It's A Brand New Day-a-A-hay!

And the first of September to boot! 


Today will always be special to me because it's the day my son, Bear, was due to be delivered. I was so sure he'd come before my due date because Hillary was a day early and it was my second pregnancy but, being one of my children, he had different plans and came three weeks later! Jerry's mom said he was a 10 month baby...just like Jerry. 

I can't wait to see him and Winge in Kansas October 8-14! He has a few days leave before he deploys to Iraq or Afghanistan so we'll celebrate birthdays (Winge's was last Saturday) and Thanksgiving while we're there. Did I say I can't wait!?!


OK - Back to art stuff...


While waiting on our container to be delivered I would alternate between watching the world go by as we sat on our balcony, painting the flowers on the wall out back, and sketching. 

(While I was sketching Jerry spent a lot of time getting to know the neighborhood birds)...

 
I've gotten fairly confident about looking at a picture and reproducing it on paper and I want to give a lot of people thank you notes, so I made cards with either Zentangles or sketches on them. The only art supplies I put in my suitcase were pens/pencils and paper. Here's a picture I drew on the inside of the card from the picture that is on the front. 

I wrote my note around the drawing and really was tickled about the way it turned out. 


I've told myself ALL my life that I can't draw and up until a few years ago, believed it. Then, I joined the local Decorative Artists group in Cape Coral (2k2ish) and learned a little about paint. I didn't like using the same old patterns that everyone else was using and decided to try to do my own thang. 

I'm an avid library user and checked out tons of books (although I only read about 10 pounds worth) on drawing and finally got up enough nerve to at least try it. Since then, I sketch on a semi-regular basis and really love some of what I've been able to do. What I love the most is looking at those sketches and realizing that I did them. Me...who couldn't draw. It just flat out amazes me.

I always thought about going out and about Cape Coral (otherwise known as Paradise) and Tampa Bay when I lived there with my sketchbook and pencils and just see what I turned up with - but never took the time to do it. I think I was afraid that someone might look over my shoulder and I'd be thoroughly embarrassed. I'm thinking now that when Sophia gets a little older, she and I can do some - what do they call it? - plein air? (Or is that just for painters)? 

I encourage you to get a sketchbook and start drawing if you've ever thought you'd like to and didn't for whatever reason. You'll be thrilled and delighted if you keep at it. And, if you've never heard of zendalas, or zentangles, google the word and try that too. It's so...Zen.

Speaking of tangles and mandalas...have you ever made a fabric or paper book? I love doing them. <3. Talk about Zen. 

I have an abundance of pens of every description - Sharpies, paint pens, micron, and on and on and on and decided last autumn that I'd start trying to use them up so they wouldn't dry up. When I was sitting at my dear friend Vickie's dining room table before Christmas, she was painting the cutest little snowmen on wood signs (she sells them by the dozen) and I was drawing on fabric with those aforementioned pens.

I was working on a potential gift and drew out the letters of another friend's name on a pinkish taffeta like fabric. I don't worry too much about ink being permanent because my stuff isn't washed but as I was drawing these letters, the moisture from my hands caused some running and smearing so I figured I'd put them away until I knew what to do with them. 


After I finished the alligator quilties, I started thinking about ideas for a birthday present for my friend (whose name I'd made the letters for). I've been wanting to free motion stitch zendalas ever since I first saw them and got busy filling in the letters - with thread! I made a page for a book out of each letter and then embellished them with all kinds of stuff  - stamping, stenciling, beads, ephemera, etc. Here's what the cover and back page looked like when I was looking for buttons...

If you click on the picture you can probably see what I mean my filling in the letters with stitch.


I'm working on techniques from Beryl Taylor's book - Mixed Media Explorations - that I'll show you eventually and plan to use my 'samplers' as book pages. I have dozens of books in my head.


This is making me want to get into the play room! But just one more picture before I go...

Sophia, with the help of her mommy, made me a collage!!! I'll treasure it always. When she brought it to my house she told me she needed to add glue to it and that's what she's doing here in the picture. Cool Whip! huh?!? My little artist. :)