Pulling the Plug

In an effort to streamline my life and cut down on use of the internet, I'm (regretfully) pulling the plug on Multicoloredsnippets. You can find me over at Multicoloredpieces, where I will post more frequently. As I recover from my husband's past illness and operation, I have found a clarity of mind that allows me to clean out, finish some things, and organize for the coming new year. 

Please note that my email has changed. It is now: nmamelouk@gmail.com. Having two emails complicated my life...

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season!

Book Covers

New book covers were required to gather all my lettering pages.






I played with Derwent Inktense pencils...just love their colors, with which I went a bit wild!

Now to sew it all up with Coptic stitch.

"Artistically Inspired Life," 15

Winding up the year with Joanne Sharpe and lettering. Getting into the holiday spirit--there is something so pleasing and reassuring about the seasonal colors of green and red.

A Crane

A crane is a fascinating structure...wish I had had a bit more time to sketch it. So much construction going on all over Tunis. They just never include adequate parking in their plans, consequently adding to the snarls of traffic.

Into Tunis, 3

A gray day in Tunis, with some rain. While waiting in the car, I sketched a small fast food place. Palm trees always make interesting subjects.

Jeans Mama, 4

Stitching madly into the night...I'd say "at the speed of light", but, we all know this is a s-l-o-w business. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, all the same.

If another hole pops up in the nice big empty spot, it will have to get some patching in orange and red, I'm thinking.

Into Tunis, 2

Another errand day in Tunis. The mountain (Boukornine) seems to be a frequent subject. I'm rather fond of it.

I particularly liked the man with the huge beard sitting in a doctor's waiting room.

Into Tunis

He drives, I draw. Errand days are usually enjoyable because of this arrangement. 

Some days, though, I just can't get into drawing another car--I mean, that's what's in front of me when we're in traffic. However, I can usually find something to sketch...

Jeans Mama, 3

Evening stitching. This is fairly rapid for me as the area to cover is relatively small...but, then again, it could grow.

Doodle Alphabet, 3

Whew! Finished up this doodle alphabet. I am intrigued by its complexity...but probably not enough to stitch it on fabric. On the other hand, it would be interesting to see how a letter or two would develop with stitch. Hmmmm....

Jeans Mama, 2

Then the white threads of the jeans rip needed couching. They developed their own pattern...

Jeans Mama, 1

First there was the hole in the knee of the jeans to patch.

Then the fabrics volunteered enthusiastically.

And so, I spent a pleasant evening stitching.


No idea how this will turn out, as usual. Yeah, yeah, I know I'm not supposed to be starting anything new. I'll get back to the Pomegranate Tree tonight. This is just a short vacation, a small adventure...

Doodle Alphabet, 2

Els suggested this lettering would be cool in embroidery. I agree, but it won't get onto my to-do list any time soon. Go for it, Els--be my guest!

Top of the Tree

I'm adding definition to the top of the Pomegranate Tree with hand stitching. Inching along while listening to an audio book of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, which takes one into a strange world indeed!

Appreciate Today

As I tend to look forward, I'm not even sure this is true. However, it's a good reminder to appreciate the moment, even if it's only errand day.

Doodle Alphabet

Done with a 0.1 and 0.4 Uni pin fine liner, this crazy alphabet is taking a bit of time, but it's oh so fun!

I'll eventually add color...just playing...

A Portrait

Midnight finds me doing homework with grandkids in the States on Skype. Sometimes I try a portrait. The victim was gazing intently at the computer site for her homework, which explains the vague look. Even though I would make no claims to resemblance, this is time well spent for me--I am always entertained...

A Nice Quotation

A thoughtful Georgia O'Keeffe quotation caught my attention so I tried it with a white Uni-Ball Signo pen, which didn't work well at all, probably because I had used salt on the background. 

So I tried a white Faber-Castell Pitt artist pen (which is waterproof) that worked very well except that mine does not have a fine tip. I added ink shading. Turned out ok, but it's a messy process that I probably won't do again--I have enough mess in my life...

"Artistically Inspired Life," 14

For October, Joanne Sharpe proposed an autumn tree theme. Lots of fun.

INSAT

Out and about, I drew the National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, designed by French architects about ten years ago. An interesting building, it's looking run down as do most public buildings these days.

Nameplate 2

Finished up the "nameplate" for a family member's office door. Done with Prismacolor pencils and a Micron pen. I have a new appreciation for graffiti lettering...

On My Sewing Table

Having fun sewing on the final leaves of the Pomegranate Tree Quilt. Love zooming around on the machine...

Nameplate

A family member needed a "nameplate" for her office door. This is the first version. As I sent a photo by email, she can change the size when she prints it.

Now I'll put in the background. I'm using Prismacolor pencils and Platinum Carbon Ink in my Lamy Joy pen.

Hope this surprises her students and colleagues!

Backgrounds

Playing around with salt and Seran wrap for watercolor backgrounds. I don't really care for the salt as it seems to affect the paper. I might leave the red one as is. It pleases me immensely. Wouldn't it be interesting to interpret this into fabric? Wait, wait...I have to finish the Pomegranate Tree Quilt! Drat!

Errand Day, 2

Traffic jams are not my only subject when going out. We have a few low mountains that I never tire of sketching.

Errand Day

Living on a small farm, I find no particular need to go "out". There's plenty to do. We save up errands for one or two days a week. Then we have an adventure...which usually includes a traffic jam in Tunis. This doesn't bother me since it gives me time to sketch. I have to go faster for people-sketching. It seems that most are leashed to a cellphone these days.

First Pages

The name and title pages of my new journal/sketchbook: 

This will be the place where I finish up my lettering adventures. 

Fabric and thread are calling me...

Palettes

For out-and-about, a small palette to which I added extra half pans does the job. It's filled with 24 Daniel Smith watercolors (I have tubes). However, I've seen the idea of a portable mini-palette in several places and I wanted to try out my Derwent Inktense pencils. 

Just scribble hard on a card. I covered mine with deli paper (stapled on the left side), but, wax paper would work also. The card holds 18 colors (cool colors on the other side)--beats carrying around 18 pencils in your purse! 

And then I tested it out while running errands. It's magic!

Another Late Night

Midnight finds me doing math homework with my eldest granddaughter (she gets out of school in the States when I'm ready to go to bed in Tunisia) on Skype (the miracles of technology). So I stitch most of the evening while waiting to do math.

I picked up "He went to work every day...then he retired" as I missed it after having worked on it during Mr. M's hospital stay in April and May. Just inching along...

Some thoughts about a "math at midnight" piece are swirling around in my sleep-deprived mind. Hmmmm...I have no idea what form that would take.

Coffee Days

Coffee days (every third or fourth day) are usually pretty good days, days to celebrate. I tore strips of painted paper (leftover from another project) and collaged them to the page for a frame. This was the day I found packets of 224 gr. Canson paper in the school supplies department of a large store and bought fifteen--a year's supply. That good paper won't be stocked until next autumn. IF I should need to make another sketchbook, I'm ready!

A Teapot and Seran Wrap

When my sketching buddy and I get together for our "Sketch Club", we sometimes test out interesting techniques to stretch a bit. This week we tried Seran wrap for creating a background. 

Very easy: paint watercolor on paper, cover with a piece of Seran wrap and press (the more wrinkles the better), let dry, then pull off the Seran wrap and Voilà! 

For the teapot and text, I used Platinum Pigment Sepia ink in a fountain pen.

End-of-Summer Rose

From a family member's garden, a late-blooming rose. This makes me feel like I want to get out in my garden to sketch flowers and fruits on fabric. But then again, the last time I did that I ended up with the Pomegranate Tree Quilt--and that was nearly five years ago, and I still haven't finished it...

Getting Healthy

We decided to get an exercise bike in our quest for better health. So off we went to a big department store. Mission accomplished; we got the contraption working. The first day, I managed 3 minutes on the lowest setting--things can only get better!

He Drives, I Draw, 2

Sketching can make even a visit to the dentist more pleasant. 

We can see mountains to the East and South of our house. I never get tired of drawing them. Ballpoint pen with Prismacolor pencils. This little notebook is so handy. 

Working (Stitching) Hard

Progress is slow, but progress there is. I'm working on getting the lower half of the Pomegranate Tree filled in--3 to 5 hours a day. The end may be in sight...eventually. Going over a 6ftx7ft surface inch by inch takes time. Here you may say "Well, obviously, Nadia."
























Linked to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Friday".

"Artfully Inspired Life," 13

Another cheerful alphabet from Joanne Sharpe.

I have to remind myself sometimes to enjoy life and the small wonders that it offers...like café au lait sweetened with my own honey--that I only allow myself every 3rd or 4th day. But what a day it is!

He Drives, I Draw

Just glimpses along the way...My purse sketchbook is a small notebook (5"x4", 12cmx10cm) for which I cut good paper. I manage to finish things because it's so small, and I force myself to work fast, knowing I won't have much time to finish anything at home. 

Ballpoint pen with Prismacolor pencil background.