Drawing #59 - Somebody's Mother

The largest drawing yet - on 15 x 20 watercolor paper - is done! Collage includes pieces from my Mother's elementary reader and her plane geometry textbook. The title came from the reader and I've worked with it in mind. I didn't like the size when I began, but it grew on me. I welcome your comments. Hope you enjoy!

Drawing #58 - Flight 146

I'm back from a week of intense classes at the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh. I took the one called "Law School for Genealogists" and it was a lot to take in and needs lots of follow up time. Still, I packed the beginnings of two small drawings and nearly finished one. Today I added the final touches. It features collage of old books including a bit with the page of 146 and pieces of a photo of a heron or stork. From those come the name. My largest piece to date is coming along well though I didn't like the size when I began. Then I've got the start on that other small piece. Our artist group has another show opening the 2nd of September and I'd like to have all, or mostly, work not yet exhibited. Enjoy!

Drawing #57 - Sharks May Smile

Sharks may smile...but even worse if they do, don't you think? Dick suggested the image might more resemble a Moray eel, but I was set on sharks. In my youth I had trainees who called me the smiling barracuda, so maybe that is coming around again. I so enjoy seeing what emerges in my drawings! This and a large piece have been in the works for a long time, so I'm really happy this one is ready. Enjoy!

Hope to be back soon with the weekly image pages through June.

A Big Week in May

Both ends of week 21 were important days for me embracing genealogy and art. I'm certainly enjoying the comfortable weather too. The new Grant Deming Artist show has mostly new pieces. Mine were done last fall and are now named "Berries of the Asteroids" and Wandering in the Orchard."

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Designer Credits:
-background: Happiness Papers 2 by Maya de Groot
-transfers, brushes, white frame, button, branch: ArtPlay Palette Radiant by Anna Aspnes
-brush, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Generations by Anna Aspnes
-oval and wood frames: From Time to Time by Retro Designs
-bow, flower: Miss Maya by Maya de Groot
fonts: Quigly Wiggley, Mufferaw, Minya Nouvelle, Blue Highway

More Weeks of May

I did a companion to the page for the week arriving in May and then a similar one. For the companion I used one of my own drawings. By now spring is some days sliding into summer and the hard winter is easy to forget until I look at some of the plants that show its effects.

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Designer Credits:
design inspired by Tangled Templates No. 1 by Vicki Stegall Designs
drawing is one of mine titled "The Gathering"
-background: ArtPlay Palette Spring Due by Anna Aspnes
-elements: One Perfect Day by Sue Cummings
fonts: Shogun, Serial Sue, Minya Nouvelle, Scribe, Blue Highway

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Designer Credits:
-background (blended): Amber Pages Vol. 2 by Crafty Button Designs
-paper (blended), transfers, brushes, frame, brad, branch: ArtPlay Palette Radiant by Anna Aspnes
-bird, leaf, swirl: From Time to Time by Retro Designs
fonts: Quigly Wiggley, Mufferaw, Minya Nouvelle, Blue Highway

Val C. Designer Spotlight

Val C. Designs is in the spotlight for the rest of May. We share birthdays in May and an interest in birds but we live far apart. Her designs have lots of appeal. Here's the story on the spotlight.

There's a free add-on and several challenges plus a sale in her shop.

We Made it to MAY!

Did you think the winter would never end? Sometimes we did, but now it is May and really spring. For the week bridging April and May I used a new template, not something I normally do. It's a pretty interesting one though. The week begins at a conference (birding in southern Ohio) and ends with the end of another conference (genealogy in Sandusky.)

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Designer Credits:
-template: Tangled Templates No. 1 by Vicki Stegall Designs
-papers, paints, doily, bird: Softly by Vicki Robinson
fonts: Serial Sue, Zurich Calligraphic, Minya Nouvelle, Scribe, Blue Highway

GSO on Heritage Page

I did a heritage page following a tutorial and it has taken off in the comments and then garnered a Gallery Standouts listing. Pretty exciting stuff. The photo includes my brother and sister and some of our father's relatives.

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Designer Credits:
tutorial from Anna's blog on heritage photos: [link]
all by Anna Aspnes
ArtPlay Palette Tangier
ArtPlay Palette Family
4 X 6 ArtsyKardz Traveler
Trees No. 1
fonts: Amherst, Brush455 BT

March: An Uncertain Dance Into Spring

Using bird photos from last year I've put together a 2-page spread evincing my feeling about the month of March and the back and forth nature of its getting to Spring. Hope you enjoy!

Here are the left and right pages separately in you want a closer look.

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Designer Credits:
8 ArtPlay Palettes by Anna Aspnes

• paper: Friends 
• brush: Destiny 
• brush, postage stamp, 2 transfers: Spring Due 
• branch, sparkle overlay: Sparkle 
• gold paint, transfer: For the Record 
• word, 2 transfers: Lush 
• brush, flower, transfer: Natural Instinct 
• button, 2 artstrokes, transfer, folded paper: Remember 

fonts: Artistamp Medium, FreekTure, Ultima Campagnoli

Big Birding Day on the River

I don't know where the time has gone, but I've done lots of scrapbook pages since I posted here. One that just demanded to be done is from Sunday, March 9. We had a wonderful time and saw a quite uncommon bird. My pictures of this Pomarine Jaeger aren't good, but I got a number of them so put them together as documentation of this uncommonly cooperative bird and a special memory.

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Designer Credits:
-template: FotoWallet Album Template No. 1H by Anna Aspnes
-background ArtPlay Palette EnRoute by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Pea Beth, Probem Secretary Normal

Frozen Expanse, Subtle Signs of Life

These photos are from the lakefront yesterday. Today we have light rain and snow is trying to melt, but it has a long way to go yet. The page used a template from this month's copycat challenge.

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Designer Credits:
-template: Copycat Challenge by Timounette based on Paddling by Ann06 
-background, gesso, stamp, bead: Nevermind by Studio 68
-edge: Surround It - 1 by Merkeley Designs
fonts: James Fajardo, Lithograph

Surviving February

Today was warmer, but it will take a lot to really reduce the snow and make winter fade. Here are two weeks of February as they were for me.

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Designer Credits:
-papers, emphera, word art, button, paint: Nevermind by Studio 68
-border: WoodShop MapPrints Paperie No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-transfer, frame: ArtPlay Palette Radiant by Anna Aspnes
-stitched frames: FotoInspired Stitched Frames No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-string: ArtPlay Palette Natural Instinct by Anna Aspnes
-thin frame: FineEdge Frames No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-swirl: Scribble It by Merkeley Designs
fonts: Capture it, Lithograph, Palette, Courtney Dorkling, Blue Highway

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Designer Credits:
-gesso: Nevermind by Studio 68
-frame, rectangle brush, banner: ArtPlay Palette Radiant by Anna Aspnes
-white paper, gesso: Miss Niki by Maya de Groot
-border paper, paint, heart: They Call It Love by Re Kneipp
fonts: Lithograph, Versu, Courtney Dorkling, Blue Highway

My Valentine

Another challenge this month was a color one requiring some use of red. I tried something a little different that became a Valentine for my sweetie.

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Design Credits:
All from the Oscraps Collab It's A Wonderful Life

For part of my inspiration see Adryane's "this and that"

Fun With J. M. W. Turner's Painting

This month there is an art journaling challenge to alter a work of art. You might like to check it out here. I chose to go with a watercolor painting by Turner. This was a fun way to portray an idea and experience from my school days.

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Designer Credits:
painting: Lake of Zug, Early Morning, 1843
photo: by Vélocia, Creative Commons http://www.flickr.com/photos/27089900@N00/2834643153/
kit: Oscraps Collab It's A Wonderful Life
fonts: Engravers MT, Vladimir Script, Doodle, Vintage, Corbel

The rest of January in photos

Week 3 pairs with the already posted week 2 in blues while weeks 4 and 5 appear in black and white. It has been a time of lots of weather contrasts. It's also been a time of interesting and rewarding times. Click on the images to see them larger and perhaps read about the days of January.

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Design Credits:
-background: ArtsyBlendz Snow Paperie No. 2 by Anna Aspnes
-stitching: All Stitched v. 2 by Kitty Designs
-glass frame, bird, journal tag: Simply Serene by Retro Designs
-swirl: The Silver Flakes by Kitty Designs
-branch: Twiggy No. 1 BrushSet by Anna Aspnes
-paint: Terra Toni by Maya de Groot
-number tag: itty bitty dates no. 8 by Biograffiti
fonts: Mufferaw, Blue Highway, (tag: Lithograph, Erie Contour)

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Design Credits:
Contrast by Maya de Groot
fonts: Courtney Dorkling, Lithograph, EwieD, Blue Highway

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Design Credits:
-papers, paint, tag: Contrast by Maya de Groot
-frame, branch, splatter: Like a Bird by Maya de Groot
-button, star, swirl, paint: Winter Whites by Tracy Martin
-brush, transfer: Oscraps Collab It's A Wonderful Life
fonts: Lithograph, EwieD, Courtney Dorkling, Blue Highway

Drawing #56 - A Night At the Grammys

Last Sunday we watched the Grammys on TV. It's where we learn about new music performers and what's popular each year. In the following week I began using my new drafting desk in the new space in my studio. What a joy that is! Can you believe I'm up on the third floor with no clock, TV, phone, or computer? Perfect. The result is on a small watercolor block with the drawing restricted to an 8 x 10 space.

Don't forget to click on the image to see it a bit larger.

Week of the Polar Vortex

The first full week of January brought extremely cold weather, our official low both Monday and Tuesday down to -11 F. Then of course it warmed up and Saturday we went above 50 F. Always something different.

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Designer Credits:
-background: KardStock Winter No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-paint, word art: Miss Jasmine by Maya de Groot
-stitching: All Stitched v. 2 by Kitty Designs
-blue paper, transfer, silver paint: ArtPlay Palette Wish by Anna Aspnes
-white frame: ArtPlay Palette Epic by Anna Aspnes
-glass frame: Simply Serene by Retro Designs
-silver paint: SilverPaint No. 1 ElementSet by Anna Aspnes
-snowflake, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Sparkle by Anna Aspnes
-number tag: itty bitty dates no. 8 by Biograffiti
fonts: Mufferaw, Blue Highway, (tag: Lithograph, Erie Contour)

2014: January's 1st (short) week

The first four days of January were snowy but not that unpleasant. It's only after this short week that we had to deal with the frigid air and really disagreeable weather. We did survive both snow and cold though so how can I complain?

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Designer Credits:
-kit: Oscraps Collab: It's A Wonderful Life
-white frame: Gwenifer by Jopke Designs
-photo edge: Surround It No. 1 by Merkely Designs
-number tag: itty bitty dates no. 8 by Biograffiti
fonts: Chalk, Mufferaw, Dawn Castle, (tag: Lithograph, Erie Contour)

Drawing #55 - The Prickly Mr. G.

"Mr. G." appears in the text from an old book of a Tennyson work. You can see that if he's embedded in this drawing, he has to be pretty prickly. This time I've worked with a 9 x 12 watercolor block and a bit more color than usual. Click on the image to see it larger.

Beginning 2014

We have a tradition to bird on New Year's Day and start a new list of birds seen for the year. We aren't obsessive about lists (anymore) but it is a fun way to the start the year. The last few years I've scrapped a page about our birds on the 1st. Wednesday morning we had more snow falling but by afternoon it was pretty nice. We enjoyed two hours out. Since then we've had more snow then some sun. We're going to get more snow and then super cold temperatures. Here's the 2014 page. Please click on the image to see it larger and perhaps read the text.

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Designer Credits:
-background: Stylish Canvas No. 1 by Lydia Designs
-darker paper (blended): WoodShop MapPrints Paperie No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-white transfer: ArtPlay Palette For the Record by Anna Aspnes
-number alpha: 52 Inspirations {2012} Week 24 by Vicki Stegall
-black stitcing: Be Grateful by Sabrina's Creations
-mother-of-pearl button: Changes by Tracy Martin
-staples: Oscraps Collab Soiree by Vicki Stegall
-black frame: Oscraps Collab Journey by Anna Aspnes
-brad: Oscraps Collab Journey by Merkeley Designs
-pale frame: Like A Bird by Maya de Groot
-buff frame: ArtPlay Palette Christmas Magic by Anna Aspnes
-silvery frame: ArtPlay Palette Wish by Anna Aspnes
-stitched border: Art Book My Star by Val C. Designs
-white button: Contrast by Maya de Groot
-fabric button, metal button: ArtPlay Palette Remember by Anna Aspnes
-gold staple: Autumn Pieces by Paula Kesselring
-title frame: Trim It Edges #7 by Merkeley Designs
fonts: Stonehenge, Ziggy Zoe

P.S. It was a challenge to use 14 different frames or fasteners on the page.

Ending 2013

I've done the final weeks and days of 2013. Hard to believe the special year '13 has now gone. I did not use a template for my pages after week 1 until I came to the 3 days after week 52. Here I used another template though I made more changes to it and used two photos for two of the days. Remember to click on the images to see them larger and text big enough to read.

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Designer Credits:
-background, frame, stars, brush, overlay, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Christmas Magic by Anna Aspnes
-border paper: Moments by Cinzia Designs
-gold leaf: Season's Greetings by Studio 68
-card: Happy Holidays by Maya de Groot
fonts: Hurry Up, Huxtable

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Designer Credits:
-background: Timeless mini kit by Cinzia Designs
-border, berries, leaf, word art: Oh Joy! by Paula Kesselring
-card: ArtsyKardz Everyday No. 1 by Anna Aspnes
-overlay, transfer: ArtPlay Palette Christmas Magic by Anna Aspnes
-dot overlay, paint overlay: ArtPlay Palette Wish by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Hurry Up, Huxtable

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Designer Credits:
-template: Holiday Template Pack No. 1G by Anna Aspnes
-background, glitter, bird, plant: Shimmery by Kitty Designs
-branch: ArtPlay Palette Wish by Anna Aspnes
-transfer: ArtPlay Palette Christmas Magic by Anna Aspnes
fonts: Hurry Up, Huxtable