Sunday-3pm

Okay--let's see....on Friday I finally got my refund from ASW!! That whole table thing has been going on for a month. I still have the first damaged table sitting in the box, as you can see in the back ground of the picture below. But I have called them three times on picking it up. I am done calling them...for now, anyways.

I was thinking of what I could use for this old folding table. The top of the table is bumpy and sags a bit--is not flat and firm to paint or draw on. I have a calligraphy easel and drug that out to see if that would work...this is the lowest angle.

On this lowest angle it is still way too high for watercolor or brush painting.

I had a professional calligrapher for a teacher in a night class back in maybe 1992. This easel was made by an elderly gentleman she knew--handmade in his basement--only made them for her calligraphy students who would like to purchase one--modeled to her specifications (like why it hangs over the edge of the table and can be set to sit almost vertically). The wood is not finished and I have only used this easel for calligraphy and for all my tracing needs. (Just have to set a lamp behind the clear acrylic--wonderful for tracing!) When you use it for calligraphy the board is almost verticle--to prevent distortion.

I looked around for something strong enough to brace up the easel as it is fairly heavy. Found a thick little cardboard box and it appears to work okay. Might still be too high.

I will keep looking.

The only way I am going to know for sure if this particular easel will work at all for this purpose is to just try it out. It has to hang over the table and it has a lip on the bottom front...we'll see how it works after I am up to snuff again. Probably tomorrow??

Oh--after I got the refund--I checked online with Office Max and guess what?! Now they didn't have both parts for the drafting table anymore. I called the local Office Max and they said that they were closing them out and weren't going to be carrying that drafting table any longer. So--I took that as a sign that an art/drafting table is not in my near future. That is why I have been trying to figure out a way to adapt the old folding table. :)

I decided that since I have saved a good chunk of money so far--I will just continue and then be able to purchase my KitchenAid stand mixer in April!! TaDa!! Always a silver lining, right? I planned to save up for the mixer this year, anyways! :) And--who knows--maybe I can adapt the calligraphy easel and maybe I can get over my fears of getting ink or paint on the raw wood--hehe!

You may have noticed how "clean" I keep my art supplies. That's just me. I am the type that by the time I am done making something in the kitchen and it is in the oven or on the stove--everything is usually in the dishwasher and the counters are cleaned off and wiped down. My watercolor palettes are usually pretty darn clean, too. All my supplies for all my various arts and crafts are kept as clean as I can get them, I guess.

So, is it any wonder that I have trouble trying to draw or paint loosely?!! ROFL!!! Any art teacher I have ever had has told me I needed to be freer, to relax, and to loosen up. I am still trying. :) This is why I am amazed that I am enjoying the Chinese Brush Painting! AND--that I am even capable of painting anything in that form. It feels good for my soul! :)