happy spring voices

"Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, 

there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night."  

Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke


photo edited in photoshop using kim klassen's "primmed" texture

inspiration monday

i believe that if you're looking for true inspiration, you need look no further than your heart.  

it tells you lots of wonderful things that your head won't tell you.

and it's patient during those times when you listen to your head (instead of your heart)

and get distracted by other things.

it's where your creative path begins.....all you have to do is follow it.

journal page supplies: watercolor, micron pen, 6B pencil, scrapbook paper, pan pastel

creative handscape

"hands are the heart's landscape."

Pope John Paul II

wishing you a wonderfully creative weekend, sweet bloggy friends!

xo

photo edited in photoshop using textures and lessons provided 

in kim klassen's skinny-mini online course.

choose happy

i've been wanting to learn some of the in's & out's of photoshop for a long time......right now i know just enough to be dangerous, and i don't really have the patience to sit and figure the rest of it out!  but kim klassen has made the world a very happy place by offering a free (yes, it's free!!) online photoshop class!  she's a wonderful teacher, and her photographs are absolutely gorgeous!!  just click here to register......her new session just started a couple of days ago, so maybe you can still get in!  

inspiration monday

"success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. 

your must set yourself on fire."

reggie leach

sometimes all you need is a fabulous quote like this one to light a little fire under 

your backside and get busy in your art journal!!

journal page created using watercolors, watercolor pencils, micron pen,

 6B pencil, uniball signo white gel pen

and the stamps go to.....

thanks to everyone who participated in my giveaway!  i wish i could tell you how much i truly, truly appreciate your heartfelt comments and support of my artwork.....you are the absolute bloggy best!!

shortly after midnight the random integer chose comment #36.......

and that's you connie jo!!

congratulations!!  

your new rubber stamps will be on their way to you pronto!

thanks again, sweet bloggers.......happy weekend to all of you!

xo

new stamps + almost 600 = a giveaway!

i noticed on my bloggy dashboard that i've almost reached 600 posts!!  woo hoo!  

let's celebrate!  and the timing's great because i've got the perfect party favors.....

new stamps in my shop!!  

so how about our first party trinket celebrate something that we all have in common: 

 we're artists.....say it loud and say it proud! 

(and stamp it all over your house, car, and your life!!)

and just because two favors are always better than one......here's the perfect way to let the special recipient know that "hey, it's handmade!" and you put all of your magnificent-artist-effort into that fabulous masterpiece you created for them!

  these stamps are made of deep-etched red rubber and are mounted onto high-density cling foam......and i'm giving away both of them!  all you need to do is leave a comment (one per person, please!) on this post by midnight friday the 18th of march, and i'll randomly choose a name and announce it on saturday!

you inspire me, encourage me, and always share a smile with me......

and i have 600 hugs for each and every one of you!  

thank you from the top, middle and bottom of my grateful heart!  xox

edited:  comments are now closed......thanks so much for participating!

inspiration monday

my little dutch sweetie recently treated me to a wonderful trip to savannah, georgia.

what a fabulous city! 

 we did lots of walking, lots of eating, and lots of shopping.....is that the perfect recipe for a magnificent weekend, or what?

if you haven't already visited savannah, i highly recommend it.   there's eye candy everywhere......

and it's filled to the brim with inspiration!

journal page created in savannah using supplies from my art-travel-kit:  micron pens, pencils, favorite watercolor pencils, niji waterbrush.  pan pastel added later at home.

watercolor garden

my dear sweet friend and art buddy martha lever paints the most fabulous little free-form flowers......i'd love to have an entire garden of them!  she's made a wonderful tutorial showing us how to paint them ourselves......you can watch it here ......and i hope you have some time to create your own watercolor garden this weekend!  :))

fountain of smiles

"A kind heart is a fountain of gladness,

making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles."

Washington Irving

inspiration monday

the more inspired you are to do something, 

the more fun you're gonna have.

i guarantee it!  

still having a ball creating these little faux postage stamps!

journal page supplies: watercolor pencil, micron pen, 4B pencil, pan pastel, niji waterbrush

celebrate today!

it's friday......let's celebrate!!

{and carry the celebration on into the weekend, too!!  woo hoo!}

party lanterns on the back porch.

journal supplies: watercolor pencils, micron pens, pan pastel, 3B pencil

flutterby

i had so much fun with the first butterfly stamp, that i just had to add another one to my journal......

this one is more of the color-me-happy variety!

supplies used:  watercolor, watercolor pencil, micron pens, 4B pencil, uniball signo white pen, niji waterbrush