Sunday Sketches

I do not know if I have a Christmas Cactus or a Thanksgiving Cactus?

Either way this cactus blooms twice a year! Maybe it is an Easter Cactus?

I could not resist capturing the beauty of its shapes.



Happy Holidays!

What Is This???

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS?



















Frosty the Snowman's baby photo :)

Original Dog Paw Print Wrapping Paper

Here is a great idea for original wrapping paper and you will not have the mess of letting your dog walk all over wrapping paper with painted paws.

Make a paw print stamp!

What you will need:

1. Clay (regular modeling clay, modeling compound, or Play-Doh)
2. Petroleum jelly
3. Hot glue gun & glue sticks
4. Several small blocks of wood, a little larger than you do's paw
5. Sandpaper
6. Roll of plain paper
7. Nontoxic, washable poster paint
8. Paper plate
9. Paper towels

How to make it:

1. Work the clay with your hands until it is soft and pliable, then form several disks of clay, about 1/4 inch thick, a little larger in diameter than your dog's paw. The disks should not be very thick, so the paw print will be as flat as possible, to make a good stamp.

2. Press your dog's paw gently into each disk. The paw print should be shallow, while still being clearly a paw print.

3. Coat the inside of the paw print and the surrounding area of the clay with a think layer of petroleum jelly.

4. Plug in the hot glue gun. Fill the paw prints with hot glue, filling in each indentation, then covering the whole paw print and about 1/4 inch surrounding it with a thick layer of glue.

5. Gently place a wooden block on top of each paw print. This will be the back of your stamp. Allow the glue to dry for about five to ten minutes.

6. Gently remove the blocks and glue prints from the clay mold. If some of the clay has melted or stuck to the mold, just wipe it off.

7. Sand the glue to be somewhat flat, or rub it against concrete, such as a front step or your driveway. This will make for a better stamp.

8. Spread paint thinly on a paper plate. Dip your stamps in. Make a few sample prints on the plate to find which stamps make the best prints. Use the best ones for your wrapping paper project.

Stamp away on your wrapping paper or use the stamp to "sign" cards, seal envelops, or letterhead.

Be sure to treat your dog for helping you with this art project.

Image After Meditation

Into the dark days, but I surprisingly found a sunny spot.

One might think I have cat blood, but just a positive reaction to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

On another note, have you ever seen a depressive cat?
They totally know the benefits of sunspots.

After meditating in the sunspot dressed in hat, gloves, and blanket, I went indoors to paint a mandala. This image appeared.


I know not where this is going.........

Stay tuned!

Sunday Sketches

This is a watercolor sketch.

I was demonstrating to a group of women at an assisted living center how to use watercolor to paint a bouquet of flowers. To my surprise I liked the way this quick painting turned out and did not want to mess it up with details. Take a close up view of the flowers to see what I mean.....

Sand Canvas

While humankind has surely been creating artworks out of sand since long before we have been able to preserve any trace of their fleeting existence, few sand artists can have worked on such a scale as Peter Donnelly.

Sunday morning when the tide goes out, Donnelly cycles down to the beach below New Brighton pier in New Zealand, with a rake and stick for paintbrushes and creates.

Elaborate patterns integrate seamlessly with more recognisable forms as Donnelly's works come to life beneath his dancing feet and the deft movements of rake and stick.

Peter Donnelly has been the subject of an acclaimed documentary, directed by Valerie Reid, extracts from which can be seen below.

Sunday Sketches

I could not resist the urge to paint the Peruvian children's faces as they gathered to have their picture taken the day we visited the mountain school. I love the faces as well as the colors and designs of the textiles.

I am thinking of creating a painting on a larger scale in oils.....

This one is for the Sketchbook Project 2012.....