A Winter Wonderland

 Take time for those things that bring you pure joy.

Jackson New Hampshire 2023 ❤️

Beth and Bea

     

My new class in Domestika has begun!

I have been spending some time drawing my drawing tools!

And 

getting ink all over my hands from my new fountain pen!

     Here is my favorite Love pen by Rae Dunn

followed by my new fountain pen, I hope we become friends soon,

and then my fine point sharpie.

Today I thought I would challenge myself to illustrate my paints.  The paint was pooling on the paper but I thought with a lot of time to dry it would be fine.  

My cat Beatrice had other ideas about it.  She jumped up on the desk and made her mark!

I signed both our names.  

 I think I'll frame it!

I just need her pawprint.

Finding solace with the help of Ella and Doodles

Day 46 of Coronavirus quarentine.

Or,

as a new teacher I discovered, 

Anne LaFollette 

refers to it,

Day 46 of 

Artist in Residence

Much better!

Honestly, I have been in a rut for much of this time.  It was not until this past week that I made it a daily practice to illustrate and paint.  Who helped me look forward to this practice?  Ella Fitzgerald.

Ella Sings Gershwin to be exact.  

The lyrics are timeless and her voice brings me comfort during days when I feel stuck or anxious or wondering what the future will bring. I get lost in the music as I enjoy experimenting with my new  watercolors.

I purchased Ella's box set at a sweet antique shop on the main street in Clinton, MA years ago.

Little did I know then, what solice the music would bring during a time that one could not even imagine.

I ordered new watercolors (Lightwish MeiLiang) and watercolor paper online and looked forward to their delivery, but when they arrived I was afraid to begin the process of painting. Not quite sure what to do, I just started.  I challenge myself daily to try something new, however small.  At first I started freehand but found that it was to open for me.  I need to sketch first with pencil lightly and then fill in the blanks.  With this method, I feel much more comfortable.  This and Ella makes for a day to look forward to.  Thank God.  Days of feeling stuck within the walls of mind were bringing me down.

Ella and watercolors are helping me climb out.

Also.  Big Help.  Online classes.

As stated earlier, I found a new teacher, Anne LaFollette.  She is offering a free class on surface design starting May 4th. 

Turning Doodles to Dollars

Additionally, Anne teaches a class in Skillshare which is another great place to find a class in something you love.

So looking forward to this!

Additionally, I started a new class today, through Domestika:  The Art of Sketching:  
Transform Your Doodles into Art by Mattias Adolfsson

I believe I found this website on Facebook and I am so happy I did.  They offer many classes at a very reasonable price.  I love this class so far!  Mattias has an extensive background in illustration and I really like his illustration style.  It is wonderful to connect with others from all around the world.  

I'm finding my Happy Place.

Hiking Summer of 2016

First hike of the summer with our dad's shillelagh.
Hope you enjoy the walk....
Love, Lizzy

What I am reading: I Quit Sugar by Sarah Wilson

Thanks for coming on over to my blog today!

I hope you are enjoying your day!

Boston, MA

I would love to share with you a new book I am diving into one toe at a time!

I Quit Sugar  by Sarah Wilson

It is a beautiful book with wonderful recipes and lots of information if you (like me) are interested in eating better.

I am starting off slow, as Sarah suggests.
I am enjoying shopping for new ingredients, (some I have never heard of before?) and putting them all together into something delicious and nutritious.

I purchase most of my ingredients from Wegmans, because that is my grocery store, and they have a great selection, also my local health food store and local farms.

I am new to eating good foods often.
My goal is to find recipes that I love so I will want to eat them as much as I love to eat cookies.


A great lunch idea...
inspired by Sarah

Marathon Bread (from Wegmans) toasted
with avocado,  fresh tomato (from Indian Head Farm) and a poached egg.

Post Script:  I have to share with you my awesome find on my next blog post for the best way to hull an avacado!

I am new to avocados.

Many say how easy they are to peel and remove the pit etc...
but I found this awesome tool that did it all lickety-split and I love it!!

Next...here is a recipe that Sarah suggests you try the first week.
I am really having so much fun!

Picture from;  I Quit Sugar by Sarah Wilson

This granola is so tasty and and fun to make.
One ingredient that was optional and new to me was
Brown Rice Syrup.

Lundberg Family Farms

Brown rice syrup is very thick like honey.

I baked my granola for 35 minutes but forgot to mix it up while checking on it.
It might have cooked quicker had I done that.

The kitchen smelled devine!

As soon as it was slightly cooled I topped it on some fresh fruit.

I purchased a cute jar (made in Italy) to put my homemade granola in!  

Purchased at Wegmans

I lifted up both sides of my parchment paper to make a sort of a tube and it slipped right in my jar!

Yum!

World Watercolor Month July 2016

This month is World Watercolor Month!  Are you up for a challenge of using watercolors every day for the month of July?  I thought I would give it a try since I love to use watercolors as a medium.  I love them more for coloring than actual painting, but nevertheless, I thought I would see where this challenge would bring me!  I have never used paints from the tube before....so another new challenge for me....
Last night I started warming up with oranges and yellows....

World Watercolor Month July 2016

Up, Up and Away....

I recently found out about a job opportunity that looked like it might be a match.  It matched all that I had been in the past with a little of what I was loving in my present.  It matched a schedule I was used to and it provide a salary I had, in the past become accustomed to.

I applied, and although some/a lot of it was outside of my comfort zone, I continued to pursue it.

I realized that I would have to muster up lots and lots of energy for the responsibilities it entailed.  Where would all that energy come from?  Well, I thought, it would just well up from inside me.  The salary is substantial and I would need to show them I am worth every penny.

This job I knew would have taken every thing I had to give and more.

I would give it my all.

In the end, I did not get the job.  Someone with more experience got it.

In my head..."Yeah!  I am so relieved."
  

I immediately thought...What do you really want to do? And the answer came...

I want to write and illustrate books for children.

Now,

I could use all that energy, I knew I could muster

 to give to the calling that is tugging at my heart.