as i am

haha, thanx Christine…so nice to see ya! and we’ve met before, so I hope you can see a bit of the real me coming through too :) x

thx so much Patricia Anne, so glad i got the likeness in there….so it’s like surgery, you just cut out the bits you don’t want in there….i performed a bit of liposuction and got rid of the annoying hole in my chin lol xx

thx so much jem…. phew!! what a big deal it was too…well, i think i’ll give it a 7.5 for happiness out of 10… as I’m pretty happy here right now :) x

thanx so much yannis, you’re so kind, i hope i get in….but at least i gave it a good try and learned a thing or two! ;)

lol, thank you Matt!! :)

thank you so much Amanda!! :)
it’s really a first for me, so can only improve on it in the future, although never been one for self portraits before, so it really was a huge challenge! :) x

thanx so much Thelma, you know that was my beautiful Grandma’s first name too … Thelma…we called her Thel for short :) x

thanx so much rain-dogs, it’s great to have you back….. :))))

thanx Keith, I had a look at your portrait, it’s great, very clever to show you from the inside …. wonderful idea, and it’s turned out terrific! Good luck in the challenge too :)

thank you so much Linda, I’m blushing… i think I shall give this a 7.5 on the happiness rating chart… But do you think you will enter the challenge, it’s a great opportunity, i’d love to see you do one too, that would be so cool :)

thanx so much Catherine! wow, I don’t know what to say, cept you are far too kind :) x

thx so much Sean, very encouraging!! :)

thank you so much Warren, greatly appreciated and very encouraging :)

lol,... that’s exactly what i want to hear, and now you get a hug!!! xxx

aw, thanks so much Sorina, it’s a big compliment coming from you, being that you are just so accomplished with this type of portrait work I feel, yours are so wonderfully expressive :)

oh how about that, that’s amazing :) xx

thx so very much Jane, i am really glad you like it :)

lol, thank you mobii….. cheeky! ;)

hello deb, so great to see you, thank you for your lovely comment, i so appreciate!! :) xxx

aw thanks so much MT – twas so hard to do this, but feels rewarding to have it completed :)

thx so much poupoune!!! xx

o wow Mel, thanx so much, i feel very encouraged :) x

lol, thank you…that is a relief to hear you think it’s looks like me haha…..and ps… i know you are a fantastic drawer, so i’m not listening to a word you say! :)

thank you so much Doreen, you are so kind and encouraging me always, big hugs xoxo

now i know you’re fibbing or delusional Mr Teeth..coz I’ve seen your drawings first hand….and you rock :)

hehe… i think that’s half the trouble with the internet, seeming to have this persona of being a bubbly optimistic person, when I’m actually prone to anxiety, depression and pessimism…i get tongue tied in person, but when my fingers talk….it comes out all flowing… i’ve been typing for so many years, it has a better connection with my brain than my mouth does :) It’s often the way, people meet me in person and are surprised i’m not as i seem on the internet, apparently it seems that i put forth this positive and self confident persona…but see me in person….i’m reserved, shy and quiet, and excruciatingly sensitive…until i get to know you and then i can be quite raucous and ridiculously silly and loud…but it takes a lot of trust for me to be that person :)

Thank you very much Tenee !! :)

lol x

thank you amante, that’s a relief! lol… and it’s great to hear that too, what a lovely encourager you are…yes, that’s all one can do really, try to honestly as possible represent yourself the way you see it….. I must go have a look at your entry hey…. don’t be shy, we’d love to see your face. I’ve a new avatar up displaying mine again, i’ve changed it quite often of late… i seem to feel very restless about which one should portray me…but i’ve settled with this new one for now….just want to say, I wish you all the best in the challenge too :) x

Hi Pip, yep, this is my first proper one apart from the previous inner child one, i tried once before, but botched it and it didn’t look like me at all..so i’m not counting that attempt (a few years ago).. I don’t deliberately base the characters on myself, but i am often told by family and mates that some of the characteristics are undoubtedly mine, much harder to try and make something look like yourself tho..thanks a lot Pip x

thank you maria, you are such an accomplished artist, it really means a lot to me, i know there’s much room for improvement, but i am satisfied for now :)

Val, thank you so very much for your 10/10 response… you are a sweetie, that’s for sure, happy hippy hugglez girlfriend ! xxx

Anastasiia, thank you so much :)

Colleen ~ thank you very much!!! :)

...me too Linda, very very nervous… lol… i completely understand…plus you are working as well, where do you ever find time, you are amazing!!!! xx

thank you for that great response! :)

helloooo fa :))))
i know, so many people thought i was sad, but no, just comes across that way…and i can’t deny that’s how it seems…..i’ve given that impression there in Inner Child…and of course, do often get anxious and depressed, but at the time i was drawing it, was or thought i was, feeling fine…just concentrating in the mirror while you are drawing yourself tends to be difficult and i might have been frowning a bit lol! To be open and honest, i was frustrated as heck when everyone kept saying it…and i felt so unhappy as that’s not at all what i wanted to get across…which is why i took another punt at it, thought to myself, cmon…i must be able to do a better job if i try again :) I’m glad this time you can feel it’s peaceful at least, and i wish i can bring you to the 10th scale Fa!!! mighty big bug hugs xoxoxox

yeah, yep!! it’s your necklace fa… luv it so much and i’ve worn it a few times, it really is beautiful that deep blue…i can’t really notice the imperfection, to me something with an imperfection is the most beautiful thing of all…i love imperfections…. i am more able to love them, than trying to love a perfect thing or person… imperfections are what make us human, what make us interesting, what gives us uniqueness in our character, what causes us to need forgiveness, help us learn humility…imperfections in my things, remind me of values…..i value old worn things more than new shiny things….. love you fa xoxoxox

... sonia, your kind words always encourage me…thank you so much :) xxx

Steven, i am so glad you like it, thanks mate :)

thank you sonjas, I so appreciate…. :)

aw, you are just such a sweetheart Ingz… thank you from my heart….hugs for you too my friend….xxxxxxxxxxxx

thnx so much sparkles… sometimes, i do something and think this is great, and then i see all the cracks…this happened to me with this portrait…i can see so much the need for improvement, but for now I am happy to leave it as is, perhaps one day i’ll try again…it’s okay for pretty much my second go at it … i’d like to try it when there is no pressure and i don’t have to show anyone… lol… i can understand why you don’t want to…it was challenging for me too

so soz it’s taken me so long to get around to saying thanx Vicki..been a funny week of comings and goings, this’s and that’sss, it still is weird to think y’all love me…well some of you…there are some that don’t.. and that’s tuff bikkies for me to swallow…but the ones that do, well you bring a lump to my throat and a tear to my…to be liked, to be loved…..to be befriended…...means so much to me…..It would be nice to step outside ourselves and see how others view us…i try and do that, but how hard is that!! ... very :) xxx big hugs stretch xxx thank you so much for your uplifting words and encouragment always :)

thx so much Renee, i truly appreciate your lovely kind words :) x

thx so very much Sarah!! hugs 4 ya buddy :) xxx

thank you very much biddumy!!! so kind….

thank you RUST!!! you kindhearted sweetie :)

haha… i’m glad i got a bit of a likeness.. this is one of those paintings, where i like it at first, and then feel there are many things i could better…i hope i could better, if i tried again…but it’s soooo scary this sp thing… eeek! I’ll give it a rest for a while now i think :) Thank you so much for your response and I really appreciate you explaining how it came across…very cool for me to hear… hugs xoxo

Nina thank you so much, your encouragement does wonders for me :) xx

lol, oh no, ...we just need some sticky buns and lemonade and we can have a party and give your scrolling finger a hard earned rest :) xx

i think i am too tired to be making sensible replies…lol…i better go to bed and come back refreshed and making sense ;) xxx

most kind of you kipi, thank you! :)

Jan, thank you for checking in to see it, it was an unusual thing for me to take on… normally not my cup of tea, i prefer the imagined….but i enjoyed it very much, your lovely comments make it all seem worthwhile too :) xx

aw, Cate… thank you for that….you always find a way to encourage me so much, i can never thank you enough :) xxx

Your comments are deeply appreciated juha, thank you :)

thx so very much Catherine, much appreciate you kind comments!

thx Lyn… perhaps yes…that would be great :)

thx heaps kj – glad you can see me in there :)

oh anita, i just wanted to say thank you so much and i appreciate your opinion so much…. big hugs…. are you putting one in, or have i somehow missed? I saw Barbara’s… xoxoxo

japu, thank you my friend :)

Rajeev, i thank you … :)

gee it is a long list of comments, i’m very honoured so many friends have noticed and responded….thank you too Roslyn, for your lovely words, which mean so much to me :) x

thank you so very much Jakki… i appreciate you more than you know :) xxoxoxox

Midori-sama, big hugs and thank yous xoxoxox

thank you so much Bunny, you kind words of encouragement are so well received :) x

thx so much lovely Ana! :) xxx

thank you very much Scott, so kind of you :)

thx so much Trish, so happy yo like it…. i wish i had the eyes of my characters, mine seem always half closed…but i do try and use them for reference sometimes, i’ll sometimes use my fingers to feel around the areas on my face as i draw, i use touch sometimes, rather than vision…....

Petra, what kind things to say… that is me, content and shy…...all at same time…. bursting on the inside with thoughts and things and emotions…. hard very hard to portray just a snapshot of all that’s inside….but generally happy and content right now :) xx

thanx heaps Rosalie!! :) x

thanx so much Josette, and i’d just love to see your portrait!! I have you pic with me at my computer! so i know what the real you looks like yay!! lucky me..gorgeous girl!! xxx

why thank you!! :)

thx so much Tania!! I’m glad you can see me in there :) x

thank you Mariska!!!! :))

thx so much Susanne! :) x

hey thanx Misti, that’s cool 7.5 is good! :)

thx so very much Jens :)

thank you so much Isa i thought you might like this little cutie

thx ever so much Antanas :)

thx so much Ann, lovely to hear from you and glad you like my sp :)

thank you so much Veikko.. you are really lovely! :)

i’m so glad you liked it zomboy, i just know it’s not as good as i wish it was, but i think that’s a good thing, i can improve heaps :)

thanx Rajeev, you’re a sweetie :)

thanx so much connie, awwww,.... so kind :) x

thanks so much….. i love your self portrait by numbers, it means a lot to get such encouragment from yourself, being that you are so accomplished in your artistic skills as a painter! cheers!

wow, that really means a lot to me Alf, thank you :)

Thanks anni, ifeel weird, like I’ve bared my soul so
ehow, but can’t take it back lol, I’m glaD you like it and I agree I’m thoroughly enjoying looking through everyone elses portraits, it’s really fascinating ::)

Hey thanx mm!!! I’m glad you can see the happy me in this sp:))

thanx so much Ellen, i hope you are having fun with your little mouse! :)

wow linaji, i’m just blown away by your comment…...you see beyond the obvious into the soul…..my heart thanks you :) xoxox

thanx so much Dave – you made me smile big time :)

that’s right, that’s why art is so much fun hey, thanx very much madvlad!! :)

thank you very much, i love your sp …. it’s beautiful :)

... So pleased you like it!!!! Thanks :)))))

Aw thx so much kartoon!! :))