This week’s challenge is “A Face in the Crowd.”
I’m definitely not a crowd person, and it’s too cold here to venture out very far. So I settled on these two faces: my twin, fiber goat girls, Knit and Purl.
Knit & Purl
I’m pretty happy with my progress this week, so let’s get right into it.
1. Ashley Cowl: I think I see the end in sight, and I like what I see! (And I can legitimately start pondering the next project. *she types with a happy gleam in her eye.*)
Ashley Cowl progress
2. Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop: This week’s project involved stippling, or taking a gel pen and dotting the page until you start questioning your sanity. Truth be told, I’ve never been a real fan of pointillism, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’m not fond of stippling. Bottom line: I completely agree with Rachel’s comment that it provides a nice texture for the mushrooms and I see that it provides a great deal of control for both mixing colors and creating lighter and darker areas. I’m glad I understand the technique, but I’m pretty sure it will make rare appearances at best in my work.
Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop Stippling Project
3. WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: I also post an entry for this week’s challenge. The topic was “Sweet.”
Overall, I feel like I accomplished something this week, and it does seem the challenge keeps creativity in the back of my mind throughout the week. Probably most important to me, I’m noticing that, whenever I’m working on something for my challenge, I generally have a feeling of satisfaction. That’s good information to have when planning the rest of your life. 🙂
This week’s challenge is: tour guide.
The bunny ears of Mt. Baring.
I feel obliged to write that I’m not obsessed with our cats and do not intend to turn every week’s photo challenge into another photo opportunity of them. However, this week’s challenge topic is “Beloved,” and I first think of my spouse or maybe my boys, but I don’t post their pictures out of respect for their privacy. Then, I spied these two cuddled up on my chair and somehow saw them as a sort of horizontal, feline version of Klimt’s The Kiss. Then again, I suspect that is just my unique perspective. 😉
Stormie and Wiley snuggling
And so, I have made it to week 5. Each week, I keep a short list in my notebook of what I want to accomplish creatively. This week, the list didn’t happen, primarily because I have a book to review and reading takes up my precious bits of creative time. Still, I did find ways to be creative.
1. Rachel Reinert’s Color Workshop: I managed to complete Rachel’s highlighting and shadowing project. I like how this turned out. Furthermore, I genuinely enjoyed the time I took to work through this project. I was very happily absorbed, and that feeling counts for a lot with me.
The highlighting and shadowing project in Color Workshop
2. William Sonoma’s The New Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken with Lemon Vinaigrette Couscous with Raisins:Â This one is absolutely delicious. The house smells fantastic with spices I don’t typically use, and hungry teens seem to be lurking in the shadows around the slow cooker. I’m calling that a win.
Moroccan Chicken with Lemon Vinaigrette Couscous with Raisins
3. Photography: I posted an entry in the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge for the subject of variations on a theme. I have also been goofing around more with my Nikon D500 and Picasa and posted several pictures that made me smile.
4. Daily Prompt Books: This week I dabbled in some of my daily prompt books. I certainly didn’t do so with any consistency. Still, grabbing a prompt and writing or drawing for a few minutes let me exercise my creative muscle without feeling too invested in an outcome. The books I’m working through at the moment are Draw Every Day Draw Every Way and A Writer’s Book of Days, and they seem to suit me quite well. That said, I will not post any pictures from these exercises because I need a place to simply learn without an audience watching. (Thank you, Pierr, for the good advice.)
With that, I’ve completed my fifth week of the 365 Somethings Project. I think I’ve created enough of a fledgling habit to justify to myself announcing my goals and parameters for my project in my sixth week. So, it’s finally time to reveal my master plan . . . . 😉
I’ve been playing with my Nikon D5000 this week and had some fun doing so.
A heron decided to visit a seasonal pond in our front yard.
Heron
My middle son got my gene for loving all things living. Joining Quincy the leopard gecko, and Pipsqueak and Piper the guinea pigs, let me introduce
Almond Biscotti the hamster
For the record, that shot is magnified. At a month old, Almond is about two inches in length. She is also the most charming member of the rodent family that I’ve ever met.
A typical winter moment in my office. Note: it’s not my magnetic personality. I have the space heater.
Can I please come back as one of my cats? Please?
Finally, a couple of shots of the flowers my amazing husband surprised me with, just because.
Flowers from my thoughful spouse
Second shot of flowers
This week’s challenge: variations on a theme.
Three variations on the theme of cat. (With abundant thanks & kibble to -from left to right- Stormie, Wiley, and Moxie.)
This week’s report will be very concise because I’m feeling particularly worn. Still, progress was made. As always, if you want to know more about the underlying challenge, see iHanna’s post.
Polychromos pencils blended with petroleum jelly
2. Hoisin Pork and Vegetables from Prevention’s Ultimate Quick & Healthy Cookbook: I bought this cookbook not long after I married, and it quickly became a favorite before we had children. After that, the recipes seemed a bit labor intensive and the quantities too small for the time I had to cook and number I had to feed. This week, however, I found this recipe. After changing the proportions to twice the meat and noodles, three times the sauce, and at least three times the vegetables, it turned out really well, and I have leftovers for another meal.
Hoisin Pork and Vegetables
3. Ashley Cowl: Okay, we aren’t going to discuss this one, let alone photograph my progress this week. Let’s just say I learned that, as much as I’m determined to make progress, it’s better to stop when I’m tired or distracted. :/
4. WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: This week, the topic was silence. I’m still a bit on the fence about my photo, but I suppose it sometimes counts just to show up.
I’m toying with adding a daily or weekly writing prompt from one of my writing books and/or carrying a small sketchbook with me so I can doodle or make a fast sketch when I get a moment away from home. I think there is a balance to be found between being spread to thin among various endeavors and having different avenues of creativity for whatever circumstances I am in.
WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Silence
Swimming Hole
