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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Old School


These are things that my childhood was made of.
Long games of Jacks and Pixie sticks. Hours of trying to fix
my paddle and ball. There was no time to be a couch potato
because we played hide and seek for hours on end. Stick
and Kick ball until the street lights came on. My daughter
and her cousins want to sit around and play video games all
day long on Saturdays, but they are in for some good ol'
Old school running around until your butt falls off kind of fun!
Yeah I know they'll hate me for the moment, but they will thank
me later the little Stinkers. Have a good one everyone!!

37 comments:

linda said...

Ooo, so nostalgic! I still love pick up sticks!

Diva Kreszl said...

oh yes how I remember, we went out after breakfast to play and as long as we were in by dinner, Mom didn't worry!

Abz said...

i love that little boy in red!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

k.h.whitaker said...

I commented on this on Watercolor Wed. but I have to post again because I really like it! Sooooo fun, great texture, I also love the little boy sketched in red. You are so great Vanessa. I just love everything you do. Loved your little video too, you made it look so effortless.

michele said...

This really takes me back- I can almost still feel the spankings for not putting these toys away after playing all day... That paddle was handy for the parents back then! Yikes!
P.S. Thanks for sharing your watercolor demo-It was a day brightener! : )

Melinda Stanley said...

I can't tell you how many paddle balls I had and how many paddle balls I had tangle up on me. ;) A lot! I also loved the slinky. And well, that tangled up on me too. hehe

Wonderful illustration, Vanessa! I really love the composition. I really want to reach in and grab that red ball!

Francisco Martins said...

Hey V!
I soo know what you meannn! what's the fun in playing video games?? arghhh!! I miss the old days!

Francisco Martins said...

PS: Very cool illustration as always

Aima Kessy said...

Oh, how delightful! Childhood was a world of tree climbing, cycling around the neighborhood and imagination come to life... One day we'd be mermaids, another we're pirates fighting for sea turtles! Aah the memories... :))

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

OMG.....had forgotten about these delights! And the elastic on the paddle ball ALWAYS broke (probably because I whupped the tar out of the ball....).....
We had so much fun with such simple things, and have developed healthy imaginations and abilities to adjust.
I do wonder, how will the next generation be?
Hey, I'd come play!!! :D

XXOO!!
Anne

Susan said...

Beautiful Vee! You are so right, go get 'em, these kids don't know what they missed!

Brad said...

hahah! great post, i remember we used to play hide and seek and kick the can all summer and loved it! i never could do that paddle ball game though. Oh and how I loved my legos..

another great piece, and i especially love that paddle!!

Gina said...

I LOVE that, it really oozes nostalgia. It's so sweet!

Glen Barbosa de Carvalho Batoca said...

His works are really beautiful! I love to visit your blog, which I find very poetic!

Saudações do Brasil!

Tomás Serrano said...

Nice, very nice.

Don said...

It was fun in the old days. I get tired just thinking about it. Time for my nap.

Unknown said...

you always make me smile...lovely work Vanessa!!! thank you for that!!!

Debra Keirce said...

You are so funny Vanessa! I'm glad you are having fun torturing the little ones! :)

get zapped said...

This is tender and touches my childhood too. Jump rope and hop scotch are right up there too! Beautiful piece. thanks for the trip down memory lane :)

jazzlamb said...

Looks so good. I remember my parents telling me the same stuff. Sounds divine. Well, I love the composition of this sketch:)

Susan said...

Hi Vee - Thanks for all your support, there's an award for you on my blog!

D Hawk said...

I remember these games when I was a kid in the 80s! Kids just don't play outside like they used to, computer games have taken over their lives!

Dear Fireflies said...

Veeee...!!! My dancing ladybug! I'm cheating as we speak because I'm giving you the same award Susan did, so come check it out if you're not busy... (^_^)ox

Indigene said...

Oh my, it's been so long since I've seen a child play with jacks, bat/ball (the paddle is attached to a little ball); hoola hoop, or hopscotch! Now those were some fun games that got you outside and exercising. What a great game illustration!

michael robertson said...

wow! I haven't even thought of pick up sticks for AGES! Growing up,we would play all these games plus "kick the can"! There was no such thing as video games and we would go outside to play in the morning and not come in till mom made us!...oh, and I always broke my paddle ball the first day I got it ( and tangled my slinky).

Beautiful illustration, V-thanks for that walk down memory lane (cue the minnie riperton track!)

Mónica said...

Nostalgic and nice post, i like very much. Wonderful always
Have a nice weekend :)
Kind regards

froggie is... said...

oooooo. jacks! i loved, loved loved my jacks. the feel of that squishy ball in my fingers. the ball went in one jean short pocket and the jacks in the cuffs on the legs. as, you really didn't want to fall down (or forward!) on the sidewalk with jacks in your pocket.

yeeoowch!

just ohhhwonnnderful, vbn! adore the scratchy lil c'poke. "))

Gary Keimig said...

What a delightful fun blog. Love your take on your art.

donny* said...

hahaha .... love it! but yeah. i've resorted at times to turning the router off so it appears there's *something* wrong with the video game to get that little one outside. :) ... and do i even need to say how much i love the collage below?!

Shell said...

This takes me back.. playing outside all day long..yep..had to be up when the street lights went on.
I love being a kid back then wouldn't trade it for the world.

k.h.whitaker said...

You've already gotten this award twice that I know of, but I listed your blog as one of my fav's anyway!

Peter Breese said...

Nice details V and hallelujah regarding the "stinkers"... get those butts off of that couch. Next thing ya know they'll be designing couches with built in toilets at this rate. Yeesh...

Hang strong lady.

D Hawk said...

Hi again, I have another question, and thanks for being kind enough to answer them! I went for another illustration job, and author is in PA and he will be offering a % from royalties and that will be my payment, there is no advance payment at all! Could that still be good for me? I don't want to do hard work for nothing! should I still demand up front payment? Is that normal for illustrators to do work and not get paid until the book sales? Is this still a good deal if he is offering 25% in royalties without upfront payment? there is no garantee that the book will sale. I hope to hear from you soon, I am a little skeptical about this offer! I'm not quite sure about it!

Thanks for your time!

DHawk

Bella Sinclair said...

Yes, yes, YES! Gorgeous colors and textures, Vanessa. You brought so many childhood memories to mind.....marbles, Chinese jacks, jumprope.... Ooooooo-eeee!

Eric Barclay said...

That was my childhood too! Some cap guns were in there somewhere, too. Lovely work.

roberta baird said...

I hear ya... I used to stay outside playing until I heard my Dad on the back porch calling my name

Eve said...

Great illustration. I remember skelly and hop scotch. So much fun, bruised knees and all.