Today is the first full day of Spring. It is overcast and 41 degrees; it was snowing a bit earlier. This reminds me that "the first day of Spring and the first Spring day are not necessarily the same thing".
I do have some crocuses up in the front yard and have seen lots of robins and red-winged blackbirds, so Spring is certainly here. Now if we could just have temps between 60 and 70 degrees for about 3 months, I would be in heaven. Unfortunately, in this part of Michigan, Spring's lovely temps give way much too soon to summer-like hot temps. I am hoping this year to have a long lovely Spring season.
I am working on an ATC swap called Yellow Pages. So far I have glued down parts of pages of yellow pages and am planning to put a light glaze over them and then hand draw something pertinent to that page.
Now for the giveaway. I have a wonderful soft-cover book called Chinese Painting Techniques for Exquisite Watercolors by Lian Quan Zhen. It is quite lovely and is about 140 pages of examples and hot-tos. To win this lovely book, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. I will be drawing the winner using the random number generator on Friday, March 27.
As for now.....the little one is a bit under the weather today and is clingy and needy. I will be spending some time cuddling and watching Elmo and other Sesame Street shows until her mother and older sister return some time later this afternoon. At that time, I will change into my workout clothes and do a 58 minute Cathe workout, Muscle Max, and then walk uphill on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Then for the rest of the day, who knows........
Lovely crocus, such a sweet thing to see again, isn't it!
ReplyDeleteUsing phone book pages is a lot of fun. I like doing the peeling paper technique with them too! Can't wait to see how your cards turn out.
A giveaway and such a lovely one too. Thank you for the chance to be the lucky winner :)
Such a beautiful crocus. Looking forward to seeing how your yellow pages ATC's turn out, sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteVicki, what a great idea, I will have to try this sometime. I can tell by the phonebook that we live in the same area...small world
ReplyDeleteHi! I got to your blog through the art techniques list, but I think we're in the same "faces" class! Small world :-)
ReplyDeleteOhhh, never thought about using the phone book for mixed media, but of course!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to be entered into your drawing for the book as well.
Thanks!
This is a wonderful book and I would love to use it in my future explorations of this amazing cultural painting style.
ReplyDeleteWe miss seeing the crocus here in northern FL. Always enjoyed them when we lived in VA.
ReplyDeleteEver think of doing some CBP ATCs? I've done a few.
Thanks for offerring the book as a giveaway.
I love crocus but don't get to see them in Florida because here one season goes to another and they pretty much seem the same....kind of boring in ways!!! I do miss the change of seasons...seeing snow,falling leaves,and crocus in the Spring! I love chinese art and watercolors and would love to win this book and thanks for letting me have a chance! Can't wait to see what you do with the yellow pages!Reminds me of a Bernie Berlin Book workshop booklet we are studying in another art group! Happy Spring! Hugs,Ina
ReplyDeleteOh, I cannot wait till my tulips bloom and I can take photos and draw them. I have always wanted to learn Chinese watercolor painting. You are so great to give this book away to a lucky winner. Thank you for that. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThis winter as I made paper with 7th graders during their Asian unit at the school where I work, the library assistant started talking about Lian Zhen and how she had attended one of his workshops. She was thrilled to demonstrate what she knows about Chinese painting and had the students using the same techniques. The best part is that now the students see her as an artist! I would love to surprise her with this book, since I know she treasures the opportunity she had to learn from him. Thank you for your kind gift..PJ Harris
ReplyDeleteYay for giveaways! Please post the phone book atc's when you're done with them. I'd love to see how they turn out!
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki, I'd love to win this book. I still have my "mums" to finish in our Chinese Brushstroke Workshop.
ReplyDeleteSorry you didn't have time to do all of the techniques.
Carolyn S
I love croci (more than 1 crocus flower)! Especially the purple ones, they always remind me of Easter.
ReplyDeleteYour ATC idea with the yellow pages is really neat! Haven't heard of that one before.
Happy Spring to you, too Vic
I've always wanted to try this art form. The crocus photo is lovely.
ReplyDeleteOut here in the west (NV) March came in like a lamb but is now blowing up a gale, so will be going out like a lion...roaring wind as I type this. Yesterday was 83F, today 60F. That's the high desert for you.
Very kind of you to offer this great book. I'd just love to win it. Thanks.
Joan
I would love to have teh book on chinese watercolor. It is interesting and I too have been trying to learn.
ReplyDeleteBarb
What a way to celebrate Spring in MI by giving away a wonderful book!! It would make a wonderful addition to my art library. Keeping my fingers crossed...
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice blog, and a great giveaway! Please include me in the drawing. You're very ambitious with your exercise, by the way. Thanks, Donnell
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful book and the ATC's sound great!
ReplyDeletehttp://windykai.wordpress.com/
I love the idea of using the Yellow Pages for ATCs. What a great way to recycle something we have way too much of!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'd love to have the book too!
Katina
kjkoukla(at)hotmail(dot)com
Great givewaway!!
ReplyDeletelook forward to seeing how the phone book page ATCs turn out. still waiting for my crocuses. they are still only an inch high. but it was great to see yours.
ReplyDeletehillikayathotmaildotcom
Ahhh, signs of spring, AND a nice giveaway! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteNelVanL@aol.com
Hi Vicki, You have more energy than a 20 year old! What a great idea with the yellow pages ATCs. I am struggling now with putting together travel ATCs for this Sunday's local trade. You know how it is when you get a mind bump that is in neutral. I want them to be the BEST too. The CBP lessons were so good that I am going to continue on my own to learn the style. It is the first time I am able to draw without predrawing an image and for me that is one of those AH-HAH moments. I just love the technique. So, please enter me to the draw for L. Zhen's book. It is one of the ones I was thinking of getting. Thanks for your inspirations on your blog.
ReplyDeleteMaxine
What a very sweet idea to give away something. Happy Spring
ReplyDeleteWow, using the phone book -- what a great reuse technique. I love that. I'll be waiting to see your atc's from that -- as I need to learn always!! I'd be honored to win your giveaway, but it's just fun to see your work on your blog, too.
ReplyDeleteAnother great giveaway! I can't wait to see the ATCs...what a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThe crocus is beautiful! I just returned from a trip to TX to find my hyacinths are blooming.
ReplyDeleteI just read an article about Lian Quan Zhen's Chinese watercolors. Looks like a great book! And how generous of you to give yours away, whoever the winner is!
Okay, here goes, I just may have the lucky number. Yellow pages hmmm, you've got me curious, can't wait to see how they turn out.
ReplyDeleteYou are very creative and generous. Many happy returns, and here's hoping I win the book. Judy
ReplyDeleteYour crocus are lovely! When I lived in PA, Spring was my fave time of year mostly because of the bulb flowers and the robins. Thanks for sharing! Please enter me in your give away -looks like a fab book. ~Nina in San Diego~
ReplyDeleteI am another Floridian who misses seeing the croci in spring. I have done some ATCs, but have never used materials like the Yellow Pages, I hope you post your results. I would love to be the winner of the Chinese watercolor technique book by the master Lian Zhen. Thank you for your generous offer.
ReplyDeleteWow! What a wonderful giveaway. I also would love to win that book. I too am impressed with the phonebook yellow pages idea. I may go off now and try a yellow pages collage myself!
ReplyDeleteam I too late?! wonderful giveaway-and you know, I was just thinking today about using phone book pages in collage, now I know I want to (now, if I can find a phone book around here, I always misplace them)
ReplyDeletethanks for entering my giveaway too, and I'll draw a name later on this evening (and make a little something this weekend to go along with it)
have a great weekend!
Trish