Book Twelve - Title Page

Journal number 12... this one is another hand*book journal.  I've been reading some of Kate Johnson's links on her Journal Workshop website about making my own journal... maybe between now, and May (which is when this book will be full) I'll give making my own journal a try.

Jan31Art

We had a Gold Capped Conure named Jimmy, when we 'rescued' Sam from the Pet Store. Jimmy was a sweet talkative little bird, that could say lots of things and even do some tricks for a sunflower seed.  Sam never learned to talk, funny enough the only sound he learned to make, was a smacking sound, in answer to the question... 'Give me a kiss'..  Jimmy would make the noise and touch your lips with his beak... NOBODY puts their face near Sam... but even though Jimmy passed away over 2 years ago... Sam can still answer 'Give me a kiss' .. with a smack, smack.. but don't believe him... he bites LOL

Jan30Art

Ron and I are doing Atkins... and we just created a GREAT low carb dinner. Pizza in a bowl: Sausage, Pepperoni, with tomato sauce with oregano, minced and powdered garlic added and mozzarella cheese. Placed in stoneware cups, in layers Ron added onion and green pepper to his, I added green olives. About 3 net carbs for each pizza bowl. 2 mins in the Microwave... didn't miss the crust one bit.

Jan29Art

I started work on a rose painting. I wanted to do one while the techniques I learned in Helen's class were fresh. Mixing colors has always been an issue for me, so I did lots of swatches like this today, trying to find the right combination for a 'peach' colored rose... I settled on Quinacridone Coral and Raw Sienna along with Quinacridone Gold for darker areas. I think they will work. If someone has a suggestion of something they've used for peach I'm open for suggestions.

Marsh

This is the other painting I did in Helen Beecham's class. I saw a painting like this on the internet, unfortunately I do not remember the name of the artist (if you recognize this as similar to a work of yours, please let me know and I will give you credit). So this is a copy, not an original... I've actually tried to reproduce what I remembered about the original painting several times... but this time I think I captured the look that I liked so much, so of abstract and dream like quality to the marsh. It is on 300 lbs paper size is 11x14.

Jan28Art

Today was a Chamber of Commerce day in Charleston, sunny skies, warm weather. Weatherman say we have more of the same this weekend... maybe we can get some yard work done.

Jan27Art

January is winding to a close, as is this journal. I have enough pages to finish out the month, then I get to start a new one on Feb 1st.

Jan26Art

Last art class tonight, I finished a painting that I'm very happy with, it's too big for my scanner, so I have to wait for a sunny day to take a photo of it to share.  She showed us some techniques to paint flower petals and leaves tonight.  I may have to paint a rose now, while I still remember how she taught us to do it. She has a grand-baby on the way, so there won't be a class for a couple of months, but I definitely want to take another one.

Jan25Art

President Barack Obama is at this moment delivering his 3rd State of the Union address to Congress.  I watched enough to get his tie and suit right... I'd rather watch the Capital's hockey game... I'll find out if anything new got said tomorrow I'm sure.

Jan24Art

Lin Bennett the Charleston County GOP Chairman, spoke to the Sea Island Republican Women club meeting tonight.  She explained party reorganization, which will take place this coming March.  State law dictates the way this is done, and it can be confusing.  Got meet the Taylor's at dinner, a very nice couple that enjoy 'Cowboy Action Shooting'... Ron has been thinking about doing that and enjoyed talking to them about it.

Jan23Art

Spent the afternoon doing laundry, took the dogs for a walk in the park. Ron cooked a beef roast on the grill, it smells wonderful... time to go eat it.

Jan22Art

The ice looked really great this year, very nice dark pink, it even reflected the color onto the rafters, making the whole arena glow pink. Based on the auction of the first 3 jerseys at over $1,000 each... the Susan Komen Breast Cancer organization is going to do very well this year. It's also nice that 70% of that money stays here to help local women fighting breast cancer, with 25% going to the national organization for research. It was a really good hockey game too.

Jan21Art

Had to give drawing Mr. Peabody a try... shopped at the Charleston Bead Store this afternoon, they've got a really nice store at Citadel Mall, got a clasp to fix my watch, and a copy of extra things... I'll have to go back without the martial unit, so that I can really look... if you know what I mean.  I bought a couple of beads off of ebay tonight... from my good friend and glass bead artist Belinda Todd... check it out cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160533542...

Jan20Art

When I was a kid, there were 3 channels on tv, ABC, CBS and NBC. On Saturday mornings, cartoons were on all 3 channels, up until about noon.  I used to LOVE Rockie and Bullwinkle, which included the 'Fractured Fair tales' with Sherman and Peabody... I do believe the dog 'Brian' on Family Guy is based on Peabody, he was one smart pooch.

Sail Away...

This is one of the paintings I did in class. It is a watercolor on 9x12 300 lbs Kilimanjaro Paper.

Jan19Art

Another great class tonight... I really wish it would last another month... I love getting 3 hours to paint in a room full of other painters... it's so cool seeing what everyone is doing.

Jan18Art

More hand practice based on Hirschfeld drawings... Grey rainy day today.. has my back aching... no energy either... so bright colors around the hands, made me happy.

Jan17Art

Lines, simple lines, much harder to do than it looks, Al Hirschfeld was a Master.. I love studying his drawings.

Jan16Art

The stamp I got, bleeds thru these pages onto the previous, and next page... I don't like that, so I won't be using it (at least not in these journals). Got a little more painted on my class paintings.

Jan15Art

A day for experimenting... tried drawing some of the figures in the Drawing to Life book, and did some splashes with a new brush I got this week... I've got a couple of new brushes that I need to play with, and test drive to see what they can do.

Jan14Art

I HATE cold weather, cold air makes my lung hurt even when I'm careful to breath only thru my nose.... I think the older I get the more the bitterly cold days effect me....
Hockey team was lack luster tonight... and Florida wanted a win WAY more than our guys did.

Jan13Art

I got myself a date stamp today.  I'm going to use it on some of my pages for a while... the ink appears not to run if given time to dry... so I like that. 

Jan12Art

Another great watercolor class tonight. Helen is such a great teacher, everyone in class is working on different paintings, but she is managing to help us all... I'm really excited about mine, it is really starting to come together... and I have a plan for my next one as well...

Jan11Art

CRACKED!!! This is my favorite coffee cup... it has a big crack or chip out of the bottom, but it still holds coffee, so it'll remain in service as long as possible, before becoming a pencil cup. Coffee cup handles still give me fits trying to draw them... as does the cup itself... you'd think after 3 years I'd be able to draw such a simple shape... well you'd be WRONG!!!

Jan10Art

oops got the date wrong, I can change that 1 to a 0 later, I'm not scanning this again... just got home from the meeting... the 9th day in a row of obligations away from home in the evening... tomorrow I get an evening at home YIPPEEE!!! Lots a freezing rain here in Charleston, brrrr.

Jan09Art

We had a winning weekend against the New Jersey Devils hockey team.... that streak has really helped our team's standing in the league... so thank you Trenton.

Jan08Art

Tragedy strikes in Arizona, Congresswoman Giffords was shot in the head, she has survived and the Doctors say she will recover. Lots of other people were shot, and some of them were killed. Please pray for the people in Arizona, this is so sad.

Jan07Art

New Jersey Devils are in town for a 3 game visit, we won the first one by the skin of our teeth. There were several fights, including the NJ coach getting a misconduct call at the end of the game... It was a good game tonight, should be a good one tomorrow too.

Ron and Congressman Tim Scott at the Party 1/5 after the first session of the 112 Congress... don't they both look handsome.

Jan06Art

Thanks to these 3 RINO’s along with 2 Democrats… it appears that Berkeley County is indeed a Progressive county with a Capital “P”… if you wonder what is happening to you in the next few years, higher taxes and more government waste, fraud and abuse… these 3 RINO’s are the reason.?
The voters of Berkeley County THOUGHT they had elected a CONSERVATIVE County Council… but these 3 gentlemen are NOT conservative, they aren’t even squishy Republicans, face it gentlemen you are DEMOCRATS.  Maybe the voters in your district would have elected you as Democrats, but I think not.  I do know that residents of Daniel Island are discussing a petition to join Charleston County, and leave Berkeley County all together…. for the folks that don’t live on Daniel Island what can you do?  You could move out of the county, or you could start attending the county council meetings.  I warn you you will NOT be pleased with what you see and hear going on there.  If they allow you to address them with your concerns, they will ignore you.  It is going to be a VERY long time until the next election… maybe you can get the folks up in Columbia, to pass a law that will allow you to petition for a RECALL election… and get this GANG out of office… wouldn’t that be nice?

Jan05Art

I went to watch Tim Scott's swearing in at his office here in Charleston, Ron went to DC and attended the events there.... it was very exciting.
Tonight was also my first painting class with Helen Beecham, there are 6 students for a 2 hour class so we got lots of personal attention... I have nothing finished to share here yet, but I have 2 paintings started.

Jan04Art

If you hear a voice within you saying... 

        "YOU AR NOT A PAINTER", 

then by all means PAINT....

and that voice will be silenced.

Vincent Van Gogh

Jan03Art

I want to do more two page spreads in my journal this year, so I figured I might as well get started. I also want to try to put some headings or titles on the pages, instead of just the day and date... so this was an attempt to do that too.
Went to a meeting tonight with SC Speaker Bobby Harrell, it was an excellent townhall style meeting. Our new Congressman Tim Scott dropped in for a few minutes to say thanks to everyone. Ron is leaving tomorrow to head to Washington DC to attend Tim's swearing in open house, and party Wednesday night... I'm so excited that he's getting to go on this trip... I'm staying home because my painting class starts on Wednesday and I don't want to miss the first class.

Jan02Art

Raining cats and dogs... that's the theme of my sketchbook project sketchbook... I still have 4 or 5 pages left to do on it... and time is running out, the book must be post marked January 14th.  The closer I get to the end the harder it is to come up with ideas... I'm glad I participated though... it has been a learning experience for me.

Jan01Art

I didn't make many resolutions last year, I kept them all except one... I did not lose weight... I did better I suppose because I didn't gain this year.  This year I'm going to try to eat more fruits and veggies, walk more, and let the weight do whatever it wants... I surrender on that one.