Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Still stamping and sketching

I haven't yet gotten back to my sewing machines. And that's not such a bad thing as I continue to be captivated with my doodle stamps, combining them with sketches of leaves, feathers and flowers from my yard.

The zinnias are fading. There's something about the drying stage that attracts me though. The colors are softer and the shrivelling petals more interesting.

Each day I do more exercises and walk a little further. It won't be long before I'll be able to take my walker along with camera and sketchbook to the trail.

For now, I have lots of inspiration in my yard.

I read recently of an artist who would keep spare sketchbooks on hand while painting to use as a place to clean brushes, stamps, brayers, etc. What a great idea.

I started the practice this morning, adding the excess paint from my stamps to pages of a cheap sketchbook that I've previously ignored for better ones.

Then, I couldn't resist adding to it with coloured pencils when it dried.

Another page, different stamp.

And another with some scrap deli paper collaged to it. Pages I can sketch on and add to when the inspiration hits. The book will be full in no time!

I have to tell you that I kept telling myself I was done, washing my hands only to dirty them up again. This is so fun!

In the meantime there are still many things growing in my garden including a large pot of green peppers.

You can't see them through the leaves but there are about 10 good size ones. I still enjoy nipping out to the yard to gather what I can to cook with. Last night it was veggie soup made from my garden.

Tonight it'll be stir fried locally homemade blueberry sausages with peppers and yellow zucchini of which I also have lots.

On the weekend I simmered apples all day in the crock pot.

After trimming the tree in the spring we've got a nice yield.

Harvest time in late summer, early fall is my favourite time of year. My days are full of picking, cooking, storing, gathering leaves and flowers; there is no end to inspiration.

 

8 comments:

Verna G said...

Glad you are doing so well! Any good recipes for yellow zucchini?

Anonymous said...

Nice to see your creativity flourishing and you getting better. I can't wait to see how some of these translate to fabric. Mind you, I still stick with my thought that you could be framing some of your sketches. They're beautiful.

sherry said...

what a fabulous idea...i may just start doing that very thing ... keeping a spare sketch book on my work table

PaintedThread said...

Zinnias! They're so pretty.

I love your sketches. Thanks for sharing.

Laurel's Stitches said...

What a great idea to leave an extra sketchbook beside you while you are painting. Your stamped and pencil pieces are lovely! Your other paintings are beautiful, too.

Thanks, Holly, for posting to The Needle and Thread Network's WIP Wednesday!

Mereknits said...

You are getting loads done even while rehabbing that hip.
Love your beautiful work,
Meredith

Dolores said...

Love those impromptu experiments. Glad to hear you're getting stronger. All we had this year were tomato plants and the squirrels and raccoons were quite happy. We got nothing.

Angela said...

Your sketch books are fabulous!