{some}day-dreamin'

  hey, if you're gonna dream,  dream big,  right?!
(and even though it's a little yellow house, there will be plenty of room for my
extra large chocolate stash!  heehee)



*page recipe:  micron pens, derwent inktense watercolor pencils, 
pan pastels, 4B pencil

lemonade gallery

i've discovered that finding little snippets of art within that big lemon of a piece of paper is just about as addictive as eating potato chips (or in my case, chocolate chips).

once you get started, it's hard to stop.  

some of the snippets look just like miniature paintings.....

while others, well, you kinda have to use your imagination!


to be the creator of your very own lemonade gallery, click here!

{for your personal artwork, please be inspired by the tutorials on this blog.....

but please do not submit these projects for publication, or create them for sale.  

thanks so much!}

inspiration monday

i seem to have a lot of "experimental background papers" that are, let's face it, just plain lemons.    so, you know the saying, when you've got lemons,  make some lemonade!

one of the things i like about this paper is all that juicy color......but to my eye, it's just too splotchy.  so one thing i love to do is take a scrap of card stock and cut an opening out of the middle to create a little window (i've cut mine into a 1.5" square, but you can use any size or shape).  then place it on top of the paper, and move it around......there are lots and lots of fun little art pieces hiding in there!  make a quick tracing with a pencil around the edge of the window shape and then cut out the piece.......

and there's a pile of little art lovelies before you know it!  suddenly that big lemon of a piece of paper is looking much better!

and here's one way to make some lemonade with those little snippets of art happiness: 

draw a frame shape onto a piece of watercolor paper (i'm using my moleskine journal)......

and paint it in.  i drew my frame with a tombow watersoluble marker, so i just used my waterbrush to activate the ink.  when it dries, you can go back with your micron to touch up any lines that have faded.

once the frame is ready, glue one of the little art snippets in the middle.....

then add all of your special touches, and maybe even a title for your new little masterpiece!

keep painting frames and adding art snippets......

and before you know it......

you've got your very own lemonade gallery!!

have fun!

{my art gallery lemonade recipe:

the original background paper was created using bottled inks and this saran wrap method.

other supplies:  card stock, black tombow marker, waterbrush, micron pens, 2B pencil, glue stick}

seize the weekend

have a fabulous weekend!!
:))


{journal page supplies:  micron pens, 4B pencil, 
koi watercolor, waterbrush, pan pastel}

there's no place like it

someday i'd like to go to france and see what it would be like to be

 one of those artists who set up their workspace on sidewalks and paint all day long.

and then go to england and walk in fields of red and yellow flowers.

but for now, i'm so happy to be right here at home.....

where my blessings are so abundant i couldn't even begin to count them!

(and i definitely include you, sweet bloggy friends, amongst them!!!)

{these 2"x 2" thumbnails were created using 

koi watercolors,  a waterbrush,  and a mechanical pencil with HB lead}

inspiration monday

i recently came across this fabulous little birdie how-to over at non dairy diary, and i was so inspired that i declared that very moment "play time"!
 start by painting some watercolor splotches on your paper......

and then outline them with a permanent marker.

add eyes, a beak, and all those other birdie things......

and you have a nice little flock of chickadees!  

but why stop there?
somewhere in those watercolor blobs there might also be some piggies.....

and mousies.....

and bunnies......oh, my!

cyberspace is jam-packed with spectacular ideas......
let inspiration and a little play help you to put your own spin on them!!
(and i figure if you're having lots of fun, you're on the right track!)

click here for non dairy diary's tutorial!

{i used these supplies to create this little barnyard:
koi watercolors, micron pens, 2B pencil, waterbrush, 
 sumi brush, strathmore 400 series w/c paper}

butterfly thank you

here's a fun way to create something for someone special,
using your journals as inspiration!

trace your image and transfer it to a piece of speedy carve, and then carve the stamp.  then stamp your image onto paper (i used distress inks to stamp the image onto watercolor paper.  the image comes out a little splotchy, so i used my waterbrush to even out the color and give it a more "painterly" look.).

add some details.....

and cut your image out, leaving a small border around the edges.

then adhere it onto a blank note card (i used glue only in the middle to give it some dimension) 

and sketch in a little message......

then add some finishing touches using your favorite pens and watercolors!


{i used these supplies to make this card:
art journal, tracing paper, speedy carve stamp material, carving tools, distress ink pads,
waterbrush,  90 lb. watercolor paper,  scissors, micron pens, 2B pencil, koi watercolor, glue}

seeds of happiness

"this very moment is a seed from which

the flowers of tomorrow's happiness grow"

margaret lindsey

{journal page created using koi watercolor, micron pen,

1/4" flat brush, 2B pencil}

inspiration monday

here are a few pink-inspired projects to get your creative week started!

 to make this little paper heart ornie, start with a piece of your favorite paper (i used a piece of white mulberry paper and then rubbed a pink stamp pad over it for color).  cut two heart shapes,  then  sew some little embellishment doodads onto one of them.   hand-sew the two shapes together, and add a little stuffing before you're finished sewing......pink happiness!

for this project,  take an unfinished wood frame, cut a piece of scrapbook paper to size (this design is by teri martin), and adhere it to the frame with glue.  once dry,  paint the frame edges with some black acrylic paint, add some heart doodles using a micron pen, and tie a piece of ribbon and heart charm around the side.  now you've got a frame that's as special as the photo inside!

  my sweet daughter melissa is an avid knitter and she made this soft and fuzzy cutie for me.

not only does this little birdie make me smile every time i look at him, but he smells good too because he's stuffed with lavender!

this is a super quick embellishment you can make by tearing some scrapbook paper into circle shapes.  then crunch them up into little balls in your hands, unfold them and use stamp pads to distress them a bit.  stack the shapes on top of each other, and place a brad in the middle to hold them all together.  tear out some leaves, distress them, and glue them to the back of your flower!

and don't forget to add a little pink to your journal, too!  

the only thing required is your micron pen, some pink watercolor and your imagination!!

i heart friday

of all the days of the week, friday is my favorite.  

 i really absolutely positively adore it.

friday is the time to give yourself a round of applause for successfully getting yourself through monday, tuesday, wednesday and thursday. it's a day to celebrate......put all your domestic duties and humdrum chores on hold!  for example, no cooking on friday.....unless opening a new bag of chocolate chips counts as being culinary.  :))

but i think one of the best things about friday is that it's the start of the weekend!
and if you work it just right, you can find lots of time to play with all your art stuff......
and maybe finish off that bag of chocolate chips!  woo hoo!

happy friday to you, sweet bloggy friends!

{art stamps available in my shop here!}

it's a long road

success is one of those tricky words.......everyone has their own interpretation of it.  what is success to one person might not even be on the barometer for another person.  someone might find giving up chocolate for a week a huge success.......whereas i would find giving up chocolate just for breakfast quite a milestone......

  

 let's face it........whatever you're going for, it's not always easy.  

which is what makes it SO worth it once you've made it down that long road!

keep on keepin' on!!

{journal page supplies:  koi watercolor, derwent inktense watercolor pencils, 

micron pens, 4B graphite pencil, pan pastel}

inspiration monday

all of us here in the USA are having a big celebration today......

the birth of our country and signing of the declaration of independence back in 1776!

traditionally, it's a time for family gatherings, picnics, watermelon-eating contests, parades, lemonade drinking, and most importantly, flag waving to honor all of those brave people before us who have fought to protect our life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

the red, white and blue color palette definitely serves as inspiration to us all......

and in our house, it even made its way into my studio!
happy birthday, america!!

{artwork created using koi watercolors, micron pens, 4B pencil,
handcarved thumbprint stamp, staz-on inkpad}

cheery cider

i hope you have a weekend
filled with all things summertime!
enjoy!  :))