De-Clutter Day 27

Really old tee-shirt - I used to use it when doing my hair colour. Definitely time to bin it! I can't believe I'm showing this to the world! I can't believe I kept it for so long!

De-Clutter Day 26

Old Racing Green jacket - it was always a bit boxy on me. Gone!

Self-Portrait

I should go back to my "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain"...

These are various exercises I've come across from Sketchbook Skool - contour drawing, drawing without looking at the page, drawing without lifting the pen from the page, etc.

Bottom line, self-portraits are hard. I think I'll go back to mugs!

And I think I will specialise in self-portaits without a face

Handwash

Contour drawing without looking at the page

Drawing with cross-hatching - I started this one as a contour drawing without looking at the page. Interesting that I ended up with the same little hook at the top as in the previous drawing!
These were my blues - always the biggest wash in our household, as we wear a lot of blue jeans.

What I'm wearing today - 17 April 2015

Trip to the hairdresser - brighter colour and softer cut. Love it. Thank you Claire and Eddie at Perceptions

Boden top

Levi's Outlet jeans

Choice Boutique necklace

Handbag

I went into town on Sunday, to go to the Jordi Fornies exhibition opening (gorgeous paintings by the way, definitively worth the detour). I dressed up a bit and I wore a lovely little handbag, which is now immortalised in this drawing. The pattern was the toughest element for me.

What I'm wearing today - 14 April 2015

Top from Zara (€17.95)

De-Clutter Day 25

Really old jumper, which I loved to bits. But it's completely shapeless now, so it has to go

Car

We were following a car for a bit on the motorway, so that became my drawing for the day on Saturday.

Agility Training at Positive Dog Training

He's such a great dog!

Yoga mat

Continuing with the cross-hatching and daily narrative themes. Here is my yoga mat. I go to yoga classes every Thursday with Paula at Danu Yoga. I could not survive without these classes - they ground me and dissipate all the worries of the week.

De-Clutter Day 24

Rain trousers. These were always too tight. I got a pair that fits now.

What I'm wearing today - 13 April 2015

Boden top

Boden trousers

Merrell Outlet boots

What I'm wearing today - 12 April 2015

Levi's Outlet jeans

Clarks low boots

Coach Outlet handbag

Really old scarf

Ralph Lauren Outlet cardigan

Dickins & Jones Coat

De-Clutter Day 23

A yoga top that never really worked for me.

Flowers

Continuing with the daily objects.  I drew and painted one of the open amaryllis. They lasted a week and were well worth the €4.99! Then I painted the beautiful flowers I was given last week. For that one, I did a contour drawing first, then I splashed the colours around. Two different styles to capture two different bouquets.

Mugged - Eight times

This is the last of the series. I'm taking a break from mugs!

What I'm wearing today - 11 April 2015

Boden long cardi

Levi's Outlet jeans

Navy patent pumps

H&M tee-shirt

Choice Boutique necklace. I got this one in Sandycove last year, but I have since discovered they have the same shop in Stillorgan. Personally, I prefer the shop in Sandycove - it's brighter and you can see the clothes better

Boots - a walk in the mountains

I'm doing a Craftsy class on sketchbooks right now, and I've just completed the lesson on cross-hatching. Something I'm not very good at - I lack the patience and discipline. But practise practise practise and we might see some progress.

I'm also thinking of doing a Sketchbook Skool course some time and I got a sample lesson and received an email last weekend about creating a narrative in your art journal, by drawing an object that summarises your day. A great idea, as I often struggle trying to think up about something to draw.

So I sat out in the sun last Monday afternoon, after a morning spent on the Dublin mountains, and drew my boot.

De-Clutter Day 22

A really old little cotton jacket, that I used to wear at yoga. Do you remember Racing Green on Grafton Street? They're long gone now, but they made fantastic clothes. I still have one or two items actually, like a long linen summer skirt. But this jacket is past its best and has to go now. 

8 more things to find for my 30-day-declutter challenge. Struggling!

Mugged - Seven Times

This is starting to look like a mug now. I must keep on practising. 

Mugged - oh actually these are flowers

Well, it was going to happen sooner or later. I got fed up drawing mugs. So I turned to flowers instead. A much more forgiving subject.

They were still closed yesterday when I drew them, I'm telling you. I'll have to draw them again now that they have opened up.

But don't worry, there will be more mugs soon.

Mugged - Six Times

I was so fed up with the handle that I just turned the mug around

Mugged - Five times

Let's try pencil now

Mugged - Four times

Forsythia - Documented Life Project - Weeks 13 and 14

Week 13 - create a custom element - make your unique mark
Week 14 - colour safari - use watercolours

Spring has finally sprung, and I was inspired by the forsythia blooming on the side of the road not far from us.

I'm not brave enough to take my sketchbook to the streets so I found a good photo on the web and drew from it. I was happy with my sketch, but then I started colouring a background in pencil and that was a disaster. I covered the pencil with dark marker. And the result wasn't much better. So I traced the drawing and transferred it to watercolour paper and made a nice little watercolour out of it.

I also painted a little watercolour abstract inspired by the same theme

I chose a page in my DLP sketchbook. And I affixed the two watercolours to the facing pages. One of these pages has a list of movies I'd like to see some time. On the other page, I stencilled the word Spring from a stencil book I got in Moss Cottage during the week. And I sprinkled a few yellow and gold cherry blossoms from my ArtistCellar stencil collection

Mugged - Thrice

A post-it is so non-threatening. It's not really art so I can relax and tell the left side of my brain to shut up. My best mug so far. (Inspired by a Craftsy Class on Sketchbooks art)

What I'm wearing today - 2-5 April 2015

Boden velours coat - I got it taken up and the sleeves shortened, and it's a lot more wearable now

Boden trench coat. I've had this coat a good few years and never wore it much because the sleeves were too long for my short arms. But I loved the lining, so I couldn't part with it. I got the sleeves taken up now, so I expect to wear it more often.

Boden white jeans

Boden tunic

Boden breton top

Benetton grey cardigan

Hobbs scarf

Levi's Outlet jeans