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Step 27. Visit friends

On an Artist Date at the Met yesterday, I visited some of the pieces I've drawn in my current sketchbook.

Step 26.More kid stuff

I couldn't resist a package of Shrinky Dinks when I saw them at the store, and I took another walk down memory lane by making some yesterday. I bought the frosted sheets so I could use colored pencils rather than the slick sheets for markers, and I traced images from my own sketchbook drawings. I put a coat of clear nail polish on them after baking to prevent scratches, but I don't think that would be necessary for the slick sheets. All around, not an environmentally-friendly project.

Even though I know what happens with Shrinky Dinks in the oven, I still squealed with delight watching the plastic curl while it shrinks and then go flat again. It's a very cool process to see. I stuck my two Shrinky Dinks on my key chain.

Step 25. Like a kid

I felt silly buying a painting kit for myself, but I really wanted it when I spotted it in a gift shop. The kit was something I would've liked as a kid, and I indulged myself with the purchase. And, I figured this would be a good way to try painting, which I've been wanting to try lately.

First came the leaves. I missed the firmness of working with a pencil and I missed mixing colors right on the paper. I did like that I could paint a lighter color on top of a darker color once the dark paint was dry, though.

By the last leaf, I got the hang of the brush and paint.

Painting the blue flowers was the best part of the project. I need to find some blue morning glories in my neighborhood so I can sit by them and draw them in blue, glorious blue.

I should've stopped after the flowers, but the kit included gold leaf for the background.

Eh. This part was clumsy, though the photo picks up flaws that aren't as noticable in real life. I'm not crazy about how the project turned out, but I had a blast making it, and I re-lived childhood excitement of working with a new kit. I don't think I'll be in the market for another kit for awhile, but I will try painting something on my own now that I got a start.

Step 24. Dress it up

The knitted flowers at the Knit, Purl, Sow exhibit at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens got me thinking. Instead of dressing up a gift with ribbons, I crocheted garlands of flowers and a couple of curlicues.

Inside the gift was the stitchery piece I made for my sister of one of my mom's favorite sayings.

Project complete.

Step 23. B is for Bee

Back in my little pocket sketchbook.

A friend's writing plus Sakai Hoitsu (again) inspired me to draw this little bee with flowers. 

Step 22. Ah-choo!

I'm stuck at home with a bad head cold. To keep myself occupied between sneezes and coughs, I used my Morning Pages notebook to do some sketching.

I drew a detail from another Sakai Hoitsu painting. The leaves in the painting are different shades of green, and it was fun to blend colors to match them. But, I am craving some real leaves to work from. 

Colored pencil in Eccolo World Traveler notebook.