another waiting room

I'm certainly seeing my full share of waiting rooms this year! I jokingly call this my "Job year". Thankfully, NONE of these problems are life-threatening --- just annoying. I'm also thankful that the vertigo and scalp dermatitis are gone, and my hair has stopped falling out. Not much visible re-growth yet, but I know it will come soon. And hey! it's a great season for hats!

This time it was to see an orthopedic doctor about a pulled leg muscle that hasn't been getting any better after 3 months of resting and icing. The waiting room was empty except for me, one highly obnoxious TV program, and this scarecrow. So of course I had to draw him, being the only interesting subject available.

one more color chart

Phthalo blue is SO INTENSE -- though I love the clarity of the color, it has intimidated me and I have used it very little in the past. So . . . . one more day of color-play using the limited "3 primaries plus 2 neutrals" palette before plunging into the challenge.

color chart for tiny pill box palette

The half-pans in my pill box primaries-plus palette are left-over paints I wasn't using elsewhere. Slightly more subdued than the primaries-plus colors in the first-aid box set. I think these would brighten up considerably if I exchanged the cobalt blue deep for phthalo blue.


I haven't actually started using the limited primaries-plus palettes due to daily busyness and wanting to finish working on the toned papers that came next in my sketchbook. But I'm looking forward to using the limited palette for the next month or so. It's a fun little challenge a few of us are doing prompted by this post by Cathy "Kate" Johnson.

new minimal, lightweight palettes

I have put together limited primary palettes before but I never really got into using them on a regular basis. I've decided to give them more attention in the next few weeks, placing them in very lightweight plastic. The full kit is a travel-size first aid kit; the ultra-tiny palette is a wee pill box, which I can easily carry in purse or pocket with a waterbrush and paper towel.

In the first aid box: permanent rose, Hansa yellow medium, phthalo blue, quinacridone burnt orange, and Payne's grey. Plus 3 pencils, a tiny dip pen, 2 brushes, an eraser, and sponge.

In the pill box, I'm using up extra half-pans not being used elsewhere: rhodonite genuine, Hansa yellow medium, cobalt blue dark, quin. burnt orange, and Payne's grey. With the addition of a waterbrush, paper towel, and pen, I'm ready to go.

how I spent the 37th International Sketchcrawl . . .

. . . and the previous day. We took a quick trip to visit old friends now living in Arkansas. They were like parents to us when we were teens and in need of a caring, listening adult. Very dear to both of us.

It rained the whole time, but Ceilidh was still able to have fun running circles in the huge backyard, chasing squirrels, birds, chipmunks, and deer. I also saw a pair of pileated woodpeckers, though not long enough to draw them.

Our friends live in a forest near Norfolk Lake -- lots of tall oak trees which were just beginning to turn color.

 

Here, a quick sketch while waiting to eat breakfast before leaving for home. Very thick fog soon changed to more rain and heavy winds -- we stopped for a late lunch in Parsons, KS where I drew this Texas longhorn skull hanging on the wall.

random shopping on-line

Bill wanted some pencil clips for work --- He constantly loses pencils from his pocket. I found some at Amazon but they were so cheap, it would double the price for postage. So of course I took the opportunity to buy a few things to get the price up to "free shipping" at $25, right?

I saw this small travel stool in Tia's blog (from Singapore) and found that it was very inexpensive. Then found out when it arrived that it was made 30 miles from home, in Wichita! Just a bit larger than my sketchbook, it seems perfect for sketchcrawls. I'd like to add a shoulder strap for carrying, though. It sits a bit low, but that makes it easier to reach my supplies on the ground.

I like carrying mechanical pencils --- this clutch pencil is much more comfortable in my hand. The lead is so wide that it quickly shades thumbnail sketches in all tonal values; love the built-in sharpener in the top too! And it came in a neat little pencil tin.

The little book is on sketching outdoors in pencil; I thought it might help me improve my ink sketching on location. I tend to feel overwhelmed when "out there", unable to focus on what would make a good sketch.

EDM #274 - the cover of my favorite book

Another Every Day Matters sketch from the challenge list, to draw the cover of my favorite book. Unfortunately, the book is so epically huge, it does not fit on the page. ;^)

This copy of "The Lord of the Rings" is illustrated by Alan Lee's wonderful watercolors. Enough said.

sewing . . . if I remember how

It's sort of funny that after giving away my sewing machine's cabinet, I find myself sewing --- I really haven't sewn clothing for 25 or 30 years! But our oldest granddaughter wants to be Alice in Wonderland for Halloween. She has long blond hair and a new stuffed Cheshire cat. (I've heard our grandson in Austin is dressing as the Mad Hatter. It'd be cute if they could get together!)

Who knew it would be so hard to find a pattern? I assumed you could just turn to the costumes section of pattern books and find a licensed Disney version of "Alice". But I discovered the costume patterns go from infant to size 8 --- then skip to adult! What about size 10 girls still in grade school???

I finally found a suitable dress pattern; I'll try to make the apron myself without a pattern. My bigger challenge? Mikala is in Houston and there's no way to try it on her while sewing. I'm not even sure if pattens fit true to size anymore.

The reason I quit sewing is that my children thought it was dumb to wear home-made garments. Mikala is just the opposite --- she wishes her mom could sew and actually WANTS something sewn just for her! Nice to be appreciated . . . . . as long as I remember how to follow the pattern.