self portrait practice

a painting exercise for class

I have decided to finally, I think, call this good enough and move on to more painting. I believe the paper was giving me the main problems making colour blending extremely difficult. Part of what this class was about ~ being loose. I was not. I was becoming extremely tense with each time I tried to work on it. I finally have this at a place where I feel I can share, but please do not linger with studying it. There are far too many things wrong.

"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes."

                                                                       Oscar Wilde 
 
I will choose to move onto something else and to work with more wonderful advice from our teacher                                                     
                                                  practice, practice, practice.

About knitting and holes:
I'm feeling quite proud of my knitting and how this little hat is taking shape. I really have decided that knitting is to be a fun, relaxing time for me. We had our final class last evening but I discovered that typically knitters get together on Tuesday evenings, unless the shop owner is away and no one else is available to "be responsible". I prefer doing things in a solitary fashion but we'll see.

The little hat and the circular needles were not my choice. The pattern and circulars are what they use to teach knitting here. I like it - very simple for someone beginning. I'm told socks are also very simple, like the hat. That will be next. BUT I will not start before this is finished. I have too many unfinished projects around my studio - which is most of our house - the kitchen (at the moment) and Cat's (daughter) bedroom are exempt.

About the relaxing - I keep getting holes in my project. Last Tuesday Kevin said they are for the buttons. He spoke as if from experience. At another place a friend suggested they were for the horns after I'd said the hat was for cat. he was teasing. I'm not sure if she caught on to the joke. Last night some of the different people there thought buttons were a terrific idea. The teacher, regular one not there, did not know why the holes. She worked out the most recent one. So far I can laugh about these holes. Hmmm, now if I could only sort out the holes in my life.

Oh yes, I did not want to forget to share one answer to my question of "how long have you been knitting?"
"I've been knitting six years. I gave up smoking and started knitting." HINT, HINT