Life Book 2012

Started taking Tam Laporte's Life Book 2012,

a class that stretches out over the course of an entire year

and features lessons from 14 different Mixed Media Artists.

My chief reason for enrolling is that

I am hoping to reacquaint myself

(and become involved once again)

 with one of my first loves,

 PAINTING!

Click Here to find out more about Life Book!

I am definitely, definitely nervous about it.

It's been awhile and I am hoping I am not as rusty as I feel!

(with that said)

Here is a quick look at the progression of my first assignment

from sketch to finish...

The works for this class are going to be on the small side,

 mostly 9x12,

 that in itself is a challenge for me!

For this particular painting

 I used watercolors, colored pencils, graphite pencils,

 acrylics, and even a bit of Sharpie marker.

Building up the layers using the materials

 as it seems they are needed.

Nearly finished!

The end result is supposed to be a fold out page

with a list of characteristics you admire in yourself.

Cutting the painting up

 was easier

(a whole heck of a lot easier)

 than figuring out what to say about myself!

In the end this is what I came up with...  

I'm looking forward to the next challenge.

(Painting. I really missed you.)

Fezziwig!

John Leech ~ illustration

Remember Good Ol' Fezziwig?

 He was Ebenezer Scrooge's boss, back in the day.

 He knew how to celebrate Christmas.

 He knew just how important it was to share

 with his family, friends, and employees.

 Kind of the anti~scrooge!

 Where do I fit in with this?

Well. I got to help make someone else's Christmas a bit happier

(and I suppose my own in return)

By designing her an owl to give to her friend...

He started out as a pile of yarn and ribbon

.

String by string I "organized" him into the bird he would become ...

All the yarn is arranged just so

 and now He is off and ready to go

to spread a little bit of love

 and a whole bunch of Christmas Cheer!

 

Don't be a Scrooge be a Fezziwig this year!

found through bing images

(although this image of Scrooge has something very Owl about it!)

Wishing you the Happiest and Healthiest of New Years!

(Hope your friend really loved him Debbie D)

In the 'Hood

I finally found a new place to live!



I only have 94 neighbors.

Now normally,

 I would be afraid that I wouldn't fit in

 in a small town,

BUT

you should see the houses on my block!

 They're really something!

Even though you can see that

 they are all made from the same cookie cutter,

 You really get a good sense of who your neighbors are

 and in this case, it really is

  the outward appearance that matters!

Yep. That's me there on the corner.

 The one with the pink tongue stairs

and the shaggy brown roof.

If you get a chance and your travels take you in this direction,

Stop in and see me sometime!