
I take my rainbow sheep out every now and then to have a laugh.
How is the lady who had Lymes disease and the lady who had to leave at dawn?
Think of you often.
Lorraine