Elsa Photoshoot

Lisa just whipped this dress up in a day. It still needs a zipper, but a couple safety pins and we were good to go. There is a shocking lack of ideas for photoshoots for this particular dress on Pinterest, so I had to resort to my own lack of creativity. I know she's holding a basket in the movie, but the only ones lying around the house are all the wrong shape or color (seriously, there are two pink baskets around).

Then I saw the bookshelves in the living room. It's not a library, but pretty darn near it. With the baby content in the high chair and Elsa eager to take pictures to show Samuel, we started. Oh, also bribery by form of candy if she was good and watching the music from the movie, we started taking pictures.

I wish a couple would have been clearer, but overall, considering that I just did a 20 minute photoshoot with a toddler and taking care of a baby, I'd say they turned out pretty okay. 

This is by far my favorite Disney dress. Like out of all the dresses every, this is the one I would wear and want in an adult size. Not even kidding....

Crayons

I used to hate doing art projects with kids. Especially when it came to "let's just draw/color", not my cuppa tea.... I wasn't that creative. What was I going to draw? Stick figures? Hearts? Traces of hands? Now that I've spent a good deal painting and finding ways to enjoy colors and different styles of artwork, it's become fun.

Now I enjoy using Crayons and creating bits of art with kids. And yes, most of them end up with stickers randomly on them or the addition of "rainbows". It is, after all, about the kids... 

December Painting

Was it too cold to paint? Nope. Sure the cement was cold through my pants, but the sun was actually relatively warm and the hot chai tea helped keep me toasty.

Bundled up with a killer view of the Olympic mountains and enjoying these sunny December days is my idea of a good time. It was relaxing and fun. In public, but also in nature.

I almost gave up with the idea of painting after the cap to my gray paint got stuck on. I have to have my gray. It is one of the more versatile colors and I often use it mixed with blues and greens to help get the muted colors I want. My persistence helped and I eventually got the cap off.

Sure I didn't finish my painting. I had a time pressure and other things still to do. And singing in the bunkers, even by oneself is a must. Although it is a tad more creepy to walk the dark halls with just the sound of boots hitting the cement.

Painting at the Fort

Adventured alone today. I needed the recharge time. Since I've been home, the pace has been crazy and exhausting. 

I dropped Evelyn off at school. The sunrise was stunning and made me want to wake up early and see more glorious mornings with pink skies behind snow capped mountains. I've missed those views.

The drive to Fort Casey was relaxing with the few exceptions of annoying drivers who didn't know how to read a speed limit sign *insert minor road rage and name calling here*. Hardly anyone was at the park for the first hour or so while I was there, so I wandered about taking pictures and walking the beach admiring the rocks in complete silence. Almost too quiet. I had to make myself walk the dark tunnels. I am far too used to a crowd at the fort.

Only car in the parking lot

 I thought it would be too cold for painting, but settled down atop the fort and painted away with my favorite chai tea to give it a try. I sat there a while, painting and admiring the Olympic mountains.

Basic down, just need to add the details.

Chowder on a dock in La Conner, browsing my favorite jewelry store, reading poetry and listening to music with the windows down. It was a much needed day. 

Progress Check: 2016-2017

Tonight, I looked through my paintings and artwork as I got all the pictures into one folder... I've been painting for a little over a year now and it's super cool to see the difference in my work during that time. I can't wait to get home and look through the rest of my stored art work that I don't have pictures of... 

The top picture was done before I actually had watercolor paints. It was done with two different sets of watercolor pencils. The bottom picture was done this within the last ten days. I think it's fascinating how my style is starting to form and I'm getting my own distinct look in my paintings.

Mistakes make for Learning

I have a tendency to paint the foreground before the background and always regret it. This time, I did the same thing. I was over half way done with the trees when I realized I could no longer do an in depth background like I had planned.

I am thrilled with all the things I'm learning about painting. This week, I learned that gently penciling in my design helps me actually finish a painting. I'm learning to blend colors to get more muted tones or more realistic shades. That the more I practice the better I'll become. I'm learning to not get discouraged by all the amazing art I see on social media.

Most of all, I'm learning that it is good to embrace my style. To just relax and paint and not worry about how it's going to turn out, or what kind of mistakes I'll make. Which is hard for me to do. I may or may not be a bit of a perfectionist.

Sunset Attempt

So last night, my much needed break was in the form of a part of a Costco muffin (which was a total throw back to childhood), paints and Pandora (Milk Carton Kids) through my Beats. A pretty darn perfect evening.

I'm still stuck on sunsets. I feel like, in an attempt to study sunset, I need to go watch a bunch of them. I love how there is a different sunset every night and even in different states or places they look totally different.

This sunset was what I considered to be one of my better sunsets... I think it has more tones and shades in it. It looks a little whimsically to me, which I like. I got the paper wet before I started adding color, which helped blend the colors together in a less blocky way. 

It was sitting in my room when Elsa saw it today and said "Oh, you painted fire!". It was a bit hilarious, because I see this one as one of my less fiery sunsets.  

Grace and Backgrounds

A couple weeks ago, Elisabeth and I were texting and for some reason, for the past few months we've been discussing slightly odd topics. Let's say, thought provoking topics. What do you want to be like when you are old? That was one question that we discussed at like 2am while lying on her couch eating way more white cheddar popcorn than we should have. 

The next questions I asked because I spend WAY too much time on Pinterest. I came across the My Intent Project. In trying to pick a word that would embody everything I want to be (Christlike not included, because we're all striving for that one already), we threw around a lot of different different words: empathy, patient, kind, confident, strong. I narrowed it down to two words, kindness and forgiveness

Thinking about these two words, we discussed them further and decided that an a weird sort of way, the word grace covers both words. I think it's kinda hilarious that my name is such an inspiration... To me. It's a constant reminder and it's sweet. 

Anyway, I kinda accidentally did this background, and of course can't replicate it no matter how hard I try. It makes a great background for one of my favorite sayings. 

Art Instagram

A while ago, I started Barely Artistic Grace on Instagram. I'll share a post or a story whenever I update my blog. So go follow me there! 

Painting with a Toddler

Today I was brave. I decided to brave the mess of paint and let Elsa paint with my watercolors. I lined the part of the counter that she was working at with plastic wrap and taped it down in one spot to hold it in place. She wanted blue, purple and red. With a paper plate palate, I got her set up.  

It was so fun to see how into it she got. She was serious and had fun. She was excited to show Lisa when she got home for lunch and said that one of her three paintings was for her and the others were for Samuel. 

For an hour of fun, there was hardly any cleaning up to do. And this water color paint comes off of skin relatively easily, which is a good thing. :-) Unlike glitter... 

Her works of art. The middle is by far my favorite and her first one, the green one was her last one and she says it's a princess. 

A Bit of Fall

Fall colors. Vibrant and natural. Leaves are just starting to fall here and the trees are barely starting to change colors, but as the temperature cools off to the low eighties instead of low nineties, it feels like fall is well on the way. This is my first attempt at an autumn tree...

Another Type of Art: Photography

Collecting memories has always been important to me. Memories of the good times and of rough times. Of adventures, work, home and life in general. This is where photography kinda came in.

To me, it helps the homesickness fade, it puts me in perspective that times will pass, it reminds me of the greatest of adventures or the smallest memories. It gives me something to share with people.

I worked hard on my photography skills, learning a little (and still learning) about lighting, about exposure and about the camera I use. It's old, so getting decent pictures is sometimes a trick, but I heard a quote once that basically said do the best you can with what you have. I'm embracing that. 

I started out with taking pictures of food for Gracie's Tasties. Then baby pictures while I was/am as a nanny in Tennessee so family and friends can see my nieces. From there it's branched to summer camps, day trips, road trips, catering jobs and times with families and friends. Now, I run Arlington Composite Squadron's CAP Facebook page.

I've always been concerned that I was "stealing" my older sister's hobby because she is into photography, but as I've developed my skills, I figured out we have totally different style and are rarely in the same place at the same time. Plus, she is way more experienced so it isn't a problem.

Pictures are part of me. Now, I almost always have my camera near me. So I continue to take pictures, another form of art.

A New Medium

Just a couple weeks ago, I bought my first acrylic paint. A dark blue. A name brand. I've never really used acrylic paint before, so today when I tried it out, it was weird feeling. I kept wanting to go back to my water, to thin it out, to make the color fade. Acrylics (from my one time using them) seem to have a bolder color. Pure color. There is less fade like watercolors and without mixing it with other colors, it stays the same tone.

I had fun experimenting with it today. I think picking up a tube of white will help me learn how acrylics work a little better. Then I sat marveling at how cool my own finger was. The detail is crazy. And to think, no one has the same fingerprint as me...

Blue

Blue. The ocean. The Sky. Forget-Me-Nots. Eyes. Sapphires and precious stones. Distant mountains. The night's sky and galaxies. Steller's jays and other birds. Blueberries.

While watching painting tutorials, I was surprised when they used blue in the foliage in trees. Even though I have yet to try painting my trees that way, I noticed on the long drive back from Michigan, that there was indeed blue among the array of colors in the fall trees. I'm not saying obvious blue, I'm talking about the undertones of blue.

Lately I've been loving the color blue. The five different shades of blue that I own are each so different and with different amounts of water or paint, the colors vary endlessly to different tones. To me, blue has depth and character. 

A Painting Place

This was my painting place. I used our family travel trailer as a bedroom for the past four years. Since I started painting, I used this area even more. My first piece of framed art was up in this trailer. It became the home for many paintings, scattered about the trailer, leaning against everything. 

This is where I first started painting. It hold happy memories of music and painting, creating with siblings or friends 

From left to right on the back ledge: 

-The drawing of Soldier 76 from Overwatch that Alexa gave me

-A picture of me and Elsa that Samuel and Lisa gave me after my 6 month stay

-The galaxy painting I painted at CAMA camp with my new friends

-A list of characteristics I want to cultivate 

-The painting of my dear CAMA Camp field

-Mini picture of four of me and four of my siblings

-A Hawaiian girl blowing a kiss from my grandparents. 

On the benches are my supplies, my CERT kit, my memory box and yes... a sword.... So this was my painting space before I moved to Tennessee.

Emotions and Paints

I drove away angry. I had no destination. I needed a happy place. I needed to think, to clear my head. To calm down. 

Deception Pass is always gorgeous, no matter what the weather. This particular day was warm and beautiful. I walked out to the beach and found a picnic table with a gorgeous view and settled in. I had packed myself lunch and made tea. 

The drive had cleared my head a bit and listening to slack key guitar and painting calmed me down. It gave me time to reflect, time to pray, time to focus on something besides the bad. These hours of painting always put me in a good place.

I finished the afternoon up by walking on the beach collecting rocks to paint, taking pictures and singing with the windows rolled down on the drive home.

Anyway, this is me, real and a little rough-edged, learning to embrace the mess of life.

A Journey's Start: Watercolor

I started my art journey in September of 2016. I think what started it was watching my brother teaching himself to draw. Then the Bible teacher at the camp I go to every year did amazing art while teaching. I found it inspiring.

I'm not artistic. Cooking is my art. I could never do that. These are things I told myself. Excuses I told myself. Then someone called me out on it. It takes practice, copying the same piece over and over again until you find your style.

A borrowed box of Crayola watercolor pencils and I started experimenting. Then came a name brand set of watercolor pencils. Then, in October, I purchased my first tube of watercolor paint from Hobby Lobby. Chinese White. I needed stars for the galaxies I was creating. Then I bought a dark blue. Experiments with that blew my mind as I saw the different shades from one color. I was fascinated with what I could create.

The creases of my hand.

Slowly I built up my paint collection. Colors that matched or ones I needed for specific project. I would use a 40% off coupon for each one, slowly building my collection. Whenever I felt uninspired, I would buy a new paint. I still do.

I am excited to continue learning and loving art. And that is how I became an artist. Barely artistic, but an artist non the less.

Little Things

Last night I was lying on my bed, I had at least five chat windows open on my Facebook with people back home. Nights are my break. A time to recharge, to think, pray, talk with friends, and process what has happened the past month or so. Each evening is different, some are quiet evenings with Pandora playing Mandarin Orange or Ian Ethan Case while painting, writing or reading while other nights are focused on catching up with friend back home. This night was one for talking and spamming people with cute niece pictures.

While texting with with Elisabeth last night, I realized God had answered some of my prayers. Even the littlest prayer over the smallest problems, things that ultimately don't matter or that were just in the moment, God heard and answered me. It kinda blows my mind. The Creator of everything listens to what I have to say and blesses me. It's amazing.

Anyway, staying up until 1:30am with a 7:30 wake up was so worth it, although it calls for a rare cup of coffee for me.

The Art of Procrastination

Procrastination. Something everyone does despite how much they try. Some of the more experienced procrastinators use getting a cup of tea, using the bathroom or having conversations with family as ways of getting around the said work. Others use the procrastinated subject as incentive to get everything else completed - it is amazing how much fun dishes, grocery shopping or finances can be in comparison to that dreaded task. Others just blatantly do whatever else, leaving the task until the VERY last second.

The last week I have been building my resume in order to get a job. It was a very challenging experience overall, mostly because I have very little as far as actual paying jobs because I've done SO MUCH volunteer work. Anyway, it's the end of the "work" week and it is finally complete. Next step? Start applying to jobs in the local area.

Anyway, in procrastinating this week I:

-Did the week's worth of grocery shopping, which was also the first one of the new year, so it involved a LOT of restocking... Blah.... And I always "forget" to bring someone, so it takes me a while.

-Drove Ev to school 2 different days.

-Did random errands for Mother, including mailing a bunch of packages

-Cooked more meals and baked stuff too...

-That being said, the thing I did most to procrastinate was paint/write.

One of my favorite verses - and one that I need to practice more.

The moon was super bright the last two nights that it shone in my bedroom window. Which was my inspiration for this one. 

My bedroom temperature averages around 41 degrees. I sleep with 7-8 blankets including two down blankets, so I stay nice and toasty while I'm sleeping, but any additional time I spend out there is always freezing. But that is where my desk is and where I get privacy, so I brave the cold to paint. Hot chocolate always helps! 

So this is my art of procrastination...

A Happy Day

Photo shoot with babe today. Changed her outfit three times and she was awfully good about it all and I got a few good pictures. 

We watched Sofia the First, did dishes and made macaroni and cheese. It was a happy morning. 

The afternoon started with 3 mile workout, shower and then break while Elsa napped. I did some watercolors and Spotify. 

The best part of my day was Skyping my best friend and catching up with her. Elsa took an immediate liking to her and popped in and out of the screen while we talked. It through her off that we had the same name. I needed to do dinner, so we just hung out while I cooked. It was like we were hanging out together. It was awesome! 

I made Hawaiian BBQ wraps for dinner, which were a hit and after Samuel, Lisa played Wizard. It's a pretty sweet game and although I was in the lead for the majority of the game, I still managed to lose. We made chicken and avocado eggrolls, which are a favorite here. It was a good day.