Last Drawings of 2011

I told you

we ate at Frankie's and out the side window I could see this old church spire and I whipped out my drawing pad and drew it on the spot. I added the paint later in our B & B.

We crashed early after a full day of driving from Willits and then walking the village on Dec 26th.
You can see more of the stay on the post before this one if you missed it in photos. Dh and I both read a lot too; and here he has fallen asleep over his book and I got busy drawing him. Again I added the paint later as well as the details on the wall paper. It's very busy wall paper!

We had lunch at the Bay View Cafe. I have to thank my DH for picking places and times for me to have time to draw. Bless his thoughtful heart. We are usually so much on the run; I was grateful for these quiet relaxing times to capture what was around me or in this case right in front of me. I colored this later with a Tom Bow rose pen to bring out her sweater under her black top and matching sun glasses!

 These wonderful trees were outside our ocean view window of our B & B room. I sat on the Adirondack chair on the deck to draw these and painted them later inside. I really have an affinity for drawing trees.

 We went back to the Bay View Cafe for breakfast the next morning and I drew this then over my oatmeal.

 And when we came home I got out old and newly purchased luminescent paints and tiny new brushes along with my old ones to paint this same scene.

I'm happy with the way it turned out. I wasn't sure I could get the water of the ocean, but it's good enough for me.

All of these are done in a drawing book; not really suitable for watercolor paints as the pages curled a bit. But Glad I did them this way anyway! I am so excited that I am drawing and painting this year; I can't wait to see what comes through me in 2012. Fun to have this to look forward to.

Happy New Year Everyone. And one more huge THANK YOU for your many visits to my blog, your wonderful comments, and your friendship for yet another year! See you in 2012!!!

Wishing us all a healthy, happy, and creative new year!

Gifts To Myself

The adults don't exchange gifts anymore in our family, it's all for the kids.

So I gifted myself on our recent forays (1 five day and 1 four day vacations)

First I found that NEW BOOK on Noro Knits!

It knocked me out!

The patterns so unique.

The first I will tackle is this "Puzzle Scarf" seen here!

 And these are the yarns I chose in the little yarn shop in Mendocino! They are oh so soft silk and wool. I do believe I will be both warm and stunning in this beautiful creation.

 The next yarn I purchased is a Noro Sock yarn. The nice lady wound the hank into a ball using a little wooden hand cranked winder. Again this is soft and beautifully layered colors for this hat with ear flaps and

 with more than enough to also make these cabled mitts. You design where to place the cables as you see fit. That will be fun! Having just learned how to knit cables I'm excited to get to this pattern.

 I wanted to buy yarn for every pattern in the book they are all so beautiful. But they are way over budget for what I am used to paying at Michael's or Joanne's for yarn. Okay, I'm going "Big Time" for a change. Over the top!

This gorgeous yarn is bulky in weight and will make this adorable hat too! I love that the pattern calls for "dropped stitches"...something that I never know how to correct well when they do not belong there. But now I can do them on purpose! How cool is that?!

See me sitting and knitting to hearts content in the New Year!

Mendocino 2011

We headed north on Christmas Day, stopping first in Willits for the night; shopping the next morning at the toy store where I get art supplies.

Then on to Mendocino the windy roads through thick green forests until finally the ocean is in sight. We go to Frankie's for lunch, hot soup...a tamale...felafel's for a dinner there the next night. It's a small place reasonably priced and good healthy food.

 The sunset that first evening was nothing but spectacular. I kept running out of the shops to take more photos of it.

 The main street in Mendocino is old buildings now housing all sorts of shops across the street from the ocean.

 The ocean had more draw for me than the shops!

 Walking the village is always fun. Seeing what the locals are doing, as posted on this fence!

 A short trip further north, ten minutes away is Fort Bragg and the Town Hall where we were married in 1985. Can't go by there without taking a shot of it!

 More shots of Fort Bragg where we visit used and new bookstores, music store, yarn shop, and more.
I found a beautiful book (new) of Naro Knitting patterns that are to dye for! ;-) I also found Naro yarn, a first for me buying really good yarn, expensive yarn, beautiful hand dyed brilliant colored yarns to use to make some of the amazing patterns in that book! And I plan to make them for myself!

 In Mendo we stayed at this Hill House Bed and Breakfast. It's where a lot of "Murder She Wrote" movies were filmed with Jessica Fletcher. I found a Groupon in August for two nights stay for the price of one and scooped it up to use this Christmas week!

 Back in town where we ate at the Ocean View Cafe and I drew pictures from the deck. (I'll post them later this week).

 I like this organic grocery store in the old church building. Been there for as many years as we have been coming up here...over 30!

 But it's the ocean that draws  us in...so beautiful, waves crashing on rocks...

 Can't seem to get enough of it.

 Doesn't the sky here look like a painting waiting to happen?!

 The drive down the coast on 101 is beautiful too, although I knit a lot on the twisty roads overlooking the ocean as the views over the tall cliffs tend to take my breath away scaring me half to death.

 At Point Arena we get out to walk around. The holiday celebrated in different ways by different folks.

 And at Bodega Bay we get out again for Clam Chowder and Sour Dough bread for a late lunch on our way home on day four!

 Finally arriving at Pampered Pets where we rescue Henry from his "Condo" there where he had three shelves to jump to and a window to look out of...but believe me he much prefers being home.

We missed him and are all three happy to be home today!

Thanks for coming along with us and letting me share; and thanks again for all your many visits here during this year, your comments when you leave them; your support and shared inspiration,

all the things that make blogging so worthwhile.

I appreciate the friendships made this way all year long.

And I look forward to the continuation of it in 2012!

Hugs from me!

Fourth Night of Chanukah

 Chanukah has been especially SPECIAL to me these past seven years, as these two grand children have been in our home on this holiday since their first Chanukah here at age 3 months of age.

 My beautiful daughter sits behind the candles burning brightly!

 As the fourth night fell on the Sabbath we also lit the Shabbat candles (the 2 shorter candles in front of the menorah)  and said the blessings. My son in law is reading from a little book of prayers.

 After a simple dinner we gave gifts of the things I'd been making these past months. DD and SIL are modeling their newly knitted hats.

 This was my first attempt to knit cables and I think I did a pretty good job of it. DD found the beginning mistakes, LOL, but all totalled she liked what she wore! And I think looks quite stylish!

 SIL was not at all sure this slouch look was for him. I've given him the option to leave it with my son, who liked the style; and I can knit him something more of his liking if he wants me to. Personally, I think it looks great on him.

 My little grand daughter loved the huge flower on her hat and the fact that it went with her new sweater vest.

 My young grand son seemed pleased with his new sweater knitted by moi; but may have a bit of growing to really feel comfortable wearing it.

 I wasn't sure she loved this. I'll have to see over time. But it fit and looks very cute on her don't you think?

 The doll with matching sweater vest was a huge hit! This she loved!!!

 My grand son loved LOVED his teddy bear; he thought his crocheted hat "different" and feared he might be teased at school; but said he'd wear it with his family. Sad that kids this age are worried about being teased!

My brother was here too. But seems I did not capture him with the camera. The handmade memory pillows were a big hit too.

If you look closely you can see a new painting on my wall. It's one I bought from Soulbrush's ETSY store! It looks Divine in our living room!!! She has more that you should go check out. I now own two!

Wishing you all a smooth transition into the NEW YEAR! May you experience good health, good relationships, work if you need it, love in any form, happiness, and lots and lots of creative juices and productivity! Be good to each other and help others where and when  you can.

Thank you for being supportive friends of my blog, my art, my life this

past year~ You will never know how much you fulfill me, and inspire me.

~I look forward to more of the same in 2012~

Chanukah In Portland

You know you are a happy crazy grandma when you lovingly smell the baby spit up on your valor hoodie before throwing it into the washer after you get home from five days of letting baby drool all over you!

 Allie loved the hat I knit for her, made from the same yarn as that I made for her mommy below. Jackie liked her hat and cowl a lot and wore it out when I was there.

 Michael (grand daughter's boyfriend), Kaeli (18 yr old grand daughter and Allies' big sister) Jackie and Dan (my son) all wore their hats and mitts and cowls  assuring me they were happy with their gifts. Well truth be told my son said he'd out grown the bright colors of his earlier psychedelic days so that hat went to Kaeli's boyfriend. Dan will get another more subdued colored hat later.

 Michael and Kaeli make a cute loving couple!

And great models for their hats!

 Baby Allie gave grandma lots of close bonding time, big smiles and major loud vocalization conversations.

 Lighting the candles for first night of Chanukah was very special for me at my son's home. A first in a a very long time!

 Morning games of Patty Cake, Patty Cake were our routine and lots of smiles and laughed poured forth from both of us. Allie is laying on the kitty quilt I made for her.

And last but not least was another first. On the way to taking us to the airport to come home Allie held her bottle all by herself! Mommy was surprised. I miss her tiny fingers grasping one of my fingers while we sang and played together. Hopefully we'll return before too many more months go by.