YOU tell ME!

What the heck I'm doing!
Since I have so many nearly unused sketchbooks, my hubby cut one in half so I can easily carry it in my knitting bag.
I named the book as my "Art Journal". The colors are weird, because I was, once again botching my scribbling. I should have left the whole thing alone, but noo, I had to play with the water and Q-Tip. Oh, well, I can always make another official page, if I want.

The other picture is something else. I have no idea, so you tell me.

Blobs and Smudges

I watched the video, I mentioned yesterday, and started thinking that I should do some mindless art work. That is: no goal, just let the colors do their thing.

First I had to spend at least half an hour in my stash room looking for a suitable
art journal. Every sketch book had a drawing or two, or more, but none of them were the right size. Of course I have the right size sketch book, but it was not with the other ones. Searching, giving up, watching telly, back to searching, and there it was, in one of my bags (I have lots of bags), and it was not even in the last bag I looked in.

I also found, in the same bag, some nice watercolor crayons, and drawing pencils.
I took, from the cabinet, the oldest, most used oil pastels and happily dumped my books and colors on the table and started meditating (10 seconds), and telling myself
to relax and try something new.

The oil pastels were perfect for my aimless smudging on the clean page. I took one color at a time, colored until the paper on the crayon hit the surface, and from there one color at the time. I kept coloring and coloring, with no goal. It felt good. When I was ready to check the result I knew something was missing. I took a knitting needle and started scribbling with that on the thick oil pastel smudges.



I named my creation "Rain forest Waterfall". I have never been in a rain forest, other than in Montreal Botanic Garden, and that is indoors.

After that I was ready to watch some more telly. I think there was NCIS or House to be watched. My mind kept traveling in other areas, and getting restless, so I had to get back to the table, where my sketchbook still was open on the new just created page. Something was missing, but I didn't know what. I had to sit down,
and my fingers just went to open the watercolor crayon box.

I took my fancy watercolor crayons and made a blob in the middle of the paper. Then, with Q-tips I watered it down with black coffee (no sugar) and just smudged the blob.

Later that night I started adding stuff on the smudged blob, and now it's a Rock Flower.




Knitting? My hands were aching mega time, and Advil didn't help, so rest them fingers for a few days.

That is it for now, folks.

Art Journal

Every time I go to Janet's blog, I find something interesting, other than her beautiful drawings. This is what I found today:

Art Journal Video

I started one couple of weeks ago, but have not done anything on the pages since...what, at least over a week (Sept. 17Th). I've been knitting SOCKS. No wonder my fingers are aching. Oh, the last drawing isn't anything to write home about, but I am going to put it here anyway. Maybe someone will get inspired of the fact that they too may be able to draw something silly like this:


This is just a doodle, it's not drawing, it's moving the pen on the paper with no true goal.

The video is very inspiring, and perhaps I could really make myself to scribble something on the pages. Hmph, no excuse not to do anything, the journal is in my knitting bag.
This book does not have the spirals, but I am NOT going to go and buy a new journal. Yesterday, when I was looking for a knitting needle set, I came across a nice leather-cover journal, with spirals. That would work, I think, but the pages have lines. I don't think it really matters, does it, if I cover the pages with paint. The journal I have with me would not do, if I filled it up with stuff. I think I will keep this one for doodling.

It's just so sad when I get inspired I am not in a position to do anything. I have nice oil pastels and paints at home, not here at work. So, I will knit. Socks.

I joined a group that draws something every day, and I started well, and then stopped. I have not noticed that anyone was looking for me, though. Sometimes I wish I was invisible and I could travel with a beam (I've been watching a lot of New Generation, and the likes, shows lately, because Hubby has the station on Spike late afternoons). Where was I? Time traveling, I suppose. And while I was on that trip, I took a quiz

and they told me to go back to the future. Didn't do too well on that one.

More and more socks

Sept 25, 2007


Added another picture of my blue Campanula socks. I'm getting there, I'm getting there.

Then I went to find a pattern for Monkey socks, and this site came out:

http://www.knittychick.com/free_sock_patterns.htm

I did find the monkey socks here.

Monday Sept. 24, 2007

I spent my weekend staring at my sock projects. Not too many stitches got done, until this morning when I was supposed to get ready for work. I was late 10 minutes.
Well, I had to stop for fuel, otherwise I would have not made it. One litre was 97.8 cents.
I took some of my sock projects with me to work, I have an hour lunch so there will be some stitches done. I have one of the blue socks (the other is at home) and both pink ones. I have to decide which one is going to be worked on at lunch.

The blue one is for the KAL Campanula socks, and I am far behind with my project.

The pink socks have a nice and easy cable pattern from a Vogue Accessories book. I just started the socks from toe up, otherwise the pattern is the same.

Another sock done

I started these socks a long time ago, but finally finished them tonight. Now I can move on and finish another pair soon.

Wednesday Shopping

I have had some time off from my Campanula socks, because I have to do the short row heel part, and I have not done it ever before. I'll practice tonight. I finished socks that I had started a long time ago. The yarn is Kroy.

The yarn picture is my shopping that I didn't want to do.

My friend, Carol, came to town today. She lives in Mississippi.
Let me tell how smart my day was.

I took the subway to downtown, near the "hotel where" Carol and her Hubby were staying. I went to the hotel, and since I was early I bought a coffee, sat in the lounge area and started knitting. I always carry something with me. I started getting a little anxious, because I didn't see my friend arriving at the set time.
Well, I waited, and waited, and finally my phone rang. It was Carol: "did you give up on me" she asked. I told her where I was, and finally we realized I was in the wrong hotel. How many Marriott hotels there are here? Well, now I know: two.

Finally, after some walking and phone calls, I saw her walking towards me. It was such a nice feeling to meet a friend whom I have met only once before.

We went to have a coffee and cinnabun (sp?) at the Eaton's Center, and from there we went to get a streetcar (bus - as my friend called it). We arrived at Romni Wools, and spent about 15 minutes at the doorway, just looking at the different knitting needles and things that were in that area. Finally I was able to convince her to go and see the rest of the store. Carol was very impressed and overwhelmed, but was able to buy some nice yarns.

I had decided not to buy anything, since my stash is quite large. I only bought four balls of yarn. Only, haha, the yarn made a big dent in my cash balance.

We went to eat at "I heart" Sushi" restaurant, a few blogs east from Romni. The lunch was excellent. I had chicken stir fry type stuff on rice, Carol had sushi and some rice thingies. Don't ask me, I don't know anything about Sushi foods.

We started back to the hotel, took the "bus" (=streetcar) to as close to the hotel as we could. Yeah, right. We had about 4 blocks to walk. Now that I think about it, we could have taken the subway, but no, we walked, which was better for Carol, she saw more of our city that way. She treated us for Bubble tea, which was the first time for both of us. It was a fun drink, and I am glad I had a taste of it, now I know.

It was a great day

Scarf

My friend Sherri had designed this fun scarf, and I had to make one. Mine isn't exactly the same but the idea isn't to get the same, but use the idea. Thanks Sherri.

Here is mine. There is a knitted toque, under the scarf, that I finally finished. It was one of my many UFOs (Started three years ago, hmph)
The scarf is about 80 inches (apprx. 2 m), and about 4 inches wide (10 cm).

I added a picture of a headband I made tonight.

Drawing and scarf

Well, the scarf is just being born. It should be done by tomorrow. I might be able to do quite a bit at lunch, since it looks like we are not playing cards. Even so, the scarf is just with sc stitches, so it's not going to take my time to read any patterns. It's going to be a freeform scarf.

The picture here is of a lonely boat. I was using the watercolor pencils, but didn't water the drawing, that is why it's sitting on a dry land.

I don't like the watercolor pencils any more. They make a mess (or I make a mess when applying water). I think that a normal brush and the color palette would be nicer. Not sure, but for now I will use other media to cover some areas on a paper. I have oil pastels, pastels,
Conte crayons, charcoal, acrylic paints and some oil paints. Should be enough to mix all together and add some yarn ends from the scarf I am making right now. That's it, I have a project for the weekend. AFTER I finish the Campanula socks. Arghhh, I have been too busy drawing that forgot all about my knitting.

B2 vs. HB 2 Pencil

Not a good day for drawing.

My perspective is off

Sometimes I wonder if I see the world with distorted view. Just like in that Ocular migraine, you know when lights flash in your eyes, the objects of your affection are distorted, and then you feel a slight discomfort throughout your being. Just like yesterday: our company big shots came to meet the staff. All good and nice, chatting, eating mini quiches, bits of cheeses and crackers, and drinking sodas and water. When the staff left, not at once, though, every time the assistant smiled and thanked us. I wanted to say "for what?" All was during business hours.....How is that related to perspective? I am going to exercise my fifth (of whatever) amendment, and not speak, otherwise I will be in trouble.

Well, I am just in a nasty mood today, and might smooth my thoughts later on.

At one point in my amateurish artist life I was to draw stairs or walls or windows in perfect harmonious perspective. I sat on the stairs, staring at the walls, and
my pencil refused to move. It had an "on strike" sticker attached on the lead part.
I started sobbing. Went back to my classroom (yes, this was in one of my art classes). Yvonne Singer, who was our instructor, told me to sit down at my desk, and draw what ever I saw around me. I was able to draw my desk, stuff on it, and somehow the objects appeared in perfect harmony. I still remember how encouraging she was to all of us.

The pictures for today are from last night. I was getting tired, when I was doing the coloring for the blocks. However, I will leave it as is, to show that I am not perfect, after all. It really should be obvious, but that is another story. Maybe there is a quiz somewhere for that.
Of course I had to check, and found this:

and my result was this:

How quirkyalone are you?
Your score was 57. Somewhat quirkyalone (otherwise known as quirkytogether):
You are probably part of a mysterious group of people, the quirkytogethers. You share many of our quirky qualities, but you manage to find yourself, on a regular basis, in a coupled situation. Interesting.

Drawings

It would be interesting to see how much, if any, I will improve with this drawing challenge. We are drawing one picture per day. I found this project from Janet's blog.

I got carried away last night. However, I am sure I will have days that I don't draw anything. My self criticism sometimes blocks my enthusiasm. Like one time when I had happily painted a scenery, with a red road, some hills and water in the background (real exciting stuff), and one artist told me that my painting was very amateurish. Oops. I never claimed to be a professional artist/painter.

The above drawings are more or less just doodling and holding a pencil against the paper, and if the pencil slides across, that's fine. I do not believe I should stop
just because I think I am an amateur. I have grown a little bit from those days (that was about 22 years ago).

I have taken courses at Ont. College of Arts and Designs, as well one course at York University. At YU I had the most wonderful instructor, Artist Yvonne Singer. I still think that she had a great influence in my creative pursues.

Doodling

All right, I did some doodling at our afternoon staff meeting.

Not much done

I finished the baby blanket, but left it at the market and no picture, of course.
After that I knitted a few rows of the royal blue sock heel, but got to the point where I must read the instructions.
We went for dinner at my son's home. The baby (born in August) was having some gas pains, and was sleeping in my arms most of the night. We had a veal cutlet and spaghetti with sauce and chocolate cake that was done by our grand daughter. Her mom had cracked the eggs, and that's about it, the rest was done by the little girl.
The cake was delicious.

Instead of knitting or crocheting tonight I will do some drawing, even if it's just doodling.

Life of a WIPaholic

It seems to me that I have not done anything else lately but started new projects.
That one is a baby blanket, started today, while sitting in the market place. It is very annoying that the people across ours are selling, ahem, yarns, too. I bought the baby yarn from them. I am not very happy that I have temptations staring at me, when I am trying to avoid yarn buying binges.

I made a baby hat before I started the blanket.

The blue baby hat was one of the earlier WIPs, which I finished as soon as I got home this afternoon.

When I was on my way to the market, I passed the Walkers for the cure.
It was good to see all the women and men walking and I felt a touch of being part of the project. I am knitting the Campanula for the cure socks, which was designed by a lady who is participating in this weekend walk.

Unfortunately the yarn I started with, the pink one, was a little bit too heavy for the stitch gauge, and I had to dig into my stash to find another yarn. I found a royal blue yarn that just smiled at me with excitement. The picture is of the start, at the point where I am now working on the heel.

I also have a sweater, for me, on the go, plus several other socks, almost done.

I am not too happy with my way of starting new projects, but I am way too restless these days to pay attention to just one project.