Practicing Sketches of Characters

Adding movement is the next step in Tascha's drawing class.  Not that I've master the front facing, but variety is nice.  I think I can honestly say I probably do more erasing than drawing, but I bought a pack of three big erasers, so I am good to go.  I've only just began so hopefully I will be diligent about practicing and I look forward to seeing what or who shows up on my little pieces of paper.  And I look forward to advancing to bigger pieces of scrap paper in the near future.  When Tascha draws these gals leaning in, they don't look like they have a premature curvature of the spine, they look shy and cute, just saying.

Sewing up a Storm

My husband took the girls to see his folks for the weekend.  I have been having fun sewing up some projects that have been on the back burner for some time now.

The first thing I sewed up was Geta Grama's Twice as nice - Double pouch. here  A nice big pouch for just about anything especially when traveling.

Measures 7" tall, 11" wide at top 3-1/2" deep.

Geta's 19 pages of colorful directions were wonderful

I used fabric I had on hand.  I love the Michael Miller fabric.  It looks folk artsy.  I ripped out the zipper on the big pouch because I didn't think it would open in the same direction as the smaller pouch, but I guess I had it on correctly the first time because both zippers do not open in the same direction.  Oh well, live and learn.  For some reason my machine didn't want to move when sewing the zipper and I really had to pull and/or take out the nest and start over.  I did tell my machine if it didn't behave I would trade it in.  Apparently, my machine cannot be bullied into behaving, fancy that!

Saturday after getting my hair done and getting some Sees chocolates, I started on Noodlehead's 241 Tote.

Saturday evening I had to take a break because I went to see a show with friends and was pleasantly entertained.  It is good to see live performers.

Sunday I finished the tote bag.  I picked the colors I thought would look nice next to mother's face, which is hard to see under fluorescent lighting.  Very cloudy today.

I think I would put fusible fleece in the handle next time.  It is a great bag if you just want something smaller than a big tote bag but enough to hold the necessary items for a day out and about.

It feels great  expressing my creativity through sewing.  I think I have enough time to start laying out the pattern and template for the next project.  I have in mind a small doll.  Stay tuned.

Online Drawing Class with Tascha Parkinson

It was my intention to join the Life Book 2014 starting in January, but after considerable pondering I felt I could give more of myself to the "process" when my girls were in school full time and that would be in 2015.  In preparation for Life Book 2014 I have been practicing drawing faces.

Then I decided to take an online drawing class with Tascha Parkinson, who actually is one of the teachers of Life Book 2014. (check out her flikr, it is amazing and always inspires me here )  I have been having fun drawing her cute little girls with different dimensions.

It is fun to see what shows up on my scrap paper.

I have a long way to go but drawing is so relaxing.  There is a part of me that is feeding off this creative outlet, like a starving man who stumbles upon a Thanksgiving feast.