A New Journal with a Theme

For a long time I've wished I would keep journals by theme instead of so randomly and I've decided to keep a journal of "life" sketches. If you remember (or not) I won a lovely small leather hand-bound journal from Ricë at Voodoo Cafe in April of 2009. I've decided I can finally commit to write in it. Here is the photo of the journal that was taken back when I first received it.

I have been afraid to write in it because it is so special, but I've finally taken the plunge. This is my first entry - a 90-minute pose from the Posemaniacs site.

I am hoping to see progress as I work my way through the journal. The really nice thing about the Posemaniacs site is that I can access it from both my computer and my iPod touch. There should be no excuse for not practicing regularly.

Meanwhile, I've finally committed to 5 days/week jogging on the treadmill for an hour and a log of all the calories that make their way into this body. I found a really nice app called MyFitnessPal that keeps track of meals (with a large database of foods), calories, carbs, sugars, vitamins, fiber, etc. It also lets me track my workouts including calorie burn. For today I've completed 5 miles on the treadmill and have had a nutritious breakfast.

Miss Z is coming over later to spend the evening or overnight (I don't know for sure which) with me, so I'd best get the carpets vacuumed. She focuses in on any little speck and goes for it. And of course anything that makes its way into her hand goes immediately into her mouth.

It is 41º and sunny and the hubster is out taking the Christmas lights down.

Hope all is well wherever you are and that you are making time for yourself and/or your art.

xoxo

Leather Journal, Birds & CED2009

I had the most wonderful package in the mail today. I won another journal from Rice at the Voodoo Cafe, but this one is leather - it is heavenly, exquisite, buttery soft, ooooooh!



When I showed it to P, the kindergartner, her comment was, "No fair, Nana, you have more journals than I do!" She has at least half a dozen herself, one she made herself and one I made for her, the rest have come from friends and Santa. Of course, she doesn't yet have a leather one :-)

I have been really busy these last few days. I tutored a total of 9 hours since last Wednesday and have babysat several of those days besides. I haven't had much time to devote to art work (read "fun"). I have, however, tried to draw a couple of birds. The one on the left hand page is a hawk and the one on the right is, I think, some kind of swallow. The rest of the page is a combination of blue and yellow pencil and bird stamps.

The words say, "The birds do not sing to a man who cannot hear".

I bought a wireless printer/scanner with the money from tutoring and had no trouble connecting it to the network with my desktop computer. However, I am unable to get it to be recognized by my iBook. I have tried at least 4 times. I am going to have to call for support when I get a few hours to myself. It is hard to converse with tech support with babies vying for my attention.

I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring. The painting and ripping of carpet has begun at my daughter's recently purchased house and all schedules are unpredictable. I am just trying to go with the flow and take it as it comes.

That's it for now!

Bye!

Voodoo Sketch Challenge

I subscribe to a great blog, Notes from the Voodoo Cafe, in which Rice is posting a challenge to sketch nearly every day. Today she had a photo of a hypodermic needle and a paper clip. I make myself draw with black pen instead of pencil. If I use pencil I erase and redo over and over until I am totally frustrated and the tooth of the paper is totally ruined.




I think my sketches are recognizable as what they are, but the size and perspective are pretty bad. This challenge thing is just what I need to get the juices flowing and push myself beyond just drawing what I usually do.



Thanks, Rice!

Please pardon the quality of the photos.