Willowing Arts: Mastering Mixed Media 2026 (Inspired by Lessons 1-10)

There are about 40 lessons in this series.  I've decided to work through every one of them in order.  It amazes me that there are some lessons I think, on first look, will be a waste of time then I end up thoroughly enjoying a process that I had no intention of caring to spend time on.

Watercolor, paint pens, colored pencils

Watercolor, splatter, paint pen, colored pencil

Drawing, Collage for texture, paint with 4 red, ocher, black & white

Penciling drawing, stenciling, magazine & collage papers, pen

Craft paint, Posca pens, collage paper

Craft paint, acrylic, collage papers, paint pens

Drawing, watercolor, watercolor pencils & crayons

Collage papers, gesso, doily, white ink

Sewing, collaged, inked, & painted pages, 

Mark making (to make a booklet later)

Look Familiar??

Wait! 

Is this a rerun?

I think I've seen this one recently...

Yeah...

HERE it is... Click and remember that "finished" version was the second "finished" version.

I know, I know... they might barely look different at a glance, but I'm finally happy with it.  

After I "finished" it the second time, I never took it off the easel and put it on the wall.  I just could not make myself be satisfied with it. 

A good thing about oil paint is that it's never too late to go back and add to it.

So... I tweaked a few things:

I gave it a total palette knife update... brightened the chimes... gave some form to the leaves... added highlights to the leaves, flowers, chimes, table... deepened the shadows... lightened the sky..

I guess I didn't "tweak a few things."  I guess I tweaked the entire thing.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas

If you'd like to have this lovely, 3rd try" painting, click Windchimes!

She Rules the Roost

Every flock has one... The one who rules the roost... The one at the top of the pecking order...

Mine is named Eleanor. 

She not mean... she's just the boss. And, she always has an expression of annoyance. If she could talk, I think she'd say, "What? I gave you a lovely light tan egg. What else do you want? I have pecking to do. Why do you insist on hanging around?"

We always have to have at least one white chicken.  When they're in the woods scratching around or resting, we can always find them because the white one never blends in.

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 7"x 9" Wrapped Canvas.

Click She Rules the Roost if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

I Like... (April 2026)

Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 
Click on HER BLOG to see what positive things others like. 

I like my new little pink dogwood!  
She's going to be a treat year after year.

I like having enough eggs to share with friends.

I like Elfie. She's such a friendly little hen.

I like getting to spend two entire days
doing art with my favorite art partners.

I like a few days in someplace different.

I like getting the garden ready to go!

I like a slow pace around home!

I like iris season!

I like salad, but sheesh... anyone need some lettuce or spinach??

I like that these onions & garlic have come back
from the beating they took from a hailstorm.

I like saying good morning to the forest friends who stop by.

LeeAnne's  conversation starter topics this month:

Did you ever wear gogo boots? platform shoes? earth shoes? Nope, nope, nope.  I think those were just a few years before my time. I remember them, but I was still a little girl in the 60s & 70s.

Did you ever wear mini skirts ? fishnet hose?  halter tops? Nope, nope, nope.  I'm starting to feel like a real fashion bore!

As a young child did you ever wear plastic sandals? Bonus if you also had on ankle socks. Maybe... but I think I have to go nope and nope again. 

Did you ever dye your hair The only time in my life that I died my hair was between the ages of 38-41.  I decided that I didn't have to be gray before 40, but when I turned 41, I gave in to the gray. or get a perm and it turned into a disaster? Oh, the home perm kit by Toni!  The smell! I can smell it to this day!  Yeah, my mom gave me perms occasionally, buy my hair is straight and was never intended to be anything else.  

What would you love to get for Mother's day as a present? Let yourself go wild with imagination 
surprise us with what you'd just love to have this year.  I got a pink dogwood tree for my birthday last month.  I love it.  (See the photo above.)

The Endless Art Challenge Box

I thought it might be fun to share a glimpse into part of our "Weekly-ish Challenge" 

One week I come up with a challenge. The next week my partner comes up with a challenge. And, the third week we "go to the box" for our challenge.

It's a little deck of cards with three sections: "Subject" cards, "Color" cards, and "Wild Card" cards. We draw one card from each deck then figure out our art piece from there!  It's been so fun!!!

(FYI... Mine are on the right. Hers are on the left.)

For this one we decided that "do the opposite" meant

we'd turn the card over and use the picture on the back.