Good Morning!

I have gone back to school! Turns out it wasn't just happy nostalgia. I really do love the smell of new school supplies. Maybe that's why I enjoy creating art? I am pursuing a BA on business. It will be a two year adventure that will hopefully find me in a another realm of employment. At the moment I feel a bit overwhelmed and rusty. It's difficult to believe this is the same brain that helped me graduate over 20 years ago. Now I have to train it to remember other things besides 80s song lyrics. The gardens has seen so much new growth these past few weeks. Some things I am unable to identify. Other things I recognize and am so happy to see them return! They're my little friends.

To help my drawing, I've been trying to sketch and paint a little each day.

We started some seeds in containers to transplant into the garden when the weather warms. I should have taken photos of the seeds. Hard to believe something so tiny can grow into these large plants! They are already starting to emerge and it's been less than a week.

I was quite successful at baking March's cake recipe from Food & WinePorter Bundt Cake

Jo absolutely loved it! I hoped he savoured it because I don't see me making another any time soon. It was a great learning experience. I just do not enjoy spending that long amount of time in the kitchen. It did taste amazing. Put me in mind of a soice cake. I'm off to study a but more. I can't believe how much I have forgotten. Keep safe. Stay well.

Little Steps

I always try to start my day with little steps. I find it help. First item on the agenda. Getout of bed. Take the dogs out. Feed everyone, including myself. If these items on the list are checked off, it's a good day. I try to do something that brings me a bit of joy. Maybe I'll replenish the birdfeeders. I enjoy seeing my little feathered friends. Then if I'm able, I try to take to snap a few pictures. I might use the actual camera or my iPad. Whichever is on hand. I like to try and a draw a little. It helps my hands loosen up so I can do a bit more. I love to knit while I watch a show or two, or three. Perhaps more. At the moment I really enjoy Coroner. I watch it on CBC Gem. It can be quite addictive. To alleviate my guilt of just sitting, I tend to knit. My fuzzy companions usually are quite efficient at reminding me to eat and walk around a bit. Lately I've been trying to learn nee things, regardless of whether I'll be god at it or understand what on Earth I'm doing. I read an article in Food & Wine online, that said something along the lines, that if you want to be a more confident baker, here are 12 cakes you must try. Did we talk about this before? Anyway, I started in the month of February because it was, well, February. It was the Molten Chocolate Cake. I surprised myself! It turned out amazing! Hubs loved it so much, I baked a couple more a few weeks after.

It was a great introduction for me into this more advanced world of baking. There wasn't that many ingredients and the ones needed were easily found. I find that living in Southern Quebec, a lot of ingredients are very difficult to find. At least now in our new technological world, we can find substitions and order some of the more interesting ingredients online. I think that's what I'll have to do with the next cake. I'm struggling to find cocoa nibs. You know what else I literally just read? I mean it. I actually just read this. It's still open on another tab. To try not to label something we do as good or bad. I do this all the time with the art I create. I always assign that label of whether it's good. I need to stop this. Just enjoy the process. I do this with knitting. I really love just the act of knitting. That moment of zen where you are just concentrating on the stitches. That's why I have no problem ripping something back, sometimes to the very beginning, and starting again. While we're chatting about knitting, I'll show you some of what I did and still workimg on. I made Charlotte another sweater. This one was knit with two strands of yarn held together to create a more thick fabric that can handle our cold winters.

I also made the neck opening smaller so she can't jump out of it so easily. My Ten Stitch blanket will always I suspect, be a work in progress.

Rorschach absolutely adores it. I had a lot of that bright green yarn left I used to knit Charlotte's sweaters so, I made myself a pair of thick, stumbling around socks.

They are great for strolling around the house. They keep my toes toasty on the cold floors. My other socks, Falling Leaves, have not really progressed much.

That's okay. They be completed eventually. Grisou is a big supporter of slow and steady. I have really surpassed my expectations of trying to draw or paint something every day. It has not been every day, but way more often than in the past. My two little supervisors are always in hand to offer support.

Here are a few photos of my efforts:

A showcase if a but if this and that if you will. With the province still being on lockdown, I've tried to take advantage of a few of the online workshops. I'm not big on participation. My mic and camera are always off. I really do enjoy listening though. So far I watched quite a few painting tutorials. The photo I just showed you of the Robin was part if a The Magic Of Watercolour class, I found through Facebook. The woman leading the workshop has a lovely speaking voice. She promotes the while, enjoy the process attitude. I've also enjoyed learning about interactive workshops, cyber security, meditation, finance, and so many other topics. We are for the most part, home. Now is the time, if you're able to explore things virtually, you might nit otherwise have the chance. One day this week, there will be a tutorial on how to draw an eye! For now, that covers quite a bit of my little world. We shall continue one step at a time. Perhaps you can share if there are workshops or tutorials that you have been enjoying? Take care. We will chat again.

Honest Talk

Talking is so important. It brings to light what is habitually hidden in the shadows. Hidden in self doubt and in shame. If we talk, we help one another. There are all these websites, podcasts, memes, advertisements that promote the slogan: Let's Talk. The slogans need to continue further, with more information. Let's Talk Openly We cannot keep hiding behind perfection. We are chasing, competing with something that does not exist. Do away with the filters with the camoflage. Maybe we should try honesty?

Random Thoughts

Well here we are, near the end of February. There just seems to be so much going on. Then you start to take stock and realize, no. Not really. Maybe we are all just becoming hyper aware of our surroundings. How can we not? We must continue to be vigilent, careful, and sympathetic. Not everyone is managing very well. Some struggle and it manifests as anger or it can be seen as depression, or maybe even hyperness. For me, my world has pretty well remained as it was before, just perhaps more cleaning. I was never really one to go out and socialize. I have always enjoyed my own company. Although I must admit, it is easier to be social distancing with my fuzzy children. They are never far from me. I'm lucky and garteful. The first face I see is always Jackie with her bright eyes and impatience for me to get my butt in gear.

She loves watching the live action nature channel outside the patio doors. We get quite the assortment of feathered friends.

I too, enjoy this nature channel! Sometimes it feels like there is just not enough minutes in the day. There is so much I want to do. At times, I feel guilty for not actually getting to all the items listed in my head. I have to be careful not to let those thoughts overwhelm me and remind myself it is perfectly okay if I don't do all the things, every single day. The goal is to try and enjoy whatever I manage to do. This past month I was a le to spend quite a few hours in my little studio. I found good motivation to entice me to go in there was to keep quite a few plants. They need water. So, I start by getting my watering container ready to give them a little drink. Next thing I know, I'm in there enjoying my art.

There might be a few feet of snow and -20 degrees outside but, inside my little studio is a very comfortable environment in which my plants thrive. As I said, I'm never really alone.

These two are always close by to supervise. So, I blast my tunes and get lost in my process.

These are a few of my works in progress:

This is just the ink sketch. At some point, I will add a bit of colour.

I'm really pleased with how this oil painting is coming along. I wasn't sure at first. I'm glad I listened to that little voice and agreed to just keep going. See what happens. It's a bit late here. I feel sleepy. Instead of going down the internet rabbit hole, I'm going to call it a night and say, see you later. I hope you are all well. Talk soon.

Victoria Jumper Part 2

 I frogged the Victoria Jumper I was knitting to begin afresh. That is something that is not unique to my own knitting practice but, I’m one of the few that will start from the very beginning, no matter how much progress I have made. If something is slightly off and will prevent me from wearing it in comfort and drawing joy, then there is no sense in continuing. So, let’s learn what went wrong and start again!

I also knit up a little sweater for Charlotte. She doesn’t have the layers that Jackie is lucky to possess. Charlotte’s hair is almost human. There is no double layer, so I thought I would add a knitted one.

There are a number of knitted sweaters but, since this is my first attempt at a dog sweater, Basic seemed the most logical place to start.The pattern I chose is called Basic Knit, and is found in the book, 

Dog Sweaters to Knit & Crochet by Carol Carvalho. The yarn I chose is Red Heart Comfort. It knits up a good material that is very forgiving through many wears and washings. At any rate, Charlotte seems pleased.

I have also been working pretty steady on my art. I started practicing more often with pastels, oils and chalk. There is definitely a learning curve. I love the various tutorials I have found on Youtube. This is where I totally appreciate the advances in technology. All the resources you could ever want or need, are right there at your fingertips. These are my practice oil pastel works:

This is one of my works with chalk pastel:

It's a work in progress and I'm looking forward to more practice. Here are a few of my watercolours:

Some of these works are based on prompts from the Doodlewash community. A few is me trying to get my fingers working properly. The colder weather setting into our neighbourhood plays havoc with my extremities. All part of the process I suppose. I hope you are all well. There are so many changes that happening, politically, physically, and medically. Hang in there. Do the best you can. It is not easy but, we have to believe we will get through it all.

Happy December

 I’m sure many of us have gone through quite a time this year. Many of us will be happy to see the end of this year. I have mixed feelings. For me this year has brought about some clarity. I feel like I have done so w good and learned a fair deal. Now I’m a little restless. When I go through these feelings of unease or just an overwhelming sense of restlessness, I consult a deck of cards.

I started consulting Tarot when I first began high school. That was when I first experienced a great loss. I have had to say good bye to a lot of people, but none so difficult a good bye as my father. After my father lost his battle with Cancer, my little family moved and tried to start new in a completely different town, with a completely different lifestyle. I was not onboard. It felt like a disservice. I was very lost and hard trouble finding my way. At the end of the day, it was a learning experience. What helped was trying to put my thoughts and faith in a higher being.

I was raised in a Catholic upbringing. It never felt right. I read the book. I listened to the talk. I didn’t feel connected. There was something missing. It felt like I had no control and the worse was that it was hinted that you are not to have control. Put your faith into a higher power. Does that sound right to you? Following that line of thought, where do we fit in? Where is our sense of responsibility? This is why I look at other beliefs and faiths. I think we need to take more responsibility for our actions. 

If we examine the pandemic that has shaped our year, what is the common denominator? In order to come out of COVID-19 whole, we need to help each other. We need to try and follow the guidelines that experts, scientists, doctors have tirelessly explained. Wear our mask, social distance, wash our hands. Unfortunately, many of our community members strongly disagree with these guidelines. You hear a lot of the same argument with respect to their rights. Our rights are important. No one ever disagreed with that. The part most people forget though, is something taught in school. Your rights end the minute it affects the rights of your fellow community members. This is where we need to recognize, that we need to take responsibility for our actions. At the end of the day, we are responsible for what we put out into the universe.

This need to take responsibility can be horribly overwhelming. It becomes more so, when you look around and it feels like other people do not share the need to help and protect our more vulnerable members. This is the tricky part. I’ll share what I did to help me through the difficult times of this year.

I revisited my cards. I like them because they help better examine my actions and thoughts. I shuffle them. I deal them. I examine them for connections. My go to arrangement is to shuffle, cut, and deal three cards to represent my past, present, and future. Who is to say if this is for real, or authentic. It gives me something to focus on. It helps me realign my thoughts. It works for me. 

So after all is said and done, I shuffled and dealt my cards. I think it is time for me to refocus on my art and try something new. I’d like to go back to school. I aim to do so but, online. This is more doable for me. I have a course picked out. Now I am waiting for more information. 

I’m looking forward to 2021 and all the change and excitement it will bring. I will take with me my memories and skills and apply them to new endeavors. 

I wish you all the best for the holiday season. I wish you health, happiness, and strength.

See you all later!

The Dust Has Settled

After every thing that has happened, we are well on our way to a new normal. I have a strong feeling it’s not only my family that has been going through some changes. 

The man that was in charge, for what seemed an eternity, has finally been replaced by someone who speaks in full and complete sentences. It must be something, to see the entire world celebrate change. I don’t recall in my lifetime at any rate, when the entire world celebrated with fizzy drinks in the streets, when someone they were all united in strong dislike, be ejected from a position in power. Here’s a more “normal” four years.

I’ve been knitting a fair bit. It keeps me calm. I focus on the stitches. It gets rhythmic. Soothing. And soon, I’m in my happy place with something I’m making with sticks and string taking shape. 

I was working on my Victoria Jumper. It has grown a but heavy. Until I build more muscle in my forearm, I’m going to be working on my Gum Ball Overload socks by Fran Carle.

Also, I have resumed cross stitching with a fever! I must add, with constant supervision.

It’s Deathabilly and it is getting really exciting!

We have been blessed with some gorgeous weather. It’s perfect out in my shop where I’ve been dabbling with acrylics. There is definitely a learning curve involved.

I’m not quite happy with this, so I will be going back out shortly to give it another go.

Well, as Charlotte likes to provide comfort when things get weird. Have faith. Everything will be ok.

Talk with you later!