Where did that week go?

I'm darned if I can figure it out, but here we are, half a day late and running like a greyhound.  I did manage to finish a cheesecloth bowl (about 11" x 13" in width and 3 1/2" deep, with an 8" diameter).  I'm experimenting with larger sizes to see what happens, and I found out that they definitely require more than one layer to manage stability.  Rather like people, I think. 

It certainly can make the bottom layer just as interesting as the top, I think.

I made some progress on the first lesson in Tracy Verdugo's Playful Painter, although I'm thinking it looks more like a dog's breakfast than a start to a vases painting.  We'll see, and I remain hopeful.  

There are parts of it that I find interesting,

although I do need to learn how to control the spray on the water bottle.  

It feels like the whole area contains tiny worlds or galaxies, and goodness knows that's always been a pull for me.

Regardless of what happens with this, it's been fun to experiment and play.

I made some progress on Owen's Pikachi painting, so there's hope for that as well.

And I finished that tag that was in progress last week.  It received a slice of the blue-green Clear Tar Gel bit when it dried.

Thanks to those of you who encouraged me to get off the Procrastination Pony.  May your week have been as free of it as has mine.  ☺️  
 

I've been feeling a bit cheesie...

...but not the eating kind.  I mentioned last week that I hoped to get some more cheesecloth thingies made, and while not completely finished I did have some fun.  The warm side of the spectrum produced this cloth,

and then I did it with blues and yellows for a cooler look.

I always enjoy the textural aspect left on the butcher paper when things are dried,

so I poured some Clear Tar Gel on top of that and waited for it to dry.  I lifted the circle of plasticy goodness, and added it to a tag to finish later.

I started another vase, and while it's looking a gloppy mess right now, I think it's going to be rather pretty when dried.

I've got some lovely blue/green textural play coming up with the leftovers on that butcher paper too,

and have already started another blob with the Clear Tar Gel.  

Of course, I'm not 'supposed' to be doing this at all - I've several projects on the go, and some of them have deadlines to be managed.  Please send all Anti-Procrastination Energy my way, so I get back on track with things that really need doing.  In the meantime, I'll be over here drooling over cheesecloth texture and the infinite possibilities it contains!  Happy creative week to you all.  

There's been more...

 ...colour play in the studio this week.  I made some tags using some of the strips of eye-bleeding catching colour from last week

and did some more colour testing just for fun.  This is Golden Manganese blue hue open acrylic, Golden Hansa yellow fluid acrylic, and Daler Rowney Flame Red ink and I now I have another favourite combo.

Since I was just smooshing the colours with a palette knife, there was no intent to create a design, but closer inspection revealed some likely areas that would make a good abstract. 

The same type of experiment was done over a canvas that had already been splashed with magenta, Hansa and another UFO yellow (likely Quinacridone Gold).  I used Golden Turquoise, Teal and Permanent Violet Dark fluid paints, and Holbein Luminous Opera.  And I am in LOVE with the latter!!

There are some fabulous sections on this canvas,

and I can see playing a whole lot more with this combo.

I also managed to do my November art prompt (suggested by a conversation with art friends).  Using a wide range of grey-to-black alcohol markers, I covered some watercolour paper with scribbles.

The intent was to create with only black to white,

but naturally I couldn't help but add an overabundance of red which looked rather disastrous, I thought.

As always, though, I had fun with the experiment, and the addition of Posca Pen grey in selected areas created some possibilities for next time.  I love art prompts for the unexpected directions they can move one into, and this was no exception.

What have you been up to this week?  I look forward to checking out your creative meanderings.  Happy middle of November to you all!

Arting was short and sweet...

 ...as the week flew by like rocket.  With family in town (happy dancing ensued for four days!), there was little time for anything but quick photos of interesting patterns,

a card for a friend who is leaving her job at the gym in order to work at a winery for the summer, 

a start on cutting a larger scribble Typar stencil

which will be used on this 3' x 4' wood panel.

I've been promising myself for three years to get to work on it so I'm hoping you'll hold me accountable!  It's all gessoed and ready to go, so I have no excuse!!

And I printed some favourite quotes to add to a stash of tags - these will eventually go to the library for their ongoing efforts of fund-raising.  I turn to these small projects when my mind is boggled, and they come together so quickly that it helps to start the creative juices flowing again.

What was your creative week like?  Do you have a gazillion things on the go as well?  Here's to arting everywhere!  

It's getting closer...

...and closer.  I'm wondering whether you're in that zen mode because you've got it all together and ready to go, or are you frenzied and wondering if it will ever be done?

The beauty of this time of year is that it doesn't really matter.  The baking will be finished, the big meal will come together regardless of how many are involved, and still there's time for play in the studio, even if it's a bit haphazard.

I realized that I'd not cut any snowflakes this year so that was definitely on my agenda - it's a 65 year tradition at this point.  None of this boring white stuff for me, though - these babies have got some colour to them.  😉

I'm still playing with my paint shirt, although the mending bits have not yet come into being.  Where are those elves when you need them???

The pile of tags was shrinking, so I got started on some more,

although getting sidetracked was definitely in order this week, so the pile did not grow by much.

Somebody put out a puzzle, and you know what kind of a trap that is...hours may have been lost there.

So while I do some more baking, cutting and puzzling, I'll let Santa say hello and goodbye as we roll towards the big day.

Happy last 10 days to Christmas for you - may all your tasks be creative, fun and done on time!

Well it was a squish. . .

 . . . but I did manage to get another crossed-structure binding completed.  And while I made a mistake, it was a new one, so that's a great thing, right?  No repeats!  🤣

Because I've admired a friend's elastic bindings so much, I created one for this book, which means there will be no slipcase involved due to the depth of the 'jewel' on the elastic.

The elastic and set stone makes the book a clear 3/8" deeper on what would be the inside of the case were there to be one.

I'm loving the black against that p o w colour, so carried it through on all the edging as well.

There were bits of cutoffs from the linking of the binding, and I'd normally throw them in my stash to use another day.  My passion for the colour combination meant that I literally could not wait to create something with them.

I just had to make some tags (I keep a stash for gift-giving) with them, and very much enjoyed the contrast created by different sets of backgrounds.

And front or back, they look terrific to me!

I hope your colour combinations gave you as much joy this week - I look forward to seeing what you've been up to!  

Where did that week go?

I was certain I'd have a host of projects finished this week and yet, here it is Thursday, and I'm wondering what I did this week.

I managed to finish the cover for the Japanese Stab Binding book, and that was great fun.  My usual boisterous colour preference came bounding out of the closet (in there for a time out due to misbehavior), and splashed all over the thing. 

I took the whip to it (the colour preference, that is) and managed to complete a journal page in the large journal.  It's a wee bit quieter.  We're still awaiting our normal spring or what passes for normal this decade.  Spring warms up our surroundings for a day or two, then retreats like a shy kitten sending us lashes of rain and wind, repeating the process again and again.  By the time we get a real spring, it'll be squished up tight into fall at this rate.

I completed some tags from oddments that were drifting into the 'too-long-on-the-table' phase, and they're tucked away neatly in the tag box now, bless them.  They'll head off to some unsuspecting recipient sometime in the next few months.

I did manage to work in the heart journal this week, starting four or five pages that are now looking for additional embellishment.  I managed to make and send a couple of birthday cards (sorry, no photos) and did several hours on the 'Why is that not done yet?' curtains.  Good grief, when I have a crazy idea it just keeps on giving, and giving, and giving.

I reorganized my shelving for the book-making section, and can see that the bottom two shelves (not shown) that are hosting office supplies will need to be cleared out in the near future.  The shelving unit is filling at a great rate.

I hope that you were not only productive this week, but that you enjoyed the process as much as I have done.  Happy creating, my friends.