Watercolor Wednesday #4

I have a few new projects to share.

I didn't paint much for a week or so.

I've been sick again.  I really am thinking I need to work on my immune system.  This time it went to my chest and I saw the Dr.  Several meds later I'm better but still not well.  I've been resting, sleeping, reading and watching TV.  Trying not to do much of anything and give my body a chance to heal.  

A class on wreaths with flowers

I did two and like them fairly well.

Then I decided to add 'Choose Joy' to the center of this wreath.  Disaster! 

So I kept adding and adding until I ended up with this mess!

So less is more and I also find I'm not good with painting words.  Still I learned from it and that is the whole point in it!

I shared these pages from my workbook last time.  I decided to just keep playing with the page on the left and this is how it turned out.  I used a cheap $4 set of pan paints from Michael's as the teacher did.  So you can use inexpensive paints to start and get fair results.

It really was a lot of fun!  I'm feeling more confident in my color mixing.  I'm trying to loosen up and just have fun.  Where I made muddy flowers I added some ink pen to it and saved it I think.

Another class on loose painting with a large round #12 brush.

This was good for me. I find that I like smaller brushes because I have better control but the large brushes can make such pretty blends.  So trying to push myself out of my comfort zone.

More large brush work trying to make Roses at the top from a tutorial.  I think it's a fail.  Then I just played with colors.

Trying some new techniques using different brushes.

More color and this feel like a success to me.  Not complete but a good practice piece.

So that's the watercolor fun from the last couple of weeks.  

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Scout Turns Two!

Scout's birthday arrived on Easter this year.  So what better way to celebrate then church and a family meal!

This little dress was so cute on her.  A Birthday/Easter dress from Grandma and BB!  She loves bright colors.

A simple table setting.

This little girl is so sweet and enjoyed her birthday very much! 

I got her this adorable little doll house!

It is just right for a little two year old!

I can't imagine life without sweet 

Rosemary Scout!

Of course being Easter there were baskets of fun for both Grands!

And a special gift for Tiger

A storybook Bible

He can't wait to have us read him stories.

No family photos this year.

It was a wild and crazy day, 

but so much fun! 

I am blessed! 

Linda

Watercolor Wednesday #3

April is such a busy month around here but so much fun!  So I haven't had as much time to watercolor as I hoped but have managed a few lessons and practice here and there! 

I finished the Sweets class with

Various fruits...

and Ice Cream Cones

I really messed up the top left cone but after it dried I added some ink pen and it really helped.  Teaching me to keep trying!

I took a class on painting a butterfly

screen shot of the butterfly we are going to paint...let's see if mine looks anything like this.

I started with a pencil sketch.  I really hate sketching because I think I'm horrible at it, but following the lesson I gave it a try.  

Not bad.

I mixed paint to get a color close to the teachers.  It was fun and I'll try to do more color mixing soon.

I'm still having trouble getting the right mix of paint and water, but it will just take more practice.

As you can see I got mine way darker then the example but I like it.  I added the wreath around it just because! 

I decided to make some bookmarks for my Methodist women's circle.  I had the program for April again and last year I made butterfly bookmarks for them.  My daughter Sara really liked the daffodils I
painted a few weeks ago, so I decided it was simple and I could make 15 of them! 

I did!  I think they came out pretty well.

Close up of a couple of them.  Everyone loved getting them and I have some to share with the ladies in my Bible Study group also.  I left them blank so they could add a favorite Bible verse of their own. 

I'm just starting a new lesson on flowers again.  Trying to be 'loose' with the brush and let the color 'flow'

I'll keep practicing and maybe do a bouquet on a good sheet of paper and see if it's frameable!

I do love the new watercolors I told you about last time.  I need to learn much more about mixing colors for sure.  I found a fabulous deal on some porcelain pallets with free shipping so purchased a couple.  

I like mixing on the porcelain since the paint doesn't bead up like it does on plastic or metal pallets.  

I'm hoping to have a thrifty finds post up on Friday!  See you then!

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

April 7th Is A Special Day!

Today is one of my favorite days.  Six years ago my little Tiger was born and I became a Grandma! 

I was over the moon with joy and I still am.  He brings so much fun and love to my life.  We will be celebrating later with pizza, cake and of course gifts!

Scout will have a birthday on Easter Sunday!

Eating Ice Cream is always fun! 

I missed Watercolor Wednesday this week but will be back next week I hope.  April is a busy month but I'm finding bits of time here and there to paint.

Speaking of Easter...

My little bunnies and a lamb came out to visit the cubbies! 

I have seriously downsized my rabbit collection once again, saving only my favorites!  I love both of these found at a thrift shop years ago.

The Avon bunny collection grows with the addition of the large egg cup bunny found last year.

Two of my favorite bunnies came out to play.  I did not realize until editing the photo that I had arranged them in a rather 'risque' way.  Whoops...you know what they say about bunnies!

That's better!  Still one of my better thrifty finds at .88 each! 

We had some horrible storms Wednesday that hit a lot of the country.  Now it's sunny but colder.  Still better then that rain.  I think I better go wrap some birthday boy's gifts! 

Wishing you JOY,

Linda 

Watercolor Wednesday #2

Where did this week go? 

I have been busy but still this week really flew by!  Monday I met 5 of my wonderful Atlanta blogging friends (although I think I'm the only one still blogging at this point).  We had a great lunch at Joyce's and caught up as it had been about a year since we had seen each other.  Lots of talk, good food, fun gifts and more talk. It was wonderful to see Joyce, Sue, Denise, Sandie and Cheri! What I didn't get was a photo...

nope not a one! 

So back to the Watercolor

I wanted to use some orange/yellow colors and had a good time painting.  I love the daffodils and the carrots aren't bad for a first time.  The other 'item' started out as an Easter egg, then looked like a bunny so I added ears and now it looks like an Easter egg with ears. 

Oh well...they aren't all winners! 

This page was more successful I think!

I'm working right now in my sketchbook and trying to paint a little each day.

I love the butterfly and will try to make a larger one soon.  I think I like little paintings as I seem to have more brush control.  

To expand my learning curve I am doing a class called 'Easy Watercolor Sweets & Treats'  I'm not done with all the lessons but this is what I've painted so far.

I like the bigger slice but tried to make two others to practice the technique.  Not so good.  I'm learning about layers and blending.

Next up was a donut and cookie

(I labeled them in case I couldn't tell what they were...keeping it real here)

Next up will be ice cream cones, maybe by next week I'll have that page done. I am enjoying this and pushing myself outside my flower comfort zone.

Back before Christmas I won a $100 Visa card giveaway.  It took forever for it to finally get to me but I've been saving it for something special.  I started using it to buy some good brushes and paints for my hobby.  I am mostly using student grade watercolors and they are great but I wanted a tube set of professional grade watercolors.  I looked at many of them, read reviews, priced them (yikes $$$) but decided on this set I found on Amazon.

These paints got very good reviews and were pretty highly recommended especially since you can get them right now on Amazon at such a great price.

This set of 36-7ml tubes if bought individually would cost over $300 and I was able to buy it for $60 with free Prime shipping.

All these lovely tubes of paint will last me a very long time.  I thought about a primary color set but since I'm not very good at mixing colors yet decided on this set instead.

AND it came with a palette!  

I made a color chart (which I need to redo since I made a mess of it).  I have played with them a little but this week will try to work exclusively from this set and see how I like them.  The colors are vibrant and rich and should be fun!

These last few days of March are full of pollen and my allergies have flared up.  Still I'm hanging in there!

April starts the 'month of birthdays' so hopefully lots of photos of the Grands as they celebrate. 

Wishing you JOY,

Linda