Before
Today
Hi there,
I headed out to the garden and was pleased to see the deep rich color had finally arrived on the seedum. Instead of the pinks that they had been they've settled into a hard to describe color that is nearly burgundy but a bit lighter and brighter than that.
The one plant I started with nearly fifteen years ago comes close to filling whole flower beds and still needs dividing and transplanting.
This is an important feature to look at when you consider adding new plants to your garden. At the time it was the most expensive plant I'd ever purchased but now when I see how much bang I've gotten for the buck over the years (how many plants I've actually gotten for the money) I look at if quite differently.
Hi There,
Well, my new acrylic paints have arrived but I thought I'd play around a bit more with the watercolors before setting them aside again.
The funny thing about it was that I just couldn't get comfortable with watercolors when they were all I had to work with but now that the other paints have arrived and I don't have to make them work. I'm suddenly enjoying them. Perhaps having other choices takes the pressure off.
I thought I'd show this one both before and after I'd done by outlining and detail work.
I thought I'd also take some time to decorate the edges of some envelopes for my mail as well.
I also did some fun edgings on the greeting cards to speed things up next time I'm answering mail. When this much of the work is done ahead of time all I have to do is dash of something fun on the front of the card to finish things up.
In addition to the watercolor painting I'm also continuing to design and paint Swedish dala horses which you can read about in my other blog.
dalahorsesbyjulia.blogspot.com
As you can see by this photo the outdoor studio was never completed, so I'm looking at yet another year painting in the 11 by 14 foot living room in which i only have a few shelves on one side to call my own.
I played with my opaque watercolors a bit on some stationery and then ordered in some acrylic paints to blow off my frustrations with over my 6th shut-in winter as I wait for wheelchair van so I can get out of here once in a while.
I use heavy body acrylics, and have since the 1970's. The following list is more or less my regular palette:
Cerulean Blue
Napthol Crimson (I used to use Alizarin)
Burnt Sienna
Deep Magenta (also trying it instead of Alizarin)
Brilliant Yellow Green (I used to mix my own)
Burnt Umber
Green Gold (trying it instead of ochre)
Hookers Green
Paynes Gray
Indian Yellow
Sap Green Permanent
Ultramarine Blue red shade
Brilliant Purple ( I got tired of trying to mix just the right purple)
white
I didn't buy a black this time, paynes gray is usually dark enough for me. I'll see how it goes and will order black if I'm wrong.
This is the view of my garden that most people don't see. With my Wheelchair tilted up and back I live to stare up into the treetops when I take a break from working around the place.
A few minutes here watching birds or an occasional helicopter just puts your mind in a lighter,brighter mood. Besides that you can't see how much weeding needs to be done.
Back at work I'm trimming the perennial sunflowers down so they don't overwhelm the flower bed and crowd my path to the driveway.
I can only reach partway into them so my sister will come tomorrow to trim the ones on the street side.
The pink of the seedum is really welcome as the only other thing blooming here is the marigolds on the other end of the yard.
On the other end of the flower bed we've cleaned up and trimmed the roses for next year.
Look who's back to keep me company outside the studio window.
I'm clearing some of the paper clutter by cutting up old, failed watercolors and turning them into new greeting cards that I can write letters on.
It's a great creativity exercise and often sparks great ideas.
I dashed off these sunflowers inside of one to sort out my detail brushes and get some practice painting leaves.
This little marker doodle is inside the right hand page. Every bit of practice helps.
