Third Time's a Charm

Getting ready for Christmas and restocking our freezer, Terry made two trips to the grocery store.  First trip was to Winn Dixie (we like their meats better) and second trip to Publix.

Our freezer's drain plug had frozen up causing a build up of ice at the bottom and during the defrost cycle would leak out onto the floor.  We used up all that was in the freezer before turning the unit off to clear the ice and unplug the drain line.

Our grocery list was quite large and one item I needed was my butter spread.  I use something totally different from Terry plus he was baking cookies and needed stick butter as well.  First trip he forgets my butter spread but no biggee.........he can pick it up when he goes to Publix.  Second trip he forgets it again.  He made sure he had his and what he needed for baking so it's not like he wasn't already in the area where mine is located.  Needless to say, by this time, I was feeling a little agitated.  He had to make yet another trip but this time, not only did he get my butter, he also surprised me with this bouquet of flowers.  As he walks through the door, he says "third time's a charm."  Poof..........my agitated state was gone.......ha ha.

Tucked in this arrangement of flowers were four or five rose buds and one in particular called out to me to sketch.  I liked how one petal stuck out further than all the others.

Procreate sketch on a canvas background.

Birds at Feeders

Although we really don't have much of a winter here with plenty of bugs still hanging around and flowers still growing, we do get a lot of traffic at our bird feeders.  We can go for a long time between refilling the feeders during the summer but during the winter, it's like every other day or every two days.

One of our non-regulars is this guy.........what I've been able to identify as a Yellow Throat Warbler.

Another we don't normally see at the feeders through the summer months.  Various type finches to include this one.

Due to putting things away prepping for family time during the Holidays, I've been working on my Ipad.  I'm using the same three basic brush tools I find I enjoy using most.........Technical pen brush, waterbrush tool, airbrush soft tool.  I use these either placing color down, for blending, and for erasing.  In other words, I normal use the same brush tool blending and erasing as I do with putting down marks with.

Procreate drawings with a watercolor paper background.

Playing on My Ipad - Procreate

Any time I want to escape for a long period of time, all I have to do is grab my Ipad and work with Procreate.

When I sketch in a journal or sketchbook, I feel free and don't worry too much about getting everything perfect.  But when I work in Procreate, I am with a different mindset.  For me it's an alternative to oil painting which I cannot do for various reasons.  I guess for me.......the Ipad is more like a canvas for more formal work versus the sketchbook.

Digital painting for me takes a lot of time due to how I work.  I work in MANY layers with little rough marks at a time blending as I go.  I work on small sections at a time and each layer has the different values of colors.  And I use small brush sizes which also takes a bit of time to fill in areas with how I work.

In the time I take to work something like this, I sit and study what I've done already and where I might want to go next.  I'll do a rough line drawing on a separate layer trying out placement of different things to see how it might fit in with what I've already done.  In other words I plan as I go.

This took several hours and I enjoyed every second of it.  I was in no hurry and my mind was lost in what I was doing and that at times is a Blessing :-)

This Year's Christmas Card

After sketching and painting a few other of our plush tree ornaments, I decided to put these guys together for a Christmas Card.  These have been a lot of fun to work with.

FIbook75x75 / Lamy pens with Doc Brown ink / Stonehenge Aqua / DS watercolors

This is my wish for everyone viewing, to have a Merry and Blessed Christmas.  To be safe during travels; to enjoy without a lot of pressure or stress; to embrace this time with family and friends.  For those who are alone and may not be able to spend time with family or friends...........just know that there ARE people out here who think of you and send warm heart-felt wishes your way!

Mixed Media - Graphite Sketch Plus Digital Coloring

I thought I would play a bit with the last pencil sketch I worked of the standing fabric pencil cup.  Not wanting to add actual color to the sketch, I decided to import into Procreate, add color, and export back to my computer.  Now I have both a graphite sketch untouched by color and a color version either for digital viewing or printing off and adding to the journal.

First thing I did was erase all the writing.  Added color in layers and then inserted a photo I took of a blank page in a handmade sketchbook with rough textured paper.

One of the things I love about procreate is the blending of colors.  In ways it's like working with oil paint without the mess and fumes.

Standing Soft Travel Pencil Case

A new pencil case that stands on its own.  Second type I've tried and I love them both.  This one has the top portion that slides down into an open cup for easy retrieval of contents and then slides up to close with zipper.  Love the variety offered with colors and patterns.  I prefer these over glass jars or coffee cups I tend to use.......always fearing I'll knock one off the table and it shatter.

Purchased from Jetpens.

Quick pencil sketch in Stillman and Birn Beta sketchbook using Graphgear 1000 mechanical pencil .7 (gifted to me by my sons for my birthday in Oct).

Carved Santa Ornament

Last year my youngest son, Travis, went on a service call where the lady had several of these out on a table that she had made.  During the time he was there, he showed a real interest in her carvings and talked about art mentioning I sketched and painted and have for years.  He shared where I started out painting on wood and gradually changed course into what I do today.

When he was finished with the work he had to do, the lady gifted him (as a special thank you) with two Santas........one an ornament and one free standing to sit on a shelf.  She sent two so that he could give me one.

Travis gave me the shelf sitter and then the ornament as his gift to me to keep as a set.  I absolutely LOVE these hand carved Santas!!!  Something I might like to explore to learn to do on my own.

Although I've sketched these carvings before (last year), I wanted to do so again as a graphite sketch. 

I wasn't sure if I wanted to add color because I wanted it to look like a graphite sketch and maintain a rustic look.  I feared messing it up adding color.  I mulled over that decision throughout the day and then decided to go ahead and do so reminding myself if I did the sketch once, I could do it again if I needed to.

Because the ornament is the main topic, I chose to only emphasize it with color and leave the hand alone.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / Pental Graphgear 1000 .07 mechanical pencil / DS watercolors

New Golf Cart

Several of our neighbors have purchased golf carts to ride around in the neighborhood.  It's common in The Villages here in Florida but not so much in the other areas that are not designed as retirement communities.  The Villages is a self contained, very large retirement community (made up of several different style villages, actually) where people use their golf carts to go everywhere to include shopping.  They have dedicated lanes to drive, which is really unique.

Those here in our neighborhood basically just use theirs to get out and ride around our neighborhood.  We've been considering one and finally took the plunge and purchased this green one.............perfect size for my miniature bears.

Tried to sketch it finding it very difficult to get the perspective right.  No big surprise to me as that's one area I struggle with and I doubt will ever change.  I get lucky once in awhile but for the most part, I'm always off somewhere.   I came close to just giving up on it but stuck it out until I at least achieved what you see here.  By the time I inked in the lines, I was kind of bored messing with it wanting to call it done but decided to at least add some color to the bear. 

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / DS and QoR watercolors / Lamy with Doc Brown ink

December Challenge Between Friends

I was struggling with a challenge idea for December.  I had several written down on post-it-notes but all entailed a lot of thinking before jumping in.  With my going through this sketching lull, I didn't feel I had the energy to put so much thought into or be creative. 

After working the one ornament yesterday, I came up with the idea to sketch 3 to 6 items related to Christmas.....either as individual doodles or put together in a setting or composition.  I chose putting several together that told a story using another of the plush ornaments I have on the tree as my model.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / Lamys with Dark Green, Dark Red, and Doc Brown inks

Plush Christmas Ornament

Trying to get back into sketching, the ornaments on my tree came to mind as possible inspiration.  There are six plush ornaments that have little sacks you can place goodies or money in.  This is one that jumped out at me right off.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / Lamy with Doc Brown ink

Amazon Just Not the Same

For over the last two decades, my number one shopping source has been Amazon.  I bought practically everything through them from clothing to electronics to art supplies to household items and appliances.....as well as monthly grocery subscription items.   I would compare prices with other places and for the longest time found the prices were cheaper through Amazon.  Well it's no longer the case.

It used to be you could count on their Guaranteed Delivery dates minus UPS, USPS, or FedEx mix-ups but that too is no longer the case.  On the item page you might see you can count on delivery by a certain date only to learn AFTER placing the order that the dates are not as initially stated.

Used to be their customer service bent over backwards to work with their customers.  Now you basically get "oh so sorry for the inconvenience, BUT...."

Used to be if an item turned up lost in the mail or damaged, they would get a replacement right out to their customers.  That too is no longer the case.

Scams...........it happened to me this year where I ordered food storage containers only to receive a broken pencil.  Reached out to Amazon Customer Service and they did provide a return slip only for the return to be rejected and the broken pencil sent back to me.  I'm sure not all Marketplace vendors are untrustworthy but how do you know until you've been burnt who you can trust and who you can't.  You can't even go by company reviews.

Knockoffs..........again from experience ending up with what I thought was the real deal only to learn it wasn't.

Reviews cannot be trusted either.  I've learned that there are companies who have found multiple ways of generating fake reviews in their favor.

Used to be you could count on your items being packed well but now you're lucky to get a crumpled up piece of packing paper or a couple pillow packs stuck in the box.  And it's unreal the wastefulness of the company and their marketplace vendors sending out small sized items (often a single item at that) in huge boxes where contents bounce around during shipping.

As for paying the Prime membership.........I seriously wonder if it's worth it now that I fear placing orders through them.  I initially went with Prime because of the free shipping as it was worth it for a long time.  BUT, all other places do offer free shipping with minimum dollar orders that are easy to reach.  All the other benefits of Prime, I really don't use enough to warrant the high price, so why should I continue.   It keeps going up and yet their service continues to go downhill.  Something I'm going to have to really consider.

My latest attempt has been totally screwed up.  From one order, it was split up into several packages.  Three items were packaged together and shipped out only for an email sent to me the day it was to be delivered that the package was being returned to Amazon without a definitive reason.  Said I'd get a refund within 2-4 days after they receive the return but when will that be???  Another item was packaged by itself and managed to make it to me...a day late, mind you...yippeee!  And I'm still waiting on several other items that were supposed to be delivered on the 11th and I get a message they are running late.  Said I could cancel the order if not received by a certain date but they left the date off.  I go to cancel those items and I get an email saying cancellation failed and that they were in the middle of being processed and sent out.  Seriously???!!!!

I'm honestly afraid to shop Amazon anymore .........which is really sad.  I guess they've become too big and just can't handle things like they used to.  They don't appear to screen or care who sells through them because in the end, they get their commission.  As for customer satisfaction as it used to be..........the company is so big now that it doesn't appear to be of importance.  So sad to see quality and reliability become so diluted as it has with its growth.

The good news...............for places like Best Buy, Walmart, and the likes.......they are starting to regain customers from what I'm reading.  I'm definitely not alone in my disappointment and feelings..... more and more people are experiencing the same and worse.  At least with these other places, you can actually walk into a store or physically talk to someone in customer service or return without a lot of hassle (until their policies and service change.)

November Challenge - Winter Season

This month the challenge between myself and my friend overseas has to do with the Winter season.  Changes in temperature, foods we might eat this time of year, clothing we might wear, activities we might be involved in, holiday preparations, etc.

Winter Season to me means (or should mean) cold fresh air, beautiful autumn colors before the trees turn bare, relief from summer bugs and mosquitoes, the threat/anticipation of snow, the smell of wood burning in wood stoves and fireplaces, fixing hot chocolate and eating foods (stews, soups, etc.) to warm your insides, ..... all of which go hand in hand with back to back Holidays starting in October.  Unfortunately, it's not that way for me now and hasn't been the last six years.

For us there's not much change and I have a real hard time with the season and holidays. 

We don't really dress very differently except maybe throwing on a long sleeve shirt or light weight jacket.  We don't fix different meals you might with cold weather moving in.  Flowers continue to bloom and trees remain green (at least where we are).  Mosquitoes and all sorts of flying and crawling critters are the daily norm.  I avoid going out as I don't care for the craziness of holiday shopping or seeing Christmas decorations that just seem out of place here.  I don't even look forward to putting up a tree, nor do I set out all the decorations I used to.  Too much trouble for decor that just doesn't fit.

With all that said, I decided to work a page about some of what I miss by living in a subtropical climate....illustrating a new ornament representing one aspect of Christmas in Florida and how it contrasts with everything I associate with this time of year...........it just doesn't feel right :-(

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / QoR and W&N watercolors / Pilot Vanishing Point with Lexy Grey ink.

Bougainvillea Planting

A couple years ago we purchased this bourgainvillea that is different from a huge one growing in the front yard.  The one in the front has more reddish color flowers whereas the one we purchased produces purple.  Plus the flowers or bracts are shaped a little differently.

For awhile it was sitting in its original pot on the back patio until the canopy grew too large to get around.  Trying to make a decision where to place it permanently on the property, we sat it in the back corner outside of the sunroom.  And there it sat since we just couldn't make up our minds.

With the passing of time, the tree's roots pushed through the bottom of the pot to include a large feeder root making the decision for us.  We were afraid of what might happen if we cut that main root or ripped up the smaller roots growing in the soil.

We thought maybe digging under the pot and the root might work by lowering it into the ground when the idea came to us to instead work the ground up around it.  That way we wouldn't have to worry about stress or shock to the tree.  The pot was easy to cut away and now the tree is permanently in it's spot without fear of damage.

We love how this was trained as a single braided trunk versus the one in the front that is more of a large shrub branching out in various directions.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / QoR watercolors / Lamy pens - Dark Green, Dark Red, and Document Brown

New Fountain

We've been working outside (Terry works and I supervise.....lol)......little by little reworking the garden bed in front of the house for months.  We took out several overgrown shrubs that were crowding the area where we plan to set up large pots to house flowering plants.  The pots will hopefully help with minimizing maintenance where we're just getting too old to be down on our hands and knees trying to weed and whatnot with plants growing directly in the ground.

One of the additions to the front is a fountain placed in front of our bay window.  It's been a gorgeous last few days with the temperatures finally dropping around 80 during the day.  It's been breezy as well helping with all the bugs........especially mosquitoes that do not care if day or night to be out.

Sketched this over a period of the last few days representing the fountain.  Great exercise in working ellipses.  For the granite look, I only made enough marks to suggest the texture.  Finally finished this morning.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / QoR watercolor / Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils / Lamy with Doc Brown ink.

Returning to Our Feeders

During the summer months, the birds most active at our bird feeders are the Cardinals and the Doves.  Occasionally we MIGHT see these others but for the most part, they are seldom seen at the feeders until around August or so.  They continue until the summers months when they evidently  prefer bugs and other natural foods (only a guess on my part).

We changed brand of food back in August and now sticking with only black sunflower seeds.  That might be another reason as before we were getting the lesser expensive mixes that possibly were not quite as enticing. 

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils (dry) / Mechanical Pencil 05

Who is Your Favorite Online Art Supplier?

My top favorite trusted art suppliers:

Fountain Pens / Ink:

Other Art Supplies (in order of ordering preference).  When choosing who to go through, I compare prices first.  Then I look at the minimum dollar amount I have to reach that gives me free shipping.  Another thing I take into consideration is how fast the order is processed and arrives at my doorstep (based on order history).

I used to use Amazon before any other place; but, these days it's difficult knowing if you are purchasing actual name brands or knockoffs.  I've been burnt a few times so I tend to go through these other websites when ordering online.  Might be a little higher priced but at least I feel more confident that I'm getting the real thing. 

As for supporting local businesses, we have a local art supply (DK Art Supplies) that I use occasionally and would love to shop more often; however, for many people, price is a major consideration and often local means much higher prices compared to ordering online.  Those times I do shop locally is when I only need a single item rather quickly or do not have time to wait until I have a large enough order to get free shipping from other sources.  Plus local businesses can only maintain a limited choice of supplies and brands.  DK Art Supplies WILL order anything for you they may not carry; however, if that's the case, it's just easier to order myself.

Cathy Johnson's Sketch With Me - CHANGE

This month's event set by Cathy Johnson is about this time of year and CHANGE.  For many people change can be summer to autumn with changing colors.  For us here down south, there's not a GREAT deal of change due to seasons.........at least with foliage. 

We do have birds showing up now at the feeders that don't through the summer.  The mockingbird will return to the feeders  The black caps and titmice do as well.  We have migratory birds coming through and checking out the feeders like various finches.  There's a bit more activity with hummingbirds.   Another change we see is that the Sandhill Cranes don't come around as much through the neighborhood.

What inspired me or grabbed my attention representing change was/is the tree in our front yard.  What is our biggest show-stopping display with any type of color change is what we thought was a Golden Rain tree.  Doing more research, I've learned the tree may actually be its cousin......the Chinese Flame tree.

Both have the bright yellow flowers that develop late summer followed by paper thin tri-sided seed pods that range from an orange - pink - coral - red color......depending on their maturity and the way the light hits the pods.  Today was cloudy in the afternoon with a passing storm and they looked blood red.  Beautiful coloring!!!  There are only a few areas in our tree with the yellow flowers remaining.  What helps distinguish one tree from the other are the leaves.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / QoR watercolors / Lamy pens with Dark Red and Dark Green ink

What Overcharging a Rechargeable Battery Can Do

An experience to remember with regards to rechargeable batteries.  Don't leave them plugged in even using a USB port on a CPU.

This battery is from my previous Samsung S5 cell phone I use for other than telephone....mainly as a home thermostat remote.  It also has game apps I didn't want to bog down my current cell phone.

I went to change the thermostat the other day and noticed the phone looked and felt weird.  I noticed the screen was pulling away along the edges and bulging in the center.  Also found it was bulging along the back where the phone was no longer laying flat.  Upon removing the case and back to the phone, I found the battery was inflated.......bulging front and back.  And researching what can happen with batteries, learned this could have ended poorly for us either catching fire or exploding.  Lesson learned and BEFORE anything bad happened.

Replaced the battery with a second I had on hand and my phone is back to normal with screen back in place (and NOT plugged in).  :-)

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / W&N watercolor / Lamy w/Urban Grey ink

The Pumpkin Patch Near Us

A Church a couple blocks from us set up pumpkins and gourds to sell with proceeds going to groups like Boy Scouts, etc.  They do this every year.  I haven't been out this year to stop by but pulled up photos I took last year to sketch from.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / W&N watercolors / Lamy Vista w/Doc Brown ink

Pentel GraphGear 1000 Mechanical Pencil Set

This evening, two of my sons treated us to Chinese for my birthday.  My birthday was actually last week but due to work schedules, we normally have to celebrate holidays and birthdays when we can grab an opportunity to be together even if it means days or weeks after the fact (sometimes before).

After we ate dinner, the boys surprised me with this awesome gift I've been drooling over for months but wouldn't purchase for myself. 

Knowing their mother, they knew I'd be sketching using the new pencils and my middle son made a comment that not only would I be sketching, but that I would sketch them...........and of course they were right.  They were not even out of the driveway before I started sketching my gift :-)

The pencils feel great in my hand with a nice weight to them.  I love the lead guard on these that retract when you click the clip on the side.  I am also impressed with the quality of lead........especially the .3 lead which I struggle with breakage in other brands (even with a light touch I'm known for).  I was able to use the .3 on this paper surface and not break the lead.  That's encouraging for when I want to use the super thin lines for hatching.

I also love the color coding that tells me at a glance which lead it holds.

FIbook75x75 / Stonehenge Aqua / Pentel Mechanical .5 / Pilot Vanishing Point pen w/Lexy Grey ink.