Give Thanks

 

 

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to think about the things that have happened over the year.  More importantly, it is a wonderful time to evaluate the quality of your life and the people around you.  This year I may not have gotten out and painted as much as I would have liked, but I have discovered  new medium for me that I am enjoying immensely(colored pencils), discovered that I can play piano and was given a keyboard last Xmas by my sweetie and an antique GRAND piano by a dear friend.  I am now a grandmother to three wonderful children—by welcoming in my little angel, Keyonna  to our family.  I look forward to Christmas more and more each year because of them.  We didn’t may not have gone on a big vacation, but we are still in fairly good health and enjoyed the little time we got to travel.

What the future holds for us, we do not know, but all we can do is enjoy the days we have, our little moments that make our lives, the present—which is today. 

Happy Thanksgiving to All!!!   

We’re Having a Heat Wave!!!

 

Summers are so short, you need to enjoy each and every evening.  It’s just hard with humidity as high as 80%!  I tend to stay in the air conditioning!  But I do miss painting outside.  I haven’t done much this summer due to weather condiitons…but I have sketched.  Seeing sunsets like this makes me want to take out my pastels!  I think I may do that this weekend! 

This is one of my favorite scenes, the sunset over Freda Lake.  The bare branch on the left tree, close to the bottom is where the eagle sits and fishes.  He is there every day and it’s always amazing to see him! 

I hope the current hot wave does not keep you in too long—and everyone can get out and paint! 

Proud Parents

 

 

We love to attract birds to our yard.  We spend hundreds of dollars each year to entice birds and other creatures to our yard.  It’s always amazing to see what comes around.  The general manager of our Ranch calls our yard “The Disney Yard”, where chipmunks come right up to you and pigeons are flying overhead. 

Here, proud parents of a bunch of baby blue birds (still in the house) are guarding over their children.  They are constantly on the watch for yummy worms or insects to feed their young.  They are also on the watch and fiercely protect their nest. 

Every year we are treated to see the blue birds come and raise their family.  One year we were able to see the baby birds fledge.  It was awesome to say the least. 

My Little Love

 

Went with Bob to the dr. yesterday and swung in to see The Grands.  Here is little Keyonna sporting her new sweater that Grandma made for her.  Naturally she didn’t wake up the whole time I was holding her.  Her mother called me 15 minutes after I left to let me know that she had woke up! 

The boys played outside where we could see them.  We were originally going to meet them at the mall, but Bob couldn’t get out of the van, as I purchased an AWESEOME Pfaff sewing machine table at GoodWill for $15!!!  Bob was trapped!  But we had fun watching the boys ride their bikes and playing with their toys. 

It was a good day! 

Cool Art Caddy!

 

Found this idea on You Tube from Violette—author of Journal Bliss.  Violette's Website  She has the most AWESOME house and van.  Go and check her out! 

For this caddy I used frosting containers and a small margarine tub for small items like erasers, sharpeners, stumps, etc.  I have organized my colored pencils by color so they are easier to find.  My hubby helped me put this together fro an old paper towel holder.  Isn’t it AWESOME!!!  Thank you Violette!!!! 

Welcome Little one….

 

 

Little Keyonna Mae was born on 1:25pm last Thursday April 8th.  Grandma and Grandpa was 10 minutes late for the birth—we had a spring snow storm the night before, so we got a late start—being 80 miles away from the hospital.  Danielle made it through fine..and I was there to take pictures of her first holding by her Mommy.  I can finish her little quilt with her birthday and name embroidered on it.  Will post when I finish.  I’m so glad and thankful you are in my life little Keyonna.  Grandma loves you and always will. 

Pink!!!

 

 

Here is what I have been doing lately!  My daughter will be having a little girl any minute now.  I have been spending my winter/spring getting ready for her.  Here is a little receiving set I made using a Lion Brand pattern and Bernat baby yarn.  I modified the pattern with a crocheted edging---only because I know crochet so well.  She will be wearing this home on top of a little white sleeper. 

 

We will be taking our 4 year old grandson while she is in the hospital.  We are looking forward to running around outside, going to feed the horses and taking him fishing down by the lake.  Grandma has colors ready to sprawl out on the dining room table! 

 

Being a Grandma is the best!!!!!! 

Plein Air Perfect Day!

 

 

It was sunny and 62 degrees today.  Probably about 15 degrees higher than the average March 15th temp here in the Northwoods.  So, we gotta forget the housework and GET OUT THERE on these days!!!  Although colors are a bit drab for early spring, there is plenty of accents of color in the tag alders, evergreens and sedges.  We visited a small creek that used to house a beaver dam, which was very pretty.  Now, below my view in the painting was a small dock and bench—probably used for fishing.

I used something I don’t usually bring out with me…my caran d’ache crayons and a watercolor sketchbook.  This along with a pencil and a couple of water brushes, and I was good to go!  I usually use these crayons for my art journals as they are fun play materials.  I didn’t realize how neat they were and easy to get something down on paper.  They also work very well on top of gessoed paper.  I would like to try it on different substrates to see how it will work.  Kraft paper, watercolor board will be on my “things to try” list. 

 

Hope everyone else can get out there and grab some sun shine!  Guess I’d better get the kitchen cleaned up now!    

Last Chance at Snow…

 

 

For Northeast Wisconsin, 40 degree days in early March is usually a dream.  We usually have snow through mid-April, but this year, our February has been very mild.  The chipmunks are already on the move, the raccoons are busy raiding bird feeders, and bears are not far behind.  We still have about 9 inches of snow on the ground, but some places have none.  I wanted to take advantage of  our first 50 degree day since last fall, and the beautiful sun shine.   I grabbed my watercolors, moleskine and went out and did a little watercolor of a horse trail on the ranch property.  Sure was nice getting out….being in the sun and not being very cold!   I used my Niji waterbrush, my Koi 24 color travel set on the large watercolor moleskine—which is almost completed!  Get ready for Spring!  It’s almost here! 

Organizing My Stuff….

Last weekend I got my art studio cleaned up, getting things ready for plein air season. I am also done with my accounting projects for year end, and it was due time to do some art. In fact, I HAD to do some art!

The photo above shows the various (and not all!) of my water color palettes I have collected through the years. They represent some palettes that instructors have suggested, smaller palettes to work outside, larger palettes for larger pieces, different palettes for different colors…etc, etc., etc.

My point in this is….USE YOUR ART SUPPLIES…do NOT save them until you are better, have more time, save the colors until you come across the perfect picture to use them in….what ever. In my past, I had to think about whether I could afford the latest Artist’s Magazine--I wonder if that has anything to do with it....hmmm. Anyway....

Use your supplies, for you will only get better if you DO art…not buy art supplies! I had to throw all these wonderful pens away too…for I didn’t use them. I hoarded them, treated them as precious jewels, waiting for that perfect art project in which to use them. Now, they are garbage.

American Ruins

Finally got a chance to get out and do some plein air last weekend! I am an accountant in my daily life, so the past couple of months have been pretty hectic for me. Last weekend I designated it, “Art Weekend” and took off work for a 4 day weekend! This little sketch was done in Porterfield, Wisconsin—it was part of a pig farm—with the pig shelter to the left, the silo with food to the right..farther to the right, which I left out, was an old three story, brick smoker. I loved the gray colors and the dark red of the brush. Snow is beginning to melt here—so there was plenty of brush of different colors to paint. This was done in my watercolor moleskine, which is almost filled! I used my Koi Travel Kit along with a Niji waterbrush. The kit was really nice, love the colors it has!

Blogging note: I apologize for no blogs for awhile. I have gotten a new computer with Windows 7, so it took me awhile to move everything and learn the new system, which is really nice! I will try and be more consistent in my blogs! I promise!