October Doodles

Here are a few doodles destined to become Halloween cards. I love love love this time of year... easily my fave holiday plus 3 birthdays in our house are around the corner. Today I'm doing something very out of the ordinary... going to a knitting class on how to make a cloche hat! Never made hats before and am so excited to learn a new method. (thank you Mom for visiting and babysitting!) Happy Friday :)

At the Fair...

I chaperoned on an all-day field trip to the fair last week... here are some of the lovely sights we saw. It has been quite awhile since our family has gone. Growing up in a small town, the fair was the highlight of summer for a lot of kids... you didn't want to miss all the animals, junk food and carnival rides. It was surprisingly an easy trip with a group of kindergartners - we were there studying animals.

The next morning, I read in the paper about a group of mental patients from Eastern State Hospital were there for a 'field trip' (unknown to the fair administration). Around 11am, one of them escaped... a convicted killer who is a paranoid schizophrenic. He was finally captured over the weekend. What are the chances he would be at the fair the same time we were? There were several school field trips that morning. Hopefully the 'fair people' will tighten up their policies and security. Ensures my 'hand-holding policy' for a good 10 more years!! Pretty scary stuff.

'Goodies' for Friday

Here's a cute little craft invented by my kindergartner son. These are sure to make anyone lucky enough to receive one smile!

He calls these little drawings, 'goodies'. First, draw lots of pictures, cut some and paste to larger paper... use 'fancy scissors', (ziz zag, wavy, etc) if you have them. Make sure you use lots of colors - markers or crayons are good. Fold up carefully into a smallish size and hand-deliver to a very special someone. Upon presenting, my son suggests saying: 'Here's a little goody just for you!' Happy Friday :)

A Masked Butterfly!

Here's a super sweet butterfly I made out of felted wool for my daughter. (she loves 'em and even has a butterfly backpack) The pattern is from a great company called 'Wee Wonderfuls'. They have a website and even an etsy shop... worth checking out! I rarely use patterns but with 3-D stuff, I need a little help :) The eyes look better with tiny buttons but she rips them off... so this masked, winged soul has dark blue stitched eyes. Thinking a Christmas tree would look great with lots of these butterflies!!

More Telephone Ladies at Luncheon

India ink on Arches Cover paper. I want to add some funky sofa or busy, old-timey wallpaper. Wish time travel was possible... I'd love to visit other eras to experience it first-hand.

Cordelia

Meet Cordelia - or Delia- she's Alasdair's sidekick. (he's from a previous post... that I don't have time to link right now!) Anyway, I was thinking about incorporating them into some Halloween cards. Maybe. First, I've gotta have a plan :) Hope you have an exceptional Friday. The sun is glowing through the leaves here today... blue skies all around. That pre-autumn warmth is on!

Woodcuts Inspired by Apple Pie...

Here's an apple pie made for our labor day festivities... mostly, I made it for my mom since she loves my pie! (this is very flattering because she's a very good cook and I have probably made 4 pies in my life :) Anyway, after peeling all those apples I got to thinking about autumn inspired woodcuts. I came up with these 2 doodles that are being carved. Planning on making cards to put in my etsy shop and in a few local galleries.

PS. Needle felted wool purses coming soon to the etsy shop!

Telephone Ladies

I have been doing several drawings from some old photographs of a group of women who were telephone operators. They may turn into paintings... but with the thick brush tip pen I used, I thought it best to keep their faces blank for now. Gave me an idea to do a series of work based on gossip and how it can seem harmless but turn into something more...
Have a great holiday weekend and soak up as much summer and sunshine you possibly can!! :)

Enclosed Garden

Finally squeezed some paint out of the tubes today and started what I've been thinking of all summer. Feels pretty good... there's a lot of emotion in the act of abstracts. I've been painting more of them over the last 8 months or so. Not sure if I like 'em or not! What have you been making lately?

What to do on the First Day of School...

More socks on the needles

Well, today was the first day of school for a little boy in our house but - our daughter is still at home with me :) After much excitement of getting dressed, making lunch, taking all the school supplies in the car... we were off to school! There were several kids having anxiety and sobbing in the kindergarten classroom but this time, it was not my son. He was happily waiting in his seat, teddy bear at hand, ready to 'get his day started.'

So, now... us girls are getting a new routine started as well. I predict lots of tea parties, knitting, stroller rides and art making in the coming weeks... whoooopieeeee!