It's My Thing Tuesday: What In The Heck Have I Been Doing All This Time?!

There are times when it feel like I am not accomplishing a single thing. I have nothing much to post and nothing at all to 'brag' about! This is one of those alow times for me. Things are 'in the works' but nothing is really finished so I though that I would, at least, share with you a couple of the things that are not quite there yet!

First is this fabulous hoodie scarf. It was not as easy as I thought it would be to find a hood pattern so I was thoroughly pleased when I found this one from D-Made. It's under the free patterns. I love having some cabling running the length of the scarf - I needed some practice in cables anyway and this was the perfect amount to do. The hood part itself will have a cables edging to it when all is said and done. The cabled scarf part will be 7" when it's done. I am using Knit-Picks Worsted yarn in Fire Brick.

The next thing that I have been working on is something that I doubt too many of you will have an interest in - but it is fun for me! Thisis my first fountain pen restoration project. I am wokring on an old Shaeffer pen. I have to replace the sac (the thing that holds the ink) and also a small washer in the top of the blind cap. Unfortunately, no one makes the washers so I am trying to figure out what matieral i can use to fashion one from. This is truly, a mercury retrograde kind of thing, I can't finish the repairs until i figure out what to do about the washer. Arghhhhh..... Other than this irritation though it is really quite interesting to discover how pens are made. I had never taken one apart before. The book, fondly referred to as "Da Book", was given to me by a kind person on the Fountain Pen Network. This is one amazing site. Friendly people willing to share all of their knowledge and information - no no one knows where to get washer material - everyone has made their own!

Last, but not least, in the on-goingprojects is some painting. I am taking another on-line calss from Paulette Insall called "Enjoying The Journey". The first lesson was on creating backgrounds. This was the first background that I made (there have been several) and, since it was rather pale & relatively boring, I decided that I would start another in my 'cat series' on top of it. I am working on a few painting projects right now that will, ultimately, become whole cloth quilts. The 'cat series' is one of those "soon to be quilt" projects. I am playing with color & facial variations for the cats. This one is really just a flicker in my eye at this point - but what else can I say I am working on things - but nothing is 'presentation' worrthy yet!

From Paulette Insall's Organic Dimensions Class

"...You're Safe..."

First of all Happy Father's Day - to all of the fine gentlemen in the world who are active partners in parenting... and to all of the wonderful 'pet Fathers' out there too !

I have been enjoying Paulette's Organic Dimensions class and have been following along with the lessons - working on two different backgrounds. I almost tossed this canvas in the trash several times. It was not coming out at all the way I had at first planned. After Lesson 4 was posted this past Monday I decided to work on the one I liked the least - this one. I figured that, since I was not overly happy with this to begin with, it would not hurt if I messed it up. After I added the image - or focal point as Paulette says - I decided that , although the background was still not my favorite, I liked it pretty well after all. Sometimes it's really difficult to foresee what the possibilities might be with a piece. I guess I'm glad that I thought about it for awhile and kept the canvas to experiment on. I am looking forward to Lesson 5 - and seeing what I can come up with for background number 2. I may even prepare some more backgrounds this weekend .... but have some sewing to to enjoy first !

Paulette Insall's Organic Dimensions Class

I'm finally catching up with Paulette Insall's Organic Dimensions Class. We are on lesson 2 now. This is one of the canvas' I have done thus far. there is another one in the works - but right now I am not liking it too much. Maybe after the next lesson I can make it more acceptable. I think this one has potential. I am looking forward to Lesson 3 next week. I am really beginning to LOVE mixed media - and it has made me look at "things" in a whole new light ! Uh Oh !

All About Faces Lesson 5

I finally got around to finishing last week's lesson. We added highlights and shadow with Caran D'Ache Neocolor II water soluble crayons. I really like the technique Paulette uses for this. It's very effective. The face got added highlights, shadows, & blush ; the lips were "plumped" with color and shading & the hair got some added texture. I am ready to do some more with the background now. Better yet - I am ready to start some new faces! I am learning a lot & enjoying Paulette's class very much. Her second class on creating mixed media backgrounds begins on May 19th. Yay ! I DID sign up for Sharon Boggins class through Joggles at the end of June - it should be a great experience!

All About Faces: Lesson 4: Hair & Eyebrows

Lesson 4 this week was just about adding hair and eyebrows. I think I will probably work a bit more on both - but as you can see - they make quite a difference. I was surprised at the eyebrows. My own are extremely pale - and my "coiffist", Allison, is always telling me about how eyebrows frame the face - and telling me that " I should "do something" with mine. Now, I see what she is speaking about - they did make a difference in this painting - though I am still not overly comfortable about "doing something" with my own !

All About Faces Lesson 2

This weeks lesson from Paulette Insall's class ,"All About Faces", concentrated on creating a very simple background and then painting the face shape onto the canvas - and shading. Paulette calls this the "rough under-painting" - which will be enhanced and completed with her technique that utilizes Caran d'arche Neocolor II . I am SO looking forward to learning this technique - and am sure that, once I learn it, I will want to go and get a full set of Neocolor II's.

It was interesting to make the backgrounds and I had a lot of fun just priming and painting canvas'. I am also finding that I enjoy carrying my smaller sized sketch book around - nd look forward to finding a few minutes to sketch. Paulette has already taught me quite a bit. Small things that I wouldnot have even thought to ask about - or wonder about before.

All About Faces- Lesson 1

This was week one of the class "All About Faces" by Paulette Insall. Her video was well done, class notes that she provided were helpful and our homework was to draw apges of eyes, noses and lips. Well, I can't seem to JUST a single eye. So theses were my exercises in drawing eyes. Same issue with lips only - so I had to draw the lips ON something! Noses were easier than I thought and it was fun to see how just a slight variation made the structure wider or more narrow. Ostensible the 'full' nose will be completed with paint. I am intoxicated with paints ...I want them all - alas, at their current cost - I can have but a few ! I am having fun and can;t wait for Lesson 2 !

Class Time !

I am feeling quite "over committed" to a lot of projects right now but, that being said, I am eager to begin the "All About Faces" class with Paulette Insall today. Although mixed media is not an easy concept for me, I am hoping to become more facile with the techniques. I need to overcome an obstacle; I relate "mixed media" to the decoupage that a step mother used to do. My memories are of her cutting things out of magazines, gluing them down onto surfaces,and then varnishing the whole lot. I also remember thinking that the vignettes that were created were not very compelling either! Granted, my memories are those of a young teenager, but those memories are one of things I am trying to overcome with 'mixed media'! I am also eager to improve my drawing skills - which need lots of help! I like having the structure of a "class setting" - it helps focus me and that focus will, I hope, carry over and help me get the other projects done in time for their respective deadlines. Now, surely that seems counter intuitive in a way!

I also have signed up for Paulette's "Organic Backgrounds" class which will begin in May. I guess it is a backwards approach to her classes - but then again, I often seem to do things that way!

Here's a little teaser - one of Paulette's videos. There is still room in her classes y'all!