Sunday Sketches

(Photo accidentally deleted.  Sigh.)

Good morning and welcome to another Sunday Sketches.  It's beautiful here with the sun just coming up over the horizon.  Another gorgeous sunrise of many colours.

Nothing special this week but wanted to share a couple of WIPs for a custom order I'm currently working on.  This past week proved to accomplish very little with all the extra work at the office.  Hopefully, today will prove to be creative in many ways.

Here's wishing everyone a lovely day!  Happy SS!  :)

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This week's participants:
Please sign-up below to submit your sketch for this week, which will also allow others to stop and visit.

The last of Autumn Colours

Just a few days ago our cozy little town was graced with a dumping of snow for the first time this season.  OK, maybe not so gracefully, but it sure was amazing.  I still remember sitting against the glass window of a local coffee shop watching it softly tumble down.  So incredibly magical!

As it continued yesterday, it felt like I was making my way around inside this giant snow globe.  Absolutely amazing but this also means that as the snow melts over the next few days the last of the beautiful coloured leaves will be gone.  What a short Autumn!

Anyway, last weekend I painted the above picture, simply experimenting with mixing colours, trying to find a balance with making them a bit more bold than what I usually do.  Although not really my style, I do like the results.  Who knew playing around in paints could actually be fun! Hee  Kind of like playing the game "Twister" and not knowing who/what is going to end up where in the end.  Oh yeah! :)

Happy weekend everyone!

For more Paint Party Friday inspirations, please visit here.

Completed Inspiration

I've been delving into all kinds of artsy projects as of late and am enjoying it very much so.  The photo above (although not great due to lack of time in taking a proper one with returning to work this week), shows a couple of magnets and a glass pendant.  Looking forward to doing more special projects with the Christmas season just around the corner.

A week ago Sunday, I had challenged myself to paint one of Beatrix Potter's illustrations.  Above is the completed piece and I'm quite happy with it.

I do hope this unexpected and delightful inspiration continues and that I can find some way to bless others around me and in my life with it.

In the meantime, I'm really missing my father tonight. Tears.

The Tales of Morris the Mouse...

Aha...more Ms. Potter inspiration here.  Uh huh.  Since I love cake, presents, picnics...why not incorporate some of my favourite things into a Beatrix Potter inspired WIP.  :)

On another note, our lovely art co-op group has a new record.  We broke 30 participants yesterday! Woot! Woot!  We had several new peeps join us, so please do return to the sign-up list and make sure you've visited everyone.  I'm so blessed to see how we've grown as a group, encouraging each in our art and every day life.  Here's to many more Sunday Sketches!

[Holds out a perfect hot cuppa.]

Sunday Sketches

It's time for yet another wonderful Sunday Sketches.  I'm posting this a little early for a few reasons, but I'm sure you won't mind.

This afternoon was spent at a local bookstore listening to an online show while painting away.  I managed to squeeze in a few little pieces and am pleased with the results.  Nothing terribly exciting but ones where I continue to challenge myself to paint first then add the lines later.  I'm actually liking this process better and finding it eliminates alot of unnecessary expectations.

While there, I managed to inspire an elderly lady walking by to begin painting again. Aww.  She shared with me a little of her story and why she put down her brush years ago.  Smiling here and praying she'll find the same joy that I've found these past few weeks in allowing art to heal my heart.

Happy SS!  Looking forward to visiting everyone. :)

Grab the Sunday Sketches button here.

This week's participants:
Please sign-up below to submit your sketch for this week, which will also allow others to stop and visit.

NEW - Boy and Girl Bookplates

 

It's amazing how quickly this week has passed.  In some ways, it feels good as I've had some misc blessings and accomplishments.  Such as, my new bookplates above.  There are 3 different styles: Make A Wish (boy), Be the Star (girl) - style 1, and Be the Star (girl) - style 2.

I was also thrilled yesterday to not only sell 9 of my own watercolour cards but received 3 custom orders totaling 41 cards and 6 gift tags.  Uh huh. This pretty little lady is going to be busy over the next month or so.  But that's OK as it will keep my mind occupied as I continue to deal and push through the grief of losing my father just 2 1/2 weeks ago.

So, here's to the most lovely weekend to each of my wonderful bloggie friends and I'll see you in a couple of days for Sunday Sketches and the perfect hot cuppa.  :)

Sunday Sketches - UPDATED

(Photos accidentally deleted.  Bummer!!)

Hello!  I'm a wee bit late today for my Sunday Sketches and do apologize but didn't want to rush my submission for this week.  I'm learning alot lately that just being loose and free with my painting is making a huge difference for me.

Above is another rendition of one of Beatrix Potter's lovely illustrations.  The rabbit's eyes still need completed but unfortuantely I'm at a coffee shop and forgot to grab tracing paper.  I find it alot easier to experiment with eyes, to tweak and get them just right, without having to erase a gazillion times on the actual piece of art.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this piece as much as I am.  I know my father would be proud and happy of the newly found inspiration. Happy SS!  :)

Grab the Sunday Sketches button here.

This week's participants:
Please sign-up below to submit your sketch for this week, which will also allow others to stop and visit.

The Tale of Whittling Willie

Beatrix Potter continues to inspire me and I'm loving it.  In fact, I'm actually surprised at how my artwork is unfolding these past few days.  It's nothing like what I've created in the past and it seems to hold a simple yet childlike heart and freedom within it.  BUU--TEE--FUL! :)

Today's piece, "The Tale of Whittling Willie", was inspired by an early morning walk yesterday.  Despite the weather being quite chilly, I had this craving to get out and take in everything as much as possible; an unusual desire to see things with a new pair of eyes so that's exactly what I did.

While walking along a dirt path, something to the left caught my attention.  I stopped and turned, scanning the sides of a muddy creek, but found nothing.  Or so I thought.  Just as I began to walk away it moved again, making a huge fuss on the water's edge.  It was a little beaver and once he realized I was gazing at him in wonder, he seemed to tilt his head slightly, looking at me in the most peculiar way.

I watched in amazement as he began tugging a dead water rat that appeared half his size down the muddy shore, all the while taking periodic breaks to stop and look back at me.  I smiled.

For a brief moment I felt this magic inside that Miss Potter must have felt while exploring the world around her as a little girl, attempting to capture each treasure within her journals and nurturing each of life with her brushes and made up tales.

Note:  This is a true story. Not made up.
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Please visit other PPF's here.  Happy Friday everyone.

Delightful Inspiration

Recently, I discovered a bit of inspiration amidst the grief of losing my father to an 8-month battle of cancer.  In fact, I wasn't even looking for anything of the sort, just a little something to keep my mind semi-distracted instead of fully focused on the loss.

A few days ago I watched a simple yet pleasant movie called, "Miss Potter".  I'd never heard of it before but it sounded quite lovely and the perfect cozy movie to provide a much needed reprieve from the previous days of stress and sadness.  (For those of you who don't know, Miss Potter is a movie depicting Beatrix Potter's life from childhood through her adult years).

When the movie was finished, although Miss Potter experienced loss of someone she loved, I found myself in what I thought to be a temporary trance of hope and newness.  I felt quite inspired that despite my deep loss, I too could move on just as she did, delving into my own art while looking for opportunities to bless those around me.

It's three days later and I'm still feeling this unusual but delightful and fulfilling inspiration inside, regardless of the roller coaster of emotions that's attached to grief.  Since watching the movie, I've found myself researching Miss Potter to learn more about her life and the things that inspired her from childhood on.  I even purchased a divine complete collection of her tales and illustrations.

But it doesn't stop there.  This inspiration is touching my creative soul within as well.  I've found myself diving into my watercolours in what feels like a new sort of way.  As you can see above (left photo), I flipped through my new Potter book and painted (free-hand) some of her illustrations.  It was quite thrilling how well they turned out!

Miss Potter has helped me to see death and life with fresh eyes.  I know so as I witnessed this very thing early this morning while walking alongside the creek.  I'm not sure where this is all going but as long as I feel it, I'm swimming in this newly found pool of hope and creativity.

It comes in waves

I apologize that I've yet to visit my lovely bloggie peeps for Sunday Sketches.  I really thought I could push myself today to do more but I'm not quite there emotionally.  I'm really having a difficult time accepting my father's gone.

Even looking at the photo taken where dad's ashes were buried between grandma and grandpa - I'm still not there.  I feel a huge wave of grief tonight. Huge.

Sunday Sketches

Here I sit on my sofa this afternoon trying to find the heart and strength to continue pushing through the heartache regarding my father's death barely one week ago.  Yesterday was welcomed with open arms as it felt like a brief moment of reprieve from the grief I've been dealing with off and on.  It's been difficult accepting the idea that my father's actually gone, even with the burial of his ashes today.

Although there is a small improvement in my sleep, I still wake up several times throughout each night, reaching for my phone to look for a text from my dad.  He often did that, just to let me know he was thinking of me and loved me.  I feel foolish afterwards, realizing how silly it is and remembering he's no longer here to comfort me in all of his little ways.  In return, reminding me of the loss in my life.

I honestly didn't feel like drawing this week but felt my father would've wanted me to regardless.  Therefore I decided to create a doodle of a few things that made him smile.  This is a personal tribute and a declaration to say,  "I will never forget you, dad.  Never."

Happy SS, my friends.

Grab the Sunday Sketches button here.

This week's participants:

Please sign-up below to submit your sketch for this week, which will also allow others to stop and visit.

Daddy's Gone

It's with GREAT sadness and extremely deep sorrow that I share with you this morning that my father, my daddy, left this world a little over an hour ago.  Every part of me aches, inside and out, but I know he is no longer suffering and in a better place.

I appreciate your warm and caring thoughts over the last several months, during a time that was far more difficult than I could have ever imagined.  Forgive me if this sounds selfish, but your continued thoughts and prayers are much needed.  Like myself, my baby brother is taking father's death just as hard, if not more.

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Dear daddy,

Although you're gone from this world I know we'll be singing music again together some day.  I love you oh so very much and promise that I will NEVER forget you and will speak of you often.

Love,
"Your precious daughter"
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NOTE: Sunday Sketches has been canceled for this week.  Thank you.