October in my yard

Early this morning the frost was thick on the neighbor's roof.

The maple trees lost all their leaves in the wind two days ago. The courtyard is now covered with a brilliant yellow blanket... beautiful today... soon to be reduced to a mound of smoldering ashes.

I love autumn. The colors, the smell in the air, long sleeves and jeans. It's the best part of living in Michigan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, I can stop feeling guilty about staying inside, playing with paint and paper. Happy days.

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalm 32:11

Sign du jour

Encouraged by the completion of one "sign" project, I started on another. My usual work surfaces are in the 4"x 6" neighborhood, so when I saw that the first item on the supply list was a 16"x20" illustration board, I had the uneasy sense of too big... too big...

I squelched the uneasiness and bought the board. I laid it on my work table, squashing the words that danced about singing  too big... too big...

With every layer of paint and gel medium, I worked to stifle, smother and silence those words, too big... too big...

The new sign is finished, ready to frame and present to another budding artist.

 May she also squelch, stifle, smother and silence any nasty words that whisper in her ear.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

Coffee and signs

Most of my projects end up leaving our house, never to be seen again. It's a great system... I can create to my heart's content and we don't have to buy a bigger house to hold it all! But then I decided that my dear husband deserved a piece of "art" to call his very own.  

It started with Lesson 3 of my class with Julie Prichard. (Have I mentioned how much I love this class? Or how much I'm learning?) She demonstrated how to achieve the look of an old weathered sign... to make them look something like these... old, weathered, full of character.

One very important issue in life on this acre is that the coffee we make must be good coffee! Coffee that shakes you awake with the first sip. Coffee that makes your eyes pop, your heart pound, and your ears ring! In fact it is so important that Rod has taken over the coffee making duties, determined that a bad brew will never happen here.

So... here it is. A shingle to hang in his coffee station declaring him... king of the "brutal brew"!

I think he likes it. It's still hanging by the coffee pot.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might... Ecclesiastes 9:10