Studying Up

Well, I spent the day straightening the desk in the office and my art and crafts nook.  Then I spent a little time on the lanai enjoying the feel of cool spring breezes and the smell of freshly mown grass.  When I came back in, I grabbed my new art book and started reading.

I have long admired Cathy Taylor's watercolor paintings.  When I learned that she had a new book available on alcohol inks, I checked our library system and found that none of our libraries even had it on order.  So I asked the Tarpon Springs Public  Library to add it to their stacks -- and put me first on the waiting list for when it came in.  A couple of weeks later, I received notification that it was there.

I immediately fell in love with it.  I know, I know.  It's an inanimate object.  But it's a book.  And it is about art.  What's not to love?  I grabbed my laptop, pulled up Amazon and ordered a copy for myself!

I showed it to some of my "artsy" friends who also loved it and a new group will be forming soon.  Beginning in June we plan to meet the first Wednesday of each month and we will call ourselves the "Crafty Ladies." First on our agenda?  A few classes  using the lessons in Cathy Taylor's book.

Today I looked at the list of materials for the first lesson.  91% rubbing alcohol.  Well, that's pretty simple.  Or is it?  When I looked at all the bottles of rubbing alcohol in this house (and, believe me, there are many) they were all 70%.  So I needed to order some stuff from drugstore.com so I ordered two 32 oz. bottles of the 91% alcohol so we will have plenty for our workshops.  I already have Yupo paper.  Sandy may have some, too.  The rest of the materials are amusing:  a drinking straw, toothbrush, old credit card (Seriously, who keeps those around? Don't we shred them?), hand sanitizer, white glue, paper towels, and felt.  I ordered a supply of felt sheets the day I first read the book so we're good to go.

The beauty of alcohol inks is that you can paint on just about anything with them.  I am really looking forward to playing with this new medium. I have a friend in New Mexico who told me not to buy anything but a small supply of the inks as she has LOTS of them and is not using them anymore.  When we get together on Perdido Key in May, she will bring them to me.

And that is a story for another day.

Perdido Key.

The next "Irresistibles" trip.  In May.  Five of us.  Girlfriends.  5 nights. Penthouse condo.  On the beach.  We can hardly wait.  It has been a long time in the planning.

And, guess what?

They are going to learn to make paper flowers.  I already have their kits and glue guns ready to go.  We'll order in pizza, open a bottle (or two) of wine and make flowers on the walk-around balcony as the sun goes down over the Gulf.

Lots of good times coming up -- at home and away.