Apple pie..Hydrangeas~ M Graham and painting teacups again.

It's amazing how a lens changes so much..the photos were all taken with my Olympus..but this last one is with a new /second hand maybe third hand lens..a manual lens...50 mm 1.8 with an adapter.
I love how so much blurs in back..the last tea cup wastaken with it also..you can tell..the writing is sharp..the cup not..

This last one..I used Grumbacher .. Sometimes..if you prefer learning at home..Google etc..are necessary musts..
I was getting a bit discouraged with my teacups..as in the above middle picture....a teacup from my mom..
I Googled  howtodrawteacups..
and eureka..lots of tips and tricks came up..
I made sketches and put them in my How To Draw Teacups card:)
They range from drawing a square..or rectangle..and an ellipse inside..to drawing a circle  with yet another ellipse..lots of tips and tricks..

for my initial test w/ my M Graham watercolors..( see the palette middle pic at top ..bottom left?You may remember a beach buddy gave me that palette w/ large dots..more than dots..of his set of M Graham watercolors..
he paints with few colors and mixes..)
I do like them a lot..there is a summer set that looks interesting..
the colors are rich and juicy.

I did use a gold acrylic..thanks to Vivian Swift telling us about that:) Well it works ..you need very few tubes..like this set..as the colors mix beautifully..I have had this palette for almost 1 year..and it still paints prettily.
My next trip to the USA I think I will invest in the summer palette.

The last one..I used Grumbacher ..they seem chalky at times and less vibrant but on paper..I liked them..this is the set that was missing one pan..

You need very little to set up a painting spot.
I sat in our screened-in-porch Sept 26th..and painted a few teacups..
I use a dry erase board from the dollar store..a paper clip to attach my paper..my mom's tea cup..the palette..a worn Scott towel..2 brushes..an empty Kirkland grapefruit segments empty container..

a mechanical pencil and a broken off eraser..it all fits on the board..on my lap..
oh and that pretty block of watercolor paper from Sennelier~

I could make a different apple pie every day and Jacques would be happy..
..this time I used that crust I keep raving about..sliced some apples thinly..enough to fit the dish with a hill of slices..as apple slices shrink and your mound evens out..so pile them on..especially w/ a dough crust on top..
1/4 cup of flour..3 tbsps sugar..my fave blend of apple pie spices that I make that includes freshly grated cardamom..
and a crumb top..butter, flour, brown sugar..oats..I added pecans and walnuts this time..
I love the look and smell of a pie on the counter..he loves the taste.

Every fall..I cut down my hydrangeas..this is one of our Pink Diamond bushes..we have high ceilings..so I like putting things on hutches to make the ceilings more cozy..
that basket sits on our tv armoire..the hydrangeas last a good year..but by the end of the year..they do change..so I fill the wheelbarrow w/the old..and make a new arrangement for the coming year..I place them exactly how I want them in the large basket..and let them sit for a few days in the garage..then I bring it in..the reason I leave in the garage..is sometimes there is a bee or two:( An earwig or two..


Do you love KDLang? I do..
Do you love Tony Bennet?I do..
Together..they are magic.
Like fall leaves..only one artist paints like that!♥

It has been such a gloomy weekend!
Heavy..dry..w/ record lows of rain in Sept..so imagine..
Today is Sunday and I baked..a beef and mushroom pie from Canadian Living for Jacques..sad to report Rogers is selling Chatelaine magazine..etc..so many paper products such as magazines and newspapers are becoming obsolete with so much online..I guess..
I made a soup..a few other things..but I will save ..because what else would I talk about:)
 I made scones..yes I do indulge..and bites of this and that..
And that Costco popcorn:)
I took one of my 10 fave scone  recipes..but used self -raising or self-rising flour?To mimic Mary Berry.
I love her..
I had no idea she had has such sadness and challenges in her life.
I love her even more now.
Oh..and I painted..and took pics and played with my toys...♥

Have a lovely week~