Red Rugosa Rose-hips with long Sepals

This is week #2 of my online class with the theme Autumn.
I love this weeks assignment. As soon as I saw the big red hips with the long skirt-like sepals I knew this was the picture I wanted to paint.


I did some color swatching. I also tested my inks for bleeding:


Then I drew in ink for 30 min.  This is how far I got. It was fun using the ink.
I used my TWSBI 540 pen and my free Noodlers pen. The ink is Noodler's The Heart of Darkness.


I worked on my center of interest first. I tend to paint the thing that catches my eye. Those rose hips really caught my eye. I have learned that if I am interested the painting will be interesting. If I am bored the painting will be boring to look at.  So that is why I will paint the thing that gets the juices flowing. I just love the long sepals on these hips too.


I wanted to get that glow that I saw in the photo and my watercolor paints didn't have that for me. So I took out my little glass yogurt jars that I got in France and put some ink, since this was an ink project after all, and diluted it with some water. I had one little jar that I let it be watery mud.


I continued to work from the center out. I did more ink work in black and then added some white ink. I would work a while and then set this painting on my mantel for the evening. Then I would just look over to it now and then. It is helpful to me to do this because I can see what my marching orders are for the next day when I will paint. I have to back up and view my work from a distance to really see what it needs.


So in the end I took the painting outside and took her photo. I tried different places in the yard, sometimes with the painting laying flat on the lawn, and sometimes sitting up on a table. It's strange how the colors change depending on the lighting of the yard. I can see it when I upload the photos.


I painted a black ink border around the painting too.
This was a fun assignment. I really enjoyed it.

{This Moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.






DAVID AUSTIN ENGLISH ROSE named BELLE STORY
grown in my garden by me.

{This Moment}

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

(not a single photo)

{This Moment}

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

You Know You’re Making Progress When--

Sierra and Carol (mom)

You Know You’re Making Progress When--

You can remember your child with a smile-- 
You realize the painful comments others make are made in ignorance--- 
You can reach out to help someone else-- 
You stop dreading holidays-- 
You can sit through a church service without crying-- 
You can concentrate on something besides your child-- 
You can find something to thank God for-- 
You can be alone in your house without it bothering you-- 
You can talk about what happened to your child without falling apart-- 
You no longer feel you have to go to the cemetery every day or every week-- 
You can tolerate the sound of a baby crying-- 
You don’t have to turn off the radio when his or her favorite music comes on-- 
You can find something to laugh about-- 
You can drive by the hospital or that intersection without screaming-- 
You no longer feel exhausted all the time-- 
You can appreciate a sunset, the smell of newly-mowed grass, the pattern on a butterfly’s wings--

~Judy Osgood 
TCF, Carmel/Indianapolis, IN

Another Painting

Well I finished the 4th painting for the online class: Imaginary Visit to the Garden.
This week we were doing Garden Tools.  I took a couple old tools from my garage and set up a pose.  I found an old shovel with rust which I use all the time. And I found an old rusty scythe. I think this one is more of a grass and weed cutter. I floated the rose in the water bowl. The rose is from my David Austin English rose bush named Belle Story.
Here is my photo:


Here is my sketch after 30 minutes:



And here is my finished painting:



In the class blog everyone was very nice and gave good compliments.  But there was something that I kept reading.  They said this is not a journal entry kind of painting.
I guess I am confused because the class is a Visit to the Garden class like when I took a Visit to the Beach. There are classes called Journal classes. This one wasn't a journal class.  I do know that in most of the lessons it is common to write on the painting a note about our visit to the garden and what we saw, how the weather was, a poem, etc.

So when I am inspired to do a painting and not write a journal entry, well I guess I am a rebel and I just do it.  Call me Rebel Carol.  I think I have always had some of that in my blood.

Happy painting and let that rebel out of you!!!

HAPPY MAY 1ST !!!!!!!

Happy first day of May.  It is windy and sunny here.  I'm happy that the sun is shining and my life is happy.
I read this and I like it:
A good walk cures most problems. Want to lose weight and get fit? Walk. Want to enjoy life but spend less? Walk. Want to cure stress and clear your head? Walk. Want to meditate and live in the moment? Walk. Having trouble with a life or work problem? Walk, and your head gets clear.


I would add that walking my dog is fun.  He is so cute.  More on Bob later.


I wanted to share my 2nd lesson painting from my online class. The subject was Boxed Gardens.  The photos I saw of flower boxes were not getting my mojo moving so I set out with camera in hand.  I drove all over Redlands and I walked the sidewalks for a good photo. 
It is legal to take photos if 1) you took the photo (or I)  2) if you can see it from a right of way or public domain.


Here is my painting:


This is the photo:



I had a little problem with the border. I tried to tape around the painting and then paint a dark border to frame my painting.  The problem is that the blue paint bled under the tape.  


Since I didn't find a good flower box I chose to paint this tree with a grate and the Nasturtiums.  I love Nasturtiums.  


About Bob.  He is so funny.  I was working in my garage and he wanted to be near me.  I left the garage side door open and put a childs gate across. He jumped over it. So I raised it up to make it higher. 
See here how it looks:



I did put a hand dolly in front of it and that stopped the jumping over. Eventually I brought him in the garage and he is on a chain. I live close to the street where  people speed. I'm always scared that if he gets in the street he will be hit.  So I use the long chain in the garage.

Bob is looking older here I think.  He is 8 months old now.


So the project in my garage is this. I wanted to organize and clean up the clutter. I installed these racks with my handy dandy power drill.

They look so puny on the wall.  But the internet says that the toggle bolts will hold a lot of weight. I'm just so use to having a handy husband who would weld up a rack when my heart desired it.  Now that I am a widow I have to go to Home Depot to buy their puny racks.  I really need to buy another for the brooms.  
Oh and YES, I do put art work on my garage walls.  You can see the ballerina by Degas.  I bought it at the Norton Simon Museum.  I love Degas' work.
I also have hung many of my own paintings on the walls of my garage.


RACK  with tools



It looks a little crowded but I'm happy with it.  I have the tools out of the large trash can, so floor space is empty, clean and roomy.  I will keep on working on the garage.   
I'm not sure that I posted what I did to my work table. I put a sheet of metal on the table to have a nice heat resistant cleanable surface. 



Here is a wide shot.  I have an air compressor under my table. I love my tool drawers (by Kennedy) on the left. It still seems cluttered so I might put in some shelves for supplies. Art uses a lot of misc. supplies.



Well that is about all. I will leave you with some pretty Roses from my garden for a HAPPY MAY FIRST to all.


Hybrid Tea Rose: Sheer Bliss



David Austin English rose: Belle Story

Exodus 4:11-12 – Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say Posted: 30 Apr 2011 09:01 PM PDT The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” – Exodus 4:11-12 (NIV)

Knitting and Spinning update

In looking back at what I have been blogging about, there has been a lot of time passing without any fiber news.  I have been knitting and spinning a lot.  I have many projects on the needles too.
So lets begin with the spinning.

Here is some Merino from Crown Mountain Farms  that I spun up. It is 2 ply and DK weight yarn. This merino is from Australia. I gifted this skein to my sister of  Design Diva Susan . She is working on a project for it now.
Info from CMF:

Merino Top

Australia where the real merino boom started.

What a fine fiber - staple length of 3-4 inches with a micron count between 19-24.Not to forget the crossbreeds with merino - the finest fiber from sheep. A delight to every spinner and knitter.

Above is what the Merino sheep look like.

Below is my fiber from the Norwegian sheep.

Here is fiber also from Crown Mountain Farms. I love the dyeing that Haas does. He is an artist.  This is Norwegian fiber (wool) from the fiber club. The color is called Mandala
Here is the description from CMF website.

Norwegian Top

The old norwegian sheep - also called Villsau - was widespread all over Scandinavia, the Faeroes and Iceland.

A special sheep breed to the famous vikings who made their sails out of wool to conquer the world in their ships.

Staple length of up to 4 inches and a micron count of 32 makes this fiber very interesting to all hand spinners.

Or better said to all spinners in the northern hemisphere who have to deal with cold winters and snow -

we here in the Pacific Northwest of the USA have sometimes no idea what a real winter is and therefor do not

understand the real value of some fibers - we just want it soft and softer - like our brothers and sisters in the South.

Above is the Norwegian sheep. He is from Norway.
Below is the norwegian fiber spun up. I navajo plied it.

Spun to a heavy Worsted weight.   I wish I had spun it thinner because it was hard to find a pattern to show off this beautiful fiber.

Knit into mitts.  I was surprised how the colorway turned darker on me.  I tried to mix up the dark and light as I spun but I guess I need more practice.
Also in this photo is the beginning of my watercolor/sketchbook.  It is a Moleskeine.

With the left over yarn I knit this granny square. I love how the colors look like a watercolor painting.  I only had enough yarn to crochet this one square.

Here is some Welsh Top.  It is also from CMF.  LOOK at the moss growing in my yard. I didn't plant it.  I really love it.  I love this fiber. It's coarse but rustic looking.
Info from CMF:

Welsh Top

From the mountains and hills in Wales comes this small, hardy sheep.They can withstand extreme weather conditions like high rainfall and freezing winter conditions. Their fleece is course with a staple lengthof 3 inches and a micron count of 36.You will find the fiber mainly in carpets and rugs.Hand spinners may create nice outer garments with the Welsh Top.Good for felting projects as well. 

These are Welsh sheep.  I really am loving spinning this fiber.

This is Welsh Top. It spins like a dream.  It is a little scratchy. I might use it to knit a purse or some French Press slippers.  Or perhaps more granny squares. 

This is Corriedale Top.  I will spin this after I finish with the Welsh Top.
Don't you love it?  It is also from CMF.  The colorway is Chinon.
Info from CMF:

Corriedale Top

The legend has it that Innanas (Ishtar) husband Dumuzi was the God who took care of the livestock in ancient Sumer - thousand of years before there was even a mentioning of the bible. But be it as it may - from Mesopotamia (Irak) one of the finest sheep breeds conquered the rest of the world. The phoenicians brought the merino sheep to North Africa and the Arab Moors brought it into Spain - which gave Spain  an advantage for many centuries over their rivals in the midevil worlds.

Of course the royal houses were interconnected so at some point in time the merino sheep from Spain made its way to France (Rambouilett) and Germany (Saxony Merino) and then to the colonies like Australia where the real merino boom started.

What a fine fiber - staple length of 3-4 inches with a micron count between 19-24.

Not to forget the crossbreeds with merino - the finest fiber from sheep. A delight to every spinner and knitter.

Here we have a perfect fiber for the spinner and felter - even the dyer. A staple length of over 3 inches and a micron count of 28.

Somewhere in 1860's on the South Island of NZ a new breed was created by crossing Merino dams with an english lincoln longwool sire.

A fabulous result for future generations. In 1902 the name Corriedale was given as the development started on the Corriedale Estate of Otaga.

In 1916 the first Corriedale Society was founded in Laramie, WY - USA.

Since then this breed spread throughout the world and adapted mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. From there we get our great fiber quality today.

This is a Corriedale sheep from New Zealand. 

I'm still knitting.

This is a sock knit in Bugga yarn. I have turned the heel and I am decreasing the gusset.  I have one more sock to go before Christmas.

I knit these mitts for my son in Idaho.  I finished these in October for his birthday.

They are of 2 colors of Bugga yarn. They are my own pattern and very soft.

Still working on the Farrow scarf.  It is of Malabrigo merino/silk DK. I only knit on it when I am in the car. Slow going.  Kinda boring.

Still working on my Sprossling Sweater by Anne Hanson.  I am using Bugga yarn. I love the colorway and the feel of the sweater.  When I work on this sweater exclusely then I really make progress.  I just get so distracted by my metal crafting and stuff like Christmas.  Good stuff.

The Sprossling sweater has finished:

1. Back 100%

2. Left front 95%

3. Right front 0%

4. Two sleeves 0%

5. Button bands 0%

6. Seaming 0%

7. Washing and Blocking 0%

Why do I feel like I am almost done?  I guess because the back is the largest piece of knitting and I am almost down with the left front.

I am going to knit the sleeves at the same time so that my tension is equal on both.  My last sweater has a tight sleeve and a loose sleeve because I let my tension loosen on the 2nd sleeve.  By knitting 2 at a time I will have the same tension. If I get loose then I will be loose on both sleeves.

I will wind up 2 cakes of yarn and knit the sleeves on my #5 - 3.75 mm needles. I'm not sure if I will use the straights or the circulars.  Both will give me enough room for all the stitches.  I'll use whatever floats my boat at the time.  I am leaning towards the circulars.

So that is all in my fiber world.  I am itching to cast on for the blankie that Christine is knitting.  It looks so fun.  I have a lot of left over yarn too.

I think I need to catch up on my projects before I begin something like this.

So now I will go and I will leave you with some photos of my Roses in Winter from my yard here in So. Calif.

This is BELLE STORY, a David Austin rose.

Here is THE PRINCE, a David Austin rose.  The fragrance is so mmmm yummy

And here is PERFECT MOMENT, a hybrid tea rose.  She is the whore with red panties in my yard.  Very gaudy but she does grab your eye in the yard.

Happy knitting

hugs Carol

We're Relaxing and Enjoying!!!!

Summer is here and we are enjoying it.  School is out and we can play, garden, knit and travel.  The weather has been great.
My garden is growing so good.  I think it grows a foot while we sleep. I wake up to veggies and big plants.  I'm so tickled.
Here is how big one of the leaves is on my zucchini.

Can you believe it?  I think it likes my new raised bed.

So here are a slue of photos of the garden.

This is the Garden 2010

Some Tomatoes

A Pumpkin

The first picking of Zucchini

Mexican Lime.

This is a smaller lime and has the taste of what you get with a margarita.

My outside kitty SoloVino with the mint on his left.

My other outside kitty, Sancho. He is camera shy.

A Rose in my garden. 

Here I am on Vacation.  More on that later.  

Summer is really relaxing.  I am enjoying it.  

I won't be enjoying it when we hit triple digits. 

HAPPY SUMMER.   STAY COOL.