Wildflower Delight

I finally finished my quilt that I designed in Jane Sassaman's class (Abstracting from Nature) in January. I'm really pleased with it. I used the photo below as inspiration.

Garden Turtle

Another page I did while visiting friends out of town. They actually had 3 of these turtles - I wanted to take this one home (but I also wanted to be invited back next year, so I didn't take him!).  I did this in ink - no pencil first.

Morel & Hellebore

One of the pages I did while visiting friends out of town. We only found one morel the week we were there - and it was a bit past its prime. The hellebore (also called Christmas Rose) was blooming and some of the blooms (like this one) were a light green. You don't see many green flowers.

A Room With a View by E.M. Forster

Lucy Honeychurch, a young Englishwoman, goes to Italy with her prim cousin, Miss Bartlett, acting as chaperone.  While staying at a pensione in Florence, she meets George Emerson, an Englishman she is attracted to, but whom is considered unsuitable.  After Lucy returns to England, she accepts the marriage proposal of a more suitable but stuffy man she has known for a number of years.  It is a satirical look at the manners of the time and I found it to be quite entertaining. This is the second book by E.M. Forster that I have read; my first book was A Passage to India.  This book was lighter in tone than A Passage to India, and I enjoyed it a bit more (although I liked A Passage to India as well, and I liked the look into the British attitude towards and treatment of Indians in that book).  One similarity between the two books was that there was an "incident" in both that was considered shocking at the time but would be considered trivial to us today.  This is my second book for the 2nds Challenge 2011 and my book club's current selection.  I rate it 4 out of 5.

Backyard Birdbath

We stopped in Little Rock to visit one set of friends on our way to Tennessee to visit another set of friends. This birdbath is in their backyard, visible from their kitchen window.

Hanging Basket

This is the first page in my latest handmade journal. I used 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico cold pressed watercolor paper. We stopped in Little Rock to visit one set of friends on our way to Tennessee to visit another set of friends. This basket hangs outside their kitchen window.

The Fiction Class by Susan Breen

Imaginary Trip To New Orleans - St. Elizabeth's

For some reason, I had a hard time deciding what to sketch when we visited St. Elizabeth's Asylum. Maybe that was because it was so BIG! I finally settled on the entrance with its leaded glass doors, but I felt rather uninspired, which I'm afraid comes through in the sketch. I'm already looking forward to my NEXT sketch.

And no, I'm not really in New Orleans - this is an Imaginary Trip with Laure Ferlita.

Imaginary Trip To New Orleans - Beignets

How can anyone resist something covered with this much powdered sugar? I don't usually eat donuts or sweet rolls, but I had to sample this New Orleans specialty - after all, you only live once, right? And it was every bit as good as I'd been told!

And no, I'm not really in New Orleans - this is an Imaginary Trip with Laure Ferlita.

Day After Night by Anita Diamant

After World War II and the Holocaust, large numbers of Jewish survivors tried to immigrate to Israel.  They were considered illegal immigrants by the British and held at Atlit internment camp.  In October 1945, the Palmach staged a rescue of over 200 prisoners.  This novel is based on that true story.

From the back of the book:  "The story is told through the eyes of four young women at the camp who survived the Holocaust:  Shayndel, a Polish Zionist; Leonie, a Parisian beauty; Tedi, a hidden Dutch Jew; and Zorah, a concentration camp survivor.  Haunted by unspeakable memories and losses, afraid to hope, the four of them find salvation in the bonds of friendship and shared experience even as they confront the challenge of re-creating themselves in a strange new country."

This is my second book for the I Want More Book Challenge (the previous books I've read by Anita Diamant were The Red Tent (my review is here) and The Last Days of Dogtown (audiobook)).  I rate this book 4 out of 5.

Imaginary Trip to New Orleans - Wrought Iron

It's all over New Orleans, and it comes in the most interesting colors. I really liked this light fixture - and the finials on the fences. Just a few quick sketches to get the essence of it. Lots of fun!

And no, I'm not really in New Orleans - this is an Imaginary Trip with Laure Ferlita.

Imaginary Trip to New Orleans - Bourbon Street

I used Google Street View to wander around on Bourbon Street until I found this pub that I wanted to sketch.

Journaling reads:

"You can't go to New Orleans and miss the party on Bourbon Street. I had to try a Hurricane; they're made with fruit juice, passion fruit syrup or grenadine, and rum. I had it here, in the Bourbon Pub, on the corner of Bourbon St. and St. Ann St., so I could have it in a hurricane glass. If I'd wanted to take it outside, it would have been in a neon green plastic go-cup."

And no, I'm not really in New Orleans - this is an Imaginary Trip with Laure Ferlita.

Imaginary Trip to New Orleans - Window Shutters

"Just about everywhere we looked, we saw shutters on the windows. And not just decorative shutters, but working shutters for protection from storms and to keep out critters. Many had vents at the top for airflow. If the shutters were locked closed, we couldn't tell if anyone was home or if the business was still there.

"We only had a few minutes here, so I sketched quickly with pen and added a bit of color. We all agreed it would be great to have our very own KITCHEN WITCH!"

And no, I'm not really in New Orleans - this is an Imaginary Trip with Laure Ferlita.

Imaginary Trip to New Orleans - Canal Street Trolley

I'm taking another class with Laure Ferlita (have I mentioned how much I love her classes?). This one is An Imaginary Trip to New Orleans.

"I've always wanted to see "The Big Easy," and what better way than in a class led by Laure Ferlita? We took the Canal Street trolley today. Locals buy Jazzy Passes (magnetically encoded cards). I love that name. Laure says we'll be walking a lot - thankfully I only own comfortable shoes. It's going to be a fun time!"

Sketchbook Challenge - Spilling Over 2

This is my second page for the Sketchbook Challenge's March theme of Spilling Over. I sketched it with water soluble pen one evening (no pencil first) then added watercolor and journaling the next evening.

the curious incident of the dog in the night-time by mark haddon

Christopher, a 15-year old autistic boy, discovers that his neighbor's dog Wellington has been killed.  He is very sad about that because he loves dogs, so he decides to try to discover who killed Wellington.  The book is narrated by Christopher, who is very intelligent but can't stand to be touched and finds people confusing.  Christopher is really good at math, so when he gets overwhelmed, he works out math problems in his head.  When I first read about this book, I didn't think I wanted to read it, but I really liked it.  It was my book club's current month's selection and my 4th book for the New Author Challenge 2011.  I rate it 4 out of 5.

Sketchbook Challenge - Spilling Over

March's theme for the Sketchbook Challenge is Spilling Over. This was really helpful to put ALL of my watercolors on one page, so I can see how they compare to each other. I think I'll make a few changes to my everyday palette.

The journaling reads: "It all started innocently enough. I signed up for Laure Ferlita's online class - An Imaginary Trip Through Autumn - in 2009. I bought a watercolor palette from her with 22 colors in it. Then Glen bought me a few tubes from Hobby Lobby for Christmas that year. Gradually, I bought a few tubes for myself, then a few more, and a few more, and now I have 40 tubes - with more on my wish list!"

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton

This is Jane Hamilton's first book, but the second book of hers that I've read.  Her first book that I read was A Map of the World, which I reviewed here.  This is the story of Ruth Grey, a neglected child who is trying to make sense of the mysteries of her life and the meanness in people's hearts.  An adult Ruth is the narrator, and she describes growing up in a dysfunctional family, marrying an unemployed crazy man, and continuing to live with her emotionally abusive mother.  It is a very difficult story to read, but it was well written (although I thought A Map of the World was better).  It was my first book for the 2nds Reading Challenge and my fifth book for the Off the Shelf Reading Challenge.  I rate this book 3 out of 5.

21 Days in February

Yes, I know it's March.  But in February, I took a class from Donna Mulholland, called 21 Days in February - Explore Your Creativity with Watercolor Journaling.  We were given daily journal prompts, and it was a lot of fun.  I completed 18 of the 21 daily prompts, and for some reason I didn't share them while I was doing them.  So rather than doing a separate post for each page, I thought I'd put them all together in this post.  It will make for a very long post, but I thought that would be better than 18 separate posts.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 7

Day 9

Day 10

Day 12

Day 11

Day 13

Day 6

Day 17

Day 14

Day 18

 

Day 16

Day 19

Day 20

Day 5

I posted these in the order I completed them, not the order that the prompts were given. Donna will be doing another class that I'll be taking in May - 21 Days of Gratitude with Watercolour Journaling: 21 Days of journaling prompts to cultivate gratitude. Online, May 5 – May 25, 2011 (21 days) $35.00 CDN.

Easy Peanut Blossoms

My DH's favorite cookies - I made these for him for valentine's day. We were at the grocery store together the day before, and I went off to find the chocolate kisses. He found me there a little later, debating between dark chocolate and milk chocolate (I bought the milk chocolate because that's what he prefers). He told me he'd thought he'd figured out why I'd wanted to stop at the store. So then he asked me whether I'd rather have chocolate or flowers, and I told him that while I love flowers, I think they're overpriced at valentine's day and I'd rather have chocolate - he could give me flowers some other time! LOL!

Coventry by Helen Humphreys

Harriet Marsh is standing on top of Coventry Cathedral, filling in for a neighbor in the nightly fire watch on November 14, 1940, when the town is attacked by German planes.  During the chaos that follows the bombing, Harriet befriends Jeremy, a young man who reminds Harriet of her late husband, Owen, who was killed in World War I.  Jeremy turns out to be the son of Maeve, a woman Harriet met on the day Owen left for the war in 1914.  It is a short novel (177 pages), and while it portrays the terrible night that Coventry was destroyed, the character development was a bit weak.  It was good, but not great.  I rate it 3 out of 5.  It was my 3rd book for the New Author Challenge and my 4th for the Off the Shelf Challenge.

Sketchbook Challenge - Opposites

I painted these fish on a card for my son and daughter-in-law. It was for lesson 2 in Laure Ferlita's Valentine Card class (the card can be seen here). It also fit the Sketchbook Challenge February theme of Opposites, so I scanned the card and glued the fish into my journal.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

This was my book club's current month's selection.  I've also had the book on my shelf awhile, waiting to be read.  I really enjoyed it, and I think it will generate good discussion at our meeting.

During an unusual blizzard in Lexington Kentucky in 1964, Norah Henry goes into labor a bit early.  Her husband David, an orthopedic doctor, drives her to the clinic he shares with an obstetrician, who has unfortunately driven his car off the road and doesn't make it to the clinic.  This leaves David to attend his wife with the help of his nurse, Caroline Gill.  He delivers a healthy baby boy, and is then surprised to deliver a second baby, a girl with Down's Syndrome.  He asks Caroline to take the baby girl to an institution (a common practice in 1964).  Caroline agrees, but when she sees the institution, she can't leave the baby there; instead she takes the baby, leaves town, and raises her as her own child.  Meanwhile, when Norah wakes up from anesthesia (another common practice of the time), David tells her that she had a second baby who died at birth.  He believes he will spare Norah grief and heartache, but this lie haunts him the rest of his life and creates a wall between him and his family.  It was well written and I rate it 4 out of 5.  It was my second book for the New Author Challenge 2011 and my third book for the Off the Shelf Reading Challenge 2011.

Valentines Cards - Lesson 3 - Fishy Love

Valentine's card for my son and daughter-in-law. Third assignment (two of a kind) for Laure Ferlita's Valentines Cards eClass. I also scanned it and put it into my journal for the Sketchbook Challenge February theme of opposites.

Valentine Cards - Lesson 2 - Essence of a Rose

Valentine's card for a friend. Second assignment (essence of a rose) for Laure Ferlita's Valentines Cards eClass.

More Classes

I was NOT going to sign up for any new online classes for awhile - at least a week or two.  So what did I do instead?  I signed up for TWO new classes.  I must be crazy!  But it's always fun.

One class is 21 Days in February . . . Explore Your Creativity with Watercolor Journaling.  It is a series of daily journal prompts taught by Donna Mulholland, and the class overview can be seen here.  I signed up late, but I'm trying to get caught up.

The other class is Be Still My Heart, which is on painting expressive hearts with watercolor and words.  It is taught by Gina Rossi Armfield, and you can read more about it here.

I hope you can see why I couldn't resist this class!

Valentine Cards - Lesson 1 - Sweet on You

Valentine's card for my husband. First assignment (sweet on you) for Laure Ferlita's Valentines Cards eClass.

Progress on 3 Coneflowers

I've made progress on my 3 Coneflowers quilt. I've gotten all of the pieces stitched down and borders added. Now I just need to quilt and bind it!

March by Geraldine Brooks

This is the story of Mr. March, the father in Little Women, who was a chaplain for the North during the Civil War.  He was a very idealistic man, and went to war to support his anti-slavery convictions.  Once he got to war, he became disillusioned, not about the cause, but about how blurred the lines were between right and wrong, good and evil.  I enjoyed this book much more than Little Women, in large part because the characters felt more real to me (ie, not perfect but flawed, with real feelings and emotions).  Most of the book is narrated by March, but part of it is narrated by Marmee, March's wife and the mother of their four "little women."  March had a very small part to play in Little Women, so most of the story is completely new.  But the parts that overlap Little Women remained true to the original.  Now I'm glad I read Little Women first, as I knew the characters, even if I didn't enjoy it that much.  I rate this book 4 out of 5.  It is the second book for two of my reading challenges this year:  US Civil War Reading Challenge and Off the Shelf Reading Challenge.  And it is the first book for another of my reading challenges:  I Want More Reading Challenge.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I've said here several times that I haven't read very many classics.  I actually read Little Women many MANY years ago, but I didn't remember it at all.  Because I wanted to read March by Geraldine Brooks, which is the story of the father in Little Women (by a contemporary author), I thought it would be a good idea to reread Little Women.

It is the story of the March women:  mother (Marmee) and 4 daughters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy) while father is a chaplain for the North during the Civil War.  I really struggled to get through it.  It was too syrupy sweet for my taste, with way too much moralizing to be enjoyable.   If I had remembered it, I certainly would not have read it again.  I rate it 2 out of 5.  It was the first book for two of my reading challenges this year:  US Civil War Reading Challenge and Off the Shelf Reading Challenge.