It's been a scrambled week...

...and I feel like I've accomplished little in the studio.  I did manage to mangle the last length of painted cheesecloth into a tall vase, with mixed results.

While I do like the colour and shape of the vase (it's about 8 1/2" tall with a 9" flare at the top), the challenges of getting the vase out of the protective plastic around the glass without tearing the cheesecloth were legion, and I may need to leave the vase in there for strength and support.

I did manage to get started on adding greenery to the vases on the Tracy Verdugo Playful Painter lesson, and will likely do more on that this week...there are so many possibilities.

 

I've done a few more collages in my mini journal, and realize there are only six more to do in this final signature  That means it won't be too long before I can go back and start adding embellishments in odd bits of time.  This first one is much quieter than my norm.

I always love seeing these painted dryer sheet backgrounds - the texture just makes me happy.

And of course, I can't help but enjoy the colour on this one.

I'm also putting together a 'Pokemon Poster Kit' for my grandson's birthday on Saturday.  We'll be heading over the pass for a day trip, and I've got my fingers crossed that the larch have started to turn colour.  It's one of my favourite drives when the gold burns against the green.

Happy week to you - may your autumn be as colourful as you desire!  

 

It may not have been...

...a highly productive week in the studio, but I've managed at the least to get some juicy thoughts on the tables.

Owen's  fifth birthday is coming up soon, and his request this year for his birthday painting is Pikachu.  If you're as cartoon-challenged as am I, the link will give you an explanation.  😉

I found a painted cheesecloth in the studio that will be a great experiment with more GAC400 for a little larger vase.  Wish me luck!

I've finished two of the five signatures in my mini collage 'travel ' journal.  I'd say it's time to get the other two done, don't you think?

I've half a dozen watercolour sheets (12 x 16") being pressed, for some Tracy Verdugo Playful Painter lessons.  I'm feeling anticipatory to the max.

And I've got one ready to go just as soon as I can find the mojo and time!

I'm auditioning some elements for a painting, and being totaly underwhelmed by this look.  Thinking, thinking, thinking.

Our July was so lovely, I've been spending more time outside, and less in the studio.  I thought you'd enjoy seeing some of our surroundings.

Our sunrises have been glorious recently,

and the combination of sunshine and rain have made the gardens particularly glorious.  It almost makes me want to take up gardening in my spare time.  🤣😂😅

Sending you wishes for an outstanding August and a gentle leadup into fall - another beautiful season.  Happy creating, however you're doing it!  

There it went again...

 ...and we're into July already!  How did that happen?

It's been a lovely week, starting with a lovely morning coffee on the deck at Good Company Coffee , an outstanding spot overlooking orchards and vineyards just down the road from us.  John says they have the best hot chocolate ever, and had two cups to prove it.

We enjoyed the Farmer's Market, and scored these lovely sweet peas.  Now the house smells like my grandfather's garden, and what could be happier than that?

An early morning sunrise was a great place to spot some birdsong through the window.  The sky was a truly lovely background, don't you think?

And of course there was time to play in the studio with more collages-in-progress in the mini travel journal.

As I did last week, I stuck to two or three different papers, and simple formats.  Goodness knows how they'll end up, though!  Or even when, come to think of it - the summer is so lovely it's constantly calling me outside to play.  

I hope your summer (or winter in that other half of the world) is progressing as it should, with sunshine, creativity, and pure, unadulterated joy.  

Are you Halloweening yet?

Are the costumes floating around your neighbourhood?  I hope you'll enjoy them, whenever they appear.  They've not started yet, but we're prepared for all sorts of fun.  Even the trees look a little spooky in daylight, so you can imagine what the witches and warlocks will make of them this evening!

There are spirits appearing in the wild canvas,

and the landscape there is changing by the moment.

While it's not clear what's going on, there is definitely something in the shadows.

The floral spread has received some colour, and these blooms are like nothing I've seen in 'the real world'.

And what looked like a landscape has obviously been visited by some other beings.

Only the Christmas cards look anything like normal, I'd say.

I'll be checking your blogs for any hints of the supernatural, and, in the meantime, wish you a spooky Halloween.  Happy week, all!

Flying time...

...seems to be the theme this fall, and this week was jam-packed.  Accordingly, I didn't manage to get much done in the studio.

I did some scratching back in the wildly coloured canvas

and took another look at the head to see where it was going.  (Essentially, I think I was trying to look inside my own head. 🤔)

With some 30+ Christmas cards on the go and in various states of completion, there was some activity on that table.

And because I had a yen to play with coloured pens, I started another spread in the floral signature that's been in the works for ages.  Incidently, do you have a preference for paint pens?  I use Posca pens, and just recently purchased some of the new Sharpie paint pens.  While both have advantages, I'm still looking for the perfect one.  Suggestions????

And holy smokes - did I hit paydirt at the gym this morning?  Their wristband for the day is a hot pink, and I was drooling the whole time I was working out.  I'm sure I can find a place for it in the collage journal (that is also still in progress).  Isn't it a fabulous colour?!!!  I'm trying to determine whether I have enough energy to go and do another workout just to score another.  😉

Fingers crossed that your week has been one of accomplishment and wild creativity, and do let me know about your favourite paint pens, please!!  

Well that went quickly -

 - this week, I mean.  We were away celebrating a grandson's fourth birthday  which was a real treat.  You can tell from the photo that he enjoyed it, too!

I did manage to get some work done in the mini collage journal ( know you'll recognize this first one from last week, with what I expect to be the final tweeks).

I also manage to make a colossal mess of one of my tables when I cut, and cut, and cut more circles.

I did manage to get a start on the floral collage in that travel signature from last week, though, and the table did finally get sorted (into another mess, of course!).

And somewhere along the way I played with some new Sharpie pens and finished another grandson's birthday painting.

I did not, however, do any major testing on that wacko toilet roll holder thingy from last week, so that's an excitement-yet-to-come for you all.  🤣  May your week have been filled with a host of fun creativity; I look forward to stopping by to see your results!!

In full (fall) force...

 ...I'd say.  

There's just something about fall that pulls me into the studio.  Normally, it's the cooler weather, but that hasn't been the case this week, so I'm blaming it on the colour.

I'd planned on using the leftover circular 'flowers' from last week to add to the floral travel journal as auditioned below.  I can see that I need some more, though, so that's a project for leftover paper bits this coming week.

I particularly like this one on the lower right.

I found a toilet roll holder lurking as I was on a cleaning binge, so I turned it into this 'something-or-other', and plan on using it for a funky gel print background, assuming my mental image matches the reality.  Of course, there are no guarantees that will happen.  😉

I started on some cover embellishments for the travel journal, with more to come.

And I had some more fun in the mini collage journal.  Only 3 gazillion more images to finish. 😉

I can't seem to stick to any one colour combination for more than a few minutes at a time, so I'm jumping all over the place.  

I particularly like this colour combination.

This oh-so-blue one needs some contrast don't you think?  What's your suggestion?!

And what the heck have you been up to this week?  I can hardly wait to pop over and see!