August 28, 2007

EDM 133 Peach

First Try at EDM #133 challenge "Peach"
Overworked and looks more like tangerines .
Try #2 looks more like a pumpkin
Last try, still way off the mark. At least I gave it a couple of tries - in looking at others posts I think I am way off on colors - I thought overworking was the main problem -but??? Anyway this one was fun

Good Night Bar Harbor

As always I am sad to leave the rocky Maine coast of Bar Harbor and head back to the real world. My last on site sketch is above. Lobstering has to be Hard Work but it reminds me of the movie Mystic Pizza (filmed nearby) and the boats are so cute and the catch is so yummy! This attempt at a sunset did not go as planned (the beauty of WC?) but I worked with it and learned as always, I should try this again and better paper would help of course ( this is a journal page) More 'fill-in' pages will be added as I work from pictures and such to complete this journal. Bye Bar Harbor, see you next year. Pencil and pen WC wash for sky and Dewert WC shading pencils in hand.book journal

August 24, 2007

Bar Harbor at last

This is a truly quick sketch of the view from our room at the Bar Harbor Inn - we are right on the ocean front, waves lapping on the rocky coast. We view Frenchman's' Bay out to the Atlantic, with the Porcupine Islands in view (one is pictured here - notice the shape?)

Today there is a small cruise ship in our "backyard" (how rude). Gorgeous morning to sit on our veranda on the second floor in our jammies and have coffee while the lobster boats scurry about checking traps. Normally we would spend hours enjoying this changing view and I would have loads of sketch time - but this year we have visitors so we are off to do the tourist thingies!

More to come of Bar Harbor when I get home this weekend.

Story of Broad Arrow branding

If you can enlarge and read the journal page I explain the Broad Arrow mark - At present the Harraseeket Inn has named their tavern the "Broad Arrow Tavern" and their place mats tell this history. Great Inn, Great tavern and Terrific food and libation. We leave for Camden and Bar Harbor the next day. Again, my husbands computer seems to wash out the brightness of my pages - ah I will be back home all to soon though.

August 22, 2007

Big Boot/EDM #132

I simply love LL Bean (Freeport Maine) . Not so much for the style of clothing although I own many items, but for the memories of camping on the shore nearby and heading into 'beans' when ever it rained or we were near insanity -Thank God it IS OPEN 24 hours a day 7 days a week!!! And they stand by their products 1,000% No Questions Asked.
I actually returned a jacket Years after purchase because it was too noisy (I kid you not) and they give a full refund with no receipt or Nuttin.
Any way I digress - the stores are fabulous, even the hunting and fishing store is fascinating. Here I am standing next to the original Giant Bean Gum boot that started the LLBean legend and this celebrated their 95 anniversary. The sole is called a Gum Chain Tread SOOOOOO I am entering this as EDM #132 "Chain". (OK give a girl a break, I am on vacation and suffering with technology dilemmas!

Harraseeket Inn

Next stop, Harraseeket Inn, Freeport Maine. Lovely Inn that is actually HUGE with a center courtyard full of stone walls and flower gardens where weddings are often held. Our second floor room overlooks this courtyard garden and in early morning I sketched from the window, which was open with a cool morning breeze.
It is quite chilly for August and we actually contemplated using the wood fireplace in our room.
Again, I am less than thrilled with the result of transfering these photos to post but alas it is 'something.
artline pen, note.book.journal and watercolor

Greetings from Maine

It seems like forever since I posted to my blog - as we travel up the coast of Maine I sketch but my laptop Refuses to let me enter my own Blog?? Techno magic can be so frustrating some times. Now, as we near the end of our vacation I decide to try loading pictures of my journal onto my laptop where I can crop, re-size, calibrate etc with my digital Image Pro program, then send them to my hubby's laptop (he brings to stay in touch with work) then open them, save them and enter my blog and Finally - POST --- so here it is, hopefully worth the wait and the trouble. I, However feel triumphant!! Our first stop on day one of our vacation is in Kittery Maine, at our favorite "Bob's Clam Hut" for fabulous "lobstah" rolls and clams, and scallops with fries of course and malt vinegar! YUM
Ok, not the brightest post I have up-loaded (it figures something would be lost in transition) but with practice maybe the next one will be more representative of the actual page.
NoteBook journal, ink and watercolor (and maybe a little melted butter ;-)

August 10, 2007

EDM #131 spray bottle

The simple challenges can turn out with the most interest, although my spray bottle is rather flat. It has been a busy week as I prepare (at work and home) to leave for two weeks vacation. This quickie is my water color paint wetting spray bottle. A trusty friend for sure shown pretty much actual size. I hoped to give it more sparkle and clarity - like glass even though it is plastic. This is one challenge I should revisit at a later date. Hopefully I will be able to post and stay in touch while on the road, although my laptop does not like Blogspot for some strange reason.

August 7, 2007

EDM #130 School Supplies

I have my own fond memories of my school days, and of course my three grown children - but this year my thoughts go to my grand daughter who heads to kindergarten this fall - which simply cannot be possible!!!

August 2, 2007

Old Salt

Another journal entry from my last trip to Maine where I had lots of time to sketch (from pictures this time as we were up in the Mountains). In a couple of weeks we will head up the coast of Maine hopscotching small harbor towns to Bar Harbor (bah habbar) where I will spend as many hours as possible lounging in a comfy chair, perched upon the rocky coast , gazing at the ocean while I sip a hot cup of coffee and watch lobster boats scurry about the harbor, checking their traps (coffee because the lobster boats only go out early morning). Ahh that is the life, until the snow and frigid winter arrives anyway ;-) Artline pen and watercolor in journal

August 1, 2007

Favorites of Maine

More Maine sketches, my favorites (except for the mosquito - horrors) should have included blueberries too (the tiny wild variety are heavenly). (Hum there is a dark shadow running through the bottom half of the page, need to rescan when I get a chance.)