... exploring in my creativity further in 2022



Showing posts with label Girls with Funny Hats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Girls with Funny Hats. Show all posts

12 October 2012

Paint Party Friday Week 31 - Back... With 2nd Last Travelling Sketchbook

I have been MIA for longer than I would ever have guessed would happen, hiding behind the scenes to help get PPF ready for everyone to party, and then disappearing back into everyday activities. I miss creating. Starting up again after this interlude has been harder than I expected. But I have!

Late in August, I received Lisa's sketch pages and box for the Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbook, then promptly left to take my daughter back to university out west. Just before leaving, a window replacement turned into the discovery of a dissolving foundation and significant repairs. (Arrgh!) Thus, I have held on to Lisa's "book" longer than any yet. Plus it was very late arriving and for November which is a very challenging month for me to think of anything to talk about. Dull and dreary is November to me...

Spread #1 - no words

Spread #2 with words...

"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn* quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."
-   John Clare, "November"

* I changed "morn" to "moon" and hid the moon behind the greyness... I love the Moon!)

Spread #2 before words

Some time ago, Lisa admired my "Girls with Funny Hats" plus she loves Frida and her birthday is in November so I created this Frida-like girl with a birthday cake hat to accompany my thoughts on November. This is my second last sketchbook. All I need to receive is my April to finish and then hopefully my own sketchbook will eventually return to me. It has been a fun project even if it didn't get finished within the allotted schedule.

I also painted this journal page to keep track of this month's activities...


I have missed everyone. The parties look like they have been awesome! I look forward to catching up with all of you over the weekend. Have a great week!

20 August 2011

ICAD - Playing with Pens, Watercolour Brush Pens and Office Supplies


I've been trying new tools and supplies lately in creating my ICADs. For a few days, I decided to play with pens and zen doodle and create a few more "Girls with Funny Hats".

Zen Doodling...


 


Girls with Funny Hats...



Then I decided to switch tools and try some using my watercolour brush pens (which are really more like ink than watercolour, and I'm not yet convinced that I like them much). Here are the pens...


And here are the ICADs I created using them...

Chickens...

Squirrel eating my pears!

Flowers

Zebra

Pear on my tree...

Mouse

And then I switched to using more office supplies...

Ballpoint Flower

  

 Highlighter Flowers

 
Highlighter Hearts

  
Highlighter Butterfly

 
Highlighter Carrots

I can't believe August is almost over and so is the ICAD challenge. It's been fun so far!

22 January 2011

THANK YOU! I am so flattered and appreciative!

This week two wonderful artists and bloggers, JA of Providential Egg and Kristin Dudish, my soon-to be partner in crime creativity (stay tuned - what we're planning will be fun!), presented me with the 


I was SO surprised!! Thank you both very much!! I have seen this meme circulate but I didn't expect it to find it's way here! Wow! 

As I understand it, everything is optional. I can tell you 7 things about myself and then pass the award on to 7 (or 15??) other people and even on that I'm free to do what I choose (as are you). This is great as....

  • The first thing about me is that I hate receiving chainmail. I cringe. I don't even open an email if it hints of that. I often feel bad when friends send me such a thing as I SO wish they hadn't.  I'm feeling a bit hypocritical at the moment (something I  also strongly dislike in myself) as blog awards seem to have that feel about them. BUT because of the totally optional aspect of this (and as they say, because flattery will get you everywhere, haha) I will thankfully accept it and pass it on with the understanding it can be easily ignored by the recipients or accepted and passed on as they choose. 
  • Speaking of STYLE, while I usually dress in suits I have often been told that I am very stylish and I love adding some colour to my attire if only by wearing bright accessories and fun socks with pantsuits. 
  • I am forever thankful video phones never caught on. "Cause sometimes I am not the least bit stylish. When I work online before going into the office, I am in my pjs with unbrushed hair. When I make phone calls I am so grateful those predicted ubiquitous videophones don't exist and that videochat is totally optional!
  • I often get inspiration in the oddest ways. No doubt all of you do? After receiving JA's comment and award and thinking about the word STYLE, another girl with a funny hat called to be created! (Maybe I should rename them "stylish girls"? She thinks she is!)
  • I am easily amused by little things. Picking up pretty rocks or shells, snorkelling and seeing fish - they don't need to be terribly exotic but if so that is a plus, just seeing some is wonderful!
  • I love the Moon! We have a very special relationship. He talks to me and I try to include him in my little creations whenever appropriate. Sometimes I search etsy and ebay on "moon" just to see how he inspires other people.
  • I would rather talk about you than me. I (obviously) can do it once I start but it is a challenge. I sit here pondering what else to say. I feel like Shrek sometimes - like I'm an onion. (I absolutely love that line!) There are layers to my personality that aren't always initially evident. It's not that I try to hide them as much as there is often no reason to talk about them unless someone is really interested. I discover new layers in myself all the time. And I wonder.... are we ALL onions???
Oh and one last thing that some of you may have actually been wondering about. Why does she not follow me when I follow her?? I do but I use iGoogle to follow everything that interests me. I have many pages on different topics of interest. All of you who follow me are on one page and I try to keep track of what you are up to. I'm not always successful and I don't always comments but I am watching.... (lol - that sounds creepy but it's virtually the same as following).

So who to award??? Argh! So tough!! And I have seen so many of you presented with this recently that it seems excessive to nominate you again, but....

Sophia at Blue Chair Diary hosts the very fun Sunday Sketches challenge. I really enjoy this sketching group. It is very low-key, very supportive with a real sense of community. A fabulous group with a wonderful host(ess)! I really want to nominate all the participants there too!

Priti Lisa is one heck of a charming, talented artist and persuasive arm-twister! (Yes Lisa this is coming around to you again. I know it has before but I couldn't resist.) Without Lisa, I would never have started the Sketchbook Project and be part of the big tour! Thanks Lisa!

So thinking of how Kristin approached this, who in the blogosphere might you not have met? (I have duelling banjo pigs invading my brain, thanks to her.)

Veronika has two amazing sites and a fabulous style. Notes to Self (I love that name - I am always either saying that or doing it - e.g. Note to Self:  Remember to check the pocket of the seat in front of me on the airplane before disembarking. You don't want to lose another book!) and Secret Fashion Diary starring the most extraordinary fashion model. Very catty! ;)

Peggy Stermer-Cox does amazing abstract pieces as well as fascinating blind sketches and studies. I sure wish I had her discipline, talent and eye for seeing pieces and putting them together in unusual ways. (So Peggy - you can ignore this as I know you don't like/want blog awards but I just wanted people who hadn't seen your work to do so.)

I'm really enamoured with Donna, the Happy Painter's work. I came across it during the SBP and have been quietly dropping by since! A fun combination of quotes and painting. Seeing her work makes me want to play in my art journal more.

M.H. Dunaway's art intrigues me. Bold. Introspective. And when I first visited, the Moon was prominent in  the art a lot!

Is that 6 or 7? Does one artist with 2 sites count as 1 or 2? Well since it is up to me, I will leave it at that. I'm sure you've had enough of my ramblings already. Please be sure to visit JA and her delightful Egg and Kristin Dudish if you haven't already as well as these awardees!!

Now to try to figure out which month is my favourite for Inspiration Avenue's weekly challenge. A tough one!

01 January 2011

Successful Completion of Creative Every Day in 2010!!

Phew!!! I made it! 


For 2010, I choose the word "CREATE" for my Word of the Year and then shortly thereafter I came across Leah's Creative Every Day Challenge. I thought - "what a great way to ensure I follow through on my desire to create" and I promptly joined. I have a tendency to take things a bit too literally and so I took a blank book I had and started to create something in it every day. The first few months I stuck closely to the themes and then when they no longer remained inspirational, I switched to just creating something. 

I filled four books and some of a fifth. I did an image for every single day of the year in 2010. There were days I did 2 and days I did none but those were relatively few. Travelling was the major challenge (and I do travel so I experienced that first hand) and so were holidays. Some nights I was up much later than I wanted trying to finish a creation! 

I experimented. I tried pens, zen doodles, coloured pencils, watercolour pencils and crayons, a few kind of pastels, several kinds of paint, pencil and charcoal.

I surprised myself with the ideas I came up with and with what I created!!

Here are the last few:

Monday:


Tuesday: Inspired by my Nutcracker collection "Herr Drosselmeyer"...

:
Wednesday:


Thursday:


Friday:


I never thought I'd complete the full year. But the more I did, the more I felt I had to continue and finish 2010. Will I do the same in 2011? Not the same, no.

I joined CED2011 but I won't have books of daily creations and I might not do things daily. I discovered I wanted to work on bigger projects and these little ones left no time in my already busy schedule for that. And the big projects can't be completed in a day. But I also found that I like creating and I want to continue and expand on it.

Most of all I discovered wonderful artists in the blogosphere and made new friends. What an amazing community you are!! The news is filled with negativity but I am in awe of all the warmth and positive forces that exist in this creative group. Thank you all for your comments and encouragement.

I look forward to seeing what you will all create in 2011!!!

P.S. I will write about my new Word of the Year for 2011 soon but I am focusing on finishing up the remaining SBP pages for the Sketchbook Project - due soon!

P.P.S. Do you choose a Word of the Year?

P.P.P.S. HAPPY NEW YEAR to you!!! May it be a happy, healthy, prosperous and creative 2011 for you!!!

Love
EVA

08 December 2010

Whimsical Wednesday - Girl in Green

I've always think of my "Girls with Funny Hats" as being rather whimsical. Since today is another Whimsical Wednesday at Web of Whimsy, I thought I'd create a new girl. This one is all decked out in the holiday spirit!


Are you feeling whimsical today?

29 November 2010

AEDM Day 29

Today I thought I'd do another silly  girl with a funny hat and then finish up my "Variations on a Tree" theme tomorrow with the final version and a collage of all the trees together. It seems like a fitting end to finish up the formal AEDM. I'll still be continuing to create every day in 2010 though I am looking forward to checking-in weekly instead of daily!. I'm almost finished Book 4 and will start Book 5 soon. I'm still amazed at myself that I've made it this far!


Are you continuing in December?

24 November 2010

AEDM Day 24 Whimsical Pilgrim

Thinking of my U.S. friends as your Thanksgiving approaches... a whimsical pilgrim for today's effort and for Dan Haase's new Whimsical Wednesday challenge.


Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow as you all create marvelous meals!!

14 November 2010

AEDM Day 14 "Community"

Today I am combining AEDM (Art Every Day Month) with Inspiration Avenue's weekly challenge where the theme is "Community" this week. I thought I'd put together a community of my "Girls with Funny Hats"


They love to hang out together and design and create new hats and outfits together either for their own selves or for each other. 

07 November 2010

Catching up from my unposted week(s)

I am now back from a week away. Unfortunately I didn't have time to post these before leaving so they seem way behind schedule. But since I am still on track for my year's Creative Every Day (CED2010) Challenge, I wanted to put them up! 

Monday: Playing with crayons...


Tuesday:


Wednesday: Thinking about Hallowe'en...



Thursday:


Friday: Travelling on a jet plane.... so I won't be able to use mine! 


Saturday: The Happy Face - in Disguise!


Sunday: A participant at my conference.....


Tomorrow Art Every Day Month starts at Creative Every Day. Posting daily is encouraged rather than the usual weekly check-ins. After I get caught up from my travels, I will try to keep up with the daily posting for the rest of the November. I think posting every day will be harder than creating every day! It almost seems like twice the effort as each post is a creation in and of itself! Looks like there will be lots of new artists there to meet and share their efforts!

Hope you had a good two weeks and I look forward to seeing what you were up to while I was away!

25 October 2010

EARTH and her Creatures (Mostly)

Have you ever had those weeks where you misplace something, find it, misplace it, find it, misplace it, find it....etc etc? That was my week. It interfered with my CED2010 progress. I did get my daily creations done but because of misplacing my book - not all on the exact days. Mostly I thought about the EARTH theme this week until other ideas took over. 


Monday:



Tuesday:



Wednesday:


Thursday:


Friday: I went to the ballet with my friend Carole and the opening scene had the ballerinas silhouetted against a gorgeous blue background. This sketch doesn't really capture it but it was inspiring!


Saturday: Another backdrop from the ballet. There were no rats but I loved the tunnel and its surroundings!


Sunday:



That was my (disjointed) week. I also created 2 page spreads for the Sketchbook Project and have been working on creating a paper and presentation for a conference this weekend.

This time next week I will be out of town, so while I will continue to create, I am unlikely to check in as usual on Monday. It will be probably be on Saturday the 6th as I get caught up. Hope you have a great week! (Or two.)  I will try to visit if I can. 

18 October 2010

Pink and RED

This week in my CED2010 creations there were two undercurrents. The EARTH theme was not generating any  ideas for me but Illustration Avenue's Weekly Challenge was Pink so I started working with my Pink Pens and that kept me going/creating for the first part of the week. On Friday the movie RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) came out and as I was reading the review, with photos, I decided to try to sketch the actors. They finished off my week. I'm trying to get better at sketching but these really don't look like Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren or Morgan Freeman much. Oh well.... practice, practice, practice...

Monday:



Tuesday:


Wednesday:



Thursday:



Friday:



Saturday:




Sunday:


As always, scanned pencil sketches are more visible when you double-click on the image. BTW RED was quite enjoyable! Great cast and a fun way to spend a Saturday evening. It's been awhile since I've been to the movie theatre.

Hope you have a great creative week!