I started designating the week between Christmas and New Year’s as the lost days, really starting a couple of days before Christmas, when we were working because the few days before Christmas until the few days after New Year’s Day it was impossible to get any business accomplished so we generally just closed for the week plus. Even though we are retired, I still take this week to mostly do nothing. Wander the yard weather permitting, catch up on my reading, whatever else I find to do or not do with my time, no pressure. And so I wandered the yard and saw Brazilian button flower (above), bluebonnet (it’s been so dry I didn’t think we would get any next year but I counted at least 10), ball moss, toadstools.
I signed up for the next ‘advanced’ art journal workshop in January. I thought I should probably have more than the four pages we did in the first workshop so since I have this time I’ve been doing a few more after ignoring it all these months. I have limited supplies, permanent markers and water based markers, colored pencils, pencil, watercolors. I have a set of acrylics but so far haven’t used them. And I’m using my cheap Prang watercolor set with a limited (16) range of colors instead of my several sets of professional watercolors with way too many choices because I’m trying to keep these pages loose and quick, just studies instead of paintings. So far three new pages and the beginning of a fourth. The first one took me about four days to complete but the other two were quick and loose which is something I need to work on as I am not generally a spontaneous artist.
I may not get time to work on the next page today because…
today is Marcmas! Marc’s birthday, 74 years old. We’re going out for a meal when our son, who is driving out from the city, and our daughter get here. This is the third? fourth? year we have done this. I love being around all my family; kids, grandkids, and now great grandkids and the chaos of my daughter’s house but it’s special to have just the four of us, our core family, for a few hours without the distraction of succeeding generations. Did I take pictures? No.
But I did take a few Christmas Day over at Sarah’s house. Harrison is 11 months and can stand but not yet walking. He found Paisleigh’s discarded apple that she took a few bites of and he spent the day gnawing on it with his one little tooth. Meanwhile Paisleigh was putting on all her new clothes, modeling them for me. I think she has on three layers here though the pajama shirt on top is on backwards.
Now that all the days of gathering are done for the year I’m ready for the empty lost days.
What a wonderful creative time...rest, relax, celebrate, blog! Paint!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to work in it every day or at least most days between now and the workshop.
DeleteCodex: I only use cheap stuff for my journals. It's like using up left overs. I had to learn how to loosen up as well. Like the pattern and the leaves. Try this one: tape some grids with masking tape. Random colors inside. Design with black marker over the whole thing. Even over the masking tape. Then remove the tape.
ReplyDeleteI'd recommend black Pitt pens. Not water soluble.
As you will see, I tried it.
DeleteCodex: Happy bday
ReplyDeleteWishing you a Merry Marcmas! Paisleigh could start a new trend with the pajama shirt. Tres chic.
ReplyDeleteThe pjs are a little big which is why she could get it on over the other two outfits so she should be able to wear it longer. If I wore pajamas it would be those.
DeleteIt seems to me that the older we get the more family gatherings take on significance. Enjoy Marc’s birthday to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteI think so, yes.
DeleteThat black and white geometric design is wonderful! I'm not surprised it took considerable time. I really like it; it reminds me a bit of Escher's work. No lost days for me -- I've been taking advantage of the weather to work every day except Christmas. But, with the front that's predicted for tonight, weather may dictate a couple of days off tomorrow and Tuesday, and then it's New Year's Day. Maybe I'll designate those three days as 'lost' days!
ReplyDeleteThey don't really start in earnest until the day after christmas. I imagine your work soesn't depend too much of other businesses and people being available.
DeleteI love your journal pages - both the loose ones and the detailed one. It's nice to have variety. And that Paisleigh continues to be adorable.
ReplyDeleteThanks. The leaves were fun. I painted them first and then went back and used marker to outline them and add in the stems. Didn't sketch it out first!
DeleteI really love that first design. I know you're aiming for spontaneity but I think there is room for both. The Ocean one makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteAs do those two cuties there. An apple makes an excellent teether and Paisleigh makes an excellent model.
Happy birthday to your Marc!
The ocean page was inspired by you when you wrote how ponder is a favorite word which made me think of one of my favorite words, ocean. I like it because it sounds like the ocean, and written out it looks like the ocean, all rolling swells.
DeleteI was so glad when everyone left. It was exhausting and stressful and someone gave me FluA. I got a self test kit that does Flu A+B and Covid 19 all in one. Very convenient! I've emailed my nurse practitioner and will see if I need medication or not. Happy Birthday to Marc!
ReplyDeleteAll that activity and stress culminating in christmas day, it's such a relief when it's over regardless of how much you enjoyed it. And I got sick too, just a cold though and already feeling better.
DeleteCodex: Put some of my art therapy journal up. It's all your fault. :)
ReplyDeleteGood!
DeleteI know what you mean about the core four. I love when the fangs all gathered but there’s just something special about the little band that started this journey together. Happy Marcmas and happy new year when it comes! How many offspring so you have?
ReplyDeleteTwo like you, a girl and a boy.
Delete*Gang’s (not fang’s). I really should proofread!
ReplyDeleteThe fungi are so interesting and your first art work here, the b/w one, has a resemblance. I really like it.
ReplyDeleteMy brother and my husband's sister were born on xmas day, always makes the day much fuller (literally) and longer.
The naming of the days between xmas and new year is something I never really paid attention to but it has become a big cultural feature in recent years, here they are called the raw nights. In Ireland they count twelve days, to Jan 6, epiphany, which is also called the women's xmas day, when the women of the family go out for a meal while the men supposedly clean out the decorations and boxes and clear the decks.
Key word, 'supposedly'? I guess the days aren't really lost since days of rest without obligation are important too.
DeleteI just learned about zentangling. Is that how you created that black and white image?
ReplyDeleteThat zentangle stuff first started showing up in my FB feed a week or two ago so I suppose it influenced the page but the real inspiration was an ad that kept popping up for permanent markers showing leaves that had been colored with them.
DeleteThat's interesting. Maybe the blogger who was writing about her experience with zentangling came across recent posts about it on FB. She said that it was quite the thing at one time, but maybe a decade or more ago.
DeleteMerry Marcmas! Going out to dinner with the core group sounds delightful. I really like your yellow/orange leaves in the book. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Usually I lightly sketch out what I'm doing first but this time I didn't, just painted the leaves and then went back with a permanent marker and outlined them and added the stems. I was pleased with the way it turned out.
DeleteI love how you call them the lost days! It totally feels like that haha. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI learned long ago when I was working not to try and get anything accomplished that week that depended on being able to interact with other people. Plus it was/is nice to have that week with no expectations or obligations.
DeleteWhen I first met you and Marc I knew I was in the company of good people. I regret we couldn't spend more time together. Nevertheless I am delighted that we are all upright and breathing air and moving about as if we belong here. I always figured dead way before 74 (or 68) so it all gravy. Cheers
ReplyDelete