Red Tape

History in Stone

I don't know why they attract me, but ever since moving to New England, I have loved the sight of the old stone walls.  They emerge randomly, as gray zippers that  cris-cross acres of land, once setting farm boundaries and curtailing livestock.  Now, they are pieces of the past, emitting strength and durability in these changing times.  Because stone was plentiful, many of our UK ancestors did what came naturally.  Built stone walls!  Have you ever been to Ireland?  Unmistakable connection.  While there are no definitive laws protecting them, many people see them as state treasures and want measures taken to preserve them, as they are.  

 
 
 
The majority of stone walls were built between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.  All 240,000 miles of them!  The stories they could tell us....

Lillies

Because I am in full-tilt sketching mode these days, everything in my path is subject to be my subject!  In our little town, we have a retired postal worker.  He has the outward appearance of a grizzled bachelor, but he sprouts a mean green thumb!  His home is surrounded by gardens...both floral and vegetable.  Out front, he sets up a card table, with cut $4 bouquets and produce of various kinds.  The payment system is an honor jar.  An HONOR jar!  I keep expecting him to quit using it, but year after year, the jar is there.  Money and all.  I love that. 

 

Then I sketched....

....what are you sketching today?

Newest Journal Complete

I needed a new journal with a little more space on the pages for drawing and watercoloring.  I love the Remains of The Day style, but I didn't have enough drawing room!  I decided to have fun with the cover.  One thing led to another and the magna-doodle was formed!  Naturally, I couldn't leave the pages completely plain!  I showed a few of the embellishments in a previous post.   Here is the end result.

 

 

Quality Time With My Girl

Well, my girl, of the canine variety!  Sunday was just a beautiful summer day, and we decided to go for a bikeride.  Ivy took her seat at the helm and charted our course.  When she saw something peak her interest, I turned that direction.  When she wanted the wind to blow her hair, we rode downhill.  It was all for the girl.

  
....I wish someone would pedal me around!

What I'm Working On

Snip, swish, pop, goop, swirl.....here are some sneak peaks of the latest project.

      

.......stay tuned!

 

The Perils of Photography

 

I Have a Thing For Tape

All taped up!  Who can resist it?  Lots of types...duct, masking, washi, cellophane, print, post it...well you get the idea.  I keep a technique journal, where I try things and record the process, so if I need to replicate it, I know how!   Here are three art journal pages I did using tape in various forms.

After glazing this page and writing what I wanted on it, I began to layer tape all over it. Cheap cello tape is my favorite...the 39 cent kind from the dollar store.  It doesn't lay very flat.  So when I added a burnt umber glaze over top of it, all those wrinkles and bumps caught the glazing nicely.

 

When finished, this page had a 'leathery' appearance to the background.  I tore pieces of brown packing tape (a paper tape) from Staples and layered all over the page.  It has a bit of a waxy finish, so I sanded it to remove that.  Then I finger smeared it with a Golden glaze called Asphaltum (which is essentially black).

 

The background of this page is made up of torn strips of masking tape.  I tried to lay it down in such a way as to give a basket weave appearance.  I painted the whole thing a bright fuschia, but wiped the top  2/3 with a paper towel to lighten.

 

Boston Globe-Sunday

A coupon for a local sports club says it all....

 

 

Fuller Brook Park

Nearby, is the very cute little town of Wellesley, MA. They have the most beautiful trail system of 25 miles winding through the town. I love this kind of walk, because you have the whole sun-dappled thing going, as the sun filters through large, mature trees. Gorgeous! We took the girlz out today, and here are a few snaps from the stroll.

 
 
 
 A big blue heron hiding in the bushy edges of the creek...
 Two hot girlz trying to cool down in the water...

 Ivy just flopped on her belly several times!

 Typically, houses were not far off the walking trails.  Like being in their back yards...

 Here is the man who did all the work!  Running with the girlz is not in my league.

......a beautiful day