I’m off to the island today to visit a friend for lunch. No time to chat here, but I thought you might like to see what I’ve been up to in my illustrated journal. (And I just posted on my Reading Blog, should you want to check that out)
Above, the October 28th page mid-doodling. . . .
Below, with facing page (that beautiful drawing isn’t mine — it’s from the promotional material sent out by the Vancouver Opera, the illustration for their production of La Traviata — I clipped it out, glued it onto the page, and doodled and wrote around it. . . .
Some of you might have been able to leave the white space on my page alone, but somehow I was sitting at my desk, surrounded by markers and pencil crayons and stamp pads, and before I knew it . . .
Right this minute, though, I’m going to exercise more discipline, because more doodling or fiddling with this post might have a Skytrain or bus or even — gasp! — ferry leaving “before I know it.” Gotta run. But if you’re not running and you care to leave me a comment, it’s always splendid to know you’re out there and reading.
xo,
f
Horror vacui
Nature abhors a vacuum – go for it!
KPD: You made me laugh out loud — thank you!
A double treat this morning – sketches and a new reading blog post!
Frances in Sidney
A fantastic idea to clip and paste pieces of the opera brochure/program and bits of menus, or whatever-all glimpses of what you are thinking of, have eaten or have done.Those things pair nicely with your own sketches and words. What a wonderful way to keep a diary. I'll bet your grandchildren would love to see what you have been doing with these notebooks, they might even copy the idea. Think it so clever, and yes, I would be scribbling in all the blank spaces, too.
P.S. You might enjoy looking at the Instagram page of Jones Design Co.. The woman's name is Emily Lex who has, for the last 300+ days, produced a tiny watercolor of ordinary things each day. Has been fun to follow along.
Have fun on the island.
A.in London
Haha! I recognized the hearing aids right away. I got my first pair this past year and actually like them! This is my third attempt to comment on a post. Hope this one works.
slf
Lovely! I've learned new word(s)- wheat berries! Lunch with a friend-always a treat!
Dottoressa
Do you write notes in margins of books, or do you consider books too sacrosanct to scribble in? Just wondering. I think we have either learned to suppress the urge to doodle or we've leaned into it.
Very prolific illustration and journal entries to accompany. Your personal recording of thoughts and activities. How nice to lunch with a friend on the island. i hope you have great views of the sea. Susan
Kind words, Frances, Dottoressa and Susan. I'm pleased you found something to enjoy here and took time to let me know.
A. in London. Thanks, I've added Jones Design to those I follow on IG. I love to see the many approaches there are to recording the daily.
SLF: It worked! And I'm glad you're hearing aids are working or you. This is my second pair, and they're nearing the end of their lifespan. What a boon, though. Thank you, technology 😉
Taste of France: I absolutely write notes in books — not as much now as I did when I was a student and then a professor of literature, and I'd never make a note in a borrowed book. . . .And any book marginalia is directly related to the text.. . What about you?
Hi Frances. I'm going to try to comment here as the book blog won't take my comment after numerous tries.
But it's about books. Although I always love your sketches. 🙂
I just posted on Elly Griffith's book as well. I thought her last two Ruth Galloway books were "meh"… so I almost didn't read this new one. But I thought she was back on form in this one.
I don't read as widely and as diligently as you do. And I read challenging literary fiction now only in fits and starts. I find since I retired I've become downright lazy in my choices. Plus after listening to Slightly Foxed podcasts I've become kind of obsessed with older books.
Thought it was me, but as Sue mentions, the comment I left on your book blog didn't show up either.
Loved your sketch of the Sicily cover. Well worth your intensive search effort. As for reading, I've downloaded Claire Tomalin's book, A Life of My Own from Hoopla (library connection). Finished The Dutch House last night. So many thought provoking lines. I had to write them down in my journal to remember and revisit.
Sue: I'm sorry to hear the book blog comments feature is acting up — I guess I'll have to change it to the same system I'm using here. . . It's fun to see where our reading proclivities intersect and where they diverge, isn't it? So many possibilities. As for this latest Ruth Galloway, I just felt as if there's one coincidence or continuing theme too many. I'm crossing my fingers the next one will hook me back more securely as I like many of the characters very much.
Mary: Thanks for persisting with this comment. I'd love to see what Tomalin does with her own life and I look forward to your reading of it. And The Dutch House sounds an absolute Must from everything I've heard. . . I love books that make you stop and copy out lines…