A summary of creativity

 I noticed by the date of my last post, that it’s been about a month and I think I’ll aim for that in the future.

A lot of what I would post, has already been posted on fb and Instagram. I try to add a few other things here.

Something else that I’ve noticed that my header is a rather old picture and the work featured is textile art which I no longer do. It will be on my list to make a new up to date header.

I try to sketch a little here and there when I’m sitting watching tv or resting my back from painting. I did the first page last week, and started the 2nd one today. I’m using the Veseys seed catalogue. I think drawing is a learning process and a valuable part of the art journey.  I like to paint abstracts or even abstract flowers, but in order to do this, one must still know the basics of the flowers.

As for knitting, I’m working on a large afghan that my son asked for. He picked out the color. This is the acrylic yarn and the color is 33010, Bay. I love the feel of this acrylic yarn.

I have one sketchbook page in the works that I didn’t post yet, so I thought I’d show a bit of my process. Each of the 4 pages shows a possible piece of collage that I could add. The papers are on printer paper and tissue or deli paper which blend into the background better than the printer paper one.

Imight actually be leaning towards this last example with the printer paper collage now that I see it here.

This shows the 2 paint colors plus a white and a paynes grey to mix.

Staying creative and getting outside

 I’ve decided to keep writing my blog every few weeks or so if only for my pleasure looking back at it. I also try to post pictures here that I have not posted elsewhere, especi Some sketching, and knitting or crocheting.

This morning I went out to do a bit of shopping which I don’t do often. I had a gift card which I used to buy another small cart for my studio and a light for the bedroom. I love it when I receive a gift card and I can use it for things I need and like.

I also picked up a little tabletop easel that can hold a small artwork that I did.

This a view from one of my studio windows.

This a piece Thai haven’t posted as I’m working on it. The loose pieces are done on tissue paper and I collaged on. I love the effect.

A finished one, I think. These are all done in my sketchbook. I have a collection of canvases that I’m going to use soon, I hope.

I’m currently knitting another baby afghan with leftovers for donation.

I don’t crochet much because it hurts my fingers but this free form crochet intrigued me. You need to know some basic stitch, how to get started and a few rules on how to build flat circular shapes.

Patricia Fentie Freeform crochet

I don’t post my sketches of our backyard on fb yet, as I’m still learning. I haven’t tried to paint hem yet.

The doves are a little wrinkly because they’re in my sketchbook and have some water media on the backside of the page

Yesterday, I did a lesson from a Suzanne Allard course I’m taking on florals.

This is an accordion book that I made from a Hellen Wells course. I love style of big expressionistic flowers. These are my own interpretation using watercolour and colored pencils. I’m quite happy with it. I’m learning to loosen up a little.

Three times a week, I do a workout from physiotherapy which I’ve been doing for about a year and a half and three times a week, I walk, usually outside with my poles, weather permitting. If it’s not nice, we go to the arena walking track.

Yesterday’s walk was at the golf course where my husband likes to go.

That’s pretty much the good start to the New Year. I’m trying to use less screen time and more time for creativeness. I like to do my sketches while watching (listening) to the suppertime news.

We don’t have much snow, but a storm is heading our way tomorrow.

I hope your January is going well.

The New Year

 After all the December craze and our traveling, it’s taken me this week to settle back into normal life which may be pretty boring, but it suits this almost 70 year old.

Before Christmas I started some pages in my large sketchbook dedicated to drawing birds that come to our feeders.

We get lots of Chickadees, bluejays, some crows and a pair of downy woodpeckers. It is very much a learning process.

I’ve been working on a few on line courses since I indulged in some after Christmas sales. I’ve been painting flowers to make an accordion fold book with Hellen Wells .

She does it in three steps, paint, make book, make collage papers, and cut out paper vases for collage.

Free form crochet is a blog written by Patricia Fentie with lord of how to videos. Bought a ball on Briggs and Little yarn made here in St Andrews’s, NB and the dyed by the Fleece artist.

Last but not least is a tiny painting that I bought early December at an artisan market on PEI that I went to with my daughter. It is by a friend of hers, Jessica Sherrard, who she went to school with here in Bathurst,NB. I really love the low horizon depicting a field, trees and big sky in PEI. It is one I see often on our trips there.

I hope you’ve had a nice holiday, and that you’re settling in to the new year.

💜

A Christmas stocking, knitting, painting, and sketching

 I’m having a rest after an hour of veggie chopping and lentil cooking for a vegan Wellington for my son’s fiancé’s Christmas meal. It’s full of onions, leeks, garlic, carrots and mushrooms. There nuts and oatmeal. Tomorr I will sauté veggies and assemble in the phyllo dough. I think it will be yummy. I don’t seem to be able to copy a link but if you’re interested, it’s on plantbaes, called Vegan Wellington.

Now, I’m resting with heat on my back which is why I’m writing this.

Yesterday I finished a Christmas stocking for my daughter’s partner as we found hers.

A couple of weeks ago I donated 5 of my knitted baby afghans to child services and it made me happy how pleased they were. I need to knit at night watching tv and it’s enjoyable. I’ve already finished another one and almost done a second one.

I’ve just started to learn how to sketch birds so don’t laugh at my beginner technique. One must really fill many pages to improve. These are from my own photos. The first ones are bluejays and next crows. I think it will be a while before I could paint them but it’s a goal.

This is a picture from the trail where we walked this morning. It was -11C but ok out of the wind. I really love the sunlit trees in the background and the shadows up front.

This crocheted ornament is one I made many years with fine crochet cotton. 

These were made by my mother in law around the same time. She is now 88 and unable to do it anymore. The stitches and details are so tiny. I cherish them.

This is one of my last paintings in my sketchbook that I want to paint over on a canvas. A goal for the new year.

I’m wishing you  a joyful, peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

🎄 ❤️

A Christmas stocking.

 When we visited my daughter and family last week, the boys were decorating the tree and as we found the hand knit ones I’d made for them, my daughter wanted to know if I had hers still. I said I didn’t because I’ve cleaned out my boxes and didn’t remember seeing it. I wouldn’t have given it away. She insisted I had it and I insisted she’d gotten it.

So, the other day I put my Santa collection out and emptied the whole box as I’m still clearing out. At the bottom wrapped up with mine and my husband’s was the stocking.

I 

I had already started knitting new one which will now go to her partner.

When I need a break from counting and following graphs, usually later at night, I switch to the no brainer baby afghan. I had 5 that I took to social services last week and the woman was so excited. It made me feel good to feel so appreciated and I enjoy doing them.

With never an idle hand, I’m still addicted to mandalas and doodling in my light sketchbook during the suppertime news. I find it so relaxing.

My legs are recover from the severe sciatica I had last week and I’ve been able to get out for my walks. We had sunshine and fresh snow today and even some sparkle on the trees if you looked up. It felt magical.

Unfortunately, rain is forecast for Wednesday and it’ll be ruined. We always have a good layer of snow here for the winter though.

I painted my first abstract on a gallery wrapped canvas and I’m pretty happy with it.