The Best Layed Plans...

 I started December with a plan to do a small painting and clear a section of clutter every day.  Well, it's day 9 and I have 2 done and one partially done.

The problem was the clutter clearing.  I had a pile of art journals and writing journals and, of course, I had to go through them to see what I had done.  Among the written ones I was reminded of something I had done with a Jane LaFazio class and I immediately had to look to see if I still had that class on my computer.  I did so I decided I had to make another one -- a Christmas one.  This is one that I put on the back of a denim vest.

They're fun to make and I have lots of red and green fabric.  Since I didn't make a new table runner this year I'm making one of these for the center of our kitchen table.  The process is addictive so I may make a few of them.  Perhaps they'll become another table runner, the first one I made many years ago has seen better days. I've since made them in a variety of styles and sized. I enjoy putting the parts together and then in the evening while watching TV I add embroidery and other embellishments.  

So sewing a patch every day has replaced the daily painting but the clutter clearing continues.  As long as something else I find doesn't distract me.

Still Playing With Stones

And I'm beginning to think about Christmas.  This little guy may become a gift tag.

I've also been thinking about a Christmas card.  I lost several addresses when a not so good technician moved things to my new laptop so some may not get one.  I've found a new technician but that's another story and it's too late for the mailing lists.

Since I'm moving back into watercolors I want to try something different -- perhaps a poinsettia, we'll see.  Meanwhile I'm enjoying playing with washes and rocks.  Yesterday's wash turned out to be a disaster.  However, I saw a couple rocks in the mess so I started playing.  There's still a ways to go and it may end up being okay after all.  What do you think, is there any hope?

Meanwhile I'm beginning to search for poinsettia images.  If you have any would you share?

Tuesdays and Christmas

 Another coffee shop with my Tuesday group.  This time Jumpin' Java because it was closing its doors at the end of the week.  We'll miss it but all is not lost, there are two more coffee shops in our downtown.

I'm still working on the 5 minute pieces but the most recent have been Christmas Ornaments. I started some awhile back intending to take them to the Gallery for the holiday exhibit. I didn't get enough done so I took Christmas Trees instead. The trees are similar to these that are around Ed's Sinterklass. I made him several years back for my Dutch husband. The ornaments will go to the Gallery next year.

 

 

Planning for next year has also been a priority but first a review of this year, the good and the bad.  Do you review your year?  I've been recording my thoughts on it in an art journal I recently made trying to improve my coptic stitch bookmaking. I still need to work on the stitching part.

 

My plan is to put a light coat of gesso over the journaling and use the journal this month to do some journaling about what I want to accomplish next year, another coat of gesso and start the new year with the journal actually serving as an art journal.  

Do you set goals and accomplish them?  I set them but don't always accomplish them. Intention matters to the artist—but so is play. The act of creation by nature is intentional. While art can be serendipitous, overall it is not accidental, we go into the studio with the intension to make art! I need to work on avoiding thinking, evaluating, judging or pre-conceiving when I start. I believe spontaneity and playing is an important part of the art process but I tend to miss that part.  Not always but often. 

Getting Ready

The Gingerbread House is finished.  I put the house together, our grandson does the decorating.  The first thing he did was add a chimney.  "How is Santa going to get in without a chimney?"  He had been telling me we need to do this since before Thanksgiving and he reminded me that he is bigger now so we need a bigger Gingerbread House.  So, it's bigger than the 5 or is it 6 previous ones.  It's one of our Christmas traditions.

I have to admit, I cheat, I bought a kit.  Baking is not my thing, my son was deprived growing up, the only time he got cookies was when Grandma Percy came or we went to Grandma Lystra's.  They both baked and there were always cookies when they were around. Since Grandma's are suppose to provide cookies, I buy them for our grandson.  I really should learn to bake, it isn't too late.

I did a gingerbread house for our son once.  Mother was visiting so she did the backing, I put the parts together.  It was a very elaborate Queen Anne complete with wrap around porch.  I wouldn't let Marshall eat any of it.  It was beautiful but, of course, didn't last.  Never did another one until I found the kits for Warner.

I've also been working on other decorating but going slow.  The tree is up and the lights are on it but no decorations.  The nativity Ed's brother gave us is up and so are my angels in the clouds.  Ed's brother is a florist and he sent me some fake snow he had used to build a life size snowman.  Well, life size snowman is going to take more time that I have unless Dick comes north and gives me some instruction.  (He lives in Florida)  In the meantime, I found that it is a great way to revive very old worn out ornaments and the went nicely with my angels in the clouds.  These ornaments are about 40 years old but the snow makes them almost like new.

Our grandson is usually here on Wednesday evenings so that may be when the decorations go on the tree.  He's here mornings before the bus too so we may get started tomorrow morning.

Did I mention, I love Christmas!

Catching Up

I am working at collage most days but every now and then something pops up that gets me going in another direction.  Such was the case a couple weeks ago when my wetcanvas.com friend Kay posted an old fella that I just had to draw.  I got out my grunge journal and here he is....

I realized when I did him that I was at the end of that journal so I've started getting another one ready.  I do have one done that is a larger size but I don't like it as well as this size so I'm back to gluing pages together and gessoing.

I'm also beginning to think about Christmas.  I usually make a new holiday table runner but so far haven't been inspired to do that.  I did start working on a new centerpiece though.  A small scene... home, trees, potting shed.... snow.  Nothing firm yet, still in the thinking stages.

And thinking about 2019... new word, new goals, look back at old goals and see what I got done and what I no longer care about doing.  Something I haven't done in many years is a Vision Board, I was in my studio on Lake Avenue when I last did one and that was several years back... my 40 year old son was still in college back then, in undergraduate school.  I've begun tearing images out of magazines... not all will make it to the board but it's a start.

I've also done a few more of my 4x4 collages... here's another one...

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas

Sinterklaas is out along with a few Santas that haven't gone to Marshall's yet.  Not this one; I made this guy for my husband.  

Most of these are Marshall's.  The exception it the tall one in red.  That one is mine, made from one of my dad's red sweaters.  And the next one, made from a patched Pendelton shirt of my husband's.  Of course, eventually they will all go to Marshall but for now they live here with Ed and me.

This little green Santa goes so nicely with the three green trees, He will live in the den this Christmas

My collection is angels though my Grandson would just as soon I not put them out; he doesn't like girl angels.  Most of mine go on the tree but I have a few that get scattered around the house.

And finally, the tree is ready with the lights on.  Now it waits for Warner to help me decorate.

Meanwhile, I have more Christmas to get out.  I've been doing a little bit every day, singing along with the Carols that are playing on my computer.

Back to Stitching & Some Painting

Years ago I made a simple table runner for a table that sat in front of our living room window in our old house.  One side was Christmas fabric, at least I thought of it as Christmas.  I was with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law at the time and they didn't think it looked like Christmas at all.  We all have different taste don't we.

Anyway, the other side was just plain burgundy so when Christmas was over, it was turned over and pretty much stayed there all year.  Eventually the fabric faded badly along with the boarder binding which showed on both sides so I put it aside planning to throw it away.  That was probably 20 years ago.  Every time I went to get rid of it I looked at the Christmas side and put it back on the shelf.  I still love the fabric.

Finally, this year I decided to forget the bad side and just put new binding on so I can use the Christmas side.  Here is the bad side...you can see it once was quite nice

And here is the Christmas side with the new boarder.  Not a perfect match but close and now I can use it again.... for many more years since it will only be out for Christmas.

I've also done a little more painting, working on some starts that my friend Annie Morgan gave me so finish.  They aren't finished yet, I have to sit with them for awhile, they'll tell me where to go next, I hope.  These are mixed media pieces which is something I've been playing with for awhile.

I added the pears, no I brought out the pears on this one, added more white for contrast and gave more definition to the line work.  Much of the color was there but fainter, I added to it.

On the one below the lower left side and making the whites whiter and the golds golder is all I've done and I am thinking this one may be done.  What do you think?

Sun Moon and Stars Progress and some Christmas

A bit more on this one and then a break to do some Christmas stitching while I consider where this is going.

I usually make a table runner for Christmas but one can only use so many table runners and I've already given enough away; it's time to do something different.  I saw this wreath in a fabric store and thought it would make a nice centerpiece with a candle.  I  bought some very nice Christmas fabric but couldn't get a pattern so I took a photo and bought some not so good Christmas fabric to try and figure it out.  This is the not so nice though it isn't too bad.  I think it will work just fine in the middle of our kitchen table.

This is the good fabric

And some detail...

The one I saw had little star buttons  holding the tips together where I have the butterfly pin.  I don't know if I'm going to add those or not.  There's time to decide.  Meanwhile I have some of this fabric left, lots of the flap fabric and a bit of the stripe,  Maybe another table runner after all.  We shall see.