Summer Inspiration

Morning Gardening

Dog Days (detail)

Picking Apples (on Anna Griffen paper)

Morning Gardening (detail)

I have been getting ready for a show... Christmas in July. It's more of a 'crafty' show, so I hope I will do OK. You never know, but it is good to show your work and have a deadline! I'm planning on applying to some new galleries here and near where my mom lives.

It's been fun printing on different kinds papers... I think I'm going to try vintage wallpaper next, I bought some from the local museum. If you are anywhere near Spokane, the museum has a fabulous woodblock print show going on right now. It's by a Montana artist, John Buck. The prints are huge and there are wood sculptures as well. The prints are stunning! Here's a link:

www.northwestmuseum.org

Kaffe Fassett 'Stash' Quilt

Here is one of my favorite quilts... well, I love them all in different ways - but this one was made by my mom last summer from a deep, pink stash of Kaffe fabric I'd been hoarding for several years! It's a design called 'Turning 20'. I think it turned out great and I love using it in summer and also in the dead of winter when everything is so bleak. One day my daughter will have all these beloved quilts. My son will have to have a few as well but who knows if he'll care?! :) Happy Summer weekend!

New Socks

I love knitting socks. These are for my mom... they are knitted 'in the round' which is so easy to do. (I've never done it the 5 double pointed needles way). The yarn is fabulous... super wash wool and so soft. It is variegated and ends up looking sort of Fair Isle. I can't remember the brand now, but I know it's from Germany. Now I just need to learn how to knit gloves!

Drawing on Deck

Ice Cream Truck at Comstock Park Pool

Morning Tea on Deck

Molinard Parfumeur - Grasse, France.

Now that our decks are finished, the kids have a new routine to eat breakfast and play at the water table every am on the deck. This has given me a new excuse to soak up the sun in my jadeite green Adirondack chair and sketch in my Moleskine book! It is such a great way to spend a morning and everyone is happy. (Except the Daddy who has to go off to work!)

Flower Market

Part of a larger painting I've been working on! I've got quite a ways to go, but it's like a good book.... I don't want to stop and I'll be sad when it's finished.

Sketchbook Pages

My son and me - drawn from memory

Self-Portrait - I went to the mirror and natural light. Yes, I do look tired, but hey, I'm a Mama!

I had fun yesterday playing outside with the kids and brought my pencil and sketchbook.
I did several self portraits... one from memory, from a 'hard to see' reflection in a window and 2 from the mirror - scary! So many shadows.

On another note I added 2 new items in my Etsy shop, stop by and check 'em out!

*** I was featured on Friday, June 20 at www.dif-fraction.blogspot.com , it is a photography 'critique' and there are lots of great suggestions as well as lovely compliments. Thanks for having me, Diffraction!***

San Francisco Row Houses

The start of a new painting! This is a larger one which is about 20 x 24 in. I know it is not that big, but for me, (I've been doing small paintings on my Half-Julian easel in the dining room) it's a great feeling to get bigger again.

Odette

Preliminary crayon rubbing on woodblock.

This lovely lady is the latest mini print I've been working on. She's looking a bit serious and of course she's in progress. I'm getting close to printing 3-4 new images and will post them soon!

Fairy of Good Housework

Here is some punch embroidery I started a while back and I need to get back to it and finish! It's a fun way to embroider with DMC floss. You can buy kits but, I got bored with that and thought I'd just draw on a high thread count cotton. I think I'll just frame this or maybe make a pillow? Not sure yet!

More Prints

More fresh prints on book paper. I just framed one and gave it to my piano teacher...along with a box of See's truffles! Had a nice visit with her today. I'm scrambling to generate work before we go on summer vacation... 2 separate trips, so lots of art to make and package before we leave.

:) Can't wait for a break from everything!!!

Sausalito Store Front

Here is another Jewel Box painting in progress.

I don't know why I'm so fascinated by Sausalito, California but I am! I've been there several times and always feel like I'm in the south of France (except it's usually kind of cold). The houses are cute, I like the way they're perched on a hill. The place has kind of a 'small town' feel but also hip and happening... plus it's so close to San Francisco. My husband and I used to go there on our many trips to the wine country... but now with kids, who knows if we'll ever return. Those were good, old days - 'todays' and good too, though!

Christmas in July Prints

Practicing Debussy

Cannery Row

Here are some new prints I'm working on for a show that celebrates Christmas in July. I've never been in this particular show before, so I really want to have some brand new things to bring. It will be the 3rd weekend in July... They also have a 'real' Christmas show in November. I love having new deadlines - it lights a fire under my bum and gets me generating new work... love it.

Backyard Renovation

Lovely Lilacs from our own Lilac bush. Spokane is known as the 'Lilac City'. (I just planted a new one in the front yard along side a cream colored Hydrangea bush!)

The frame of our new Trex deck! Our old one was crumbling , rotting staircase and not up to code = no kids allowed because of big gaps in the railing among other things. This one will be kid friendly, gate and all, hello sunshine!

The new pavers outside our back door... there are the steps to the new mini-deck outside the downstairs family room. (the steps are now 2 instead of 3). Can't wait til it's all done and we can enjoy our secret garden. Next, I'll made a brick path through a little forest lined with ferns, Lily of the Valley and little plum trees... it will lead to the pear tree and a large brick patio towards the back corner of the yard. I'll post photos once I'm started.

Beachy Print

Here is one of the prints I was planning on layering... I like how it's coming along. Now, I need to do more carvings for this series so I can layer 'em over and over. Printing days are so great, it's kind of like Christmas in the studio!


Note: I have a big sale on woodblock prints in my Etsy shop right now that includes free shipping!

Reading in Bed

This painting I did after beautiful piece by Deborah DeWitt Marchant, one of my favorite painters. I just did it for myself. (There's a link to her site in my link list.) It's acrylic on canvas... with high solid gel - glossy by Golden. That gel makes it much like a thicker oil painting.

French Box

I'm working on a new series of jewel boxes... this time they are architectural in subject. I love doing faces but needed a change. This one is from a photo I took from a moving car (!) on the Cote d'Azur... Juan-les-Pins to be exact. There are some beautiful, old mansions there... this one of Moorish design. I'm really having fun with it and will post more later.

Egg Scribbles

Oops, I left my pencils and pens out... and a little person came along and added to my hand-colored print. Whah! It had to be the only one I printed on book paper and I liked the way it was working. That will teach me to leave stuff out. :( I'll be printing more soon.

Tomorrow I'll be going to the Farm Chick's Antiques Show, fun! If it sounds familiar, they have been featured in Country Living Magazine several times and the editors will be there for an appearance. Have a good weekend!

Fresh Prints for June

I printed on old book pages and like the effect. I used colored pencils but darn those old books... the ink smears when you color on them! It's not that noticeable but, it bothers me.

Purple Cone Flowers in orange and robin's egg blue! I love a shot of color now and then, I have a nice stack of archival colored paper I bought for woodblock calendars ready to go. ( I won't be making them this year, they were too much work and not many sold.)

Shona Beth

Meet Shona Beth, this is the first Waldorf style doll I have made (or any doll for that matter!) She turned out OK, though she's a bit 'Bride of Frankenstein' on her neck with all the stitches and her arms are a bit long for her body. Oh well, I learned a lot making her... like I had the wrong kind of ribbing, I need tube ribbing! Plus, the doll skin is synthetic and I don't like it, it's too much like a pantyhose texture. I prefer the cotton stretch doll skin, which I'll have to order since no one carries it. The dress is Amy Butler fabric, which turned out pretty cute and the hair is silk mohair which I like as well. (My 5 year old son named her!) She is for my 20 month old daughter, who instantly hugged her when I handed the doll over, so that's a good sign.