kind gardens

"kind hearts are the gardens, 
kind thoughts are the roots,
kind words are the flowers, 
kind deeds are the fruits."
unknown




{i hope your weekend is filled with flowers and fruits!  xox}

color me orange

i love orange.  i really do.  i even did an entire journal devoted to the color orange.
but i can't quite decide if i'm so in love with all that orange on this particular pottery-barn-journal page.  it seems to me the pendants are kind of lost.....and maybe even hiding.....in that sea of orange.  not to mention those really cool contrepoids (i looked it up and that's french for "counterweight"......magnifique!).  for some reason i get a little excited and heavy-handed when it comes to orange.  but i guess that's one of the great things about journals......it's all experimental.  some pages just turn out better than others.
and some pages could be a lot less......orange.  :))

{supplies:  koi watercolor.....mostly orange, micron pen, pencil}

inspiration monday

i like to add a bit of pan pastel to my journal pages every once in a while, so when i saw that donna downey was offering several classes on the subject, i was completely inspired to learn more!  donna has four different pan pastel classes, so i decided to start with this one......and i'm so glad i did!

 i must admit that i love to glue little squares-and-snippets of papers and fabrics in my journal, so it was fun testing the pan pastel onto different materials.   and the bonus is while everything around me on my art table seems to be in utter chaos, at least my art journal looks somewhat organized!

but you know there always seems to be a pile of squares-and-snippets left over.....

so, donna suggests why not collage them and add some pan pastel.....

until the entire page is filled with yummy square-and-snippet goodness?!
total fun!


{you might already be familiar with donna's artwork.....and she really is a fabulous teacher, too! you can read more information about the "pan pastel 102" class here!}

 {the blue smudges on my "square-and-snippet pages" are there because i had not sprayed the workable fixative on the pages yet.......i don't really like using it because it's SO stinky, but it's a necessary step if you don't want smudges and you're applying a lot of pastel to the page.}

fabric tape

i was in the mood to do something a little different, so i made some fabric tapes using scraps of fabric, brown packaging tape, and this tutorial!  they're really easy to make, and i think they'll add a little zip to journal pages and other studio projects!  if you're looking for something quick and fun to create this weekend, give this a try!  xox

i've been framed

  i couldn't resist adding these frames to my pottery barn wish list!
  i can already see snippets-of-artwork and photos-of-happy-faces in all those mat openings!
and now i'm off to find the perfect gallery wall to hang all these solid-hardwood beauties!

{supplies:  koi watercolor, waterbrush, micron pen, pencil}

inspiration monday

 here's an easy way to create a journal page using a simple stencil that you already have, or one you've cut yourself!   the first thing to do is trace your stencil shape onto your paper using a pencil.  (i've used three different index cards that have a different size of rectangle cut out of each, and then i traced them into a grid-pattern on my page.  you can use any size, shape or combination of different shapes, etc......the sky's the limit!)

now take your stencil and move it around on top of a favorite image until you find something that's pleasing to your eye.  (my image here is a page from a pottery barn catalog, but anything will work!)  now draw the cropped image onto a corresponding shape on your paper.

then use watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil, or whatever your favorite medium to add some color to your drawing.  (i've used watercolor, and then added details with a micron pen).

now just fill in all of your shapes using your image and your stencil,
 and you have a finished journal page!


{this page in my pottery barn journal was completed using koi watercolors, 
watercolor pencils, waterbrush, micron pens, graphite pencil, and cut stencils}

joy on wheels

image via pinterest

remember when you wore roller skates for the very first time?

i hope you have that kind of weekend!

:))

from start to finish

i love watching a journal page come to life.
 it doesn't look like too much when you begin.....

but add a little micron pen,

along with lots of burnt umber, payne's grey, and yellow ochre watercolor

(and some more micron, because you can never really have too much micron),

and before you know it, you've got a finished journal page that's filled with yummy
assorted hardware......pottery-barn-style!


{this two-page spread in my pottery barn journal 
was created using koi watercolors, waterbrush, micron pen, graphite pencils}

inspiration monday

you're going to think i'm crazy (or, maybe you already do.....heehee)......but i've made another blank sketch journal.  eeeek!  but hey, it will look great with all the other blank sketch journals i've made......and haven't filled with artwork.....yet.  my problem is that i get ideas for "themed" journals, then i make the journal, and then i only complete half the pages, because by that time i have a new idea for another "themed" journal.  and the wheel goes 'round and 'round!  but this time i did something a little smarter......i put a small amount of pages inside this journal so now i have a better chance of filling it up (said with a hopeful tone in voice....)!

{journal cover}

and i've chosen a "theme" that always, always inspires me......pottery barn!  

since i always seem to have my nose in one of their yummy catalogs......

it was easy to come up with inspiration for what to sketch on the pages!

(wouldn't you just love to have an entire room filled with these fabulous sicily jugs?!)

and something about these colorful market umbrellas just screams
"happy.....party.....come-on-and-sit-outside-and-eat-some-chocolate"!

think about what you love and what makes you really happy
(like new journals, pottery barn, sicily jugs, party umbrellas and chocolate!)......
and you're bound to find inspiration, too!!

***

{i made this journal using fabriano 140 lb. hot press paper  

and this technique by teesha moore, although mine is smaller at 5.25"x 7". 

journal cover and pages created with koi watercolor, derwent inktense pencils, 

graphite pencils, and micron pens}

color me an artichoke

our little art group got together for a play day, and our sweet friend rynda shared some of her tips, tricks and vast wisdoms about colored pencils!  she loves them, and i wish you could see her artwork.....it really is spectacular (think botanicals, seashells, sunflowers......oh my goodness, colored-pencil-happiness all over the place!).

the other thing rynda loves is artichokes.  

i don't think i've ever eaten an artichoke, but i thought maybe i could try to draw one......

and send it to her!
(and now i love them, too......colored pencils, that is!)

{artichoke card created using prismacolor pencils, 3B pencil,
 bristol paper, scrapbook papers, glue stick}

***
rynda, you inspire me, sweet girlfriend!
thank you SO much for sharing your creative gifts with us!!  xoxox

charming gardeners

"let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners 
who make our souls blossom."
marcel proust


thank you SO much for all of your heartfelt comments on my inspiration monday posts!
you are most definitely blogland's charming gardeners,
and i am forever grateful for the seeds of happiness you sprinkle
around in my little art garden!!
hug, hug!  xo


{journal page created using koi watercolor, waterbrush, micron pen, 2B pencil}

inspiration monday

confession:  when i first saw this sweet little book at the store, i didn't give myself permission to buy it right away.  i went back to the rack three times before i decided to bring it home with me.  yes, this book looked mighty happy, and i'm always in the mood for some happy......but i kept hearing that little voice inside me asking "hey, don't you usually work in blank journals?".  then i realized that's exactly why this doodle book appealed to me!  sometimes the thought of a blank page is too overwhelming.  sometimes you need a little kick-start to get you to the next place.  and sometimes you just need to do something a little different.

so once i was back in my studio with my new doodle-friend, i thought this would be a great page to start with (well, i guess it was already started.....all i had to do was finish it!).

and i decided that i like the way simon thinks!

 then i thought i'd try to think outside the candy jar a bit......

and do a little lettering......because i really only know of one type of candy.....

then i decided it might be fun to take something that's obvious,
and put my own cheesy twist on it....

cheesecake, anyone?!


 conclusion: when you're in your favorite art store and walking back to the book rack for the third time,   that's usually a sign that it's time to ignore the little voice inside and go with what inspires you!
(you'll be glad you did!)

{pages finished using micron pen, water-soluble markers, waterbrush, 4B pencil}

waiting room

when it comes time for my annual check-up at the doctor, there are only two things that make me a little nervous.  the first is that horrifying moment when you have to stand on the scale and the nurse moves those clunky weights across the bars to the right......and keeps moving them to the right......and this year, even more to the right.  eeek!  every year i wear lightweight pants and take off my shoes before stepping on the scale, but it really doesn't seem to matter (maybe eating fewer pans of brownies would help.....). 

the other thing i'm not crazy about is all of the waiting......and the waiting.....and even more waiting!  i'm not a very patient patient!  but the moleskine journal in my purse was a lifesaver......you can sit and draw for hours in them.  and that's just about how much time i had the other day.....ugh.

hope you have lots of time this weekend to do the things you want to do!

{moleskine journal page created with a 2B and HB pencil}