EDiM 31 - Paper Money

And, for the final challenge in the 2014 Everyday in May, we were to draw paper money. American paper money has been redesigned, but you still see plenty of the old bills. For what it's worth, old money still talks.

It's been fun! Back to life as usual.

EDiM 31 - Paper Money

EDiM 30 - Something Bought on a Trip

The combination of my dislike of dusting knick-knacks and of shopping in general means I don't buy many souvenirs. We bought these matching placemats, napkins, and chopsticks on our 2006 visit to Hong Kong because we really felt like we would want SOMETHING to remind us of the trip. We have memories, of course.

EDiM 30 - Bought on a Trip

EDiM 29 - Something in My Favorite Color

My favorite color is lemon yellow. It's been my favorite color since I was a little girl coloring with Crayola crayons. So, I painted some yellow lemons in lemon yellow. My imagination needed a break today!

EDiM 29 - My Favorite Color

I painted a lemon in this same style for Everyday Matters. Below is that image. See? No Imagination today. I really like how the one below turned out. I managed a much freer style than I can usually pull off. It's very difficult to keep it simple, especially when you're me!

EDM 158

EDiM 28 - A Truck

I'm pretty sure I should not design trucks, especially trucks for hauling anything except the smallest of loads. I should have named the business Wee-Haul.

EDiM 28 - A Truck

EDiM 27 - Something Dangerous

I think this Edmund Burke quote speaks for itself. Absolute power is a very dangerous thing. My use of the traditional colors of royalty, namely gold and purple, was not accidental.

EDiM 27 - Something Dangerous

EDiM 26 - A Bench

Raise your hand if you've recently made an excuse for sitting and doing nothing. I see those hands.

This was a serious challenge in getting the perspective correct, and even though my perspective is almost believable, it doesn't match the photo from which I was drawing. I took the picture of this bench at a roadside rest area in Virginia. The bench is actually metal. I think I made it look like wood...unintentionally.

EDiM 26 - A Bench

EDiM 25 - A Cat

I'm not a cat owner or lover, but I have drawn them in the past. This is a small version of a piece I did years ago and that hangs in my powder room. It's called "Peace." The original is done in colored pencil. This rougher version is a quick watercolor. Any mother of young children knows that separation is often the only way to have peace in the house.

EDiM 25 - A Cat

EDiM 24 - Something I've Always Wanted

A favorite line from a favorite song from a favorite musical: "All I want is a room somewhere, far away from the cold night air, with one enormous chair, oh, wouldn't it be loverly!" (from My Fair Lady)

I know this could use some color, but since I'm already a day late, the color will have to wait. And, I really hope the fact that I didn't center this on the page doesn't throw my OCD friends off kilter. What can I say; asymmetry happens. Embrace it! And, the misspelled word? It's in the song! Honest.

EDiM 24 - I've Always Wanted

EDiM 23 - A Fan

I got to thinking about how we talk about fans with superlatives--"He is the Yankees' biggest fan" or "She is the Cubs' most loyal fan"--and decided to categorize my house fans that way. So we have the red pedestal fan which we've had forever, the ceiling fan that my husband installed on the front porch just last year, and the tiny black tabletop fan that goes anywhere. That's my fan club. Why did I spend so much time on this? Hard to say.

EDiM 23 - A Fan

Spring Flower Heart

Just felt like painting something for fun today.

Spring Heart; watercolor

EDiM 22 - A Remote Control

I've already painted a remote control (see it here), so I couldn't do the expected piece again.

My son loved RC cars when he was younger. As I remembered that fact, I realized that I miss my kids' toys. I liked playing with them, too! Of course, I also miss my kids being small! They're grown now, and one is married and living far away. Sniff!

My kids' ages can be pinpointed by the toys they had. Many of their toys were spin-offs from the Pixar and Disney movies that were produced in their childhood days. The funny thing about "Toy Story," was that many of the toys featured in the movie were from MY childhood days. Brilliant way to suck in child AND parent!

EDiM 22 - A Remote Control; watercolor

EDiM 21 - A Close-up Part of Something

I don't even want to think about a world without erasers, because I mess up A LOT!! I need erasers like I need grace!

Based on Facebook comments made about this piece and other paintings in which I have rendered shiny metal or chrome, I suspect that people are impressed by pieces like this. The truth is that it is very easy to get the look of reflective metal, especially on cylindrical shapes like this pencil or the ferrule of a paintbrush. Vertical "bands" of muted color, punctuated with a few brighter, darker bands of color usually do the trick. The important thing is to follow the contour of the metal. Ordinary wooden pencils are good models for this technique. Maybe I'll teach this in a class someday. Maybe....

EDiM 21 - A Close-up Image; watercolor

EDiM 20 - A Fork

I've painted a fork before (see it here) and didn't want to just do another ordinary fork. I shamelessly borrowed this hand/fork design from the cover of the book "Forks Over Knives." I did change it slightly, so maybe it's inspiration and not outright thievery.

EDiM 20 - A Fork; watercolor

EDiM 19 - A Rope

A quick ink drawing from a photo I took at the pier in Yorktown, VA, last September. There was an awesome, large sailboat on the other end of this rope, but I decided to leave it out of the painting.

EDiM 19 - A Rope; watercolor

EDiM 18 - Something that Needs Polishing

I'm playing catch up again. This antique, tarnished silver salt shaker is part of a collection gifted to me from a very elderly lady whom my husband befriended when he was a young boy. She died in the 1990s when she was 104. She was 101 years older than our daughter.

The design of the salt shaker is unique. It has a glass liner, and the outer silver "sleeve" slides over it and screws on. The exploded schematic (2 views on the top) are actual size and are what I imagine the shaker would look like if I ever polished it. It's not likely!

EDiM 18 - Needs Polishing; watercolor

EDM 211 - In the Style of a Notable Painter

When I lived in Chicago, I always loved visiting Seurat's famous painting of the waterfront so masterfully done in pointillism. Perhaps the painting was acquired by The Chicago Art Institute because the scene looks so much like Lincoln Park. Of course small points are now called pixels, and I believe I hear faint rumblings of Georges Seurat rolling over in his grave.

EDM 211 - Notable Painter; 3x3" watercolor

EDiM 17 - A Soap Dish

I use a large, orphaned tea cup as a soap dish in my powder room. The cup's design includes a single butterfly INSIDE the cup. It's actually the only butterfly in the powder room, and these colors are nothing like the room, which is painted sort of Williamsburg Blue.

EDiM 17 - A Soap Dish; watercolor

EDiM 16 - A Stapler

I had just done a stapler for the larger EDM list (see it here), so I was not all that inspired to do another. This stapler stands upright on the desk, which is handy.

EDiM 16 - A Stapler; watercolor

EDiM 15 - A Cookie

I'm desperately trying to stay caught up, which means I'm going simple and familiar. For me, that means basic lettering.

Let's have a Cookie Festival, 'kay? I cannot be left alone with cookies. Ever. I know this about myself. And, the challenge said "a cookie," as in ONE cookie. Pfffttt! Cookies never come in ones! No one eats ONE cookie! Right?

EDiM 15 - A Cookie; watercolor

EDiM 14 - A Glass of Juice

I've painted glasses of juice before, so I'm a little challenged to come up with another. The other two paintings of juice are here and here.

I like to make fruit smoothies and to juice fruits and veggies. My favorite is pretty much any combination of fruits, so make mine fruit punch and call it a Carmen Miranda.

EDiM 14 - Juice; watercolor

EDiM 13 - A Seashell

Trying to catch up, so I cranked this out quickly. Even though I don't have any desire to work in advertising or marketing, I occasionally enjoy creating signs for imaginary companies. I acknowledge that it's an unusual thing to do. Sometimes it's the only thing that presents itself when I have to be creative on demand.

If seashells are literally vacated homes, how would you market them to potential next-occupants? Welcome to Seashell Realty where our slogan is "She Sells." There's not a lot of money in selling used shells to cashless ocean creatures, so our sign is homemade and folksy. "Ocean Properties For Rent (temporary housing only); Oceanfront (and ocean back and side yards, too); Cozy (realtor-speak for really, really tiny); Single Occupancy Only (full disclosure; absolutely NO room for guests); Move-in Ready and Fully Furnished (again, no room for your stuff, and pack rats need not inquire).

BTW, for the white space, a traced a shell I acquired from the Jersey Shore recently. "This Negative Space Is For Rent."

EDiM 13 - A Seashell; watercolor

EDM 210 - Some Underwear

When given a delicate assignment, go for "cute," and get out with your dignity!

EDM 210 - Underwear; 3x3" watercolor & marker

EDiM 12 - Something on a Shelf

I always knew I'd have to draw and paint this interesting lidded jar someday. It has a candle inside. The jar was a gift, and I love it!

EDiM 12 - On a Shelf; watercolor

EDM 209 - A Shadow

This is the second time I've painted this concept this week, but this is the first time to paint it on Mother's Day!

EDM 209 - A Shadow; 3x3" watercolor

EDiM 11 - Something from a Blog

I recently discovered the Design-Seeds blog and am really enjoying the concept. Every day they post a simple, gorgeous photograph and sample six complementary colors from it. The color schemes are amazing! The way colors mingle and vibrate next to each other is such a delight. It's like watching carefree children on the playground.

EDiM 11 - From a Blog; watercolor

EDiM 10 - Something Cracked

We paved Paradise to put up a parking lot, but life breaks through anyway. This is one of many reasons I don't garden. The green wildlife seems to grow where it wants to, despite my effort to tell it where I want it. I'm okay with it.

The sidewalk in front of our house is badly cracked with age, and it is a constant battle to stay ahead of the weeds that grow faster than the grass in our yard. I really hoped this painting would turn out better than it did, but I'm movin' on!

EDiM 10 - Something Cracked; watercolor

EDiM 9 - Shadows

This is the second time I've painted these leaves. The first attempt is here.

I took a picture of these leaves last September while on vacation in Williamsburg. I like the variety I found on the ground below a single magnolia tree: dull brown, glossy green, and deep autumn orange.

EDiM 9 - Shadows; watercolor

EDiM 8 - A Mirror Image

The mirror image of "MOM" is "WOW."

EDiM 11 - Mirror Image; watercolor

EDM 208 - Something Out of Place

I've had this dead branch in a jar on my desk for several months. The brushes have only been added recently, so they don't belong in the Branch Jar. This is meant to be a bit of spoof on how fine art is something named. "House with Green Shutters" or "Girl with Pearl Earring." I prefer a little more creativity in naming things, but what do I know?

EDM 208 - Out of Place; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 207 - A Shell

All the colors of the sea run through this shell, like rings that tell the life story of a tree. It's truly enchanting. I painted this from a shell I picked up on the Jersey Shore last month.

EDM 207 - A Shell; 3x3" watercolor

WPWW 12 - Petals Painting with Paul

The last challenge in this series was to draw flowers in the style of Paul Cezanne, focusing on shapes of color and not including too many details.

I had no idea if this would ever come around to something I liked enough to share. I kept defaulting to adding details, so I kept painting over them to blot them out. Turns out it takes MORE time and lots of extra paint to stay simple. This is called "Last Week's Tulip" and is painted from a picture I took at my mother-in-law's house last week.

WPWW 12 - Petals; watercolor

EDiM 7 - A Microwave

Like many others in the group who posted before I did, I could find no inspiration in drawing my microwave. I thought about what I use my microwave for, and had to admit that it is really just a glorified water boiler and butter melter. I have much more elegant and low-tech "appliances" for both those tasks. So here ya go: the Pre-microwave.

EDiM 7 - A Microwave; pen

EDiM 6 - A Family Relic

Today is my sweet sister's birthday, so I painted one of her treasured family items. I believe I'm right that this little rocking horse came from my brother-in-law's Swedish ancestors. I think my sister told me that it is a very old piece. I designed an imaginary nursery border for the background because the horse makes me think of a young child's toy.

Happy birthday, sis! Love you!

EDiM 6 - Family Relic; watercolor

EDM 206 - Something with a Regionally Exclusive Name

Well, I live in "Dutchy" Amish Country in Lancaster County, PA, which has a vocabulary all its own. Where do I start?

I grew up elsewhere and we called pavement "blacktop," so this picture shows a blacktop driveway. I've had to learn to call blacktop "macadam" and the driveway is called a lane. Now, if your car broke down at the end of this lane, someone might ask, "Oh my, did your car let you sit?" And if you were stuck a long time, and someone called to find out where you are, you might say, "Sorry, I didn't get left yet." If you did not answer your phone, the person calling has the option of "letting a message" for you. But, I'll "leave it go" at that.

EDM 206 - Regional Names; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 205 - A Soda Can

Can you hear the sound the can made when it was crushed? I can. It's a thin metal sound, which differs greatly from a heavy metal sound. I don't care for either sound.

EDM 205 - A Soda Can; 3x3" watercolor

EDiM 5 - Something that Represents a Hobby

I've had so many hobbies in my life. Life gets in the way of my hobbies ALL the time! One of my oldest passions is drawing and coloring letter forms. I've studied them, collected examples of them, practiced drawing them, and made up my own designs since I was a young girl. That was more than a few years ago!

EDiM 5 - A Hobby; watercolor

EDiM 4 - A Thumb

I've been playing with the idea of painted mosaic "tiles," so I threw some in to get this done quickly. There was a thumb involved here, so I'm calling this done. And, I'm caught up...until tomorrow.

EDiM 4 - A Thumb; watercolor

EDiM 3 - An Umbrella

Do you ever think funny words should be celebrated so they don't get depressed? Yeah, me either, but I worry a little about "bumbershoot." I mean, America completely rejected it at some point....

EDiM 3 - An Umbrella; watercolor

EDiM 2 - A Knife

A little pocket knife works wonders in situations where only something small will do. Kind of reminds me of what a little faith can do in life's daily struggles.

EDiM 2 - A Knife; watercolor

EDiM 1 - A Window

I wasn't sure I'd be able to participate, but I couldn't bear to miss out on all the fun. Now it's catch-up time. I drew this from a picture I took in Williamsburg last fall. I love gabled windows, inside and out. Their function of bringing light into the attic rooms of the house is probably a metaphor for something.

EDiM 1 - A Window; watercolor