Sooty died yesterday

I have a photo of Sooty at September 25th 2006. I never imagined she'd be gone so soon but the Universe was sending me a lot of signs as it often does. The outpouring of love and support from EDM and other yahoo groups and friends has been extraordinary.
I've spent all afternoon sending thank yous. It is wonderful to see how much we all love our pets and miss them when they go. So many people have given me ideas of how to grieve by doing my artwork and I've really appreciated the advice. I have learnt so much in the past few days from loving people.
I am so glad I did a few rather crude sketches of Sooty. In the future I'll have to ask people how you paint a black cat.
My computer has to go to the shop so no computer for a few days. I'm already shaking at the thought of all the EDM emails when I get my computer back. It will be a great way to pass some more grieving time.
Thank you so much to those who have extended their love and support.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia
PS I am so glad Sooty waited until I joined EDM and did a couple of drawings of her

Sooty died yesterday

Challenge 4 - mug

A friend gave me a money voucher for a lovely departement store and said to pick out something I'd really like. I wanted to buy something I wouldn't normally afford. I found this mug and it was very expensive but I loved it. It had my lovely cat Sooty on the outside and inside and another cat Dennis that I used to have on the other side. The mug was definitely meant for me so I bought it. I love using it for morning coffee. It was an absolute delight to draw and color in. It was like a children's coloring book.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge - exercise equipment

I have already drawn my walking shoes for the shoe challenge and I looked at my exercise bike and I thought no way can I figure out all the angles on that so I drew my weights. These I use to strengthen my bones because my mum has osteoporosis and they say weight lifting is good for bones as well as making muscles.
I enjoyed drawing these. There were some interesting bits and bits that I didn't see when I came to color it in.
I have been working on "Drawing on the right side of the brain" and enjoying it immensely. I'm up to where I need to make a view finder. Should I post my portrait I wonder. I look so sad and serious in it.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 3 - bag - mirrors

I LOVE bags. This is my new purple bag. It makes me so happy to use it. I used to make a lot of my bags particularly if I couldn't find one I like. I love bags with lots of pockets and places to put things. The purple bag has only a couple of pockets but I just love the color and it has some decorative pieces to it as well.
I drew the bag hanging on the mirror not realising I'd have to draw the mirror image!!! It went really well and i enjoyed doing it. I love doing purple water color because purple is one of my favourite colors.
Just a little added note. A friend who has been cleaning out his attic has inspired me to clean out my garage. It is a double garage where half of it I have bookshelves and a table. There is stuff everywhere as it is a place I put things when I don't know where else to put it. Now is the day of reckoning. Wish me luck.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia
PS Maybe I should post a picture of my clean garage ...assuming that happens.

Challenge 3 - bag - mirrors

I LOVE bags. This is my new purple bag. It makes me so happy to use it. I used to make a lot of my bags particularly if I couldn't find one I like. I love bags with lots of pockets and places to put things. The purple bag has only a couple of pockets but I just love the color and it has some decorative pieces to it as well.
I drew the bag hanging on the mirror not realising I'd have to draw the mirror image!!! It went really well and i enjoyed doing it. I love doing purple water color because purple is one of my favourite colors.
Just a little added note. A friend who has been cleaning out his attic has inspired me to clean out my garage. It is a double garage where half of it I have bookshelves and a table. There is stuff everywhere as it is a place I put things when I don't know where else to put it. Now is the day of reckoning. Wish me luck.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia
PS Maybe I should post a picture of my clean garage ...assuming that happens.

New York NY

One of my huge aims and challenges in my life is to travel overseas again. I have some huge hurdles to overcome and I've decided to start a blog of the adventure to getting overseas and being able to sign...Lots of love from Susan in New York.
It could take me years to finally achieve but I'm here for the long haul so that's OK....endurance is one of my strong points....for some things!!!!....and this is one of those times.
My blog is ...susanhosken.blogspot.com....for those who want to follow the adventure. The first posting went up today. Progress will be slow but I'll post whenever I feel inclined.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Frustration and challenge 2 for EDM

The frustration is about not being able to log onto my blog easily. I have to put in my password about 6 or more times and it keeps saying it is not a match....it is, it is, it is....I am such an impatient person. I really need to learn the lesson on patience. I'm 51 and still learning....I get so impatient mostly with technology and my inability to understand it. I get impatient because I don't learn fast enough or well enough.I'll be going for a nice walk down the beach in a minute and I have plenty of patience for that.
Meanwhile todays drawing....which is a bit of a mess because i forgot to edit it in iPhoto and put it straight on here...silly me....another reason for me to get impatient ....but I won't because I'm learning!!!!! aren't I!!!!!!
So today's drawing is EDM challenge no 2....a lamp....and a 100 challenges to go give or take a few.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia who's off down the beach...how blessed am I

The pursuit of happyness

I had a fabulous day yesterday. I went to the movies to see The pursuit of happyness which was a delightful feel good movie just right for an escapist like me. It was also great because I have trouble going to crowded places and am trying to practice getting used to it. I am so pleased with my progress. It seems ridiculous to most people but for some of us crowds and busy places are overwhelming with their stimuli.
I wanted to record the father and son and wondered how I'd go doing a sketch when I got home....then I saw the poster and decided to use my travel journal which I don't use often. I did a sketch of the poster while people passed me by. I was positively thrilled.....it doesn't take much to make me happy....I am well pleased with that fact....I am happy a lot in my life and I am well blessed.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Bees on the parsley flowers

I was talking to an artist friend and telling him I wished I was able to draw the bees buzzing around the parsley flowers but it was too hard. He encouraged me to give it a go. He told me not to just think of being realistic but to convey the feeling of what I was seeing. I did a couple of realistic drawings and then did swirls and patterns to convey the movement. I really enjoyed doing these drawings and painting because it pulled me away from doing strictly outlines which is what I have been doing. I'd love to explore abstact drawing in the future along with the other 101 ideas.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Challenge 101 - soap

The square soap appears on the bench in my bathroom and bubblebath photo in blog entry...January 3rd 2007. I couldn't believe how badly I did the square piece of soap. This is a wonderful reason for using pencil instead of pen because I could have rubbed it out and done it again. We have been talking about pen vs pencil in the Everyday matters yahoo group. I wasn't going to show this challenge and then I thought it's a great example of how you think something is going to be really easy and over confidence sets in.

Aussie power point and plug

Oh what fun I could do the challenge and use my new scanner straight way...yippee.
I loved seeing all the different power points from around the world. I thought I'd better add another Aussie power point and plug.
My beloved cat Sooty is off her food. I am hoping she is OK as she is usually a good eater.

Yippee...my own scanner

Yippee...I now have my own scanner and a special thank you to my brother for helping me get set up.
The sketch is my very first attempt at sketching in a public place. I was amazed at how easy it was. I thought people would watch what I was doing but noone noticed, not that I was aware of. I did the sketches months ago and haven't had the courage to do it again. One thing I should do is do some sketching next time I go for my walk down the beach. I am really looking forward to getting better at doing sketches of people.
I am so excited having my own scanner. I'll have to learn to be moderate!!!!!

Challenge 1 - shoe - great fun

I'm looking forward to slowly completing all the challenges. This first one of a shoe was fascinating to do because I was concentrating so much on the small elements of what I was outlining that it didn't come into focus as a shoe until I stopped. I was really thrilled with the result. As I am a beginner with drawing I find each small achievement very rewarding. When I have read the blogs of more experienced artists I realise this sense of achievement and satisfaction continues as one meets new challenges and one continues to learn.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

A tree

This tree was a lot of fun because I learnt so much. It was the first time I took my water colors out of the house.....4 feet from the front door so I could look down the drive at this tree. After painting the huge leaves I suddenly realised the perpective was all wrong. The leaves couldn't possibly be that big but I wanted the effect that I saw on the tree. I couldn't get the clors right due to my only being a beginner. I discovered so many things that I will need to learn in the future. It was very satisfying to paint. It was supposed to be for Challenge 100 as a landscape for Everyday matters. I am quite overwhelmed at the moment to know what directions to go in...there is so much to learn.
I went to my brother's today to use his scanner and decided I really need to get one myself so I'll see what I can do next week.

What a great day

Just made a wonderful discovery today. Where normally when I'm in a flatter more down mood I can't do my art work...not so with drawing. Today I decided to see if I could cope with doing some drawing evewn though I was in a flatter mood and it was wonderful. I find it very relaxing and calming. I did two portraits and a drawing of my hand as part of the "Drawing on the right side of the brain" exercises. I also did a bag as one of the Everyday matters challenges. I am thrilled. Where my other artwork is more chaotic and open ended drawing is more contained if I am copying something. I only wish I had a scanner to share my progress. Can't wait to get to my brother's place next weekend to do lots of scanning of my work.
Lots of love from Susan

Mood swings

I'm going through another downward shift in my moods. I go zippy and creative for 10-14 days and then quiet, flat and generally uncreative for 10 to 14 days. I haven't done any drawing for a few days and that seemed normal for my flatter time. As I haven't been doing drawing for very long I was just wondering if I pushed myself a bit could I manage one of the Everyday Matters challenges......I did it, I did a bag picture. I don't have a scanner otherwise I'd show you. It was a little more difficult to do than when my mood is more elevated but I did it.
I have noticed in recent months that I am able to do a wider variety of things regardless of my moods. I get a lot tireder when I am flat but I still manage to do more than I used to. I can always do my emails and usually go for my daily walk and do cycling on my exercise bike and weights. I am leaving my art work out more now where I used ot put it away during my down times. My artwork particularly the drawing is having a very interesting affect on my moods. Drawing is a very calming exercise for me if I choose manageable subjects. I'm also stretching myself by doing the challeges of Everday matters in order which helps me to stretch myself as well. I'm going to leave you now and look at Drawing on the right side of the brain and see if I can tackle the first exercise. I think drawing may be a doable task during my down times.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Bath time

It's still a joy to be doing my blog and to see what other people do with theirs. The thought of my doing drawing overseas and blogging as others do is still on my dream list of things to do. I will continue to be inspired. The other thing I'm learning is I can write as much or as little as I want, I can post everyday or once a month. I'm not sure why I thought there were any rules to this. I love seeing the variety.
Oh yes...the reason for the title. I had my second bath in my new home...I've been here 3 years and was so disappointed in the shallow bath I decided not to use it. That is until the water restrictions came in due to the drought here. It saves water if I have a bath and bucket it on the garden. Needless to say the water is still in the bath a few days later waiting for me to get the inspiration to bucket. I have 2 buckets of water in the shower from yesterday as well which will need to be emptied before the next shower. Patience, patience, I'll get a system sorted out.
I did my first out of doors water color yesterday....I was about 6 feet away from the front door because I still don't know how to travel with water and how to balance paints without a table!!!! I'm sure the Eveydaymatters group will be able to help with suggestions. Apparently I need a water brush and will go to the art shop to see about it.
I can't wait to be at my brothers to use his scanner to scan in my first tree. It is so crude and basic I just love it. I am taking a very caring and nurturing approach to my learning to draw and paint. I am appreciating my first baby steps and really look forward to seeing my progress. I love looking at other peoples blogs to see how they are developing. I still haven't finished my first sketch book yet!!! How exciting. So much to enjoy and to look forward to.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia