November 1st

 Scented Geranium Cuttings
Karen brought these scented geranium cuttings to share with our class.  I took a lemon scented one because I love the fragrance, and because it is curly.

I think I started doing the "Blog Every Day in November" challenge in 2007. Here we go again.  Fair warning -  as I claim every year, it's all about the quantity, not the quality.

If you are interested in what the Blog Every Day thing is all about, there is a link at the top of my sidebar.  The website explains what it is, and has a blogroll of the participants.

I have been a pretty slow blogger this year.  We'll see if this gets me back up to speed.

Gazebo at the Boyne City Park

A Watercolor Sketch Done During 

a Book  Binding Journaling Workshop

Our book binding/journal painting workshops have finished up, and now I guess I am back into my "off-season" mode  -  mid-September until early June.  I have scheduled my regular weekly watercolor classes to begin the first week in October.  This morning it's dark and getting cooler by the minute.

 I still have art supplies covering every surface in my studio/classroom.  In my "little studio" (a small room between our back entry and my classroom) is so full of stuff that I can't get to the drawers and shelves to put it away.  I think it is time to pull everything out and start over.

The sketch, above, was a continuous line demonstration, and about painting the negative shapes to give us the positive object. This only took a few minutes. It was a beautiful day to paint in the park.

Now I think I will see how quickly I can clean off these tables.  How hard can it be?

Catching Up

This is a demonstration showing how I would paint a mound of lavender, and also show white lavender growing in the middle of the purple mounds.  The page on the right is a demo of climbing roses. We had a couple of fantastic mornings out at the lavender farm.

The octagon cottage in Bay View  -  a demo showing how I would choose a starting point and move on with a continuous line drawing, showing only the part of the cottage that really interests me.

A beautiful day on Stephens Lane.  There is a nice garden at the top of the hill with huge white daisies against a very dark green background of evergreens.

On the first day of the first Bay View journal class of the season, we painted the bright flowers in the large pots in front of one of the halls on campus.

 ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The summer is moving along so quickly, and I am blogging so slowly.  Here I am, still in my jammies, sitting on the porch, catching up a little.  No classes today.  Everyone has gone to the beach. I have been here long enough to have switched from hot coffee to iced coffee.

Last weekend we went to Ann Arbor where the temperature was well over 100!!!  It hasn't been that hot up here, and it has been a perfect summer week  -  sand on the bathroom floor, bathing suits on the line, the kids playing card games on the porch after dinner, and our daughter here for the week from California.


We've been having a wonderful time with the California grandkids!  They have been here since the first part of June. One of them leaves tomorrow, and one will stay for awhile longer.

Next week I will be teaching three morning classes and four afternoon classes. While it is quiet here, I should get things together for next week's classes.  Who knows what might be going on over the weekend, and I don't want to miss anything.

Are you sketching?  Are you keeping cool?

A Burger at "The Counter"

Custom Built Burgers

I did this sketch at a burger place in California.  It was just one of the many great restaurants we went to.  We really did eat too much, but then again, whose to say how much is too much?   We had a great time, AND we brought the California grandkids home with us.  Last night we got all the cousins together for pizza and craziness.  I love it.

Next week, Friday, I will hold my Summer Kick-Off Journal Workshop.  Summer will begin in earnest then with classes and workshops.  I'm not sure I can get a handle on the jungle in our backyard by then, but oh well.  I was hoping the garden would look pretty good, but while we were gone the rain grew everything to jungle-like proportions, and the deer ate the tops off everything.  It's okay.  This is gonna be a no stress summer  -  lots of classes, lots of fun.  I'm getting my sketching/painting things together as we speak.  Ho about you?

Katie Mac's Pansies

Pansies

One of my students brought these pansies in for us to paint.  This is a contour drawing (continuous line) with watercolor on Arches Cover Cream in my journal sketchbook.  Arches Cover is not watercolor paper, and "cream" is just that  -  cream colored.  It is very heavy, soft paper, not meant for watercolor at all, but I like the way it takes it  -  the colors stay pretty bright.

The pansies look like spring, and our lilacs are about to bloom, but I'm still wearing turtlenecks and layers.

I started this post a few days ago and didn't finish and post it.  I don't know why.  I seem to be moving very slowly and the rest of the world is rushing by.  I'll catch up.  Slow isn't always a bad thing, you know.

Ice Cream Cones and Flowers

It Must be Summer

If we are eating ice cream cones at a little table on the street, and flowers are blooming in the yard  -  it must be summer, right?

This is quirky freaky weather and we are all lovin' it.  It was at least 80 degrees today, and normally we would be having a snow storm.  Even if we have cold weather and snow, it can't last long now.  Every freakishly warm day takes us that much closer to the real thing.

One of our adventures of the day was to run out of gas.  Now I know where "empty" really is on my gas gauge. We were more or less out in the middle of no-where, but with the help of some pretty big hills, we managed to limp/coast into a gas station on the southern-most edge of town.  No problem.  You know what I always  say  -  if you don't want a little adventure, you'd better just stay home.  We made it back, safe and sound, and cuddled up on the couch to eat crackers and cheese and watch Wallace and Gromet for the hundredth time.  Fun.

Basil, Ginger, and a White Bird

Project of the Day

Middle Granddaughter has been going to spiff up my herbs and spices for awhile now.  Yesterday she was off school, so that was the project of the day.  I love how they look  -   all the bottles are alike and the colors are so warm and earthy.  Nice.

There was a white bird flitting around the neighborhood yesterday and today.  It isn't unusual to see sea gulls here, but this had us stumped.  It had some black on the tips of its wings and a little rusty color on its underside. When it came close, it was obvious that it's a robin.  Of course I googled it and found pictures of robins that looked just like it.  Apparently it has a condition called leucism.  That means it is missing some pigment in some feathers.  It's not an albino.  So  -  there is my science lesson of the day.  If you aren't completely bored to death yet, and would like to know more and see a picture of a leucistic American robin, here you go.

For some reason, I keep thinking "the white bird flies at midnight".  Is that from a movie  or something  -  I can see someone like Peter Sellers or Leslie Nielsen saying it. Where did I get that?

The racoons were looking in the bedroom window in the wee hours of the morning.  I wish they wouldn't do that.

Library Demonstration

Colored Pencils in a Mustard Pot

White Buttons

I have an exhibit of my paintings at our public library, and yesterday I did a reception/demonstration/book signing.   A really nice bunch of people showed up.  They asked a lot of great questions and were very enthusiastic.  To those of you reading this, that were there yesterday, thank you so much for coming!

As I sit here posting this, I'm watching it snow, and watching the temperature drop on the digital thermometer.  When I sat down to do this it was 16 degrees, and now a few minutes later, it is 14!  We live in a very old house with large windows, and I'm sitting here looking down the street, over the rooftops toward the Bay.  Yesterday the Bay was very blue  -  today it is completely obliterated by the snow.  There are cardinals in the forsythia and lilac bushes, and there are always people walking within sight  -  crisscrossing the street as it goes down the hill.

Okay  -  I could sit here all day watching the snow, birds, and people, but I do have a few other things I want to do  -  like eat something.

What are you sketching today?  I'm going to do those roses I keep talking about.

Ellie's Flowers

 

Contour Drawing Demo

These flowers have been around for awhile  -  going on three weeks.  I salvaged a few for my classes to do a very quick contour drawing and a fast swoop of color.  It doesn't take much to get an impression of an object.   I wish I had timed myself, so I could tell you exactly what " very quick" and "fast swoop" really mean.  Wednesday's class wanted me to set the timer for ten minutes when they started theirs, and they were finished in much less time than that.

It is dark and gray here again!  That's okay  -  I have some class promotion to do, I have a play-date with a friend, and Youngest Granddaughter will be here late this afternoon.  Of course I also have some laundry, grocery shopping, errands . . . . . I don't think I'll do that stuff.

It's Friday  -  plan a date with your sketchbook.

Lunch at Jesperson's

Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons

This wasn't our usual Wednesday tomato soup place.  The soup was nothing to write home about, but the croutons were delicious.  That was my second piece of cherry pie this week.  What's with that?  I don't even eat desserts  -  not because I'm virtuous  -  I just don't care for sweets.

This is a contour (continuous line drawing) done with my Noodler's pen with periwinkle Noodler's ink.

I am looking out the front window toward the Bay and it is gray gray gray  -  sky, water, trees, everything.  I guess I will just have to go do something colorful.  I have this urge to make paper beads in bright colors.  Maybe I should get dressed first.  Get ready for this afternoon's class.  Load the dishwasher .......  But those beads are calling me.  Here I go.

Do something creative today.  Anything!

Ellie's Chili and a Cutie

A cutie in my sketchbook and the recipe for Ellie's chili

I love it that they call these little tangerine things cuties.  I like the boxes they come in.  I like the size of the cuties.  I like the way they peel so easily.  And, they are fun to sketch.

This was done with my Noodler's pen and Noodler's periwinkle ink on Mi Teint paper, which, in this case,  is actually quite green  -  you'd never know it here.  I used watercolor and white prismacolor pencil also.

On the right hand page is a recipe, more or less, for chili.  I say "more or less" because I didn't write down any amounts.  I was supposed to be teaching, not writing down recipes.  I don't know "grillin' beans", but I think they are in the Mexican food section.

We discussed a lot of life's problems in class today, and even got some painting done. Such a fun and supportive group!

Happy painting.  Keep those pencils, pens, and brushes moving!

Cafe Sante

Salt and Pepper Shakers at Cafe Sante

My dinner was not colorful, so the salt and pepper shakers will have to do. Yeah, I know, they aren't colorful either.  Of course I was hungry, and I am always the last one finished, so doing salt and pepper shakers before the meal comes works out well for me. My husband, brother, and sister-in-law are very patient people, but there is a limit.

I had chicken fricassee, and it was delicious! The place was very crowded, noisy, warm and cozy. Fun!

The paper I did this on is Canson Mi-Teintes in my hand bound sketchbook.  I think it is pastel paper, and this particular color is an olive-y green.  I did the drawing with a Gelly Roll pen, then used watercolor, and added white with a Prismacolor pencil.  Gelly Roll pens are permanent and archival, and an be found in scrap booking stores.  Prismacolor pencils can be purchased open stock in most art supply stores.

Now I'm going to go wrap a couple of Christmas presents.  I'm getting there.  How about you?

Salt and Pepper Shakers Again

Salad

I hadn't done this style salt shakers yet. They weren't exciting  -  just a little different than any in my "collection".

We went to the book store before dinner, and I found a book for my husband for Christmas.  When I told the girl at the counter that this was my first Christmas gift purchase, she acted shocked.  Come on - I was really pleased to be getting at it. Don't judge me.

Our Christmas tree is up!  The lights are on.  The cat has climbed it a couple of times. We are officially into the season.  This week we have a Christmas event with my husband's library board members, and two grade school concerts - among everyday things that at times can seem overwhelming. It's okay  -  'tis the season to be jolly  -  and we are!

How are your Christmas plans coming?  Are you taking a few minutes to sketch some of your activities, ingredients, illustrate your gift list?

A Theme for December

Measuring Spoons

I took a little blogging break, and now  -  where were we?  Themes?

Back in the November 29th post, I mentioned using a different theme for each month.  For December, I had listed dinner ingredients, labels, bottles and jars.  With a theme in mind it is pretty easy to jump-start an idea for a sketch.  I was getting out things to see what I need for holiday baking, and I was thinking about the labels on the can of cocoa and the bottle of vanilla. They weren't too interesting, but the measuring spoons caught my eye as a possible sketch.  I threw in the sprinkles as an "ingredient" from the theme list.

For fifty some Christmases my mother made a certain kind of cookie with nonpareils, or sprinkles, on them.  In November she would start to worry about the stores running out of them.  They never did that I know of, but maybe.  It does seem like a funny thing to worry about, but I must admit that I checked my supply a couple of weeks ago.


Do you have your sprinkles?  Are you going to paint them in your sketchbook?

Day Twenty-six

My Little Studio Mannequin

I'm just doing things today like watering plants, putting away the silverware, gathering up the tablecloths. Things are in disarray in every room of the house, but I don't want to rush into anything.  I do have a couple of paintings buzzing around inside my head, and I don't want to lose that buzzing.

It was very dark and rainy today and felt nice and cozy inside.  We had enough leftovers for lunch, but I suppose I may have to come up with something for dinner.  Then, again, maybe not.  Wow  -  feeling so lazy!

I do have to mat some paintings, and I have to make space to do it, so that will get me going.  It will feel good to get back on track.  And my new classes start next week!

Day Twenty One

A New Orchid Blossom in a New Sketchbook

I thought I should sketch the orchid blossom, because somewhere along the line I'll want to know when it started to bloom again.

Last year when I received it in February, I did a couple of watercolor sketches of it.  It bloomed until July!  I had never had an orchid like this, and I was very surprised that they bloom for months!  When it was finished, I cut the stalks back, and a new one grew  -  and here we go  -  it's blooming again.

This is a contour drawing (continuous line) done mostly while looking at the subject, not the paper.  Although I do check the paper once in awhile to make sure I'm making the right connections.  A contour sketch does take some concentration, and I must admit, I was thinking more about  the grocery run I had to make in a few minutes.  But I say any line is better than no line.

Day Twenty

Apple Crisp

Could there be anything more colorless?  But it was pretty tasty!

This afternoon I have been getting things ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  I baked the sweet potatoes and the squash, fixed the fillings for two apples pies, and mixed up the crust for those and two pumpkin pies.  I put everything in freezer bags, and I'm that much ahead of the power curve.  In the middle of all this, I figured a few more apples sliced up into a pan for apple crisp was no big deal. 

Our son, in Afghanistan, says he'll be thinking of us on Thanksgiving trying to replicate his green bean casserole. Oh  -  you mean there's a trick to it?  A secret ingredient?  You can bet we will be thinking of him too  -  green bean casserole or not.

What did you sketch this weekend?

Day Nineteen

Lemons

I love lemons.  They are ridiculously expensive by the piece  -  something like 79 cents each. I think that is a lot for a couple of table spoons of juice.  A bag of seven was 2.99.  I put them in a big fat glass vase on the kitchen counter so I can see and smell them.  Before they go bad (I hope I'm paying attention) I'll squeeze them and freeze the juice and some of the zest.

I really have to get with it, and get things together for Thanksgiving.  I worked on my list today.  That's something, huh?  I cleaned the fridge. 

Who's cooking?  Are you ready?

Day Thirteen

Paintbrush

I spent the day painting furniture.  It doesn't matter what you paint, right?  Just as long as that paintbrush is moving?  A couple more days of furniture and then it will be walls.

This is the point where I always get bogged down  -  things get torn up, and then I don't know how to follow through to finish.  I'll just keep painting.  I bought a gallon of white paint for window, door, etc. trim and a gallon of black for furniture.  That's going to go a long way  -  I won't have to get back to real life for a long time.  I may get a little sick of black furniture before the gallon is runs out. 

Did you sketch something this weekend?  Anything?  Keep it simple  -  it's supposed to be fun!

Day Twelve

Saturday Night Pizza

Our fat, dairy, white flour, and meat splurge of the week.  We are trying to lower our cholesterol, so all week we are pretty good about sticking to a healthy diet. Saturday nights we treat ourselves to pizza.  Sometimes we make our own, but often we are in the middle of some weekend project, and suddenly we are tired and hungry, and it's time for pizza.

This weekend's project is way off track.  While we were in the middle of discussing the re-do of the kitchen and dining room, we decided to redecorate the bedroom.  We spent the day cleaning closets, painting window trim, getting rid of things that really didn't need to be in there, buying paint, going over paint chips, and looking at carpet, mudding some bad spots in the plaster, and on and on.  It was fun -  of course we aren't finished, but I'm hoping this doesn't drag on too long.  Things can do that around here. 

I hope you're treating your sketchbooks to pizza or dinner out.  I hope you're treating yourselves to a nice relaxing weekend  -  or a nice productive weekend  -  whatever feels good.