Feb29Art - Leap Year

I asked my husband to marry me, it being Sadie Hawkins day... he said yes.  Whew, that's a relief.  Off to take a flute lesson tonight.

Feb28Art

Finally got a chance to use my cruise control on my motorcycle while cruising back to Charleston on I-26.  I think I'm going to love cruise control.  Much warmer today than expected,  we could see the trees starting to sport red buds, Spring is just around the corner.

Feb27Art

Gorgeous sunny day today so we took the motorcycles down to Edisto Beach for lunch today.  Turned out colder than we expected the closer we got to the ocean.  Hot tea and a great lunch at 'The Waterfront' Bar and Restaurant warmed us up.  Ron had a Philly Cheese Steak and I had the fried flounder, great food, good service. We fueled up and walked down to the beach for a bit, then back on the bikes to head home.  It's supposed to be warmer tomorrow, I'm thinking another ride is called for.

Feb26Art

Actually saw the birds for the first time yesterday when walking the dogs... Spring can't be far away when the Robins return.

Feb25Art

I've quit posting on Facebook every day, gone to once a week (on Thursday) updates there.  I'm spending a lot less time on Facebook, and I think that is a GOOD thing.  I'm thinking about going to once a week posting on by blog as well.  I must admit, if I stop posting my blog daily, then I may stop drawing in my journal everyday.... it's a part of my creative journey that makes me happy that I don't want to lose.

Feb24Art

It's after 11pm, so I've already blown the early to bed part of this Ben Franklin quote, sort of.  I did however, work like hell today, and even did a little knitting and made a mini-washcloth using short rows. Trimmed my rose and hibiscus bushes back, as well as nipped and tidied up the big crepe myrtle, and put the recycle in the bin for tomorrow.  Finally, a little drawing of the design on my wine glass, move a load of laundry to the drier and call it a day.  This I suppose is my advertising :-)

Feb23Art

A little better today, took some ProBiotics to help out the good bacteria, and so far that's helping... can you find the sheep?  How about the wolf?  Lots of cats in there for fun too. Funny cat and dog faces, what I doodle, usually on the margins of work reports LOL.

Feb22Art

I'm feeling a little better from this plague of coughing, sneezing and general feeling bad.  Sadly due to the antibiotics, and the loss of valuable good bacteria in my gut, I'm suffering with raging diarrhea now.  In war they call that collateral damage... Sigh.

Feb21Art

The phone didn't ring once... all day today... peace and quiet finally.  Gracie and I spent another day in bed, Ron did manage to take a ride this afternoon, the weather was too nice to waste.

Feb20Art

Gracie is good company when you're sick... she stayed in bed with me all day today.

Feb19Art

I prepped this spread last night, with Distress Ink and then used Matte Gel Medium to seal it.  I know from experience that Distress Ink basically never dries and if you paint and/or draw on it, it'll run, make a mess and get all over your hands.  I usually apply Matte Gel Medium with my fingers, but with this ink on the page I used a palette knife instead, got a nice thin coat on that way.
I'm afraid I'm losing the battle on this cold or whatever it is, running a fever tonight.  Loading up on Nyquill and calling it a night soon.

Feb18Art

I'm fighting getting the plague that gripped Ron for almost a week.  He went back to work today, and is feeling better coughing less (thus allowing me to sleep). Unfortunately, I'm waking myself up coughing sigh.  Bring on the Hall's cough drops and the Nyquil Cough syrup, and more Emergen-C and Green tea.

Feb17Art

The robo calls have gotten unbearable, I now click the button on the speaker phone, with the sound turned low, so I don't have to listen to them.  I let them pay to listen to my tv going and talk to themselves, eventually they hang up.  I AM DONE with people calling me to a. ask who I'm going to vote for ... answer, 'NONE of YOUR BUSINESS', or b. to ask me to support this, that or the other candidate...  FORGET IT I'm voting based on my own research, or c. you want MORE MONEY from me.... I'm DONE, no more money for any candidates.  If your name isn't Tim Scott I'm not giving you a nickel (Love Tim, don't give him much, but can't resist helping my favorite Senator).

Feb16Art

I couldn't resist making another stamp, a feather this time stamped in red, yellow and blue ink.  Good news from the dermatologist, no new spots found and my full body scan.  I go again in 3 months, if I'm clear then too, then I only have to go every 6 months.

Feb15Art

I've had the tools and supplies to make a stamp for several years, Penny's klass at sketchbook skool this week did a demo of stamp making.  She made it look fun and easy to do... I should know by now that when someone is an expert at something they always make doing it look easy.  Besides the blades falling out of the tool, repeatedly, getting an even cut is not that easy either, and finally a big mess of shavings was created.  I like my little doggie and his bone stamp though... and I'll probably make some more.

Feb14Art

I hope everyone had a happy valentine's day... we didn't have anything special planned.  Poor Ron is sick and other than spending time waiting to see a doctor today, he's been in bed.  It isn't the flu, so he's on antibiotics and tylenol/motrin to bring his fever down and bed rest for the next 3 days.  

Feb13Art

Came home from bowling with our local hog group (well Ron bowled, I watched) to discover we'd lost Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.  Incredibly bad news for anyone who loves the Constitution.

Feb12Art

Just fooling around with a 1/4 flat brush and the colors in my palette.  Warmed up a bit today, but supposed to be cold tomorrow.  Enjoyed watching the new Sketchbook Skool videos tonight.  Interesting techniques that's for sure.

Feb11Art

I love Flamingos and blue Herons, and Egrets basically, all long necked graceful birds.  Opera pink perfect for pink flamingos don't you think?

Feb10Art

Watched a Kate Johnson video on color mixing tonight.  She has so many cool little palettes, and such inspiring colors, I spent most of the evening playing with colors.  So I drew one of my business card palettes and water brush... now it's off to bed for me.

Feb09Art

New Hampshire voters choose Trump and Sanders, now the robo-calls move to SC in earnest.  Our primary is on Feb 20th..  Spent most of the evening fooling with my Blog, changing my header picture and the font color on the title.  Took longer to figure out than it should have, but I finally got it done.

Feb08Art

Doing this quote on top of an old piece of music, seemed like a good idea, but didn't quite work out. So here's the quote from Felix Scheinberger's book 'Urban Watercolor Sketching';  "it seems important that you learn the fingerings, but what song you play is up to you".   He was talking about guitar, and comparing learning the basics (fingerings) to learning the basics in watercolor, washes vs glazes etc.  I'm learning to play the flute and learning fingerings is a daily practice issue for me, as I learn more new notes.  This quote hit me upside the head (as my brother often says)... I DO NOT practice my watercolor fingerings like I should.

No place for a civilian: Richard Johnson at TEDxCalgary

Feb07Art

Really inspired by Felix's class and his art work, I have his urban sketching watercolor book somewhere, I must dig it out and re-read it.  I really suck and doing people... but I won't get better at them not doing them... so a dude with spots of red that didn't run or fade as expected.  Watching the Super bowl,  hoping Carolina gets it together and wins this but it isn't looking good right now.

Feb06Art

The Stingrays were on FIRE tonight, Florida has a much better record than us, and probably thought they'd pick up an easy win tonight.  They got a surprise.  Had fun with my SBS homework a wonky watercolor fish and a bit of collage from my ticket to the game.

Feb05Art

Great hockey game tonight, Rays hung on the win it in a shoot out.   This week in SBS the instructor is speaking German (I took German in college, but that was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away).  There is closed captioning in English, and I actually use closed captioning a lot to watch TV at night with the sound off (so it doesn't wake up my husband).  I have a better understanding about how the classes may have been for non-English speakers, since so far all of the instruction has been in English.  It is very difficult to watch the instructor's painting/drawing technique, while reading what they are saying.  When I have time I'm going to have to watch it and read the captions, then watch it without the captions so that I can see what he's doing.  That's my plan anyway.

Feb04Art

It rained all night and all day today... it is supposed to end tonight, BUT, then it's going to get cold, sigh.  It don't really mind the rain when it's warm, but I do not like it cold even if the sun is out.  Just a gray day today.

Feb03Art

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain.... it is pouring now, huge line of thunderstorms moving thru Charleston now.  Gracie is sitting at my feet hyperventilating and drooling on my feet, time to get this posted while the power is still on and internet connection is active.

Feb02Art

Phil says we'll have an early Spring this year... yeah Phil that's a forecast I can be happy about.  Watching the 'Groundhog Day' movie this evening, always fun to see, and funny that they have been playing is back to back all day long.

Feb01Art

The Democrat Caucus is too close to call still, Bernie and Hillary are neck in neck.  Ted Cruz won the Republican Caucus, with Trump and Marco Rubio within 1 point of each other, with Dr Carson coming in 4th.  Mike Huckabee is dropping out, as should Bush, Santorum, Christie and Gilmore (my opinion folks that's all).  Very large record breaking turnout, with a snow storm headed their way.  Good for you people of Iowa for doing your civic duty.