15/365:2013 ATC red winter boots

I wanted to buy new winter boots, but there is only boring colours, like black, gray and white. I want some that are red with dots or stripes or both. Maybe I'll find them some day...

Want to trade/swap an ATC? Read here to see how: http://ewian.blogspot.no/2012/12/atc-artist-trading-cards.html

Medium used: pattern paper, gel pens, watersoluble wax pastel and permanent marker.

IF bicycle

Longing for spring and summertime, so I can go on bicycle rides. This weeks word at http://illustrationfriday.com is bicycle.

Medium used: pencil, permanent marker, matt medium, distress stickles, pattern paper, watercolour and watersoluble wax pastel.

Waltzing Matilda

You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me?

Medium used: permanent marker, watersoluble wax pastel, watercolour, pencil, eraser, acrylic paint, paper, embossing fluid, mica laced pigment , watercolour pencil and glue.

So looking forward to see how the rest of the book will develop and how people and the art will interact on the pages.


For those of you how don't know the words to Waltzing Matilda here they are:

Once a jolly swagman sat beside the billabong,
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink beside the billabong
Up jumped the swagman and seized him with glee
And he sang as he tucked jumbuck in his tuckerbag
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Down came the stockman, riding on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three.
"Where's the jolly jumbuck you've got in your tuckerbag?
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me

Waltzing matilda, waltzing matilda
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me
And he sang as he sat and waited by the billabong
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Up jumped the swagman and plunged into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive," cried he
And his ghost may be heard as you ride beside the billabong,
You'll come a waltzing matilda with me.

Text:A.B. (Banjo) Paterson

So if I got this right, explanation of Australian slang used in the song:
Billabong = A waterhole
Billy = A can or small kettle used to boil water for tea
Coolabah tree = A type of native tree in Australia
Jumbuck = A sheep
Swagman = Someone who lives on the open road, a hobo. The term came from the canvas bag that they would carry their bedroll and/or belongings in
Trooper = In Australia's early days, there was no police force. The colony was protected by and policed by soldiers.
Tucker bag = A knapsack or bag for storing food in the bush.

St.Lucia give away 2010

The day of St.Lucia is on December 13, and you'll have from now and until December 13 to enter the give away.

I celebrate Christmas and I celebrate St.Lucia, I am not catholic but the Lucia tradition is strong here in Norway. I also like the St.Lucia celebrating, it is not about what am I going to get, but what can I do for others.

I'll add another journal with supplies if there is more than a 100 comments, if there is more than 500 comments I'll add yet another journal with supplies.

You are more than welcome to blog about this in your own blog, but it is not obligated!

Why the give away?
There are so many wonderful bloggers out there giving a lot of them self. It is nice to get some feedback that people appreciate it. Those who read the comments may find a good blog. You will feel better knowing you have done something kind.

The price items is close to what I have my purse when I go out.
1 Daler - Rowney, graduate sketchbook
1 box neocolorII, watersoluble 15 colours
3 acrylic paints, black, grey, white
1 Sakura prima micron 01 archival ink pen
1 Bic ecolution HB pencil
1 pencil sharpener from Derwent
1 eraser CretacoloR monolith -line

The give away.
1. I want you to go to a blog you like, preferably a blog that do not get a lot (thousands) of comments.
2. Find a post on the blog you chose and say something NICE! in the comments.
3. Come back here and add a link to the post you commented on.
4. I will draw a winner on the December 13, check the comment you made and email you for your mailing address and send the packed on its way.

Here is how St.Lucia is celebrated here in Norway.

Santa Lucia is celebrated on December 13th. It is usually celebrated with a girl dressed in a white gown with a red sash or glitter belt, wearing an evergreen wreath with candles on her head. She is followed by a number of girl attendants, also dressed in white with one candle in there hand. The boys, "star-boys", also participate in the ceremony. They too are dressed in white gowns and they wear pointed hats and a stick with a star on.

At home:
The Lucia (the oldest girl in the family) wakes up her family by bringing a tray of coffee/tea and sweet-buns called "lussekatter"- translates to Lucia’s Cats. It is also custom to share lussekatter with the closes neighbours if they don’t have children.

Kindergarten:
The oldest children in the kindergarten 5-6 years old have a candlelight parade. They sing carols and give away lussekatter. The younger children and all the parents are invited to come and look at the parade. The parade then goes of to a retirement home, where they sing and give away some more lussekatter. The people there thank the Queen of Light, Lucia, for bringing hope during the darkest time of the year.

Schools:
The youngest children at the school have a candlelight parade. They sing carols and give away lussekatter to the other students.

In some towns:
Offices and communities sponsor candlelight parades in the evening, in which carols are sung.

Hotels
There is often an early Lucia breakfast this day.

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If the mail goes there I will send it to you, no matter where you are in the world! The postage is pretty much the same where ever you are!

IF - clumsy

It wasn't that he was nervous and had misplaced his glasses that made him clumsy, but the fact he was wearing a tie for his first date...

This weeks word for illustration Friday is clumsy.


Medium used: watercolours, watercolour pencil, watersoluble waxpastel, permanent marker and acrylic on watercolour paper.

Sinus inflammation, again

This is the second time in only a short while I have had this illness, I had one before Christmas. It has never been a problem before. I have no idea what it causing it. I have been to work three days this week, but today I capitulated and stayed home. To much pain...

So, guess what is making this girl unhappy? Do you think it might be sinus trouble/sinusitis? That is what I think...

Medium used: watercolours, watercolour pencil, watersoluble wax pastel, permanent marker and acrylic on watercolour paper.

Happy St.Lucia day

A little St.Lucia parade.

Happy St.Lucia day! I love the Lucia celebrating, it is not about what am I going to get, but what can I do for others.

It is a Scandinavian tradition, alto non of the Scandinavian country's are catholic any more, but Lutheran, it is a custom and tradition that have survived from way back when we where.

For those of you that did not read last years post about how the Lucia day is celebrated, here in Norway, here is a reminder.

Santa Lucia is celebrated on December 13th. It is usually celebrated with a girl dressed in a white gown with a red sash or glitter belt, wearing an evergreen wreath with candles on her head. She is followed by a number of girl attendants, also dressed in white with one candle in there hand. The boys, "star-boys", also participate in the ceremony. They too are dressed in white gowns and they wear pointed hats and a stick with a star on or a light in there hand.

At home:
The Lucia (the oldest girl in the family) wakes up her family by bringing a tray of coffee/tea and sweet-buns called "lussekatter"- translates to Lucia’s Cats. It is also custom to share lussekatter with the closes neighbours if they don’t have children.

Kindergarten:
The oldest children in the kindergarten 5-6 years old have a candlelight parade. They sing carols and give away lussekatter. The younger children and all the parents are invited to come and look at the parade. The parade then goes of to a retirement home, where they sing and give away some more lussekatter. The people there thank the Queen of Light, Lucia, for bringing hope during the darkest time of the year.

Schools:
The youngest children at the school have a candlelight parade. They sing carols and give away lussekatter to the other students.

In some towns:
Offices and communities sponsor candlelight parades in the evening, in which carols are sung.

Hotels
There is often an early Lucia breakfast this day.

Medium used: pencil, watercolour, watersoluble wax pastel, acrylic paint, permanent marker and ink pencil

Star gazing

This couple is out on a winter day, looking at the stars.

I live in a wonderful place! There is not much light-pollution, so whenever it is not a clouded sky, or the sun shines to brightly, I can see the stars. I love it! Living in a city for many years, make me appreciate it even more. I am actually able to see the stars lying in my bed. Today I was out side looking at the stars, it is so much fun to challenges oneself to see if one recognise the stars and the constellation.

Star gazing detail

If you want to see how the sky is where you live you can go to this page:
http://www.heavens-above.com/skychart.aspx?SL=1&SN=1&lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=CET

This couple is out on a winter day, looking at the stars.

Medium used: ink, ink pencil, watersoluble wax pastel and gesso.

EDM#15 branch

The EDM challenge #15 said "draw a tree or trees, leaves or branches". So I draw the view from a branch of a weeping birch/ drooping birch. I live on the Birch ridge so there is quite a lot of birches here. The one that I would like to have that is not growing here is a blood-weeping birch/ blood-drooping birch, it has beautiful red leafs all summer. They are unfortunately extremely hard to get a hold of.

The illo has a bit of texture to it, as I used some gloss gel. Fun to play around with.

Medium used: gloss gel, pencil, charcoal, Neocolour II watersoluble wax pastel, Mungyo watersoluble wax pastel, ink.

IF - drifting

My cat has discovered the lilac-tree. He spent hours under the tree even turn down fresh boiled coalfish which is one of his favourite fish. The illustration Friday word this week was drifting. My cat sure looked like he was drifting in to a world of his own.

Medium used: wax pastel, watersoluble wax pastel, and permanent marker.

Your comments feed my blog

I have started to enjoy the blogging. I was very unsure starting out, would I find things to share? What should I share? Would I be able to keep it up? Would my English vocabulary keep up? How much time would it consume? I still have a lot of questions like do I share unfinished project? I do a lot of creative work but for the most part I only share sketches/paintings/illustration. Can I find good ways to share other things? How can I include other blogs and bloggers?

I see that when I get feedback on things I share it encourage me and it gives me desire to share and blog more. I would like to say a big thank you to all that gives feed back! Thanks for feeding my blog!

My illustration is dedicated to you! If you look closely on the fish you can see that it is made of words it is "hi" in different kind of languishes.

Medium used: ink, pencil, watercolour pencil, ink pencil, watersoluble wax pastel and permanent marker.

Art journal - playing dirty

I got this mail where the subject was "Monika and Cindy, Playing dirty" Silly me thinking it was something related to children's play. This mail was the start of a long row of spam. For years my mail address have been flying under the spam radar. I realise I have been lucky. There is now more than 200 mail a day that is marked with spam, sadly some mail that is not spam also comes in my spam folder so I have to go through the spam folder to check that it is correct. No, I don't open the mails I just skim the headlines and the sender.

I have started the new job and guess what they are playing dirty there... Or at least they play in the dirt, it has been raining for a couple of days an the children are loving the puddles. They make beautiful mud-cakes.

Medium used: watercolour pencil, watersoluble wax pastel and permanent marker.

Art journal - June cat.

This is my last trip to school, just one more exam. To come there I have to drive 450 km. On my route there are 16 tunnels. This became my inspiration for this art journal entry. Alto the only animal I meet in the tunnels was sheep's, I decided to go for a cat. I find that cats are always majestic. Even when they comes out from a tube or a tunnel

Medium used: 3B pencil and Derwent watersoluble wax pastel.

Drawing - everyday

I draw everyday! And I am proud of it!
I have always doodled. My old school books are filled with small drawings I have made, ideas that I have had and solutions to small everyday problems. I used to have a piece of paper by my bed and when I could not sleep I made a drawing or doodled a bit. My drawing had never been in a system and often the drawings ended up in the trash. 2 years ago I made my self a birthday promise/gift I would allow my self the time to draw and create everyday.

Here is the rules I made for my self:
- make an entry to an "art journal" everyday
- for at least 15 minutes
- put at least one line on the paper
- not feel obligated to finish a drawing
- bring the "art journal" with me every time I go out side

Soon another year has gone by, and I have made it! I am going to continue doing it! It has been fun and I have learn so much AND I have a year full of journal entrys, ideas and solution's of everyday problems all in one place.

I am really proud of my journals. And I wish you all could feel the joy it is to make them and then look back and see some of the things you have done.

Today illustration is a bird with a bag, do you think he has a journal in there? It is made by drawing the bird with a HB pencil. Then traces with a permanent marker. It is then made with a wet technique, where the paper is wet, colour over with the watersoluble wax pastel.

Medium used: pencil, Derwent watersoluble wax pastel and permanent marker.

Art journal ideas - give away

If you didn't know, I do art journalling. I make a mark in my journal everyday. What comes down on the paper may vary. Some times I write words and thoughts , but for the most part it is some kind of illustration.

I have a box in my studio where I keep props and an old encyclopaedia. The props can be a piece of scrap paper with interesting colours and patterns, a piece of yarn or ribbon, a newspaper article, a found element with a great texture. All things that I use in my art journal in some way. I attach it to my pages or use it as a inspiration. The old encyclopaedia, I can cut out word that I like or just phase through it to find some interesting things I want to make an entry about. I have found a new and more study box, it use to be an ammunition box so it should hold up. I am going to decorate it, not sure how yet. It is a large box so there are room for a lot of ideas and props.

I know there are many ideas out there on the web, but I would like some input from the people that comes through here on my blog. I want input and ideas to my journalling. It can be a word you like or a suggestion to a prop/property, only your imagination sets the limit.

I am wondering can you give me an idea for a prop?

As a reward for you stopping up and writing a comment I'll give you a chance to win a prise! I am putting together an art journal parcel starting today with what you see below, each Friday through the summer I'll add something to the pot. I'll draw the winner on the 21 of August.

You are more than welcome to blog about this on your own blog, but it is not obligated!

To start of there is the journal and a pen.

The journal is a Canson sketchbook, see this blog post http://ewian.blogspot.com/2008/12/dream-journal.html for details and on how I compared it to other journals.

The pen is a Medallion drawing pen, permanent marker, colour black, size 0.1, one of my favourite pens as it is water proof, it don't only say that it is, it works! Here is a blog post http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/02/edm-8-organized-chaos.html where the pen was illustrated.

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12.06.09


Adding a box of neocolorII, watersoluble, 15 pieces.

You can see here some of the blog posts where I have used watersoluble wax pastels. http://ewian.blogspot.com/search/label/Watersoluble%20wax%20pastel
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19.06.09


Adding Derwent charcoal pencils and watersoluble sketching pencils. I use these pencils alot when adding shadows. Read more at the blog post http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/06/adding-charcoal-and-watersoluble.html

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26.06.09

Adding compartment box. Read more at the blog post: http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/06/give-away-adding-compartment-box.html
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04.07.09

Adding two Formline brushes. See blog post for more info http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/07/give-away-adding-two-formline-brushes.html

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10.07.09

Adding 12 colour pencils to the give away pot. They are called Jumbo colour and comes from Faber-Castell. See blog post for more http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/07/give-away-adding-colouring-pencils.html

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17.07.09

Adding Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours to the give away pot.
See blog post for more http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/07/give-away-adding-watercolours.html


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24.07.09

Adding pencils, eraser and sharpener to the give away pot.
See blog post for more http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/07/give-away-adding-pencils-eraser-and.html

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31.07.09

Adding glitter and sparkling stars to the give away pot.
See blog post for more http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/07/give-away-adding-some-sparkle.html

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07.08.09

I am adding vintage paper, pictures from 1946-54, printed in 1956. http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/08/give-away-adding-vintage-paper.html

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14.08.09


I am adding stickers. Read more on the blog post http://ewian.blogspot.com/2009/08/give-away-adding-stickers.html

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If the mail goes there I will send it to you, no matter where you are in the world! The postage is pretty much the same where ever you are.

Art journal - my favourite flower

My favourite flower is "løytnantshjerter" translated meening the "lieutenant hearts". In English it is known as the "bleeding heart", in Latin it is "dicentra spectabilis".

The flower is perennial, meaning it survives the winter and blooms every year. We have been moving a lot and I had keep my bleeding heart in a urn taking it with me where ever we have lived. We now go our own home and this summer I hope to find a place where I can plant the hearts permanently. First it did not look like they survived the winter being in a urn can be though for the flower. I was very sad because it is really hard to get hold of these bleeding hearts. Today when I was outside doing some gardening I noticed that my hearts had survived after all. I am so glad. I wish I had more of these wonderful hearts, but I only have this one plant. I have the one that is pink/magenta.

Of course my journal entry for the day had to be the bleeding hearts. In my flower there is a girl sleeping, for me she represent the flower sleeping through the winter.

Medium used: Derwent pencil, watersoluble wax pastel and permanent marker.

A little bird told me

I am trying out Twitter... http://twitter.com/ewian


Made a painting with a bird singing about the sun, fund that it would be appropriate to this action. Not sure if I will manage to use Twitter in a rational way. Don't want to be the one twittering about:"now I am getting the mail". But I hope that I can use it as a mini update on what I am creating. That could be my journalling word/props for the day or a new art supply I am trying out. I also want to use it as a notifier when I am travelling, maybe we are at the same place...

I actually made two pictures. They are a bit different, On the first one there was some messing up with the camera so no video came out. On the second one I did manage to film the whole ting and edit it down to a reasonably length.

Do you Twitter? How do you use it in a good way?

Painting made with: Watersoluble wax pastel, acrylic paint, vintage paper, permanent marker.

Art journal - shopaholic

Have you peeked in to the world of Becky Bloomwood? It is some time a go since I read this book and I liked it, I liked the audio book even more so I was curious to how they would capture all the thoughts on the film. I watched the film and was presently surprised, although they don't follow the story of the book exactly, I think that manage to capture the essences of the book.

The book is written under the pseudonym Sophie Kinsella. The full title is "Confessions of a Shopaholic". There is five books in this series if I remember correctly. If you've ever paid off one credit card with another, thrown out a bill before opening it, or convinced yourself that buying at a two-for-one sale is like making money, then this silly, appealing novel is for you. AND if you have not done such things but find it fascinating that people can do it this book will give you some insight... It is truly a crazy world of Beck Bloomwood!


Medium used: Derwent watersoluble wax pastel and permanent marker.

Art journal - spring 09

The Norwegian word for spring is vår, /vå:r/.

Spring marks the transition from winter into summer. What signals you are judging the time of year after? For me spring is the birds of passages returning, singing, calling out to a mate, lets build and settle. Bumblebees and butterflies searching for nectar in the goat willow. Feeling the sun warm my skin. Seeing the wild flowers in my garden peeking up from the grown.

Another signal that the spring is here, is the midnightsun. It is still some days to we have the full effect. Today the sun raised at 01.51 and it will go down at 23.39.

So for me, where I live in the northern part of Norway, spring comes late and last short. So we must enjoy every minute or you will miss it.

Medium used: watersoluble wax pastel and pencil.

Lovely Blog Award

Look what I got! (Late)Last year I got the Lovely Blog Award from Stacey at the http://artsnark.blogspot.com Stacy is among many things a mixmedia artist that let her creativity bobble to the surfaces and that share some of it through her blog, her Etsy shop and the ZNE network.



The lovely blog award is a bit like a tag, I am supposed to recommend 7 of my favourite blogs. There are so many lovely blogs out there! I reed most blogs through a RSS feed this way I don't have to spend my time to go and see if it's something new everyday the feed does that for me. This way I got to concentrate on reading the blogs, and can therefore read more. Some of the blogs that I liked and did find interesting I tagged in this post http://ewian.blogspot.com/2008/11/tagged.html

The 7 I list in this lovely blog award are supposed to link back & suggest 7 others. If any of you don't wish to "play along", that's OK. I still think your blog is lovely and you get to keep the Lovely Blog Award. BUT if you do play along I like to give you an actually tag I have made for you. See picture below. If you send the lovely blog award on it's way AND send me your snail-mail address I will send it to you.

To the ones that I am tagging, you can send your snali-mail adress to this mail; ewianblog (at) gmail. com DO NOT PUT IT IN THE COMMENT! If you don't want to share your mail address that is fine, your choice how much you want to tell other people. Just remember the tag is made for you. I hope all of you will play along!

The picture of the "One Lovely Blog Award" you can find it here: The http://flickr.com/photos/ewian/3181355410/in/photostream . I had mine included in the belly dancer picture.




Here are the seven lovely blogs, go visit and you will see what I am talking about...

Jennifer, http://thursdaydrive.com One of those cosy little blog that make me smile every time I see there is a new posting.

"She does hair", http://shedoeshair.blogspot.com and as the name say she does hair, my mother only practice three hear styles on my head: ponytail, pigtail and all hanging down, so I read this blog and have had so many great tips.

"So much yarn, so little time", http://cmeknit.blogspot.com this is primeerely a knitting blog, I started reading this only because of the headline, So much yarn, so little time. In the blog you get to see and read the way from start to finish projects.

http://specksbrain.blogspot.com This blog is a drawing/ journal blog, just love the style of the illos.

Tam, http://www.willowing.org/blog-news.html Her blog on blogger is fairly new, looks like, it is going to be a lovely one, but I have followed her on You Tube, the Purple Haze video was one of the first You Tube videos I saw.

Keron, http://thecolourguru.typepad.com A mixemedia art journal lady whit a big engagement.

http://www.badfaery.com Another sketchbook/ journal blog, there are some other post in between that is inspirational.



Medium used, belly dancer: watercolour, 3B pencil, watersoluble wax pastel, acrylic, spangles, and permanent marker. Picture is made in my art journal entry is made in the Hand Book Artist Journal from Global art materials. Inc

Medium used, tag: stamp, embossing and ribbons.