Getting on with the week...

Henri is still not feeling good; has a bacterial infection now.  Getting new medicine today, so just hope it helps and he'll be back to his ol' happy self again.  That's all he wants, to be a happy dog.  Have been by his side almost constantly, so dragging my projects all around the house.  But, above, starts the beginnings of my new Monday class's collages.  First is Ginny creating a lovely memory of her sister.

Next is Alice, dreaming of her summer garden.

And Mary is honoring Mary Cassatt.

Lois has found Grandma Moses to have quite a likeness and some similarities to her own grandmother.

Casey has a travel theme here, with a lovely family photo to go in as the focal point soon.

And here I thought I'd show you a new project.  Just what I needed, huh?  Well, a couple of my students are doing this year-long book and it just looked like too much fun to pass up!  It's online and it's called "Life Book 2013".

This is my "fairy art mother"!  I am a little behind, but this was the first week's lessons called "Celebration & Journey".  Having the chance to use all different kinds of supplies, here I finally got to use the Caran d'Ache water soluble crayons that I have had for a long time and have never tried.

Fun!

This assignment, I have only begun.

Stages of Martha

Back to working on "Martha" for Monday's class.  I love that paper on the bottom right; it's gessoed and painted tissue paper and has a wonderful feel to it.  The colors are perfect for here too.  So, I'm laying down chosen papers and arranging and...

rearranging.  There are stars in my mother's embroidery of George, and so I wanted to repeat that pattern in here.  I'm also taken with the federal blue and antique white colors.  I also wanted to put in an image of Mount Vernon which was so dear to Martha's heart, and ladies sewing, having tea and dreaming of the minuet.

Playing around with stars and deciding where they should go...

 Aha!

Martha wrote down music for her children in her own hand.  I happen to have a piece of music that my grandmother (Martha) hand-penned and couldn't wait to do a transfer of it on this piece.

So...not done yet, but it's coming along.

Wednesday's class

Excitement in the art room!  Everyone getting ready, discussing their ideas, sharing papers!

Love seeing the creative progress of assembling our papers to begin.

Most are working on an altered board book this session...

and some on a larger piece, and I think we all still have wintry thoughts.

Storybook ideas!

Earthy colors!

Relaxing colors...

It was a good productive day.

Some finishing pieces from last time.  For me, this beautiful piece has whispers of Monet's Garden.

this session's classes

This week we're trying to nurse Henri back to feeling better from his "hot spot"; two visits to Dr. Dawn in one week.  He sits with me while I work on projects for my classes.  In Wednesday's class we are doing an altered board book with kind of a "story" theme.  I presented some beginning lines of stories, mainly from Hans Christian Andersen, to inspire and spark ideas.  Above, the beginning of my book; wintry, and will be combining some words of his with one of my own poems that i recently wrote concerning the icy branches one morning.  Took a photo of my tree in the front yard and maybe you can see I am cutting out some of the blue sky so that my background paper will show through.  Was going to do a transfer of the tree, but i like the color of the icy branches in my photo, so probably will stick with that.

I have some wonderful embroidered pieces, hanging on my wall, that my mother did many years ago.  Soldiers of the armies of 1776...

and George Washington.

So in Monday's class, I have given the theme of distinctive women in history and I have decided to do "Martha".  The beginning here, just choosing papers and researching her life.  I have a book called "Our First Ladies" that I bought a long time ago at an antique shop.  Published in 1953, it pays tribute to Martha Washington through Mamie Eisenhower and is giving me lots of information inside and personal.  Very nice and glad I bought it!

The end of the week!

Working on altered board books in my Wednesday class.  Covering pages with newspaper.  A good background and also a nice paper to paint or tissue-paper over.  Just can't imagine how this week went by so quickly.  And Henri has a "hot spot" that he annoyed terribly.  I am sitting with him constantly so hope more time tomorrow!

Fun with magazines

Thought I'd show you a fun little exercise that I am doing with my "new" Monday collage class.  As you can see, in the little pile above, I've torn out a bunch of images and words that spoke to me while looking through my magazines.

Then I arranged the chosen ones on a piece of watercolor paper (10x7) in this little winter scene.  I love the words from The Nutcracker, "A great whirl of snowflakes and wintry wind blew open the carved doors..." . I found this twirling little princess of a girl, the lions roaring the wind through, the blowing fabric, the dazzling snowflake, the wintery background house, and added the white bird for balance and thought they expressed what I wanted to say.  It's a fun thing to do!

Fun with acrylics

During the month of December, an online acrylics class was offered.  I knew the instructor, was lucky enough to have taken classes from her at one time, know she is a wonderful teacher and if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have considered it during the holidays.  www.jacquelinesullivan.com . Since I have never really "painted" in that medium...could not pass up the chance to go ahead and take it, even though it was "dizzy december!"  Above is the grouping of my Honey Crisp apples that I decided to paint as they have such beautiful colors.

Above is one of the first homework assignments with kind of watercolor style washes and a little collage.  Now remember...first attempt at acrylics.

Next, a value painting of the same apples.

Then, painting more opaque.

And...abstract.  New to me and a push!  Enjoyed every bit of it; so happy I did it.

Thinking back...

The holidays over, I'm thinking back to some of the memories of the season.  Times to remember.  Julie and I always have a "Christmas breakfast" with two  dear friends, Linda and Jan.  I was in charge of the fruit plate...

Linda made a yummy apple cake with "real" cinnamon whipped cream on top.  Jan made a "comfort food" rice pudding with whole cinnamon sticks in it, enhancing the flavor.  Julie made a fabulous mushroom, fontina and thyme frittata and wonderful French breakfast muffins!

They have a lovely flavor, kind of like a freshly baked donut.

We always enjoy this special holiday time together.  We have our little feast and then it's on to a little craft...

Julie loved the little bird gift tags that I made this year, so I brought my supplies and showed them this little collage project.

Missy got into the picture too, as she just wanted to stretch out on the paper.

"Ho-hum".....it's just kind of silky to lay on.

They loved these little bird tags and all decided to hang them on their trees.

A surprise visitor!

Yesterday, looked out my kitchen window and here was this beautiful hawk sitting on my next-door neighbor's fence.  He looked so big, I could just feel his weightiness.

He sat and posed a while, and I quickly emailed the pictures to my son-in-law, whom I knew would be able to identify this guy.  Yes!  He's a "Northern Goshawk", probably on his way south.  Actually, he's a juvenile with the barred tail.  I was so excited that he chose us to see him and I want to read all about him.

What a beauty!  What a gift!  Safe travels.....

Collage Exhibit!

During the month of January, my collage class has an exhibit of their works at the Palos Heights Public Library.  They are located at 12501 S. 71st Avenue.  If you can, please drop over to see what we have done in our last class before the holidays.

They have a lovely display case right inside the front doors and it's a wonderful display of collage pieces!

They are open Monday thru Thursday 9-9; Friday and Saturday 9-5; Sunday 1-5.