Traffic Sign

 Today's assignment was to create a traffic sign. This is a sign for a round-a-bout. You can turn 4 different ways, but if you keep circling you will just end up in the middle with no place to go.

Animal Robots

 This is a fun project for the kids! Using Leggos and construction paper, you can make all kinds of critters. They can stand up or lay flat, like a snake - good use of leggos after you've lost the instructions or some of the pieces are lost. I'm almost to the half way mark for the year on this 365 day project, and I'm still on track. Sometimes I've been a couple of days behind but so far I catch up. Most of the projects are pretty quick and easy! Next year I may tackle a more consistently artistic year-long project -- we'll see!

Self Protection

 The theme today was self protection. I like this little pencil drawing of a young girl, only allowing a portion of her self to be visible to the viewer. Most of us spend much of our time "putting our best self forward" for fear we will not be accepted as we really are. There is great freedom in finding acceptance just as we are, without pretense.

Armor for Cat

 Yesterday's prompt was to design armor or a helmet for someone or something. I thoughts a helmet for the cat would be fun. Jonesie did not want to wear it.

Pencil group

 Work underwater was the directive for today. This is a drawing of a drowning - unfortunately - a recurrent dream I have.







This assignment was to portray all that a tree provides.









This drawing is in response to making something that can trick the eye. I often see faces in wood grain, or on tree trunks - usually troll like faces.

T

A Trap

 The assignment for the day was to design a trap. At first I thought about trapping a dream or an idea, or maybe an imaginary animal. But having a practical streak, I settled on a trap for the dessert adverse. This strawberry trifle is definitely a trap for those wishing to avoid dessert. Delish!

Refrigerator Creativity

 The assignment was to create something using things from your refrigerator or freezer. My granddaughter and I made a melon basket and filled it with melon balls for father's day dinner. It was deliciously cool.

Wheel barrow recast

 This project was to create something useful and new out of an old piece of furniture. I know....a wheel barrow isn't furniture, but I don't need another large object to store in my house. This old rusted out wheel barrow makes an excellent planter for the excess of Marigolds I planted this year.

Mobile

 The assignment for this was to make something that used the wind to complete it. I made a mobile out of (my fav) melted plastic ware. It turns very nicely to create several different forms. The paddle fan in the living room turns it and it is a lot cooler in here than outside.

Sycamore

 We have a beautiful, old sycamore that is dying, so I'm taking lots of pictures of it before it comes down. Today's assignment was to work only in black and white, so I thought black and white photos of my friend would be appropriate. It has the most convoluted branches and beautiful bark. We've enjoyed it for 35 years and it was here at least that many before we got here. It is completely hollow (would make a wonderful hobbit house - maybe we could cut a cute little door in the trunk before it's gone.)

Purple and Red themes

 (Catching up on my posting today from grandkid visits.) Work only with purple today...  Blueberries, bananas, mild and protein powder - a yummy purple drink.





Red is the theme for this day. A collage of magazine pictures, red, of course, plus one of those red mesh produce bags, I can't seem to part with!

Psycho

 Movie themes today - The bird scenes out of the old movie Psycho always come to mind when I see flocks of birds swooping in droves. Mine isn't near scary enough.

A moire moray

 Work with homonyms today... I came up with a fairy on a ferry, rows of roses, or a peek at a peak, but the most fascinating was a moire moray eel. I think eels are about the ugliest creature on the face of the earth but I like moire fabrics and ribbons. So here is an ugly moray done in moire ribbon. He doesn't photograph real well.

Envisage

 Create a visual definition for a word chosen randomly from the dictionary. Try choosing a word you don't already know. I found "envisage" and the question was how it differed from envision (it doesn't!) The picture I came up with was a pastoral scene in crayon resist.

Calendar composition

 The assignment was to create something using calendars. I combined a peaceful jogger with a swooping eagle. ...not really too creative or interesting!

Tools

 Make a composition using all the tools you have. I didn't know what tools they meant - I certainly couldn't do ALL the tools, as I have kitchen, art, and all kinds of manly tools that I use, so I chose kitchen. This is my main cooking tool drawer. I know it looks like a jumble to you, but I can reach in there and fish out exactly what I need. I love my tools!

Drawing with make-up

 O.K. This is why old people should not get tattoos! The assignment was to do body-art with make-up. I drew on my leg with an eye liner and filled in with lip pencil; a design I would get if I wanted a tattoo. When I photographed it, the skin around the drawing looked so old and crackled it was disgusting. Therefore, I will not get a tattoo, not that I planned to!

Life-size creation

 The assignment was to create a life-size person using your clothes and/or whatever else you have at hand. At first I thought I would make a bubble wrap person but didn't think the results would merit the time it took. So I used clothes - hanging up with hat on top and shoes on the bottom. Surprisingly realistic when you walk into the closet!

The "REAL" Hunger Game

The "Real" Hunger Game Board    

Create a simple board game and play it. I play this game every day and usually don't win (No Ice Cream!) This is a guide to dealing with hunger cravings - kind of a flow chart to help me identify and appropriately deal with the emotional side of eating. I've never been really hungry - I just eat because it tastes good, I'm bored, I'm waiting on something, I'm tired or thirsty (that's a big one!) or out of frustration or loneliness.....most any emotion will do. This one needs a place on my refirgerator.  

Toilet paper tube art, etal

 Work only with toilet paper tubes today - I tried a portrait  with this one. These tubes are harder to shape than it looks! I never could get the nose to look right - guess I need a lot more practice. Kind of fun though, how many expressions you can get. I'll probably mess around with this some more in the future.




This assignment was to make something that is strong enough to support your own weight and stand on it. I have been saving lemonade boxes forever, thinking I will eventually use them for something. These are just taped together and amazingly, quite strong. Don't think I'll make a stool out of them to keep, however. That is one ugly foot!

Finger print portrait

 This assignment was to create a portrait using finger prints. I used charcoal as a medium. This turned out quite nicely - a portrait of a lady in a hat. I did have to lightly touch up a bit on detail with a charcoal pencil and kneaded eraser. I'd like to mess around with this some more later.

Complex/simple function

 This device snuffs out a lit candle by tossing a wet sponge. I used dominoes to set off the mouse trap which is loaded with a wet sponge. The first photo shows the set up. The second shows the reaction, complete with water spray from the sponge. At first I thought my lens was dirty. I couldn't reliably land the sponge on the flame - too unpredictable.

Progressive decomposition

 This project was to create something and then document it as it decomposes. I chose an apple head and took pictures of it as it dried. It wrinkled up and then looked pretty snarly toward the end. ....and then he almost ...faded.....away......