She just not that pretty......

Shes not that pretty,she really is not suppose to be.  I drew her with a charcoal pencil in about 5 minutes, not thoughts to prettyfy her up.  I have been practicing sketching in my sketch book. I added watercolour just to soften the image a little.

Today I went to the vet to get the devil dog some calorie wise dog food.  Yes she is on the vets weight watcher program.  She has to lose 9 lbs -- its either going to kill her or me.  She is only allowed to have 1 1/3 cup of food each day.  When she is hungry is hauls her dish out and looks up at her food cupboard and cries so it just might kill me.

Other than that been doing minimal art,trying to get organization in around this house.  Well should go must make dinner, keep saying that to myself with no idea of what is for dinner.

I am feeling Lucky today

I feel happy today, I actually haven’t felt this happy is a long time. It must be because the wind was howling, the autumn leaves were blowing, the temperature was cool, sweater weather. I like summer, but I love fall. I like cozy things, the fireplace going, (gas) on a cool windy day. A cup of hot chocolate, music playing, and me lazing around reading a book. This weather always makes me want to make soup, so tomorrow it is homemade beef vegetable noodle soup and homemade buns would you like to come over for dinner. Now this is why I like being retired, doing things that I like to do when I want to do them. Some housework was accomplished today, all that needed to be done.


Another reason today was a happy day, it was a great mail day. I received my 7 art things from my "Lucky Lady" Melody from Oregon. She was way to generous to me. As you can see from the photos. Portfolio oil pastels, (24 of them). I have looked every where in my city for these, and nobody carries them, imagine my excitement when I received these its like getting a diamond ring to me that is how exciting it is. I received these little card holders that display your ATC's I am going to find out where she gets them. They are great to have. I also go some really beautiful paper and some Latruder paper. I have never used that but am going to give it a try. Now I am off to create something with my portfolio oil pastels you will see them later. That’s all for now talk to you soon.

These are the two ATC's that I created for my person to trade on http://willowing.ning.com/.  She does not read my blog, (I dont think so anyway) so she won't see these before she gets them.  The theme was summer, so one is all about travel, and the other one is about fishing, swimming.  You get the swimming from the beach house, and the water.  So I cut the fish out and spray painted lightly, painted with watercolour crayons, and found the hut in a magaine and painted on top.  The other is collage and paint.  Truthfully, I am not that happy with either one, my collage techniques need some work.

Well I am a new woman, got my haircut, said bye bye to grey and just relaxed yesterday.  Today the house looks like an art cyclone hit it.  So I am off to tidy up and take devil dog for a walk.

Flying Solo Inspire me Thursday - Open Topic

An ATC made entirely with pastels.  I loved drawing it and using the pastels.  I have not used them alot, I usually use acrylics.  But these pastels gave me the intense colour I wanted.  I hope you all have a great Thursday.

Window - Three Muses Challenge

The challenge over at Three Muses was windows.  Here is my take on windows.  The window is handdrawn, with a black pitt pen, the blossom tree was hand drawn with watercolour crayons.  The blue was watercolour crayon.  The image I cant remember where I found it, was changed to black and white, and I painted her with acryclics.  Face done with Portfolio white and black and red pen.  She is suppose to be a geisha that is why the face is white, just in case you are wondering.

The Case of the Mysterious Plaid Suitcase - Inspire me Thursday

This is my take on Plaid.  The man was done in Black Pitt Pen.  The background was done in Neon Arch Crayon II. And the plaid suitcase was taken out of an old magazine I had laying around.  

Illustration Friday - Infinite - 99 Bottle of beer on the wall

At first I was not going to participate this week, the word is not an easy one to illustrate.  But then I put on my thinking cap, and came up with this.  First the bird is suppose to be singing it.  Did you ever sing this song, I did many times while having to many of those bottles of beer on the wall.  It can go on forever amd ever...

They call me Mellow Yellow

As you can see I am in the process of a re-do of the blog not because I want to but I have to be able

to get my links inside my posts to work and this is the only way.  So just to let you know things are changing around here I hope in a good way.

Well yesterday I went to the eye doctor.  I had to have a test on my eyes, where they put this yellow crap in your eyes and freeze them, and then take the pressure.  On the way home from the eye doctor I decided to go to Safeway and pick up a few things.  I get to the checkout and the clerk says to me.  Are you sick, I said no.  She then procceeds to stare and me and says did you know your eyes are yellow, and really I don't know If I should serve you.  I burst out laughing and said well yes I did know my eyes were yellow.  That is because when I was born my mother had yellow jaundice and ever since I have had yellow eyes, and then I walked away.

Well just about the start of the weekend and the weather is turning fallish.  This morning well walking the devil dog,  very slowly might I add  you could see your breath.  Not a good sign.  Today is about getting some things done, getting some art done and going out for dinner with the family. Usually on friday for dinner it is whatever you find you can have.  When I was younger my sister and I would love Friday night supper, my father would stop off on the way home for a beer with his work buddies.  My mother would then proceed to make our favourite dinner.  We would have canned mixed fruit with  vanilla ice cream on top, and toast.  We thought we had died and gone to heaven.  When we moved to vancouver to live with my grandfather, she served our favourite dish one Friday and he asked how come we were having dessert before dinner.

Well here's hoping you have an artfilled weekend.

lee

Shine On

This is one of the ATC's that I created last night, at least one I can show you.  I am doing a trade and she reads the blog so I cant show you those yet.  This one was done using felt pen, black stazon ink, yellow watercolour and a stamp for the stars.

Well today I am feeling not so great, as Janet says you always fell worse a few days after. Today is going to be an art day.  I am going to work in my art journal I have been inspired by http://www.julieprichard.com/

Super Nova Journalling class, if you have not seen it go over and take a look very reasonable.

I belong to http://milliande.ning.com/  group and one of the sub groups is callled  The Lucky Ladies and we are doing an exchange called 7 artful things...or something like that.  You all put your name down and the person above you is the person you sent 7 artful things to.  My person is from Canada and I sent my stuff off yesterday.  Someone from California got my name, have not got my stuff yet.  It was fun choosing things, I did not know when to stop so lets just say she got way more than 7 things.  I belong to a few Ning sites, sometimes I am just a lurker sometimes I participate . You can learn lots

Well you might see me again if I decide to Participate in Inspiration Thursday, I am off to see what is on the board for today.

Help I have fallen and cant get up...

I do have a new atc to show you, but I am in agony at the moment and cant make it down to the studio.  Last night while taking devil dog out for a walk, I tripped over the sidewalk (graceful Lee is not my name) and fell face first on the cement.  Luckly I put my hands out to spare this beautiful model worthy face.  So I think I bruised some ribs and I have cement burn on my elbows and tops of my hands.   This is a picture worthy of the title as well that I snapped while visting Pisa, at the time they were trying to fix it because it was leaning more than usual so we werent allowed to go in.

Despite my injuries I am off today to buy new glasses, use my 50 percent coupon at Michaels, neither hail, nor snow or injuries would stop me from using this coupon for stuff I do not need.  Then its home to make some art. 

I signed up for  http://www/julieprichard.com  amazing art journalling class part two starts today so I need to go there and watch some videos.

So have a great day and talk to you all later.

/

Nobody puts BABY in the corner.

Famous line from what movie.....I know you all know it.  Everytime I think about that movie, I think of that line.  A very corny line.  But I did love the movie for the music and the dancing.  I own it I liked it so much.  As a matter of fact I just watched it on the weekend again. I loved Patrick in the movie as well.  Another one down to the blasted C word.  We need a cure now....

Back to School,Crusade NO. 33

This month's challenge  at to feed your brain - in or out of the studio. Tell us on your blog what you have learned recently, what you plan to learn, or what you are currently learning. It does not have to relate to art. It can be anything. Tried a new recipe? Learned to knit? Took a yoga class? Refinished a piece of furniture or built a birdhouse? Joined a book club or learned ballroom dancing? 

Well this one was made for me, because I have been learning since I started blogging.  I have started a Class with we are making a funky journal.  Learning how to bind a journal. Something I never have done before, new techniques. Here are some of the painted and stenciled pages for the book.  Still need to funkafy it.  I dont think that is a word, so the spelling is funky....

 I took her stencil class and was enamored.  Her class is clear and really full of great information.  She shares her techniques so easily.

 I also signed up for http://lostluggage.typepad.com/the_land_of_lost_luggage/ Journal Super Nova both classes, journalling and  learning different binding techniques in making your journal.  So far I am watching the videos then going to makeone of the books (I think you can make 3-4 books which Julie shows you have to do on the video.  Lots of great information here to and reasonable.....Also signed up for the second part which begins soon, the second part is the journalling.

 I recently started making ATC's cards. I have always liked them but have been afraid mine would not meet the standard and nobody would want to trade with me. ..  I have joined some ATCs groups but so far just been a watcher.  The next step for me is to participate in a trade, which I have just signed up to  and create 2 cards for trade.

 

I have decided to try figure drawing again.  At the university here they have a drop class, so I have decided to drop in.  Another fear to face, is that what if I dont fit in art wise.  What if I think I can do it and just cant.  I have decided to go this winter and try it, one time. I have been practising this is an old sketch I did .

.I know for a fact that I want to redo my cookbook.  Do you all have a cookbook that you throw recipes in, like this one.

stuffed full of pages that need to be organized.  I call this one my winter works project.  I have been saying that for the past 4 winters.  But this is the year

So these are some of things that I am going to do this school year (lol)

In good company-Inspire me Thursday

Meet my mother, on the right she was with her best friends that lived across the street.  They were all 17 years old and at the beach.  The two were sisters and my mother.  They were best friends all there lives. The only one left now is my mother.  So I would say she was always  IN GOOD COMPANY

A family of 4 living the dream in France, a little village called Mirange (spelled wrong).  Yes, that is me the little one with the funny hair.  So funny to look back on these pictures and wish I could remember back then.  My father is gone, my sister is gone and my mother is so much older.  But I have one more sister who was not even born yet actually not for many years later.  My sister is 11 years younger than me, just a mere baby to me. 

Its 7:00 am and what the hell am I doing up this early....god it feels like I have to go to work or something.  Actually the shopper has an early class on Wednesday and I had to make sure she was up and away on time, she did not want to be late.  Why I had to wake her and not her alarm clock is a good question.  One that I have asked many times.  So after waking her, and the hubby getting up and then the dog waking up and barking to go for her walk, it seemed all hell had broken loose around the old homestead.  So here  I sit with my PJ's on and my sweater it is freezing out this morning, fall for sure is just right around the corner.

I have quite a few errands to run, have to go the hardwood floor place today, because the wood we ordered, and took some pains deciding on, they dont make any more.  Just our luck.  Then its off to

COSTCO, I love that place, you can never just go in and buy one thing, you come out with a load. 

well Devil dog is munching on hubbys hat I have to go and wrestle her for it, so talk to you all later.

Inspire Me Thursday - The Chair My way

The chair is the theme for this weeks Inspire Me Thursday.  So here is my take, I sketched out the chair, and used cray pass pastels on them.  After I was finished and really looked at it.  It was all wrong the angle, the depth everything, so I just did a redo, just like a designer, I redesigned by chair.

Are STRONG enough to be my man --

For Illustration Friday...the word is strong, and this song by Stevie Nicks and Cheryl Crow came to mind, I happen to love it, and this quick little drawing I did fit the bill.  Only one problem I am not sure if it is a male or female, so I decided the sea lion swings both ways

Fool on a Hill

        Where have the days gone, for a girl who is not working the days fly by.  Today was a day of running errands, meeting the shopper for lunch, reading books in chapters (books that I dont buy, I check them out before buying).  Today I saw the new Women Who create magazine, I did not buy it, I bought the last one and was disappointed.  Those studios make me not want to go down to mine.  They are all s/o beautiful, beautiful, who could create in them. So I read the magazine while waiting for the shopper. I also saw the new Cloth Paper Magazine the only issue I don’t really like is the Halloween one, which is this months. So I read it at Chapters, not much in that magazine either. But I did buy one, I know I should have just read it, but was getting the look from the salesclerk that was about 16 years old. If she thought she was going to get ,me going she had another thing coming I bought the latest issue of Somerset Studio, I like that one a lot as well. I checked out Inspiration Thursday, this week its all about Chairs, Illustration Friday is all about the word Strong. I have joined an ATC swap over at a ning site that i joined called http://willowing.ning.com/     I have to come up with 2 ATC with the theme of summer. So of course as soon as I am hit with something like thisI freeze. That’s why I could never do art for a business. I have to create on my terms. I also have some canvas on the go that should get finished. I joined and pd  for
http://lostluggage.typepad.com/the_land_of_lost_luggage/

Hello September...where did August go....

Hello out there....I had a great weekend, and a pretty nice anniversary, dinner, gifts and such. Treated royally by all. Well today September 1, tomorrow in Canada or where I live school starts. No kids at this house start school. Only the shopper and she starts her last year of college next Tuesday. You would not know that it was September here, we have nice hot weather, unusual for sure. I was out on the deck today fiddling around, and came up with this ATC, I should have been inside doing the duties (lol) . Your probably saying what duties (that what I say). So the way I did this one was, ATC sized Card, then I tore up some watercolor paper layered it on both sides, and swished around some paint. I found this image on some scrapbook paper I have. I do have the same image that I took while there, but it was not right, and this one fit right in, added some distress ink and here it is.

It seem I have been posting all kinds of spelling errors, and never noticed .  I thought I was correcting them in editing, but it seems Blogger spelling does not work.  I am now editing them in another program and pasting the text in here.  So my spelling should have improved.