Finished!!

Finished!!, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

So nice to be finished although the weekend could have lasted forever! Lots of laughing and sharing this weekend I will post more photo later to share the fun with you!

Working on more sunflowers in San Clemente

Working on more sunflowers in San Clemente, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

Having an amazing time with my art buddies in SC taking Dianna's amazing class. Our yearly get together at Pattis is always so perfect. They are warm and welcoming and make us all feel like family! This is it so far, more to come.

Sketches from my walk

Sketches from my walk, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

This morning I woke up and was out early, just Chloe and I making our way to the coffee shop when I saw this feather. I think it's from a Red Tailed Hawk. I think one of the best things about walking or running is that you notice so many wonderful things that would otherwise be lost if you were driving by. What oddities do you find on your walks?

Cosmos

Cosmos, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

Another watercolor aquaboard painting. The board does not allow the paint to run and blend on the surface very well so I am really having to work to get it to happen, some are working better than others

Buena Vista Bridge Commission

Buena Vista Bridge Commission, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

Here is new, looser version

Another aquabord sample,new colors

Another aquabord sample,new colors, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

I decided to paint again,reselecting my colors to achieve more clean color on the surface.

Testing aquabord

Testing aquabord, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

I love the idea of a watercolor surface that accepts paint the same as paper but doesn't require blocking. It would be wonderful for plein aire although, as I found with the pasteboard, the larger sizes get very heavy. I wish it was on gatorboard instead. I seemed to fight the surface a bit but it was the first one so I think it's too early to vote. This would be nice for framing and at 6"x6" the size paints up quickly.

Apricots and Peaches Everywhere!!

Well its that glorious time of year again, when the beautiful flowering fruit trees have put on their crop of fruit and the warmth of the sun has ripened it all at ONCE!! Ahhh. I love the thought of going out and picking a ripe apricot or peach from the tree on a hot day and enjoying it but it doesn't happen like that. It takes ladders and every bowl in my house to carry in the ripening and falling fruit. I try to pick the ripest first and spread the wealth over at least a week.

Sometimes it happens, sometimes not.

Normally I spend the early summer dreaming and pining over canning and preserving books I have collected over the years for some new, exciting recipes. This year I didn't do that. Then Marta called me to tell me she was canning strawberry margarita jam! Oh, I got all excited. Finally after canning by myself for so many years I have a few friends that have begun to can!! Its so exciting, exchanging recipes, canned goods etc. Dawn also then posted she had canned Ginger Lemon marmalade. Wow!! more goodies.

Well I better get busy here.

This year, like last, my apricot tree has had a disease. Don't panic, it isn't contagious, but it does affect the production of fruit. We lost the whole crop last year but this year Randy did get the tree sprayed once. It probably needed to be sprayed three times but being organic gardners it really pains us to treat things we are going to eat with anything. But the idea is to spray before the tree is setting blossoms and then the disease will be treated. Anyway (long,boring details), we got apricots, but they were small but plenty of them and they tasted good. So I picked the day before fathers day and set them out for the party goers the following day. After everyone had eaten their fill I still had plenty left over. Not wanting to tackle jam during our heat wave I got a great idea, Apricot BRANDY!! So simple but so much fun. I got on the internet, poured through all my books and found a recipe that seemed good. After I put the apricots in the liquor I had to put them into a brown paper bag in the closet, to keep it cool and dark. It has the feeling of being a closet drinker during prohibition days I must say! It felt weird to show Marta the concoction cooking away in the pantry! LOL Marta and I were dreaming over a chapter of decorated jam jars, already planning how we will prepare the Christmas gifts for my everyone!
Here is the process and I even took the time to journal it in my sketchbook!

Preparing the liquors, sugars



In go the apricots



One jar down, one to go

Working on some new art pieces for dishes!

I am working on some artwork for dishes! They are looking for a salsa, Tex-mex theme. I have been painting and putting some things together hoping that the company will want the artwork for a set of dishes! I don't know about you but the thought of having my artwork on dishes is soooo exciting! I would just have to order every piece! The several pieces that I have done and were rejected have become images in my inventory for anyone else looking for that theme so it is time well spent. Here are are few of the pieces that weren't going to work for what they wanted, the last image is a new submission, waiting to hear.

Sub Q's newest meeting and challenge

I belong to an art quilt group called Sub Q, Subterranean Quilters, meaning we had to go underground to do art quilts! LOL Our challenge last month was to interpret a fortune cookie that was handed out to each member. We had a month to do an 18"X24" quilt to bring to our June meeting. We had a wonderful time revealing each quilt and reading our fortunes. The actual fortune had to be somewhere on the quilt top. Then Ann, Debbie and Nancy shared a technique they had learned and we all worked on another small quilt at the meeting. Such a great time. 

I decided to paint my quilt top after I drew some of the hats I wear.

Then Painted

Then attached my fortune

Then I quilted and made a new price tag for the fortune, that I also wrote; My Life, Priceless

Countryside Cottage Roof Raising

Countryside Cottage Roof Raising, a photo by ddhabicht on Flickr.

Marianne had a roof building class at her beautiful home today! Cynthia led the class as she taught us how to build our moss roofs and then plant the tiny little succulents that will be covering the roofs. Marianne also provided custom wood houses to set our newly planted roofs onto! What a great class, fun day. I also have to mention Mariannes amazing gardens and yard, a treat for any garden lover. Here is my sketchbook entry for the day. I will be moving my little house around the yard until I find it the perfect place.

Supplies

Some of the mature succulents

Marianne had yummy snacks too! Rosemary sugar cookies and bear claws!

My adopted youngsters!

Unplanted....

Planted, da da!!

Pruners, sunscreen, gloves and my hat , going out to play in the yard

I have really enjoyed these last few days of playing in the yard and getting things trimmed as well as planted. The yard is bursting with color right now with the roses in full bloom and other things getting ready. I love the spring, life bursting out at the seams everywhere. Its the time of year when all my past efforts are still paying off. Things that have sat quietly are now screaming for my attention with their colorful flowers. I am trying to capture as much of it as I can in my garden journal, taking the time to label and try and show both the close up as well as an more expansive view. The big fountain is filled with potted plants, flowers and they are trying to come back after the winter of neglect, I may need to replace.

After working outside all day I sauteed some garlic and asparagus, made black bean soup and sweet potatoes for dinner, strawberries for dessert. We all ate outside at the barbaque area, the weather perfect and the sun shining through my grape stain glass window we hung in one of the arches. Still managing to eat vegan, and enjoying it!

Happy Memorial Day!

Today, in Riverside, there was a bike rally to the National Cemetery in honor of our Veterans. Over 7,000 motorcycles took part in this tribute as we lined the streets and cheered them on! It was a great way to start the day. The procession took over an hour to pass by and we were occasionally buzzed by Navy helicopters.

My International Postcards

Some of you know that I am involved in an International postcard exchange where every month we have to send a sketched/painted postcard to one of 14 people from around the world. It is so exciting to go to the mailbox and be able to hold some of my favorite artists work up close. I am enjoying the process so much but realized I haven't been sharing the cards I am sending. The first postcard went to Katherine, I did post that the card was later made into notecards by the hospital that I had painted. The next card went to Liz, and then the last went to Martin. My next card is getting ready to mail but I wont post as I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. If you would like to see all the amazing postcards being sent from around the world click on the logo of the walking feet and it will take you to "Postcards from my walk" blog. Enjoy

I can't seem to find Liz's card, with more than one computer I can't remember where I put it, may have to add later!

The Rose Garden

Our rose garden is so amazing this year. We decided to not prune as severely as normal and then my husband, the closet rosearian, applied his secret fertilizer mixture. It been an explosion of color! The Sally Holmes is amazing, the clumps of roses look like huge ice cream cones covering our metal columns. It is eye candy and that is not even to mention the smell over there.

I am playing in the studio again!!

I have been playing with Copic markers in the studio again. They are very interesting and artists are able to do some amazing things with them on paper. I however am playing with them on fabric. Its another place where I can get that watercolor feel I love, loosing the control I like to have and just letting the magic happen. I am trying different fabrics like silks and muslin along with different methods. I will be playing with a negative painting approach next time, using glue as my resist. The copic markers and even some other markers come alive once I apply this alcohol solution to them, their colors pop but they bleed everywhere. I am also playing with regular sharpies and getting similar results. I am trying to use brushes etc to control some of the bleed. Here is one of my projects.

My Create Art Applique class in Costa Mesa

I met some amazing women and sadly only got to visit with each of them for a few hours. I love the opportunity to teach in these venues and meet lots of creative, artsy people. Being an artist almost forces you into a bit of a hermit like existence. Locked away in my studio or on location I get into a zone, my own little place where I create. I find that I often even talk myself, sometimes good, sometimes bad depending on how things are turning out. We did my colored pencil technique on pre-quilted blocks. It is a lot of fun and can be very relaxing if it hadn't been for the pounding of metal in the next room.  Seems as though we were placed next door to the metal embossing class and they banged on their bracelets and charms all class long. We laughed about it as we were often trying to talk over the noise coming from that room, good thing I wasn't trying to play music! So much for their Zen experience. Here are some pictures of my class working on the project.

The pictures turned out a bit yellow due to the lighting in the room. I also was filmed by Jen Mason from Cloth Paper Scissors for a snippet on their website! Hope all of you had a great day today!

If any of you would like to order a pre-quilted block just email me and I will send you pricing, I have these larger blocks and then smaller 6"x6" blocks!

Back from Market and on to my CREATE Class!!!

We had an amazing time at Spring Market in Salt Lake City. The city is beautiful and I enjoyed taking photos and painting while we were there. My newest quilts were a hit and I loved seeing all the art quilts at the show. It left me very inspired and motivated to get busy.

my newest patterns were received very well by everyone and I have lots of orders to get out, I just finished shipping today.  The art quilts in the show were beautiful, lots of new methods that always peek everyones curiosity.  Then we were on to Zion, wow, another beautiful spot and the weather held until we left and the rain started coming down.  

I now am excited to be getting ready to teach at the CREATE weekend retreat in Costa Mesa. I have been getting my blocks ready and I made my students name tags today, fun fun! All ready, even had time to play with my new copic markers and created a new quilt!!! Marianne inspired me with her beautiful sweet peas she brought over at our last sketching meeting.  We started a sketching blog for the sketch group, I am calling us the Sketchy 5150's, or crazy sketchers! Come over and visit our new blog.