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Time to check in!  Took a couple days off for the holiday (Happy Belated 4th of July), but I've just been touching up here and there - things I really can't photograph (like strawberry leaves and the black/white tiles that needed a 3rd coat).

But, I did continue work on the vines across the bottom, coming out of the ground, and up the wave - probably not much more I'd do there, except for a highlight here or there.


I did choose to switch out the splashes to Pthalo Blue (a much better fit than the ultramarine - too purple - and cerulean - not "deep" enough).  This is still bright, but much more harmonious.  Also, the only other place I used pthalo was in the cauliflower and broccoli, so this brings that hue in across the panels.

Mommy's little "photobomber"

Tomorrow, I'll work on the wine glasses and wine bottle.  Then, I'll put in the "thanks" to contributors and the mural title.  After that, I'll have my husband help me move some panels around so I can get some together and check how things line up.  Some adjustments there and then it's a topcoat exterior sealer - Voila!

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Here's a little sketch I did for Blanket! Little bunny getting some reading in before bed...thought it looks more like he's catchin' some zzz's!! Enjoy!!

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We moved back into our house last weekend and had nothing but the toilet in the bathroom. We used the shut-off valves from the sink to get water. It was like camping in our own home. But I needed to be home to be able to meet an illustration deadline and get ready for the craft sale - I had odds and ends for that tucked all over the place. Our furniture was crammed all over the place so that we had to climb over things to move around or find things. The bedroom had the watertank in the doorway so we couldn't even close the door.

So you can imagine how thrilled we were when the plumber turned up and quickly put back the water tank (hot water! hurray!) and tub (bathing! I missed it!) and sink (heaven). The best part was finally seeing our new bathroom floors with the furnishings in the room, because without them I was wondering if the tile was too small - it looked a bit busy. But with the furnishings in there it's just right. The traditional style of hexagonal tile makes it look like those floors could have always been there and they work perfectly with the old clawfoot tub, and in short, I think they're beautiful. The porcelain also feels lovely, it's hard to describe but it's just very nice.
Also I was very happy with how the cream paint on the tub looked with the new floor - there aren't a lot of colour choices with Tremclad but the cream really works (it's not quite as yellow as the picture above). And finally the new IKEA vanity/sink is also beautiful and soooo much better than the old one. It's a bit taller which I find more comfortable and I even love the shiny chrome knobs we picked to match the rest of our fixtures.
There are still a few small problems, our new faucet was bought out of the box and there was a small part missing. So for now we have a different stopper in there and it doesn't close all the way and isn't the right one. Also, the new flooring is higher than the old one, due to the Ditra and porcelain tile being thicker than vinyl tile. The plumber had no trouble adjusting the drain length, but the offset supply lines are too short (and it looks like they got a bit bent). So we need to buy new ones because for now the tub is installed on a bit of an angle in order to make it fit. Soon I'll be painting the walls, and once that's done I can do a full reveal.

Our kitchen is looking very empty. When a room is bare you can really see it's qualities and it's really a nice space. The big window and sliding doors let in so much sunlight - I've been tempted to live without cabinets and turn it into an airy studio. But I guess I have to be practical. Anyway, now the walls are smooth and I can paint those too, and our cabinets are ready for pick-up at IKEA. Yesterday we put back our appliances and a little table, so we've created a kitchenette area that is all we need for now.The dishes get washed in the bathroom so of course I had to buy this cute vintage mug for the scrubbie...For the wall colours, I've been so inspired by the January Martha Stewart Living. I noticed a lot of pale blue and yellow, including mustard yellow which created a really fresh (but almost vintage style) colour scheme that appeals to me so much. You can even see it in our dishes on the chair in the kitchen photo, we have a pale blue Denby stoneware set, and a brown and mustard yellow striped vintage set of dishes that's more casual.
The bathroom isn't as sunny as the kitchen, there's a window but it faces a wall. So the white walls are too stark and it needs a bit of colour. I've been wanting pale blue walls, but I was wondering how pale blue would go with the cream floor and tub then realized this was the colour scheme I was seeing in the magazine and loving. It was even already there in my favourite soaps in my Jonathan Adler soap dish. So I've picked up a big can of Benjamin Moore's "ocean air" and I can't wait to see it on the walls!

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Things are really coming along now, the large kitchen and hall tiles are almost completely installed. There's just this last patch in the hall and 2nd closet to do. The tiles look white but they're actually very very pale grey with tiny matchstick lines of grey and white. They'll also look nicer once the grout is added. It's going to be a light grey so there won't be such dark lines between the tiles.

To the left you can see the bathroom is almost finished too. It doesn't look perfect, but I know it will once the grout is there. We've been visiting the house throughout the project and we can see that this job has been done with careful attention to detail, things we didn't even think about ourselves. Once we add the new baseboards, paint the walls and return the clawfoot tub and new vanity it's going to be really nice I think. Right now the pattern is a little hard on the eyes, mostly due to the dark lines between the tiles.
They've also done more work on the walls where the tiles were removed and they're looking really good. I know once we prime we'll see places we have to touch up a bit here and there but that's easily done.So far so good... Read the rest of this post

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Here is the outside - card art, which goes with the inside - card art, which I will post to the Picture Book Junkies blog for Illustration Friday's theme of "Captain" this week!!
Hope you enjoy!

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Today, I ordered Painter X and also CS3. I am still using CS. I cracked after holding out as long as I could. I felt that holding out longer was futile and was not going to serve me anymore. I don't want to be behine the curve, for one thing. For another, there are lots of great features in PS (and beyond) that I'm missing out on (which I'm learning all about from NAPP). Also, now that I have Flash under my belt from day job, I need to build some of my own work with Flash. Can't wait! But for now, it is great to just do some digital painting with my groovy Cintiq. This little fairy Funny Bunnies illustration is a photoshop/analog hybrid: analog ink rapidograph pen drawing, scanned, then photoshop painting galore. Enjoy!

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