Soft Pastels, Fab Find, and Zumba

I recently purchased a set of 30 Mungyo soft pastels and have decided to use a book that I made with signatures made from Mi Teintes paper as I've been told that paper is a good choice for working with pastels. I made the book using the covers from a 1920 edition of a teachers guide for a Merrill Reader.

This repurposed book was for sale at Faint Heart Art, but I appropriated it for my own use.

Here is the first attempt of a group of tulips in my front yard. 

I think it needs more variation of color in the reds.

I don't have any fixative and I've read in Jackie Simmonds blog that Spectrafix is a good, non-toxic one to use, so will see if I can find some. If you don't know Jackie, her blog is actually called Jackie Simmonds Artyfacts and is loaded with some wonderful art and great tips, and she isn't just a pastel artist, she uses and shares info about lots of other media.

I am working on my altered book - at least in my mind, I am. I have my niche pages glued together and am trying to find "something" to put into my niche so I can decide what size the niche needs to be. I found the most fabulous fish yesterday in a second hand store and thought it was just the thing. Tell me, isn't he the most wonderful find!

I'm sorry that he is on such an awful paper towel background, but the color of the background is too close to the metal of his body for an easy "magic wand tool" clean up.

I am so very disappointed to find that my niche is only about 3/8" in thickness and this little cutie is closer to an inch. I know he is going to be a wonderful addition to my supplies, but am not sure how I am going to use him yet. I only know for sure that he will not fit in the niche for this book. I know, Elizabeth, I was supposed to find my "treasure" for the niche before deciding how thick to make it. Lesson learned!

I think you already know that I am somewhat a glutton for punishment when it comes to exercise. Well the proof of that was to be found yesterday. I attended the usual exercise in the morning, came home took a shower and went about my business until evening, and then went to the same place for a Zumba class. I discovered a few things about myself, some that I already knew. I don't know how to do the chacha. I don't know how to do the morenge merengue (nor do I know how to spell it) or the samba either. I'm also not very good at isolating my hips to move them about in a salsa kind of way.

On a more positive note, I met some more really nice people, I had a load of fun, I worked my butt off (actually I need to work off the "stuff" in my middle more than that), I worked up a good sweat and an appetite, and I am definitely going again. I arrived home to grilled chicken and half an avocado, so I made myself a large salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, avocado, chicken and dried cherries. Delish!!

I don't have a set plan for today, but do know that the treadmill is calling. I also have just a bit of housework to do. I will be working in my art room with something - after all my muse is here and I hate to ignore her for fear she will take another road trip and leave me all by myself.

I hope you are having a wonderful day and that you are making time for yourself and your creativity.

xoxo