My homework for the Goddess and the Poet class...

This is my "Goddess of Color Pencils." This class with Suzi Blu has really been quite amazing for me! I have had my colored pencils for years and rarely used them...now they are getting shorter and shorter by the minute! I am having a lot of fun in this class!

Some things I have been up to...

The ceramic bowl I made a few years back it is handbuilt...I am not a wheel thrower! Just never got the knack. The "Cat Woman" is a bit of whimsey with colored pencil and a collaged butterfly. The woman with leafy fronds for hair is a wip, pencil, stencil and collaged in my art journal. The doll "Carmen" is one of the dolls I have been working on, I have one more it has just been too hot to go down to the shed to work on it. I go down in the cooler mornings and do a few quick things to it as I am watering the tomatoes. So it has been a slow process. I have been trying to stay cool in the house, the temperature was 103 degrees yesterday in Seattle! So I am staying in the house drawing sketching and trying to let my muse go! The results you see are the two drawings in pencil. I have so many more I can't count them right now. They are sketched out but that is all for now. Thank you who visit!

From this to that...still sketching...but stretching

The first picture is a left over from my Windex experiment (if interested it is just about in the beginning of my blog). I had drawn some eyes and just left it, this was months ago. There was also some crinkles in the paper left over from a brayer. Today, I branched out...I made purple hair! Do you know how hard that was for me? Well, it felt good to do it! I know this face is a little off but that is ok with me (I'm kind of off myself, at least that is what I have been told.lol) The sketched face is of colored pencil. I loved using the different colors for the skin. Since I do not have my acrylic's readily available I am using what I have handy and that is colored pencils. It kind of ties in with Jane DesRosier's class that I am taking online, in that you use different tones for skin color, I am just using pencils. The purple hair is influenced by Suziblu's Goddess and the Poet class I am taking that class as well, (the Poet part still has not emerged). Ah it is freeing to learn that faces do NOT have to be perfect! I am climbing out of the box I have put myself into so long ago and it feels good! It is also good for me to scan and post my renderings because I can view them as if I am standing at a distance in a way. It is seeing them with a different point of view so to speak.

www.SomethingToMake.com

Well I am going to sign up for this class! Check out the Youtube link on painting womens faces by Jane DesRosier!

I am adding on to this post...I just signed up for this class and I am so happy I did! The past posts showing my pencil sketches have come straight out of my head! I know one might think I copied from fashion magazines I have not. But nonetheless I have not been satisfied with these sketches because they are so commercial looking to me. I have been looking for ways to loosen my painting and drawing skills up, I want them to be more free and just flow out of me. So I signed up for Jane DesRosier Painting women's faces and after just watching the way she builds her paint up with paint I am just blown away! I would be happy with what I have seen so far, I can't explain it you have to see it! Anyway, I am happy I signed up and am looking forward to the rest of the videos! This woman has so much God given talent I can't say enough how she inspires me! Thanks Jane!

From that to this...

A journal page in colored pencil! The colored pencil is really are hard to use, at least for me. I am learning that it is best to start out lightly and as you see how things are progressing then add more pressure. I did find some online help that I will share for those, like me, who are clueless about colored pencil. You can use a craft knife or an exacto blade to scrape away waxy build up. Another was that you can use rubbing alcohol with a cotton swab to blend colors! This was news to me. As I have said before I am still learning! I am having fun too! I will be adding more to this journal page, maybe some acrylic paint and some stamping, and of course a little collaging!

Just a sketching kind of a day...

A few of many this weekend...I have rediscovered how relaxing it is to just sketch! I have so many ideas swirling around in my head. Hope you are all relaxing and enjoying your day!

Wow the crows are out this morning in force!

I found this picture in an old reader for children! The book was falling apart and I saved a few pictures to frame. This one I framed, I love crows! I also have an idea to paint this one, we will see! At least it (the painting/drawing) will go in one of my art journals.

I posted this picture because as I am sitting here there is a horrific commotion outside my window. A murder of crows fighting over the cherries in the cherry tree across the street in my neighbors yard! Oh the noise! Anyway, in spite of the ruckus I still love crows and this print!

A few weeks ago, as my husband and I were on our way to Michael's, (of course, where ever else would we be going except a craft store?), we saw a crow in the middle of the road trying to fly off with a small garden snake! It waited to the last second as our car approached! The little snake put up quite a wiggle. The crow flew away as we drove by and if the crow succeeded or not we will never know!

We did see an eagle fly off with a large snake in it's mouth one day on our way to a picnic! That was exciting! No pics though, darn we did not have a camera with us!

One of my favorite singers...Eva Cassidy

Click on the video bar on the left, the third one down is Songbird, I just love the way she sings this song! She had a unique way of making any song her own. It is too bad she left this earth so soon! Eva died in 1996 of cancer.

It's finished!

My Art Journal cover is finished! Front and back! I did this by the skin of my teeth as I have said before I am NOT a sewer! I envy those of you who can sew! Now what to do next?

My Crayon Journal Cover in Progress...

Here is a partial view of my work in progress. The first photo on the left is enhanced via Picasa. Click on images if you want to see more detail. It has come along way since my last blog showing the first picture. I am really enjoying this project! I may add some more embellishment as I go. I almost decided to make it into a pillow but changed my mind. I hope to finish this piece soon! So Sharon if you see this blog thank you for sharing your crayon technique! I may end up making my own apron too!

I am following along with Sharon Tomlinson...

I am watching and working along with her videos. She has them on her blog www.allnorahsart.blogspot.com and on YouTube. "Faces With Crayon." Here is mine so far. I am hoping to make a cover for a journal. I hope to add different materials and yes use my UGH, sewing machine. Well, this is my type of sewing, not following any particular pattern. I have never been able to sew using a pattern or follow a recipe as directed! I thought i'd share this now while I am waiting for it to dry and then I will heat set it and add some more crayon. I am using Caran D'Arche Neocolor II.

Mi Casita is coming along...

Here is as promised the road to Mi Casita where I try to create! (I say try only because I need to learn to make room in there so that I am not boxed in!) Circe always knows where I am headed so she leads the way, yes always! We now can sit on bench on the little brick patio and look at birds drink at the fountain that is to the left of Mi Casita if you are facing it!

The little ceramic pot down on the step (I call Potheads), I created some a few years ago...I need to make more. The little private nursery that I was hoping to sell them at closed, so I gave a couple away and saved a couple, good thing I didn't make too many I guess. My husband and some hired help created this walkway and my husband and son did the planting alongside of the pathway. Now I am going to put some rain chimes on the left hand corner and plant some flower, etc. around my casita. I am trying for a cozy English looking cottage of sorts. Hmmm, maybe I need to figure out how to say my little house in Gaelic? I know Gaelic is Irish but you know....I hope you know.

Finally, it looks as if I might have successfully grown some tomatoes...YAY! After many years of trying and missing the taste of real home grown tomatoes I planted some in a trough! I counted at least 12 tiny tomatoes and many more blossoms. I was getting concerned because it is now July and all I was seeing is blossoms and leaves! I will hold my breath though because here where I live it is shady and a lot of overcast days...but so far, knock on wood!

Oh and bytheway, I survived the 4th of July! In case you were wondering....BIG WINK!

Click on pics to get better look! Have a wonderful day!

Something I found at Michael's yesterday...

I have been working on my handmade manilla journal lately so I needed some more paint. I went to Michael's and found an Iridescent White acrylic paint made by Liquitex! I tried a tiny bit on some black card stock and was so amazed at the sheen. You can see how bright the white is against the black background but unfortunately you can't really see the sheen. It is really awesome! It is like putting those pearl powders on the paper only this is from a tube. Just something I thought I'd share with you.

The photo on the left is something that came about inadvertently. I put masking tape on one page (I was inspired by Mystele, http://mystele.blogspot.com/). I was going to try and paint over the masking tape and wait for the page to tell me what it wanted me to do. I first ran some Distress Ink over the masking tape thinking i'd paint over it later. In the meantime I took an vintage photo and ran it through my copier on a transparency. I just happened to stick the transparency into my journal over the masking tape page and voila! I could not leave it alone so I taped the image on over the taped page. I like it! So now I will try another page with the masking tape technique.

Btw, Happy July 4th! I am staying put...I am a patriot but I hate those darn BOMBS people let off around here! People buy them illegally from the Indian Reservations and I hate those bombs...I don't think fireworks like that are for fun! Sorry, but just the normal pretty ones for me! I wonder if it has an effect on the poor soldiers that come back from the Mid East with post traumatic stress! Sad thought that some people can be inconsiderate that way! I know I have to take a tranquilizer to get through the fourth around here and some earplugs. But even then that does not help...and my poor animals! The bombs just get louder every year! But money is more important to the city and all that revenue! But how much of that revenue gets spent on taking care of the left over problems from careless firework usage. I am all for celebrating but in designated areas not neighborhoods! My unasked for two cents I know! I am venting since I am sitting here! If I survive this night tomorrow I will post pics of the new additions to my backyard lining the way to my workshop in the backyard! Please have a safe fourth!