Awaken The Joy!

"It is the supreme art of the teacher  to

awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."

~ Albert Einstein

Getting excited about this weekend's Spring Alcohol Ink Workshop here at the Sandarosa.

I have done numerous test demos, trying to whittle my time down to 30 minutes.

Here are the steps taken to achieve the dark background on this one. 

"I'm convinced that the best way to learn is by teaching."

~ John Ferrie

Have a great weekend and Happy Spring!

Rating Hummingbird Feeders From My Reject Pile

The 2017 Ruby Throated Hummingbird Migration
is Underway! 
Get Your Feeders Ready and Avoid These Blunders!

Here is a snapshot of some of my Hummingbird Feeder
discards and disasters.

 I'm sharing them with you, so you don't make the same mistakes!

Going from left to right (clockwise) . . .
Bottom Left:
A. Perky-Pet Brand Hummingbird Feeder - I'm not sure where this came from or when. Pros: Made in USA, Cons: The picture on the box shows the dreaded red-dyed hummingbird nectar which the company still sells! It is common knowledge that at best the dye is totally unnecessary and it may even be harmful to the birds. This feeder would be a nightmare to clean for various reasons. You don't even want to get me started! To tell you the truth, I can't ever remember even opening the box before. And from my experience with flocks of hummers, they prefer the saucer feeders. 

Top Left:
B. No-Name Arty Hummingbird Feeder -Pros: A gift. Unique. Cons: Made in China. Hard to clean, too many parts, not my type. (Probably goes for 70% of all pretty feeders too.)

 Top:
C. Best One - Giant Hummingbird Feeder - Pros: Made in USA. A half gallon capacity and eight ports! (See bottom in center of basket.)Woo Hoo! Could last me more than 24 hrs. in an emergency situation. (ie: I couldn't be home to monitor the nectar situation 24/7.) Cons: Hard to clean and fill. Very Heavy when full. Top loop broke off from weight and hubby patched it. Plastic has discolored. Too ugly to put back up. I still have good feelings for this object though and will keep it on hand for back-up.
  
Top Right:
D. The Droll Yankee Window Feeder - Pros: Made in USA, Very cute, Really Close-up Viewing, Fun, time consuming project. Cons: Doesn't hold much nectar. Messy sticky windows from hummingbird poo. Many little parts.
Far Right:
E. Perky-Pet Brand - Oasis Feeder - Pros: Made in USA, Hummingbirds love these feeders! I used them for years and just retired my last few. I have phased them out for several reasons. Cons: The company stills sells red nectar. The little yellow flowers are unnecessary and create a lot more work in the maintenance department. They fall off and get brittle and are a bitch to clean. (Please pardon my French.) Loop on top of hanger is smaller, making connector "S" hooks necessary when attaching to a shepherd's hook. 

Bottom Right:
F. Aspects Oriole Feeder - Pros: Made in USA, Quality product, Easy to clean. Nectar recipe on bottom of lid. Cons: I can't seem to attract Orioles. They pass through occasionally, but quickly move on. Only four ports. Not optimal for hummingbirds, but would do in a pinch.

G. Not Pictured (All in use.):
HummZinger - Aspects - Pros: Many! Cons: Few! - I now almost exclusively use Aspects HummZingers. I have many of their various sizes and models and love them for many reasons. See yesterday's post's photo of a 16 oz. HummZinger. There is too much information to go into today, but I promise to tell you more about them, list their features and rave about the benefits of owning these in a variety of sizes in an upcoming post! Until then, Happy Humming! (See HummZingers in video below.)

 

See 5 Steps to Happy Hummingbirds Here

Watercolor on Yupo Class at Rehoboth Art League, Delaware

 “Life remains unchanged till a leap of faith
runs towards heaven.”
~ Santosh Kalwar

Saturday, June 10th,  1 - 4 - The Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Come discover how forgiving and fun painting on tree-free Yupo paper is! Paint a "rainbow feather" (or two or three), in transparent watercolor on synthetic Yupo paper. The basics of painting on Yupo will be discussed while the instructor demonstrates. Students will then have the opportunity to create their own with the "tricks and tips" and hands-on guidance.

Watercolor sits on the surface of Yupo paper, so you don't lose 30% of the brightness like you do on regular rag watercolor paper. You will love creating these feathers. It is simple, fast paced and done without any preliminary drawing! It is fun for all skill levels.

All Yupo paper will be supplied by Legion Paper. Students will only need to bring their watercolor supplies. Instructor -- Sandy Sandy  See more information and register here.

"A person’s mind, once stretched by a new idea,

never regains its original dimensions."

 ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

See supplies needed for the class here.