On My Table: Beginning of September 2026

September found me with several sketching experiments happening at once. Some inspired by ideas for new workshops, some by the markers I recently got (thank you Arrtx for sending me two sets to play with!), and some inspired by an ongoing conversation about limiting the number of tools I carry in my backpack (it is heavy!), and some CMYK brushpens I've been playing on and off.

In addition to that, I learned that my white Uniball Signo pen can be brought to life after refusing to write (I will draw the exact process in my sketchbook today!), and my craft knife needs new blades urgently. I've been using stretchy electric tape to track which markers I use most. And I have picked 2 lovely colors from Ukrainian Watercolor manufacturer Rosa to include in my experiments this month. All that will show in blog posts very soon! 

Slow-Opening Irises

I recently found a gift of wonderful bouquet of irises waiting for me on the table. They sat closed for the first couple of days and then opened one by one as I was sitting at the table, finishing some sketchbook catching up and having tea - they managed to change completely between two cups and that was the very first page of my sketchbook 166 :) (Usually I draw my current tools but I think this was very appropriate thing to catch in my daily drawn documentary :)

I Grew Carrots in a Pot!

My garden adventures continue! These exceptionally fragrant and beautifully shaped 12 carrots grew from a seed in a lovely pot and were shared with family and friends after the sketch :) (I also made a bowl they are sitting in, but not the pot they grew in - that is my next step ;)

Let's Draw Google Bikes!

On a day with some amazing clouds I had a little drawing adventure / art materials testing session at the Google Visitor Experience Center. I enjoyed Etchr Hot Pressed sketchbook for the first two sketches and Strathmore Drawing Paper for the last sketch. Lots of different materials were used here and there, but my freshly cleaned flex nib fountain pen was my main drawing joy for this outing.

Update on my Parents - Refugees from Ukraine - August 2026.

It is August, and Ukraine is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of Independence. There are many phone calls and many memories from 35 years ago, and all the things that happened before and all the things that happened after. I see many videos online that are made along the lines of "a list of the most important moments in the 35 years since Ukraine's independence was proclaimed" - I wonder what my parents would put on that list. Though it might be a tough conversation to have - there are many opinions in the family about many different things :) 

But that is a great thing about Ukrainians and their history - there is no "one right version" - there are heated debates about things that happened hundreds of years ago, 25, 15 years ago (and sometimes 15 minutes ago). One thing I am sure about, though - we all are glad that we voted for independence. Freedom of self-determination is worth fighting for. 

Since my last update, Mom had some health-related adventures and now has a surprise new hip joint and some follow-ups in the future. Her flowers suffered during her hospital stay because my Dad was watering them 4 times a day, but otherwise he stoically took Mom's absence, played chess, drove his electric wheelchair to stores, and invented even more recipes. Family and friends rallied around him during that time, and we are truly grateful. And always grateful to all who support Ukraine and fight for it!  

You can read a whole story about this series of portraits here: War in Ukraine: Guide Through Posts on this Blog.