It's Fall 'Yall in My Hobonichi

I have quite a bit of catching up to do here...so let's

jump in!  A photo, above, of Marblehead Lighthouse on

Lake Erie, that we visited at the end of the summer.

Here's my little sketch in my Hobonichi A6.

An A6 is about 4"x6", and this takes up about

the bottom half of the page.

Going into Fall...it's one of my favorite seasons!

Not a whole lot going on. Baking and watching movies 

on Netflix.

Pumpkins, ghosts, and moaning wind

in the trees...oh my!

Does this mask make me look younger?!

I survived Cataract Surgery just fine.

I was pretty cranky, though!  The second eye

surgery is scheduled in November...

My life consists of doctor's visits, grocery runs,

and visits to our parents. Not very exciting.

But glad we live near our folks and can help 

out when needed. Have enjoyed a good number of

lawn chair visits this summer.

I love the vintage-style Halloween cards and

decorations.  So those are the doodles featured

in my journal for October.

Hoping the kids get to celebrate Halloween

in some fun ways this year. It's looking

dicey my friends. Stay safe!

Here's some Halloween fun from a previous

 year.  "Of course I can drive a stick!"

Hobonichi Techo Pages- August 2020

                          

Above, revisiting pages from a previous year...

As I recently read, "the minutes pass slowly, the years

 pass quickly!"

 Here's an attempt to post a video to my blog...please click on the link below to view August 2020 pages in my Hobonichi Techo A6.  

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/SXR3SxDoGQEwagCYA

They can also be viewed on Instagram

ww.instagram.com/dbcarey_2000

I've been absent too long from the blog, and have not learned to use the new Blogger layout and controls. It's getting harder to learn new stuff!  

Pages from Fake Journal

We are still doing fine here. Ohio is feeling Fall-like today.  I'm not ready for cold weather! 

Life is moving on.  We are in the time of life for elder care and all the difficult decisions that come with it.  And I am scheduled for Cataract Surgery next month. Not necessarily looking forward to surgery, but am looking forward to better eyesight and less blurriness. I hear that it's pretty routine and usually very successful, so fingers crossed. A friend told me that the anticipation of the surgery is worse than the actual event. So I'm holding onto that!

 I hope you're doing well, staying safe, and staying strong!

 

Index Cards and Candy Art

Continuing the 61 day creative 

habit challenge - ICAD.

 Index-Card-a-Day art: watercolor or

acrylic backgrounds, collage with painted papers, 

a little 'clip art', ink drawings, text, a map piece. 

There might be some watercolor pencil in there too...

you get the idea, lots of scraps and itty-bits!

Mixed media on index cards.

This was my favorite of the group...the 

combination of colors, and the suggestion

of blue waves...

This month the Hobonichi challenge is candy

and snacks from around the world. It's been

a fun challenge learning about each one,

and trying to represent their packaging. The

Japanese Umaibo was quite unique. Each 

flavor of the snack had a different design.

I've noticed the prominent use of bright primary

colors, especially red.  Eye catching is the name 

of the game! (Click on any image to enlarge.)

I read an American's review of the Milk Tablets 

from Thailand.  Apparently not a taste that he

found great. But I love that happy cow design!

And of course, most Americans are familiar

with Sixlets.  Similar to M &Ms, but smaller.

I like the letterstyle that's a little wonky.

This close-up reveals the imperfections,

(a little too much!) of drawing in a tiny journal.

I find that I can't see to draw tiny and accurately

that well any more. sigh. Suggestion of a

thing will have to do...

 

My journal pages usually have a

morning coffee doodle, so that 'qualifies' to

join Elizabeth for T Tuesday.

There are usually some delicious looking

photos of appetizing food on the participants blogs.

 Did you spot my doodle of the sweet roll? 

Stop by for a cup of something and a chat. 

Act My Age

My daughter tried to instruct me how to 

add a watermark to my images, so

I'll just leave this here...

but I'm still learning, and I'm not sure I

can remember all the steps, and boy there

are a lot of steps to remember...

why doesn't my brain remember stuff

like it used to?!  And I sure wish

I looked this young in actual fact.

I think my daughter may have figured out

my scanner problem. So I hope I can 

remember how to do that too...

scan as a photo, not on auto scan...

and why didn't the watermark version

of the larger piece

show up in the file I exported?

Yes, well, I'll keep practicing...

I understand layers in physical art work,

but not so much in digital transparent layers.

sigh.

so many tool bars, so many buttons.

so many functions...

I'll just be here with my pen and

paint brush...

Index Card a Day 2020

The Index-Card-a-Day Challenge is for

developing a creative habit, making art on an

Index Card every day, for 61 days...

(ICAD-June through July).

One of my art buddies said we all need a 

name tag like the one above.  Fair warning, I

guess, to folks who don't know about or understand

how all-encompassing our art habit can be!

(No offense intended toward anyone actually dealing with

a serious addiction, please take this in the light-hearted

manner in which it's intended)

You can jump in any time for the ICAD challenge,

 no need to "catch up."

Visit the DaisyYellow blog to find out more.

 I'm sharing a few of my cards so far...

The first week I went with a very loose

interpretation of the theme: typography, symbols,

found text and lists.  There are prompts each day

 for those who would like to use them, 

but they're not required.

I used watercolor backgrounds and collage.  On an

index card, you have to be careful not to get too 

much water involved.  I painted up several to start, and

after they dried, I put them under a stack of books

to flatten them out again.  Many art journalers 

prep their pages by painting background first, so

this is a similar idea.  Special thanks to 

Maia, an Instagram penpal who

sent some of the ephemera I used in collages.

Found text from a book, above. You'd be surprised what 

interesting combinations can result from cutting

phrases from an old book.  Most of my collages

include line drawings and details added with

a felt tip pen as the last step.

Above, cards 8-11.  The second week theme

suggested was: mark-making and organic

shapes.  Can you tell which card was inspired

by my spoon jade plant?  Cards 7-10 are

collaged. Card 11 didn't seem (to me) to need

any collage...I managed to stop before I 

went 'too far.' if that makes any sense.

I was delighted to receive some gorgeous

mail art recently from Kate Y.  She even

decorated the envelope with a mermaid's

tail! Just look at all the scrumptious layers

 and sparkly goodness! The postcard features 

dangling golden tags which can be

tucked into areas of the collage. I love it!

I sent a swap/return postcard to Kate decorated

 in Egyptian themed designs, 'cause I heard

she enjoyed them. Hope it arrives safely.

Throwing this in just for fun, 'cause it makes me 

SMILE!

and...

in order to participate in Elizabeth's T Party,

 I need to show something drink related.

So here's a hamster in a tea cup!

Visit Altered Book Lover blog to join us for

a beverage and a chat.

Mad Tea Party 2020

Revisiting a drawing from 2018,

Johnny Depp's portrayal of the

Mad Hatter...

I've always wanted to have a Mad Tea Party!

With mismatched cups, tea, cakes and cookies.

And maybe some art projects too.

My drawing after Sir John Tenniel's

original illustration of the Mad Hatter.

Perhaps we should just not invite the

Queen of Hearts. She seems a bit

temperamental...

Hopefully we can avoid any swimming 

incidents,

and the wild  mushrooms will be tasty,

but not hallucinogenic in any way.

We can finish off with some tarts!

Would you like strawberry or cherry?

And of course, there must be tea!

Linking up with 'Tea for Tuesday'

blog party over at Altered Book Lover.

Stop by for a chat.

Pandemic Pages and Projects

The Hobonichi Challenge for April is

an Alice in Wonderland theme. Above,

white roses painted red, and the White Rabbit.

Some mail art postcards

and a bunny for Easter on an envelope.

A very three dimensional Easter card, hand

delivered to the In-Laws.  Haven't been to visit 

my own parents yet as they are isolating.  Hoping

the weather will warm up soon so we can go

over and sit in lawn chairs in the yard to

visit with them!

There are so many cute memes on the 

internet, and I just have to steal one

sometimes. 'Steal like an artist' as they say.

Sketched daffodils from my yard for a

card to send.

I really adore the original illustrations for Alice 

in Wonderland done by Sir John Tenniel.  But 

of course Disney's versions are pretty amazing too!

Did you spot the coffee cups that I include on my

pages?  They are my contribution to 'T for Tuesday'

over at Altered Book Lover's blog. It's always 

nice to share tea, coffee, and some conversation

with good friends!

Above, a few text pages that I've watercolored and

drawn on.  I will probably tear them up and

use for collage.  What creative projects 

have you been working on?

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