Trip to the Shedd Aquarium

 What a beautiful perfect day for a train ride to the Aquarium!

 I forgot my camera as this was a hurried morning to get there early!  But Mick had his phone for a few photos. Nice skyline photos.  The weather was sunny and mild in the forties.

 Everett's favorite- the hook!

 Sawyer relaxing on the train.

 Lunch with all of us.  Marshall, Emily and the boys, Mandy and Prentice met us there.

New Christmas Card

I tried out several color combinations and finally realized I prefer a limited color palette.  Then I started cropping the images and really liked how that looked.  Off to the printer!

Folded pen work

Enjoying the folded pen and watercolor.  I've been sick and missed our study group but hope to still do making of the folded pens sometime.

Participating in a Collage Show in Aurora

My collage is in the lower right corner- funny though, I added a transfer of a butterfly after the photo was taken.
Others in the show: Tania Blanco, Barb Pompei Boland, Sandy Finch, Maureen Gasek, Joan Lucht, and Jerri Reimann.

The show is at Marmion Academy in Aurora, 1000 Butterfield Rd.  Reception is Sunday Nov 2, 3-5:00 pm.
Hours of the show -only school hours on school days 8am -3:30 pm

Collages in Browns

 This is a new one just started.  Many of these are still in process, waiting for a transfer or something to tie them together, or for a "theme"

 I just added the brown string tissue paper across the bottom and like that so far...it has some of my walnut ink pen work from a workshop at the bottom.  Still in process...

 Not sure if I want the tree transfer- it was from a photo I took near my Mom, the collage depicts my Dad from a vintage photo of some kind of bike ride he took with a group and it looks like maybe in Michigan or around Lake Michigan.  I also have a bycycle that could be transfered if I can make up my mind.

 This has a photo taken in Tampa of a door to a post office!

Colorado Springs Trip

 Nice family photos of Mike and Vicky, and grandsons Nadan and Connor.

 I loved the tree and roots growing out of the rocks.

 Huge rock formations we stopped to see at Garden of the Gods.

New Collage Artwork

 This piece is almost finished but I have a quote I want to add.  Not my usual choice of colors but I started with the yellow paste paper at the bottom.

 This too needs something, maybe a transfer on the right.

We worked on leaf monotypes in collage class.  They are done on a type of rice paper that will be nice to use in collages.

Ink Stones and ink sticks, lucky find!

Found at an antique mall!  Three ink stones, and several colored ink sticks and two black ones.

Plein aire group at Mayslake, Peabody Estate

 I had a sudden memory of seeing this place on the way to Oakbrook when we went shopping in probably highschool!  You could see it through the trees at that time.

 The day was beautiful, cool and sunny.  We always finish up with a critique.

Plein air group

 Our plein aire group always visits Judy's gardens in Frankfort.

 She sets out lots of pots and groupings and little to draw.

 A few more photos- this archway is new since last year.

 Finishing up with our potluck lunch.

Grandsons visits

 One grandson has the Boyd curls and the younger -straight hair!  Photo from around Dec.

 Sawyer has been up on his feet at an early age!

 Everett loves cars and trucks- this was over July 4th weekend.

And yep- Sawyer still pulling himself up and not even nine months yet!  They're both such fun!

ATC Cards

 It had been a long time since I had done ATC cards- Evilena's Red Dresser, the resale shop in town had a workshop on them.  Then April's collage class did an exchange!  They are fun to do in a series.