October and November were full to the brim with lovely activities (above are pics from a stroll in midtown Sacramento), and if you're like me, December will be overflowing! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving - we do have so much to be thankful for, don't we?
Here's a quick rundown on what's been going on in my world the past couple of months:
I mentioned in my last post that I would participate in InkTober, an online challenge to make an ink sketch every day in October. I was pretty diligent until the end when I decided to combine the prompts for the last six days (box, creepy, burn, surprise,wreck and friend) into one drawing!
If you're interested in seeing the other 25 sketches, feel free to look at my Instagram posts. It was a challenge and a blast, and, for me, it achieved the goal of the founder, Jake Parker, to help improve participants' drawing skills.
A trip to San Francisco with granddaughter, Julie, including afternoon tea at The Crown and Crumpet, was an October highlight.
Had a wonderful time taking a three-day plein-aire (outdoor) watercolor class led by my friend and mentor, Kim Howard.
Next up was our little grandson's first birthday bash!
More painting with Kim, this time on the bank of the Sacramento River in the little delta town of Walnut Grove, California.
Took a wonderful trip back to San Francisco with my husband, Chuck, who attended an attorney conference while I got to play! Loved sketching the entrance to Chinatown from my favorite breakfast haunt, Cafe de la Presse,
visiting the new and improved SFMOMA (Museum of Modern Art),
taking a wonderful class from Jody Alexander of WishiWashiStudio.com where we made a Boro sampler book (Japanese mending stitches - video of finished product here), and checked off three places I've wanted to see: the San Francisco Center for the Book, the Beach Chalet (a Spanish Colonial former VFW post at the beach end of Golden Gate Park with beautiful WPA murals and artwork, plus a great restaurant!), and Coit Tower, another WPA masterpiece with a gorgeous 360 view of San Francisco, the Golden Gate and bay.
And then it was time for Thanksgiving. Grateful that my 91-year-old Dad and his wife, Betty, could join us from southern California, along with our kids and grandkids. Good times! Even got to have our traditional day-after breakfast at the Sutter Street Grill in Folsom!
Hope you had a great fall also, wherever you may be.
And now to get ready for the holidays, my favorite time of year... Also the time when I ramp up my productivity. Business in my Etsy Shop has picked up, as has Spoonflower (fabric, wrapping paper and wallpaper). If you have a minute, please check out my newest venture with Society 6 - quality giclee prints and merchandise like mugs and phone cases with my images. I'll be doing a craft fair as well, across the street from my home in Folsom on December 9 and 10 (no need to buy tickets to the home tour (though it's fabulous) if you just want to stop by the craft fair). I can't tell you how much fun I'm having with my artsy little ventures!
GIVEAWAY!
To thank my current blog subscribers as well as to encourage new subscribers, I'll be giving away the original of this wonky little watercolor and ink still life, painted in a friend's kitchen.
It will come packaged with a black mat and backer board ready for an 8x10" frame. All subscribers will be eligible, and the winner will be determined by a name draw on Saturday, December 3. So if you haven't already, please subscribe to this blog by filling in the boxes below this post. Good luck!!
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Something to consider from Maya Angelou:
"Peace.
It doesn't mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.
It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."
Would love to hear how you plan to be calm in your heart this holiday season.
