T Stands for Tuesday & Paintings (long post)

 T Stands for Tuesday where we join our Hostess Bleubeard and Eliazabeth for T. Only requirement is a drink reference photo in your post.

  Seems like a long week doesn't it ?? with the outbreak of the Pandemic. I think most of the world is on lockdown now. The photos I saw online of the pope walking alone, no crowds, to pray will be on my mind for awhile

   I did some reading about the 1918 pandemic which is where so many people in their 20-40's were targeted with that virus. My Great Grandma perished at a young age and her daughter my Grandmother was only 15 or 16 when she lost her Mom. The biggest mistake during that event was not taking self quarantine seriously and many continued to attend large events, parades etc. So this is serious, and to protect people (especially my age now) the seniors this is so important-as the young are mostly carriers in this pandemic.
   We are all social but in today's world we have social media, telephones, skype etc-so we can still be social just not be in person or touching.
   My prayers and thankfulness go out to all those people on the frontlines, now is the time to work together and in this country (USA) as Americans and  Not as a Democrat or Republican.
  Now that we have wifi-we never had that before- it is amazing how I can get live information online streaming-we are really loving that-first hand-not twisted by the news media-I have realized this past week just how much they are doing this after seeing the news live as it was happening.
    Time to turn off the news again-to me they have added to the panic.

  Enough of all that-I know this is affecting everyone around the world in some way. Be safe and take care of yourselves.

   Last week I did watch a few you tube videos on painting with acrylics. I ran into Will Kemp art school that I really love. I also watched a couple Monet painting style videos-and I enjoyed the painting I did. This was a good video and it had a little history on the brushes of that time I found very interesting.
    Also got reminded of Bob Ross-I never painted before but I always watched his shows on pbs back then-he was so informative and amazing to watch paint. A very calming voice too. So I have been watching some of his shows that are now being shared online-I need to watch those again where he tells how to make things look like they are in the distance and make a landscape not a flat painting-I don't have that part figured out yet.

This is my Monet inspired (all photos will enlarge just click on them)

Before I glued down in my journal

Decided I needed something in front of the cabin

I do like the sky in this one, loved the technique of this one-need to learn more about moving water

 
Another day I decided to do another one similiar-not real happy with this one-but will add to my journal as reference to my progress

This was yesterday-a bit too flat still, don't like the water-my attempt was rain-snow mix and I am not crazy about this sky although I did get better contrast between sky and water-then I had on my very first pieces.

This morning I added to it and I like it better

I have this vintage metal chest with large not high drawers-perfect for my stamps-and it is in a corner away from light so usually takes better photos

The dark spots in the water of both paintings are to be shadows from the trees-don't know if that really comes across?

The whole point was to have fun and to learn along the way. I would like to be able to paint a sunrise over our lake that is good enough one day to hang.
  Those of you that are painters-any tips for improving and learning are always welcome.
     I was looking at the gouache paints and a blogger artist friend here was helping me with those-but after reading more about them I decided to go with acrylics instead. I liked the chalky look of those-but learned they are never permanent-a drop of water will activate the paint. I am having enough challenges haha

I am out of white paint now, and I don't like the blues that were in this little kit I bought. So I took the splurge and ordered a set of Liquitex acrylic tubes. Still small tubes but will give me more choices of colors and for mixing paints-and I did order a painters color wheel-that shows mixing tips. (thanks Elizabeth as I would not have thought of needing that) I contacted Liquitex online and they answered the next day-these paints are now manufactured in France-no longer in China so I went with them and I like the Liquitex products I have used so far.
  I am always trying to buy not China products-always have-even more so now.

   Saturday the classes for Fiber U were up to view and sign up for. This event is held in July so thinking by first of June the self quarantine should be lifted if we can get a handle on the virus curve.
    Looking through the classes I decided not to take any of them. My favorite dyeing teacher is teaching a beginner class for natural dyeing-I am pretty much self taught so I don't think I need that one. and the spinning classes are too advanced for me, nothing else appealed to me-so the money I saved not taking classes will pay for the paints.

   I made us chocolate chip cookies over the weekend-gluten free batch for me and wheat batch for Larry both using keto sugars I filled up a cookie jar for me and one for Hubs and froze the rest. Keeps us from eating too many 😀

 We love jello and I have not made any for awhile so I made us some over the weekend.

  Someone here last year I think shared this tea-It brews up so lovely I had to get some. I needed to order my decaf coffee so bought this too

There were no instructions on brewing so I searched online. Just need one or two flowers steep and enjoy. It tastes just like green tea. I didn't try it but it said if you add lemon that will change the color

This would be beautiful over ice-enjoyed on the deck watching the boats this summer (smile)

   I had planned to make a St Patrick's day journal page to share, and I found the pieces in my stash to design it-but I just haven't been inspired to do that.
     I will make us up our favorite dinner-corn beef and cabbage, and may even get out my sourdough rye starter for bread for Larry-not sure yet.  March 17th would have been our friend Lilburn's birthday and he loved this meal-he will be missed at the table tomorrow.

Happy T Day and St Patrick's Day to everyone

  Found this card online

Update: after I posted this the mail lady came down with a happy mail package. I recently met a new blog friend Debra through Barbara who is a painter.  She sent me some wonderful gifts.
   I was admiring one of her paintings-we have always lived very rural and could really identify with this lovely painting. It also matches in nicely with our walls

I will look out for a frame for this one

and I couldn't figure out why the box was so heavy-she sent along a big fat book and a couple little frames-thank you soooo much Debra. Of all my books I do not own one on painting