No, it's not really Fall

Yesterday 104, today the same? Oh, excuse me...only 102? I stand corrected.  And guess who didn't have the household air conditioner in working order for a full 24 hours during that ascend and sweltering 104. Yep, it was a timely mechanical failure that left us tossing and turning Thursday night to what seemed like a jet engine sound of fans in an attempt to sleep.  But by 5 last night we were back to "chill'n"!  So no I can't say as I feel like it is fall-----at all.
Last week I started a canvas by doing the background and while I did finish it, I haven't had time to scan and load it.  So here is one I recently completed.

"Angel in Progress"

 I'm hoping to have some time over this long weekend to complete some pieces.  Thinking of doing a booth in November and will need to ramp up my production if I do.  Besides it's too hot to do much of anything else!

Studio time today!

I'm having a great Saturday! (Hope you are too.)  It's great because so far I've slept in, checked in on some art blogs, and now in the studio for awhile this afternoon.  Doesn't get much better than that.
Today I'm going to be working on doing something with this canvas I've got prepped and ready to take on it's real purpose.

 In the meantime though, I've been seeing other artists share their entries submitted to the Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search     http://lillarogers.com/global-talent-search/schedule/      The competition had a large amount of submissions and a selection down to a remaining 50 was made earlier this month.
Nope, not a finalist but it was great to have the opportunity to enter.  If not familiar with the contest the submission had to be a playground theme.  Here was my entry-

Thanks for noticing, yes of course there is a big flower on the playground! Ha ha!  There is so much talent around that it can't be easy to pick a winner.  I think just entering makes of us winners!!

Doing Hard Things

A couple of months ago I created a little canvas (below) to put in with a gift to a friend who was beginning chemo.  It has the saying that my mother-in-law would say to my husband over the  years whenever hard things in life came about.  These words are repeated as needed still to this day whenever we need reminding.
Some have more or even harder things to overcome and deal with in our lives than others but we do all have hard things cross our paths.
Just remember....

Doodle Houses

My art time this week has been limited to "couch art" which means if I can't do it in the studio its done on the couch.  This sounds like a relaxing atmosphere where I can loose myself in creating, and to some degree it is obviously.  But, when you factor in the hoarder like collection of assorted pens and pencils strewn about my perch and a dog who instinctively knows when I've found that perfect comfort spot then knowingly decides it must be the perfect time to want something....treat, outside, rawhide, general attention, etc.  It can actually be a trying feat to produce worthwhile and pleasing couch art!
If you are a dog lover, as I am, you wouldn't have it any other way though.
So this week I doodled some artsy houses in my journal book.  Have you doodled lately?

Canvas board

Besides my ongoing collection of pens, which I added to again this weekend.  I rarely walk into the craft store and out without a canvas.  I just really like canvas.  I have, or actually have had in my head that if I wasn't creating on a canvas that I wasn't really creating anything of value.  Really?  Well that is just silliness!! Don't know why I had thought that, or from where such a thought would come.  I guess the great painters of history were on canvas.  Why not aspire big!  tee hee!!
Which brings me to canvas boards.  I felt these were merely an inferior way to say you were working on canvas.  And this may still be how I feel BUT, I have to say I am into my second pack of canvas boards and I'm really enjoying them! Especially for heavy mixed media use.  It is so much easier to create backgrounds and add papers and paints to this canvas with a sturdy backing. 

Canvas Board

I've been creating a lot the past couple of weeks and enjoying it.  I've even done some work on the ever so long promised Etsy shop. (No, still not open.)  But baby steps are being made.  I'll share more canvas boards in upcoming posts.  In the meantime I have a brand new pack of pen markers to try out.  Gotta go!

Save me...I'm melting!

Whoa, it just couldn't be much hotter here in Texas right now. For me it is that time of year when I find myself sprinting from one air conditioned environment to another.  No lingering in the elements for me!  Those of you in the mountains states.... well...shame on you is all I have to say :)

So last Friday I participated in Paint Party Friday.  Not really being a social butterfly I found myself glad I had joined in.  (Thank you Eva and Kristin for doing these.)  There was a wonderful group of great and interesting artists participating.  Think I may have to become a regular.

So with the heat I spent a bit of extra time during the week in the studio.  I'm finishing this piece.  Actually it may be done and just drying right now but, I can't make my mind up on that just yet.

Its has the 3D element to it which I really like.  Having done this before I thought. Why haven't I done more of this?

This piece helped me re-group after working on a piece last weekend that has had to go into hiding in the "art protection program".  It's true fate is in the balance.  Enjoy a cool weekend!