Peach Coglo

Sketchbook~May 25, 2012

Presently, I am trying to capture the essence or impression of my subjects.  It's not the easiest thing to be sketchy, at least for me.  I think relaxing more while I paint would improve things. 

I wish you all much joy and contentment in whatever you are practicing.  Everyone had such lovely and beautiful practices; thanks for sharing what you are working on with others.  It is always inspiring.

This weekend we are hoping to mostly stay near to the roost.  Helena will participate in a Memorial Day parade and we'll be lighting a candle to remember those who have sacrificed so much.  What are you up to this weekend?

Well, I am off to deliver my second commission, yay!  I'm feeling a bit nervous about presenting it to her, hope she likes it.

 

Have a lovely weekend.  I'll be back at this space on Tuesday, hope to see you then.

Simple sketch of two ladies-working on impressions. . . .

Sketchbook~May 18, 2012

A peek at my sketchbook.  .  . I need to start drawing and painting more so I'll be sharing my sketchbook pages in whatever state they are in at the moment, finished or unfinished.  It's unfinished this week.  I am hoping this will get more drawing more.  Practice, practice, practice.  What are you practicing lately?

Have a fantabulous weekend friends.

 

 

 

 

Toasty

What the what?  It's already Wednesday, time to join Ginny for yarn along.

Every week I am in disbelief at how fast Wednesday rolls around.  It's absolutely insane.  Well let's get to it.  I finally got started on my fingerless mitts.  It took a while to get the engine going.  May Madness started early and I am bushed already. But I pushed through it and I am happy to say I am moving along on my little project that's just for me.  I also realized that it's almost teacher/aide gift time again.  Not to add anymore to my plate, but there are a few quick projects I am eyeing.

On the book front, we are almost at the end of Then There Were Five.  I did put everything down for a new book called I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames: My Insane Life Raising Two Boys with Autism.  I haven't decided how I feel about it yet, except that there are some parts I can relate to (constant questions, worry).  The author has a rather, hmm, bawdy tone, so be forewarned.  However, it is plain she adores her kids and would do anything for them.  One of her sons provides poetry and writings for the book also.  He is quite the interesting kiddo.  The author's writing is incredibly honest, and you will get a good peek into different types of autism.  I say that because every child's autism is different from the next.  "Once you meet one child with autism, you have met one child with autism."

I am almost done with Naturally Fun Parties for Kids.  It is a blast.  I cannot wait to try some of these ideas.  Actually, I will wait until after May Madness is over.

Well that's it for me.  What are you making and reading this week?

Sorry for Party Rockin'

Doran loves to write and read.  It's like a light has switched on lately.  The boy just loves language.  We can add this love to his other loves-art and music. 

Doran has been at it on his walls again.  He loves himself a big "canvas".   Greg and I are going to try to get a section of his wall painted with chalkboard paint this summer.  I am sure he will go "out of bounds", but who knows.  It's worth trying.  I think we'll have him help paint his walls too.  Perhaps we'll try a whiteboard-again.  Last time he destroyed it and wouldn't keep it on his wall.  Hmm, this should be very innerestin'.

Some kids have posters of groups on their walls, Doran writes.  Greg and I fell over with laughter when we started reading what he wrote.  Doran is a hoot.  Check out his walls and see if you can spot any songs or groups you like.  Sorry for party rockin'.

 

Give a Child a Marker and

see what he does.

 

It's all worn and washed off now, but boy does he know how to wield a fast marker.

Studio Process

It was Amanda over at Soulemama who said she tries to remember that one person's mess is another person's progress.  I would add that one person's mess is another person's process .  The other day I was able to work in my studio and noticed I had a lot of process going on; it's a good thing though.  Hopefully with more time doing the work, I'll have some things to show you soon.

Have a great Tuesday my friends!

First Toy

It's Wednesday; you know what to do . . . joining Ginny for yarn along.

This week I am bending the yarn along rules a bit as there have been requests for several photos of The Penguin. ;-)

I finished the penguin-unbelievable.  I am pretty stoked.  The penguin was pretty easy as he was all garter stitch.  This was a great confidence boosting project.  I never imagined I would be knitting toys-ever.  I am proud to say this one looks almost exactly like the one in the book.  I am thinking for my next penguin, I'll add a bit of yellow-orange for the border so it will look more like an Emperor penguin.

The pattern is from Itty Bitty Toys, one of the best knitting books I have come read.  There is also a nice section with super-clear pictures of techniques like the kitchener stitch.  I have the kiddos searching through the book for something to make next.  So far Helena likes the lamb; Elijah is undecided; Doran says "yeah" to just about any project I show him, and Eden wants everything.  She even made the hand motion over a photo with a large collection of the projects featured in the book.  Me, I am partial to the knitted nesting boxes.  I love boxes, plus I am always looking for pretty storage for various bits and pieces floating around my house.

For my next project though, I am making Valentine hearts from this pattern.  Let's hope it works out.  I have never knit front/back so this should prove interesting.

While Eden loves her penguin, the look on her face is not from shock that I finished her toy, but the result of a dastardly cold.  She is such a trooper-poor thing.

I am still reading Just One Thing, and it's making a difference.  For example, I was much calmer last week when I discovered I got the kids out of school early for a dentist appointment on the wrong day-a week early to be exact.  Oops.  In the past I would have berated myself for the goof, the "wasted" time, and added inconvenience.  This time I gave myself a  break and it felt good.   It was nice for the kids to watch me make a mistake and not get upset about it.  This week's intention is seeing the good in myself. 

The kids and I are still reading Heart and Soul.  I'm learning new things too.  We are also delving into Our White House simultaneously.  We'll read about President Lincoln in Heart and Soul and then check out the "articles" about him and his family in Our White House.  I love going to varying resources about the same subject with the kiddos.  We are reading about slavery, Lincoln, abolitionists and free blacks in Heart and Soul.  In Our White House, we learned how Lincoln "spoiled" his sons and that a free black woman, Elizabeth Keckly was Mrs. Lincoln's personal seamstress and close friend.  She was the first person Mrs. Lincoln called for when President Lincoln was assassinated.  This is some amazing stuff.  Of course, I am a bit of a history nerd.

What are you reading and making lately?

Words to Live By

On this ninth day of Christmas and as we start to settle into the new year, I have been thinking about resolutions and habits and the ruts we as humans get ourselves into.  I don't have much truck for resolutions.  It is convenient to try to start new things on the first of the year, but why not start anytime.  As for resolutions, I think it's time to be more gentle with ourselves.   So often we are bent on improving ourselves, adopting and attaining an expectation or a goal someone else set for us.

As always, my children are great teachers, as I struggle and work through the challenges of life.  One thing I have been thinking in depth about this past year is expectations and assumptions.   Yesterday, I read a thoughtful post on Tiny Buddha about the meaning of expectations and what happens when my expectations or assumptions aren't met. 

I am starting to realize that when I get frustrated or angry about a messy room, autism,  a super-slow driver, my "inability" to plow through a pretty long self-inflicted to-do list or even someone else's expectations of me, something is a bit out of whack.  I was expecting something, the traffic, the state of my to-do list, the kitchen, the laundry or other people's behavior, to be different.  I was assuming that the other person would make the same choices I would make or do what I would do.  Why?

I realize I am not alone in having expectations, making assumptions and having feelings of frustration when things don't turn out like I expected.  It seems to be our condition.  Hopefully though, with some practice, I might lessen the effects of unmet expectations, unspoken assumptions.  I find that in the moments that I can achieve this, I feel pretty content.

In the article, the author, Lori Deschene, wrote what I feel to be some wonderful truths.  She stated  "the cause of most conflict in relationships: one person does [or says] something or doesn’t do [or say] something, and the other [person] makes assumptions about what [it all might] mean."  Lori was talking about relationships in her article, but I think this lesson can apply to pretty much everyone we run into during our day.  "[P]eople are generally doing their best", including you and me.

How about you?  Do you have words to live by?

Drawing with Toddler

I have resigned myself to the fact I can't paint watercolor while Eden is in her present stage-too much risk of things going wrong.  I tried but no go.  It's hard to get an even wash when someone needs their 6th clementine peeled or they have a sudden need to go to the bathroom.  If she would nap, then it would be another story.  Alas, she has decided she needs no stinkin' nap.  So after some thought, I just adapted my attitude and medium.

I have discovered I can draw while she is up with not much risk of disaster.  Yay!  Hopefully this will encourage her to do more of her own drawing.  Double yay!  I draw in the day and paint at night before I get to bleary-eyed.  So it's been an adjustment, with some tweaking, but it's been cool planning drawings for eventual paintings and making them while hanging with Eden and listening to this.  I would even say it's rather meditative.

Light undersketch-hopefully for a Doran painting.

Detailed sketch for a detailed raspberry painting.  Don't scream Julie.  ;-)

Have a great Thursday!

Just Keep Swimming

As I try to start and finish several paintings, as I worry about the perspective and design of this piece and that, I remind myself to calm down and enjoy the process.

When it all seems too much (and there has been some of that lately), I remind myself of the words of the Wise One herself- "Just keep swimming.  Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming, swimming."

Hope your Thursday is a good one!