May 11th, 2008 kellyschnell
I’ve been busy and distracted and rather unmotivated lately and haven’t done nearly as much “creating” as I’d like to do. The only thing that has kept me from being completely unproductive has been the oil painting class that I’ve been taking at a small art school in Seattle for the past few weeks. This has been my first experience with oil paints, and learning to work with them has been both fun and frustrating. I love the richness of their color and texture - they blend beautifully and have a “creaminess” that I haven’t seen with acrylics. But they can take a loooong time to dry, which means you must have patience when layering paint or covering up mistakes. And clean-up time is a chore, since brushes must be cleaned with paint thinner or turpentine (acrylic and watercolor paint brushes can just be rinsed with water). Nonetheless, I look forward to continuing to play with this new-to-me medium. Below is one of my first stabs at a still life, painted during my third class. It still needs a little work, but it’s a start…
Posted in making | 1 Comment »
May 4th, 2008 kellyschnell
My little window-sill herb garden really took off in the past couple weeks, so I took advantage of the sunshine today to do a little transplanting. Shane filled our new, larger pots with soil, I gingerly placed our little sprouts in them, and we now have basil, parsley, dill, cilantro, thyme, and rosemary happily taking root out on our back porch. Another few weeks and things should be ready for the picking (I cheated a little and bought the rosemary and cilantro as plants, rather than starting them from seed, so they’re much farther along than the rest). It was nice to be outside - I spent a lot of time curled up on the couch this weekend, and I think a little fresh air did me some good. I’m obviously still mourning the loss of my grandma, but each day I find more peace with the fact that God has called her home. Much thanks to everyone who has reached out with their words of comfort.
Posted in making | No Comments »
March 13th, 2008 kellyschnell
This was a chance to play around with some ideas I’ve been toying with for awhile… I like the idea of using printed fabric as a background, and I had some scraps left over from the curtains I made last year, so that was my start (though I ended up feeling like the damask I used in this was so bold and contrasty that I didn’t want to paint over it). The tree was also the product of some scraps I had laying around - I have a bag full of basswood pieces left over from my days as an architecture student, so this put some of it to use. I painted the woman pretty quickly (used a picture from one of my old bridal magazines as inspiration), but the background is where I really got stumped. The first time I painted it, it was too monochromatic. So I layered another shade of green over it. Then it was too varied. Then it was too light, too dark, too green, too yellow, etc. There are probably about 12 layers of green paint on this canvas. Last week I finally just threw my hands up, squeezed a bunch of green and yellow and red and white paint onto my palette, mixed it all together, and started slapping big daubs of acrylic onto the canvas with my palette knife. I’m not totally satisfied with the effect, but I don’t know where else to go with this one, so I’m setting it aside for now and moving on (more ideas brewing…).
Posted in making | 1 Comment »
March 3rd, 2008 kellyschnell
I finished these up just in time to slip them on as the cold, gray wind and rain overtook Seattle. A fun little knitting project - it’s good to have something to entertain myself while Shane watches the History Channel (what is it with men and the History Channel, anyway?).
details: size 9 needles, double-strand of regular worsted yarn, pattern posted here.
Posted in making | 2 Comments »
February 17th, 2008 kellyschnell
I’ll admit that I was a little skeptical when Shane said that instead of going out, he wanted to cook Valentine’s dinner for us at home this year (I had visions of him walking through the door with a take-and-bake pizza and a bag of pre-mixed salad), but shame on me for doubting him. My man really pulled out the big guns on this one. Our menu consisted of stuffed Cornish game hens, asparagus, and fresh baguette. Fancy. And delicious. Then hens were stuffed with a rice pilaf and baked with fresh rosemary, garlic cloves, and lemon wedges, then topped with a gravy made from white wine and the leftover juices. Mmmmmmm…
I was in charge of dessert and decided on bananas foster, for its decadence and simplicity. Paired with vanilla ice cream and a small glass of the Port I gave Shane for Valentine’s Day, it was heaven. Quick word to the wise, though: make sure you’re leaning away from the pan when you light the rum on fire. Shane was taken by surprise by how high the flames leaped up (I laughed as he immediately raised his hands to his forehead, checking to see if his eyebrows were still intact).
The best part of it all? Taking the time in the midst of a busy week to sit down at the table and devote our attention to one another for a couple of hours. Our lives have been rather hectic lately, with me studying for my licensing tests and Shane working insanely long hours. We had lots of catching up to do, and what better way to do it than over good food and wine?
Many thanks to my husband for putting himself out there this Valentine’s Day. Shane is the first to admit that he’s typically no ace in the kitchen (unless you’re in the mood for a cheese quesadilla), and it would have been easy for him to pick up the phone and make reservations at one of Seattle’s hundreds of restaurants. Watching him go to such great lengths to make this meal extra-extra special reminded me that I am one incredibly blessed woman.
Posted in making | 3 Comments »
February 3rd, 2008 kellyschnell
It’s nice to have a comfy new scarf to protect me from this biting Seattle cold we’re feeling these days…
details: garter stitch (16 across), size 15 needles, double strand (one skein solid blue wool blend, one skein variegated blue and brown boucle).
I’m about “scarfed out” now (the scarf rack in the corner of our bedroom is becoming overgrown and resembles a sasquatch when the light are out), so my next project will have to be something new. Maybe get a head start on a Christmas sweater for Shane? I thought he would look super-hot in this one:
Posted in making | 1 Comment »
January 30th, 2008 kellyschnell
Just for kicks, I’ve been playing around a little with some of the photos I took while I was in Europe - a mix of Photoshop manipulations and hand drawing over prints. It’s been awhile since I’ve scrolled through my thousands of photos; it was fun to review, reminisce, and revise:
berlin: grayed-out photo of Rotes Rathaus on a snowy January day, linework in ink.
prague: fantastically colorful street facade mirrored in Photoshop, pavement replaced with water, memorial statues imposed in front.
venice: favorite photos, lamppost cut-out, damask background outlined in ink.
munich: composition of snowscape, church, lampposts.
paris, cimetiere du montmartre: photo background with statue drawn in pencil.
Memories…
Posted in making | 2 Comments »
January 5th, 2008 kellyschnell
2008 New Year’s Resolution #1: Start a blog. Check.
I’ve been delaying my blog debut for months now, arguing that typing on a laptop just doesn’t compete with the feeling of putting to pen to paper in my little black Moleskine journal. But alas, in an effort to increase my readership, I have jumped aboard the technological train. This website is a glimpse into what I’m working on, what I’m pondering, what I’m learning. I hope it will be followed by family, friends, maybe even the occasional stranger. But it’s not meant to be a substitute for phone calls or coffee dates - clearly, ear-to-ear or face-to-face contact still takes priority over “virtual” communication. Like I said, this is only a glimpse…
Blog-tastic features of “little black journal”:
- I call myself a “wanna-be artist” because, honestly, I seem to only pick up a paintbrush a few times a year. But check out what I’m currently working on in the “now painting” page. I will update you as progress is made. If you don’t see progress being made, bug me about it. I often need a kick in the pants.
- In the past year, my passion for reading has really taken flight. You’ll see quite a variety of a books fly through the “now reading” log. I made a resolution in 2007 to read at least one book a month and covered stuff ranging from The Secret Life of Bees (a touching story about the joys of female bonding) to Lolita (creepy). I welcome recommendations.
- I love making stuff, and that passion has recently taken the form of knitting and sewing. There are few things I enjoy more than saying “Oh, you like my scarf? Thanks, I made it.” So keep an eye on the “now stitching” page and make sure to compliment me when you see me wearing my creations.
Signing off - check back soon for more bloggy goodness.
Kelly
Posted in making | 2 Comments »