Nobody wants me...

No, I'm not going to eat some worms but man alive! I did without group mail for 3 days, and my comments have been bumped off of many sites as well.

So, did I use that extra time wisely and draw my little heart out? you say. Well no, I did not, I must reply I merely followed my short attention span over to knitting blogs looking for gift ideas for Christmas. After all...Yikes! it's November!

So, I'm going to post a summer sketch, done out in the wilds of Desolation Sound when I realized I'd forgotten to bring my big bro's b'day card/gift with me. Oops!

Lazy days...LOve 'em!

Oh for heavens sake! I have been trying for far too long to line up the pics the way I want them to be but oh no! that just will not be happening here folks.

Back from the dead yet again. Oh but what a lovely cocooning time I've had of it! I just finished 3 days off in which I did nothing that would necessitate removing my flannel pj's for (shudder) day clothes. Oh yes, the sheer luxury of extending that morning feeling of endless possibility! Stranding myself on Wingback Recliner Island with only my coffee, 2 knit projects, my laptop and a few current books for company.

Notably no sketchbook made it onto the island with me. Reached for one once (there were starling feasting on berries right outside my window) but then they were gone. Oh well! Such laziness, such utter lack of guilt.

At any rate, the pics we do have. Knitting project: hat pattern shown on dolly, actually wanted adult size so it has been ripped and recreated, I won't show the other as it's a christmas goodie.

Sketches: sheer crap I know but all I have to remember our short time away this month.

Ok I am aware that these colours are mighty intense for a dried old crab shell (and don't you love the barnacles) but honestly I love the over-the-top combinations of puddling, liquid fun. Seems as though I'm getting and looking older but acting may well be another department altogether. Let us hope so.
Well wish me fun and sun and I'll check in with add-ons in a week or so. And for all us Canadians, hope your thanksgiving was wonderful. Cheers, Sue
The park sketches were done quickly and with great enjoyment during a delightful concert in our amazing Filberg Park.
Breakfast with my empty coffee cup was a really quick sketch so that my hot cereal would at least be warm. LOL

I've been long gone. That thread of song just went through my head posting these old sketches. Pensive here is a valiant attempt at a rather forlorn DD gazing through a window screen as we were leaving her house.
This poor w/c sketch is included for it's meaning in the return to taking time for relaxing pursuits.
Here we have a journal entry from early in the summer before the MOB got too caught up in the wedding rush.

hydrangea

Now for a quick little w/c sketch I'm using on tags to beg reception decorations (hydrangea branches everywhere, picture it) for our DD's wedding.

oh help

Night sky. It seemed so easy. Other people made it look quick and easy on their blogs. Hey guys! how do you do it? it's NOT easy! I did the original attempt sitting in comfort out on my back deck after a lovely walk. I did the darkening, or muddying inside last night then darkened the pole with pastel. Not quite the success I envisioned. But learning experiences are all good.

Happy July 1!

Dang! This SHOULD have been posted last month (yesterday) and at that it would have been 4days after the fact. It's sOo hot I'm not sure where I will walk/bike for this weeks self energized tour.

This w/c sketch was done during a 10mi/17k bike ride when I sat on a rock on the beach across the street from this lovely old place that I wish was mine. Last night sitting more than half-way up the mountain I added a little w/c pencil to darken up the garden area and provide a stronger contrast to the stone fence in the foreground.

the Garden Gate

Don't you just love garden gates & arbours & anything secret garden related? This dates back to my childhood, this love of snuggeries. I let my kids make beds in their closets when they were really little because I would have LOvED to have been allowed this cozy alternative. OK I'm now thinking those two are actually completely different topics in any mind but mine. Oh well, gates, garden corners and arbours are going to be my theme for the summer I think. I know that while walking (1.5hrs) the other day I saw a sweet gate that I'd like to sketch next. I was walking with my best bud so could not stop at that time but I'll do it on another day, on another walk.

fire hydrant, of sorts

This past w/e I bolted out the door from work, hopped into our loaded van and raced off to Quadra for a camping adventure with my DH, DB & DS-I-L. As we travelled the heavy rain clouds thinned and glory be..into the brilliant sunshine we morphed!

After snacking on the BEST fish & chips (available on the dock AND served in the paper cone still) it was onto the ferry for the 10 min crossing and what should we happen to be parked beside but this version of a fire hydrant.


Upon arriving at our campsite we quickly set up, set out our chairs and celebrated our good fortune with a beer while enjoying this amazing and constantly interesting view. Of course this is a highly edited version, it would have taken me the whole w/e to try to depict every single vessel in this busy marina.

Lots of goings on. Oh, by the way, this is going to be my walk for this week as well as we did walk and kayak more than a mile each day.

last weeks main walk

I was hoping that the walk to the tip of the spit would be a more signifigant one that 20/25 minutes each way but it was a wonderful day as I sat out in the sun with just the sound of the birds and seals breathing for the most part. Nothing startling produced here but a lovely day and each outing is a learning experience to be sure.
Meant to post these two with my last posting but was due to show my face at the workplace so off I harried.

Had a lovely w/e camping with my adorable sib and his charming wife where we kayaked, observed life around the dock, I sketched and we all relaxed and had an absolute blast together. This morning when I got home from work I noticed the power was out. Turned out to be a blown braker. 9hrs and $300-400 later I'm back online. Ahh the joys of being a homeowner!

Tomorrow I'll scan and maybe post w/c efforts from my heavenly w/e. Now back to try to catch up on the wonderful contributers at Everyday Matters.

No challenges yet lots of walking

We've so many lovely walking/biking routes in my area. Each and every time I take the time to enjoy the area I am absolutely dumbstruck with the delight of our good fortune.

The first sketch is the glorious Filberg house on the park land donated to the city by the family. Now I've nowhere near done it justice but I'm sure you all can understand THAT. The care taker did park in front before I was done my sketch (he did kindly offer to move his truck when he noticed me but I thought I had enough information down to manage, my mistake) and I did the w/c at home but excuses aside I will just need to tackle it again so no harm no foul. Right?

Quick cloud study

Yesterday was a lovely long wander with just a quick little cloud attempt. While perhaps not the best choice for such a small format (4x6") the conte in my brand new CRETACOLOR ERGONOMIC 430 15 Austria was screaming to be used. What a lovely gift to myself this was. Don't you just love the water soluable ease of it?

I have too been walking

not posting, not sketching much of the time but I have been getting out there so I hope Julie, that you will not regret linking me to "http://onemilefromhome.blogspot.com" too much.
This was after the walk as I was with hubby and didn't think loitering would be tolerated in the drizzle.

Me & Molasses

'As slow as..' is of course, the reference here. It's no bloody wonder I rarely post it is such a arduous proceedure for me no matter how easy the site moderators/creators make the damn things.
OK Susan, deep breath.
I'll start with the angry looking self-portraits and admit that the conte version is accurate in it's sullen look. After 29 years of marriage you'd think a guy would know "I'd like to spend my last hr before eye surgury in the book stores" means exactly that! Drag me away from the books and knitting patterns to sit outside the golf store, why dear God?

River walk

Perhaps creek would better describe this sweet little spot, but river walk has more of a ring to it, don't you think?

This sketch was 20-30mins sitting in the dappled shade with the w/c done at home. I like the coloured version though I'm sure the viaduct should have darker values. I have the sketch in my computer so I can play with the colouring. I will have to wait until I walk this spot again as I simply cannot remember at the time I was really focusing on the very large maple in the top 1/3rd of the page. Nice to be able to rework thanks to ideas from the ever helpful Karen Winters and others over at EDM

By the way, for anyone who can actually read my note on the side. I know the scarey something is not a horsefly, it didn't even look like a fly, it WAS however freakish and frightening with that hypodermic needle sticking out. Overly dramatic? why in the world would you infer such a thing? ^g^

Here comes the amazing painting stool, the size of a pencil case when folded yet comfortable enough to use. Too much fun to have found such a cool little art tool for such a tiny little price. OK enough already.
The little backpack which I found at the same time is just the right size to hold everything shown with it as well, of course, as a few drawing impliments.

EDM challenge #41

This is the old catholic church in our town now known as the Old Church Theatre as it's thankfully found new life with a reporatorie company.
The ivy has taken over in the most charming fashion and I've always meant to draw it and now I have at least managed this quick sketch.

I was hoping to convey the evening sun highlighting the roof line but surprisingly I'm not finding this experience to be too discouraging (well, except while I'm applying the w/c). It's fun, I'm learning by watching my EDM mentors and by DOING!

I've just noticed how crookedly I've scanned this. C'est la vie.

Blogger seems slow today, or maybe it's just me. At any rate I'd like to put up my first link to Julie's walk&draw blog http://onemilefromhome.blogspot.com/ week 2 is on the home computer so I'll try posting that later.

I'm so enjoying tracking Julie's walks and Julie, I want to let you know that you are an incentive to getting out there both in excercising and plein air art fun. So thank you for that.

This sketch , it's fairly clear, was done May1st during a lovely woodland walk and while sitting on the amazingly small folding stool I'd just found at the thrift store for the perfect price of $2.50. I have a photo showing the amazing small stool but it also unavailable right now. There were plenty of both the pink and the wht trillium but only the pink were by a patch of sunlight and a girl does like to be warm while playing.

For challenge #59 'sign of spring' and a perfect display of how desperately I need to read the library books I'm taking out on w/c painting, ...





and for challenge #56 self portrait I offer this highly entertaining version of ? I'm quite certain it looks like someone but that someone certainally is not me. I think I'll try a few more, monthly perhaps of this readily available subject. It does make me giggle so I don't hate it, after all.

It's been so long since I've visited my own blog and have done very little in the sketching dept. during my long hiatus. Life has such a tendency to get in the way doesn't it? Not that that's a good enough excuse with all the productive folks at EDM but it's my excuse and I'm giving it. ^g^ Right now, of course I ought to be sewing or cleaning my poor neglected house, oh, yes, there's always the garden waiting in the wings..oh my.

So starting with the most recent challenge completed and working my way forward, I have a few VERY quick noses on a piece of paper towel for #65.

EDM # 51, 52

Whew, took forever to scan this time. With me it's always something it seems. At any rate. The dog sketch is from a few months back when we were last b'sitting my DB's Tessie, or Stinky dog as our DGD refers to her. Yes, she truly was that fat at the time, she's slimming down now that the vet has begun treating her hypothyroidism.
The TV sketch I will add a touch of colour to but wanted to get it up as it was drawn on time and who knows how much longer before I add colour?
The colour version of the view from our entry I'm posting as I feel it adds clarity. Thanks to all who responded with such kindness. You amaze me and I am so grateful.

Learning w/c washes step 1

This is a sketch done from one of my fav photos. The sketch just done the other evening while watching a movie with DH. The photo of my dad cherishing, and being adored by, our DD was snapped abt 23 yrs ago. Of course, it doesn't do them justice but it is just for learning purposes though still I hesitate. Maybe I'll read just a bit more about light washes. Oh my, yes, this is my style, more dither than drive! LOL

EDM challange #50

Sat at my front door today and sketched this panaramic view of our living rm, a sliver of the dining rm and the closed door leading to the utility rm (enough is enough after all).

Mini holiday

Since retired DH would love to be on a relaxing-in-the-tropical-sun type holiday yet married to,I-need-all-my-holidays-to-prepare-for-DD's-wedding, me, we've just returned from our first-of-many 2night getaway w/e's. Yikes, that was a little difficult to follow, wasn't it? Sorry about that. Anyway, while we were relaxing I did a quick sketch with w/c wash of a tiny sliver of our view across the bay. Luckily for me it was pouring rain so I can blame my inacuracies on the droplets I had to peer through rather than my lack of talent and quite frankly that works for me. ;-)

Now to more current concerns

Well the weather outside is frightful..no, I'm not still thinking it's Christmas but we're enjoying marvelous Winnie-the-Pooh blustery days and nights this week.
In the summer these shutters frame my bit-of-Tuscany back deck. This time of year they make a terrific clothesline to freshen my clothes and pillows. I LOVE that freshly aired scent.

Back in time to Christmas

It's clear I haven't posted in a long while so let's just start with a few of the Advent gifts our amazing DD's dreamt up. Their very creative and thoughtful and YIKES expensive gift to their dad &me(OK, mostly me - can I help it that I'm easier to shop for?) this year.

Opps

wrong pic. Actually the tree trunks behind lovely DD look more like antelope horns, don't they. Trust me, there is a photo that does show my evilness.

Now what?

Two wks in, I finally decide I have the time to post some sketches and I can't get Blogger to recognize me on the computer that houses my scans. Now it'll have to wait until I get around to moving the info to my laptop (my current location...well, oK, my current favorite & constant location as I visit all your delightful sketch blogs from the beloved laptop).
So..determined to accomplich the goal set out for the day, she instead puts out to the world a photo of herself with her DD's looking like her devil horns are showing. LOL. Later for artplay, OK? Sue

Steppin in

Steppin in
A fresh new year. Exciting, yet already I am falling behind in my as yet undeclaired goal of a sketch a day in 2006. Art blog cruising is terrifically inspiring but totally absorbing. Dang.