Sketching, Gathering, Savoring

Sketching a journal page...  

Gathering sweet juicy tomatoes...

                    Savoring a wonderful day's end!

                                       Hope yours was lovely too.   God Bless !

The Garden

 Let me welcome you to the garden.  Hope you will enjoy a spring stroll.

These brilliant daylilies are just beginning to open.

 

The Star of Bethlehem does so much to brighten a shady spot.

 

 Blue and white columbine tumble down a leaf strewn bank.        

Pink Bleeding Heart dance so delicately upon their perch.

 

Perfume from the lilacs scent the air.

 

It was so nice you took a few moments to visit the garden.  

Thank you for stopping by.   Have a blessed evening!

Sketching Outdoors

 

When sketching outdoors I travel light.    This little bag holds everything that is needed. 

It is always packed and ready to go.      







The small case holds a 5X7 mixed media sketchpad, a set of basic watercolors with palette, a brush, pencil, micron pen, a handful of watercolor pencils, a few folded paper towels and two 35mm camera cases.  They are filled with water.   A pencil sharpener, an eraser and a tiny spray bottle complete the contents.   

If I am going to be out for a bit I take this small fold up chair.  It has a built in knapsack.   A lunch a thermos of coffee...  

 

   

 and a snack for my two companions fits inside nicely.

Thanks for stopping by.  I enjoyed sharing my sketching ensemble with you. 

 Have a blessed evening!   

Lazy days of summer...

Ah those lazy days of summer...I hope they never end!

  What could be better than a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade and a great stack of books?

  My beloved took me to the library Saturday and here is what I found. 

  Julie Zickafoose comes from my neck of the woods.   She is a lovely watercolor artist who focuses on birds and nature.   My husband and I met her at one of the art shows a few years ago.   She paints the things I love.   Her latest book is the "Blue Bird Effect".

Then I discoverd a new biography about Beatrix Potter written by Linda Lear.   Beatrix's work inspires me. Her drawings of rabbits and the whimsical creatures of nature are such a delight.   This book has some fine illustrations within.   Good reading for those moments just before sleep falls.

Marie Angel wrote a great book on painting for Calligraphers.   There is some beautiful art featured through out.  A great deal of it is miniature which I find so intriguing.    Judith Martin's book on "Mastering Sketching" features all the different aspects of this important exercise .   Stanley Maltzman's "drawing trees step by step" is a revisit for me.  His examples are so helpful.  Carla Sonheim has written "Drawing Lab for Mixed-Media Artists".   I read "Collage Lab" by her.   She has some great tips and fun things to try.   Finally "The Pulse of Mixed Media: Secrets and Passions of 100 Artists Revealed" by Seth Apter  promises to get some creative ideas flowing.

Are not books the best?   It is such a priviledge to be able to go to the library and find such treats.

Well now you know what I will be doing for the next few days.   

Hope  you find some time for reading as well!  

God Bless  

First Day of Spring

Whew! Spring is officially here.  With this nice warm weather we are having I am feeling like I am dreadfully behind.  Cleaning, yard work and gardening have me scrambling to and fro. (I think a bit more fro than to .)  Generally March in the Midwest means some nice days and some cold rainy ones.  Not this year...it feels like late May. 

I am loving it though!

Blue Squill

At the beginning of 2012 I set myself some creative goals for the coming year.   One of these was to sketch a different flower that was blooming in the garden each week.  Blue squill was my first drawing of the spring season.   Daffodils, forsythia, chinadoxa, and peach tree blossoms are in bloom now. Looks like I will have a choice.   Keep you posted on this creative endeavor.

If I do not set small challenges for myself I might let the season pass without "seeing" the sweet blessings of this life.  I think in fact that when we stop and "see"  the ordinary things we partake in the extraordinary!

Seeds of Faith

This evening I worked outdoors planting larkspur, iceland poppies and some radishes.   Indoors I started a few tomatoes and peppers.  Then for "my soul" I sowed a few shasta daisies, foxglove and coneflowers.  I like to think as I put the seeds into the dirt I am sowing seeds of faith.  

My wish is that all of you be blessed with time to savor the "sweet things" and sow a bit of faith .   Let me know how it grows!