Astraeia

dc107: morning, noon, and night

Helen, our great host for this drawing challenge has given us the theme this week and I must thank her for a wonderful journey it has (is as we speak) taken me on. I am still working on my project and so am not completely sure how it will turn out. This is what I have so far:

A painting on a sheet of tea bag paper.

When my project is complete I'll pop back and show you here. Meanwhile, have a visit to Helen's place so you can be linked to all of the players this week. It is always an interesting and fun time.

It's a few hours later and I worked on the project to completion. It is a little book telling a small bit about Astraeia with the theme of morning, noon, and night playing a part. Here is the front cover:


If you untie the golden threads you will see the inside:


Flip over to the other side and you will see:


I learned tons doing this little book. Tons!!

 Thanks for dropping by. See you soon! *smiles* Norma, x

Mood [in the]

dc106: mood board



Well there is no board, but the vision in front of me grabbed my attention as I sat down to try to make a [very late] mood board. I know what I want to do, but it would take me days to really do it justice. When I began to prepare the paper I plan to use, I glanced up and realized that I was surrounded by a 'mood board' so to speak. So this will serve for my contribution to the drawing challenge hosted by the lovely Ariane, who chose the theme of 'mood board.'

Let's just say that the materials make me want to create, but what I am especially enjoying, is the vase of fresh peonies from surrounding gardens in my neighbourhood, sitting in front of a hand-painted kimono that hangs as a curtain dust cover for my books. My camera does not allow a really nice shot of the two things positioned together so you will have to use your imagination.



Thank you for coming by today; I hope to see you again soon, and please remember to drop in to see Ariane for a beautiful selection of many differing and interesting and wonderful and creative and inspiring contributions by folk playing along in this drawing challenge. Also, remember that you are all invited to play along if the 'mood' strikes! *smiles* Norma, x

Key to my Heart

dc105: Key/hole

Our gal makes a return appearance this week. We find her standing in front of a table with four keys and a few baubles on it. She holds a dove with a metal fitted keyhole contraption. Apparently, when she fits one of the keys into the lock, she is able to feel an emotion. Each key opens an emotion and there are only four to choose from. Upon entry, the mechanical heart beats for a time and our gal is able to feel an emotion in her own heart. The dove does not seem to mind, for she performs this ritual many times a day, and it does not complain. Sometimes it coos. Frankly I do not understand how it would NOT mind. I would.


The drawing is incomplete and serves as a study of an idea. Our host for the drawing challenge this week is dear Renilde who chose the theme of key/hole for us to explore. Find more keys at her blog. Remember that you are all welcome to join in playing with us in the drawing challenges.

Thank you for dropping by today and I hope I shall see you soon. *smiles* Norma, x

Queen of Heaven

THE QUEEN DOWAGER KEPT BEES
so they called her the "Queen of Heaven."


As I'd mentioned in my previous post, I was going to paint the 2-fold accordion style little book (with the woman on the front and the title 'feeling mauve') again in a better rendition. I did this and of course I should have guessed that the muse would step in quite quickly. This happened, and the little book turned into a Queen Dowager who kept bees. Because of this, because of the glorious heavenly honey available to everyone, they called her the 'Queen of Heaven.'

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope I'll see you soon, N. xo

Feeling Mauve

dc104: Saying

I would not say that I am feeling blue these days...it's more of a mauve tone of mood. And I put it down to the realization that I have neglected to honour my word and this letting of myself down has pulled a mauve curtain over my days. I have made more promises than I can keep (in the short term) and I hold promises sacred sort of. So for those of you who have not seen the package in the mail with my return address on it, I apologize, for it has not been yet mailed. The same goes for those who have not received a thank you from me, nor even a mention that what you have sent to me arrived! For shame on me. So I am ready to rip aside the mauve curtain and start putting things in packages for the post office, and to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard) to say my very belated thank-you's.

I've been engrossed in making the little books that I make, and so for this drawing challenge I have adopted the theme of 'proverb or saying' into another of these books. This time I have a gal surrounded by mauve. Her rice plants are even mauve [dark] and the saying is thus: Consciousness of an honourable intention is the greatest consolation in troubles. ~Cicero

As you can see, this little book is quickly done. I'll be doing a 'better' one.

For more words of wisdom, see Patrice! Thank you so much for dropping in today. I hope to see you again soon! N, x

Horsey Face

dc103: FILLIP [lover of horses]


The drawing challenges have pushed me and encouraged me in my development as an artist. I have learned to draw better, and more importantly to explore my own style of making marks. I go down some whacky roads let me tell you. Once again, this is a whacky road for me.

This is a drawing which is only just started and will not be finished in time really, for the showing this current weekend, but I am letting you see what has developed so far. This drawing/painting/mobile/mixed-media piece grew and grew and grew. It was going to be the simplest of drawings with barely a mark and only kisses of watercolour added. It was going to be some lady who loved horses, and which I hadn't exactly figured out how to show yet, when I began the drawing.

As I started to make the first mark, it started to grow on it's own (my muse is heavily involved here.) It is a woman gazing at a looking glass to commune with her animal nature, which we can't see as the mirror is facing away from our view. But, if you turn the drawing to the back, you are able to see what the woman sees reflected back to her in the looking glass. We see that it is a horse.

The paper [THANK YOU Lynne Hoppe] was given to me to try out to see how I liked working with it. I think it was a combination of the automatic pencil and this paper that completely dictated the look and style of the drawing. It kind of drew itself. I am not going to rush it so will show you this simple beginning. I will continue to work on this piece. Here it is:


The paper is a 200 lb. something (I'll have to get more details.) It is so strong and so thin it is like a sturdy wafer. I have erased in one spot it feels like a hundred times, but more likely 15 times (I could not get those chicklet teeth to save my soul.) I splotched watercolor and the color would NOT lift. Good to know.

I wanted you to be able to flip the paper easily to see the back showing the image and so decided a mobile would be in order. Then the muse came up with East Indian trim and I went with that. Then the muse dictated a little 'story' to go with, so I went with that. The back of the mirror is decorated with a Lynne Hoppe species of flower. I could not resist painting in the chicklet teeth with a gel pen from the Ranger line of products. And her red lipstick and matching nail polish. She sports a gold hair clip and after the whole painting/drawing is complete I'm going to glue on a little flat zwarovski crystal on the cabochon. Her pompadour hair style is influenced by Dita von Teese.

Thanks for dropping in today, and I encourage you to go view the lovely Stefanie's blog as she is the host for this drawing challenge and it is she who chose the theme for us to play with. All who are joining in on this theme are LINKED at Stefanie's site so go have a look!!

Smell Pink Rice

dc102: smell

BarbaraBee is the host of the drawing challenge for this week and she has selected the theme smell!

I've been working on a new design for a little accordion style book with two folds, and the idea of a bird taking the time to smell kind of tickled my fancy. So I plugged along with my project and added the idea of a bird smelling. The pink rice was the muse's idea (I never question this.) Here's the front cover:



It's tied closed as usual. This time with a barrel bead and two matching flower beads. When opened you can see the inside, and then when flipped, the outside (or other side as I like to refer to it.):



The back cover (when book is tied closed) looks like this:



This is painted with watercolour, using sumi-e brushes. The paper is a very heavy hand made sheet which I've torn into the smaller size that I need for a little book.

Have a look at BarbaraBee's blog which is linked above, and you will see more offerings from the artists who have played along this week. I always enjoy the variety of ideas here. Remember that all are welcome to join in the drawing challenges.

Thank you for dropping in today, and I hope to see you again, soon. Hugs, Norma, x