L'Orangerie

p a t t e r n

My summer classes are colliding! And I'm loving it. SEWN had me all worried because color! freehand patterning! etc. I think Summer Sketch is loosening me up. I'm just sitting down, doing the daily prompts and getting some cool results. I don't know why that was such a difficult concept for me.

We need to have a chat, my demons and me.

I used Daniel Smith Venetian Red watercolor on the left and Windsor & Newton yellow ochre Calligraphy Ink on the right. I wasn't sure I had any pens that would go over a darker color. Really need to invest in a correction pen. I used a silver Sharpie and some white Golden Fluid Acrylic with a tiny paintbrush.

Not able to leave well enough alone I picked up my favorite pen in the world (Lamy Safari with Noodler's ink) and added detail. The left now looks to me like a bandana. On the right I added my fave cobalt teal Golden Fluid Acrylic.

This is the prompt where it really clicked. Don't stress about the sketch, just play in the space between. I need to paint in my pattern book NOW. I think I'm happiest with the results when I embellish with pen. It's labor intensive, but wow I love it. I was reminded of some crazy quilting I did this winter. I could stitch little French knots for days. 

Shall we dub this my Summer of Cobalt Teal? 
I noticed the other day that my toes nearly matched my skirt. 
Clearly the above art was meant to be. 

s l e e p

Last week at this time Grant and I were at a doctor's appointment then out to lunch, of course. On Saturday I had to take Ginger to the vet. It was glorious to sleep in today. Fingers crossed for a full weekend of sleeping in. All the more needed because Forged in Blood II just came out and I was up until 2:30 reading and still didn't finish. I'm so sad this is the last in the series, but am still racing through it.

While we were waiting for the vet I started to sketch the glass canisters that hold various instruments of annoyance. I really covet these jars, but only took a photo so I could finish the sketch at home. Honest. They're still in the exam room. What would I do with a huge collection of tongue depressors anyway? And do vets really use tongue depressors? That never occured to me before.

Anyhoo, I also finally bought a bagel to sketch. Note to self: don't sketch a delicious bagel before breakfast. 

One of my favorite passages in Danny Gregory's The Creative License is

Get yourself a bagel. Preferably one with some sort of stuff on top -- salt, garlic, sesame seeds, etc. No bagels? Use toast. No toaster? Use a slice of bread. No bread? Well then you can't draw. Sorry.

Ha! Cracks me up every time. Though I made many similar excuses until I decided to hell with it, I'm gonna draw.

f a b r i c

SEWN continues apace. For all my whinging about getting out of my comfort zone with size, pattern, color, etc. the most difficult part of this class is that new videos come out on Mondays. Of course I watch them with my a.m. espresso then have to go to work. I know, woe is me.

So it's taken me a couple of nights, but I cut some strips and did a lot of sewing last night. Shoving paper through the sewing machine is a bit more work than fabric, but strangely satisfying.

I managed two sheets before bedtime. As you can imagine there is paper all over my studio and my sewing room. I really wanted some window shots, but the cloud coverage was thick today. This was as good as it got. 

Probably for the best. My windows could use a good clean and I lack motivation. Or interest, if I'm honest. Returning to the point, I noticed the sheets got smaller as I sewed on more strips. I decided this evening I couldn't deal with all the unevenness so started squaring the sheets then dividing. That's where I hit a snag:

Do I keep the rectangular shapes on the right, or continue dividing into smaller square-ish shapes? I'm leaning toward square, but kinda like them both. I'm currently crowdsourcing an answer on Instagram, and here. Please chime in!

f r i d a y

My Friday, that is. It is officially my weekend, please pass the tequila. (Mary Ann and her watermelon margarita link got to me, I admit)

To explain (not that it's important) at work we have to use our vacation--or lose it--by the end of the fiscal year which means June. I tend not to use much during the year so my time off clusters around May and June. So this first week back really kicked my ass. Not complaining--grateful to be employed--but I also loooove sleeping in.

Anyhoo, delighted at the prospect of a weekend of hobby indulgences. I received a most excellent vintage tape measure from my friend and fellow Steampunk, and my birthday pen arrived today. Combining the two seemed appropriate.

I treated myself to a Lamy Safari and some Noodler's ink. It is lovely to draw with. I look forward to many more sketchings.

b - d a y

I'm not trawling for birthday wishes, I promise. I'm just sharing the love of birthday rum and cupcakes from my sister--she's got my number--and a most excellent early gift to myself: SEWN! 

I completed my pattern book cover in record time last night. Actually, that's not quite true. The sewing and binding were quick, but the fussing with the paper triangle placement could've gone on for hours.

I snapped this picture of the front cover in real light this morning, and the back last night because I couldn't wait.

Sigh. I do love making things. 

p o r t l a n d i a

Come on, how else was I going to title a post about Portland?

June 14th we finally took an overnight, post-stroke trip. I know, right? It's been 4 years and I'm sure Grant was up for travel before this, but I'm the sticky one. I'm not a great traveler at the best of times and an overprotective worrier all the damn time. But Portland is close-ish and Grant's brother and sister-in-law live there. They were in charge of taking care of us on that end and they did an amazing job. It's been a long time since I could kick back and just see the sights. I so appreciated the opportunity.

With all the stops we took about 4 hours to drive down. There was talk of taking the train, but I just couldn't cope with that timetable. I needed to retain some control of the situation which...yeah. But I got MINI serviced and washed so was pretty confident of the drive. 

We checked in at the Kennedy School which at first whiff was distressingly "old school building" but I must've gotten used to it. The decor is so fun and the drinking fountains are about knee high. I would've felt like a giant but for all the high ceilings. Our room had these Steampunk-y/brothel-y lamps which I kinda wanted to take home with me, but would like to make clear I Absolutely Did Not.

Brent & Danni picked us up and took us to their neighborhood Japanese pub, MiHO Izakaya, which was SO GOOD. I would literally kill for some Wasabi Watermelon right about now. And carmelized cauliflower, and noodles, and salmon. Was there salmon? I want to say yes. I tried drinking vinegar  in Plum which was refreshing and delicious. I was terrible at taking pix so have an after-the-fact sketch.

After dinner we got a tour of their stomping grounds, house and garden. Super cute house and, of course, the garden is amazing. Gotta say though our smoke bush is bigger. Heh. Because I let it grow as it will, of course. It's a monster which gives a bit of privacy to our large front windows.

Next morning we gorged on amaretto French toast, cottage potatoes, fruit, yogurt, espresso. The Kennedys do not skimp on brekkie. B & D picked us up and drove us around Forest Park, up to the Pittock Mansion, and down through Portland. We think we saw a movie or TV shoot, but it wasn't obvious what was being filmed. We stopped at the Lan Su Chinese Garden where I did manage to take some lovely pix. 

   

We started to fade a bit so had lunch at a Lebanese place where I had an iced Turkish coffee for the first time. Not the last, I suspect. Again with the gorging on many delicious dishes. It was a good visit and, if I'm honest, glad we went. I need to be forcibly removed from my comfort zone every once and a while. We even had a whale of a send off:

Vanispheres as we immediately dubbed it (thank you, Dr. Krieger) was parked at the hotel. Not pictured is the Egyptian motif on the starboard side. That is so Portland. Or something.

s k e t c h y

So about a year ago I signed up for Alisa Burke's Doodle Delight class, thoroughly enjoyed it then abandoned the project. Drawning/sketching/doodling and me, we have a fraught history. I did discover a love of cross-hatching which I used all over these tentacles. 

Maybe it's a summer thing* but I'm back, baby! I've picked up pen and ink again. I'm even adding watercolors. Ineptly, but I'm learning as I go. I think Mary Ann's Sketchbook and Sketchwars with her sister Carol have been percolating in my brain. Also, there's this embarassment of riches:

Have you seen The Art of Breakfast?? Fantastic. I've been drawing a (nearly) daily espresso cup sketch which I'll conquer one of these days.

Keys, shoes, waterbottles, etc. Whatever catches my interest. Perspective continues wonky, but I'm trying not to be overly critical. I may add lettering/journaling. I'm not very fast so tend to run out of steam after the drawing and coloring is done.

*It must be because I'm signed up for Alisa's Summer Sketch later this month. Perhaps I'll be able to carry on through the year...?

s e w n

Happy 4th of July! The clouds are back and the temperature has plummeted. Now that's more like a Seattle 4th. Since I don't venture out into nature at the best of times, I  couldn't be more chuffed that Summer Camp (SEWN class by my hero Mary Ann Moss) began today. 

Oh look, I'm already covered in paint and ink. YAY. Keeping it loose is always a struggle for me, but I put on some music and that helps. 

Oh, and the vodka is infusing. I dig a class that comes with cocktail recipes.

 

* g a s p *

Sketching!

After many years of fear and Inner Critiquing I've started sketching. To be fair, I took a doodling class last June (as if the word makes a difference?) but something has finally clicked. I hope.

Art and craft--Fall 2012 edition

Curse Facebook. It's just too easy to post things there. I can't seem to let go of the blog though so here I am. Back again like a bad penny. It's been a good post-election, post-Thanksgiving time so far. I'll start with the most recent and perhaps work back. 

Because I need a new craft--HA!--I've started a quilt. 

I blame this tutorial from our local shop. I could do that! thought I. It took me a while to organize, wash and cut fabrics. Fortunately? I had a few pieces in the stash, and yeah, acquire a few fat quarters from Etsy. The point is I finished half of the blocks today. 

Pardon me while I make a lap. 

Ginger continues to be pretty (and) demanding.

Yesterday was an excellent art day with my Plaster Pals: Pam, Jeanne and Melinda. We played with thrift store frames and metal spoons. I've done a couple of vintage-y pieces with copper edges for others lately and decided it was time for something for me. 

He still needs some antiquing, but I'm quite pleased so far.