I Left The House Today

And didn't take pictures.  Our Master Gardener Office asked for volunteers to paint a 4 by 5 foot mural for the Portland Flower Show next month. Something for the Children's Corner where they can draw and paste things on the murals (there will be 8 murals at least over the 4 days--changing them out as they get scribbled on).  So, since I haven't been out of the house since New Year's Day, I said why not.

Today was the day.

I brought my charcoal sticks, one brush, some foam brushes (craft type), no paint, a few cups in which to mix colors and my coffee.  No camera I am sorry to say cause it turned out much better than I ever expected.  I would have liked a picture of it.

The mural paper was white vellum.  Very smooth and slippery surface.  Not easy to paint. Poster Paint in Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Yellow and Orange.

I also brought a photo copy of a very minimalistic woodland scene (as much prep as I wanted to do).  Bare bones.  And proceeded to cover the entire surface with a very pale sky blue mix of white medium and blue poster paint.  Then I drew in the rocks, pond and trees.  I had a front, middle and way back in the scene.  Dimensional. No plants, no animals (let the kids draw them in).  I then tried to mix a good brown for the trees in the background.  It went on the vellum as a transparent brown.  I added green and painted the moss in-also transparent.  Then the rocks--ditto.  It was almost 11am.  Two hours.  I thought that might be long enough.  And the other painter (she does murals professionally) thought so too, when I looked up, she was gone.

G and I went further south and visited Trader Joe's.  I got a few things.  Going to make guacamole this evening to eat with chips and a nice alcoholic drink.  Either a gin and tonic or a lime margarita. It's been that kind of week.  Glad it's almost over.

Oh, I also bought a tub of dark chocolate caramels.  OMG.  Perfect.  I have only allowed myself one  as a test -- I need to keep the rest safe until Valentine's Day.  When I will eat them ALL!  So, so perfectly delicious.  I should leave the house more often!