Be Joyful

I am feeling joyful and hopeful today.


Happy weekend to everyone!

Cream of Wheat and Spiced Chai, with gouache

A favorite from childhood, (I think it's the warmth and the memories - comfort) Cream of Wheat. I know it's a rather simple food - very simple and very inexpensive actually, but when I was a little girl I remember when I felt bad or just needed something quick and nourishing, Mama would fix me Cream of Wheat. I hadn't tried since those days, but I had the urge to return to it a few days ago. I saw it on the shelf and brought it home, this time the whole grain version. I made it for "brunch" today - a little fancier than Mama used to do it...

I added a tiny dash of nutmeg, a large dash of cinnamon, a little tiny splash of vanilla flavoring while it simmered and then as it cooled I stirred in a pinch and a half of brown sugar.  Mmmmm.   That along with a cup of Tazo spiced chai hot tea with milk and sugar and I am warm and filled. My still sick daughter is asleep on the couch after taking a Nyquil (yes it is daytime, but it was all I had in the house) and so hopefully that and the chicken noodle soup I made yesterday along with a lot of love, will have her feeling better by tomorrow.  My special friend is also bringing over some Mucinex - he is way too good to me.

So I have been happily painting my favorite mug, or one of the many favorite mugs I have.  I used a 4" x 6" piece of Stonehenge paper and my Pelikan gouache set, which I just adore.  It's the 24 pan set and I highly recommend it. You can see it here.
 1
The initial "drawing" with a liner brush then more color added below
 2
Layers of more color and definition, and then time to stop before I ruin it...the hardest part
 3, finish

An Autumn Haiku for You

SEPTEMBER

 

Morning breaks clear blue

Fog hangs low over mountains

Cool, crisp autumn air

Nature Sketching

Sketching at Chestnut Falls on New River Trail with my new friend, Tucker.

Living Now!

This post describes my life of late - Living! Now! I've been living so much life with so much exuberance that I'm left with no time to blog about my life or art. 

 I will try and post more tonight about all the trips, short hikes, walks and drives filled with beautiful scenery. Amazing how much of nature I've soaked in this spring and summer! Today's a new day, blogging friends. Today is a new day. I live now! Won't you join me and we'll have a cup of tea or coffee, sit back and enjoy the ride...

Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle's!   ~~Psalm 103: 1-5

Art quilt

My new project... Made from a stained cocktail napkin purchased at auction. Backing is fiber for wrapping furniture from my sister's new couch. Bird is scrap fabric from a friend who quilts. Painting of background - Inktense with gloss medium.

EDM # 2 - Draw a Lamp

Journal Play in Canson Mixed Media Journal

Sometimes you've just got to play, throw caution to the wind and play!




New Canson XL Mixed Media Sketchbook - designated art/play journal.

I've decided to play in every page of this journal - layering, smushing paint around, collaging, writing, drawing, whatever strikes me at the moment. I love the look of drawing with the ink dropper. I must admit to, at one point, having just the look I wanted; and then squeezing the dropper and splotching huge ink blots all over my page --

but all was not lost! That is the joy of layering and collaging and mixed media - I just gessoed, glued ephemera, painted and drew over all the terrible blotches. It was therapeutic in the sense that I felt as if I couldn't make a mistake too big to fix. If only life were like that :-)

I'm so inspired lately by all my blooms - zinnias, coneflowers, black-eyed susans. I love summer if for no other reason.

Sunday Morning Nature Photos

 

  

Photos taken of a flower arrangement on my front porch table yesterday morning. I was able to get very, very close to this butterfly and he was so busy he didn’t seem to notice. And the bee – I didn’t get quite as close, but used the zoom a little more carefully.

 

EDM # 15

EDM # 15 - Draw a tree, leaves or branches

This is the dogwood tree looking out my office window. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen with watercolor - applied with my new Pentel Aquash brush - which I like so much better than the Niji waterbrush.