Spilling Over

This month's prompt for the The Sketchbook Challenge is "Spilling Over." It took me a while to decide on a direction to take. I have been doing a lot of portrait sketching lately, trying to improve my technique and attain better images. In the end, I decided to sketch a page full of baby faces. I call it "Baby Love."

A baby's face is definitely different from an adult's. The proportions are different, primarily because a baby's hairline generally appears to be much higher. In addition, the nose is, obviously, shorter and wider in comparison. I also found I had to much more careful about the shape of the eyes, as the shape we normally think of is too narrow on the outside.

The sketches also proved good practice in capturing the foreshortening of a body and indicating patterns without color. Altogether, I am pleased with the piece and hope you enjoy it, too.

I'm off to work on finishing my grandson's quilt, so that I can give it back to him next week. Until next time, wishing you peace and all good.

The Library

I am sitting in my local library because our computer has crashed. (We've been without now for just over a week.) This by way of explanation for the lack of post last weekend, and to let you know that, for the moment, I am not sure when my posts will be able to get back to normal. We are hoping to get the computer issue under control this weekend, but it remains to be seen. At any rate, I will return as soon as I can.

One side effect is that I cannot post any pictures, since I have no access to my hard drive and cannot upload them to the library's computer. Another is that I have a limited time on the computer. (A third, unfortunately, is that I have to deal with my fragrance allergies. Another patron was directed to the computer next to me and is wearing a heavy dose of something that is setting off a reaction. So, I'm afraid I don't feel quite clear-headed.) I'm sorry this is so short and mundane, but I'm running out of time.

Until I can post again, I wish you peace and all good.

Sketching & Quilting

It has been an interesting and productive week. I have been reading Cathy Johnson's book,

You can find more information here.  http://cathyjohnson.info/bookpages/sketching.html  She is a marvelous teacher. She makes sure that her illustrations are clearly connected to her descriptions, and breaks things down into manageable chunks.

On another note, I got to see and spend time with the grandbabies last Saturday, when we met up with my son and daughter-in-law for lunch and a trip to ProBass Shops. (My husband and children are avid fishermen. I will fish, but rarely do.) In addition to seeing the babies, however, I was able to get a couple of things to help me with working on embellished quilts away from my studio.

This neat little number will easily hold spools of ribbon. While I will not be able to pull ribbon through the holes (they are sized for fishing line), I may be able to work that out, too. At any rate, I can take between six and eight spools on retreats or to classes.

http://www.basspro.com/Plano®-Line-Spooling-Box/product/97465/-1433314

The other item actually came in two sizes. So, I bought one of each. I plan to use them for beads. Each section opens individually from the top, which should be a great help in keeping beads organized and preventing large spills.

http://www.basspro.com/Plano-Round-Organizer-Utility-Boxes/product/10205144/-1528937

On a sadder note, I found out through Lesley Riley's blog entry, Jean Ray Laury, that the quilt world lost a treasure this last week, since Jean Ray Laury passed away. Lesley's blog is a great memorial to her. I consider my decision to attempt my business to be based on Jean's influence. My copy of her book The Creative Woman’s Getting-It-All-Together at Home Handbook is well-thumbed and highlighted.

Wishing you peace and all good.