Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Better late than never



I saw this idea in the latest issue of Mollie Makes (LOVE this magazine!) a little perpetual calendar to record one short line so your family can remember THIS day.  Each line is a new year.  No one in my family has any inclination to journal, but I think with our combined brain power we can manage to jot down one memory from each day.  And what the heck, we could even use two lines if our little think tank should generate TWO thoughts on the day! Now I need to make illustrated month dividers.  The magazine example had pretty photos, I might use art from the kids.  And look at that cute ceramic berry box... Anthropologie my friends, comes in other colors and sizes too.  It would also look good on a kitchen counter filled with cherry tomatoes.






It even has a pretty texture in the glaze. (Anthropologie is not paying me anything for this ad by the way. Seriously.)  January has slipped by, but the rest of our year shall not get away unrecorded.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

From Trash to Art



 My daughter Emily had a big project due recently in which she used "trash" to make art.  I was in charge of photo documenting her at work and her final products.   These are just a few of the things she made.  The school used to send home colorful information flyers before they went "electronic"; Emily sorted the colors and made beautiful paper bowls.


This is Emily painting a sculpture she made from a graham cracker box and plastic grocery bags.


Here is the finished sculpture sitting on her desk.  I like that the paintbrush she used to create "him" became part of the sculpture.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

A new tiny sweetpea to love!!


This is my first, slightly lumpy, attempt at animaguri.  It is not very big, but it seems to dwarf my new sweetpea, my little niece born mid-December.  We are all very excited!  That is her chubby cheek and teeny tiny ear, it will have to do for now, a girl needs her privacy.  We had a wonderful visit recently, involving lots of photography exceeded only by the squabbling about whose turn it was to hold baby and for how many nano seconds before the next desperate person was due a turn.




She has definately stolen our hearts!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Lovebirds?


 
I'm working on a new painting.  It is taking a while so I thought I would share a glimpse of it in progress.  The flowers need some more detailing and then I will start painting the cardinal pair in the center.  The birds are drawn but I'm not sure you can make them out; we are having a gray, rainy day here in Dover.  At least I have these cheerful springy flowers from my imagination to brighten the day.  Hope you are having a cheery day in your part of the world!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Hello Sweetness



I have already posted about how much I love my palette and that just looking at it makes me happy, and THEN, I open it to discover this little guy.  A simple gesture, but so full of sweetness I can't stand it! I have three children, but I knew immediately, without a doubt, that Hannah had left this tiny surprise.  That is one of the things that makes having children such a joy, KNOWING them.  This isn't the sort of thing she does routinely, but something about it spoke "Hannah".  I don't think I will ever be able to use this square of real estate in my palette again.

Monday, January 9, 2012

The Little Red Hen


Do you remember this book?  I had another smaller version as a child but I love the illustrations in this Golden Book that I just found at the grocery.  




I love the Hollyhocks and all the hats!  This chicken is Rosie, right down to the expressive yet somehow still blank look in her eyes.  Here is my Rosie:






or as I like to call her "Little Miss Fluffy Butt" as you can see here:




This chicken is so hysterical and full of personality I don't know how I lived chickenless before.  It's hard for me to get a decent picture of her because she follows me around right at my feet.  Rosie has a capacious chicken run by any standards but I still like to let her out for "walkabout" everyday, and she begs for it.  I think if I gave her a little tin cup she would be banging it on the bars.  Jim comes home for his lunch hour and lets her out too, and he forgot about her the other day.  Lucky for him he found her a few houses down scratching in their leaves.  I imagine he was in a full blown panic because he knows he would be in big trouble if he lost my chicken.  As well as being comical Rosie is very creative, we get an egg about 5 days a week.  She is far more productive than I am.



Now if I could just get her to bake bread too...






Thursday, January 5, 2012

Quiet Moments



I am usually up before everyone else in our busy house so I like to grab a few precious moments to savor the quiet.  I brew a cup of my favorite coffee and read a tiny bit while I eat breakfast.  I am working on a wool scarf, and I always try to work a few rows before I dash off to work.  These rituals get me calm for the day and I feel lost without them.  How do you start your day?

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Welcome winter 2012




I can't believe I haven't posted for 3 months!!  Time flies way too fast.  Working two jobs has taken it's toll.  The end of January should bring some relief as I am resigning one of my positions.  I am excited about the year to come, hopefully the new year will bring more time for making art!  I have really missed participating in crafty blogland.  Rather than lament what I have missed I am just going forge ahead with great anticipation.

It is very cold today (by Delaware standards) and there is even a tiny chance we will see a few snowflakes. In celebration I have decided to turn my deer into a fawn with snowflakes for his spots.