after breakfast

I got carried away and ate my "subject" before getting it down on paper. Here is what remains.....

the color purple

"I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it....People think pleasing God is all God care about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back."

Alice Walker

tomato day

Today was all about tomatoes. Picking them, sketching them, collage-ing them, painting them, roasting them and especially eating them.

flip flops

OK- so its not exactly the Mona Lisa of sketches, but today is one of those days that I'm giving myself "props" for the effort, regardless of the finished product.

deadlines

I've known about the Sept. 1 deadline for a print exchange I'm participating in for a good long time--longer than I care to admit. Maybe this is my own little back-to-school celebration....waiting until the last possible moment to get my homework done!

Russia

In honor of my son Cole who left for St. Petersburg this morning, I did this sketch of the cathedral that graces all the postcards and travel brochures for Russia. I liked it better before I added colors--it got a bit "circus-y". On the other hand, it is a pretty wild building!

breakfast of champions

I'm thinking it might be time for a back-to-school, fresh-start diet evaluation (....next Monday, of course!)

empty

There are entire art books written about how to paint crystal and glass reflections, and people who love that kind of painting. I am not one of those people. So, I can't really explain why I felt compelled to try and sketch the empty cake plate and its lacy shadow today. I think maybe I was feeling guilty for having not done a single productive thing all day and thought I should challenge myself. Mainly, it just confirmed my earlier statement--I am not one of those people!

banana cake

I had enough just-past-ripe bananas to make a banana birthday cake today. One more day would have been better, but birthdays don't wait.

(the new "distressed" look of my journal pages is compliments of Cash, the mini-lab who is a frequent visitor around here, and as I have now learned, an avid chewer. )

simple

Today was another 10 minute collage day. I just felt the need to let the right brain do its thing with out interfering. I love the quote- "a simple setting aside of fear"--as if somehow it really is just that easy.

crab apples

I picked this little branch from a crab apple tree I pass each day on my walk. It is laden (what a good word!) with big, shiny red apples. These are the eating kind, not the ornamental sort. Since the tree is in the yard of a vacant house, I may have to try my hand at crab apple jelly.

banana peppers

tuesday.....farmer's market......banana peppers

shift

Even though I was hot and sweaty in the muggy air, walking the dog this morning I noticed a subtle shift. A group of geese gathering, but not the family groups of early summer. The road under all the oak trees littered with smashed acorns. I noticed the abundance of berries and crab apples on the trees instead of the garden flowers. And the Sunday paper was fat with back-to-school fliers. And some squirrel or chipmunk left this cracked walnut on the step.

back

I spent a wonderful week with my parents and family at their home on Lake Michigan. I intentionally stayed "technology-free" all week (the decision helped along by the dial-up internet connection and lack of cell service--my, how quickly we become spoiled). I did keep up the low-tech painting though. It made me realize that it is becoming a habit, even in non-habitual places.

blackberry lilies

I am just in love with my blackberry lilies--I keep pointing them out to family members who happen by and they look at me with a look that says "yeah, we saw them the last time you pointed them out". Anyway, I can't get enough of their beautiful, tiny, speckled blossoms and the twisted remains of the old blossoms.

nasturtiums

I'm participating in a print exchange and spent most of the afternoon trying out various ideas. After a lot of trial and error I managed to get one I like enough to duplicate. I have to do 50, so I sure hope the rest don't take as long!

when life gives you lemons......

Dean brought home a big bag of lemons (gotta love Costco !) that needed to be put to use.....some people would think of lemon chicken but I went straight to the dessert options. I made some wonderful sweet/tart lemon bars......and had enough lemons left to paint while they were baking.

little pink houses

sitting in the car at a gas station last night, I looked across at this funny little pink house right in the middle of mainly commercial buildings. Made me smile--and got the John Mellancamp song stuck in my head!