Watercolor Crayons

One of my recent Christmas presents was a box of watercolor crayons to use in my art journal.  Yesterday I decided to spend 5 minutes playing with these crayons on a torn open brown grocery bag.  I had plans to cover a large area, but I didn't want to "use up" too much of the crayon.  Do you do that?  Not use something to "save" it for a better use "later"?  Anyway.  My friend Deborah uses words/writing in her fiber work to add texture and design.  I have always liked that.  So I scribbled a bit with crayon after I had built up a base of color and smooshed it a bit with a damp paper towel.  I like how the white crayon's color changes as it passes through the colors. This reminds me of oil pastel (which I love using).  I think I have been "saving" them also (but the oil pastel sticks from France are expensive).  My New Year's Motto:  USE IT UP. I can afford to BUY MORE!! Or at the least, give my family the opportunity to resupply me as gifts.

Today (we had snow and now freezing sleet) Riley and I are staying in, no walk, and I will experiment with my watercolor crayons on fabric.  I may even iron the waxed fabric to see what happens.  If I run out of crayons I'm sure my daughter would be happy to resupply me.  But if I remember my children's use of crayons--we never seemed to actually use them up.  We always had crayons.  We spent every afternoon drawing and coloring huge pictures on the coffee table.  I taped blank newsprint over the surface and let them color in wide arcs over the surface.  Starting as soon as they could hold a crayon (those fat ones) and not eat it.  When my children were little, I had only been out of art school for a few years, and I had planned to be an art teacher. I was very much interested in having my toddlers make art everyday and it filled that space, in each day, between naps and dinner.

Riley and I walked, yesterday afternoon, on the unplowed streets we usually walk on.  I was sweating by the time we got back home.  Very aerobic.  But dangerous.  There were a few cautionary moments when I planted my foot only to have it slip out from under.  I tried avoiding the places I remembered were icy but the tracks of the garbage trucks were like glass.  We made it home without me falling but today falling will be a "sure thing".  I wore the giant black wool coat last night while I shoveled the steps and back stoop.  I found a handkerchief and poop bag in the left pocket and dog treats in the right pocket. Deep pockets so plenty of room for the amount of treats Riley consumes.  No need to make a bag.

The giant black wool coat serves an additional purpose. I wore this coat the winter I fell down almost every time I walked the dog (he was younger and pulled sharply getting me off balance).  Fell hard. With no warning (before YakTrax).  I was standing up and then I was looking straight up at the sky, on my back.  The coat is so big and heavy that it protected me from bodily harm.  My knees did get hurt a few times but no broken bones. I think I stopped wearing it when I had lost so much weight and the coat was way too large and cumbersome.  Not that way right now.  But the weight adds to the exercise of walking.  Like wearing weighs on your shoulders, pressing you down, making me work harder to keep moving forward.

Last night's meatloaf was a welcome treat after G finished snowblowing the driveway.  We had very good mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli along side.  And, surprise!, G brought home zucchini so I can assemble my ratatouille today and eat some and freeze the rest for later.  I have everything the recipe calls for.  Incredible.  We also have leftover pizza.  So, besides making the ratatouille, I don't have to worry about cooking later for dinner.

Tomorrow is G's day off and we will attempt to carry the Pilates box upstairs (heavy, dead weight) and set the machine up and get the little DVD player set up so I can watch the Beginner DVD and try out my exercise equipment.  Finally.  I can't move or lift the box by myself.  We'll also be spreading salted sand around on the sidewalks and getting a full tank of gas in my car.  Visiting the library.

Today I will be sweeping the floors (winter grit), finishing the laundry (folding), filling two containers in my workspace, measuring a German wardrobe in the attic to see if we can repurpose it in our daughter's kitchen, and deciding what to have for breakfast.  Oatmeal, yogurt and fruit, or cold cereal and milk.  I had toasted English muffins yesterday so not that.

I visited a few very successful fiber artist sites this morning and I can see ways in which to improve my work and move forward.  I lack a focal point.  I make incredibly good backgrounds and now I need to actually make a statement on top of those backgrounds.  But this is good.  Making a good, interesting background isn't easy.  I now have that down (sort of) and can work on the top layer now.  I didn't Bookmark the sites I liked because then I would just be making their work.  I have to glance quickly and then move on.  And not go back. I also need to build a moveable design wall for the upstairs studio and work with the piece on the wall not on the table.  Things are not what the seem to be when you look at them from an angle.