Christmas mantel

I think I've sketched part of this mantel each of the past four or five Advent seasons. This time, I layered pastel pencil over parts of the drawing.

Focus objects

A few weeks ago I was homebound, ill; I drew my reading lamp, finding the curve of its adjustable neck interesting.
The lower sketch was influenced by the floral demo included in Ohn Mar Win’s Sketchbook Skool class. I had purchased a few spring bulbs, and was imagining how they would look in April.

Sweet autumn clematis

The sweet autumn clematis is blooming with wild abandon once more--as it has every fall, without fail, at both our houses.

The aging grill, huddled beneath its cover, looks like a little black ghost, awaiting Halloween.

This was my first try at using masking fluid. The contents of my three-year- old jar have taken on the consistency of marshmallow crème, so it went on in clumps. I used a small, inexpensive craft brush to apply it. Waiting through the drying time does add a significant amount of time to the sketching process, as I expected.

Beefsteak tomatoes

This was a good year for tomatoes from our back flower bed. These are some of the last.

Flowers on front porch

This summer we have amaryllis, purple cosmos, pink verbena, pink geraniums, and yellow kalanchoe in pots out on the porch. A few inches of lantana leaves survive; a small animal nibbled away the petunias. It doesn't look like the gladioli, free nursery leftovers planted late, will bloom. Pink roses and golden stella d'oro are blooming in the front flower bed.

Shelves

A few weeks ago, I read an article offering free home decor ideas. You can give your bathroom towels a spa look by rolling them rather than folding them.

Poinsettia

Amaryllis

Our amaryllis, purchased after Christmas in 2014, usually blooms late. This month, it showed up early, a welcome promise of resurrection, during a turbulent election season. In winter, it's a lone star; in autumn, it happily bows to the glow of the foliage beyond the window.

I used a little watercolor pencil over watercolor, in a few places. I hatched a little dry watercolor pencil behind the flower pot. I may do some more shading on the leaves.

Flower bed in July 

Sedum budding, grass going to seed, Knockout roses in bloom, echinacea wilting in heat, volunteer cherry tomatoes ripening....bird song.

Sunshine, shadow, line, curve

A few inches left at the bottom of the page, a few minutes free to sit in the sun-- a little snapshot of a moment in time.
Watercolor reflects light, falling.
 (Photo a little shadowed.) Every day matters.

Echinacea

Waiting to be planted.

Garden growing wild

A volunteer sunflower has sprung up among the weeds in the back garden.

My spiral Stillman & Birn Beta sketchbook is almost full. I'm not as observant about paper quality as some sketchers, but the paint color does seem more intense than in any other sketchbook I've tried so far. I don't know if this is from a higher rag/cotton content, or what.

Ink and watercolor pencils.
Related reading: Weed Challenge Winners (James Gurney's weed challenge, along with Richard Bell's spring weed video, gave me the idea of drawing weeds.)

Last year's geranium

Survivor, a little spindly from a combination of heat and benign neglect (underwatering).

Zephirine Drouhin on windowsill

Quiet moment on the deck

Overlooking raised, wooden, neighborhood walkway. (Cropped for privacy.)

Flower bed in April

Creeping phlox, daffodils, tulips, grape hyacinth, dandelions.

News and weather

Thanksgiving, early.

Bouquet

After Summer Shower

Memories, Logan & Louisville