Monday, July 21, 2014

Some Summer crafts

    Time to post! I have made a few things this summer to share..


         I got nostalgic this big birthday year and upgraded my baby book. The black pages were fraying, so I cut out all the photos and put them on new black pages in a new book. I moved quickly with scissors and Aleen's original Tacky Glue. I preserved Mother's white ink and just LOVE it. Some of the photos were so small that I enlarged them to add toward the end. I will fix Joe's next!

          Summer is a time of trips and crafts, so I got out my old books with essays about Winston Churchill's taking up painting.  I even tried to paint David (not easy) with my alkyds (oils with a fast drying resin). I only spent a couple of hours, a few evenings, and there is more to go. "If you don't use a talent, you lose it" I am finding is true. But I will keep trying. So glad to paint again. In that spirit, I mailed to traveling Trilla, A Traveler's Guide to Painting in Watercolors since it is fun to sketch or paint to remember more. Connie says she sketches stick figures rather than takes photos because it makes indelible the moments. I agree. For me, a .05 permanent black marker, water soluble colored pencils and a watercolor brush with a water holder in the handle fill the bill. I scribble and color while Joe drives.

         The girls were playing with gimp but never braiding the old fashioned lanyards I made at camp. Rather than explain, I got more hooks and gimp spools at Ben Franklin. I found I could secure the strings of gimp under the top of a clipboard, keep it in my lap at first and as the lanyard got longer, move the board to a drawer. It was not easy, since the specific long lanyard pattern was not on-line, but I made one and attached a flashlight to it. I improved immensely on Erika's pink and white one...but no photo! There are patterns for gimp keychains, square and diamond patterns on line. Patience is required: a two hour job, I think.

     

           One more thought: Before going to the beach the next time, check out all the tricks for clever and detailed sand sculpture on line at YouTube. I love YouTube and Google! So much to learn, so little time.

14 comments:

  1. Am I ever looking forward to my trip to the Big Bend? Yes! More than ever--fun all the way. Something new--I'm the kid the art teacher sent to the library in 5th grade because "it's better for both of us." We'll see!

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  2. Linda...love portrait of your grandson...very very well done. You must be very picky about your work! Rita

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    1. David has asked me over and over to paint a portrait of him. Each granddaughter has a couple, full length. This is a start. We are keeping him for a few days so I am eager to see his reaction when he runs across the canvas. He may have some feedback...for the left side of his head :*))

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  3. Fascinating, as always. I especially LOVE the painting of David. You are such a good portrait painter, whether you will admit it or not! Keep up the good work...so wonderful!

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    1. Too bad I didn't get a chance to get David's reaction to the painting.
      Joe had showed him already and we were busy as one gets w grands. I did read Grimm's to him!

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  4. I always love reading your blog. It's great you worked on your baby book. Maybe I'll be inspired to do something with mine. Not to mention my kids.

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    1. Yesterday, I redid Jr Hi and Hi School years. Now if I could just edit the house as well! :*))

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  5. This is now trial number 5. I won't bore you or your readers with my issues! I loved this post. The portrait of David is super, and you need to keep up the good work with your painting. The baby book project, so good; I should do the same with mine. And the lanyards! What happy memories those evoke of my days at camp!

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  6. I love your painting of David as is. All your activities put me to shame. It took me two years to put Wade's book together. I should do one for Sharif.
    NM

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  7. PS: You were really a cute little girl.
    NM

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  8. I don't know how or why I missed this post! it is really a good one with very special photos. I agree with Nancy--what a cute little girl you were and the painting of David is wonderful, as I have told you elsewhere! Sorry to be so late commenting!

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  9. Hi, Linda. I'm trying to get my computer desktop reorganized, so that I can access the blogs that I have always enjoyed reading. Your blog is one of them! I like to check them daily to see what's been posted.

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  10. Thanks for sharing your riches with me. I keep thinking, "How did she learn all of these methods? Didn't I have the same opportunities in Amarillo schools and in college classes?" The answer then hits me between the eyes: " Talent unequal, RA....Deal with it." I do especially like the method you used in the painted pics of Joe...Patches of colors, you know. Such fun! Love U

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