Beach Drawings

Getting there... but still in progress (above)

Here are a few new ink drawings I've been working on... finally developed some photographs from our trip to Cannon Beach, OR this past summer. Don't know what it is about that town but, I'm very inspired by it. Probably because I was raised in a small, beachy town... it's what you know first that sticks with you. (from what I hear anyway).

Today I opened up my birthday gift from hubby (it was mail order) and used it... an air pen. It's a fabulous little device which allows me to write with paint on fabric. I've been writing with it today and will show and tell as soon as I get a little better at it. (you control the air pressure with your index writing finger - which takes some getting used to!)

More French Drawings...

Here are few more drawings... they are pretty 'doodly.' I don't know if they'll even make it into the shop because I'm not that happy with them. Maybe the sketchbook is a good place to go right now and hash out a few ideas.

It has been very warm here and the flowers are growing like crazy. There's nothing like checking the garden every morning to see how much growth there was. I like being that kind of 'busy' :) Thank you, summer, for finally arriving in our neck of the woods.

Balloon Guy

Balloon Guy, originally uploaded by Tea and Ink.

This man made the best balloon hats and other fun stuff. He was at Pike's Place Market in Seattle.

On another note... I've had crazy bad luck this past week. We were in a car wreck (someone pulled into traffic without looking and hit our car... my daughter in the back seat) and my computer crashed on the same day. (all our photos on there of the kids from birth til now!!! Shudder, shudder, sweat, sweat) Plus, the week before, my cell phone died.

I hope this run of bad luck is over. I'm now *ahem* 'borrowing' hubby's computer for now.

Open-Ended

unfinished

finished

I don't know what it is about my habit of mostly posting works in progress. It seems by the time something is finished... I don't post it because y'all have seen it already. (albeit unfinished) I have to say, there aren't many blogs I read where people post work that isn't done. Must be something about my personality... I am a very 'open-ended' person! (or 'Perceiving' in Myers-Briggs terms...I'm an INFP - what are you?).

For today, here is a WIP and a finished piece. ;) Happy Sunday.

Antique Dealer's Desk

I loved this little vignette - secretly shot at an antique shop... dealing mostly in paintings. Naturally, it's not finished... but probably tonight it'll be done. There are more in the works. Yesterday I got invited to do another show at The Ruby Slipper in May of this year. So, with the show in Port Angeles, WA in April... I'm going to be painting and carving in haste. (and loving it too :)

A pair of socks that are one of my all time faves. The yarn is so beautiful - Sirdar 'Crofter's DK'. The colors are so yummy.

The Telephone Ladie's Party

I've been finishing up some ink drawings with gouache. This one is nearly done, but it wouldn't be in character to show you an actual finished piece! It just needs a few more touches here and there.

I've been hastily knitting a few things hoping to wrap 'em up before Christmas. Luckily, they don't need to go in the mail... which gives me extra days to finish :)

The etsy shop has been absolutely dead... crickets are all you can hear over there. Don't know exactly why... is it the economy or ? Last year was pretty busy. Oh well, everyone has an 'off' time I suppose. Wish I knew how to wake things up. Have a great weekend!

Golfe Juan Beach

An ink and gouache drawing of a trip to Provence. This was one of many beach clubs you can see from the boardwalk on the edge of the Cote d'Azur. We were heading towards a beach town called Juan les Pins. I was fascinated by the rows of brightly colored umbrellas... a different color for each little club. It wouldn't be mine if it wasn't unfinished, right?! Trying to get these all completed and put 'em in the etsy shop. (PS I'm having a sale on all the paintings on wood right now... check it out here!)

Just Opening Up...

A lovely sunflower about to open... still need to finish the leaves. More fresh drawings to come in the next few days!

French Alps Drawing

Finally finished this drawing today while sitting out in the sun... my daughter re-arranged her 'rock garden' while I painted. Can't remember the name of this little town... I'm going to have to look it up and scour the names in order the jog the memory! Will be adding it to the shop tonight or tomorrow. There's another cathedral drawing that's just about done. I'm playing with color and making it a little funky. Will share it soon.

Our fence is repaired in the back yard and our puppy (Mr. Darcy) ran around 'off leash' for the first time back there... very exciting indeed! (plus he climbed and descended the stairs - another first)

A Few More Drawings...French Inspired, of Course!

This one is unfinished (Doorway to Cezanne's Studio... Aix-en-Provence)

Antibes, France

Here are a few more I'm working on... I hope to get more finished and then add them to my etsy shop. (Hopefully by this weekend). No school again today... snow is melting and now flooding is a big problem. If only the streets would improve maybe life could resume. arg!

New Drawing

Antibes, France.

Well, with school cancelled and hubby gone back to work, I was still able to get some painting done today in between the snow shoveling! Tackling our lower deck and upper deck... should take some photos... the snow is really getting deep. Maybe drawing pictures of the South of France is my way of dealing with this heavy winter we're having... works for me! Happy Monday :)

The Roadie

Just goofing off with colored paper scraps..(seem to be doing a lot of that lately.) I thought he looked kind of 'pretty' but masculine. With rock n' roll hair, he's ready to go on the road!

ps I put a few new needle felted pillows in the etsy shop - take a peek!

More Faces

Of course these are not finished... the hair and background need to be done. But, here are a few doodle-y faces I did. I love drawing faces, the eyes are my fave and if given the chance, I tend to exaggerate the eyes. In high school, I doodled eyes in so many margins of my notebooks -there's so much to be read in a person's eyes and the psychology behind them.

The Cooking School

A quaint little house that's been turned into a cooking school in a Pacific NW beach town. (I liked how it was perched up on a hill from the sidewalk). I used gouache on this ink drawing plus a bit of colored pencil. I'm working on being more 'rough and immediate'. More to come... This will probably land in the etsy shop but first, we're going for a good long stroller ride. The weather is legendary today and we must bathe ourselves in it! Happy holiday weekend :)

Little Shrines and Crepes

Yes, I'm a bit paranoid about showing my kids photographs on the Internet... call me crazy but covering their photos will help me sleep at night!

Almost finished painting this one... but I have to fill in the Crepe menu. Hmmm, what sounds good?! I've been working on some more summer paintings and little shrine ornaments made with rubber stamps. They are so cute, made by Rubbermoon stamps. There's a little box that goes behind the cut out and that's where you put a photo or whatever you want... then with the 'frame' attached it gives depth. So much fun!