barbara sent me some of her extra special watercolors. my set has really expanded thanks to her and i'm enjoying trying out the different brands. i have a new palette that holds 48 half-pans which is perfect. i'll show that very soon.
in the meantime, here is the one barbara put together for me. such succulence!
i ordered a subscription to a monthly letter from paris. my first one arrived and i enjoyed finding the envelope in my mailbox when i got home one day this week. look how pretty:
it's only 1 page, but i found it captivating. HERE is janice's blog, a new favorite.
here is something else that will send you running to your studio. i love the quietness of it.
Caio Fonseca P09.24 from mg on Vimeo.
and also…i got a special envelope from russia.
And Also No. 2: a perfect book arrived which revealed itself as the new covers for my next sketchbook slash illustrated visual journal.
thanks geraldine!
and while i'm at it…
another handwritten letter/map arrived today welcoming me to my summer cabin & rowboat.
So rather interesting news – I’m going to be taking a watercolor painting workshop with Barbara (the very one of your post!) your friend-of-the-paints in September in Durfort, France! Seeing your post confirmed to me without a doubt that this trip will be exactly the right thing to do – particularly now I know you too are pals. The etching of the little bear in his little bed is quite frankly adorable, and the Belle Lettre is inspiring.
I signed up for Janice’s letter and it was mailed yesterday! Yipee! And I am in love with the Bamse book – I’m searching everywhere for it. Do you want to read this description at the Princeton library:
A little bear sets off heroically mounted on a pig to win the Troll-King’s daughter, but returns disappointed and is put to bed by his mother who tells him someday a little bear-girl will come.
How sweet – its $350 elsewhere! But I’ll keep looking.
I’m hoping that your school and home weren’t too shaken up by this morning’s earthquake. And the hints about Canada – somewhere in British Columbia perhaps? Or possibly to Quebec and the mythical Three Pines (Louise Penney writes a wonderful mystery series set in Three Pines, Quebec.) Let us know if you’ll be travelling through Seattle!
I have received one of Janice’s letters before, aren’t they fabulous?! I meant to sign up for more and forgot, so thanks for the reminder! What lovely handwriting your guest cottage owner has, so nice to see someone writing in cursive. Those new watercolours look lovely, can’t wait to see what you do with them!
Thanks for the link for Janice, and her Paris art letters. I signed up for it. Can’t wait for my first letter to come!
I just came across an app that you might like – waterlogue. It works on iPads and iPhones. What a cool way to get that watercolor look on your photos!
http://blog.waterlogueapp.com/
The Paris mail is so beautiful!
I also wanted to say that I thought of you last night driving home from dinner in Vermont.
It is maple sugaring season, and there was a small sugar house on the roadside, with the flames going under the pan, just visible through the window. I shall go back this week and try to get a pic 🙂
Thanks for all the inspiration you have given me the past few weeks since I discovered MAM-land.
kath.
You do get good mail! Am I right in thinking you’ll be less dangerous to our Canadian neighbors in that rowboat than you were in the motorboat you commandeered in the Netherlands? xox,
Sharron
Now that is a batch of mail to lighten your heart! (in addition to the fact that this post was a true rabbit hole of sites to look at and look at and look at…)
What treasures! Especially that old kiddie book…and the Paris letter…and the new paints!
Such fun…lovely new unique paint colors, a beautiful illuminated letter from Paris, and a Canadian cabin with otters to look forward to!
OMG you are coming to Canada?! I knew that we have Otters, just never imagined we’d be blessed with your presence Mary Ann. Love all your goodies.
What lovely treasures to find in the mail box…and lovely friends that send you luscious new paints to play with…and a lovely trip to look forward to…you are blessed beyond measure!
(and I adore the mail from Paris!!)xxx