Pole dancing squirrel

I don’t like squirrels but have to live with them because I like to feed our wild feathered friends.  The birds bring me joy on these dull cold winter days.  

However, I did enjoy seeing that the pole was too slippery for this squirrel to climb up onto the landing.  It made me chuckle watching his attempts until he finally figured it out; he wasn’t going to make it up today. 

The “hat” that is on this feeder is the lid from an old enameled roasting pan.  It’s our attempt to keep the snow off the landing area.  Sometimes there is so much packed snow that even the blue jays can’t clear it! That means I begrudgingly have to go out and clean it off.

We should have bought the same style that we had instead of picking this new design thinking it was better because it was larger.

Toronto smallest house

Today is Family Day here in Canada so we have spent the weekend in Canada’s biggest city with the family. 

I walked over to see Toronto’s smallest house!  Built in 1912 and only 300 square feet.  I went yesterday but absolutely hated my drawing.  So today, I went back and tried again.  Better, much better!

I was going to paint up the houses beside but realized that there is no need; it looks better this way.  The focus is definitely on the tiny house.  I think it is clear just how small it really is next to the regular sized homes beside it. 

I drew it standing in front just off the sidewalk (there were no cars parked in front) and painted it up at our daughter’s house.  

I made some “Cola pens”!

I don’t know why I was so worried about making a “cola pen”!  I think I was concerned that I might cut myself because that is just the way I am sometimes.  I was extra careful and worked slowly,  I ended up making the pen without incident.

This isn’t a “how-to” spread but just a visual documentation to remind me that I can make more another time.  Once you do one you can make many more.  This one can actually made three.  I used cheap painters tape and taped up the remnants pieces and put them in the garage. 

So I had fun making marks this morning! 

My mobile studio

Yesterday we had sun and balmy 5C temperatures so I took a spin with Bertha.  There weren’t any stationary fish huts on the ice but one fella had a ATV and a pop-up portable one.  Everyone else had walked out and were enjoying the sun and fishing in the open air.  

I decided to stop and do a drawing in my mobile studio of this family owned dairy farm.  If you were with me you would be able to see a sheep farm over your right shoulder.  Part of the fields in the foreground belong to them. 

I used Lyra watercolour crayons that I keep in a small tin with some cards.  I brought my sketchbook so I didn’t need to use them. 

Our new throne

This is what happened yesterday.  I think our new throne deserves to be documented in my sketchbook. Yup, there is a first time for everything! 

I can’t believe it has been three years since my husband was in a coma.  This time period doesn’t really register to him but I recall it clearly.   After speaking to the doctor, I drove to the hospital without my glasses on and didn’t realize it until I was waiting for the doctor to speak to me about my husband’s condition. I couldn’t read my phone!  Somehow in my haste they had disappeared from my face.  Luckily it was a clear but cold night and I drove home under a large moon and found them in the hall under the coat rack. 

Our plumber came to the house to put a cover over where the sprayer is located. 

Flossie the bunny rabbit

This 2-page spread was many days in the making.  Last week I was fooling around with my gel-plate and I got this nice green colour.  Then I had some blue on the roller and applied it to the page too.  I moved on to other pages in my sketchbook.

I found a piece of paper with some more of that green paint that I had rolled off.  I had the bunny rabbit in my book and like the image enough to make a cut out of it on this pink gel-plate print. 

The story goes like this: Flossie was nervous about being so exposed on the front lawn but couldn’t help herself; the tender spring grass tasted so sweet. 

Our wild brown bunnies here prefer clover but I decided to make the story fit.  So I’m thinking about spring even though it was -32C with the windchill yesterday and today it is a balmy 1C under another cloudy day.  I’m afraid, springlike days are months away. 

Mini printer for stickers

This gizmo has been languishing in the closet.  I have been having some fun experimenting with it for last two days.  

I must of had a week moment and extra cash in my wallet to buy this gadget.  I mean do I really NEED a sticker maker?! Nope, not at all.  However, I’ve really enjoyed trying to figure out how to get it to work as nd produce a sticker for my visual journal.  It’s a Royal Talens Art Creation book, definitely not made for watercolour but that’s okay with me. 

Am I the only one who has difficulties with instructions?  What is worse is that I’m not good with having to read them on my phone too.  I much prefer reading on my computer screen in order to digest the information.  But, I got through it.  I had to take a break since I got frustrated and then a couple of hours later, I was able to print my first sticker.  

Recycled Fabric card

Okay so this is what I ended up with from yesterday’s recycled ”fabric” post. I’ve made our granddaughter a Valentine’s Day card.

It was slow work but it did finally come together. 

Cellophane candy wrappers

What I learned today is that there is a reason why experiments are experimental.  So this didn’t work out how I thought it might in my head.  Oh well, I think I might be able to “save” this experiment. I had had my mind set on making recycled “fabric” using Quality Street cellophane wrappers from Christmas.  So you got it; my idea didn’t work so I started stitching in order to try and save the day. 

I’m going to “keep calm and stitch on” and see if I can like my end result.