Things are sketchy at best!

Before I went to the city I spent an hour or so looking for the utility bill I had opened, made note of and was prepared to pay. I decided to carry on but a stop at the mail and there was the utility bill. ??? I thought I was losing my mind but hubby assures me I did see it but they have reissued a correction. phew!

I am definitely thinking about taking up the whole sketching plan again. I have been thinking about what appeals to me and I reread an old book on Journalling. I had 2 coupons for Michaels that sent me to both stores to redeem them individually. The gal said "one coupon, per customer per day"! And I said (to myself) "per store". Then I came home the long way around and scooped the second coupon! Now I did leave 3 more great and necessary 'must haves'. I wonder if I can enlist DD as an accomplice next week???

Now I need to sketch a self portrait and see if I can capture a sketchy character! ;^)

Things are sketchy at best!

A houseful of company all weekend and then DD and DSIL with the grand kiddies decided to stay on for the week. So...

I'll just say that my fabric is glued together with marshmallows and the Grand sonny would rather paint my paper than his! It's all good, right!

The first colour class went well. We talked about The Stash as an investment that needs to be varied and useful. An understanding of what makes for a successful stash is necessary. A flashy theme fabric may be the star but without a great supporting cast, the quilt will not be a great success.

A useful tool in a quilter's tool box is a colour wheel. One can be purchased but making one's own with the fabric in one's stash shows up the strengths and weaknesses in the inventory. It is helpful to make several, one in solids, one in prints and one in your favorite fabric style. Just using the fabric squares last night showed a deficiency in the blue violets and blue greens. So we'll dig deeper in our respective piles and try to fill in the gaps better when we gather again to meet the colour families and see how they all try to get along.

My sketching on a daily basis has been sporadic this last bit. The theme for the sketchbook project is Highly Prized. Time can be highly prized!

I'm trying to find what is going to characterize my sketchbook. I definitely want words.

Colour is also a prized possession. I like the idea of a black outline but I think I want things to blend better with many layers. I can only hope that the end of the sketchbook is going to be an improvement over the first! ;^)

Jotting things down

If the holidays were quiet with softly falling snow and sips of something nice and crisp pages to turn, then the starting gun for the new year was a loud canon. Whoa!

I was trying my hand at doodling every day as prep for the Sketchbook Challenge but it was a false start as I got involved with setting the scene by decluttering so I'm starting again. I am not a sketcher in the sense of realistic drawings. I think I'd rather try to do representational or stylized work. I had heard all the buzz about zentangles but resisted the whole fad idea.

I'm rethinking it because I have several page sized samples of free motion quilting that has a zen quality to it that surfaced during the clean up. The page challenge for Common Threads is a line drawing. We were shown a triangular echo technique that is actually a zentangle concept. hmmmm??? During a free motion embroidery workshop I was ecstatic with the concept of draw a shape and fill it in with teeny tiny stipple. Things are beginning to jell, methinks!

The big black spiral book has some things already in it that are kinda embarrassing but the only place to go is forward and it will be my practice/technique book for collage/wet techniques. I really liked the idea of loose pages as this fits my interest in altered books. The small brown spiral will be for the more dry techniques. The big brown spiral is THE sketchbook for the challenge. I'm dividing the 48 pages into 12 months and that gives two 2 page spreads for each theme. I'll practice and then embrace the theme which will have had some time and test runs.

I'll have my little book for daily warm ups as I try lines and patterns.

The lined molskines I bought in haste have turned out to be good for jotting down my year/month/week/day plans. I guess I can later turn them into another journal ! This is certainly an ongoing process. I have already discovered that 5 is the magic number. Too many and it is all a dream, but 5 makes me rethink my priorities for the week/day. It just tickles my fancy that I can maybe learn to be smart!!!

Books are like Popcorn

One isn't enough.
I had ordered Threads - the Basics and Beyond some time ago. I gather it was a hit and I had to wait for more. It looks like a great resource and I'm looking forward to making notes in it as it is spiral bound and it is that kind of book. Threadpainting, free motion embroidery or modifying sewing machine patterns really interests me and our next page challenge is all about a continuous line on a whole cloth background.

A quick trip thru Michael's with my coupon and I was stopped dead in my tracks by The Journal Junkies Workshop. Now to my credit this was a different store and I had no idea this was a book section. I tried because as you can see I don't really need another. But ...

It is now part of that section in my library.

The good news is that I did not get another coupon so that should keep me at home for a good while. And it does take me a bit to get off of the current tangent I get on but I do think I am ready to make marks on the new year goals and they shall pretty much relate to staying home and making many marks and messes as I begin a visual journey with the Sketchbook Challenge.

Drawing the line

My trip to the city was partly to get a sketch book for the Sketchbook Project. I had read about the Strathmore books on another blog and recognized them at the Artist's Emporium store. I'm not sure what size I'll like so I got two sizes. They had also gotten in the Moleskine line and in my haste to get a Moleskine I got lined ones. arghhh But I'm good to go. I understand the value of Gesso now!

There is a card in the Moleskin detailing their history. Gee, I'm in good company! Vincent Van Gogh, Picasso, and Ernest Hemmingway! They were originally handmade by a French bookbinder in Paris. The small family owned business that made the 'little black book' eventually closed its doors. In 1997 a small Milanese publisher brought the legendary notebook back to life and it continues to be a travel companion of many.

But the 'going' has hit a major stall. While thinking about line drawings for the journal/sketchbook projects I was reminded that I haven't had a reading binge in a while. I absolutely LUV reading and allegories/fantasies are high on my list of favorite ways to spend my time. We don't have a TV and movies are only watched occasionally as I do prefer to read the book than watch the movie. But now I've gotten all involved in Tolkien's story and though I've read them a number of times I get all caught up and can't wait to read about what happens next. After every chapter I try to whip myself up to the sewing station.

The last baby quilt has the squares laid out and the lines of sashing are ready to be laid. I need to study the layout to see if there will be anymore changes to the position of the squares.

While I'm thinking I'll be studying the various line drawings at the chapter headings! Very inspiring actually. ;~)

I'm dreaming of...

the new year actually!

I have been a stay at home mum and except for the occasional whirlwind that changes things for short times, I have stayed at home. It is where I am the happiest. This last month has had me out and about more than I like. I forgot the darn spray cans from the last fiasco so it is looking like I need to go back to the city to return them at least one more time before I can hibernate for the winter.

I do have an idea for the cash that they'll be giving me. I need to buy a sketch book. A for-real one. And I saw exactly what I need at the art store and almost got it but thought I had enough supplies for my winter creativity. But I didn't know about The Sketchbook Challenge.

I decided to join. This is a pretty new thing for me. I am not a sketcher but I do realize that keeping things you like helps identify what it is you are drawn to. I was also very intrigued with the art challenges concerning line and shape that I worked on last year. I have been happy with this year's word- Focus. I'm definitely learning to do that. I think next year's word could be Find. I want to find my particular style. I think I know what I don't like so now I should be able to see what it is I really like as I sketch things and make notes of things that inspire. If I keep a sketchbook common themes should become apparent and then I can fine tune and finish what turns my particular crank. At least I hope so.


I returned my grandson to his home today after a short visit. We had a fun day in the city yesterday and today we met his mum and sister at their local thrift shop. I found a great light. My style! :) I also found a china mug like the ones I like to have my coffee in. This one is my first bird as they are usually flowers. It'll definitely be keeping company with the sketchbook!