latest journal & new flex pen

My new handbound journal is the same size as the previous one, but this one has a combination of Stonehenge all-media and Mi-Teintes toned papers. The cover is the last bit of some hand-made paper I found a couple of years ago -- I've used it to cover several journals.
And yes, this is one of those highly sought-after Noodler's flex pens that Nina Johansson spoke of on her blog! Mine arrived yesterday in the mail, an early birthday gift from Bill. Next, I need to do some test pages with it.

 

I haven't worked much on toned papers, so first I tested several types of media. Here, I tested gouache, watercolor pencils, and watercolor crayons. I especially like writing personal notes on these pages with a white gel pen! (click on a picture to enlarge)

last pages . . .

. . . of our recent trip to Arkansas, and of this art journal. Time to start working in a new book.
One morning Bill called me out to the backyard, which slopes down to a heavily forested area between our friends' home and Norfolk Lake. On the other side of the fence was this newborn fawn, still a bit damp. Bill had noticed a movement and briefly saw the mother, then found this baby laying against the fence.
We kept an eye on the little deer all day but no more sign of the mother. We know she was watching us; we just did not see her. Early the next morning, both were gone. There was an impression in the grass where the mother had lain next to the fawn during the night before moving it to a more hidden spot.

As for the silly grinning piece of wood -- here's an untouched photo. George is a very talented wood-turner, creating lovely works of art from rough cuts of wood on a lathe. One day he cross-cut a piece of wood for a new bowl and this is what he saw looking at him. Totally natural.

Ceilidh's Arkansas souvenir

I used this stick to lure Ceilidh up the hill leading to our friend's house; she seemed just about ready to squeeze through the holes of the back fence --- I obviously could NOT follow her through those holes and into the woods, so I tricked her into running after this stick.

Then she proceeded to chew right through the hard wood.

bits of Arkansas

While visiting friends last week in Arkansas, we spent a lot of time in their yard --- at the edge of the woods next to Norfolk Lake. (Bill and I had the ticks to prove it -- never had 'em before.)

With recent rains, there were loads of mushrooms --- these are only a few of those found in their yard. Not sure if I named them correctly; my field guide is pretty old.

teething puppy

Our vet, Dr. Beth, has been concerned about Ceilidh's teeth --- her lower left canine pointed inside her mouth instead of out, forming a slight indentation on the roof of her mouth.

Right after a regular vet check-up last Monday, this tooth fell out. Followed by at least one more baby tooth every day we were away on a trip to Arkansas to visit friends. Ceilidh's permanent teeth are coming in so fast, she appears to have grown a goofy grin overnight!

We came home over the weekend but other "catch-up" tasks have prevented me from finishing up some trip sketches. Hopefully I'll upload them soon.

Sketchcrawl in Rayville, MO

On Saturday, Bill, Ceilidh, and I drove to Missouri for a sketchcrawl with Kate, Joseph, and Keith at Van Till Farms winery & gardens, located in Rayville. The location is lovely, amidst rolling hills and pastures.
Inside the tented dining patio, we were surrounded by plants and and lovely stonework. Huge wood bees and jumping spiders entertained us as we sketched, along with a hummingbird that took a wrong turn, ending up under the tent roof. Not to mention Ceilidh spilling my paint water and trying to befriend a not-so-friendly cat.

The lamp in this sketch is way out of proportion to the trees and stone pedestal --- I was too busy taking everything else in.



A huge oven sits in the patio --- with this and some additional heaters, they can serve meals & wine outside year-round. We couldn't resist trying some of their specialty wood-fired pizza. I absolutely recommend the fire-roasted apple & bacon pizza!

As we left, I grabbed some freshly picked berries, some strawberry-rhubarb spread, and peanut butter cookies. The cookies did not wait around to be sketched . . .

random bits and pieces

I jotted down some bits while watching "Facing the Giants" one day. Then another day, scribbled what was in front of me while waiting for a hair trim.

Yesterday, I saw this amazing bird while buying pet food at the vet's (Dr. Beth's clinic is on the edge of town surrounded by prairie) -- he was about 14" long, the tail longer than the body! Later I looked him up -- he's a scissor-tailed flycatcher.
Next, I went to Ginger's for our weekly prayer time and say her cat lying like this on the porch, looking through the built-in drain holes towards the grass. It was too funny to pass up!

Pentel pocketbrush pen and watercolor

a card for my brother

My brother and I have a strange kind of relationship, if you can call it that. We grew up in a dysfunctional home where there wasn't much emotional connection between any of us. As adults, he and I never see each other though we only live about 30 miles apart.

I wish we were more connected --- I have always looked up to him with a sense of awe. He is so good at so many things, and has so many interests . . . . hunting, fishing, motorcycling, leading boy scouts on adventures. He is in fact, awesome!

I masked the edge of the deer to paint the background washes.

But our relationship, or lack of one, simply is what it is. A few years ago, I started sending him hand-painted birthday cards, just to see his reaction. He's never said anything to me, but I think he likes getting them. A sort of secret connection between us --- like when we were young kids left home alone while Mom was at work and we made homemade biscuits together.

I did a bit more growling last night . . .

. . . but I'll stop whining now.

garden bits

I can't seem to stop trying to garden in spite of neighborhood thefts. This time I tucked herbs into the old rose bed instead of the pots that seem to "walk away", and replaced some border perennials that were lost -- echinacea, bee balm, and catmint.

The rose moss was added to south window boxes, where it can take the heat reflected off the brick. It even self-seeds. I did plant tomatoes in larger pots, adding marigolds for bug control, but there are bricks in the bottom to discourage easy theft.