Look what's on my desk

                                                    Fun toys for an Artist!

 

Study Nature, Love Nature

 

Watercolor flower in one of my art journals.

I used watercolor paper, Neocolor II wax pastel crayons, pan watercolor, Twinkling H2O's, gesso, stamping ink and pen for detail.

Lovely comments from friends:  PD "Oh woohaa.. another beauty to take my breath away... Junelle said to step away when we are on overload... I get that way when I see such beauty!!!!"

Yummy Crockpot Roast

I fixed the best tasting roast in the crock pot on Sunday.  It was so yummy!  I think it was a beef tenderloin roast but am not sure of the cut.  I added one sweet onion, package of Lipton onion soup mix and a can of coke.   Let it cook on high for 5-6 hours.   If you haven't tried coke on your meat in the crock pot then give it a try.  I've used it on beef and on pork (oh yeah makes the best baby back pork ribs).  It gives the roast and juice/gravy such a good flavor and tenderizes even the toughest of roast.  I'll make some roast beef sandwiches tonight and then make soup with what is left.  This roast will give us several meals this week.

Kate

I love sheep and have for over 20 years.  One of Junelle's new lambs is Kate.  She posted a picture of her at a month of age and I just had to sketch her.  I hope you enjoy seeing my interpretation of her beauty from nature.

Junelle posted this comment on our FB group "oh, you are going to make me cry!!! I miss her so much!!! She is coming home at the end of the month and I am going to kiss her a hundred times! (unless she has ticks, then I will kiss her just once! lol!)".  
The comment just thrilled me so much that she liked the sketch.  Love it when you can touch someone's emotions.  Makes art worth every stroke! 

In the beauty of HIS presence

In the quiet, in the stillness

I know that You are God

In the secret of Your presence

I know~ 
there I am restored

Sweet peas

Some fun little thumbnail sketches of sweet peas.  Practicing sketching and watercolors.

A lovely comment from another site:   JM " Ooo, I love your sketches! I love the little baby sweet pea. That's adorable! Your drawings have a beautiful airiness to them. Like a breath that's clean and fresh. :)"

Funky Owls Close up

Funky Owls

      I've been working on some watercolor art journal pages.  This one is of some funky little owls.  To me they look like dad, little daughter and mom.   I asked my youngest grand-daughter if that was her and her mommy and daddy.  She thought that was funny.

       I remembered to take some pictures as I did this page.  I used Neocolor II water-soluble wax pastel crayons and pan watercolors. So here is the progression from sketch to finished page.  Hope you enjoy.

                                                                           Sketch

                                          
       Adding some color with Neocolor II wax
                    pastel crayons.                                         

                                 

 Blending the watercolor with brush and water.                                                        

                                      
                                                                   Adding detail with pen.

                                      
                                                               Adding more detail and shading.               

                                       
                 Finished page.  
  Left to right: Dad, daughter and mom.

                                       

cupcakes

                         I did this water color sketch of cupcakes.  Just a fun little art journal page.

Lovely comment from another site where I've posted this piece: PD "Oh my Carol.. this are great.. You have got all the right squiggles in the right places. just perfect!"

Look what I found

I was so excited when I found this dress form made of iron.  I've wanted a dress form but don't have floor space for one.  I found this table top one at a fantastic price.  I'm so excited to have her on display in my studio.  EXCITED, EXCITED, EXCITED!

Inspiration Canvas Challenge

 

From this photo found on pinterest,

  I created this canvas.  It was part of a challenge from PAO to create a canvas from an inspiration photo from pinterest featuring nature.  You could use the actual image as your inspiration, the color scheme or anything that inspired you from the photo.  I liked both the theme of flowers and especially the color scheme.  My intent was not to duplicate the photo but to use it as a start for a canvas that would be created in my style.

I used gesso, golden acrylics, pan pastels, molding paste, acrylic inks, glimmer mist spray inks, stazon ink and a uniball pen for some detail. I really wanted some great texture on this canvas.

ocean

                                                                 I hear it calling my name.

Side note:  Go to "Shell Seeker" post on Sept. 20, 2011 and see the journal page that was inspired by this location.  I love to go to the jetty and hunt for shells.  Depending on the weather, it can be rough like in this picture or it can be smooth as glass.

Leap Year

Today's February 29th, better known as the leap year day.  It only comes every four years.  It was my Aunt Jenny's birthday and I always thought that was special.  I'm sure she didn't like it very much.

Happy Leap Year

Altered Tin

 

I took an old tin that had come in the mail with a CD advertisement from years ago and altered it.

Quote

Imagination is the eye of the soul.

Joseph Joubert

Red-bellied Woodpecker

He's been so elusive this week whenever I've tried to get his picture.  Finally got a great shot this afternoon.

Photo Play

Original Photo

Having some fun with color.

Really playing with the photo.  Cool, almost like a painting.

Quote

I made these ATC's for a swap.  We had to make ATC's with a quote.  I enjoyed making these.

Cardinal

I just can't get enough of watching these beautiful Cardinals.

mag·nif·i·cent/magˈnifəsənt/

Adjective:

Impressively beautiful, elaborate, or extravagant; striking. Very good; excellent.

Altered Tray

I had an unfinished wooden tray that I wanted to finish.  Not sure yet what I want to use it for, but at least now it has some color.  The white swirls are not so strong IRL as in this picture.  Think I may use it in my studio for art supplies.  It may be finished and then again I may alter it some more.  Who Knows?

OK, so I wasn't satisfied so I played some more.  Here is the finished tray or is it?

Bird Tag

I made this tag based on a tag made by Maria McGuire over at Donna Downey's studio.  I didn't have the stamps she had nor did I want to take time to make the flowers.  Besides, I wanted to it be my own just using some of the techniques she used.

Quote

                         a musician must make music,
                             an artist must paint,                                                                                a poet must write
                              if he is ultimately
                           at peace with himself.
                       What one can be, one must be."

Abraham Maslow

Valentine Fairy Princess

I think she has a sassy attitude.

I was playing with some inks and paints and made this cute little Valentine Fairy Princess to celebrate Valentine's Day.  I'm trying to use up my scraps.  The skirt is made of a scrap of shear paper I found somewhere.  It was perfect for the skirt.

altered spice rack

I took this old 70's spice rack which I found at a thrift shop and altered

it for a cabinet to store some of my AJ supplies.  The original had a drawer which I decide I didn't want to use.  I may use it for something else later.