Thursday, September 3, 2015

Nature Is a Painting

  How's the weather in your neck of the woods? Here in PA it certainly still feels like summer with continued high temps feeling like the 90's F along with high humidity. So of course my thoughts are still on summer and our recent vacation in Fenwick Island , DE.

                                             Nature's Treasures ( 8" x 6" canvas board)

 The base was first painted in several bright colors then mostly gone over with several blue colors. I adhered feathers and Jingle shells I crushed (to resemble mica flakes).

 This is what they look like:
 
  A few days ago I received a new stash of pens in the mail!
 

 Some I needed to replace and some are new to me and I wanted to try them out. These come from JetPens online. I think the prices are really good, they ship free $25 and up, and their service is fast and excellent!


 Here's a detail of the gold pen-very hard to capture but it is GORGEOUS and flows perfectly smooth:

 I haven't had much time to play with the new to me ones yet. But the uniball signo pens are my very favorite and I have them in several colors although it is the white one that I use the most-it is THE best by far although I think I am going to like the Posca pen too.

Do you have any of these pens/markers? What are your favorites? How do you use them?
 Please do share!



 Besides the beach my thoughts have also been about France - especially since I just sent Mom off to spend a whole month visiting her family. And so I will share with you a journal spread I had done some years ago in a book I dedicated to times spent there with my French family.


The words mean "by the window". I used a photo of shutters I took in France then printed them out on cardstock and cut them to go over photos inside.

 
 And to reveal how old this is-that is my dear aunt top left- who is now 81 yrs. old-my Mom's oldest sister. I was always closest to her so it was especially difficult knowing I wasn't able to go and see her again with my Mom this time. Top right is hubby. There was always a clean table cloth put on the table at my grandmother's and afterwards we'd shake the crumbs off  by waving it out the kitchen window. She lived in a  3rd floor apt. - and as you can guess- I did lose a cloth that went on a line below one time:):) Bottom left is my MéMé , my mother's mother who is no longer with us. Everytime we went out she'd stand by her front window to wave us off and watch us leave, and then she'd be there again when we returned. She was a ton of fun and we all miss her so. Bottom right is my son-who was 7 then and he is now 27!!
 
 Thanks for indulging me a bit with my nostalgia. I am truly grateful to have so many remembrances of the happy times spent there.
 
 Hope you all have a wonderful weekend coming up. Here in the US it will be an extended weekend as Monday is our Labor Day holiday and most will have the day off. Enjoy!
 
 Linking to Art Journal Every Day, Art Journal Journey (theme for this month is "Through My Window"), and Paint Party Friday.
 
 " Nature is a painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty if only we have the eyes to see them."                                                           John Ruskin
 










                                                 

35 comments:

  1. Oh dear Linda!
    I adore your French window pages and the precious memories that go with them ♥!!!
    Back to the top of your post and your lovely beach inspired piece...those blues slay me and jingle shells are one of my fav things to look for at the beach.
    Good to know JetPens carries the POSCA pens. I continue to rave about my White SIGNO pen. I also like the Sharpie Water based white markers alot.
    That is a nice guide you made to share too.
    Is there anything special you've asked your mom to bring back from France for you?
    Inquiring minds you know ;-)
    oxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful art Linda! So great to have happy memories and share here in such a unique and creative way!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful journal pages, what a lovely idea to make the windows, thanks for joining us again at Art Journal Journey. Love those pens, I have a lot of the signo ones in various colours and metallic, and they are my faves. Have fun using yours! Hugs, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  4. I LOVE the windows spread you did in your altered book. That's really clever. Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  5. How nice to revisit those memories. Wonderful spread and I hope your Mom has a wonderful time. xox

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the idea of crushing shells. Posca pens are my favourites. I am sure you will have lots of fun with them. Greetings from wintery Scotland. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fantastic pages with the windows - this makes a beautiful memory keeper Linda! Amazing!
    I like your nature's treasures canvas - beautiful as well...
    Oh this pens and markers always... I ruined so much of them or they dried out ..
    I use for black the Mark it All Pencils from Stabilo and for the most of the other things that have to be permanent the refillable Pentel brush pen now.. and for white I just take a tipp ex pen or white oilpastels or chinamarkers.Also good for me is to use china-ink with nib pens -

    I am so happy you linked up to Art Journal Journey!
    Thanks a lot Linda!
    Happy weekend to you!
    oxo
    Susi

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful memories...I loved the journal pages, both old and new.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love that beautiful textured piece Linda! Safe trip to your mom.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the texture you achieved with the feathers and crushed shells! It has a great summer holiday feel to it. Personally, I'm glad that summer and the hot temperatures we had this year are finally over, and I'm looking forward to spring. The white Uni Signo pen is one of my absolute favourite pens ever. Love to use it for drawing on dark acrylic backgrounds.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the few posca pens I've gotten so far. They are great! Enjoy the explorations!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nature's Treasures is lovely, Linda. What beautiful shells! And the texture of the piece brings life to it. I get my pens from Jet Pens too. I like the Signo ones, but your gold pen is so gorgeous I know I will be ordering some of those soon.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Linda! Window spreads are fabulous. Love the canvas,too. The color is great.
    Thanks for your happy memories ♥

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Linda. This is such a wonderful way to keep memories. I also love your art piece. The depth is amazing. So glad to see you art again.
    Nicole/Beadwright

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your Nature's treasures is such a brilliant idea and very beautiful with the different textures and just a few colors to show them off.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love your artwork. The French windows really set \off the photos.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wonderful works of art. :) I love Uni Posca pens!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your artwork is lovely--I like the textures and colors you used. VERY unique and beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love your nostalgic collage. I make things like that too and my husband gets angry that I am cutting up old photos. It is easier now we have digital prints.
    Your sea collage is very interesting, you have transformed the feather into seaweed.
    Hugs
    Emma

    ReplyDelete
  20. That is a gorgeous canvas you made. We've had the same kind of weather here in New Hampshire and I keep thinking that September is suppose to be a little cooler. Oh well. Your window spread about your trip to France is great- what a great way to relive that journey especially since you aren't able to go. Maybe soon you should plan a trip! Wouldn't that be wonderful?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Love your windows!! You have been busy!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I'm smitten with that nature canvas. I find I am always drawn to texture. It has inspired me enough to try my hand at creating a canvas. Thank you for sharing the idea of using the crushed shells. Pens: the white Signo pen is a tried and true pen. I use many of the Sakura gellyroll pens. You have peeked my interest in the gold sparkling pen. Will add it to mw wish list.

    ReplyDelete
  23. The shutters with the photos inside is such a great idea. And I'm completely envious of all those new pens! I have a thing for pens.

    ReplyDelete
  24. How fun all those markers! For me Posca are the best. Haven't found any others that are as good (at least to me....). Those shutters are adorable, so sweet the memories behind them...

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Linda,
    I love your journal page. That is so creative and such a wonderful way to honor your memories. Thank you for sharing them with us.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Linda I loved this post so much. I have been on the hunt for white pens. I will check these out but they probably don't ship to Canada. Love love your journal page with the windows! Love the family history too! Thanks for sharing! Gorgeous work!

    Hugs Giggles

    ReplyDelete
  27. Linda, i love your blue "nature's treasures". At first, i thought they were branches but then i realized the one on the left was a feather. Very pretty. Ooooh, those pens. Yup, i'm a pen fanatic too. How exciting to get all of those at once. :) Love your journal spread with the blue shutters & your family history. I especially loved seeing your Mémé (a pleasant surprise to learn you have french blood!) And your son who was only 7 at the time... very nice. Thanks for sharing all of this. Happy weekend! xx

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Linda. Great journal page.. Hope you have a great Labor Day.

    ReplyDelete
  29. You always make such nice friendly blogposts. like chatting with a friend.
    We still shake out tablecloths, though out the door, not out the window.
    Lovely to see the windows with your family.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Dear Linda. it is good to visit your blog again! Beautiful, beautiful art and creativity! Thank you for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  31. beautiful!!! i love your french windows...:) and first piece is so amazingly creative with feathers and shells !!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Dear Linda, Thank you for sharing your trip down memory lane. That is what makes each of us enjoy each others art and company. My grandson Enzo is now 7 and he is the "love of my life!" :>) Have a wonderful week.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Love your beautiful art. It makes me long for a sunny beach. And I always love to see weathered windows.
    Thanks for the tip about the pen place. I think I need to pay an urgent visit!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Exquisite nature painting and lovely other creative work ~ Hope you had a wonderful Holiday weekend ~ ^_^

    Happy Week to you,
    artmusedog and carol

    ReplyDelete
  35. Love that nature painting is exquisitely done ~ Love your other creations too ~ Beautiful work as always!

    Happy Week to you,
    artmusedog and carol

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!