Pages from my art journal

I try to spend time every day doing art of some type.  Here are a few pages from my art journal.

A study of my eye

quick watercolors paintings of items in my house

 .

A self portrait.

The flowers, cut from scrap-booking paper, represent beautiful thoughts and ideas to paint.

Using an ink pen or felt tip marker makes me think before drawing a line or a mark.  I only have  one chance of drawing what I see.  My drawings of people have increased in their likeness using this method.  

zentangle is a fun, relaxing method to try

Doodles at the beach. 

I am still working on bird paintings.

A plein air painting I painted ( in oils) of my friends flowers as I sat in her rock garden.

Take a few minutes today and make something beautiful.  It will make you happy

Outdoor Bath

Four summers ago when I made a choice to rent out my "Little Red House" at the farm, I moved my 12 foot vintage trailer (see the remodel here) to the main acreage for a summer dwelling as I worked on my organic vegetable farm.  

The small trailer did not have a bathroom and needed I to find a solution. My FarmHer ingenuity kicked in and after walking around the farm seeking materials to use for an out door bath, I decided to use several of my cold frames to construct it.   Using the 12" high base of a large 6' by 16' cold frame, and by raising the plastic covered lid up on 8 foot posts for the roof, and laying redwood planks on top of the foot high base, it could made the perfect outdoor bath.  Using a second frame butted up along half the length added another 4 feet to the area for the claw foot tub.  A solar shower bag, port-a-potty, old farm bench, vintage curtains, cedar plank flooring, and claw foot tub make this a glamorous, outdoor room.

A collection of vintage bottles to hold shampoo and other bathing supplies. 

A smaller cold frame, flipped on end and adding shelves, holds towels and supplies.

The top of the bath is the plastic covered lid of the cold frame raised up on 8 foot 2x4's.

See the original post here

One day when my  grandson came for a visit, he declared "Grandma, you are not supposed to have a tree in your bathroom!"

Portable ART KIT

This handy travel kit sits in my hall way coat closet ready to grab on my way out the door.  It is filled with items to create art when ever the opportunity arises.

Using the plastic containers that you purchase containing gum, I have simply removed the gum and added water color pigment from the tubes of my most used colors.  The gum containers fit nicely in an empty breath mint tin.

The pack was purchased in a sporting goods store.  It is a pack that will strap around your waist.  I removed the water bottles that fit adjacent to the pouch and filled them with art supplies, colored pencils, markers, pen and ink, water color brushes etc.

This metal container originally held a pen and pencil set. I also filled it with empty gum containers filled with water colors or gouache.  The length also allows me to keep a brush and drawing pens or pencils in it.

The pockets  are spacious enough for various art sketch books and water color papers.

Windows of the Soul

I painted this several years ago for an entry in an art show.  It has been sitting, tucked away in the corner of my studio.  This past summer my husband and I traveled the roads through 10 states and often passed over the old Oregon trail.  As we stopped at several points of historical interest, I was reminded of this painting.  At the time I painted it, I had wanted to portray a strong, yet gentle woman, who had the courage to leave her home and trek west for a new life.  She is a courageous woman, a woman of strong faith, and a woman who toiled and worked hard to provide the basic necessities for her family.  Along her journey she endured many hardships, the death of a child or loved ones, hunger and fatigue, caring for others who are ill, old, and sickly, even when she is also suffering. She greets each day with prayer and gratitude for her blessings, never complaining of the hardships or giving up hope for the future.  In her eyes, the windows of her soul, I tried to convey the message of weariness, yet resilience, of her determination to put on her best bonnet (even though it is worn and dusty), and with her sadness tucked deep in her heart she faces the trail with new found joy of all the possibilities. 

STOP BY AND SAY HI

On August 23rd and 24th, I have been invited to set up camp at Rockin Robin's vintage store in Vernal.  I will be there giving tours of my remodeled 1965 Vintage Avion Trailer and selling  unique vintage items, my hand-made recycled bags, one of a kind unique up-cycled clothing, and my original oil paintings.

  Hours are 10:00 a.m. til 6:00 p.m.

This is a before picture after we had gutted all the worn out cabinets and walls.

 The bathroom before:

And AFTER!

Click here for the complete remodel 

My Kitchen Prayer

 While hunting for treasures in an old dusty thrift store, I found this vintage kitchen prayer plaque. It imediately brought back so many happy memories of my Grandmother's kitchen.  

One just like this hung on my grandmother's wall, so all who entered into her kitchen could read it.  My Grandma was a wonderful baker.  The smell of  donuts rising, and fresh bread baking are some of my fondest memories.  Grandma would give us a call and say she had just pulled the bread from the oven.  She lived just through the lot and we would scamper over immediately. Instead of cutting the bread the traditional way, she would slice the bread along the long edge, giving me the 10 inch piece of crust (my favorite).  I would smother it in real butter and drizzle dark, rich molasses over-top. MUMMMMM, a favorite memory that money couldn't buy. 

My kitchen prayer sits in a south window above the sink, as I don't have any wall space in my current kitchen.  Each day while doing the dishes, I can read it's timeless message, recall fond memories, and hopefully create some that my family will remember years from now.  Yes, when I bake bread, the loaves are cut the long, length-wise, slathered with real butter and drizzled with rich, dark molasses. I just wish the grand kids didn't live so very, very, far away.  

HANDMADE JOURNALS

A journal can be filled with thoughts, goals, art, moments in time to remember and cherish.

  A journal captures the small everyday happenings that can easily be forgotten if they

 are not written or recorded in some way.

I made myself a large stack of journals, each one is different and unique.  

 The generic, lined journals I had purchased to write in, sat unfilled on the shelf. 

 I needed something that would draw me to it, enticing me to fill the pages.

 This journal has a peacock theme running through out.

I chose to use papers that reflect the beautiful colors of a peacock, blues, greens, purple,

 and turquoise.

Torn pages from old calendars can be added.

Note cards, glued in and embellished, add interest.

Loose papers can be held in with craft-sized clothes pins, or large paper clips.

It is bound together by punching 5 equal distanced holes, and threading cotton twine through the holes.  I will fill the journal with thoughts, things I am grateful for, hopes, dreams, doodles, recipes, and moments in times that will someday be a treasured memory.

One of the journals I made into my 2017 calendar

Simply draw in the months of the year.

Extra papers for notes or lists of things to do.  Envelopes are glued in, slip in important receipts or mementos.

Use a unique, hand-made journal to record your travels and wanderings.

Second-Hand Treasures

Over the past year I have acquired a few second-hand, thrift store finds 

to go in our 1965 Avion camp trailer.  

A water pitcher and bowl for washing hands. 

 I also needed a table in the trailer. and when I found a matching pair of drop-leaf end tables, I purchased them hoping one would fit in the space between the counter and the bed. It fit perfectly!  The table is easily moved outside when camping for several days, or moved over in front of the bench when we are eating inside. 

Utensils will be stored in the drawer.

This glass pitcher with a copper handle and lid, holds my drinking water.

I can add a lighted candle underneath and warm water for tea if desired.  

Here is my favorite find, an antique, early 1900's seal skin suitcase.

  

The interior is in pristine condition. 

A perfect place to store my favorite vintage western shirt and fringed jacket.

I purchased it from OldRedHenVintage.etsy.com

I just received an email from

Claudia, the proprietor of Old Red Hen Vintage.

 She has generously offered my readers

 a coupon for 10% off your order from her wonderfully, unique store.

Add this coupon code VIP10 to your order when ordering.

I know you will find something great.  She has a good variety of vintage, and antique items.