Paper and Threads

I have great difficulty using new journals and work best in my inexpensive spiral Aquabee.  I shared my journal angst here previously on several occasions and this Moleskine actually was carried back and forth to Washington DC without a mark being entered.  Since then I successfully used a Cachet linen watercolor journal while in London - and forced myself to take the Moleskine on a weekend trip to Chesham NH so I would have to use it for my daily sketch. 

I loved this discarded old slightly rusty lantern that was propped on the wood pile with an aluminum pail used for citronella candles.  There was little variation in color or tone in the "still-life" and I didn't try to add something that wasn't there.  My goal: just get some pen and paints in the Moleskine journal-finally!  However, as soon as I started using my journal, Moda & Moda sold Moleskine to the French so maybe I shouldn't get too attached.  Perhaps the French will also get my email to Moda suggesting that Moleskine make the watercolor journal using the sketchbook format.  I hate the shape of this book!!  Their reply: We'll put it in our suggestion box....

Posted by Shirley at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

I don't collect anything specific and my "souvenirs" are almost always a piece of fabric or a new journal when we travel.  The exception is Italy!  I love to survey all of the leather carts and shops in Florence.  I bought this very small, wonderful leather pouch several years ago at the Leather Factory inside Santa Croce.  It was on sale and a fun inexpensive purchase.  I had no idea that it is the perfect size (7.5 x 4.5 inches) and shape for me to carry my digital camera in the main section and an extra battery and photo card in the zipper pocket.  The lightweight cord is long enough for it to be carried very comfortably around my neck/across my chest and when we're out exploring I forget that I even have it on.  The small piece of fabric that I bought during that trip at Fortuny in Venice and the journals that I bought in Florence and Venice are still in my fabric stash and empty on my shelf respectively!

Posted by Shirley at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I love ice cream and Italian ices and debated trying to sketch some of each before they melted.  But with temperatures nearing 100 degrees in New York City, I REALLY love something that cools me for more than 10 minutes and that is the combination of our ceiling fans and window air conditioners.  My husband and I alternate between our library and master bedroom these days when we're home and turn the fan on when we enter the rooms and off when we leave.  The AC is essential for sleeping, but we rarely need to use during the day.   

Posted by Shirley at 8:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

We spent many mornings with our grandchildren during our visit to London and these sketches were from a larger group that were done during our special outings so I could remember the moments. 

We took a walk to South Kensington with both Henry and Syd so our daughter could take us to Harrods - the excuse being real American Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  Henry loved this 3 foot London Bobby who appeared randomly around the store to remind shoppers about store surveillance and then selected the large chocolate replica of Big Ben for me to sketch next.

We had an exciting visit to the Natural History Museum dinosaur exhibit.  While my husband took Henry to the catwalk-like viewing balconies, I stayed with the stroller and sketched the triceratops skeleton head.

Henry wanted to ride on the top of a London double-decker bus, so we planned an excursion for all of us to take a bus to Hyde Park for the morning.  We took Henry to the front seat on the top while my daughter remainded with Sydney and her stroller below.  We wandered the park, watching ducks being fed in the Serpentine, and spent time in the children's playground where Henry was partial to the bouncey bike.

One of our last museum visits was a morning trip with Henry to the Science Museum.  He introduced us to the many interactive exhibits for children and then, when asked, requested a book on rockets at the Museum store.  The young woman in the store directed us to a wonderful book called "Astronaut For a Day" which was perfect for him.  In the afternoon, while the cast of the new Superman movie was in London for a promotional visit, my daughter bought him his own superman costume.  Neither of these sketches are of Henry - the astronaut is from the book and the superman costume is on a "model."  He took off his costume to go to sleep but had to take his astronaut book to bed with him.  As we were leaving London. my daughter was negotiating with him where it was OK to wear a superman costume.

Posted by Shirley at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The plaza area on my way between the parking garage and my office was magnificent last week.  I "stole" a single flower and painted it during the day as it sat in a Dixie cup on my desk. 

We had dinner with cousins last Sunday in the middle of their wonderful gardens.  This hibiscus plant was sitting on the deck and I couldn't resist taking time to paint it.  The plant was much fuller, but I needed to simplify it to be sociable!  Hard to believe that I was painting a hibiscus in London exactly one week before.

These were sketched with a Pigma micron pen in an Aquabee Globetrotter Sketch Diary (70 lb paper) and painted with Niji waterbrushes and Winsor-Newton tube watercolor paints.  I sketched the actual flowers and took the photos later because they were so beautiful. 

Posted by Shirley at 8:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)