Winter Projects

 Hello all! And how is your new year going so far? The winter has finally settled in here in my parts and so I am not only creating more art but also crocheting (see what I have made so far here), and reading a lot.

 I am currently rereading Dr. Wayne Dyer's book "Being In Balance" after seeing it while putting away xmas things. Hmmm, perhaps balance is my word this year...

 Hubby and I participate in "the healthy plan" of medical insurance thru his work. The main incentive is that it costs less than the other plans but there are some requirements. It was a pain in the you know where at first having to cram in dr. visits and lots of bloodwork and paperwork at the beginning of last year. We also were sent a tracking device to track the # of steps we take each day and they encouraged continued efforts at 7,000 or more steps daily by offering gift cards. Anyhoo, I recently received a $50 card for Amazon so I got the following books!

 I am always looking for a good account of life in France  and I have yet to read anything about the Dordogne so I cannot wait to sit back, read and dream:)



 This is a compilation of letters, diary notes etc. on the time Julia Child, James Beard, and M.F.K Fisher found themselves in the South of France and how they cooked for each other and formed special friendships, and discussed the food culture. I have just begun this one and I imagine t won't take long before I'm finished and in the kitchen cooking French cuisine again!

And this wonderful book by Chris Cozen is brilliant!! I have only skimmed through it but I can see how it is jam packed full of information on color theory, values, etc. along with excellent techniques, step outs, demonstrations and completed projects! Chris is a working artist for Golden Artist Colors, Inc. and so those are the products she uses but you can use other brands and I can even see using the guides for my cold wax and oil projects! 

 So, not a bad selection of books free for staying healthy:):) 

 Now onto my winter wonderland journal page. You saw a bit of it at the top of the post.

  The background is a Gelli print deli paper. The trees were painted on using Golden fluid Acrylic in Jenkins Green with my very favorite new fan brush! Here's what they look like. They are perfect for making trees! I also used stencil paste and a palette knife to create the textured snow on the ground. It was completed with a spattering of watered down white acrylic.

 Now look at this:

See those white "spatters" on the shirt?? Well, I about freaked out because I had been doing laundry and left my son's new shirts behind my art table on the bed and turned to see this! After my heart rate slowed I realized this was the way the shirt is made. WHEW!! Lesson learned!

 Linking this post to Art Journal Journey (winter wonderland theme); Art Journal Every Day; Moo Mania and More (Anything Goes); Paint Party Friday; and the Simon Wednesday Challenge (theme is Something New (my fan brush art).

 Will be around to see what you've been up to this new year!

          
" Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."          Victor Hugo