Icy Inspiration

Have you ever really looked at the ice on the concrete?

It is similar to icy windows... but the canvas is different.

...and it makes me stop and wonder...

...if ice

imitates

the growth of plantlife...

..like a memory

or

a prophecy..

Glad you could join me.

Good Morning Coffee

Is it over now?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing all a Peaceful and Merry Christmas!

Evergreen heart wreath made with oil sticks & sharpie pen.

...And sharing my favorite Christmas Card...
"L'Innocence" by William Adolphe Bouguereau
...on card by Crown Point Graphics.


Peace.

THANK YOU

Thank you to all for your comments and support!

You are appreciated!

Annie

And.... Here's.... Annie!!!

It took me 2 tries to get her head in proportion to her body...

Rumor is... I'll get art classes for Christmas...

....and I'm excited!

Grey Winter Morning

It's a cold white and grey winter morning after the storm yesterday.

I used to wake up early and stitch.

Now I wake up and draw doodles.

This will pass.

Maybe...

Maybe not.

Maybe I'll doodle a whole year.

Maybe not.

Maybe I'll learn to draw Annie...

Happy Weekend All!

The Snow is on it's way

Neighborly Christmas

When we moved into our new home just over 2 years ago, and the first Christmas season was upon us in our new neighborhood, we were surprised at the outpouring of gifts from the neighbors on the street. That made us feel welcome!

I think that's a downright nice neighborly tradition!

I made Christmas boots / stockings out of felt that hold a bag of microwave popcorn and candycanes to take around the street this year. There are 14 houses on our road.

And I doodled this, but didn't quite fit 14 houses around the circle!
May your home fires burn warm this season!

How I did it.... and more doodles.

Beth asked how I did the last art post….
Here are the steps…
Keep in mind that I am venturing away from the fabric medium for the first time….
And am just experimenting without knowledge!

First I doodled the middle – I found the bird on-line, drew it, and the swirls inside the circle.

I then scanned the image to print out and use that copy to continue on in case I messed up I would still have the original.

Second I used oil pastel sticks in blue and orange and colored heavily around the circle. I took a piece of fabric over my finger and rubbed the color in an outward motion.
I then scanned again and printed a copy to continue on. (Is this cheating?)
Then I took my new bottle of Gesso that I know is a base to go under art, but I put it over instead with haphazard outward brush strokes. I then took a wadded up paper towel and swiped over the center enough to get the design to show better.


That’s that.
By scanning and printing a copy, you also have the same piece to have more fun with later...

Here is today’s doodle revealing my Holiday stress…

Winter Bird

Materials:

Card stock paper

Sharpie extra fine

Oil sticks

Gesso

Measures 5" x 5"

Sunday's Doodle

"Chrysalis"

The Doodlebug

The doodlebug bites you and you start to doodle. Contagious it is.
It bit me when I was looking at arttealife, after it bit her... do check out her link for Gratitude jounals... fantastic idea.

This one I named "Announcing Winter".

Sunshine

Just a doodle...

to let you know...

Don't forget your Vitamin D!

Some symptoms of not enough vitamin D are very low energy levels, depression, and chronic pain. I thought all that was just part of aging in this crazy busy spinning world we live in. My doctor checked my D level and I was low. We are treating it with supplements now (about 2 months into it) and it has made a world of difference. I have energy I haven't had for 20 years, my lower back and sciatic pain are at about 1/3 of what they used to be. And it's easier to keep a smile on my face. Funny, I always taught my kids that happiness is a decision, not a result of circumstances.... which I still believe... but.... I have been amazed at how much easier it is to decide to be happy when your body is in balance nutritionally. It just makes sense that the Sunshine Vitamin is an important key!

So.... Get your D levels checked!

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

"Penny" necklaces...

This is the Russian Olive tree way out back - the olives intrigue me.

Annie is doing fab. She is healthy and heartworm free!

Not to mention getting pretty fluffy again...

we will let her hair grow now until Spring.

Haven't stitched much this week.

Did make a couple necklaces out of felt and cotton "pennies".

Bedouin Fires

Nomadic Star

Happy Weekend!

Did I mention I like weekends?

I do. I work weekdays and have weekends off to catch up on everything, including stitching.

The last 2 blocks are finished now with backs and borders. I contemplated folding them into envelope purses but couldn't bear to fold up the designs...

A nice Saturday morning is up early... drinking coffee... and dreaming up a new idea to start stitching on.

I have a small stack of these primitive 9-patch blocks and figured they make great starting bases. The pink one got a bird this morning. I think I will attempt a wreath of leaves and birds...

Have a happy relaxing weekend!

...thread doodling

Rainy weekend…

need happy art…

doodling with thread…

Started with an old primitive 9-Patch block…

Added color…

in the shapes of teardrops.

Purple and red tone doodles.

Thinking of sunshine...

but enjoying the rain.

Stitching

There is something relaxing and soothing about running the needle of thread thru fabric. Here is my current stitching efforts. I placed brown tone batik strips down on a base and feather stitched them on, then tried my hand and some applique with the turned under edges. Also couched some yellow yarn down for tendril looking things. This is a small block only 9" square.

I have more leaves cut to put on and will continue with the yellow swirls too.

Added 10/26: Here is an update of the block today, I decided one more flower was needed.

Happy Weekend Everyone.

Peace Frog

Hello from the Peace Frog...

Thought I would make something a bit more whimsical...

so I tapped into childhood memories

of froggy bean bags...

Gift a little kindness...

Introducing

Loving Kindness Cards
To give...
To touch... To care...
To love...

Each Loving Kindness Card measures 2 1/2" by 3 1/2".

Click on pictures to enlarge.

First Snow

First snow of the season...

...piled deep.

They call it "lake effect"

when it does this .

I call it cold too early.

It will melt...

...this week.

It will be 70 degrees

by Friday!

Don't forget...

Just days left to make a donation and enter the drawing!

Click on the Pink to get all the information....

Falling Leaves

These autumn leaves fell right into my mail box today…

Thank you to Julie for the seasonal hankie!

And another seasonal item...

yummmm...

Enjoy the Fall (well...not the stock market fall...)

Hang in there.

Rainy Days and Autumn Fires

Opal Sandstone

Continued Crazy

Pryo with an "orb" visitor
This picture was taken the night before our First Annual Fish Fry, in which my sweetie shared his catch from when he visited his brothers in Alaska and they took him out fishing. He brought home 100 pounds of delicious Halibut... and he cooked up a grundle for friends...

Notice the orb to the right side of the picture... it has the rings around it...
we have been having a few orbs appear in our nighttime photos lately. Some believe they are visitors... some believe it is the flash catching a dust particle... I like to think of what visitors we might have...

This is a wonderful rainy weekend.