Making Marks

Gratitude

2008-01-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

OK, so 2008 hasn't been so great thus far. Hubby was the victim of armed robbery on January 2nd. I'm currently unemployed. I need to focus on the things and people I am grateful for.

How about the littles? The wee ones are a great source of pride and joy, love and comfort to me. They sure enjoyed Christmas this year and we enjoyed them!

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

I wish you a Happy New Year!

This year's buzz phrase is:

2008 is going to be GREAT!

I hope so because 2007 was a very rough year. Every area of my life was challenged and they were not easy challenges either. They were the type that dealt with family and friends, jobs, life and death, and core values. I held fast to my beliefs and made it through to the end. I breathed a sign of relief when the ball dropped at Times Square ringing in the new year. Here's to letting the lessons learned in 2007 bear fruit in 2008. Yes, It's going to be a great year!

Pumpkin Fluff

2008-01-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

A Collage

2007-02-06T16:04:00.000-08:00

This is the collage I did as an exercise for Walking in This World. I think its telling me to slow down, enjoy the music, the sights, the smells, and the colors of life.

Artist Date

2007-01-27T19:40:00.000-08:00

Today I took myself on an artist date. It was nothing fancy. I didn't even have to leave the comfort of my home. The house was quiet and I was alone so I let myself play with some of my software -- Photoshop Elements. I opened a random clip from my clip art file to play with. I started adding layers, gradients, playing with brushes, the color picker, layer styles and types. When I was finished my creation was too cute to trash so I saved it. This is my first Walking 2007 piece and it was a lot of fun making it. Sometimes art isn't planned--it just happens.

Baby Camryn

2007-01-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of little Camryn Leigh.

Nicole's Baby Shower

2006-11-20T17:15:00.000-08:00

Callie showning off while Tayah enjoys her refreshment.

Tayah is happy now. Cheryl and Sue.

The guests had a great time too!

Nobody went away hungry or prizeless.

Nicole's Baby Shower

2006-11-20T17:04:00.000-08:00

Sue made the most gorgeous cake--Strawberry Shortcake!!!

Nicole's Baby Shower

2006-11-20T16:57:00.000-08:00

These are the handmade items from Aunt Patti.

Nicole's Baby Shower

2006-11-20T14:39:00.000-08:00

Camryn got lots of nice clothes including several made by the aunts. Patti knitted two sweaters, a blanket, and monogrammed many items especially for Cami. Sue made some darling onesies and outfits and a Strawberry Shortcake quilt with satin binding. Sue Canute monogrammed some darling outfits and Nicole's mom made her a cute fluffy quilt. The rest of us bought the darling outfits she got.

EDM #54 -- Draw Someone or Something You Love

2006-10-25T06:07:00.000-07:00

This is Caleb who turned four this summer. He is my first grandchild. I have a bit of a special bond with him as he was a year old before I missed spending a day with him. That was hard.

EMD # 42 -- Draw Something You are Thankful for

2006-10-25T06:04:00.000-07:00

This is my second grandson Elijah. We call him Eli. He was three this summer. He will soon have a new little sister named Camryn. I'm not only thankful for Elijah but that soon he will not be an only child. He wants to see his new baby sister so bad. He calls her Cami Camryn. It's so cute.

EDM #26 - Draw anything you like

2006-10-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

This is my only (so far) granddaughter Tayah. She is 13 months old. She will be joined by a little cousin Camryn who is due January 3, 2007. Then I will have two little girlies! Yeah!!

EDM #56 -- Self-Portrait

2006-10-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a pair of self portraits I did a while back. The first is in graphite and the second in colored pencil. In an effort to remove the background in Photoshop Elements I lost some of the color of my hair. I'll have to rescan this one.

EDM #41 -- Draw a Landmark of Your City

2006-10-24T05:49:00.000-07:00

I did these sketches in pen and ink a couple of years ago for a swap I was in. They will do for the landmark challenge until I get caught up. Soon I hope to be drawing something new.

Odds - N - Ends

2006-10-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

This spool of thread was supposed to be a practice sketch of lines. I added some watercolor to spruce it up a bit.

EDM #61 Grouping of Objects

2006-10-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

Draw a grouping of two or more similar objects.

This is a picture of my pin cushion done in colored pencil.

EDM #74 -- Draw Some Clouds

2006-10-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

These are terrible. At least it gives me something

to do over.

EDM # 65 -- Draw a Nose

2006-10-23T17:51:00.000-07:00

Another facial piece for my oddball portrait.

I'm going to have to put them all together into a digital collage just to see what it ends up looking like. Later though. I still have a lot of catching up to do on my sketching.

EDM #10 -- One of My First Drawings

2006-10-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

EDM # 10 -- Draw a hand

This one is from a Betty Edwards exercise. It is pretty bad because it makes my fingers look short and chubby which is the opposite of what they are. Guess I was concentrating on lines and shading instead of proportions.

EDM #53 -- Draw a Mouth

2006-10-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here is my drawing of a mouth but I'm not talking about it. I really don't have much to say except that if I put all these facial parts together I could have a portrait. An odd looking portrait to be sure but hey- - !

EDM #79 -- Huh??

2006-10-23T17:40:00.000-07:00

EDM # 79 -- Draw an Ear.

What? I can't hear you. I seem to be missing an ear.

This was a lot more fun to draw than I thought it would be.

EDM #33 -- Draw an Eye

2006-10-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

This is my

EDM #33 -- Draw an eye.

Done in graphite in my moleskine sketchbook.

EDM #24 -- Ahhh - some color!

2006-10-23T17:33:00.000-07:00

EDM #24 - draw some fruit.

I chose this luscious looking peach.

It is done with colored pencil in my sketchbook. The tooth of the paper still shows through quite a bit. I think I need to either add more layers of color or blend the colored pencil with either a blending pencil or blending pen.

EDM #23 -- Draw your foot

2006-10-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

These are my feet for EDM #23 -- draw your foot. I decided that since they come as a pair that's what I would draw. I really need to work on my proportions more though. I'm not very happy with them but I understand that the more I draw the better i will get.

EDM #1 -- Draw a Shoe

2006-10-23T17:15:00.000-07:00

I finally have time to upload some sketches. My goal is to complete the past Every Day Matters (EDM) assignments and then try to keep current.

I have some 90 drawings to catch up on so I'm using sketches that I have done over the last couple of years since the challenges started but was too busy to have time to scan and upload them.

EDM #1 -- Draw a shoe

This is a quick sketch of one of my husband's tennis shoes.

Back to School

2005-08-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

Sharpen those pencils, grab some paper, get ready to read, write, and study. School started yesterday where I work. My online college class started today and my on-campus class starts on Monday. Callie begins her sophomore year of high school on Monday also.

Even the weather testifies that it's time to go back to school. The hot and humid days I so loved morphed into crisper air and dew drenched mornings. It's a good thing I love school and learning and reading and writing and oh yes, my computer. I'll be spending many hours at the keyboard as the days shorten. And I was having such fun with my journal and assorted markers in those three weeks between terms.

I didn't get a vacation this year. No time. I went on a "Sisters" outing though. Sue, Kate, and I went up north to visit our parents. Our sister Patti couldn't join us as she had to work and it just wasn't the same without her. We agreed that we need to do more "sister" things together.

Enjoy the journal pages I posted. I did the sketch of Cheryl and Caleb three summers ago when he was an infant. Within the next month I expect to be doing pencil sketches of her new baby --my first granddaughter. Stay tuned for pictures.......

More Lettering Practice

2005-08-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some practice sheets in my journal using different pens and lettering styles. I like the addition of glitter pens or markers for accents. I softened the word pretty with a blender pen.

Journal Pages

2005-08-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

I finally scanned some journal pages to share. I promised my friends in an online group that I would post some examples of my lettering practice. Here is the first sample with gel markers on black paper. I blended the marker using a waterbrush.

Back to the Blog

2005-08-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

I'm back and with a whole new look. Whew!!! That was one long break. I promise not to go so long without posting again. I got caught up in life. School, family, work....you know the story. I'm sharing the cover from one of my favorite journals. I don't often take the time to decorate the covers so this is special.

I just started journal Volume 60. I put lots of photos in my daily entries. I'm trying to sketch more and I'm working on my lettering. I joined Nicolette's two lettering classes http://nickieblog.blogspot.com/ and I'm using several books on calligraphy and lettering. I'm having fun experimenting and hope to share some samples soon. I've already told my three children that these journals highlight events in their lives as well as mine and should be treasured after I'm gone.

March Madness

2005-03-07T17:55:00.000-08:00

It's March already? Where did the time go? This weather is madness. Last week we had snow storms severe enough to close school for two days. Yesterday it warmed up and was almost like Spring. The snow melted away. Today the temperatures dipped again and the puddles of water are now ice ponds. The temperature isn't supposed to get above the teens all week. And I'm on spring break from college. Go figure!

2005-01-11T18:39:00.001-08:00

Caleb age 2

2005-01-11T18:39:00.000-08:00

Elijah age 1

Resolutions

2005-01-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

What happened to time? I think I got stuck in a procrastination time warp. I thought about my blog regularly and every once in a while I would peek in on it like a sleeping child. I meant to update it but then life happened.

I resolve to do a better job at keeping my blog updated. There, now that the first entry of the new year and the resolution are out of the way maybe I can proceed.

So what really happened? TV. All the new shows came on. Have you seen 24 hours yet? That show captivated me. Then again anything that keeps me from doing the walking DVD's that I asked for at Christmas is a welcome diversion. Walking can be hard work. I swear my arms hurt after just one session. I was so proud that I did the first segment of it. Then I found out that it wasn't the end of the segment but a switch to the strength building exercizes. I decided to perform those visually and mentally. Somehow that's just not quite as effective on the cellulite.

On a more encouraging note my weight loss is continuing at a steady pace and I survived the holidays and lost weight in tandem. Not bad. I'm back to keeping daily entries in my journal. I've been keeping a daily journal for years now and I disappoint myself when I skip days or even a week at a time. I did some sketching over the holidays. I was thrilled that I still knew how.

I'm adding the two sketches I did as Christmas gifts for my kids. The portraits are graphite drawings of my two grandsons. Their parents loved them.

2004-12-01T06:29:00.000-08:00

Practice Sketch of Caleb (age 2)

Snow Day

2004-12-01T05:58:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? Today is the first day of December and our first snow day. No school. No work. Well, almost. I still have to go in later to get things ready for tonight's Advent service. Still part of a day off is better than no day off. Yippee! That means I have a couple of extra hours to draw.

Last night I worked on a sketch of my grandson. It's not finished and I'm not happy with the proportions so I think I'll call this a practice sketch and move on to something else.

A hot cup of coffee sounds good. I think I'll go unearth my drawing grids and light box while I'm waiting for the pot to brew. Maybe the smell will wake the sleeping around here.

If I can convince my husband and daughter to bring the Christmas tree in from the garage maybe we can get that up by tonight. Yesterday they rearranged the living room. Had to make room for a 6 foot singing and dancing Santa Clause that my husband fell in love with AND it was on sale. I kid you not. Karaoke Santa lives in my family room.

All this snow makes it official! Christmas is on its way!!

2004-11-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

Sketching Practice

Sketching Again

2004-11-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

How does time pass so quickly? It's been a while since I posted anything. There are two reasons for this: 1) I couldn't think of anything witty to write and 2) I didn't have any new artwork to share. Ashamed at my lack of resolve to keep this blog current I gathered some art supplies and set to work.

Picture me digging through my art room looking for the box with my drawing pencils. I felt like a dog who had misplaced his buried bone. The room looked like a spring lawn attacked by gophers. There were hills and mounds everywhere. It turned into a scavenger hunt as my semi-orderly room was tuned over pile by pile as I looked for my favorite pencils, erasers, and blending stumps. Eventually I found what I fondly call the essentials. Armed with my pregnant looking journal and a new book called "Drawing Portraits for Dummies" I set to work. My drawing skills are rusty but I did the first exercise before retiring for the night. I scanned the sketch for you to enjoy.

I made it through the Thanksgiving holiday and even managed to lose 4.25 pounds. This is my first big loss since joining Weight Watchers a month ago. I finally earned my 5 pound bookmark. I owe it all to Pumpkin Fluff. I love this stuff. I raced home after the meeting (okay so I always race) and made another batch to reward myself. I ate so much I feel like a pumpkin. Here's the recipe in case you want to give it a try.

Pumpkin Fluff

1 box vanilla sugar-free fat-free instant pudding
1 box butterscotch sugar-free fat-free instant pudding
4 cups skim milk
l large can pumpkin
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
4 0unces (1/2 small carton) fat-free cool whip

Blend the two boxes of pudding with the milk until thick. Blend in the pumpkin and spices. Blend in the cool whip

Scoop into a bowl and top with some cool whip and eat. Lick the spoon. Scrape some into a reduced-fat graham cracker pie crust and chill for Pumpkin Fluff Pie.

I can't believe I ate this stuff all weekend and still lost weight. I like it even better than regular pumpkin pie and that's one of my favorite desserts. The best part is my husband and daughter like it okay but they don't LOVE it like I do. More for me!!

I'd share the 1 point Brownie recipe but those turned out like shoe leather. My daughter hates them. My husband said it reminded him of chocolate jerky. He ate two squares this morning because he had a pot of coffee to wash them down with. I think that recipe could cure a chocoholic.

2004-11-11T16:47:00.000-08:00

Collaged journal entry from the past.

It's Cold Outside

2004-11-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

It's cold outside again. Warm. Cold. Comfortble. Cold. We're on a weather yo-yo. I opt for warm or comfortable or even hot. I'm tired of cold hands and feet and noses already and winter isn't even here yet. Bring on the quilts and sweaters and slippers.

I started a new diet. I'm three pounds lighter this week. I swing from hungry to full, seldom satisfied. I fill up on vegetables and fruit and wait until I'm starving again. I feel like a walking bag of mixed salad with a dash of low-fat ranch dressing. I should be drinking more water but there is nothing worse than water logged lettuce or squishy vegetables.

I haven't had much time for art or to write in my journal. I try to snatch an hour or so every couple of days. I'm using double stick tape and old photos or clipart or pages from swaps and writing around them. Not very creative but I have to do something. After art journaling for a few years now the plain old penmanship entries just don't get it for me. I long for a block of uninterrupted time to sketch or paint or play with my art supplies. Instead I surf the web and look at what others are creating thereby wasting the slice of creative time available to me.

My life reminds me of a song I learned in Junior High School called My Grandfather's Clock. The pendulum swings back and forth...cold...comfortable...hungry...full...busy...bored...thrifty...wasteful. There isn't much in between time...comfortable...satisfied...occupied...creative.

I'll Never Be Good Enough

2004-11-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

I'll never be good enough. That's one of the lies my inner critic likes to whisper in my ear whenever I try to squeeze in a bit of art or writing in those minutes between the lull and the storm. I can think of hundreds of people who write or draw or collage better than I do.

Another lie is that is should be perfect. If it can't be perfect or at least very good then I'd better not waste my time with it. Or how about this one...It's too much effort to pull out all those supplies just for one page and then have to put them all away again or tip toe around the mess.

Here's another...I work better in a clean space and this space just isn't clean enough AND I'm not in the mood to clean it.

Today's entry is proof that I don't have to be inspired to just write. I don't even have to do well at it. I give myself 2 points for the effort. Now I have to go find something to eat that's worth 2 points.

2004-11-07T13:12:00.000-08:00

Altered Playing Card

2004-11-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

Scribbles

Beginnings

2004-11-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

It's nice to begin again. I've been so busy with work and school and starting a new diet that I seldom have time for writing in my journal or creating art.

My previous excuse for not dieting was that I didn't have time. Funny how I find the time to eat though. Now to find time to create and write.

Rhetorical Question:
Why is it that going on a diet makes me so hungry? Usually I can skip meals until I'm starved and then get away with eating whatever I want. It takes less to fill me up that way. On a diet I feel hungry when I eat more food. There are some days I'm so hungry I'm tempted to gnaw my arm off. Therefore I am now officially into comfort foods. This week's comfort food is soup. We had chili a few days ago when it was chilly out. Today I made veggie soup for vegging out. It feels good to be full. It feels comforting. Nice hot soup is soothing and filling. Try some!