How many art projects shall I work on at once?

 LOTS!

clockwise from top left: round robin center block, project quilting finish, RSC feathered star, RSC EPP block, and my mantra these days

calendar page from years ago

I went from languishing and uninspired to having several ongoing challenges and projects going at once...

spinning dishes

remember this trick from the Ed Sullivan show? (I'm ahem, of an age) 

plus, I hope to also do Joy's table scraps challenge, and a friend and I are working on our drawing skills by doing prompts together.  It feels good to be creating again!  

My goal this year was to focus on my writing, both essays, autobiography and creative writing of fiction. 

on the sewing front this week, I made the second of two planned blocks for rainbow scrap challenge each month, in the chosen color. This month, dark green  and a feathered star block.

I got the pattern from the book,Precisely Sew and after deciding it might be a fun way to focus on color, I looked through my extensive stash of fabric and didn't have enough of a white with multi color to go behind all the blocks. I found this on sale at FabricShack in Ohio.

there was 1 yard left of extra wide backing which is about 2 1/2 regular yards!

I decided while I waited for the fabric delivery, I pieced the four segments with white, I was very excited to see the fabric in person, all the colors, shapes and birds!this will look fun on my blocks!

On the knitting front, I'm finishing up another pair of wool socks for DH. 

As for drawing and painting, they seem to go hand and hand for me. I used my personal junk journal made from scrap paper and beads to write in this week, (because it was handy) trying out the game connections that Judy told us about on I Like Thursday...

then decided to try gesso to cover the writing and firm up the flimsy copier paper on this section

No migraines from it, yea! I picked up the brown paper from a chocolate while waiting for gesso to dry and folded it and cut it like a snowflake... then stuck it on the gesso, and rubbed more on the surface with my finger. I was surprised to see the detail that developed as it dried, and loved the texture!

well, I have to play with these items again, so see what comes of it!. On the other side I painted a little Valentine with the watercolor set that now seems to live on the kitchen table

kuretake impressionist collection...LOVE it

the gesso provides "tooth" meaning some texture for paint to cling to on even thin paper

I wanted to test some colors, so I did some petals, and then inked inside them with doodles

While visiting another I Like Thursday post, at CanadianNeedleNana, she had yet another lovely photo that inspired me... I love her photos, this time a cozy scene with her husband reading with pup Ned 

I felt something seeing her photo, and feel something looking at the painting. Drawing is an exercise in seeing. 

I grabbed a pencil, and sketched the scene. I didn't realize it was a water soluble not graphite pencil, so when I dabbed on some color it dissolved a bit. it's more distinct in person , and I went on to write a little fictional story the scene inspired.

safe and sound

by LeeAnna Paylor

Oh my gosh it was a cold one today, up on the mountain. He layered on every warm item he  could, got Ned, and headed out to do the needed chores. Blustery winds tried to whip off his scarf and hat, frost bit his exposed nose, but he managed to do the work.

Ned resented the dog coat and boots, but there were scents to sniff, and things that needed peeing on.

The two males went about the property together, The man thinking of a fireplace and cup of hot tea, the dog thinking of a fireplace, a mans leg to snuggle against, and dog things.

They came in the house, pulled off snow covered coats and boots, both man and dog stood in front of the fire for a bit, thawing.

The man looked down into a pair of big brown eyes and said, shall we fix a snack and rest a bit? The dog wagged his tail to say yes, I'll have what you're having.

after their snack the man took up his usual place on an overstuffed easy chair, tilted back a bit, pulled the chain on his tiffany lamp for some light and took up a paper to read. Ned settled against his man's leg, and sat,

sighing that big labrador sigh, blinked looking at nothing, happy after his romp to be inside and warm and safe

 

 Writing makes me happy, words coming together to create a feeling or mental image, connecting one to another. I will share some of them here. My wish for all of us is to use our creativity with abandon, enjoying it and expressing some part of ourselves.

linking to

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com

patchwork Sunday   

oh Scrap Sundays

slow stitching Sundays

https://melvalovesscraps.blogspot.com/

design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts

https://songbirddesigns.blog/monday-musings-6-26-23/ 

http://www.inquiringquilter.com/ Wednesday wait loss

Midweek makers wednesdays  

http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/ 

https://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/ 

face off

finished or not

https://ninamariesayre.blogspot.com/