Creativity, Crafts, Books, Movies, Greyhounds & Favorite Things

.

Here’s what’s been happening in my studio…

My focus the entire month of November is the Art Every Day Month challenge.

I’ve committed to starting a “girl” painting every day of the month.

This was the week of the “barely there” girls.

I’m blaming Thanksgiving.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

One week to go.

I didn’t have all my background canvases prepared when I started this challenge on November 1st, so I’ve been working on those. This is the only canvas I prepared this week with any detail. The remaining canvases, I’ll paint simply and add detail later.

Since I’m so busy with my girl paintings, I want to keep November’s “Try This” posts simple and fun.  I love making flowers, so all this month, I’ll do a different flower every week.  Last week’s flower was a simple fleece flower.

I had a card club on Sunday and we made a card and a gift tag.

Art Every Day Month – Day 26

Here is today’s girl…

Daily Inspiration

One should always be a little improbable.

Oscar Wilde

.

Today was my card club’s Card & Cookie Exchange.  This is my second year participating.  The rules were the same as last year…

1.  Bring one handmade card for each person.

2.  Bring one dozen homemade cookies for each person, plus some to share.

The cookie table was lovely.  Last year, my cookies didn’t turn out as well as I would have wished.  This year’s were better.  I made Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  The only thing I would have done differently…I made three batches all at once.  Oatmeal cookie dough is pretty stiff, so when it came time to add the cranberries and white chocolate bits, it was hard to incorporate them evenly.  If I did it again, I would make one batch at a time.  I don’t know these things because I only bake if I have to.

I love receiving the cards.  It’s so fun to see what everyone came up with.

We also made a card and a gift tag.

These are the lovely ladies I hang out with.

Me with my nieces

It was a great way to kick-off the Christmas season.

Art Every Day Month – Day 25

I’m participating in Art Every Day Month.  Every day during the month of November I’m going to start a painting. Most won’t be finished, but I’ll get something started…a lot or a little.

Daily Inspiration

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.

W. T. Ellis

.

With Thanksgiving over, it’s time to think about Christmas.  Fortunately, I don’t have too much “crazy” to contend with, but I thought a little list of “things to do” was in order.  Here’s my list of holiday preparations:

1.  Christmas Cards

• Purchase cards
• Order holiday picture prints
• Sign & address
• Stamps & mail

2.  Holiday Decorations

• Sort through Christmas decorations
• Just a few simple decoration

3.  Gifts

• List of gifts to purchase
• Shopping
• Wrapping
• Giving

4.  Events

• List of events and anything I need to do/purchase prior to the event

Art Every Day Month – Day 24

I’m participating in Art Every Day Month.  Every day during the month of November I’m going to start a painting. Most won’t be finished, but I’ll get something started…a lot or a little.

Daily Inspiration

If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place.

Eckhart Tolle

.

My challenge for November is to paint one girl painting every day.  I’m doing this for Art Every Day Month.  I wanted to have all my backgrounds done and ready to go on November 1st, but I was a few short, and as of tomorrow, I’m out of backgrounds.  I managed to paint one today.

I’m hopeful I’ll get the last six done this weekend.

Art Every Day Month – Day 23

Here’s today’s girl…just barely there.

Daily Inspiration

He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away.

Raymond Hull

.

I meant to take pictures of our Thanksgiving celebration and all the things I’m thankful for, but I got talking and laughing and eating and then the day was over. All that’s left is the clean-up…

and I’m grateful for all the things I have that lead to the need to clean-up like this.  Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

Art Every Day Month

Not surprisingly, I didn’t get much done on my girl painting for the day.  I’m participating in the Art Every Day Month.  Every day during the month of November I’m going to start a painting. Most won’t be finished, but I’ll get something started…a lot or a little.

Daily Inspiration

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.

W. J. Cameron

.

I love making flowers from fleece.  They’re soft, but the fleece gives them plenty of body.  Here’s cute and easy fleece flower.

Cut a strip of fleece.  Mine is 2″ x 16″.

Using a circle template, trace the petals.  In the spirit of the season, I used a can of turkey gravy.

Cut off the excess.

Along the straight edge, sew a running stitch using large stitches.

Gather and stitch the ends together.

I added a circle of felt to the back and a button to the center.

Art Every Day Month – Day 21

I’m participating in Art Every Day Month.  Every day during the month of November I’m going to start a painting. Most won’t be finished, but I’ll get something started…a lot or a little.

Daily Inspiration

Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it.

Soren Kierkegaard

.

Are these adorable or what?

Just apply the suction cup base to your glass…

…and you’ll always be able to identify which one is yours.

Art Every Day Month – Day 20

I’m participating in Art Every Day Month.  Every day during the month of November I’m going to start a painting. Most won’t be finished, but I’ll get something started…a lot or a little.

Daily Inspiration

Listen or thy tongue will keep thee deaf.

Native American Proverb

..

Here’s what’s happening in my studio…

My focus the entire month of November is the Art Every Day Month challenge.

I’ve committed to starting a “girl” painting every day of the month.

Most (probably all) won’t be finished, but I want to take this opportunity to start painting again.

My goal is to paint without much thought.

Just get the creative juices flowing…

…and see what girls show up.

I’m playing catch-up on getting my background canvases done.

This week, I painted four background canvases.

I kept them simple.

I’ll add more details and colors later.

Since I’m so busy with my girl paintings, I want to keep November’s “Try This” posts simple and fun.  I love making flowers, so all this month, I’ll do a different flower every week.  Last week’s flower was a felt flower with hand-stitched details.

Art Every Day Month – Day 19

Here is today’s girl…

Daily Inspiration

Music is the universal language of mankind.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

.

Last week, I changed responsibilities at work and this week includes the busy preparations for Thanksgiving, so my post today was going to be a simple little “Before” and “After” project.  But I forgot to take the “Before!” So…imagine a drop-front desk that is packed, every inch, full of stuff.

And here’s the “After”…

Art Every Day Month – Day 18

I’m participating in Art Every Day Month.  Every day during the month of November I’m going to start a painting. Most won’t be finished, but I’ll get something started…a lot or a little.

Daily Inspiration

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.

John Barrymore

.

My lovely daughter is writing a horror screenplay.  She’s asked me to read bits of it and give her feedback. Reading it has given me a hankering to read a good horror novel, so I was looking over the Bram Stoker Award winners.

The Horror Writer’s Association annually awards the Bram Stoker Award, named for the author of Dracula. First awarded in 1987, any work of horror first published in English is eligible for nomination by the HWA membership. Awards are given in twelve categories. The award itself consists of a 8″ replica of a fanciful haunted house, designed by sculptor Steve Kirk.

Below are the “Best Novel” Bram Stoker Award winners since 1987.  There was a tie in 1987 and 2005.  The novels I’ve already read are in red.  So what do you think?  Any suggestions from either the list or something you’ve read?  I’m ready to be scared.

1987 – Misey by Stephn King and Swan Song by Robert McCammon

1988 – The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

1989 – Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons

1990 – Mine by Robert McCammon

1991 – Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon

1992 – The Blood of the Lamb by Thomas F. Monteleone

1993 – The Throat by Peter Straub

1994 – Dead in the Water by Nancy Holder

1995 – Zombie: The Novel by Joyce Carol Oates

1996 – The Green Mile by Stephen King

1997 – Children of the Dusk (The Madagascar Manifesto, Book 3) by George Guthridge

1998 – Bag of Bones by Stephen King

1999 – Mr. X by Peter Straub

2000 – The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon

2001 – American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition: A Novel by Neil Gaiman

2002 – The Night Class by Tom Picirilli

2003 – Lost Boy, Lost Girl: A Novel by Peter Straub

2004 – In the Night Room: A Novel by Peter Straub

2005 – Creepers by David Morrell

2005 – Dread in the Beast by Charlee Jacob

2006 – Lisey’s Story by Stephen King

2007 – The Missing by Sarah Langan

2008 – Duma Key by Stephen King

2009 – Audrey’s Door by Sarah Langan

2010 – A Dark Matter by Peter Straub

2011 – Flesh Eaters by Joe McKinney

Art Every Day Month – Day 17

I’m participating in Art Every Day Month.  Every day during the month of November I’m going to start a painting. Most won’t be finished, but I’ll get something started…a lot or a little.

Daily Inspiration

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.

Ambrose Bierce