Drawing 101

I took a fun portrait drawing/painting workshop today at the Woodburn Art Center.

They have such a light filled workroom.  On the walls are examples of other classes that are currently being taught at the facility by various teachers.

Students gathering supplies while, Richard, the instructor looks on.

 

 

 

Class mascot, Brody.  He had worked hard…….needed a nap!

 

 

My work in progress drawing above. The ladies at this table were much more creative in their use of color and design.  Free expression was encouraged!

I love to see what other people do.  So much fun to be in a room with all that creativity going on!

 

 

Tho’ it was fun, it was work too…….you have to concentrate, it seems! 

Great way to spend a Saturday.

White with a touch of color………

I did not think I would have time today to join the White Wednesday party at Kathleen’s Faded Charm but decided  to take a moment and do a quick post.

Last Wednesday, I talked about painting the hall in preparation for new carpet.  I showed a picture of the linen closet, I had just finished painting and I had added some old glass knobs.  I thought they added a nice touch of glam.

However, on Thursday, I went shopping at Anthropologies…….enough said.  Wow, that is drawer knob heaven!  I decided a touch of color might kick up the all white hallway.  I wanted something that had an interesting profile since that is really what you notice when walking down the hall.  I love anything botanical, so I choose this……………..

  

Then, I added this………….

It takes so little to make me happy!

A taste of spring comes to Oregon….

In our corner of the world, most of the past week has seen sunshine and temps in the high 50s to 60 degrees.  It is common for us to have a week of great weather in February and this year did not disappoint.

So, yesterday, Jack decided to take his people for a walk in the woods.  Off we went to Champoeg State Park, a lovely park on the Willamette River that was the location of the first seat of government in the Oregon Territory.

  Here Ron and Jack take a short break during our two mile stroll along the river bank.

 

 

Guess what, we all slept well last night.  When we got up this morning Jack thought he had had so much fun yesterday, he wanted to try that hiking-thing again.

This time we drove a few miles north to Canby and the Molalla River State Park.  Wow, another great park with a huge off leash area for the puppies.

  The path is not paved, but it is a perfect spot for the Jack to run and explore.  It was fairly level for people walking and not muddy.  Jack liked it, he wants to go again……soon!

 

Nothing says Oregon better than a photo of Mt. Hood.

Likewise, nothing says spring is on its way better than a fluffy, white tree in full bloom!

Hope there are signs of spring in your life!

Easy to make treasure for baby……….

Three years ago, one of our oldest Granddaughter’s gave birth to our first Great-granddaughter, considering how YOUNG I am, I know you are shocked!

Wanting to do something unique, I decided to design and make a PERSONALIZED baby book!  Trust me this is a very entry level craft but, also, a very special keepsake for baby and parents.

I started with an 8” by 6” artist sketch pad with a metal ring binding.

Each page is covered with scrapes of scrapbook paper, embellishments, stickers, brown paper bags and ribbons.

  There are 34 pages in my book, I’m not sure it is necessary to have that many. 

I created many pages with scrapbook paper pockets or used brown paper bags for pockets/memorabilia/photo holders.

Then the fun began…the first page was reserved, of course, for the basic baby stats.  Her mom used stickers to fill in the info.

 

Then I added prompt questions i.e. “This is how and where my Mom told her family that she was expecting me and what they said”, same for telling Dad’s family.  Next, “Which friends my Mom and Dad told and what they said!”.

Then a pocket labeled “The first pictures of me, in my Mommy’s tummy!”  and “Place I went with my Mom and my Dad (sometimes) before I was born, the facing page is a brown paper bag for saved receipts and tickets.

Place for a picture of Emma’s first room, along with paint, fabric and carpet samples.  I included questions about how Mom and Dad celebrated their first Mother and Father’s Day.

Other fun stuff included how much weight Mom AND Dad gained!  Also, included is a page for both Mom and Dad to write a message to Emma expressing some of their special thoughts about having this beautiful baby girl.

Mom’s friends and relatives held five separate baby showers, so, I left lots of room for invitations, gift lists and pictures.

You can create this memory filled baby book.  It is a way to encourage Mom and Dad to write down some of the “little” things, that years later when that baby is 16 and six inches taller than them, they might wonder about but can’t remember.  If, you’ve have children you’ll know the questions or you can ask someone who has.

Have fun and if you make a book, I’d love to see the photos………I’m off to make another baby book, Emma is expecting a sister in a couple months. 

White Woodwork Wednesday……

My only New Year’s Resolution for 2010 was to select, buy and have installed new flooring for two-thirds of the house.  I started to do this a couple years ago and just gave up, I was overwhelmed by the choices….so many colors, so many styles, do we do all carpet, do we do laminate, I gave up! 

So, this year I decided I had to make it happen.  Again the CHOICES, not to even mention the cost!

Turns out choices might have been the easy part, ‘cause now we must, basically, move out of our house, have the carpet installed and move back in.  So, I started packing away all things breakable, emptying drawers and washing down walls………then it came to me……. I had to paint the woodwork.

Ours is the typical ranch style house built in the ‘80s with dark cabinets and wood work.  Through the years, as I have painted a room, I have painted the woodwork white.

All rooms EXCEPT the hallway, of course, where there are five doors and a linen closet.  Now, at least, the trim around the doors and the linen closet are painted and I added some old glass knobs…..when the weather breaks we can take the doors outside to paint them……..Yeah! I made a resolution and kept it!

Check out the other White Wednesday participants at Faded Charm and have a great, sunny day!

White Wednesday….all about Bauer pottery!

 

In the early ‘90s I feel in love with pottery……..bright, colorful pottery.  At first, I would buy pieces just for the color but as the collection grew I decided to concentrate on just one manufacture……….thus the beginning of a fairly large collection of Bauer pottery.

We still have many colorful pieces of kitchen ware but today I’m sharing some of the white pieces.

The two tall vases on the back of the top shelf, my husband found at Goodwill for a dollar or two each, boy, was he happy!  The candleholders we got at Expo.  The ducks came from the Salem Collector’s Market.  That’s one of the fun parts of collecting, remembering when and where a piece came into your possession.

Every good Bauer collector should have a swan or two!

Aside from Bauer, I love and collect, shells.  This great three shell dish I purchased at a very wet, outdoor sale in Camas last September from Debbie at Ormolulu.  Another memorable day!

Silver Sunday…….two of my favorites!

I wanted to participate in Gypsy Fish Journal’s Silver Sunday last Sunday but wouldn’t you know…….Saturday night the computer crashed!  After six days without, I’m very happy to be up and running, amazing how dependent upon a machine we can become.

I love old dented and tarnished silver and have several pieces but my very favorite is this Trophy bowl, that reads “Salem Cherry Fair 1908/1st Prize/Royal Ann 10 lb. box/Presented by E. T. Barnes”.  I wonder what qualities that box of cherries had that the others did not!  Why does it state who it was presented by, but not who it was presented to?  I love it, love it………so much personality, so much character, so much history.

My second favorite is this punch bowl.  Very art deco with its’ knobs of red bakelite on the top and the ladle, all in shiny aluminum.  The Ruby Red glasses I added after purchase.

And finally, my Valentine Greeting to All……….a vintage valentine giving a standing ovation to a bowl full of Frozen Charlottes.