Saturday, April 18, 2026

creativity this week, drawing painting fabric arts

 


Because of rainbow scrap challenge's color of the month PINK

I pulled out the bag of tiny pink squares, some tiny white squares, and sewed them into little approximately 3" to 4" blocks.  many of them

I pressed them but didn't trim to any one size, just laid them out to kind of match the ones next to it, and began to sew the rows together. I sort of trimmed the rows to 12" X  3-3.5" 

then sewed rows together into this

which I like for the abstract design, 
see as kind of a garden lattice 
like the flower and other random prints
but
it's really quite small, 12 X 15 ish

so what if I added scrappy strips 
hmmmm maybe, then what? 

I wanted to do hexies again, by hand when I am sitting in a chair at night, watching tv, trying to ignore pain

a close up of the 37 prepped hexies in pink


I juggle paper art, fabric love, pain and puppy attention

I am enjoying Sketchbook Revival lessons, but am woefully behind. I sit long as I can, learn, draw, paint, stamp, collage. 
I always start with a quick impression painting of the instructor on the page... here are some of the early lessons.... click on photos to enlarge for detail




quiet eucalyptus leaves



Sumi painting style

dandelion study of brush strokes


painting with palette knife plus acrylic paint

collage of torn handwriting papers and watercolor

writing words as the art itself

I need to find my alphabet stamps to do this one
mostly I'm using my inktense pan paints this time, but also pen, inks, watercolors, acrylic, brush pens

This workshop is free, online, and lovely
I'll end with another piece of wisdom from my puppy, whom we've had for 2 months now


Alfie:   Which way should I go? "  why not choose both directions and go one at a time?!

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Thursday, April 16, 2026

I Like Thursday # 500 fave song to sing

 bird watching, rockin' robins!!!

welcome to this week's list of likes... starting with bird watching

The robins are back and pretty cheeky! They do not fear Alfie or me. Both of us like to watch them too


Alfie has discovered the ability to watch wild life from  out back slider to the patio... bird watching has become one of his favorite hobbies, after eating, being petted, keeping watch on the Mama, playing keep away with his Kong ball in the back yard,  and going for long walks. 

We had a few firsts, since we've now been together 2 months! He sleeps on his bed by the mama's side of the bed, no kennel needed. He chased a bunny out of the yard, played in the sprinkler again as well as the big sprinkler in the sky.... it rained 8 drops and he snapped at one as it fell. 

He also approached our across the street neighbor Mama, on his own, and nudged her hand. We were all happy he trusted her enough, so then her 6 year old daughter came up, she's been longing to pet him, and ever so gently she held out the treat I gave her in her little fingers, and Alfie ever so gently took it by the edge. 

They were both so cute, sorry I didn't have a camera to capture the moment but it was happy. 

They have a 4 lb yorkie but it was in the house

I didn't get as many walks in, (Pain intense all week) but did get an emergency appt with chiro. 

some tulips bloomed yesterday, I love them but Alfie doesn't get why...

our lack of winter, and winter snows this year, have led to severe water restrictions, we have to pay triple if we use over some amount, but they won't tell us what that is... oy vey

Most of us decided not to turn out sprinklers so early, but we water our trees which barely make it anyway. I thought of some poem about the brown grass, 
good grass, bad grass, too weak to show sass
I'm no poet. some lilac flowering bushes are highly scented this year, making my head hurt

My favorite husky puppies are about 10 months old, jaxson and Emma  I MUST visit when I pass and they sing to me, and are SO CUTE! Alfie is jealous I talk to them in my singsong voice that belongs just to him. He isn't interested in dogs yet. 

Couldn't resist this "puppy in repose" photo with my latest quilt, the sleeve is now sewn on so it's hanging and making me so happy to see it

I'm happy to be painting again too, learning from many fab artists at Sketchbook Revival
a free online 2 week course exploring many art forms

I tore off some copier paper, folded it, into a jumped up paint book... tiny!!!
good for some color tests, some small ideas, etc.

I love tiny things, do you? 
so along with my regular large sketchbook I might dab a paint on one of my tiny book pages too
one lesson was on sketching as many imaginary trees as you could, and I did an extra one in my tiny book, using two colors I really like in the inktense ink/paint pan set that is also tiny

still playing with my photo software, a shot of tree branching and shadows converging. 

Our cable just dropped a main tv channel, ABC, with no reduction in cost to us, and no shows now. 
I am missing Bachelorette, High Potential,  American Idol and more, because of either greed or politics. 

Conversation starter for this week, do you have a fave song to sing yourself? 

For years it's been Bossa nova Girl from Ipanema or show tunes from musicals I've been in, like: 
"Its too damn hot"  (Paqjama Game) or "So in Love" (Kiss me Kate)   but I have never done karoke so if you hear me now, you're too close! 



link in case you need it 

fun video, doggie daycare 

link if needed

Oh, we've been enjoying the hot cross buns I made last week... so good

please visit these folks to see what they liked this week, and join us, I'll add in your link





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Saturday, April 11, 2026

creativity in the pink

 


I used the tiny oddly shaped pink scraps to sew this 16 X 20" piece together this week... then sewed strips to the bottom to make it twice as long, so I could sew a tote bag with it

Now I'm wondering if I want a portfolio with it, sturdy enough to put fabrics on in a layout to be sewn at night in front of the TV. 

hmmm design never done! I like the bits of young women peeking thru and use of tiny scraps

hexies to be in my little bowl for TV time handwork

I prepared a sleeve for the back of my dragonfly quilt, to be hand stitched in place  during phone calls

This season of Sketchbook Revival starts today, LOTS of teachers for art techniques, still free



some pinks observed on my walks, pink is color of month at RSC
I LOVE pinks in all forms... ahhhhh
We couldn't come up with a name for this pink...
a vibrant purple-ish pink glowing against the Colorado blue skies

oops the snoopervisor needs a walk  

linking to some or all of these

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Thursday, April 9, 2026

Like Thursdays # 499 Do you like Spring?

 

welcome to this week's list of likes starting with a beautiful nature scene in Colorado

let's go for a walk shall we?

Alfie:  might as well, my toy is taking up all the bed

I spy with my little eye the first tulips! early this year of course

a poodle puppy with his Daddy

shadow's capture the trees in bud already

looks like a leftover "egg skin" from easter

sun's out and it's already hot in Colorado
alfie took us to see some more housing development...

Better stay in the shade the mama!

50 shades of brown here...

Listening to another Hanna Swenson mystery on audio book and reading another Museum mystery on E Book (By Connolly) 

Our conversation starter this week is:

Do you like Spring? Why?  what makes you feel Spring has sprung around your house? 

I have too many spring allergies to like it, plus it is the harbinger of hot misrable weather, neighbors hired pesticide sprayers that give me occular migraines (I can't see for hours) etc.  There are few/random flowers here to enjoy too. Sorry for the less stellar review to those of you who like Spring. 

I know it's spring when the flies and wasps come back out. This year I put on the new summer patio tablecloth already


A video of Alfie playing in the first sprinkler of Spring

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KNKho2Mpq30

Alfie: I like my toy to sleep with me, truth is I don't know what to do with a toy, I never really had one

thankful for a good report from DH's medical test

for a little "Class" today... just say it in French:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeAfI7GxUQQ&list=RDOeAfI7GxUQQ&start_radio=1

Please visit these wonderful folks to see why they like (or not) Spring and other likes. Let me know if you'd like to join us and I'll add in your link!


Grammajudyb.blogspot.com

https://brianshomeblog.com/  

http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/   

http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com

https://llbinourbackyard.blogspot.com/ 

https://frenchethereal.net/



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Thursday, April 2, 2026

I Like Thursday # 498 Easter chocolate

 

Welcome to this week's list of likes starting with this inflatable Easter bunny who frightened my puppy

OMDog  Mama is it alive??  (Mama: no honey, want to sniff it?) 

Alfie:  Uh no, let's just quietly keep walking.... 
while keeping an eye on it to see if it's following us! 

Critter noticing
this week Alfie noted a yard squirrel chowing down on the honeydew shells we put under the tree

His first time racing toward a critter, and the squirrel went up the tree, looked down and chittered at Alfie for quite a while. Alfie stood like a statue looking up and would have for hours if we hadn't called him in., 

He is getting good at responding when I say, Alfie baby, come ! 


He and I saw this beauty on one of our walks.... Alfie looked for a while, watched then calmly walked by....

suddenly Spring sprung here. We never had winter or Fall, but it's been pretty hot and everything seems to be flowering! I love flowers, not allergies but... 

love pink blossoms!


yes to colorful sunsets on evening walks
and calm poodle puppies with long legs too long for his big bed! 
Another first this week, Alfie chewed up a paper towel roll center.... 
I like a quiet morning activity, don't you?

luckily he like my other poodles, spits out the cardboard!

Conversation Starter this week:
Do you make anything special for Easter dinner? Do you use special recipes or tableware? Do you order chocolate bunnies to give out or keep? Do you bite the ears off first? What about hot cross buns or other special cookies? share your recipe? 

we don't have a special dinner but I love chocolate. Unfortunately American Chocolate is full of addititves... I tried making peanut butter eggs once, worked out but a lot of work. This year I plan to try these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jprCErtwrzg
I also plan to follow my saved recipe for hot cross buns. I have made them several times and they are so good, fluffy, slightly sweet from castor sugar, and special.  As a little girl I did bite the ears off chocolate bunnies, liked malted milk ball eggs best,  had a new pez dispenser in my basket,  and wore a new dress with crinolines to church. Easter egg hunts were my favorite thing to do though! 

DH had to have a medical test and we are both relieved the test is over tho we await results

I finished my stay at home round robin, LINK HERE
Dragonflies on the pond
Looking forward to this year's Sketchbook Revival lessons starting April 11  

gotta go now, see you soon Love, Alfie ( almost 22 months old)
Alfie: I liked treeing that squirrel, tearing up paper, eating enough food 3 times a day) sleeping when I want to even while snoopervising the sewing room, playing in the sprinkler and how cool if feels after grooming excess hair away. I get treats for coming when Mama calls, and I go to her, and for lying down when she says to. 
I just love it here, and that there are no other dogs to bite me, I get to sleep in mama's room, I get to take time to enjoy all the birds on the field here. 


Please visit these folk to see what they liked this week, let me know if I can add your link of likes


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