I can't believe

it, but I did it. I kind of started an art journal. What is an art journal? I really don't know. I'm assuming it's something I can just be crafty or artsy in, but whoa... It's been a long time since I've picked up a pencil and paper and started drawing. I'll share a bit because I've always been a little timid when it comes to sharing things.

Also, keep in mind that even when I was drawing on a regular basis, I was never great with faces.

That said, I present a peek at the first page of my art journal.

Please, no hate. It's been a really long time since I've drawn anything, and especially something that I was never good at. Also, Mrs. Mouton (my HS art teacher that happened to be my favorite) would not approve. I took a picture of myself and drew from that. She always enforced the rule of DON'T DRAW FROM A PICTURE. Oh, well. It was convenient and I did it.

Now, about this art journal. I still need to find an actual book. I just pulled out a sketchbook last night. I haven't decided if I'll stick to just that book or attach this to another. The idea of a separate book with pieces and scraps glued in sounds interesting (and fun). I don't know. What I do know is that I just finished another meal from the Mediterranean cookbook and I liked it. I'll share that later because I'm planning on another for dinner today.

Breakfast is done. The temp is 84. The pool is 89. I think it's time to change into my bathing suit/walking clothes combo and TCB. 

then reality hit and

my celebration of spring was halted.

Yuck, yuck, YUCK.

On the plus side, my cilantro looks pretty awesome.

Cosme had a brunch burger from Sonic a couple of weeks ago.  When we decided to pick up some breakfast over the weekend and he suggested Carls Jr., I said that was fine and I'd see if they had something similar to the brunch burger.  I'd never ordered one but something about a hamburger with an egg on it just sounded good.  We got to Carls Jr. and the only thing they had was with sausage and not a burger patty.  We went to Sonic.  I pressed the button to order and they let me know it was no longer on the menu.  WTF?  It was only there for like a couple of weeks!?  We left and went to Jack in the Box.  They do have a brunch burger... on a croissant.  I got it and it was good.

When Sunday rolled around, I had absolutely nothing scheduled.  Well, I had housework to do but as far as anything on the calendar, there was nothing.  I knew there was a storm coming so I got started on chores.  I wanted to take full advantage of the bad weather so I got what needed to be done out of the way and once the sky got dark, I started lighting candles and getting ready for the 60-70 mph winds, lots of lightning, and heavy rain.  Now, I'm not complaining about anything because I was not looking forward to any hail or tornadoes but that didn't last very long.  The best part was right before the rain when it got super dark, but then everything got really still and I didn't like it.  The lightning was pretty bad but a few minutes later, we were blowing out candles and getting out of nap mode.

I got a few more chores done and then I was determined to do something artsy but wasn't really sure what.  I did have an idea.  Those daily photo challenges I do, what if I used the topic for a different medium as well?  Fine, so what would I do?  I felt like messing with paints.  I brought this out to help me think...

Then I just started messing around in a sketchbook.  One of the weekend topics was in bed.  My photo was to the point.  Here I was in bed.

View this post on Instagram

in bed. #fms_inbed #fmspad

A post shared by madame72 (@madame72) on Apr 6, 2019 at 5:09am PDT

What else happens in bed?  You dream.  I wanted to get a little psychedelic with the eyeballs but the colors I had just didn't work.  I stuck with golds and silvers.  I still think it needs some crazy colors swirling in the eyeballs.  Maybe later.

It's not awesome at all but I felt better after doing something.  When I get that bug, it sticks around for a while.  The only other thing I can compare it to is being hungry but not knowing what you want. I need something sweet. A donut? No, that just doesn't sound good. A cookie? No, I don't know what kind.  Chocolate? No, just not right.  A white cupcake with white buttercream frosting?  Always.   Then after you have that cupcake, everything is fine.  In this case, the cupcake was paint.  I got it out of my system for now.  I really don't like painting but I was in the mood.  Maybe next time it'll be drawing.

So, that was the weekend.  If I keep talking about everything though, I'm afraid the bug will bite again.  That's fine and all but right now I don't have time and will be SOL.  I'm ending here and starting my weekday morning routine.  If I don't, there's a good chance I'll need that cupcake too.

i hate lying in bed at

night, unable to sleep, thinking about what all I can do the next day.  Last night this morning, when it was 1:00 and I still wasn't tired, I was thinking about how today I could straighten out the garage.  This morning, as I'm trying to figure out where I can sneak in a few more minutes of rest, I looked out into the garage as Cosme left and wondered where all that oomph and excitement about straightening the garage went.  Was that just the delirium of tiredness coming up with all those grand ideas?  I'm pretty sure it was.

It's similar to my idea of hanging artwork with photographs.  I got frames for those drawings I shared last week.

The highlights to go with The Minster.  By the way, Mom said you can't really see what it is when you're sitting on the couch.  Maybe these two need to be moved.

The skull.

Sleeping Eric.  I decided the wall needed something to bring it together a little.  That something will be blue.

Now what?  Seriously, someone tell me what to do now.  I have no idea where to start.  I guess I could just start hanging and playing around, I don't know. 

And to make things a little more overwhelming, I forgot about these two drawings that I love and took from Dodo. 

So.  Now what?

Cleaning out the garage is looking a little more doable now.

i'm considering that a week

off.  I wasn't babysitting and I guess I just decided not to blog while I was at it.

I've been researching bookcase styling lately.  Riveting, I know.  That's one thing they didn't teach us when I took Interior Design, how to arrange things on shelves.  I learned about color and furniture placement to create a good mood and flow, but how do I put my stuff on a bookcase without it looking jumbled?  In the process of that, I've decided the artwork on the walls needs a rotation.  I've been getting tired of looking at the drawing I did of the wine and biscuits hanging at the dining table.  Besides, it doesn't even match anything anymore.  You know what it does match?  The blue bookcase, which needs styling.

My plan is to hang it over the bookcase and try to figure out how to combine art with photos for a gallery wall, another thing I've been researching.

The painting that Dodo gave me is hanging at the dining table now.

I was going to hang the bird picture there because I was tired of looking at it over the fireplace, but Cosme said he likes the bird picture.  I left it over the fireplace and I'm fine with that because it's just one less thing worry about.

I was also looking at this Westminster print he brought back from England.  This was right after I decided I wanted art and/or home stuff as souvenirs.

I went through my portfolio over the weekend and decided I want to see how this drawing looks framed and hanging under the Westminster print.

I know it's nothing great and just a study, but it's still something I did.  Imagine it right there, under the print.  I'd buy another of that frame but maybe matted with white?  It might look terrible but I'll see anyway.

I also pulled this thing out again and wondered if there is somewhere it could go.

I don't know.  I'm starting to think it might look like I have too much hanging on the walls.  Oh, that's another thing I've been researching: maximalist decor.

So, I started going through my portfolio and few hours later, Eric and Paige came by to get the keys they left here.  They told me they saw the drawing I did that's hanging in Dad's office and that it was good.  When they mentioned DC, I said I thought it had gone to a contest at the state Capitol.  I looked in my scrapbook and I was wrong.  I also saw other letters of praise, along with my induction into the National Art Honor Society.  Then I got a little... not bummed out but maybe a few steps before that and thought that I might need to get back with the program.  Not by getting back into high school art programs or art school, but by dusting off a drawing utensil or something.  I know it's easier said than done because, well, I stay kind of busy, but maybe do what I can whenever I can.  Maybe I can start by making myself at least take some pictures.  That's another thing I've just been kind of meh about lately.  It's not that I don't want to but when I have free time, I just find myself doing other things.

The Museum of Fine Arts has a Van Gogh exhibit that started last week that I'm determined to go check out.  It's got some fun interactive photo ops that I would definitely do but it's also got some of Van Gogh's work that has never left Amsterdam.  I will get over there.  If I have to go alone, I will.  If I have to drag someone with me, I will... although, Eric's already said he'd like to see it.  Maybe he can get off a few hours for a field trip.

Anyway, that's that.  Memories of my art heyday have creeped up on me and I want to take advantage of it.  For now, it'll probably just be a photograph or two... even if that only means a daily challenge with my phone.  I've got to start somewhere.  After that, I've just got to stick with it.

i know it's been about a

week since my last post but today's post will make up for the days I missed.  I have pictures to share like you wouldn't believe.  I have pictures to share like you probably don't care to see.

A while back I saw something on "pour painting" or "fluid painting".  Pour, fluid, flow, whatever they want to call it, I heard about it.  I've been researching it.  Someone shared a video and that pushed me a little more in the "try it" direction.  Over the weekend I mentioned it to someone and she had all the supplies for me to try it right there.  That wasn't a push in the "try it" direction, that was a shove in that direction.  Or maybe a shove in that direction and slam the door behind me?  I'm sure it's much like getting somebody hooked on crack (or Blue Bell Bride's Cake ice cream).  "Here, let me give you a sample.  What?  Now you're hooked?"

So I've been reading up and watching videos on different formulas and techniques.  I finally gave in and did it.

My first try.  I like how the top right kind of looks like a planet and that's about it.  I scraped it all off and set that canvas aside.

My next canvas looked more like a countertop.

While it had little interesting areas like this one

or what might have eventually happened here

I wasn't happy and decided to take more paint and splatter it.  I'll call this the Pollock Pour, unless it already has a name... which I'm sure it does.

Then I decided to do one in the colors of Lauren's dishes.  First of all, it's a pretty color combo.  Second, if it turned out nice, she could hang it in her new house.  I was liking it.

Then the paint wouldn't flow much more and had issues covering the canvas.

It did make a pretty mess on my hand though.

The overflow in the pan wasn't bad either.

I grabbed another canvas that had a previous experiment on it and poured this.

I was kind of digging it so I left it.  I really like the little unexpected spots like this one.

I figured at that point I had a few practices out of the way so I'd go for something bigger.  I pulled a canvas off the wall and changed things up a bit.  Instead of using the one cup to pour, I prepped three.  I covered the area I wanted protected with masking tape and stared at the whole situation for a few minutes.  I decided it was time to go big or go home.  I went big.  16x20, I believe.

I was happy with the pour.  (Ignore the masking tape)

These little areas make me happy.

 In all the years I spent studying art, I think this was the first time I'd worn an apron for it.  It is messy but messy art is a good thing.  And in case someone doesn't understand why I tore the carpet out of that room and refuse to put something else down...

All this talk has made me want to try some more.  Maybe a new experiment?  Maybe keep working to get the other right?  Maybe this time write down what was used where?  Maybe buy some bigger canvases?  I'll fold some clothes and think about it.

i've taken classes

on print transfers to figure out ways to combine photography with drawing and painting.  A while back I took a picture of myself to make a photography version of a painting I did.  It didn't turn out great because I couldn't get the makeup to run the right way down my face.  Anyway, I took the print and tried something else with it.  That's what this is all about.

I just added more paint to it.  It's pretty much one of those things I have hanging in front of me and whenever I get an idea for it, I try it.

I tried something similar with a picture of Cosme.  I'm not crazy about it but there are a few details I like.  Now I have it hanging so that if I ever come up with a way to fix it without ruining those details I like, I'll be happy.

Sometimes I forget about the photography and just use paints, like the other day when I was in a foul mood.  I came into the front room, left the door open enough for the cats to get through, brought a Coke, grabbed my headphones, put a canvas on my new easel and worked on my mood.  That's what this is all about.

It also seems to be one of those things I keep adding to but it was a lot easier to work on when I was in a bad mood.

Oh well, I guess I'll go off and enjoy my good mood... maybe paint some smiley faces?