Comfort Cottage

Pastels and Pattern

I took a day off from Christmas decorating to finish a new drawing.   I wanted to try accenting with pastel pencils on a colored background.  I liked the the effect.  I used Photoshop CS5 to create the basic skeleton.  After that, it was a creative, hand-drawn  free-for-all! 

 

Majandra

12" x 12"

Pastel Pencils and Pen and Ink on Canson Mi-Tientes Paper

 

I had fun creating the larger motifs.  The smaller patterning helped tie the whole thing together.  I used the pastel pencils primarily to accent, rather than fill in.

I hope you are having a good week.  God bless you!

 

Until next time,

 

Comfort and Joy

Comfort and joy:  that is what you give me, my friends, as we enter this special season.

 

 

I love to think about you decorating your homes and preparing for the holidays.  I wish you peace.

 

Until next time,

 

A Holiday Non-Pink Saturday

Hello everyone!  I'm so glad the holiday season has begun.  I've started decorating, so I wanted to share one of my favorite spots to decorate.  It was too warm to have a fire today, but I decided to photograph it anyway. 

 

 

Closer to Christmas, I'll hang our stockings.  I made the tiny stocking ornaments.  I hand-embroidered the muslin, sewed them together and then stuffed polyfil in them to puff them out.  I used picks I found at the dollar store to finish them off.

 

 

 

 

 

It took a few years for me to get around to finishing this, but I finally did last year.  I used an antique cabinet door, and painted in acrylics.  I would like to do a faux finish of some kind on the frame of the door,  It is a Betty Caitness pattern, that is a representation of Williamsburg, VA at Christmas. 

 

 

 

 

 

I want to thank Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for hosting Pink Saturday.  Throughout the month we will have the option of posting holiday themes instead of pink.  Please stop by and see her.  You will find links to all of our wonderful Pink Saturday participants, and maybe a bit of holiday inspiration as well.  God bless you!

 

Until next time,

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Gratitude.  There is so much power in the word.  The moment it is uttered, even the staunchest complainer is silenced.   It changes the attitude in a heartbeat and washes over the spirit like a waterfall.  Is there any other word as sweet?  The list of things I thank God for gets longer each day, and my contentment grows proportionally.  I wish for all of you a refreshing shower of gratitude on this Thanksgiving Day.

 

A couple of months ago, I shared with you that I had finished my Christmas quilt.  I promised that I would unveil it at the beginning of the Christmas season.  I saw Santa arrive at the close of the Macy's parade, so I guess this is it - the official start of the Christmas season.  I found this quilt design in At Home With Thimbleberries Quilts by Lynette Jensen.  I've wanted to make it for years, but somehow the time was never right.  This year, I have a wonderful throw to display on the dining room table.

 

 

Each house has it's own theme.

 

 

 

 

 

I love the quilted design in the center.

 

 

My favorite part is the picket fence.

 

 

My heart is full as I wish for each of you the joy of gratitude and contentment.  God bless you.

 

Until next time,

 

Sweet Dreams

Today is Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen Cafe.  I happened to catch my sweet Molly girl snoozing on the love seat.  This little golden knows how to relax.

 

 

My recipe:

I worked in Photoshop CS5

Layer 1:  photograph

Layer 2:  Photoshop brushes - Stars and Gorguss Clouds (free downloads-I can't remember the source!); both set to Screen

Layer 3:  Kim Klassen's Phoebe texture, set to screen at 51% opacity

Layer 4:  Another layer of Phoebe set to Color Burn at 100% opacity

Layer 5:  Font - Splendid 66; size: 48pts with drop shadow set to 52% opacity

 

You can see all of the Texture Tuesday entries at Kim Klassen Cafe.  Have a wonderful day!

 

Until next time,

 

Geometric Art

I had wanted to share this with you two days ago, but I unfortunately could not find my camera card to photograph it!  Yesterday, we had a lovely day, celebrating Thanksgiving early with my sister and her family.  It was then that I realized that I didn't have my card.  That was a bit disappointing because my great niece is now vertical and walking!  I started searching for my card last night and finally gave up around midnight.  This morning, I decided to start straightening my work area.  I checked under my desk for the fifth time, and finally I noticed a little speck of black hiding behind the desk leg.  Eureka!  I'm back in business.  So here is my newest drawing.

 

 

Joyelle

11" x 11"

Pen and Ink on 140lb cold press paper

 

I wanted to have an accurate drawing with even angles to start with, so I began by creating a skeleton frame in Photoshop CS5.  That was a challenge, but I eventually figured it out.  I then traced the frame onto the paper with a light box.  The light box is a handy little gadget to have, but if you don't have one, the best way to transfer a drawing onto paper is to tape it to a window where light is coming in, and then tape your paper up over the drawing.  It works like a charm every time!  After I had the basic skeleton ready, I just proceeded section by section to work patterns in pen and ink.   The beauty of the template is that depending on which sections you use, and how you group them together, the finished product will never be the same twice!  This is the original template:

 

 

I think I'll finish straightening my work area, and then make some art.  What are you planning for Thanksgiving?  We'll have a quiet dinner at home, since we had our big get-together yesterday.  On Friday, I want to start decorating the house for Christmas.  When do you start decorating?  I can't wait to break out the Christmas CDs!  Have a wonderful day.  I'm thinking of all of you.

 

Until next time,

 

A New Tangle

I've spent the last few days cleaning out my studio.  It hasn't been pretty.  I'm hoping to finish by tomorrow.  I probably would have finished today, but I wanted to finish my latest Zentangle drawing.

 

 

I went a little lighter with the color this time.  I think I still like deeper color better.  What do you think?  I hope you're having a good week.

 

Until next time,

 

A Christmas Cardinal

Since I'm already on a holiday roll this week, I thought I'd unveil my Christmas cardinal.  He's ready for the holidays, even if we aren't!

 

 

Christmas Cardinal

11 x 13

Pen and Ink, and Watercolor on 140lb Cold Press

 

I'm smiling as I think of all of you.  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

 

Until next time,

 

Christmas In November

I know it's a bit early, but I just can't help myself.  A few years ago, my sister and I visited Longwood Gardens for their annual Christmas display.  Needless to say, it was magical and breathtaking.  Lorrie called me earlier this week to firm up our plans for this year.  I'm so excited because I'll be able to document our visit with my new camera.  Somehow, I missed sharing my photos from our 2008 visit.  They were taken with my old camera, but the beauty of Longwood shines through.  So come along with me, and we'll start the holiday season early.

 

 

This is the scene that greeted us as we entered the Conservatory.

 

 

I've never seen so many pointsettias in one place in my life!

 

 

 

I love the way the light played with the petals and leaves.

 

 

There was no shortage of Christmas trees!

 

 

The theme for that year was cranberries, so of course, there was a cranberry bog.

 

 

As always at Longwood, you have to remember to look up.

 

 

 

I love white lillies.

 

 

There was a gorgeous white poinsettia topiary surrounded by a sea of red geraniums.

 

 

 

 

The horse is made entirely of vines!

 

 

The cold didn't seem to deter this little fellow.

 

Sometimes we just have to remember all the beauty that surrounds us.

 

Until next time,

 

 

 

 

A Partridge In A Pear Tangle

It's been five days since my last post.  Normally,  I don't like letting it go that long, but I've been working a special art project. 

 

 

Partridge In A Pear Tangle

11 x 15

Pen and Ink and Watercolor on 140lb cold press

 

Initially, I was not keen on using wet media over pen and ink, but Sakura Pigma Micron pens live up to their reputation: no smearing or bleeding.  I think I'm onto something here!  I love adding washes of color to these drawings.  I drew the basic outline on the paper in light hard pencil (4H).  The hard pencil does not smear like a regular no. 2.  The patterns were drawn in ink.  I used some of my own tangle patterns in addition to others I found online.  After the tangles were drawn, I erased the pencil outline with a white eraser.  I dampened each area to be painted, and added color in layers.

I'm in love with this process.  I have so many ideas!   This is such an expressive, but forgiving art form.

It is a gorgeous day here in Pennsylvania.  I opened the shutters in the studio, and pulled up the blinds.  The sun is shining and there isn't a cloud in the sky.  I'm trying to enjoy this - winter is on it's way.  I think about all of you every day.  I'm so grateful to visit with you.  I hope you are finding your own kind of sunshine today.  God bless you.

 

Until next time,