My paint shirt...

 ...blew another gasket this week, on the left elbow this time.

I am not a fast mender by any means and with embroidery involved, it'll be a while before I can wear this again.

I was amused to see that the tear area hit some of the same colour tones as did the abstract piece I'm working on right now, and with the same feeling of delight - HA!  Never mind, by the time it's mended it will be a lot more colourful.

Learning new methods is a true challenge, and my painting skills are beyond rusty and well into the realm of 'What-in Heaven's-Name-is-She-Doing?'.  I'd love to be channeling dear Alice Saltiel these days, whose facility with a paint brush knew no bounds.

As it is, I'm finding bits and pieces of this painting that have potential down the road.

Notes to self while brushing up on painting skills:

• it may help to use open acrylics for their longer drying time
• wet, sloppy washes to start are great fun
• no matter what, it's all play, AND
• I can always paint over it all.  😉

Hope you've had a playful week, with a good mix of exciting exploration and that feeling of being extraordinarily capable.  Catch me up in your comments!

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!

While artists seldom retire...

 ...there comes a time when their paint shirts are not fit for polite company.  This past week, I had to let my old one go, it being so threadbare that it could no longer protect my clothing.  The 'new' shirt was one I started on just before Covid hit, so had not yet finished the job.

While I had already started to mend some of the holes,

from this photo you can see that substantial repair needs to be done yet.  

It seems that everywhere I look there's another area waiting for a patch.

And of course, what you see it not necessarily what you get, given my penchant for outlining, over-printing and other mixed media shenanigans.

It certainly is a much stronger look than the washed-a-thousand-times old paint shirt.  I'm not even sure I can upcycle this in any way.  Unless...well, that's for another go round, I'd say!

Happy creative week to all of you, and my your own paint shirts carry you to glory!