weekend sketches & an art supply blessing

We went to Austin on Saturday to tour one of several area micro-breweries. While the others were sampling the various beers, I sketched a bit and Bill played Uno with two of our grandchildren. I tried drawing directly in ink and all my barrels were wonky!

Then a few notes in church on Sunday, followed by a contour drawing (never lifting the pen from paper) of my hand holding my iPod which holds my Bibles I use in church. The contour drawing was helped by a very loose, rough layout in pencil first, which was erased after the ink dried.

On the way back to our kids' home, we were driving on Interstate 35 when daughter-in-law Misty suggested stopping at Jerry's Artarama; she knew I had been needing paper to bind more journals. I said yes, then Bill said no, we don't need to (he was teasing). So I said no, I don't need to --- Misty said I did and she was driving. While there, she helped me find Fabriano Artistico paper and some new cover papers, then told me about the customer appreciation card that reduced the price to about half. So I am well stocked now -- thank you, Misty!

Recently I have had some doubts as to whether sketching these journals and posting them was of any value. Is this really what God wants me to use this drawing ability for? Or am I wasting my time? Recently I received a message on Facebook from someone who mentioned my journals made her want to return to church; the odd thing is that she was not a contact and did not belong to any of the same groups as I did. So how did she even find me?

God reaching out to her through my simple journals, followed by such low prices for journal binding materials seems like the Lord telling me that yes, I am supposed to be doing this. However He chooses to use these sketches & words, I give it to Him.

Austin's Celtic Festival

We went with son Matt and his family to the Celtic festival in Austin last Saturday. Very sunny and hot, but the music was awesome! 

our recent trip to Texas

I've slowly been posting sketches from our trip to Texas the first part of July. Some sketches I did on sight; others I drew later from photographs. Click on any photo to see them enlarged.

 

First we drove to Austin to visit Matt & Misty and grandson Quentin. Extreme heat and drought made us seek somewhere cool --- like the history museum. But first we fed the turtles in a pond behind a downtown market.

I always love a good museum, but was awed by the entry of this one. I sketched part of the circular stair but glued a photo of the mosaic floor (or is it terrazzo?) in my journal. Beautiful!

Ceilidh had already met Maxwell, my former wheaten Scottie who now lives with Jason's family. Now she met 2 more family dogs: Sam in Austin and Peaches in Houston. Both played with her some, then quickly found her puppy energy too much for them. Maxwell seemed to think the same thing. Will she ever calm down?

Next we drove to NW Houston, where Bill took out a bar sink for Kristen & Michael and installed new Formica. Mikala and I found our own fun.

 

Then off to Richmond (SW of Houston) to Jason & Carrie's. A new baby is on the way -- Bill installed doors, turning an office into a bedroom, and replaced the back patio door for them.

Jeff is staying with them temporarily until he gets into on-campus housing. He'll start college after Christmas; for now he's looking for a job and gathering paperwork needed to establish residency and getting the GI bill to pay for school. And he's teaching Jayna and Josiah important stuff -- like how to shuffle cards.

Still more sketches to post later this week . . . .