"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.

Blessings

Counting my blessings--Uniball Signo pen on black gouache.

"Artfully Inspired Life," 12

For August, Joanne Sharpe proposed working with deli paper and gel medium. I was quite surprised to find gel medium in the art store next to my dentist's building...lucky that crown fell out!

The process is messy, but, it was interesting to do just once. It makes me want to get back to the softness of fabric.

My 9-year-old granddaughter started a book marker then discarded it, so I finished it. 

The Waiting Room

Getting the usual checkups has me doing some waiting room time...

Just Doodlin'

Just doodlin' with an alphabet...and collecting doodles. I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but I could be wasting some time here. Eye candy...it may be giving me a toothache...

Another Journal

Can't help it, I really do enjoy making things, especially books/journals/sketchbooks. I made these covers from recycled (cereal box weight) cardboard; I use 4 pieces of cardboard glued together, then cover with painted Canson paper. This provides a nice hard cover.

The inside covers--->





The "paint" is Derwent Inktense pencils, activated with water. The Inktense pencils are useful for such a project because they are permanent. The colors went on fast and furiously--I had fun. Bright, happy colors to keep me cheerful.

<---The outside covers

Finding Yourself

I'm struggling to "find" myself. Miles Davis expressed it so well. More playing with lettering.

Recycling T-shirts

The humble t-shirt is such a common article of clothing, but, what happens when it begins to wear? The dumpster? Landfill? I recycle men's t-shirts into very comfortable PJs. Just sew the two bottom edges together and cut off the neck, and arms at one end. In Tunisia's warm climate, I'm not looking for elegance, but comfortable cotton...

Firemen (Firepeople?)

I'm quoting myself today. This is dedicated to all the mothers who try to keep family peace during the summer...it's a tough job!

"The Pilgrim Soul"

Playing with lettering. Yeats' idea of love and "the pilgrim soul" pleases me no end. Maybe I'll frame this page and keep it near.

Stitching Weeds

Weeds are taking over my life--in the garden and in the Pomegranate Tree Quilt. I'm stitching a minimum of 4 hours a day and I still haven't gotten to the end of them. The garden will have to wait for the stitched weeds to be finished...

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

Bookmarks

As I straightened things up in the "art room" I found some unfinished bookmarks with circles and flowers that had been discarded by my 9-yr.-old granddaughter. "Cute" is not usually my style, but they were begging to be finished. Ahh, the influence of kids.

So I picked up my Lamy pen and drew them in a sort of coloring book style, while remembering how much the girls grew this summer... 

End of Bootcamp

Grandma's Bootcamp ended when the girls went back to the States. We still Skype a lot...

Keeping Track of Time

More journaling and playing with the grandkids...Remember scribble drawing? I just used Crayola markers, and my Lamy pen. Each color is for a day of the month. Feelin' psychedelic...

"Artfully Inspired Life," 11

Another fun alphabet for July. Joanne Sharpe keeps everyone fired up!