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Naomi

Euphorbia {plus red + violet}

{click on images above to enlarge}

I'm getting one in before April closes! It's been way too long since I've posted a sketch.

For weeks now, every time I walk out my front door or pull up to our house, I look over at my neighbor's amazing garden {a post on the logo + biz card I designed for her landscape business to come soon!}. This bright lemony, lime green plant with bunches of little flowers and pointy leaves. I am the furthest from a gardener, so I asked my friend Mary about these when I was at her house the other day — noticing them in her garden. Euphorbia. I told her I had been wanting to paint them for weeks. Finally, I got the chance yesterday while Ezra was wiped out from his 6 month check-up. Uncharacteristically sleeping for hours during the day.

My first attempt {which I may still post} didn't turn out quite right. I didn't use pen and found I couldn't get the detail I wanted. I can't help using pen. After I completed the single stalk, I still needed to pore over the details of the tiny flower — thus the close-ups.

I had planned to paint some red tulips, grape hyacinth and lobelia to balance out all the lime green — to incorporate somehow. Turns out I didn't feel like it. What I was mainly after was to get some of those bright reds and violets I kept seeing on my walks with Ezra and driving Hannah Mae to and from preschool every day — that bright, light violety lavender I was seeing as ground cover. What was that? Oh, lobelia {I had to do a search to find this out...I know nothing about flowers!}.

After I got the euphorbia done with pen + watercolor, I painted blocks of red and violet. First with watercolor. I thought I couldn't get the vibrancy of the violet with my Sumi pan watercolors, so I got out a couple pouches of the Japanese powder watercolors from Midori. I needed more time to figure out how these work. I thought they would perform like my other watercolors, but they are quite different. They dry powdery. I also couldn't get them to flow/blend right. I think I just don't know how to use them. So, I abandoned those {and made a powdery mess on the kitchen table} and turned to my gouache. I love gouache. I can always get the bright, opaque color I am after. Vibrant violet achieved.

I still want to try adding some vector patterning on top of these...maybe another day. Maybe I will still get to the tulips and hyacinth as well.

I love spinach

Fresh spinach, tofu and Israeli couscous are my favorites lately {not necessarily all together}.

{ pen + watercolor }

Me

After about 6 failed starts, I landed here. I think the last time I attempted a self-portrait was either in high school or college art class. This hat is really white, but I wanted some more color. Sometimes I wish it was orange anyway.

{ pen + watercolor + colored pencil }

HM's lunch box

I got home from lap swim around 10:30pm and was looking around for something to quickly sketch. 2 hours later and here it is. HM's lunch box (when she is not using her Hello Kitty one — in her words, she likes to "alternate"). I took full advantage of everyone sleeping — the pleasure of 2 uninterrupted hours to myself. Took much longer than I thought, but I had to take my time to get those feline details down. Turkey + pepperjack sandwich, Cameo apple, Club crackers and string cheese. Usually about 1/4-1/3 left over at the end of the day to eat on her way home or as soon as we walk in the door.

Pen + watercolor + colored pencil {with some digitally-added white highlights on apple}

Ginger molasses @ SODO Macrina

I had to make this quick. E was sleeping in his carrier next to me at SODO Macrina. I am picky about baked goods, but I love everything at Macrina! This ginger molasses cookie hit the spot! A tiny bit crunchy with a crackle of sugar on the outside and the perfect softness inside. Pen with added watercolor back at my studio.

I can't believe it's snowing! Got to go get HM…

Never-ending laundry

Seems like I am either always doing laundry, thinking about laundry, putting off doing the laundry or complaining about the laundry! Here are two stacks that sat around downstairs while I watched the Grammys with M…who is inside right now doing laundry as I write this. It can sit in the basket for a week before I get around to putting it away. By the time I get to it, it is half-unfolded from rummaging around it in looking for the one or two black shirts that fit me ok! M usually folds and I end up putting it away…eventually. Better get inside and help — or just watch T.V.

Dark chocolate + coconut filled

My fourth trial-sized Mounds while watching the Grammys.

{pen + digital}

HM's art gallery

Sitting at the kitchen table while my kids were napping, I was looking around for something to sketch — just an everyday object. Anything. What could be more ordinary than the fridge — which doubles at HM's art gallery? She is really into coloring lately. One of her favorite things a few weeks ago was to draw a "sky blue windshield butterfly." I have no idea what that means, but it has come up repeatedly. I wonder what goes on her little head when she's coloring one of these! She is getting better at drawing figures. I can make out the face, body, arms, legs, hands and feet. So cute! Her zigzags are "writing." Often a big letter "H" can be found on the backs of her drawings from preschool — an "H" she has drawn herself! I love to see her little art skills take shape!

I couldn't get the perspective quite right on the butcher block, but decided to keep it in anyway.

Swim + Hydrate

Finally…back to the pool with my pink water bottle!

It's been way too long — about 4.5 months. With the new year, comes a renewed excitement to exercise again (and drink more water!). Just getting to the Y last night was an accomplishment to be proud of! 14 laps. I'll work on less rests and more laps, but for now, it just feels good to get back in. E was left with M and did his usual 9-10ish fussiness and didn't go to sleep until around 11:30 pm. I like to think that perhaps I had a bit more energy to get him down since I had finally gotten to the gym.

2.5 months : sleepyhead

I could never get HM to sit or stand still for long enough to sketch her (except for in the bath...see first sketch ever posted)! It's easy with a sleepy 2.5 month old!

2.5 months since my last post. E was born the next day! I knew he was coming soon…and he must have known I was finally ready. It was perfect timing. Contractions started at 11:45 am at church. Raced home. HM's auntie was over within minutes of getting home. Then off to Swedish by 2 pm. Walks with M around Capitol Hill and the hospital to speed things up. The possibility of going home then having to come back. Thank God that didn't happen! Things finally sped up…and Ezra was born at 8:17 pm, Sunday, October 26. 8 lb, 9 oz at birth. He is such a chubby little boy — already 16 lb at 2.5 months!

I had not planned that a sketch of E would follow my last post, but how fitting that it turned out that way! I was reminded that each sketch doesn't have to be a masterpiece…especially when I just have a few minutes as I'm waiting for my leftover pizza to heat up for lunch. I had to sketch quickly since E was waking up in his carseat. I never draw babies. I think I got the chub factor conveyed though. He watched me intently as I quickly threw on some color in the studio. First time he'd seen me paint. HM's old orange sweatshirt and green blanket are keeping him cozy.