TA DA! I actually kept up with my daily sketches!

Here are all 30 of my daily sketches for DoodlewashApril2018. Despite a truly hectic teaching and personal schedule, I have managed to keep up through the last day! Actually, this has been my daily respite from all the other stuff I do, including a commission with a time crunch.

My accordion fold DIY sketchbook on Canson XL 140lb watercolor paper with front page folded over.

Day 2-14

This easy to make maze book was from an 18x24" sheet of Canson XL 140lb watercolor paper. I am using this opportunity to test out ink, watercolor pencil, Caran D'ache watercolor crayons and traditional watercolor on this paper. I am thinking about recommending it as an economical paper for beginning watercolor students. Nothing is as wonderful as professional quality Arches or Fabriano or Saunders Waterford, though.

I add each daily sketch where it seems to fit best.

Each day I look forward to adding the next prompt about childhood pastimes and favorite things. Tree climbing, tether ball (I ruled the playground on tether ball!) and bike riding were my sports.

Day 15-25

We made hundreds of oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip cookies, but Oreos were the absolute best on a camping trip!
Day 23-29

With six kids and sometimes a dog or cat, my mom needed an aquarium like a hole in the head. (That was a phrase we heard from time to time.) So goldfish were cheap and we had them as long as we maintained the feeding and cleaning ourselves. We had funerals for departed goldfish in the Great Bowl of Porcelain. My favorite doll was a rubber baby doll with a china head and soft cuddly body, not Barbie.

Two things are missing on the TV because they were used as needed: aluminum foil for better reception on the "rabbit ears" antennae and the kid who was designated as remote control, getting up  to change channels and adjust the volume.

I see a lot of other people have their sketches in chronological order, date stamped and labeled, but after the first day, which I used as a teaching exercise, I just felt like letting the process flow along with the warm memories. It was fun, being like a kid again. I realize that I now have something even better than an old photo album to view and talk about with my children and grandchildren. I can't wait to see theirs.

Here are the daily prompts for April 2018. If you're wondering where the unicorn is, it's on the carousel. Even I knew there was no such thing as a real unicorn!

April Doodlewash up to Now

Day One-Rainbow

Here's what I have for the first two weeks of #DoodlewashApril2018 and #WorldWatercolorGroup. I'm not sure how to categorize watercolor pencils. 

Bunny rabbit, iced treats, dandelions, french fries, birds, zoo animals, bubble gum, partial Monopoly

I'm not that linear when it comes to the calendar, so a daily prompt helps but then I see the whole page as something to compose and things get juggled around a bit. See the sidebar for the daily prompts.

Olive Oyl, daughter of Coal Oyl, I believe

When we played Monopoly, my Dad was always the top hat and I tried for the sports car. Hated the thimble. The Scotty dog got lost. I think my sister took it.

Birds, Olive Oyl again, the rest of Monopoly, Shredded Wheat breakfast cereal, my favorite toy, pets and cake

I always wanted to know if anybody really did like their Shredded Wheat hot? Why???!! And I always crumbled it up before pouring on the milk because it's way too awkward to eat it whole like they showed on the box. These are things people don't know if they only read the box and never try the cereal. Now I just get the Mini Wheats with sugar already on it. And I saw this most beautiful cake on Instagram a while back and couldn't forget it. *mouth watering. heading for the pantry right now!*

A Perfect Little Vase, Hellebores and Gel Pen Sprouts

I went out to the garden this morning to cut fresh Hellebores for my lovely new antique vase. It was given to me by a dear friend and is the perfect size for my desk in the studio. Who knew that this small task would lead to another surprising discovery in my garden?

Helllebores blooming and Gel Pen Sprouts

I was reaching for a few blossoms to put in my new vase, when a spot of yellow, spring green and orange caught my eye. The Gel Pen Sprouts were already up! The orange one was no doubt dug up earlier  by squirrels, but I could see that the clip was already fully developed.

Fresh Gel Pen Sprouts, cleaned and ready to use.

I love the way these pale green and white hellebores go so perfectly with my new little vase.