Hi Diana people who don't look after their dogs should not be allowed to have them...just love your wolf Havn't tried pastels in years...just starting again after many years away...i'm glad someone else can remember having Scarlet Fever I was about three and confined to bed just like you every day my books and pencils etc were taken away and burnt..so I took to spitting on the wall and making pictures on the painted wall...boy did I get it in the neck...gross thing to do though...funny to remember something that happened when I was so young...will take a loook at your gallery later it's getting very hate here in West Australia must get to bed

Square pastels? I think most of them are rolled have you tried the 'Schminke Pastell' range? These are The Memsahib's favorite soft brand with some 400 shades...not my scene though. I understand exactly what you mean re other people & 'sick' dogs in shows...to my mind they do not know their dogs on that important day-to-day basis, which they should, if they are true dog-lovers & not simply 'showers of dogs'...Meltemi falls of his box at this point....

Thank you Phil. Yes dogs are recovered. They picked up a nasty case of kennel cough at a show. I do wish people would keep sick dogs at home! I was hoping to start another pastel today when my order arrived only to find the pastels are nothing like what I thought I'd ordered. I already have a set of Daler soft pastels which are square and lovely to use. The new ones I ordered are great big fat chunky things, round and far harder- barely made a mark on the paper so I'm off on a search again for some decent pastels; soft without falling to bits and preferably square.

Hi Diana it looks very good to me...I trust that the mutts are now fully recovered?

Diana, I have just left a comment on your wolf and am now reading your blog - nice to see you can see you have your hands full! I love pastels I use them a fair bit, I am always interested in new techniques so your email course is intriguing. Sorry you have had a rough time recently. Painting is a marvelous healer - I know from experience. Best wishes Jeannette x