happy baby card

...and a card to go with the pants...
i painted it with acrylics (plus a scrap of fabric) on my new surface - Srathmore 500 10-ply illustration board. a while back i was kvetching to my critique group about surfaces and someone suggested this. i never ever would have thought of it. it's totally new for me to use a non-flexible, less porous surface, but i really like it. wouldn't be great for water colors, but it's perfect for acrylics.
there's something very freeing about not having to tape down your paper. and because i was always lazy about stretching my water color paper, it was usually warping to some extent (or a lot!).
And i find that using transfer paper doesn't really take more effort than transferring with a light box - in some ways it's easier because you can see the line that your tracing exactly.
And, it's double sided, so if you mess up one side you haven't lost the whole piece.

just another example of the many benefits of critique groups!
xo

Baby Pants

 Vintage fabric baby pants for a new addition to the (small) extended family.  Trimmed with vintage cotton ric-rac (newer is usually all or part poly).

It's so exciting to have a little girl to make things for!
xo

Spring around the neighborhood

 A tour around the neighborhood on a typical slightly drizzly, light-gray spring Seattle day....check out this two-tone cherry tree...

 and my very favorite yard. got there a little late but it's still a profusion of color and texture...

 it will still look like an Easter basket long after april.

 another great rock wall.

 and this conjurs the Mediterranean. oh how i wish!

 love this rock wall right across the street from us.

 at the base of our landlords' chestnut tree.

 and these in our own back yard. Forget-me-nots. more subtle, more delicate, but dearly loved.

 a second favorite - a crabapple (i think) from the park overhanging our mossy garden shed.

and you've gotta have Daffies!
Many of you are probably on your way to summer by now, but here in Seattle, spring lasts until july.
Visually, that's a nice thing!
xo