Restrictions: A Key to Artful Living

The above painting was made last Friday at the Ciener Botanical Gardensher in my town. I decided to place a restriction on myself and only use oil pastel and watercolor. It can be a lot of fun imposing a limit on your creative utensils. It works like a guide or a path marked out for … Continue reading Restrictions: A Key to Artful Living

A Story in Paint

Or perhaps this could be titled, Jen's Wonky Palette! Well, one of you asked a simple question: What specific watercolors do you use to paint with? I thought this would be a simple thing to answer. But it actually got me to reminiscing as I painted this wonky drawing of my palette. This is both … Continue reading A Story in Paint

Drawing at the Gardens

I get to go today! Yay! Hooray! That is, if the overcast skies do not give way to rain. 🙁 I'm really looking forward to it! Here's a sketch I made the last time I was at the Ciener Botanical Gardens. Sometimes I like to put little restrictions guidelines for myself, as I did that day: … Continue reading Drawing at the Gardens

Morning Glory Vine

On my walk this morning, I passed by the garden at the top of Silver Dapple Lane. It is in a state of decline, winding down from the summer's producing.  A few tomatoes hang onto skeleton-like plants, a bean or two or three hide under browning leaves, and an unpicked watermelon sits ripe amid the … Continue reading Morning Glory Vine

Be All In! Right Where I Am

Due to my very FULL life 😉 I have not been able to draw on Fridays with my friend Debbie for a few weeks. I miss it so much! And today is no exception...I will miss being there, tracing the lines of the autumn flowers in the beautiful setting at the Ciener Botanical Gardens. But … Continue reading Be All In! Right Where I Am

In My Field

I long to sit in my field. To listen to the late summer hum.  To wonder at the bowed heads of left-behind wheat.  To drink in the gorgeous array of color in the wild, dew-dripping grasses.  To feel the light breeze and to smell the rain sodden earth.  This I love.  This feels like home. … Continue reading In My Field

What it Takes

Have you ever wondered how many stitches it takes to knit a sock? Hm. Well. I did. And so I counted. Or rather approximated. For my recently finished knit sock, which has 7" inches above the heel, and fits my size 9 foot, I counted the rows, then multiplied them by the number of stitches … Continue reading What it Takes

Full…not Busy

I've said it so many times in the past when asked how I'm doing..."Oh I'm so busy!" I'm determined to change this. In recent months however, my life has been defined by a gentle flow, and not a furious frenzy. As I'm getting ready to head back into my life full-throttle (teaching at Redeemer School … Continue reading Full…not Busy

Morning Stitches

I don't often pick up my knitting in the first hour of morning. But when I do, it always speaks to me. After reading and writing a bit, I'm stirred up thinking about all that needs to be done in the day ahead of me. The thought occurs to me: I'll just knit a row … Continue reading Morning Stitches

Lemme Tell Ya A Story…

(to the tune of the Beverly Hillbillies) *** Lemme tell ya a story 'bout a man named Randy A small town pastor whose life was pretty dandy, He told his congregation if they learnt the Apostle's Creed... Then they could throw a pie in his face...strawberry please! ***** For real. This has happened once before … Continue reading Lemme Tell Ya A Story…