Lots of Art

And a few (very few) notes about them :)

Periwinkle in Crayola crayon- check out these Crayola artists :) Don Marco and Tiona Marco.

ATC- Pysanky Egg II. I enjoyed the first one so much I made another one...

ATC- Gnome on the wing. An addition to my gnome ATCs :)

Nature Journal Pages:
Painted outside in the garden, using my waterbrush and watercolours and watercolour pencils.

The kids were investigating a patch of orange moss- I painted them looking at it :)
The tree on the right is a sweetgum- you can harvest the sap and chew it like gum!

ATC- Chickadee in Crayola Crayon. Another ATC, this one messing around with crayola crayons.

ATC- postie. Makes me think of the Alison Uttley books...


I actually drew in public- first from the car, second IN the restaurant ;)

Pastels look much better on my pastel paper- these were inspired by my garden catalogues. I love gooseberries- the top is Gooseberry Fool, below is Peppery.

Art Working Day

So I have been busy today- preparing things to swap and experimenting with things :) First up comes the recipe card for my snow-friend swap. I decided my partner needed a warming recipe ;)


Then I wanted to try out my oil pastels. I don't have any turpentine, so I made do with smudging some ;) This was my first real try with them, and I modelled it after Monet's Garden, The Iris. There is something very appealing about that painting :)


Whilest looking for Lenten crafts for my children, I ran across a great colouring page site. here they mentioned the Pysanky egg- which I think looks very similar to Zendoodles (if you colour them) :)

ATCs and Inspirations

After admiring Judy's ATCs (that is Artist's Trading Cards) the other day, I joined a couple of ATC groups she suggested so I could swap some too. I decided I really should MAKE some ATCs to swap first- and build up a bunch of them...


I started with Mrs. Brown, inspired by my Beatrix Potter tribute.


Then I added a flower...


And today I did a family heirloom. I thought it might be fun to see my inspiration... as I was going off to sleep last night, I looked over at this family heirloom on our washstand. "That WOULD make a nice picture" I thought to myself... and today, I had to make it :)


So I took the picture and drew it, then painted it with my watercolours. Sometimes the scanner just wont scan it well- as in this case. And yes, I can see where I made mistakes because I was trying to squeeze it onto an ATC :) But I enjoyed doing it!


And voilà! My finished ATC :)

Daybook for Monday 23rd February

Peggy over at the Simple Woman's Daybook hosts these daybooks, run on over for a look :)

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... cold, windy and sunny... the trees are getting ready to bloom though, and the birds are singing like it is spring. I'm convinced!

I am thinking... that I really hope the headache goes away...

I am thankful for... a thoughtful DH. He planned yesterday to do things the kids wanted to- they had a great time :) The things they wanted to do were quite odd... DD wanted to clean the sink and DS wanted to go antiquing... (amongst other normal things like playing Legos...)

From the learning rooms... I think we'll drop Greek until another time. I saw Drew's reasoning for doing this in the Latin Centered Curriculum 2nd Edition, and I think he is right.

From the kitchen... chicken. In the crockpot. I need to check how long it needs to cook :)

I am wearing... grey skirt, white blouse with black stripes. Black long socks and plaited (braided) hair.

I am creating... Lenten plans. We'll have some homeschoolers over for a craft later this week and I really want to make the Lenten season special. :)

I am going... probably to the store- we went a little late yesterday and they were out of some of the things I needed.

I am reading... some magazines (CL UK edition and Victoria) plus some art books and novels from the library.

I am hoping... to get!

I am hearing... Rebel playing and birds singing.

Around the house... Cleaning. Finish M'Lady's book... at least the printing part ;)

One of my favorite things... is garden planning- with spring on the way I need to order seeds!.

A few plans for the rest of the week: celebrate M'Lady's 5th birthday!!

Here is picture thought I am sharing... Artists Trading Cards (ATCs) are trading card sized original artworks that artists swap- such fun!

Mrs. Brown Takes tea

Mrs. Brown reading

Periwinkle or Vinca major.

EDM #211- Draw in the style of...

EDM #211- Draw in the style of...
Originally uploaded by spinneretta

I chose Beatrix Potter- my favourite author/artist! My two little mice are a homage to her, minus the watercolours and backgrounds she used. And minus the pets...
Jack Frost on the left there is part of an idea I am thinking up for my swap...

Things and Art

I just posted a bunch of work on my TAD account, so thought I should share it here. First up, something I did not post on there- and ATC that I made for my husband for our anniversary. He loves bluebirds because they are his favourite colour AND we see them when spring comes ;) This male was at our feeder the other day, with his mate. He was a tad skittish, so I took a couple of photos, which I then used to make the ATC.


Friday, my TAD was obviously Valentines. I had to produce a bunch because the kids wouldn't do theirs fast enough. That was 16 to start with.
Then some of the homeschooler, their Mothers and I produced these 20 cards to go out to some local priests and nuns:


By myself, I made over 20 that day! I was exhausted and so the next day, drawing was not my priority. In fact- I forgot to draw at all!
I did however, get some spinning done- and planned an ahka spindle...


Not much to get excited about here, but a very soothing practise ;)

Then I tried working on my Valentine's weekend page:
I was uninspired. I had managed to draw the robins from the car, but the rest was added on Monday- when I was feeling poorly and did my usual sketch of sore throats- a bullseye on the not-true-to-life me ;)
Last night I was ready to draw again, and sat there for a good hour or so, trying to figure out what to draw. I finally decided on EDM #209- Draw a Shadow. And then I sat there looking for one. Finally, I realised the best shadow I had seen all night, was the one on my page BELOW my hand, a tricky but fun exercise!


Shading is pretty sketchy in this one, because I was trying to rush it (late night drawing will do that to you!). And THAT is my series of things for the last 5 days ;)
Oh, one more I DID forget, was the geography text I am working on for DS. THAT is over at my learning notes blog...

Love...

Just in time for Valentines day, the lovely Ann gifted me with this award! So now I have to list seven things I love, followed by seven bloggers I love... a hard task!

Loves:
1. Husband
2. Children
3. Caramel filled chocolates
4. Spring flowers
5. Lavender and roses
6. Spring colours
7. Books!

and now for 7 bloggers!
1. The Happy Painter
2. Genine's Art Blog
3. Lin at View from the Oak
4. Sketches by Fiz
5. Omphaloskepsis
6. Drawings from Nature
7. Borromini Bear

As you can see from my blog-lists in the sidebar on the right, I love a LOT of art blogs, these are just a few. DO take the time to browse those in the sidebar :)

Anniversary

Anniversary
Originally uploaded by spinneretta

t's my 10th Anniversary today, and the kids gave me these flowers :) You might think they are weeds, and to some, they are. To me, they are the first harbingers of spring- every year they are the first ones to bloom.
Since it is WAY too windy to sketch outside today, I immortalised their gift by drawing it into my journal INSIDE the house- with the window open ;)
Persian Speedwell (Veronica persica) and Purple/red Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum)

It has been a wonderful and fulfilling 10 years- and I am hoping for many more :)

EDM #210 - Draw some underwear

Well I'm no Andrea Joseph, but I like the way it turned out! And I admit it, I LOVE the border ;)

Daybook for Monday 9th February

Peggy over at the Simple Woman's Daybook hosts these daybooks, run on over for a look :)

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... it's warm and sunny. It is only getting warmer this week... I'm raedy for spring!

I am thinking... that I need to work on my sister's card... I just need to think up a design!

I am thankful for... warm weather in winter. It helps us to get through the cold weather better :)

From the learning rooms... need to catch up with literature... planning on reading extra this week.

From the kitchen... salmon. Shopping on Sunday makes this a regular Monday thing :)

I am wearing... jeans and a red stripey shirt. I'm saving all my skirts for the warm days mid-week ;P

I am creating... a card for my sister and an anniversary card for DH AND some swap gifts. need to get cracking! :)

I am going... nowhere. except maybe for a walk :)

I am reading... some magazines and art books...

I am hoping... to get those cards done!!

I am hearing... silence- the kids must be up to something.

Around the house... craft works and some dusting upstairs ;)

One of my favorite things... spring flowers. I've been watching...

A few plans for the rest of the week: Our 10th anniversary and a homeschooler valentine's day party!!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Spring Dreams :)

Daffs, Dragons and Elliephants

It feels like spring here now, but the other day I was just dreaming of it. Digging out last years daffodil photos made me feel better, and I drew one for this spread.


I messed up the shading on this brightly lit flower, so I decided on another try...
In the meantime I designed a couple of Elliephants (intentional mis-spelling ;)) for my sister Ellie- two versions here...





And a dragon, also for Ellie. They are to be part of her website at Calithorne Creations...


While thinking up these though, I was working on daffodil 2- which pleases me MUCH more than no. 1 did :)


This was done on Bristol board with Prismacolor pencils- I am finally beginning to get this medium!!

Creativity...

I joined in the February Thing-A-Day 2009 (T-A-D) this year- in an effort to be more creative this month :) and have been posting my creative things there.
However, I wouldn't want you to miss out - so here they are :)

First up, the cakes and rolls I made for DD's birthday dinner. She had requested 'little pink' cakes, and had wanted strawberry, but I had a nice recipe for raspberry cakes that I used (from MaryJane's Farm). They are really scrummy ;)


The rolls were for 'chicken biscuits'. The long story behind her choice of this for dinner comes with a breakfast at Chick-fil-A last weekend- she had chicken minis there- a favourite she had been begging for for weeks. Unfortunately, she had left one biscuit- which she planned to save. Only daddy threw it away. Needless to say this was a MAJOR disaster to her, and tears ensued. SO I suggested I could make some for her birthday.

We picked up some of the Chick-fil-A chicken and put it in my homemade rolls- thumbs up from M'Lady! She had also requested 'food' for dinner. 'Real food like beans and green beans!'. So that's what she got ;)

Towards the end of the day, I filled in the title page of my new sketchbook I am planning on using for coloured pencils- I made up the mouse after being inspired by a patch on the door which made me think of her.



The following is a spread in the new notebook. For some reason I was inspired to draw Odysseus and the Cyclopes- here he is escaping from the Cyclopes lair.

This was really quite fun to draw, only I wasn't quite sure what colour to make my cyclopes- he ended up being a dirty beige colour LOL.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY M'LADY

I can't believe that 5 years have passed since M'Lady was born! She is quite the character now :D She loves to play, to be read to and to have people do as SHE tells them too!
Things that don't go her way, are absolutely terrible- and cause a great deal of distress!
She is all girl- loves pink, cats and horses- and her Daddy and big Brother too (and her Mama too of course LOL).
She loves to give 'snugs'. What a delightful five years it has been!

Daybook for Monday 2nd February

Peggy over at the Simple Woman's Daybook hosts these daybooks, run on over for a look :)

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... it's warm and sunny. They forecast snow for tomorrow and warm weather for the weekend- we're into the spring up and down pattern already!

I am thinking... that I hope DD likes her birthday presents and cake- she turns 5 tomorrow. Where has the time gone?

I am thankful for... living where we do. A trip to Northern Virginia at the weekend, gave me a lot of appreciation for our decidedly less hectic pace- and warmer climate :)

From the learning rooms... thinking about doing geography on fun Mondays- and science experiments :) If it is fun, it is allowed on Monday.

From the kitchen... salmon. Hope this new recipe is a good one! I am also planning on starting the Mary-Janes Farm sourdough bread.

I am wearing... denim skirt, white blouse with black stripes. Bare legs for now- hair is up in my crocodile clip.

I am creating... a book- for DD. You can see the entries below :)

I am going... outside- it's a nice day, we need the fresh air :)

I am reading... some magazines (one art, three crafts and two house ones) plus some art books. I am making headway in my pile...

I am hoping... to post up on thing-a-day!

I am hearing... Rebel playing and birds singing.

Around the house... Cleaning. Finish M'Lady's book... at least the printing part ;)

One of my favorite things... is garden planning- with spring on the way I need to order seeds!.

A few plans for the rest of the week: celebrate M'Lady's 5th birthday!!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

You can see more of the ice-storm pictures at my garden blog :)

Naughty Sammy pps 5-End

A sudden “riii-biiit” from beside him, startled him so dreadfully, that he gave a yelp and leaped forward.

L... appeared behind him and giggled.

“Silly Sammy, it's only a frog!” she laughed.

Together they wandered through the bushes looking for the ball.

L... soon spotted it and carried it back to the path.

She turned to throw it to Sammy, but he wasn't there.

She looked in the bushes and all around the garden, but she couldn't find him anywhere.

She looked high, and she looked low- but still, no Sammy.

Where could that naughty puppy be?

Feeling a little worried and very thirsty from her exertions, she returned to the picnic table to get a drink- and THEN she spotted him.

There was Sammy, on TOP of the table eating the rest of L...'s lunch!

“BAD DOG! NAUGHTY Sammy!” L... scolded him, as she made him get down.

Needless to say, Sammy was in disgrace the rest of the day!

Copyright R. Proffitt