My work space

Yikes! Must remove plastic bags and slightly used paper towels! It didn't look that bad until I started drawing it! It looks like an intervention is needed, haha!
Note: The big red dot is a stress ball.

New toy!

A fun gift I received! They will never replace my watercolors, but they bring new energy which helps my creative side.

My Christmas card

Think I will use this image for my cards this year. A bit monochromatic though.
"Carol of the Bells"
Ding, dong, ding, dong
That is their song
With joyful ring
All caroling
One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From ev'rywhere
Filling the air
(Carol of the Bells was first performed in December 1916 by students at Kiev University. The original Ukrainian song is based on an old Slavic legend that every bell in the world rang in honour of Jesus on the night of his birth.)

A few of my favorite things - 1

Eek, it's way past time to print my Christmas cards using one of my sketches! Here is one of my ornaments, I think I will do a few more and see if one of them will work.

My Garage

We had snow today- big, fluffy flakes! When I pulled in my garage, the tools reminded me of summer. Also, they reminded me of all the work I didn't do when it was warm out!

Hawaii sketch

I wasn't there, but someone gave me a photo to try and paint.

  Here's my quick sketch:

2010 0930 Rome

We only had one very busy day to spend in Rome. Here are 2 sketches from the Vatican.

A Fountain

Guards

Random sketch

Just playing with a water-soluble pen

2010 1129 Staying healthy

My blood pressure monitor

and a tangerine snack.

 (I'm not mentioning the leftover pie I'm about to have...)

2010 0929 Paris - Orly airport

This is a quick sketch of the gun carried by a security guard!

2010 09228 Paris Feeding the birds at Notre Dame

Saw this young lady who had them eating out of her hand!

2010 0928 Paris - Cute chef in a store window

2010 0928 Paris - Bouquiniste

2010 1124 Another quote!

2010 0928 Paris - Shakespeare Bookstore

2010 0928 Paris - St Severin

Lovely statue in the church

2010 0927 Paris - Champs Elysee

2010 0927 Paris - Arc de Triomphe

2010 0927 Paris & The Eiffel Tower

Still an icon!

2010 0926 France - Yummy dessert

Gabrielle's Arc de Triomphe!

2010 0925 France - Versailles

Plan of the front entrance area

Small fountain

2010 0923 Paris worker's strike

We stepped out of a bookstore, and into the middle of this!!!

2010 0923 Paris - Cluny museum

Details at the Cluny museum in Paris

2010 1117 Interesting key drop

So this key drop at the car repair shop is a bent pipe
with a connector at the bottom that can be locked and
then removed to get the car keys that are dropped off.
Creative!

Nice quote!

2010 0922 Paris, Musee Rodin

The view of the back of the house, and
a line drawing of one of
Rodin's lovely sculptures.

2010 1031 Ode to Autumn

My friend Kate had some great advice-

"Stop worrying whether you like your art or not! Just keep doing it."

2010 0920 Paris - La Poste

A French mail truck, 

seen in Paris

2010 0920 Paris poster

We saw this interesting window poster on our travels throughout Paris...

2010 0920 Paris - Notre Dame cont'd.

On the top of the cathedral, hardly noticed by most, are 4 sets of copper statues of the 12 Apostles. First is an overview, so you can see the size relationship, then a detail of one of the 4 sets. I had to refer to a photo to get additional detail.

2010 0920 Paris - Notre Dame

Here is the view of the back of the great cathedral, on our way to see a monument to the Martyrs Francais.

2010 0920 Paris - our apartment

Here is a quick sketch of our apartment. Lots of character! It made us feel like we were coming home each night!  (If only!)

Located in the Marais, near the Metro, restaurants and grocery stores.

2010 0917 Reflexology

Had a delightful reflexology treatment, courtesy of a dear friend!

in Paris

Well, huge apologies to all trying to follow my travels.  The internet at the apartment seems to go in and out, making many many things difficult, that are normally done in a flash.  Who knew just how much we depend on lightning access? And especially, uninterrupted access?
Secondly, we have been going full speed, and I have not had or made the time to do my sketching- what a shame! There is so much beauty here!

2010 0911 at Colorscape in Norwich, NY

Of course I had to try out my new journal, so I did a few sketches from a very busy, fun and wonderful day!

Here is the cover and a few pages from a hand-crafted journal I purchased at the Colorscape Art show in Norwich, NY. Each journal is unique, made of a variety of old papers, photos, etc. I decided on "I Dare You!" but it was not an easy choice, they were all so creative and lovely.  

2010 0906 Brand new butterfly

I came home to find this butterfly still drying out his wings on my tree out front.

Inside a typical NYC apartment 2010 0906

Every cubic inch of space gets used!  This sketch doesn't show the true width, which is narrower, about 12 ft.

2010 0905 Jackie & Matt's Garden - details