Starting 2018

At the end of every year I make my refrigerator calendar (you know, the kind that has big spaces to write in) from the ugly Post Office calendar. I glue on Canson paper and paint. This year I used Derwent Inktense pencils and chose three colors for each page, which I picked from a color study in my journal/sketchbook.

Well, I'm a bit late this year, but six months are ready to go.

I also decided to follow Joanne Sharpe's online class "Artfully Inspired Life" tm, to keep up with journaling and to stay cheerful in these trying times. Not only is "The Circus in D.C." journal dragging on, but, rioting by thugs in Tunisia dominates local news. A worrisome year ahead...My solution is Joanne's cheerfulness. 






For January: a mantra and a lettering page,

and, of course, a journaling page.

Hope 2018 is starting well for you. 

Starting 2017 Gracefully, 2

Sketchbook Skool offers Veronica Lawlor's on-line class "A Drawing a Day" for the month of January. As I appreciate her as a teacher and an artist, I signed up.

I know, I know, I'm supposed to be getting back on my own path, however, Veronica offers a thoughtful look at the elements of drawing. This is useful to me at this time.

The first assignment was to take objects from your desk and arrange them into a still life....oh, my, I couldn't even find my desk because it was covered with mosaic materials and dust.


So I had to begin 2017 by doing some deeeeeep cleaning. 

My desk top now (I would be embarrassed to show you the "before" photo).
















Needless to say, I'm pleased to have all the pens, brushes and other supplies organized.










And so I finally got to the (very loose) still life with lots to say... 

Good-by 2016

Ah, yes, here we are at the end of 2016. I took some bookmarks discarded by my youngest granddaughter this summer and finished them.

A cheerful way to end my lettering journal and to end the year.

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!

Lettering Detour, 2

Lately, finding something to say while working on lettering leaves my mouth dry and my tongue stuck. Platitudes are beginning to bore me, too simple. So I recorded a few thoughts about taking care of myself.

Notice that the first time I got on my exercise bike, 

I could only hold up for three minutes of huffing and puffing.

One can only get better!

I'm rather pleased with my progress...

Lettering Detour, 1

 In an attempt to begin the New Year back on my own track, I'm working to finish my lettering detour. 

I'm experimenting with fonts and color, in this case, watercolors.

At the risk of putting another platitude out there, I do believe that this is generally true.

Anticipation

And so here we are, December 24th, the day when so many kids are in a state of wild excitement because of that wonderful and magical thing called "anticipation". 

May your holidays be magical! 

Unplugged 2

Life has become simpler now that I've limited my use of the internet. I don't even turn on the computer until late afternoon and only check FB once every few days.

I use the computer as a music box--admittedly youtube has some wonderful music. Lately, I listen to piano jazz and jazz trios (Marion McPartland, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, etc.) and my favorite, Stephane Grappelli (jazz violinist). Easy on the ears, good background music.

If you haven't found the lists of the "Open Culture" site (here), it's a wonderful source of good books, music, and film in the public domain--the classics, with links to audio books, and so much more. I have trouble finding time to read as stitching is time-intensive work, however, the audio books solve this problem for me. Right now, I'm "reading" The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells. Very enjoyable. 




In line with my "Finish It" and organize policies to end the year, I created book covers for old loose leaf sketches and pulled the whole mess together with Coptic Stitch bookbinding.  

I knew all that cardboard that I've been collecting would be useful for hard book covers eventually.










While organizing, I am also going through a "digestive" period--trying to absorb all the material I've collected in sketchbooks in order to consider fabric interpretations.

Subjects for rumination from the old sketches:
landscapes,


or animals,









or still lifes.

Or is that "still lives"?