Christmas--God With Us

  

I'm posting my "DrawingInChurch" notes for today....on my personal blog.  Hope you can read it. :-)
Our "Shepherding Pastor" was the
Preacher today. 

Merry Christmas

   
I watercolored this a few years ago, and thought I would use it for our Christmas Card this year.....so to anyone sho doesn't get one:
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ornaments

 Thought I would try Watercolor-ing a couple ornaments--one in purple, one in red.  Just a little color for my sketchbook journal :-)

Umbrellas

   

Saw a photo of these umbrellas in the Newspaper...this is only some of them.....
but it was fun to sketch them myself and watercolor them the way I like the
colors arranged.  I love lots of color :-)

Taking my Sketchbook/Journal out to Dine.....

I always read the Dining section of the weekend Newspaper.  We decided to pay this place a visit even though it is WAY across town from us!  It's on a Canal in St. Clair Shores, MI.   Lake St. Clair is an extension (?) (and North) of the Detroit River which eventually empties into Lake Huron.  It takes about 45 to 50 minutes to get there even on the I-696 Expressway.  But it was totally worth the trip.  I had heard that they serve Lobster Rolls out on the East Coast.  Well, "Mikes On The Water" (in Michigan) serves them too--and are they delicious!  We will go again!
p.s. I think I got the "flow" of the River incorrect.....Lake Huron probably empties into Lake St. Clair, then the Detroit River and eventually the St. Lawrence Seaway--and to the Atlantic Ocean--I'll figure it out :-)

MILLER'S IN DEARBORN, MI

 Our favorite hamburgers (I like a Cheeseburger :-)  are at a place named Miller's in Dearborn, MI.  They have Tiffany-style lamps alll over (which I have posted before) but this couple was in front of us watching the Detroit Tigers play Ball--and having a Coke (which it seems most of the people do at Miller's.
My favorite is Vernor's Ginger Ale!
Families even come in there (maybe after visiting Greenfield Village???

Almost the end of the Summer......

Thought I would put a few of my flowers (and gate) on the blog along with a Hummingbird, and flowers outside the gate, too.  Actually, the Hummers have been very prolific.  There are six feeding holes in that feeder, but one Hummer will NOT let any others up there when he is already feeding.  They dive at each other--and it's quite interesting to watch them.

Farmington Players New Season

We are only about 2 miles down the Road from this Players Barn--so we go by it very often...I noticed that the play "Annie" is on the docket this season so we will be going for sure :-)   I got the urge to draw/paint it (again) but this time--a little different view.  I also like their clever logo--the two faces and the Silo for The Farmington Players.   

Julienne Tomatoes - Petoskey MI - Great Lunch!

 I did this Quick drawing with a pen as we sat for lunch in this wonderful place--not "continuous line drawing" as I did lift the pen.  I didn't get anywhere near the details....but you get the idea....it's a busy, crowded and fun restaurant.

Then I sketched the Outside window and painted it when I was home.
Will go back there when we return to Petoskey MI.

My Week "Up North"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture "One" is the Little Traverse Bay view from the Sunset Beach in Petoskey.  This area is where we do our Sketchbook Watercolor Journaling Class (actually, in Bay View Michigan...just NE of Petoskey.) 
Picture "Two" was our first day painting (plein air) in Bay View--we painted an old iron fence.
Picture "Three" is in front of an elderly lady's cottage that has tons of flowers...have painted her doorway before, but decided to do the sundial w/flowers...just a hint of her door on the left.
Picture "Four" is a combo of the Little Traverse Bay with a SeaGull and the shallow water with some weeds and sandy water and stones in the background.  In the foreground are some Wildflowers that are growing profusely along the Bear River Trail.
Picture "Five" is my view of a lavender cottage along Little Traverse Bay with lots of flowers.
Picture "six" is my basket of (Whitefish) Fish & Chips at the Freshwater Grille (notice the two hushpuppies
:-)
Picture "Seven" is the "Landings" an eating place where you land if you take the Car Ferry across the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix--only been there once and enjoyed it.  A colorful place to paint.
Catherine Carey's Watercolor Sketchbook Journaling class is fun and we meet new AND old friends every time.   

Eastern Market - Detroit Michigan

We go down to the Eastern Market in Downtown Detroit especially for Pizza at Supino's (pictured below).  But this time I decided to sketch a few of the old buildings which have some interesting Shoppes in them now.  These four buildings are across the parking lot from Supino's and BTW, the Pizza was delicious as usual--and we brought some home for another meal !

Posting Pink Posies

I haven't posted anything for a long time, and remembered I had painted these Pink Pots with bright Pink Flowers in them---I think they were at Kroger's Garden Center a couple years ago.   Anyway, for our Sketchbook Journaling Class (in Petoskey, MI with Catherine Carey) She says, "paint what you see" and that is what I did here.  I love bright colors and this did it!  Looking forward to next Class in August, 2013.

Best Pizza

Yesterday we went to get our favorite (newly-discovered) Pizza. It is very thin-crusted and so yummy!  The only thing is, it is way downtown (near Greektown, in the Eastern Market) which is almost down to the Detroit Riverfront :-)   Oh, but it is goo-ood!!!  The place is a tiny hole-in-the-wall and you go up to the counter (shown here) and order, then they bring it out to you--sit anywhere you can find a seat....it's quite busy there.  I couldn't capture the light fixtures--upside down washtubs with a big bulb hanging from the inside--quite unique. 

Wildflowers--Great Smokie Mountains National Park--April 2013

 

A couple more watercolor wildflowers from the GSMNP.  There are tons more wildflowers there this week as it is The Wildflower Pilgrimage that starts today down there.

Dutchman's Breeches (Last Year)

We saw only one lonely D. Breeches last year, so I painted this from what I saw and the picture in the flower book.  It's actually more colorful than this year's painting--but this year (below) we had a look at 100's of them!  These little beauties come and go quite quickly.

Dutchman's Breeches

We were so excited to find tons of these Dutchman's Breeches (wildflowers) along the Roaring Fork Nature Trail--We went the day that the "drive" opened and were totally rewarded with these (rare to us) Flowers. GSMNP. 

Some of the Wildflowers

We were looking for wildflowers--even tho' it was quite early......The ones we found were so pretty!  I didn't paint anywhere near all of the varieties.  Great Smokie Mountains National Park.

Smokie Mountains

Just returned fromt the Smokie Mountains--a little vacation :-)  Looking for Wildflowers, etc.  We always stop at this Waterfall because it is right along the "Little River Road" and easy to see.  Since we don't "hike" anymore, we are in tune with stuff we can see from the road or a "short" walk :-)  Had fun sketching and w/c some things which I may post later on.

Always Ready to Watercolor

I was going through some pictures to send to a friend and I came across this photo of my open purse during Watercolor/Journaling Class (Catherine Carey, Petoskey, MI).  I love that class and am looking forward to "signing up" for the same class this summer.  I always need to be refreshed--'Don't try to paint the "whole thing",  Keep it simple, Draw/paint what you see, etc'.   

Drawing AT Church

I went to a Ladies' Missionary Luncheon at our Church and this Pewter-looking Vase (?) was our centerpiece....full of Spring-y looking flowers and a sweet pink bow on the side.  So I got out my Gelly-roll Pen and my pack of watercolor postcard blanks and sketched this very quickly--then watercolored at home.
I ended up making a thinking-of-you note-card out of it, and then sent it to a friend who is very not well at the time (won't go into details).  I also printed this Bible Verse inside because it made me think of her when I read it today.  :-)    "The Lord your God is with you,  he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17 niv.
  

Covering a Sketchbook

I just covered an AquaBee Sketchbook for my Granddaughter.  She designed the (Dark Green) Fabric along the left side, and the (Scrapbooking) Papers I used to cover the rest of it....also the "cut-out" that I cut from one of her papers.  She is an Illustrator/Designer for another Company now--but these papers and Fabric are available at JoAnn's.  She also designed some "Plush-Pals" that youngsters 6 and up can "sew" and stuff!  They are very cute.
I enclosed the AquaBee (chosen because I love the sketch paper inside) in a plastic case with a bow because my Son was visiting her in KC Kansas--and was able to deliver it for me :-)  :-)