Scout, Lane Ways and Pumpkins

Scout is my latest store. If you can, check it out. Here is a bit of a sneak preview.

 On the days I'm off to the printer, the "girls" and I usually go through some lane ways. It's quieter, less traffic and you never know what you'll see. It's like a peak into another time, which is kind of cool.

Of course, this is kind of cool too.

After today we won't be seeing much of these. Although the park where we go for morning walks has a gorgeous display of the neighbourhood's pumpkins. Everyone brings them after Hallowe'en. There are hundreds of them! Or you can go here to see what I mean. 

I hope everyone has a very scary night tonight, have fun with all the costumes and make-up.

I've been crazy busy clearing out the basement for a new project. And what a time to do it too as it was sunny all weekend and I was in the basement! argh. Well, in the end, it's for a good cause. I'll tell you more about that later.

With these colder grey days it's always been my firm belief that people were meant to hibernate, instead of this incessant drive to work.

I suppose that's why they invented furnaces.

Over at the shop many people from all over have "hearted" my Moose Pillow. Actually, it would be quite nice to curl up with and read a good book, I think. 

Have a warm weekend.

I hope to show you what I've been designing soon.

The Colour Purple

The last clematis and morning glory in our yard. I thought it appropriate to show them with my logwood hanging to dry.

Out back is full of green and yellow but soon the leaves on the coton easter will be brilliant red. They look so amazing against Art's studio.

terra cotta head by Art Di Lella

The Owl, The Lynx and The Wolf

Hope your weekend went well. We finally got some Sun yesterday which was more than welcome. I spent my time jumping between dyeing, drawing and printing. This is my finished drawing of the owl I showed you last week.

 And here is the finished wolf drawing. Actually it's not the one I showed before, but one I started all over again. It's a bit dark but hey...maybe it's one of the black wolves.

 I actually started this one yesterday morning and finished it too in one go: pretty rare.

 Can't wait to tell you what I'm planning to do with them...

New Drawings

My head is still in September but it's almost November and I just can't understand how fast the time seems to be flying. The furnace was reluctantly turned on today: grumble grumble hiss hiss.

Thought I'd show you some of the drawings I've been working on for this "new" idea I gave mention to a few days ago. I think the ink drawing of the wolf looks better here than in reality because I was going to do another one. You know me, not easily satisfied.

This  Owl, seems to be going in the right direction so far. Let's hope I don't mess up the eyes. I have a tendency to do the hardest thing last which is really dumb because if I'm so close to finishing and then mess it up, well...you know.

Stay warm this weekend

Algonquin Part II

It was a week ago I escaped to the wilderness Just thought I'd visit it again with some of the pictures I didn't post before.

a small pebble dropped by a glacier

 I know they would love to be back there as much as I would.

Enjoy the rest of your week. I'm loaded down with more drawing and printing for a "new" idea I have. More about that later...

  Autumn is definitely settling in here. I hope the weekend went well for everyone.

This is something very special that I wanted to show. Perhaps you can see the writing (which must have been done by the teacher). Helen Devor is my aunt, Clinton was her public school and 1936-7 was quite a while ago!

 

 

 Don't you just love the exploded patterns, use of colour and shape, let alone the beginning of fine motor skills and observation?

In the news I hear that the use of computers has virtually eliminated the need to learn how to write with pencil and paper. I don't even know where to begin about that...

A Time For Everything

It was a time for wiping the slate clean. What better way to do it than to disappear? This is Algonquin Park: for me a place of renewal, a place to begin again.

All these images have so much meaning for me, so much symbolism. Exactly what I was looking for.

 I hope these pictures give to you what they have given to me. All you have to do is add the silence of the trees, the "chick" of the chickadees, the rush of the rapids and the smell of the earth.

Enjoy your weekend

close your eyes

breathe the air 

and take your time

Found myself on someone's Pinterest here. Still not quite sure about these. On one hand they're for organizing; on the other, they seem to get way out of hand.

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Old Photo Effects

Hope your week is going well. Apparently the "girls" still are a bit wiffy according to some.

What with all the family gatherings, let alone preparation, there hasn't been much time for work. Still fooling around a bit with old photo effects. This one I found here. You might want to give it a try.

Just quickly checking in during this amazingly beautiful Canadian Thanksgiving weekend.  Wherever you are, I hope it's as lovely.

I was spending some time fooling around on photoshop. It kills me how obscure some of the steps are to achieve certain effects. But if I keep plugging away at it...well, you know.

Collages at Mitzi's in October

For those of you unable to come to the show, I thought I'd just post sort of what it looks like. In the past I've taken shots hanging in the cafe but it never looks right: the angles, the light, all wrong.

 Hope you like them.

Here in Canada it is Thanksgiving weekend and a time for families to get together or go to the cottage and close it up for the winter. The colours are in full view and I feel like hitting the hi-way.

Wherever you are, I hope it is a great weekend!

Old Yet New Collages

Hope your week is going better than mine. Let alone all that uncalled for cold wet and depressing weather, the girls were skunked during our walk yesterday morning. Pictures wouldn't begin to describe the smell! The only saving grace was that it wasn't a direct hit. But if you ever need to know:
1 litre hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
2 tsp.  dish soap
Rub it in and rinse with warm water about 10 - 15 minutes later and repeat. Do not store with a lid as it could explode!!

Later today I will be hanging yet another impromptu show and these are some of the pieces. As I've had absolutely no heads up about this, all I can do is go over some older pieces that I still have.

Enjoy the rest of the week, the sun should be out with the promise of warm hugs.

Montreal (part 2)

One of the discoveries we made while wandering around Montreal was Style Labo, a shop full of  industrial vintage pieces. I would have loved to have brought home something from this place.

 But even the used postal bags were way out of my reach, let alone those wire baskets. Darn.

 And what's traveling without food? "Beauty" was another wonderful find. A sun-filled cafe in the old Jewish district and filled  with patrons. Not only that, but the original owner, Hymie, who easily pointed out a table for two during the packed lunch hour.

Hymie Sckolnick at 90, 2011