New Sketchbook Journal

I have been lax at posting for the last couple of months. I have been in an art slump. Hopefully I will be climbing out of it son. I have decided on a new project, and I am looking forward to progressing in it. Well I said one new project but there are two. It started with a new sketchbook purchase. It is like the Moleskine books with the same (hopefully) strong paper that holds a little water. And the pages are beige too and has an expandable folder in the back. I couldn't decide what I would be putting in the book. I posted that in the Facebook Sketchbook Journal area and got a few comments and suggestions. One was from Jacqui who knows I have many, many little trinkets that I have purchased for the Scavenger hunts. Many more than I really need. She suggested doing a book showing all of those. and making a memory of them in case I have to one day downsize them. The second suggestion was that I do a journal about someone I love or am close to either past or present. Well that sounded like a great idea to do for a memory book of my husband. It has now been 3 1/2 years since he passed. I would be able to do sketches of him, our babies that we both loved so much, little bits of information on things that we did or that happened to us along the way, how we met. Not sure one book will be enough but it's a start. I decided to do both. I went to Aaron Brothers to get another sketchbook but didn't find the same one. So I got a Moleskine one. I have already started the pages in the one of my Goodwill Finds. I may title that one as "New and Gently Used". The one of my husband will be "Till Death Do Us Part". These are the first and second pages of New and Gently Used. They are done with colored pencils, fineline pens, and a little watercolor.

Back to School Trade Cards

The Facebook group "Former Drawspace Traders" has the theme this month of Back to School. Here are the cards I did for this trade. Done in watercolor, colored pencils, and fineline pens by Staedler.

In a Slump

No artwork lately. I'm going thru a slump. Everything I have tried to do, I wasn't happy with. So I just try to be patient until it is over. I did go to a plein air outing with my art group today. We went to a small mountain community where we have been once before. It's called Stallion Springs. The little day park where we painted is called Horse Thief park. Great place to go. Very nice restroom, a creek or stream, a covered patio area with several tables, other areas with tables, a covered bridge. very quiet and peaceful, and not many people around. Across the water is a cute little white church with a steeple. And many beautiful paintable areas. Here is the painting I started the last time I was there and worked on some more today. It's not really finished and not sure I will finish it. The part from the first trip was done in colored pencils. Today I used watercolor and watercolor pencils. The colored pencil part just shows up too bright compared to the watercolors I did today. But I enjoyed the two outings and the atmosphere and I will consider this one a learning piece.

Scavenger Hunt Items

I haven't been doing any art lately. Kind of in a slump. But here are some scavenger hunt items that.

Coltin

My nephew Stephen has a cousin named Leah. This is her baby Coltin. Such a cutie. I'm doing this just for fun. It is watercolor so far and will include colored pencil to finish off. I will be adding a background but now that I have given him blue clothes, I will not be able to do it blue. Maybe an orangey color. We will see. It is on a piece of watercolor paper 9x12 inches. Still a lot of work to do.

Dave the Man

This is Dave from the Wetcanvas WDE for July 19. It is hosted by oldrockchick and Dave is her husband. This is in watercolor and colored pencils. 4x6 inches on watercolor paper.

Moooooooo!

A graphite that I just finished. 4x6 inches on the smooth side of watercolor paper. From a small cow I have in my collection.

Two New Paintings

I did two small paintings this week. One is a scene from a photo I took on Google Street Maps. I can't remember what country it was from. The second one is a Great Dane owned by my hair stylist's assistant, Kayli I've had this photo for maybe a year and he was a puppy then. I can't remember his name. Both are 4x6 inches and are done with watercolor and colored pencils.

Way Too Hot

It is in the hundreds this weekend and next week. In this weather, a person just sits and doesn't move any more than necessary. Good excuse for not doing housework. I don't have AC and any time the weather gets over 100, the swamp cooler doesn't make a dent in cooling the house. So I sit with an overhead fan, the swamp cooler and two small fans on the floor for the dogs. And give them a bowl of ice cubes a couple times a day. Here are some more of the landscape ATCs.

Landscape ATCs

I finished my last 3 atcs for the Landscape Trade. Feels good to finish. They will be mailed tomorrow. Here are a few that have arrived already.

Happy Blog Anniversary!

This is the 7th Anniversary of my blog. I don't blog as often as I did when I started but I do post regularly at least a few times a month. I still really like blogging and have 91 readers who have signed up. Thatk you to each and everyone and anyone else who reads silently.

2 Landscapes for the Project on Wetcanvas

I'm in a project trading Landscape ATCs. Size is 3x5 inches. These two have arrived at their new homes. Both are watercolor and colored pencil. Some I did with just watercolor but others I added cp. I have 17 to do and have 9 left.

Wetcanvas WDE 7 June, 2013

This is Ruby who belongs to RubyRedDog from Wetcanvas. She provided 16 photos for everyone to pick from for the WDE this week. I loved doing Ruby. This is 4x6 inches on watercolor paper and done with watercolor and colored pencil.

Scavenger Hunt #315

My latest colored pencil artwork. It's about 4x6 inches from a sprig off of my apple tree.

My Sky High Trade Cards for May

I've been fighting dermatitis so have been out of it for awhile. Feeling like I might live now. Here are the trade cards for the May trade of Former Drawspace Traders. Redwood trees, hot air balloons, skyscrapers, and and a palm tree.

Legend May 3 WDE on Wetcanvas

I did this for a forum on Wetcanvas. about 8x8 inches on watercolor paper. Watercolor and watercolor pencils. ref by Li Newton.

Goodbye My Baby Jo

My little toy poodle Jo had to be put down Friday the 19th. Even though I had her only a little over a year and a half, I was so close to her that I am stumbling around trying to figure out what I will do without her. She was such a tiny little thing at 8 lbs. I don't know what happened to her but she had lost 3.5 lbs which was 1/3 of her body weight. And she was anemic. I decided not to do testing as I would not have the money to treat her if it was cancer or kidney problems which the doctor suspected. And she seemed to be in pain so I let her go. Now to figure out how to let her go in my heart.

Animals of April - Days 10-15

April Animals Days 7, 8, & 9