Where does the time go?

   I need to get back on my schedule of blogging while I drink my cup of coffee early Sunday morning. I have missed the past two Sundays! I can't remember why...oh yes I do...one Sunday I started doing chores around the house early and completely lost track of time and this past Sunday the Hub was frothing at the mouth to get going on our shopping trip so we could 'getter done' early-ish and get home. Once back home, the burrow in for winter mode set in and I started over hauling the downstairs panty room and organizing my winter stockpile of canned goods and dried legumes/pasta... I am starting to feel like a little squirrel running from tree to tree, burying nuts and trying to get fattened up for winter....or, to go along with the common trend, getting ready for the zombie apocalypse to take place and readying ourselves for lock-down!!!

   My good friends from Barcelona ( David, Silvia and little Rita Naylor) are coming to visit, arriving on November 10th and heading to NYC on the 18th. I am preparing for that as well. Studio is just about ready and I am planning out places to take them. I am afraid there will not be much time for painting with David but who knows. Chicago is on the menu for a day or two. Hopefully if all works out, we'll be meeting up with friends there and hitting the art museum and I would like to go to Shed Aquarium one day as well.
This is the Midwest here in north central Indiana and I live in the heartland belt...slow paced so the emphasis will be placed on that. Where I live, sleepy little town of Bristol, is so much different that Barcelona so it will be a bit of a culture shock for them. They will certainly leave relaxed. I hope they enjoy their stay.

   The Boots are coming along nicely. I am getting close to being finished. I am in the 'tweak' stage now, fine tuning details, colors and values. That's always a fun stage albeit a bit tedious and slow but fun nonetheless!  Here is a current photo of the progress. It may not seem like there has been much movement, but if you look closely, in a 'Wheres Waldo' way, you will notice the subtle changes that have taken place....

I have softened the foreground at her feet and darkened the background. I am currently adjust values and subtle color variations. I am now starting to define the stitching and the values on the boots. This is where the POP will begin. Once the values are correct, it just POPs on the canvas and no longer has a flat look to it. This takes some time because you have to build it slowly and makes adjustments along the way. This is when you are really looking intently at the details and you begin to notice 'well that isn't shaped like that' or 'that doesn't line up'...this is when you start doing corrections and all the details....
It's time consuming and tedious but rewarding at the same time.
And on that note...I believe it is time to head to the studio for the rest of the day and be the artist, at least until it's time to come home and be the domestic Goddess...that metamorphosis generally occurs around 4:00pm so I better get my butt in gear and get going....
Have a great day friends!! :)