Snow Day Fun

Life has been so busy that it took a snow day, compliments of Blizzard Jonas, to get me back to drawing and painting. There's so much white everywhere that I just want to paint with COLOR!

Another Acrylic Face

Still learning faces with acrylics from Jane Davenport's book. I'm sure I could work on it more, but I'm moving on. I still can't say that I love acrylics. They dry too quickly!

Face in Acrylic; acrylic & watercolor

Three Little Peaces

These three little "peaces" are the work of a quiet evening.

Three Little Peaces; watercolor on cold press

Dip Pen Doodling

Doodle on! This started as a simple, monochromatic watercolor of pale blue grass or seaweed and bubbles. The brown and blue bottled ink and a dip pen turned it into a doodling exercise. I love the simplicity of low-tech pen and ink.

Dip Pen Doodling; watercolor & Noodlers ink on watercolor paper

EDM 270 - Something Preservable

Use it or lose it.

EDM 270 - Something Preservable; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 269 - Something Annoying

An increasingly noisy society, even nice music playing in EVERY business, store, and restaurant, is a little annoying to me. Trying to find absolute silence is almost impossible. I guess I am officially old.

EDM 269 - Something Annoying; 3x3" watercolor & marker

EDM 268 - Something I Need

Ask any artist, "How many more colors do you need," and the predictable answer will always be, "Just one more." I need to remember how hard it was to finish this piece the next time I'm tempted to start another completely uninspired piece. This took parts of four days to finish. And, waiting for the Glossy Accents to dry was excruciating. I'm a very impatient waiter.

EDM 268 - Something I Need; watercolor & Glossy Accents

Elisabeth Elliot

Rest sweet in Jesus, dear lady! I will always think of Elisabeth Elliot as one of the wise women who helped me navigate the early years of marriage and motherhood. She died today, and we should all miss her. She was a treasure! When I think of her, I always think of this quote. It is how she began her radio program every day, and I can still hear her calm voice saying it.

The Everlasting Arms; watercolor & marker in Moleskine journal

The Heart on Display

I ❤ hearts!

You can't really tell from the photo, but I used a cheap set of glitter watercolor to shine up all the hearts. I love how they look and how little they cost!

The Heart on Display; watercolor and marker in Moleskine journal

EDM 265 - Your Neighbor

My neighbor is a master gardener. I am no kind of gardener. When I start to think about going and buying a bunch of bulbs or perennials from the home store, I interrupt myself and remind myself that I can sit on my porch and look at the most amazing gardens on our street. Why would I plant my own? :) This technique has worked famously so far! I have a few low-maintenance, non-blooming bushes and a couple of really comfy chairs on the porch. Please, don't tell my neighbor I've been borrowing her garden. She might start charging me admission fees!

EDM 265 - My Neighbor; 3x3" watercolor

Every Day in May (EDiM) 2015 Is Almost Here!

Another little journal is all ready for EDiM. This year's journal gets a title page just 'cuz.

For the record, this is my third straight year of participating in Every Day in May, and I am going to continue the tradition by using another Strathmore mini Visual Journal. I love the paper and the size. Keeping it small means I have a much better chance of keeping up!

This year I've decided to do something a little different. I'm going to learn a new skill as I go. Stay tuned.

EDiM 2015 Cover; watercolor & marker on mixed media paper

EDM 263 - A Favorite Cleaning Supply

I shouldn't give cleaning advice, but here goes: use water to clean. I know. Groundbreaking, right? I wonder if I should bottle it (or can it) and sell it as Clean Fluid. These days, if you put it in a Mason jar, it will sell!

EDM 263 - Favorite Cleaning Supply; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 262 - A Bathtub

It's fun to see how much contour and texture you can achieve with one paint color and a small brush.

EDM 262 - A Bathtub; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 261 - A Winter Olympic Sport

Curling. You can't make this stuff up.

EDM 261 - A Winter Olympic Sport; 3x3" watercolor & marker

EDM 260 - A Suitcase

I bought these small suitcases a couple decades ago, and I've never regretted the purchase. They're decorative...mostly, even though I do use them occasionally. I like small things that normally come in a larger size.

This painting was hard! I pushed through and ended up with a little piece that I really like. How'd that happen?!

EDM 260 - A Suitcase; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 258 - The Inside of My Closet

Oops! I thought the prompt said "the closet of my dreams." Phew! I almost let everyone see my actual closet! Dodged THAT bullet! My dream closet would have more closet and fewer clothes. You know, like being able to see the back wall?

EDM 258 - Closet Of My Dreams; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 257 - A House Plant

This is my violet, and it is alive and blooming. Both of these facts are a pretty big deal. Violet! I love the color, the name, the plant. And in blooming, I think my violet might be loving me back. That might be one sentiment too far. :)

EDM 257 - A House Plant; 3x3" watercolor & marker

That Ship Has Sailed

This is a concept piece I painted in my private art journal a couple months ago. It was strangely satisfying to get this down on paper!

That Ship Has Sailed; watercolor in Moleskine journal

EDM 256 - Something Bubbly

I don't know why Andy Warhol painted soup labels. How do you put your artist's heart into rendering food labels? I don't get it...and it isn't that I haven't tried. :)

I do like this seltzer, though. It's what I drink when I'm trying to NOT drink Diet Coke!

EDM 256 - Something Bubbly; 3x3" watercolor

EDM 255 - A Person Near You on a Train

This looks a lot like some of my journal entries (which don't make it online). I'm not sure it qualifies as art, but it is the way I chose to respond to the prompt. So, there ya go.

It just so happens that we took the train to Chicago to visit our daughter and son-in-law just after Christmas. I love the train so much! You get to know people a little...if you're willing!

EDM 255 - A Person Near You on a Train; 3x3" journaling with watercolor