"In the Air

    
 Hi Everyone,

     Spring appears to be in the air one day and gone the next. Fierce March winds have been blowing everything about. But I don't mind the wind. I love to hear it blow and it helps the snow disappear.

In March, long ago, skipping along as children we always said over and over, "March winds, April showers, bring forth May flowers."  In this ever changing world, I am glad to report that that still holds true.  

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."

Charles Dickens

I haven't seen a robin yet. Too early I suspect. I do open a window in the morning and listen for their songs. So far I've heard: Geese (love to hear  and see the geese flying over) and Crows and Starlings. Crows and Starlings are not the best singers, but a bird has to start somewhere.

           

                                                                  * * *

From the Easel and other Tall Tales.

                                                

          Pastel on dark maroon Pastelmat paper. I thought I had ordered all one colour. Surprises are good though. 

I've heard of the Sketchbook Project, and I was surprised to receive this in the mail. It's from Brooklyn Art Library in New York. Why am I surprised? Well, because I didn't order it. (Just to be sure, I checked my Visa.) I assume some lovely person had it sent to me. So whoever you are (I have my suspicions) I would like to thank you personally, so please let me know who you are. For now, I thank you so much!  And I appreciate your kindness.

Rules: Art must remain within the 5 x 7 inch parameters, no gesso, and you can opt to have it digitized.

The library also has a bookmobile and they drive across the country, now and then, with the collection. Mine's from Volume 18 and it must be sent in by August 31, 2021. I may fill it with flowers. Decisions, decisions.

Printing Cards       

          

I haven't printed cards for awhile, so it took some time. My notes are geared towards someone who knows exactly what they are doing, or wants to begin in the middle of things.  And sometimes you just need to go back to square one.

                                          

I hope you all have a very Happy Easter! 

                         'Til next time                                         

                                                Cultivate Your Dreams

 Linking to Link Parties via my link party page. Thank you, ladies, for hosting.

 

Keeping Tabs

Hi everyone,

 One of my favourite things to do: keep tabs on the sky.

There always seems to be something engaging, streaming across the sky. 

Streaming? Maybe, technological jargon has gotten the better of me. 

Other than sky watching, I've been planning a little Christmas cheer. 

I enjoy slowly decking the halls, especially with the smell of cookies baking. 

So many homes here are already beautifully decorated. Baubles and lights of every colour peeking out from everywhere do gladden the heart when the sun sets early. Last night the lights looked especially beautiful because fluffy flakes of snow continued to drift down throughout the evening.

* * *

 

My four year old orchid showing off. I leave it outside until it turns quite cold. Apparently it likes that. It produces even though it has never been repotted; I keep forgetting to order the proper potting mix.  

* * * 

From the drawing board...      

                                                                      Garden Doodles

                                      Copic multiliner in cool grey. Various pencils on watercolour paper.

Since I don't have a particularly steady hand, I noticed the  grey marker tricks my mind into thinking I am using a pencil and that helps steady my hand. Give me a black pen and I am all over the place. 

 I do have several full sketchbooks, but a lot of my drawings are on tracing paper. By-passing a sketch book saves a lot of time when transferring to watercolour paper, but the sketches are fading. So I've decided, over time, to transfer the sketches to watercolour paper. I may use a large sketchbook that I have on hand. I might section it off, but I am not sure yet. 

I've also been printing stickers for my Christmas card envelopes, using

 a birdie from one of my early watercolour paintings. 

Printed on Avery Stickers #22807.

And, up next,  Holly and Ivy Stickers.

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends.

Wishing you well.

'Til Next Time...

Cultivate Your Dreams

Linking to Link Parties via my link party page. Thank you, lovely ladies, for hosting!

Red, Orange, and Gold

Hi everyone,

Weeping Willow Pond and not a turtle in sight. 

They must already be in their winter quarters.

Less than a week later--a lot of leaf fall. Here I am ready to kick my way through the autumn leaves. When I was a child, I loved to do just that. So in the spirit of keeping those memories alive, I still kick my way through the leaves now and then.

Now that it has cooled down, I have the urge to knit. Not sure what yet. Espace Tricot has a lovely free hat pattern on Raverly. Do I need another hat? Probably not, but it would make a nice gift.

I am not sure what these wildflowers are. Maybe Asters bleached out from the sun?

The tree to the right reminds me of an Ent from "The Lord of the Rings.       

         Flowering Moms thrive in cool weather.

                                                 There always seems to be plenty of Crab Apples. 

                                          

On the weekend, we took a drive along The Parkway. I left my camera at home, but I won't forget the beauty anytime soon. Autumn, it seems, still has splendid tales to tell of red, orange, and gold.

                                                                     Blue skies.

* * *

From the Easel...

                  “Sentinel”                          

   Unison Pastels on UART 400 sanded paper.                                                                                                    

Although planning a painting has its place, I often prefer to dive into the deep end. In other works, take my chances with intuitive painting. For this pastel, I did an underpainting with FW acrylic Ink. Colour: Purple Lake. You can catch glimpses of it here and there. Uart holds pastel well, but it tends to curl, and no matter what I do it will usually curl a little. When I took this picture, I forgot to tape it flat, so that slight curl cut off a bit of the tree.

Recently, I bought Canson Mi-Teintes Touch 320gm paper. While made for pastel, I heard that it can be used for mixed media, including watercolour, ink, gouache, and pastel. I am anxious to give it a try.

'Til next time...

Cultivate Your Dreams

Linking to Link Parties via my link party page. Thank you, everyone for hosting!

Summer Continued

A word to the wise.

So lovely to be able to say that here, in Canada, summer will meander along until further notice. Today: another glorious day of clear blue skies, replete with sunshine and flowers on the bloom everywhere. One look out the window and gratitude taps you on the shoulder.

 Snowshoes. A friendly reminder to enjoy the lovely summer days.

Sailing anyone?  Looks like we might be heading north. But we can, with a good wind tack in other directions.

Coral bells. O the colour!

 

 

* * *

Off the drawing board...a few things.

I've been holding on to my pastels for more than a year now. Sometimes one needs a little push to try something new, especially when it comes to beautiful pastels. (They need to be broken to work with. I didn't want to do it.)
 Recently, a friend send me a picture of a sunset and before I knew it I was breaking pastels, not only with abandon, but with glee. Apparently a little inspiration goes a long way.

 For this painting, I used Uart Sanded Paper. Because this paper tends to buckle,  from now on I will spray it down with water and iron it flat and weight it down (there must be a few heavy books around here ) until it dries.

Last week I started a folder for my sky pictures. ( I have a lot of them and want to get them together for reference for pastel paintings.) From fair to stormy skies, I love them all.  Summer, spring and fall are great times for ever changing array of clouds.  One of my mottos: Look up!

* *  *

I bought this cheap wooden box to put my pastels in. Added a coat of acrylic paint, and then decided to paint a flower.  Because I did not plan to paint anything, I didn't sand the box first, but I may sand around the flower and add a coat of varnish. The smoothness of the wood so lovely to paint on. Gamblin oil paints. What a dream.

Iris in oil on canvas.  

Linking to Mosaic Monday and  Our World Tuesday and on Wednesday with My Corner of the World on Wednesday.

See you in September...

Cultivate Your Dreams!

Dog Days of August/ Knitting

I put my files in order so here are a few pictures of the countryside that I wasn't able to post in August.
Because the sky was such a beautiful blue that day, I spent a long time admiring it.

Loosestrife. Invasive but pretty.

Bull thistle.

The path taken. A few cattails. In the past, I am sure I've mistaken the pink flower for milkweed, but I believe that it is Sweet Joe-Pye Weed. It certainly does smell sweet!  I love to hear those tall rushes in the background rustle in the wind.   Off the needles... Rosetta Mitts  I finally finished knitting and writing up my Rosetta Mitts pattern.  They are knit with Classic Elite Yarns Fresco, colourway Rum Raisin; I'd like to knit a pair using Madelintosh yarn, too.  They can be made in three different lengths, but I like my fingerless mitts long. I am looking forward to wearing these mitts later this fall.  I only have the ends to sew in and the  blocking to do.  I am also happy to say that I kept my commitment to draw everyday for two months. I filled one whole sketch book and part of another.  Several birdies are among those drawings.  I can't wait to start painting them.  'Til next time....enjoy.