Holy Smokes!

It's been awhile since my last post but I've been busy getting ready for a craft fair. My first in a couple of years. Making new things, repricing some old ones. I finally got a nice roly cart to haul things and a friend's teen is going to help me out a bit. As life would have it, I got more quilt tops come in to be done for Christmas. It's all good. I'm feeling happy for a change and I plan on working to keep that vibe throughout the new year. I also made a swap ornament for an online group I'm in. It's a Krampus but he isn't very scary.

 
I added another painting to my sketchbook and I don't know if I'll get anymore filled by the end of the month.

And then there have been the holiday parties I went to. Not as many as I was invited to but the group Mary's Mavens had their party last night which was amazing. The food was wonderful and the energy of all the women there was wonderful. I made some new friends, saw some old ones, and had a tarot card reading which was pretty much on point. A tarot reading is different from a psychic reading because you don't tell anything to the person doing it. She reads things through the cards and she hit several things right on the head. As far as things that I am pursuing as far as career and what I want out of life and the things that are standing in my way. But I am on a good track. That part was really cool to hear and it has empowered me to forge full speed ahead.

Here are ornaments I finished yesterday. Today I work on tiny table toppers and finish pricing things, pick up a table from a friend to use at the fair. I'm excited but starting to run on fumes. My apartment is a wreck and it will take a week to get things back together for the next big project.

So Far

It's been a good day. Even with grocery shopping in the morning. Running errands usually wears me out and I'm not productive at all for the rest of the day but I was determined to work on several things. I finally got back to some clay work. My new medium is Creative Paper Clay. And yes, I'm terrified. Afraid that things won't look right. But who cares? I'm doing something new and it takes practice to get things looking appropriate. I've got the heads started on three small dolls, two ornaments, one 'make it suck' piece, three box heads, and three cupcakes. Oh, I also covered the head for another doll and she's hanging up somewhere to dry. I started another two pages in my Cosmic Smashbook, and another face in my sketchbook.

#sketchbook #watercolor #inktensepaints #creativelpaperclay

Still Going

Still working on my sketchbook. I may just get this one filled by the end of the year. I'm practicing my watercolor and still getting used to my new Ink Tense paints. I'm really loving pen and ink and black markers.

I also finished up my little knitted stocking. This will be for Mesmer. I have enough yarn to make him a scarf and hat. I'll get some tiny candy canes to put inside and wrap some boxes for him. My tiny way of decorating for the holidays. The stocking is about 4 1/2 inches tall.

What's Up

I'm proud of myself for finishing up a project and able to cross it off my long list. Now I'm on to other projects and keeping up with my sketchbook. I'm trying to figure out what to do with toilet paper rolls. I saw someone else do a thing, so I'm going to try my thing. If this works, great. And I just threw away a bunch of these.

Here's my start to my latest face in my watercolor sketchbook. I also used the salt technique on wet paint.

I get fresh eggs from a friend. She got new hens and they finally started laying. Can you tell the difference between the new hen and the more mature hen's egg? I think it's just too cute. Both were yummy and I can't wait until the get bigger. The green is spinach and there are some shallots in there too.

I am behind on my NaNo but will continue to catch up. Right now the word count is 9325.

#sketchbook #watercolor #fresheggs

Finally

Again. I got something done and can cross it off my list. I finished 16 Bat Hat ornaments. I had started them some time ago and for the life of me, I didn't finish them. Now they are done and I can move onto something else. I do feel good having them done. Now it's time to tackle something a bit more challenging. After all, I do have a craft fair coming up.

And I'm still working on filling another sketchbook.

Wow!

After a week of errands, paying bills, laundry, and that goofy hurricane, I can finally get back to creating. Today I'm feeling a little bit sleepy and just want to chill out before getting the week started. I am allowed that. I woke up early and started writing. Maybe that's why I'm tired. But if I didn't wake up at 4 AM to write things down, I would have totally forgotten everything. And that was after I had just gotten back to sleep after a goofy bird started chirping at 2 AM. Seriously? He must have been blown off course and didn't realize what time zone he was in. I made a spinach pie this morning and just got it out of the oven and now have on a crock pot of beans. I made rice yesterday. So now I don't have to cook for a few days. I need a nap.

More of my 31 Days of Halloween. Pumpkin Kid is ready for bed.

Conjure Woman.

#31daysofhalloween #inktober

Onward

The adventure is still in it's baby phase and that's okay. One day at a time. Got the binding stitched down on five more mug rugs and two more faces were added to my 29 Faces challenge.

The mug rugs below show each side.

The same with these. Bears on one side and bear paws on the other.

29 Faces Continues

I'm almost done with my 29 Faces for the month. I may continue to do them for October too. So here we go...

#29faces

Catch Up

Yep, falling behind on my 29 Faces challenge so here are the latest two. Also working on one of my sketchbooks.

Shifting Gears

Sometimes you just have to shift gears and keep going. I still writing and trying to make time to type up some short stories for editing. And I'm trying to think of something to write for this year's NANOWRIMO. National Write A Novel in a Month. It's in November. For 30 days you write a 50,000 word novel. First draft. It's to help you get the words on paper. Then you go back and fix it. I've got loads of stuff I haven't fixed yet. Working on remedying that.

Still working on those sketchbooks. Got the pants painted on my Halloween ornaments and started working on the tombstones. Right now I'm just working on one thing at a time. When I get to a point where I need to stop, I move onto something else.

Mushrooms. Background and grass is watercolor and mushrooms are Ink Tense paints.

Getting tombstones ready for wrapping.

I also was able to cut the batting for my next batch of mug rugs. And I longarmed two preemie quilts today.

Sketchbook

I'm getting better at logging things into my sketchbooks. One is very tiny and it's difficult holding it open while taking pictures. Maybe I can get a friend to do a short video while I flip through some of the pages. My watercolor book if starting to fill up. Being silly. The thing is to do something everyday or every other day to fill the book up. The two below are permanent ink and Ink Tense paints.

This exercise, I wanted to get all the colors of the Ink Tense paints on paper to see what I have.

This lighthouse is watercolor paint and Ink Tense.

Sketchbooks

I have three sketchbooks that I need to fill up by the end of the year. Why? Because I should be practicing in them anyway and I can't buy new ones until I've put the work into the ones I already have. I so love sketchbooks. Big ones, little ones, medium ones, leather ones, handmade ones... you see what I mean. Someone gave me this watercolor sketchbook/journal and I decided to use it. I'm not too fond of the paper, it's Strathmore 140 pound weight, cold press. It doesn't take my watercolor paint that I use very well. It does take the Derwent Ink Tense paints quite well so I will use mostly that in this book. The top one I used Yarka watercolor paints and Ink Tense.

This one I used Ink Tense. I was trying to do bamboo but they look like antennae. That's why this is practice stuff.

Done

29 of 29 Faces. I did it. I finished an online challenge. I didn't get to use new or other media but that's okay. I stuck it out and finished. Ahead of time because I did this one last night. I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking it out.

#29faces

29 Faces

Faces 27 and 28 of 29.

#29faces

Snail Mail Art with Faces

I finally finished a project that I had started some time ago. I asked friends if they would like to receive a piece of art in a letter. Eleven responded and I finally got the last three pieces done. Two are faces so I used them as part of my 29 Faces. I really like doing small pieces. I may have to do more. My friends seem to like them.

#29faces

Almost Forgot

My second batch of snail mail art. Things are starting to arrive at their destination and so far, everyone seems very happy. A mash up of St. Patrick's, voodoo doll, and aliens.

A little Bit...

I promised some friends snail mail art. I've got tons of tiny sketches, I now have to put them on nice paper and paint or use color pencils to finish. Here are the first two.

Rocky Start

I was off to a rocky start. Yes, I know, only three days in. Little voices of self-doubt were trying to creep in because life happens. Anyway, I got my second face done for 29 Faces. I make no promises of finishing. The weather sucks. 90 degrees and very humid. Working on staying positive in the fact that autumn is coming along with cooler temps.

I have no idea where I'm going with these faces. I'm just going to do them. The first two I've used watercolor pencils. I would like to be able to blend better. I think I know what to do now. Layers before adding the water.

I will finish longarming a quilt today. Can't show it because it's a gift. I did pull fabric for two more wallets, one is a gift. I really need to get back to my Bargello quilt top. I've given up on the garden. I will have to prep the soil this fall so there will be more nutrients in it next spring for planting. I will most definitely plan better for next year. So I guess I better get going. Seeing that there will be a lot of things I work on that I can't show because they are gifts. Hmmm...

#29faces

Hello September

A brand new month and it's close to 90 degrees and humid. Gah! Summer is just hanging on and feeling a little punky. I just keep thinking about the cooler temps that are coming. I went to my Finish It challenge meeting and showed my black and white quilt top. They liked it. Now I've got to get it on the frame. The rest of the day has been a  no go. Just couldn't get my motor running but I did manage to do something for 29 Faces. Draw, sketch, paint, sculpt a face for 29 days. Usually it happens in February but there's one going on now. That's fine. I need something else to do in my day as a break. I used Derwent Watercolor Pencils. I think I'll try another with them. Maybe more blending first, then the water.

She's summer turning into autumn.

I've also started my next Sashiko piece. It's coming along quite slowly. I have a slight idea of what to do with them once I get the last design done. I think there's one more kit.

#29faces #sashiko

A Face in Progress

I'm trying a new technique from Linda Browning. You crumple up a piece of wrapping tissue, spread it out on a wet surface (watercolor paper) and then add color. When the paper is almost dry, you peel it off and it leaves lines.

I put down two different blues first, let that dry a little and then added the brown because I want to attempt a face. Linda uses this technique for landscapes. So this should be interesting if I can pull it off.

You can kind of see the lines left by the paper and barely see the brown. Of course, this pic is a bit washed out and looks better in real life. This one will probably take me the longest time to do.