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!

Paint Party Friday - Week 16, Year 2 - Travelling Sketchbook for March

Another travelling sketchbook arrived Monday! (Yay!) It is so very exciting to see these sketchbooks mature as they travel the world. This one is March and all I have left to do is November (which should arrive soon) and April (which I have no idea where it currently is). Since these are so far behind in their travels I wanted to get it back in the air as quickly as possible.

This book belongs to Kathy and it is gorgeous. March is an odd month for me - not quite winter and not yet Spring. Often we have been south for March Break and when we haven't, I dreamed of going... My March images are inspired by that dreaming...

March spread #1 with words...

The words/poem read:

"We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them."

-- Woodrow Wilson

March spread #1 without words... 

I dream of the sea. And of the fishies I would see while snorkeling... (well and many, many other things...)

 March spread #2 without words

Now written over with my thoughts of March...

I am still battling the weeds overtaking my garden so I will be in and out to visit as weather and weariness permit. Now I have some help - a gift of weeding from my family for Mother's Day. (How wonderful!) Plus to make things extra busy, Sunday is Canada Day and that means beach party, bonfire and fireworks!

Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians and an early Happy Independence Day to all my American friends.

xo

Paint Party Friday - Week 12, Year 2 - Travelling Sketchbook for September

I'm a bit late for the party (Paint Party Friday, of course!) but I finally had the paints out and have something to show! May was a very busy month. I have been away and haven't had much of an opportunity to paint or visit PPF partyers.    :(

On Monday, one of the sketchbooks that had been out of circulation for some months, arrived in the mail . Yay! I wanted to turn it around and get it on to its next stop as quickly as possible. That inspiration lead to action!

Today I finished it and ran to the post office to send it on its way to Nicola in Australia.

This book belongs to Kim - Queen of Arts and has only a few entries - mine is for the month of September! It was very hard for me to paint and write about September at the end of May, beginning of June but I think I found the perfect poem...

First spread before poem added...

With poem... words read...

"September leaf 

Blushing... 

Remembering... 

The torrid kisses

...Of July 

September leaf 

Sensing winter

....And oblivion 

Shivers... 

And whispers 

"July, my only love" "Say you remember." 

- LaRetha Adams, Before Winter

Since I too love July and am yearning for it as the weather here has again turned cold and rainy, this poem seemed perfect!

This is the second spread where I talk about September means to me. (Hint: it involves grapes and pears, and apples (up until last year when my apple tree died) which I grow in my yard.) 

Hope everyone has a great time at the party! I will be dropping by to visit this weekend. (My expected distraction this weekend - the incredibly growing weeds - are safe for now with this miserable weather...)

Paint Party Friday - Week 9, Year 2 - Travelling Sketchbook for February

I'm baaaaackkk! April was an incredibly busy month and I got absolutely no painting done.   :(   So I didn't make it to my very favourite party (Paint Party Friday, of course!) except to work with Kristin to make sure our PPF doors were open and drinks and food supplied so everyone else could party even if we couldn't stay around to play. Oh well - some weeks are like that! And this weekend will be another one though I am going to do my best to drop by and see everyone's efforts even if it takes all week! :)

This week, the next sketchbook in the travelling sketchbook series arrived and since I want to turn it around and get it on to its next stop as fast as possible, I painted again finally! (Yay - paint!) I find February to be a very uninspiring month for me so this wasn't my most creative work... 

It started off with a dreary background as February feels heavy and dreary to me. But then it lightened up with falling snowflakes and a snowcouple.

Spread 1

The poem reads...

Snowflakes 

by Linda A. Copp 

Snowflakes spill from heaven's hand

Lovely and chaste like smooth white sand.

A veil of wonder laced in light

Falling Gently on a winters night. 

Graceful beauty raining down

Giving magic to the lifeless ground.

Each snowflake like a falling star

Smiling beauty that's spun afar. 

Till earth is dressed in a robe of white

Unspoken poem the hush of night.

Spread 2

...before words about February added.

It is now in the mail to Carmen in the UK. Then 2 more stops and this book will arrive home to its owner, Lori. It is awesome to see all the amazing entries and words in these books.

It was a lovely weekend last weekend and I finally got to take my winter and nutcracker paintings outside and spray them with a fixative. Now I feel they are finally done!

Hope you have a painting filled and happy week ahead!

Paint Party Friday - Week 4, Year 2 - Travelling Sketchbook for January

I received another of the travelling sketchbooks last Friday. Yay!!! It belongs to Jaime/ARtsyfARtsyme and my month to do is January. These books, as they become fuller, become more and more fascinating and AWESOME as each of the artists creates their two page spreads.

Here are my January spreads. (Unfortunately they are becoming hard to scan as the sketchbooks get thicker.)

The full first spread...

 Left page - "The Thinker" as Snowman

(It scanned so poorly - very disappointing.)

Right page - The quote/poem reads:

"Winter is the time of promise 

because there is so little to do - 

or because you can now and then 

permit yourself the luxury of thinking so." 

~Stanley Crawford

(Maybe it shows better photographed?)

And the second page has all my writing about what January means to me. Here it is prior to my musings on hibernation, heat seeking, reading, wine and thinking, etc, etc, etc.

This book is now in the mail and on its way to Nicola in Australia!

I hope everyone has a lovely Good Friday, Easter weekend or Passover if you celebrate these; and especially a fun Paint Party Friday. I will be by to visit when I am not trying to do a little Spring garden and house cleaning.

Paint Party Friday - Week 46 - Travelling Sketchbook for December

I finished December's Travelling Sketchbook this week! Yay! It was a fun one to do as December is a very full and eventful month. This book belongs to Brandy. I started with a nutcracker, as December always starts with nutcrackers for me. They start their exodus out of storage on December 1st and slowly emerge until the tree is up when the rest burst from their confines, onto the Christmas scene. 

Brandy has pink hair, so in her honour my nutcracker asked for his hair to be painted pink.

Spread with words about my Decembers

 

My other spread... wordless at this stage...

Snowman Spread with words/poem

Snowflakes

(to the tune of "twinkle, twinkle little star")

Snowflakes, snowflakes falling down,

On the trees and on the ground.

I will build a man of snow,

Tall black hat and eyes of coal,

If the sun comes out today,

I will watch you melt away!

Brandy also gave us butterflies to paint and use as sign in cards - this is mine - green is the rear view and red, the front view - and in her book it has my contact information written all over it. (They are small, only about 2 inches in size, if that.)

This book is a bit out of order and is now on its way to Carmen in the UK! I'm still awaiting the September, November and January sketchbooks. Until they arrive, I hope to get some painting done on canvases. And gasp  - maybe finish one? Maybe my nutcracker painting?

What are you planning to do this week?

Hope everyone has a great Paint Party Friday!!

Paint Party Friday - Week 45 - Travelling Sketchbook for October

The travelling sketchbooks are moving again! Yay! Many seemed to have stopped travelling for one reason or another last year and I haven't had one since doing my August spread. This week I received 2 books! My October and December.

The October book belongs to Andrea of Falling Ladies, and while I didn't do a falling lady, I did paint a dancing one!

The quote is from one of my favourite songs - Moondance by Van Morrison. (Double clicking increases the size of the image above.) The words read:

"Well, it's a marvelous night for a Moondance

With the stars up above in your eyes

A fantabulous night to make romance

'Neath the cover of October skies

And all the leaves on the trees are falling

To the sound of the breezes that blow

And I'm trying to please to the calling

Of your heart-strings that play soft and low

And all the night's magic seems to whisper and hush

And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush."

-  Van Morrison

My page took inspiration from the song/quote (Hey! I think this means my pages also fit in with the theme of "Poem or Quote" this week for the Butterfly Effect!) and includes some of my October favourites such as pumpkins and squash, fallen leaves and a friendly witch! Some Octobers, my friend Ann holds a "Witches" party and invites all her female friends to attend - witches garb preferred but not required. It is always wonderful fun! While we haven't had any moondancing yet.... it may be an idea for next time!

Andrea also wanted us to create tags for out input and this is mine:

This book will be heading is now in the mail to Nicola in Australia very soon!

Hope everyone has a great Paint Party Friday!  I missed last week - just couldn't get my act together to paint or visit. Looking forward to seeing everyone's efforts this week!

(P.S. I have started a new little blog about local Micro-Adventuring - Want to join me?)

Paint Party Friday - Week 27 - Travelling Sketchbook for August

This week I received the August travelling sketchbook belonging to Jennifer and started right in on painting it! (Later today I will be sending it on to its next stop, to Nicola in Australia. Mailing the last one from the West Coast was amazingly quick. Now I'm back East and no doubt it will be slower again this time.)

This spread is for August. Some of the things that say August for me are Sunflowers and the Perseid Meteor Shower. There is a field of sunflowers that I pass daily on my way to work and they always make me smile. I even try to visit them, up close and personal, when I get the chance.

The quote reads:

"Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,
    Ripening fields lush- bright with promise;
Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing
    Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn."
-  Michelle L. Thieme, August's Crown 

The Perseid meteor shower occurs each August and I usually invite myself up to my friends' house who live on the beach. They are far enough out of the city to have amazing skies and starscapes. In the city, the light pollution makes star (and shooting star) gazing impossible. We bring our sleeping bags out to the beach and spend at least some of the night watching for meteors. It is a highlight of my Augusts.

This page will have writing all over it about what August means to me before it continues on its travels to the rest of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbook. 

I am really enjoying this sketchbook round robin and am definitely painting things I'd be unlikely to choose to paint otherwise. It is so awesome to see what everyone else has done in the books before they arrive. Wow!

I hope everyone has a fun time at Paint Party Friday! I will be visiting you over the weekend when I can!

Paint Party Friday - Week 25 - Travelling Sketchbook for July

Hi PPFers!

I'm away in Victoria, B.C. getting my daughter settled for her 2nd year of university. I'll visit everyone when I have time and internet access but it may not be until next week...

I still wanted to play and party at Paint Party Friday and I finally received the July Travelling Sketchbook! Yay! (Canada Post may not technically still be on strike but their service is atrociously inconsistent and Stephanie's Sketchbook has been in limbo for far too long. Thankfully it is here and about to go on it's way to Nicola in Australia soon - I'll mail it from the West Coast - maybe that will speed things up a bit!) I had just enough time to paint my entry and will write the explanation page on route.

My Julys usually include a fun, al fresco Lobsterfest party with close friends, and fireworks on Canada Day. (My journal paintings last week were based on this year's Canada Day party on the beach.) Those are what I chose to (try and) capture in my pages.

July spread

Right hand page with words/quote

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." *

Left hand close-up

Background spread for writing about July - simple to make me think of a clear summer day. 

Have a great time at the party, a super long weekend (if you have one) and I will visit you as soon as I can!

*Yikes!! I just discovered I attributed that quote to wrong writer/philosopher!!! It wasn't Emerson it was Thoreau.  :(  D'uh! So sorry Stephanie. I think if I try to fix it I will make a huge mess. :(  

(Note to self - do not hurry, you can mistakes that way!)

Paint Party Friday - Week 20 - Travelling Sketchbook and ICAD

Last week I received and sent off the June Travelling Sketchbook (between our mail strike and various issues for many participants, these are starting to be delayed on their monthly voyages). The idea for the Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbooks is to paint (and talk about) that month, so this is what I did for June in Carmen's book...

The cardinals have been singing like crazy here (and still are). It is wonderful to see glimpses of red in trees or on power lines or flying through the air. They have also inspired some of this week's index cards for my ICAD (Index Card A Day) project.

Have a wonderful Paint Party Friday!

Paint Party Friday - Week 11 - The Weeds Won

I thought I would have nothing to show for Paint Party Friday. (Severe Pout.) But the accountability of the PPF check-ins inspired me on to finish up my May page for Kat's sketchbook as part of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Sketchbooks. Soon it will be on its way to Nicola in Australia. (If our postal service isn't disrupted, that is...)

My page spread shows some of my Spring Garden along with a few tools of the trade for this time of year. (As always, double-clicking on the image increases the size.)

My Saucer Magnolia, Tulips, Daffodils and Lilacs

Flowering Crab, Irises, Poppies and Purple Sandcherry

Really though - the weeds won. When it wasn't raining I was weeding and pruning and digging up dandelions and cleaning/raking garden beds and this is what I had to show for it on "yard waste" day.

And I have only done a small fraction of the garden. Sigh. Not sure how productive my painting will be when all my non-work hours are spent weeding!

What about you? Does gardening take away from your painting time?

Here are some photos from my garden that inspired my pages:

Forget-Me-Nots

Purple Lilac

Flowering Crab (a bit past its prime)

Tulips

Purple Sandcherry

Poppy

Poppy

Saucer Magnolia

The mint has started to grow, so please help yourself to a mojito and keep me company while I weed! Have a great time at the party!