Happy Valentines Day and Painting in Public - Sort of!

My daughter and her family came to visit on the ninth so as to be here for Grandpa's birthday on the 10th. He only found out they were coming on the ninth. That didn't give me much time to get ready but I did the best I could. That means the sheets were washed, bathrooms cleaned and the vacuuming done. Then baking commenced but all I got done was caramel corn (4 batches), Chex snack mix (4 recipes) and shortbread cookies. The dusting didn't get done and no one seemed to mind.

We celebrated the birthday all weekend playing darts (in the garage out of the cold wind) and lots of Trivial Pursuit. They have a new version out and it was one of the birthday gifts.

On Sunday my husband took everyone bowling. I don't bowl since it hurts my wrist and fingers but I did take the time to do some live sketching. A bowling alley is public but it wasn't busy and no one walked by me to even know I was doing any painting or drawing. Still, I was ready for onlookers and I did do the sketching. I enjoyed myself and everyone else did too except for the youngest grandchild who was coming down with a bug.

I'm happy with what I did but I can see I am still sticking to just using mid-values (I'm really trying to work on that Laure)! My family was pretty impressed that I did these in just under an hour right there at the bowling alley.

And I'm a bit late in the day but Happy Valentine's Day everyone! These are valentine hearts my middle granddaughter and I made. Everyone else was out playing darts and after just one heart we went and joined them. We had fun doing them. This morning we all had heart-shaped waffles with strawberries and whipped cream and then everyone left for home. We had two wonderful celebrations together this year!

Painting My Wall

I have been busy painting a wall in my bedroom/craftroom. I moved the bookcases that you can see here to another wall and that left a brown and yellow wall - ugly! It took me months to get to it but I finally went and bought the paint and did it.

First, I used the paint that is on my furniture for a sample so I could match it at the store. Knowing it was a large area to be done, I lightened the sample a bit so it would read right. Well, I didn't lighten it enough and after getting it on the wall I had to lighten up some of the paint and recoat it. Then I added the squiggly pink lines one at a time till I finally covered the wall in a diamond pattern. I finished by adding blue paint to the top edges where the wallboard had a frame already and painted some really sloppy green leaves on the blue strips to match what I had done on the furniture. I either need new brushes or get back to practicing strokework but overall it turned out. This wall took me four days to do - painting those lines is hard on the wrist. As you can see it matches the furniture I painted several years ago. I think my room is done now. Well, until I need to rearrange my art supplies again anyhow!

Playing Around

While making the cards in the Valentine class I mentioned in the last post I made some practice roses and didn't want to throw them away. I kind of get attached to my work practice or not (except when it comes out reeeeaaalllly bad). So, I painted and gessoed and collaged in my practice bits and then filled in with writing. I would have to say this was pure fun. I didn't have any real project or outcome in mind when I started. I just didn't want to throw the roses away. So I played! And this is the result. I'm rather pleased with myself just now. Hope you enjoy the page too.

Valentine Class

I just finished a mini class with Laure Ferlita which was about making cards for Valentine's Day. These are what I came up with. The one with the cupcake was finished in PS Elements but first I made the cupcake painting. All the rest were made as watercolor originals. It was fun and if you want to join in check out Imaginary Trips. A new tour is leaving very soon!

ATC Journal Pages

I finally took the ATC's I made in a mini class with Laure Ferlita through her Imaginary Trips classes and turned them into journal pages. First I shrank the ones I'd made down to a very small size so they'd all fit on one page. I kept the card I got from Kelly Riccetti in the original form putting it on a page by itself using photo corners so I wouldn't ruin the card itself.

A trip to Ireland is ready to take off. Check it out at Imaginary Trips and come join me on a fun trip through Ireland with watercolor journaling.

It's Not Drawing But It Is Art of a Sort

I was over at Sheep Rustler where I saw some very pretty handknit socks and it reminded me that I am knitting a pair myself just now. Since I have so little to share lately I thought I'd show where I am in my knitting. Exciting isn't it?

What is exciting is that the yarn is 51% bamboo! Can you believe they are using bamboo in yarn? It feels very nice too. I'm using a lacy stitch for these to dress them up a bit and when they are done, I'll be giving them to one of my sisters. In fact I'll be giving them to the sister who makes these lovely bird houses. She paints a few different ones. I was lucky enough to get one as a gift. Everyone else gets to pay $35 dollars for one. It's fun to share with someone who can appreciate the work put into something handmade.

I am trying to get myself into doing more work in my sketchbook and I really want to get back to doing some beading. Hopefully I'll have more to post soon.

Home at Last

I went to California for Christmas and just got home two days ago. What a trip! First, we got to drive in a huge rainstorm so my husband and I took separate vehicles so gifts wouldn't get wet. I hate having to follow someone especially over 300+ miles. At least we didn't run into rain on that first leg of the trip but only from Fallbrook to Simi Valley. I finally gave up following and telephoned (yes, I know it's not legal but I kept it short) my husband to say I'd just get there when I got there!

Then preparations in hurry-up-mode for a couple of days. I made caramel corn (not usually a Christmas treat but my husband wanted it) and my daughter made some chex mix (again, not a usual Christmas treat but her daughter got confused about when we have that treat). I made brown sugar fudge and sponge candy (a crispy, foamy brittle broken in pieces and dipped in chocolate - google it as it's easy and sooo yummy). I made date balls, stuffed dates and divinity too. I didn't find time to make fattigman, a Norwegian cookie my grandmother used to make, nor did I make Biscochitas, an aniseed sugar cookie my sister started making 50 years ago for our family. Ah well, we had enough as my daughter had already made snowballs (sandies or Mexican wedding cake cookies), pfefferneuse, chocolate fudge with and without walnuts, and mints. A turkey was cooked for my daughter's brother-in-law's birthday on the 23rd, cheese, sausages and crackers were cut up and put out for Christmas Eve and my husband's spaghetti sauce made for Christmas dinner (it's red, isn't it?). We didn't make the gingerbread houses till New Year's Eve! I tried to get the girls to make journal pages and they did but after filling the first quadrant they pretty much quit on me. I finished mine just before heading home.

Next I went down to my sister in Fallbrook again where I got together with my son and some other sisters. We went out to Anthony's Seafood Grotto by Grossmont Center (a shopping mall) and that's where I picked up some food poisoning. I was sick for several days with effects lasting a good week. Won't be eating there again but we had noticed their quality had gone downhill before we got sick! Still I found time to start an acrylic painting for my bathroom but haven't finished it yet. It's my first real acrylic painting and probably looks it but I still like it so far.

I was getting ready to come home to get ready for another watercolor class with Laure Ferlita when my daughter called and asked if I could come back up and babysit the dogs so they could go to San Diego for a nephew's birthday party. So back up I went for a few more days. Then I finally headed home. I decided to go east on Hwy. 58 rather than the 210 Interstate to hwy 15 and ran into a 2 hour stoppage due to an accident and roadwork. After that though, I had smooth sailing.

The journal pages posted here were done on my trip. Not too much to show but Christmas is a busy time even without drawing and painting. I've started my new class centered on Valentine's Day with Laure Ferlita. Hope to share what I do in this class soon.

By the way, have you ever wanted to go on a trip to Ireland? I'll be leaving January 31st with Laure on another Imaginary Trip. Want to join me? If not Ireland perhaps you'd like New Orleans another new trip she's worked to provide us with which leaves February 22nd. Just click here and here to find out more!