Life Drawing Sessions

I've started participating in Life Drawing sessions again. Our Holland Area Arts Council started offering the sessions in June. The cost is $8 and they are every Tuesday night from 6-8:00 p.m. I've gone three times now and am really enjoying it. I looked back in my sketch book at the first session and realized I hadn't done any life drawing since 2001 and before that I hadn't done life drawing since I graduated from college in 1987. There are generally six people there or so and the model is quite good. This time, I've decided to use those two hours to experiment with different techniques and materials. Now, none of these are masterpieces, but I've been quite pleased with the results.

What will become of it?

This is what's left of the electrical panel for our sailboat; a 1972 Helms. I would love to have seen it salvaged and remain on the boat. The old knobs are just too cool. But the workings are just too far gone and it needs to be replaced. So, being the creative type person that I am; I'm turning it into a mixed media art piece.

Tulip Time in Holland, MI

I was going to title this "Tulip Time is over"; because if you lived in a town with a large festival that attracts thousands of people and makes your normal life moving around a lot more difficult for a week; you would say that too. Anyway, I really do like Tulip Time, not for the crowds or the junk food, but for the tulips. I LOVE them and we've got them all over town in all different colors. This fall I'm going to plant some in front of our house. I couldn't decide what color or colors to pick until I saw the ones above. I think I'm going to pair these with some pale yellow ones. They'll go perfect with the coloring of our house. Now I just need to find out what kind of tulip these are...

Watch my garden grow!

Two or more years ago, I tore out all the shrubs from the area by our front door and last year promised Bob that I would have something in there this year. Last week, we leveled out the area, using our first wheelbarrow in 15 years of marriage to haul a ton of dirt to the back yard. Well, this past Saturday, it got finished! I even went nuts and planted marigolds in the windowboxes and had enough for a hanging basket and two large pots. We had bought two flats and ended up returning one to get more mulch. That area took five bags! The rocks were already there, in fact, we didn't even use them all, the rest are along the road. Can you spot the two fake rocks? They are covering utilities and I intend to do some faux painting on them soon to make them look more "rockish". The plants in the front are: Blue Fescue grass, Batchelor Buttons, Purple Fountain grass and some kind of lavendar, I forget the exact name. They look a little sparce at the moment, but figure two to three years before the plants reach their full size and maturity.

Yesterday, I bought and planted six strawberry plants in one of the three half-wine barrels we bought to place in the area where we tore out some shrubs in the back yard. More vegetables to plant when the selection of plants is better. We'll probably do that after Tulip Time.

Oh, and I finally am going to get my clothesline up. Bought one of those retractable jobbies from Menards on sale yesterday. Bob loves the smell of sheets dried on the line and we haven't been able to do that at this house yet. I can't wait.

Happy Earth Day!

I've been meaning to post pictures of this super cute cardigan that I made last week or so. It's not an original design, but it is my original take on it. This idea was contributed by Cal Patch on the Craft Stylish website. Here is the link if you'd like to make one of your own. http://www.craftstylish.com/item/44793/how-to-upcycle-a-t-shirt-into-a-cardigan This was an old t-shirt of my husband's and I had already been working on doing a "shredded t-shirt" technique to it. Well, that ended up being just way too time consuming, so when I found this idea I knew I had to do it. The edges are crocheted with Noro Silk Garden. I did cut this a little too narrow, so instead of buttons, I usually just pin it at the neck with a fused glass pin I made years ago at my friend Jean's house. I'm really liking this "upcycling" thing; turning old things into something new.

In other "Earth Day" news. I had wanted to ride my bike to work or the MAX bus, but it is still way too cold and rainy to do that today and since my Wednesday noons are spent running to WW, I just don't have the time for the bus. Maybe tonight I can get those reusable mesh produce bags sewn up.

I'm going to try to blog more and Facebook less.

Scallop-Edge Beaded Necklace

This was my first attempt at knitting with beads. I think it turned out nice and I'd like to do more of it. This pattern is the Scallop-Edge Beaded Necklace by Carol Metzger from the book 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders.

Holland Harbor Lighthouse aka "Big Red"

This painting of the lighthouse in Holland was done on a reproduction map from the museum and was painted in acrylics. I usually paint in watercolor and this may be the first acrylic painting I have ever done. I think it turned out fine and have a feeling that I may have to paint another similar to it in the near future.

Spartan Dishcloth

Here is my first attempt at designing something. I really liked doing the heart dishcloth from krisknits and thought I'd like to make one with the Spartan helmet on it. So, using the heart dishcloth pattern as a starting point, I graphed the Spartan helmet and started knitting. I think it turned out really cool. My husband says this will be the first addition to the new sailboat. More on that later when it becomes a reality.

The longest Valentine's Day post ever!

I really wanted to share this super cute knitted dishcloth with a heart pattern. I can't take any credit for this. If you would like to make one, you can find the free pattern here: http://krisknits.blogspot.com/2008/01/valentine-surprise.html This was so fun to make and it was really easy. I wanted to make a few more for gifts but ran out of time; so a few lucky folks may be getting these later.

These are the little Valentine's Day packets I made. I can't take full credit for this "waterfall" card. The directions for a Halloween version that inspired it can be found here: http://beeswaxrubberstamps.com/Waterfall%20Card.pdf After I finished the card, I decided to include an ATC inside and then I made these little felt envelopes and tied them with pretty ribbon. I think they turned out really nice.

Creativity update

I've been working on the coolest cards and little extras for Valentine's Day! The only problem is that I don't know where to stop. One idea just keeps leading to another and most of them are turning out pretty cool. Well, except for the one idea of putting boucle yarn in a bottlecap and pouring "realistic water" over it and letting it dry. No, it does not look like yarn under glass; it looks like wet yarn underwater or strawberry jam or blood and guts in there. Not cool at all, but everything else is.

Ooh, ooh, ooh I can't wait to show you!

I'm also going through knitting withdrawal. I wanted to finish reading "Thunderstruck" (the novel, not the AC/DC song) and I did that (It got better about half way through and was really pretty good.), so now I can knit again, goody! In my quest to "use what I've got" in regards to art supplies; I'm knitting this cute washcloth with hearts on it. I'm using some of the "Sugar & Cream" yarn that was gifted to me. (Thanks again Marylynn!)

So many ideas, so little time...

Oh, and this picture is an ATC I made last year when I decided I was going to make one a day. It is oil pastel and if you don't know, ATCs are 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 size pieces of art that are traded and I just got back into trading them on http://www.atcsforall.com/ (same username there: KayakChickee)

Results from the Creativity Weekend

I got together with my friend Kimberly this past Saturday. We went shopping for supplies and then spent the afternoon making cards. We had a ball! Now I don't need to buy any more supplies for card making for a very long time. Well, maybe some more ink pads, but other than that...

I was just reading a blog about this girl who wasn't going to buy any art supplies this year. The exception was that she was going to budget $24 for the year just in case she ran out of something, that's $2 per month for art supplies. I know I could easily do the same thing and I probably should. Maybe I will.

NOTE: The address for the blog I refer to above is: www.futuregirl.com

Flashdance style at Church

I wore my newly finished leg warmers to church this past Sunday with a dress I've had for years. The dress is long, made of rayon (I think) so it's kind of full and drapy, it has long sleeves, and it exactly matches the bright blue/purple color in these leg warmers. You could only see them at the ankles, but they kept my legs nice and warm to and from church and to the grocery store afterwards. Yeah! I love them. They were knit with Noro Kureyon yarn.

Creativity weekend!

I'm looking forward to a creative weekend starting tomorrow with my friend Kimberly. We are getting together and making cards and maybe ATCs and who knows what else. We both have huge stashes of stuff. It's going to be so much fun!!! I'm hoping to post all that we do from this weekend on Monday and maybe by then I'll have the Noro knitted leg warmers all sewn up and have them photographed and ready to post too.

Church Plant "window"

I painted this to help illustrate levels of involvement from congregation members in the new church plant.

A Hat for Bob.

This hat for Bob has been done for quite some time now, but I just got around to posting a picture of it. It turned out pretty good and best of all he loves it (even though he isn't smiling in this photo)! Says it's the only hat he has ever had that is a little loose or at least not so tight as most hats are for him. It'a lot thicker and softer than it looks too. I've got about three skeins of this yarn left. Not sure what they will become.

Meditation Knitting.

The green mittens are DONE! So, that means, time to start three new projects all at once! Last night I cast one for the leg warmers I want to do for myself, a hat for Bob and a hat for myself. I knit the last pair of leg warmers for a gift swap and have knit two pair of wristlets that have also been gifted away. So, the leg warmers could be just that or wristlets. We'll see what size they turn out to be.

I have been really getting to enjoy knitting and actually find it quite relaxing. I keep the patterns simple and the projects small and I'm sure that's part of it.

December activity

It's been a LONG time since my last entry. I've just been so addicted to the rapid release of Facebook; but I really miss blogging, so here it is.

The right mitten to match the left that I started ages ago is almost done (see photo above). Gotta finish that before I start ANYTHING else. I hate unfinished projects! It may be done today at lunch or tonight at Jarod's Tae Kwon Do lesson.

On the subject of Jarod and Tae Kwon Do. Jarod will test on January 10 to be accepted to Black Belt camp classes at Chan's Martial Arts. He will then be taking Black Belt classes twice a week in addition to his regular twice a week class; that will make four classes a week! I'll keep you posted on this.

The Christmas cards are out and the presents are wrapped. Never did any projects out of that Christmas magazine; though I suppose there is still time. I may have to look that over tonight (yes, after the mitten knitting). There were some darling Candy Cane holders that I wanted to make. Still have four or five of the fabric hearts left that I may give out as small gifts. Not sure if I like them well enough anymore to gift them to anyone.

(Hanna, Don't read this next part if you haven't received and opened my gift.)

Finished the knitted leg warmers for the Free People swap. They turned out super cute! Gonna have to make myself a pair; just cast on five stitches for one of them this morning. I'm going to knit both at once again; that worked out really good. You don't get one done and then still have to knit the other. I want to knit one or two more pairs of wristlets; one for me one for a friend. I want to add thumbs to at least one of them; so the fit will have to be more exact. Ooh ooh ooh and I still want to knit that shawl out of Noro Silk Garden. Yes, even with my stash I may have to buy some more yarn. Online though, since the local store that sells Noro is staffed with screamin' meanies.

Got a commission yesterday to paint three dalmations for someone I did a dog painting for several years ago (See "Dusty" above.). But I really have to clean up my studio in preparation for that. Not sure when I'll get the photos to start. Does God have to speak so loudly to me sometimes?

Christmas tags.

These are tags for Christmas that I did for a swap. I really like how they turned out. I had to make 11 of each; 22 total. I should do a few extra before I bring them away, in case I want some for myself.

Here is a taste of what I'm working on...

Return of the "Queen of the Office"

I've called myself the "Queen of the Office" on and off over the years; but this is the first time the "Queen" has had a crown. I made it in response to a challenge on Suzi Blu's website. It's not the kind of art I usually make; but it was fun to do something in mixed media again. My criteria for mixed media is that I have all the stuff in the house and that I don't have to spend a dime on it. A couple of years ago my friend Jean thought it would be a good idea to make artist's tiaras with wire and beads and such. This isn't quite that; but now that I've done one, I may need to do more.

The Big Bang Theory

I'm guessing that this isn't going to be as funny as it was seeing it on TV; but this is Sheldon attempting to smile like he means it. I love this show! It's "laugh out loud" funny.

Pretty Cupcake Girl...

I did a few watercolor paintings/sketches while in Asheville, NC this past week. The other two are on my "other" blog; so if you want to see them you'll have to look there. :) Yes, that is my way of getting you to check out my "other" blog.

I had wanted to do a "pretty" girl like the ones that Suzi Blu does and this is my first attempt. I plan on doing the background, doing some layering, and adding something in the banner she is holding.

Let me know what you think. This was something fun to do aside from the "serious" landscape paintings I usually do.

Knitted Wristlets

WOW! I know what you are thinking; two posts in one day! But I have been the uber creative, busy girl this weekend. I painted the pumpkins in the previous post, filled my window boxes with fake flowers (Which I won't probably show you because they are, well, fake.), and knitted these "wristlets". I love this yarn.

A very generous co-worker friend gifted me with tons of beautiful yarn that I'm sure I would never have bought myself because I'm too cheap to spend that much on yarn. This stuff is gorgeous!

The wristlets here were knitted with Noro, Silk Garden. The yarn in made in Japan and is beautiful. It self strips and each skein contains many colors. These were done with one skein and look at the variety of color. Amazing stuff.

I have one more skein that I'm going to make a hat from. I also have at least two skeins from Noro of Kureyon. I'm really going to have to take a knitting class. I don't have enough skill to get through all of this.

(Thank you Marylynn!)

Pumpkin painting

Just thought I'd share my efforts in pumpkin painting this weekend. I painted the top two for a friend's children and the bottom one for my son; a Spartan fan. I thought they turned out nice.

Fringe...

Again, I'm getting a little slow with "popular culture". I just watched that new show "Fringe" this past week. I thought I'd only missed the first episode; but it looks like I missed the first two. It was the only thing on and my husband said, "Let's watch it." I said, "It's going to be just like "Lost", where you get hooked and after a few seasons, you're bored because it just goes on and on with no end in sight." (I'll watch it, but I'm not going to LIKE it!) But, I watch it and of course, end up hooked and loving it. What do these creators, producers, and writers know about me (and lots of other people) that hook us so fast to these new shows? So, now I'm busy trying to watch the first two episodes so that I can catch up on what's going on. Much more like X-files than Lost, but if you like them; you'll like Fringe.

Dearly Devoted Dexter

So I'm a little slow on the uptake. I heard last TV season about the show "Dexter"; watched a few minutes, but was so disturbed by the premiss of the show that I just couldn't watch it. Also, it was on, WAY TOO late; Sunday at 10:00 p.m.

Fast forward... I was learning how to download books from the library and came across "Dearly Devoted Dexter". Now, I knew that the series was based on these books and I'm really one to "see for myself"; so to make a long story short; I downloaded the book and started to read it.

I'm still not sure how I feel about a serial killer as the "hero" of a story; but I am really enjoying this book. I found out that this one is the second in the series; so when I'm done I'll have to read the first book. I guess you could best describe it as "dark humor" because it is "dark", but it's also really, really funny.

I'm not sure if I will be watching the TV series or not, probably not if it's on at 10:00 p.m. again, but if you are looking for something different to read, a quilty pleasure, I would recommend this one.

NOTE: I just got done reading the book and even though I thought while reading it I was going to read the others... I don't think I will because towards the end there was part of the story line that was really kind of disturbing.

15.6 total lost!

I really worked the FLEX plan last week and was rewarded with a 1.2 pound loss. That's 15.6 pounds total loss. I'm now under 140. I'm sure you can do the math to see where I started. I'm only 5'2"! Now, I just need to do it again and again. I notice the difference and am so happy I joined. My husband said he was proud of me last night for losing this weight. I said, I just wanted to be able to wear the clothes in my closet and that's really the truth.

Check out the link to the right for the website "Fabulously 40". Lots of neat articles.

Here it is!

I think I mentioned awhile back that my new watercolor painting was going to be of a scene at Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia; but I ended up doing this one first, which I believe is "Woods Island" on Prince Edward Island. I know for sure it's Prince Edward Island and it's right by where the ferry docks, but I'm not 100% sure of the name of the place, that just sticks in my head.

14.4 lost so far...

I only lost .4 this past week, but it's better than a gain right? I didn't deserve it though, I ate above my points and more than all of my weekly points allowance. That's embarassing! I'm definitely going to do better this week. I only used 2 of my weekly points allowance yesterday. I just feel like I'm going to have a good loss next weigh in. It's hard to change your way of eating. It really is. Even after some success, it's still hard to stick with it.

Oh, and I still have to post that new watercolor painting...

Two pounds this week!

I thought for sure, without a doubt, that I'd gained (or at the very least maintained) this week. I weighed myself on the scale a couple of times this week and either saw a gain or a maintain, But guess what? I lost two more pounds! That makes 14 pounds total in nine weeks or Weight Watchers.

Does Weight Watchers work? YES, IT DOES! I heard on NPR on my way back to work about online scams involving drugs, weight loss and other remedies and they mentioned that truely the simpliest way to lose weight is to "eat less and exercise more". I would add that for most people it would be "eat A LOT less and exercise A LOT more".

Portions are so out of control that we really have no idea, until we start physically measuring, what a portion size really is. It shocked me! It's no secret either; it's right on the back on the box, can, carton, or package. We just refuse to read it. I'll get off my soap box now! I'm not the expert here. I'm just so motivated by my success that I want to share it.