Day 33 Never

April 15, 2020Leave a comment

Eat a large chocolate bar. It will keep you up most of the night. But oh was it good.

I took another photo of The Farm using my Ott light to light it up. Much more accurate photo. Can’t wait til Saturday for the next class.

Drawing with Koosje. A corner of the living room really my den.

Lamy Stillman and Birn Alpha.

We drew masks with Danny at noon. Now we have to pick one out and make a paper bag mask.

I had to write down what I thought they were saying. That was fun. Can you find the Covid monster?! Lamy Safari Stillman and Birn Alpha. Only five spreads left but I got a new one from Amazon. Hurrah.

Sweet Ilaina. Missing my painting peeps.

Digging around for my 140 # rough press Fabriano I found this. Always liked it. Still have the photo to finish it. Full sheet on Waterman cold press I think.

Got some decent pics of the Downy that hit the window this am. So pretty.

Not sure what he is but cute. A sparrow?! Where’s the bird book?!

Loves this female cardinal on the thistle feeder. Adoreable.

Distancing in SC

Margaret ready for bed despite my excellent afternoon nap while watching Mary Berry at Highclere Castle on YouTube. Zzzz

Xoxoxox😘

Margaret xoxoxo

Day hmm 32

April 14, 2020Leave a comment

Left one is prismacolor pencils. Did him because I really didn’t like the Lamy Safari version on right. Same guy!!🤔🤔🤔😵

Here he is. An Aussie mug shot.

So I played with the one on right some more. Now I actually him better and think he looks more like the original. Maybe I will work on Mr Leftie some more.

Last nite was crazy. 60 mph winds whipping for hours. 40 tornadoes reported in Ga and more on SC. None hit here as far as I know hit that wind kept me up howling all nite. About five I could hear the big oak near my bedroom CREAK!! I have never heard it do that in the 20 yr I have lived here. Scared me so I went downstairs and slept on the sofa at the other end of the house. Woke up about nine. NO power. So Zoe and I sat in the back porch enjoying the gorgeous morning. I have finally gotten rid of most of the pollen.

Power back so it was time to draw with Danny.

Since I couldn’t draw with Koosje I did it later today. Some old half dead flowers that I need to pitch.

Glad this crazy day is done. A beautiful soft sunset.

I am up early in the morning for the grocery store. Margaret who is tired.

Day 31

April 13, 20201 Comment

Something fun for Easter. Hope yours was Hoppy. I do enjoy doing these little tiny snapshots.

Did u find Zoe and the Easter candy?! Lamy Ef Noodlers eelskin Ink.

This am.

Finally got pics of the Downy on the suet. Was afraid he would fly away if dived for my camera so I used my iPhone.

Margaret who cooked all afternoon again. Not sure why. Pork chops oven brown rice cauliflower and coconut cream pie. Yummm Xoxoxox

Day 30 Recipes

April 12, 20202 Comments

These are always fun to do but the squares got really wonky on me today. I decided I would only draw things I could see on the coffee table. Yes it’s quite the mess. But I do like these little snap shots.

Started writing down recipes. Still have two more to do but got sidetracked talking to mom for TWO hours. She said her arm got tired. Both arms. Well she is 94!! 🤔🤔

Did I post this yesterday?! It’s time people it’s time. Hmm oh wait it’s always time right now isn’t it?!

Margaret Xoxoxox

Day 28

April 10, 2020Leave a comment

Amazing how busy you can stay doing nothing important. I got up before 8 to draw with Koosje on Instagram but couldn’t find her soooo I drew this:

The corner of the den and out the den window.

Then who popped up on my phone Koosje sooo I drew this.

Part of the shelf in the den. Kinda fun and lots easier than the first one.

So I was ready for Danny at noon in between a little cleaning sheet washing dog chasing cat feeding and you know important things. NOT. He wasn’t on til 1. What?! Then I found Mary Berry she of the British Baking Show fame. Who knew she’s been well known in England for years and years. So I watched one while waiting for Danny. She’s so charming. So utterly British.

And darned if we weren’t drawing a plant with Danny. Too lazy to find a new plant I drew the white amaryllis again. Hohum is the way I feel about this version.

What next?! Watched Mary Berry while waiting for sheets to dry and walked. A lot. In front of the tv.

And I thought this recipe sounded tasty. I do love a good Eggs Benedict. So of course I wrote it down and illustrated it.

Out my window this evening. Sun came out. Oh yeah. Meant I had to fill the pool since there we got zero of the predicted rain.

Margaret about ready for bed. Zero face masks made. Maybe tomorrow?! Xoxoxox

Day 27

April 9, 2020Leave a comment

I actually got up in time to do the sbsdrawingparty with Koosje this am at 8. Usually I am thinking about getting up.

Draw the room with a plant in the foreground. Colored pencils. I used Watercolor pencils because I was too lazy to get up and find my colored pencils at 7:55. Enough just to show up. They are now found and sharpened aka ready.

I just happened to have a great white amaryllis that I needed to bring in off the porch. What a treat to see it going crazy again around Easter. This is its third year blowing for Easter.

Anyway a fun technique to use. See you there in the am?!

Finally got this one done sorta more or less.

Danny’s class bombed out so that’s it for today. Think maybe I should have left this black and white. Oh well. Now it’s just a photo of black and white.

social distancing on the river.

Like this guy I am tired. Always a hoot laying around subbing on the porch rail.

Hmm bedtime. Maybe I will get up early again tomorrow.

Margaret xoxo

Day 25

April 7, 2020Leave a comment

Madly drawing today and doing a few must does. Sketchbookskool live drawing party. I drew at 8 am on Instagram and then noon on YouTube. Lamy Safari which makes a thick rich line a Lamy Vista which makes a thinner scratchy line. Noodlers eelskin Ink. Watercolor pencils. Stillman and Birn Alpha which is almost half full already. What?! Record time. Then I made several face masks. I may have that figured out finally. Only 60 left to make. Eeekk. I took a friends pattern and adapted her back to my front leaving an opening to so the filter could be removed when the mask is washed. And it also let me add a slot on each side to feed the T-shirt yarn ties thru. Here’s this afternoons sewing. Eight done. Hurrah.

Dawn in the river.

Love the early am light on my porch chandelier.

Margaret tucked up in bed but I didn’t forget to post. Yeah. Xoxox Please stay home and stay safe!!

Day 23

April 5, 2020April 5, 20203 Comments

Sbsdrawingparty on YouTube.

Well shoot meant to post this yesterday. Sorry. Hope you and yours are well.

Spent most of the day sewing face masks. Not my favorite thing to sew. All those little fiddly parts like sewing doll clothes. Have a grand total of ten done. 😫😫😫 and I want to make about 60. Obviously not my thing.

Did I say I have boxes of ribbons for my art quilts and regular quilts-Best of Show and lots of Blue ribbons in every category.

Google my name you are bound to find one of my art quilts. The reason I say this it’s not like I don’t know how to sew well. But those face masks. 😫😫😫

So maybe I will bake cookies for first responders after I finish the ones I promised?

Lamy Safari pen, watercolor, stillman and birn Alpha

Sunrise where one of my sons live.

Margaret who should get out of bed and get going. Xoxoxox

Day 21

April 4, 2020April 4, 2020Leave a comment

Sketchbookskool drawing party. Draw a dollar Bill. Crumple it up. Hope for no breeze no fan stirring it and draw. First a bold thick pen for the outline and finer pens inside. I used a Lamy Safari and a Lamy Ef. Half the time the Lamy was upside down.

Then you draw till you are satisfied. I journaled all over the page writing over and over the same page with a soft pencil til you couldn’t read it. Always makes a lot of texture.

Painted with burnt sienna Andrews turquoise cad yellow for the green. Burnt sienna background. Add a favorite quote or two. This was one of Andrew Cuomos dads favorites. Evidently he liked anything by Churchill.

The Sketchbookskool Instagram drawing party. Didn’t draw it live but one day I will get up early enough to do it at 8 am😵😵. Draw your coffee mug and paint it with your leftover coffee. Fun and much easier to do than that darn dollar bill.

The mask filter

In the throws of mask making. All the parts assembled. Just a few seams left and I will have enough masks to cover all my kids nose and the grandkids.

This is the brand and type I used for the mask filter.

Four done and almost 17 finished. Filters ready to go into the cotton mask.

Two seams each and done. Hurrah.

Margaret Tahred. Haven’t knitted a stitch all week. Xoxoxox

Face masks and other things!! Aka BUSY!!

March 30, 2020March 31, 2020Leave a comment

From last weeks urban car sketching.

Spent yesterday starting to make masks because if they work for medical people they will protect the ones I love from the virus too.

Don’t believe for a minute you don’t need one when You go out.

Here’s the article!!

I am ripping up filtrete filters with merv 1900 -2200 rating which is really good for masks but u can also use hepa vacuum filters. Just try not to puncture them.

Other fabrics you can use for filters.

You can use duct tape and staples scotch tape masking tape to make the folded accordion style masks. And add ribbons or scraps of fabric for ties. Get creative. Masks patterns are all over the internet.

And no elastic!? Cut strips across your T-shirt’s width about an inch wide. Pull on each end of them. You get spaghetti t-shirt strips perfect for ties.

I made this large pile of ties in minutes. Hmm leftovers. I could tie tomato plants up with them. If I had tomato plants. 🤣😂

So get busy. Some glitter might be a good finish!!Two face masks for my son with bad asthma. Taken two days of ripping and cutting. One day of washing drying fabric. Omg! And I have 53 to make. 😖😖😖