Mr Black and White ..... and a question

Been working on another face - this time I decided to only use shades of grey; I thought it would help with my problem of right eyes.....lol. Have to say it is really weird that I haven't been able to paint right eyes when you consider that Abby's right eye is the one that is blind ..... spooky....lol.

Anyway, back to Mr B&W - I think that both eyes are reasonable this time although I don't like the way the white highlights have photographed - still have a lot of work to do to get them right but am heading in the right direction. I am searching through old photos and on line for another picture - I love old faces; they have a character about them that only years can add. This fellow was a homeless man who seemed world weary but still managed to smile. His eyes were sunk into his skull but they still have life and passion in them.

In an earlier post I posed this question but got no suggestions - probably because the very next post was all about Abby and the worries we had; so I am posing it again and hope for some responses - okay I know I shouldn't have but I bought some more brushes and now am desperate to find some way of keeping them all safe and sound.

The last thing is a question - I have lots and lots of brushes (100s) and have folder/pockets that I keep them in except the ones I am using; those I stand in an old coffee cup. The folder/s is full to overflowing and it is annoying me. There has to be a better way to store the brushes. The picture is of one of the folders/rolls I use. I actually put rows of stitches on the front clear plastic bits so I could push more brushes in.

I have a couple for my watercolour brushes and another couple for my oil/acrylics brushes. Much to the annoyance of B11 I cannot pass an art shop without investigating and invariably I come out with a few more brushes ....lol.

I have tried using a little tool box container but then you have to rummage through it to get the brushes you need and it is hard on the bristles.

So if you have any ideas I would love to hear them.




PS Keep the suggestions coming -

Ali - I did think of making a really long calico roll or maybe a few one for thick, thin, wedged, etc. I only store the ones I am using in an old coffee mug and always wipe them before I put them back into it.

Jules - the idea of the cardboard tubes sounds great as does the wine rack idea - may be able to combine somehow.

Have searched online without success for what other people do.


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The Pirate Princess

Avast there me hearties.

Where's me bottle o' milk, ya swabs?

ROTFL!!

A Very Short Update on Abigail

Abby gets operated on in the morning. Not 100% sure what is going to be done - he (the surgeon) will drain off some of the eye fluid/matter to relieve pressure, he may remove the lens, may also remove some scarring but will all depend on a) what the eye looks like when he gets in and b) how much it bleeds.

Will post an update when we know more.

Devastating News

We had some terrible news last week - when my little angel was born my son noticed that she had a gold line in one eye. He mentioned it to the midwife who thought it was probably birth trauma. As it didn't go away my son asked the pediatrician about it when he was checking her and his response was that he had never seen it before and it did not look good.

Fortunately he was able to pull strings and got an emergency appointment with an ophthalmologist who gave the same reply. We were all starting to get seriously worried at this point. The ophthalmologist pulled strings of his own and the next day the kids saw a genetic congenital eye specialist.

The news was devastating - it was most likely retinoblastoma; a rare tumour that often means cancer throughout areas of the body. The other news was that she was blind in that eye and the eye would most likely have to be removed. The specialist set up an optical CT scan for Monday (yesterday) and we would know if it was cancer and blood tests would tell us how far it had spread.

She was so good for her scan; slept through the whole thing with her mummy holding her and her daddy holding her head still.

Funny how things get put into perspective - we are all overjoyed. She does not have retinoblastoma instead she has Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous (PHPV) - we have no idea what is in store for her as we now await another doctors appointment but the fact that she has no cancer is cause for celebration.

She is blind in the right eye; the eye is much smaller than the other eye; the retina is detached and cannot be fixed; she will need an operation within a month or so - just exactly what is to be done is unknown at this stage and so is the prognosis for the eye. But our darling does not have cancer and we are all thrilled and so so thankful.

Only a week old and already a veteran of doctor's visits and CT scans .... lol.... and blissfully unaware of the despair and agony her parents and grandparents have gone through in the week since she was born.



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Isn't She Pretty! Isn't She Wonderful!

I am a grandma again!

I have the handsome Nathan (almost 7) from my older son and I now have a beautiful granddaughter.

Younger son and his lovely wife gave birth to a lovely girl at 1.02pm Sat (5th Sept) morning. 54cm long and a very healthy 9lb. These photos were taken off her at three (3) that afternoon as she lay contented in my arms.

In all the excitement I forgot to take my camera into the delivery room but son has his and his other grandparents had one so we have lots - will probably send all my blog friends away with the amount I post ....rotfl!

Her name is Abigail Jane and, yes I am biased, I think she is the most beautiful girl in the world ...lol.
























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