Happy New Year

a whole lot of dribbling going on

But not too many baskets!   January the first is looming.  I am thinking; while I'm dribbling, of course, that I shall switch into holiday mode (fewer posts) and get ready for a big slam dunk for 2016.

I also want to bring my Grand Kiddie #1 for a few days. I'd like to spend some time one on one figuring out creative options to feed her inner artist.  Heck, mine too.

I suspect there may be a few rim shots but we'll see if anything actually results in points scored!  Says she as she laces up her sneakers!!!  lol

Getting the ball rolling

okay!  I think this can work.  At first I thought not  'cause the ball seemed too small.  I shoulda got the bigger size.  but...  If one follows the directions- lol  First inflation seems small.  The next day deflate to 50% and fill again.  whoa!  magic.   It almost doubles in size.  Now to master sitting.  Not difficult to sit but positioning it at the desk and keyboard is a little tricky.  :)  But I like it!

I got my new fabrics which is a bit distracting as I like them but we haven't finished fall yet!  :O

I am thinking to do something in my square in a square series but the right choice is still being bounced around.  I think I just may start cutting and start putting things up on the wall.  How come it is hard to get improvisational balls in the air?  But I'm gonna roll with this palette.

monday's chores and choices

Its officially eggnog season.

I'm making my lists and checking them twice!  ;^)

Heading towards the holidays

Table centre piece

I'm not sure what happened to winter.  These candles are the whitest things around.  Can't really say I'm liking slush and mud and slippery!

The grand kiddies and I were off to their library for an artist date.  The books distract.  The interactive environment distracts.  heck, the other kids distract but...

 I think I will make a note to perhaps work more one on one with Josh and Eliana.   pst!  He drew the elephant!

A new change in my day job means a larger and more diverse group.  Who has their wrapping all done?

 Here are some ideas for personalizing craft paper and gift tags that should help!   These two stared holes in the paper and then...  :)  Exactly what I had in mind!

The chair is painted.  I'm glad I did that early in the week 'cause I haven't got it waxed nor the seat covered.
 

I have some good ideas for the pillows and I am a thinking that next week I'm just gonna start a new project and improvise the fall lap quilt for the bedroom!  :)  It IS the holiday season, don't cha know.  lol  I am eyeing up the small desk on the Rooster's side for painting and then the walls and woodwork.

I did get an exercise ball to use as a computer desk chair.  My balance is not good.  I'm tired of falling going UP steps!  :{  We'll see if this helps.  If I don't post in a day or so it'll be because  I rolled into some corner and I'm trapped or worse- I'm still bouncing on the stairs!  lol

Wrapping up the art challenges.

While the grand kiddies were here visiting they made a spread in their Smash books.  But I wanted to give them a memory page for the actual time.  Of course, I had too many photos so I had to add a flap.

Some photos were printed for all three books and darn it,  one printed in a big size. awk!  All that ink!  So I incorporated it into the flap.  :}

I tried to keep the flavour of their art canvas in their own spread.  I had thought Josh's would present some difficulty but the advantage of doing three is that the ideas also multiply!  ;^)

Eliana is all about bold colours and super heroes. (faeries)   I found a dream quote to match the word on her canvas.  :)  I hope that by occasionally adding my own spread to theirs, it will inspire them to explore creative options.

I worked on Jolina's first and it was perhaps easiest.  I should have used more yellow, her favourite colour.  Apparently she 'sleeps' with last year's smash book.  :)

But they took a whole day and now there is clean up.  I did a quick skim through this library book and I really must learn to put things away.  The key apparently is for everything to have its designated spot.  Now that particular challenge is to find a home spot for everything first.  :/

Next week I hope to be back to my own journal challenges.  But now to wrap up the rest of the week!  ;^)

Tuesday Treasure

Farewell Fall

a work plan

I have a few more fall themed projects to finish up before I can embrace winter.  The master bedroom has a  palette. :) I have a wrapping paper and name tag project to organize for my day job as well as an artist date with the grand kiddies but all that is fun kinda work.  But I have a promise to my Rooster that I will finally get his pants hemmed!  :P  If I was really smart I'd do the pants first as they are 'really' work.   lol

Was your Friday Black?

I must confess to a bit of shopping this week and I did end up going to the city again on Friday so I stopped by Artist's Emporium which was having a big sale.  I did WELL!  I got some fun things for the grand kiddies and me to try on our artist dates.  Better watercolour pencils for all!  And a super colouring book with tear out pages on great paper.

The home decor is up on my radar as fall falls behind and the whites of winter snuggle in.  I'm so excited about my new style book as the quiz on style caused me to slap my ahead- of course!!!  No major changes to my plan but definitely a better focus and better tweaking! 

I am feeling the itch to sew real bad.  A lovely visit with my friend Elizabeth at Sew Inspiring  inspired me even more.  I'm impatiently awaiting the new ruler foot for domestic Bernina machines and she gave me a great tip for making the rulers nonskid.  Those net liners Ikea sells for under rugs work remarkably well when cut to the shape of the ruler and adhered with a bit of super glue.  They do NOT budge!

The new Quilt Improv book made me go looking for some fabric and I do have an online order coming from Fabric Spot, a Canadian company.  Boring backgrounds and fillers but with the modern look.  :)  Something to look forward to.  We do keep the holiday buying down to just above Scrooge level so this is my own prezzie! :)  And I never could wait for the big day and was/am an inveterate seeker and searcher of all things hidden.  Now I just wait for the mail! LOL

Can't wait to get Monday's plan going as it is clear and bright and white here at the coop.  Time to snuggle up with winter's calmer pace!

Quenching Thursday's thirst

Actually the whole process of arriving at a pleasing whole has been challenging but...

While the little artists spent some time with their Grand Dad who had an old western to show them I added the finishing touches to my examples.

Jolina lost interest in chasing bank robbers and arrived to put buttons and one more flower on.  She likes to spread the matt medium on and it gets kinda thick but texture is good.  ;^)  She also likes to add circles with round lids.

Jolina is all about the world's creatures and plants.

We rubbed apricot Inka Gold all over the fairy to subude her garishness and then Eliana glitzed things up to her satisfaction.  The final outlining and embellishing proceeded after a good nights sleep and the bank robbers were finally dealt with.

Always a challenge to work with this one as she has definite ideas about what she wants ('much' more is better)  but tears result from her high standards.  I had to be discreet with my touch ups to her hair, etc.! :O  So its a balancing act to let her do it but have it 'beautiful'.  phew, she was happy.

Eliana and her super hero faerie!

I must admit I hated to see a full sized paper print plastered down on this canvas.  But Josh is thrilled.  After working on the others I hit on the idea to soften the printer paper edges and Josh agreed to try it.  He wanted words and two colours of foam letters were camouflaged  with acrylic blue.  The next morning brought only a few more finishing touches.

With this one less is best.  It is 'perfecto' at every stage.  I told him to date and sign it on the back.

Joshua's seascapes.

And then it was time to take all the new creations away to their new home.  They were suitably  greeted with ooohs and awes.

I finished up my day with with a long meander through the book store and a lovely coffee.  And a reminder to myself that I need them to come make art on a one at a time basis.  ;^)  After all, a great thirst can be quenched with small regular sips!

Wednesday's aWay day!

An artist play date

Monday-

We do include warm up exercises and some  art theory.  I don't mind mess.  It is a necessary part of creativity.  But I do have a hard time with no structure and the ensuing chaos.

The smash books are my busiest time as these have a bit of planning and 'show me your story BEFORE you glue' makes for some craziness.  ;^)

Recess!

As the day progresses I try to relinquish control.  I avoid mud by insisting on either warm colours or cool.  But what we get is what we get.    Hopefully everything dries out overnight.

But they are keeners and assign their own homework!

In order to be well rounded individuals they have a evening date with the Rooster and The Rifleman!  ;^)

 Tuesday-

Learning to add depth with dark shapes.  Kinda ugly but it does allow for creative expression.  :/

Layers include stencils, stamps and deli paper.  I limited the colour to black and the number of stencils and stamps and in the end they did some trading anyways. lol

I confess I did a bit of touching up on the deli paper when they went off for the recess/chore break. shh!

The chickens are settling in to their winter home but the change always disrupts egg production.  Only two today!

 Hmm.  In the flurry of after break creativity I neglected to use the camera but we applied a wash of colour with watered down acrylic to kinda tone everything down and pull it all together. 

Then we cut pictures for our focal points.  Jolina and I used an old calendar and got some nice images and words.  Eliana had used my Tombow markers to colour a fairy we printed out.  I insisted it be cut out and she was dismayed at the loss of some stars and 'curtains'.  I assured her we could make this work.  I'm more concerned with the harsh colours. :O  Josh persists with his obsession about the Titanic.  We printed out a picture that satisfied us both.  (I'm not really into ship disasters.)  :O  Softening the paper edge was a challenge.

And there they rest while I dreamed of solutions to make some wall art that their mother will be delighted to showcase on her walls.  lol

To be continued...

A Trio of Treasures

This is an eye spy quilt.  I also spy a few cute treasures!

I added lower case letters that I appliqued to the solid coloured fabrics. I added the four extra blocks I need3ed by including shapes.  It was fun to do!

 This is an old wall hanging and I waxed poetical as I did this colour/design exercise.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the grass was green, and the birds were singing.  Behind the walls of the secret garden there was laughter and music and fun.  The family that lived there gardened and worked and enjoyed the four seasons.    It was so wonderful that flowers bloomed in their hearts all the time. 

This wee top declares a few of my favourite things.  This quilt exercise shows that one can combine all their favourite fabrics in one glorious expression.

I must admit that quilts and kids and good times are treasures any time!  :)