Watercolor 139

Another "Thanks, Leah."

(I do know how to count. I decided I didn't like number 138, so will not post it.)

Watercolor 137

Misty

And in similar tones....

Ready to be made into jelly

Watercolor 136

Thanks, Leah.

A Random Alice in Wonderland Drawing

Item 1: I have kind of this low-key years-long obsession with Alice in Wonderland. The book and it's sequel at least, not really the Disney animated movie, haha.

Item 2: Looking through my most recent sketchbook, I realized I hadn't practiced any manga-style doodles in a while.

These two items combined with other random stuff in my head to form this idea for a drawing that I was immediately on board with. I got out my manga drawing book and set to work on the rough sketch, since I was not working and had plenty of time left in the day, haha!

Sorry if you can't see much on the page -- my pencil sketches are usually pretty light lol

While it didn't come out as AWESOME as it was in my head (only about 25% of the awesomeness morphed onto the page poorly), and it is not terribly manga-y, it was still a lot of fun to do (Once I got past the part about 10% into the project, where it was clear it was not going the way I wanted it to, and I had to get over the frustration and try a less-ambitious angle to work toward, haha).

I forgot to take in-progress photos after the first one of the beginning sketch, but here's the final product:

Here are a few close-ups. Sorry my photography skills were not the best they've been, haha.

Alice - looks more scared than surprised? lol

The White Rabbit

Hedgehog - I kind of really want to make an amigurumi version of this hedgehog now. I've got half the design formed in my head already lol

That's all for now! I probably won't post next week. I'm not sure about the following weeks, but next week I'm pretty much freaking out about going on my trip for three months, haha, and I'll be busy packing, and getting last minute stuff taken care of, and things. :D

Watercolor 135

Landscape

Watercolor 134

Winding Path

And summer flowers

Watercolor 133

Watery

Weaving Project

For a Class

This is another of the many, many things I have wanted to try, so I did. This involved weaving beads and fibres. The loom was supposed to be more sophisticated, but I didn't have time to make that, and the low tech version worked.

My unpretentious, but workable, loom.

Planning bead rows. This is a "celebration of family" project, so each row is for a family member. 

Woven beads, silk and cord. Yes, it looks like a beginner's work, but one has to start somewhere. 

The original project was a bracelet, but I preferred a hanging.

Close-up of the centre section

Watercolor 132

Slope

Watercolor 131

Reflections

Crochet and Denim Hair Bow

I made a hair bow a couple of weeks ago.

I crocheted a piece, just eye-balling and not measuring, from a stitch pattern I found on Pinterest when I looked for "Irish lace;" whether it actually is an Irish lace pattern or not, it was a lot of fun to crochet and I think it is quite pretty. I used some white cotton crochet thread and a U.S. size 7 (1.5mm) steel crochet hook.

Then I cut from a pair of old jeans a piece of denim that was roughly the size of the crocheted piece.

I sewed the two pieces together, then joined the short sides and sewed them, so I had a little tube.

I cut another smaller piece of denim (I'll guess it was maybe four inches by two and a half inches?), rolled the rough edges underneath longways, and sewed it around the middle of the tube after pinching it into a bow shape.

I sewed an alligator clip to the back of the bow. (Kind of messy, and I might have to figure out a way to redo it differently if it comes apart, but it holds okay for now, haha)

And there it is!

Not the most polished of projects, but it was fun, and I think it turned out kind of pretty, even if it was a bit bigger than the size bow I was trying to make. :)

Watercolor 130

Skimmer

I stole some minutes from jam making to do a little painting. 

Watercolor 129

Night Light

Notes Finished

For Video Classes

I have a fat book now filled with notes and sketches and lots of ideas from my summer video classes. Inspiration is oozing everywhere.

Project Beginning

Book Covers

For a class I am doing (or trying to do around my duties), I am making some covered covers, which I will use with my eco dyed papers. This is the first step. It was supposed to be plaster wrap, but I used a fabric medium on gauze for a similar effect. Now it dries. 

Ideas on Paper

Sometimes That’s the Max for the Day

I have hundreds of these little thumbnail sketches. Time to get back to painting.....

New Homes

For Art Works

With packing up the house in full mode, some things will need new abodes. If the young ladies do not come – and leave – with stuffed luggage, they might be able to take back some pieces with them, if anyone would like something. My children get first choice, but then there is open season on most of the others. I won't be keeping many. If you saw saw something on this blog or recall something else you'd like, ask.

... like this one. It is a very old experimental piece, on silver scratchboard, nicely matted and framed.

The image shows up much better in real life and in daylight.

Mini Mad Hatter Top Hat, Part II

FINALLY, the other half of the tour/tutorial for the Mini Mad Hatter Top Hat (a.k.a. the For Fun project that I started almost a year ago, haha!)

(Side note: I could have done this post sooner, since the hat has been as far along to completion as it is now, for about two months at least. I felt like it needed something more in order to be deemed "complete;" but now I look at it and decide that the official Hat part of the hat is as good as it's going to get, even if I might decide later on to embellish it a bit more after all, whenever I find some suitable materials for that purpose.)

OKAY! RESUMING TOUR/TUTORIAL:

I settled upon using once-used wrapping paper to cover the hat with, because it was what was available in my stash of craftsy odds and ends. It was double-sided, so I had two variations to choose from.

I was originally going to use the little length of ribbon in the construction as well, but ended up leaving it out.

I used mostly tape to hold the paper in place with. I used the contrasting side for the ribbon/middle, and glued a round piece to the bottom as well, to cover up any remaining evidence of my cobbling. XD

Held stuff in place with binder clips again, while glue dried...the edges were not that peely-looking when it was all done.

So, yeah! There it is. :)

I still think it needs some feathers and bling or something, and I think I would like to attach it to a headband for a silly hair accessory or something. I'm not sure what else it could be used for. A Christmas tree ornament? A knick-knack?

Who knows?

Our Lady of Violets

A Humorous Take on a Santos

This was a class project, an assemblage to "say something."

Another Paint Wipe

On Canvas Board.

In Progress

One Part

This is about two and half inches, acrylic on paper, and is part of an assemblage piece.

Scribbles

Are Wonderful Things

From today’s sketchbook.