elvie studio

breakfast journal

2012-01-26T08:43:00.000-05:00

a fabulous way to start the day.....
courtesy of danny gregory, artist-extraordinaire!

{you can watch this video in full screen here!}

inspiration monday

2012-01-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

to continue on with this obsession that i seem to have with using markers to create "faux watercolors", let's try it on some cone-shaped coffee filters this time! all you need are some water-based markers (i'm using tombow markers), a mini mister, and coffee filters (different brands will probably give different results, which could be a lot of fun to experiment!).

first, draw a simple design using your marker.

you don't need to color in all the shapes.......

because once you spray it with water, the color will bleed out into the filter paper and fill in most of those blank areas. now comes the hard part.......waiting for it to dry! the longer you wait, the more watercolor effect you'll get. (if you're impatient like me, you can also wait for a while, and then zap it with your heat gun to finish drying!)

and some of that juicy color will bleed onto the back of your coffee filter, too!

once your filter is dry, you can add some doodles if you like.

(i used a waterproof micron pen for this step)

and then you can use your new "watercolor" in your journals, for collage fodder,
or you can even create a nice little card!

have fun!

{supplies: tombow markers, melitta cone-shaped coffee filters,
mini mister, sakura micron pen, white card stock, 3B graphite pencil,
yellow waxed linen thread (to sew the filter onto the card)}

building doors

2012-01-19T09:13:00.003-05:00

i took a creative opportunity to have a bit more fun
in my walls notebook!

{supplies used: "walls notebook" by sherwood forlee, micron pens,
4B graphite pencil, white uni posca marker, white uniball signo gel pen,
prismacolor colored pencil}

inspiration monday

2012-01-16T08:46:00.000-05:00

i recently went on a little "retail safari" through amazon.com,

and discovered this fabulous walls notebook!!

and just as the title promises, it's filled from cover to cover with
fabulous photos of blank walls.

at first, it might seem like a really odd subject for a notebook,

but it makes the heart of the hidden-graffiti-artist

inside me beat a little bit faster just thinking of how i can decorate, doodle, and

jot down important reminders on those blank walls.

because i think some things are important enough to

shout-out-loud-and-stand-proud on the side of a big blank wall somewhere,

don't you?

and p.s. ......
you really ARE so much stronger and braver than you think!

{supplies: "walls notebook" by sherwood forlee, micron pens,
4B graphite pencil, white uni posca marker, white uniball signo gel pen,
derwent watercolor pencils}

simple things

2012-01-12T08:52:00.000-05:00

sometimes i think journal pages are a lot like ice cream sundaes.

the simpler they are, the better.

a little (or a lot) ice cream, and a lot (or a little) of chocolate sauce......

and when you realize that the journal page you've just created
coordinates beautifully with your glasses,
well, i'd say that's the cherry on top!!

i hope your weekend includes a perfectly
coordinated ice cream sundae!!

{this journal page was created in my pocket watercolor moleskine using
pitt artist pens and a 3B graphite pencil.}

inspiration monday

2012-01-09T08:49:00.000-05:00

hello blog buddies......and happy new year to you!!

after a long holiday break, i've been trying to get back into the creative swing of things,

so i decided to open my favorite little moleskine journal and just play.

here's a simple way to create a "painted background" without having to get your paintbrush out......all you need is your journal, your favorite water-soluble markers (i use tombow brush pens), an acrylic block, and a mini mister.

first, brush your marker across the acrylic block several times

until you have a good amount of ink on the block.

using your mini mister, spray the ink using a very light touch.....

you just want to add enough water to make the ink "spreadable".

now "stamp" your paper with the acrylic block, and swipe the ink across the page.

for a multi-painted look, add as many colors and layers as you like!

and now that we have a background, let's take this page one step further!

paint a large square of slightly diluted gesso onto the page......

and write a fun message using your favorite pen (i used a pitt pen).

then add some shading, lines, doodle dots,
and all your other favorite little touches!

here's to 2012: a big, beautiful, blank, new canvas!!

{supplies used: moleskine journal, tombow brush markers, mini mister,
acrylic block, gesso, 3B pencil, faber-castell pitt pens}

things i ♥ about Christmas

2011-12-23T09:12:00.000-05:00

there are just a couple of empty spots left in my Christmas journal......

i'm really glad i left some room for the gingerbread house!

and my all-time favorite thing: santa!!

now the only thing left to do is put some finishing touches on the inside covers.

i decided to keep it simple and just paint some lines of watercolor.

then i could add some thoughts and doodles

to the inside front cover.......

along with my list of materials onto the inside back cover.

and here's the final accordion journal.....
just in time for Christmas!

i hope you have a beautiful Christmas holiday,
and a very artful 2012!!

{i'll be spending some time with my family,
so i'll be away from my blog for several weeks.
thank you SO much for your sweet encouragement
and support this year..... i'll see you in the new year! woo hoo!!}

hiding places

2011-12-21T08:50:00.000-05:00

Christmas stockings......
one of the absolute best places in the
entire world to tuck a sweet little surprise!

{from my things i ♥ about Christmas journal.
materials: derwent watercolor and inktense pencils,
micron pens, 2B graphite pencil}

inspiration monday

2011-12-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

i was inspired to do a little doodlin' in my Christmas journal this weekend......but one thing i noticed when i opened it was that it looks a little "heavy" over on the left side where i added the extra page for my favorite carols. so, i decided to try to balance things out and i cut another piece of paper to add to the right-hand side of the journal......

and this time i'm going to add some of my favorite Christmas movies!

normally i keep things a lot more streamlined and a little less busy, but i don't know if it's such a good idea to argue with inspiration, so i just went with it's calling!

once i had my doodles finished, i sewed it into the fold of the journal. i had to kind of make up this stitching pattern, since i didn't want to cover up my lettering with waxed linen thread.....

and thankfully, it's holding everything together the way it should!

and now my journal is looking a lot more balanced to me!
just a few empty spaces left......i'm hoping to finish it by Christmas!

{supplies: arches textwove paper, micron pens, derwent watercolor and
inktense pencils, 2B graphite pencil, uniball signo white gel pen}

weekend recipe

2011-12-16T08:58:00.000-05:00

the main ingredients to ensure a happy weekend are simple:
your favorite mug filled with hot cocoa, and a batch of cookies.

but, if you want to have a really, really great weekend.....
add lots of chocolate chips to the cookies.

and for an outrageously spectacularly awesome weekend,
make sure your cookies (with lots of chocolate chips)
are freshly baked and warm from the oven!!

woo hoo!

here's hoping your weekend is outrageously spectacular.....
in an awesome-fresh-from-the-oven kind of way!!

{illustration from my "things i ♥ about Christmas" journal created
using derwent inkense pencils, micron pens, 2B grahite pencil}

29 ways

2011-12-14T09:06:00.000-05:00

here are 29 fabulous ways to stay creative.....

{and since i noticed it wasn't included, i would like to suggest

"eat chocolate.....lots and lots of chocolate"

as number 30}

:))

inspiration monday

2011-12-12T08:56:00.000-05:00

my sweet bloggy friend chrissy gardner participated in the mini workshop "12 artsy ornaments of Christmas" (hosted by christy tomlinson), and i couldn't resist making her cute little paper cottage project! chrissy used vintage book text to create her cottages, but since i don't have any vintage textbooks, i decided to use some prints of my journal pages.

and after i cut them apart using the patterns that chrissy provided,

and did a little assembly work.....

i had a sweet little artsy paper cottage of my own!! i added a few other things like the heart punch in the door, and the "smoke" coming out of the chimney......

but why stop at making just one cottage, when you can make two.....

or three!!

(this little birdie on the roof is one of my favorites!)

but what i really love about these little cottages is when you tuck a battery-operated tea light candle inside, it looks like there's lots of love and inspiration radiating from within.....
just the way a sweet little artsy paper cottage should be!

you can read more about chrissy's project
(she adds her houses to a strand of Christmas lights.....super cute!!)
and the "12 artsy ornaments of Christmas" here!

{materials used: prints of my journal artwork, tacky glue, exacto knife, scissors,
micron pen, heart punch, polyester fiberfill, battery-operated tea light candle}

{pepper}mint condition

2011-12-09T09:07:00.000-05:00

i hope you have a peppermint twisty, super sweet confectiony,

red-and-white-sugary-candy-getting-stuck-in-your-teeth weekend!! enjoy!!

{illustration from my things i ♥ about Christmas journal.

supplies: micron pens, derwent watercolor pencils, graphite pencil}

garden gifts

2011-12-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

in all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, mother nature is quietly going about her business and gifting us here in north florida with simple pleasures.

this explosion of december pink and yellow is such a treat in my back-porch-garden.....

and it looks like there's lots more to come!

{camellia japonica}

inspiration monday

2011-12-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

one of the many things i ♥ about Christmas is listening to all the wonderful hymns and carols! i have too many favorites, though, and there isn't enough room in my little journal to include them all......so, i decided to just add another page! i took a piece of the arches textwove paper that i used for the accordion journal, and folded it randomly.

then, using my microns and koi watercolors, i added a title to the front.

then i started to add some of my favorite Christmas music titles inside......

until i had filled up the page!

then i added my new page of carols to the accordion journal by matching up the folds and punching three holes down the middle using my needle.

i used a piece of white waxed linen thread to sew my carols-page in,

(i used the pamphlet stitch, shown here)

and then i tied the threads into a knot.

and now i have a little "journal within a journal" that's filled with all kinds of
fabulous Christmas music inspiration!

{materials used: arches textwove paper, micron pens, koi watercolors,
derwent watercolor pencils, waterbrush, graphite pencil, waxed linen thread, needle}

five ornies

2011-12-02T09:08:00.000-05:00

Source: pattyschaffer.typepad.com via Lori on Pinterest

my very talented bloggy friend patty schaffer has been working some of her creative magic again. she designed five ornaments for the styrofoam company, and i think they'd make any tree look merry and bright! this very sweet red-and-white button ornie is one of my favorites.....click here to see patty's other fabulous designs, along with a how-to video and full instructions on how you can create some for yourself this weekend!!

here's to you, marshmallow man

2011-11-30T09:03:00.000-05:00

another thing i ♥ about Christmas is building a big snowman in the front yard.
i remember fun times as a kid in indiana trying to outdo my brothers by making a snowman that was bigger than theirs (which wasn't too hard, because they usually spent all their time throwing snowballs at me instead of building.....).
of course, living in florida, we don't see too many snowmen in front yards, so i think the next best thing is stacking three extra large marshmallows on top of each other.....a little melted chocolate in between the layers will usually hold them together.

....you probably knew it wouldn't take me long to somehow bring
this conversation around to the subject of chocolate.....right....? :))

{artwork created using koi watercolors, micron pens, graphite pencil}

inspiration monday

2011-11-28T08:58:00.000-05:00

the holiday season is upon us, and i can't think of a more inspiring time of year! to celebrate all the things i love about the season, i thought i'd create a little booklet......here's how i did it: take a piece of medium weight paper (i'm using arches textwove that measures approximately 4"x20").......

then fold it in half, and fold it in half again accordion-style until you have a booklet with four sections.

(you can adjust this any way you like and it will still work.....use any size paper, and the more you fold it in half, the more sections, or "pages" you'll have!)

now add some lettering and illustration to your front cover.....

along with some color around the edges, if you like.

(i'm using some green pan pastel here)

and before you know it, you've created a cover for your new accordion book!

when you open your book up, there will be lots of empty space smiling at you, so

go ahead and start filling it up using your favorite supplies!

i added this Christmas tree on one of the paper folds (because i truly love all those twinkly little white lights!). i think it'll look kind of neat when the book is folded.......

because you'll be able to see half the tree on each page!

it's going to be fun filling up all that blank space by adding a little bit of artwork here and there throughout the holidays.....and it will be a great way to be creative for just ten or fifteen minutes at a time!

welcome to the holiday season......the most wonderfully inspiring time of the year!!

{this accordion book was created using arches textwove paper, koi watercolors,
micron pens, pan pastel, graphite pencil, uniball signo white gel pen}

pyramids and priorities

2011-11-23T09:05:00.000-05:00

i shared this on my blog a couple of years ago......it's my own Thanksgiving version of the traditional food pyramid, the recommended guide which suggests we eat less of what's at the top, and more of what's at the bottom. which kinda explains where turkey is on my priority list, as opposed to pumpkin pie with whipped cream, sweet potatoes, and you guessed it: chocolate.....heeheehee

tomorrow, we celebrate Thanksgiving here in America, and i just want you to know that i'm SO very grateful for you! thank you for taking the time to stop by here and say hello.....i appreciate your comments and encouragement so much! i'm going to take a few bloggy days off this week to spend with my family, but i'll see you on monday!!

many blessings to you and your sweet family!!

xox

{food pyramid created using watercolor pencils, micron pens,

waterbrush, graphite pencil}

inspiration monday

2011-11-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

here's a fun way to challenge yourself by creating something with only three supplies......
you'll need a piece of paper, a pencil, and an eraser.
with your pencil, lightly draw some simple shapes onto your paper (i've drawn letters, but you can use any shape.....a flower, butterfly, circles, squares, abstract shapes, etc.).

you can also use a stencil to pencil in your shape!

now add some texture by drawing some scribble lines all around the outside of your shape......

keep adding lots and lots and lots of little scribble lines!

(you can make some areas darker for great shadowing effects, too!)

and when you're done, you've got something that looks a little complicated,

but it's actually quite simple!

but just to take it one step further, let's add a tiny bit of color (i know i'm breaking the
three-supply-keep-it-simple rule, but curiosity got the best of me!).
i'm using a yellow colored pencil, but you can use whatever inspires you!

and now i'm adding a small bit of orange colored pencil, too.

(i think the supply count is up to five now.....)

i just added a few details here and there to keep it simple, but the sky's the limit here!
sometimes it's fun to let yourself be inspired with just a handful of supplies.....
see what you can come up with by using only ~~three~~ five supplies!!

{materials: arches textwove (velin) paper, mechanical pencil,
white vinyl eraser, derwent coloursoft pencils (orange and deep cadmium)}

candy store

2011-11-18T09:04:00.000-05:00

Source: crushculdesac.tumblr.com via Lori on Pinterest

i hope you have a kids-in-a-candy-store kind of weekend......

and i sincerely hope you find a bin of chocolate that you can do a nose dive into!!

enjoy!! :))

jubilant

2011-11-16T09:01:00.000-05:00

i don't quite know what it is, but i'm feeling quite jubilant today! maybe it's because it's wednesday (getting close to the weekend, woo hoo!), or maybe it's because my chocolate stash has been re-stocked with a very nice vintage of 72% bittersweet goodness.....

or maybe it's because for the first time in a long time i pulled out one of my favorite lettering tools.....my pentel color brush (it's like a waterbrush, but it's pre-filled with ink, and the nylon brush tip is nice and springy and always comes back to a fabulous point!)! yep, maybe that's what it is.....catching up with an old lettering friend always makes me woo-hoo-orange-and-red-bittersweet-choco-happy!!

{journal page created using a pentel black color brush, koi watercolor,
micron pen and graphite pencil}

inspiration monday

2011-11-14T09:03:00.000-05:00

i can't think of a more perfect way to end a wonderful pottery barn journal adventure than by adding this final sketch of a fabulous little garden bistro!

a quaint little bistro tucked away in a secret alcove somewhere (maybe even your back porch!).....with aromatic lemon trees growing out of ornamental clay pots, placed next to stylish chairs that are adorned with orange-stripey cushions to sit on. and it's all so inspiring, why not indulge in a special little drinkie (you know, the kind that comes in a special little wine-shaped bottle?!).

many of you have commented that you'd like to see this journal from cover-to-cover, so i made this video......you can watch it here in larger format, if you like!

thank you, pottery barn, for the many wonderful hours of enjoyment and inspiration you've given me in creating this special journal! and thanks to all of you bloggy sweeties for inspiring me to create the video!! xox

{journal page created using koi watercolors, micron pens, graphite pencils,
uniball signo white gel pen}

101 gifts

2011-11-11T08:50:00.000-05:00

Source: everythingetsy.com via Lori on Pinterest

i hope you have a fabulous weekend filled with some time to yourself

to put on your favorite cozy slippers, grab a nice mug of hot chocolate,

and find some great ideas for the perfect handmade gift!!

(click here!!)

vintage lockers

2011-11-09T08:30:00.000-05:00

there are only two blank pages left in my pottery barn journal,

and i'm chomping at the bit to get them filled!!

today, i couldn't resist adding a set of vintage lockers to my wish list......

they have that special creamy white, time-worn, weathered look that can only be accomplished with years of exposure to sun and sea air (or maybe a few days with very experienced faux painter!), and there's all kinds of room inside to store secret stuff.

but what i really went crazy for are these stenciled numbers......i just love simple little details like that, and these chunky numbers make me want to label everything in my house!

but for now, i'm off to sink myself into my catalogs and choose something pottery-barn-special to add to my last blank journal page !! woo hoo!!

{materials: koi watercolor, derwent inktense pencils, micron pens,

graphite pencils, uniball signo white gel pen}

inspiration monday

2011-11-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

when i created my pottery barn journal, i used this tutorial by teesha moore (she has a great method for taking a large sheet of watercolor paper and transforming it into a 16-page journal!). as a part of her design, there are little flaps that measure about 2.25" on the inside front and back covers. and every time i pulled out my journal to fill another page with pottery barn goodness, i wondered to myself what in the world i was going to put on those skinny little pages. and now that i only have two blank pages left in my journal (woo hoo!), i was getting a little nervous about the "skinny little pages" thing, because i still didn't have any ideas. but, thankfully, inspiration gave me a hand this past weekend.....

and i realized that these skinny little pages were the perfect spot to include an explanation for why i created the journal in the first place......

a place to give inspiration the spotlight!

and while the front-cover-flap was purely about my inspiration, i added some other

details to the back-cover-flap......

because if i don't have it written down,

there's no way i'll ever remember what materials i used!!

and since inspiration was giving me a hand, i decided to go ahead and put a little something on the back cover of my journal, too

(this was another space i had no idea what to do with!).

even though this is meant to be the back of my pottery barn house, i think it kind of looks like it should be the front of the house. but then i decided that many times when we find a place we really love, we usually head towards the back door........because that's where we feel comfortable enough to go ahead and hang our heart on the door!

{supplies: koi watercolors, derwent inktense pencils, micron pens,
graphite pencil}

p.s. the doors to the letterLAB open today!
time to have some cursive fun!! woo hoo!!

liquid sunshine

2011-11-04T09:11:00.000-04:00

i hope your weekend is filled with

exciting things like yellow ochre, permanent yellow deep, aureolin,

new gamboge, cadmium orange hue, and naples yellow......

enjoy!

:))

giveaway winner!

2011-11-03T09:45:00.001-04:00

in my heart of hearts, i never once dreamed there would be such a wonderful response to my giveaway! thank you SO much for participating, for your lovely comments, and for your visits to my blog! when it comes to bloggy sweeties, you are the best of the best, and i appreciate you more than you'll ever know (insert enormously big hugs here!!)!!

for the giveaway, i paid a little visit to mr. random.org, and he chose lucky number 17.....

and that means that beth over at simply B will be joining us in the letterLAB! woo hoo!

congratulations, beth! i've sent you an e-mail to the address you listed in your comment!

and for all of you who have already registered, thank you from the top, middle and bottom of my heart.....i'll see you in the LAB on monday!! xox

mountain view

2011-11-02T09:14:00.001-04:00

my little dutch sweetie treated me to a getaway this past weekend,
so we traded in our seaside view for some fresh mountain air.
to say that the scenery was gorgeous would be an understatement.....

and there were reminders of autumn everywhere.....

along with pure eye candy, mother-nature-style.

and speaking of mother nature, she surprised us with this on saturday morning!

but further down the mountain, it was life as usual.

and with all that mountain inspiration, these little sweeties caught my eye......

so i thought i'd add them to my journal to remind me that there's so much beauty in this world.....
and i'm so blessed to have these opportunities to go out and enjoy it!
(thank you, little dutch sweetie! xox)

{this page was created in my strathmore visual journal for mixed media using
derwent inktense pencils, waterbrush, micron pens, and a 4B graphite pencil}

{photos of our trip to banner elk, north carolina}

{if you haven't put your name in the hat for the letterLAB giveaway,
there's still time! head on over here before 8:00 p.m. (EST) tonight and
leave a comment!! winner announced tomorrow!}

inspiration monday - halloween giveaway!

2011-10-31T09:00:00.000-04:00

today is halloween......it's a day to be inspired by some goofy fun!

it's a day of candy corn! those little yellow and orange sugar triangles with white tips have been a favorite of mine since i was a kid (and i have all the fillings in my teeth to prove it!)

it's a day of mini pumpkins, extra large pumpkins, and every pumpkin in between.

and once the perfect pumpkin is picked, then the master-carving begins.

it's a day of chocolate, nougat, peanuts, caramel and everything else that tastes great and has lots of calories........all wrapped up in a perfect little package of oooey-goooey mini candy bars. this is another traditional favorite of mine.....not only on halloween, but every day of the year! (my hips tell the story so much better than i ever could.)

and it's especially a day of trick-or-treating! but i must admit,
i've never been a big fan of the tricks....i'm all about the treats!
and today i'd like to treat one of you with a giveaway for a seat in
my online letterLAB class that begins on november 7th!

all you have to do is leave a comment (just one, please!) on this post by
wednesday, november 2nd at 8:00 p.m. (EST)!
once the comments are closed on wednesday, i'll randomly choose a name
and announce it on thursday, november 3rd!
please make sure that your comment either links back to
your blog, or you leave your e-mail so i can contact you if your name is chosen!
(this giveaway is open to all those who are 18 years of age or older.)

and.....if you've already registered for the class, please join in the giveaway!
if your name is chosen, your registration fee will be refunded to you!

happy halloween!! xox

{letterLAB is my new online class that is being offered over at creative workshops and focuses on cursive handwriting and different variations! you can read more about it here!}

edited: thanks SO much for your support of my giveaway!!! comments are now closed!

batfun

2011-10-28T07:34:00.000-04:00

i'm a real scaredy cat when it comes to halloween, and i've always enjoyed the more playful side of the holiday. so as i was cutting out this martha stewart bat template, i started wondering if bats are scaredy cats like me.......and just how do bats go about having some fun?!

do they all meet in the belfry at twilight on saturday nights for a super fang-tastic boo-bash?

or maybe they get into the spirit of things by playing several rounds of batty-cake, batty-cake.

of course, it would be positively de-fright-ful to then head out to their favorite java house for a quick coffin-break......although too much caffeine could have them all going batty.
well, whatever they decide to do, i'm sure they all have a hair-raising, howling good time!

:))

sending you bugs and hisses, and many good witches
for a spook-tacular weekend!!
(okay, since i'm so bats about you, i'll stop with the bad puns now! heeheehee)

{i had a frightfully good time creating these batty-bats using
martha stewart's bat template, scissors, black card stock, scrapbook papers,
micron pens, metallic pens, charcoal chalk ink pad, uni posca paint marker,
uniball signo white gel pen}

the great plaid pumpkin

2011-10-26T09:01:00.000-04:00

source via pinterest

"each year, the great-pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. he's gotta pick this one. he's got to. i don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. you can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see."

{as spoken by linus in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"}

:))

inspiration monday

2011-10-24T09:14:00.000-04:00

here's an easy way to create a "hand-drawn look" without actually drawing anything! you'll need your favorite rubber stamp, a fine-mist spray bottle, a watersoluble graphite pencil (i'm using an 8B), a paint brush or waterbrush, and a piece of paper that's suitable for water media (i'm using my strathmore visual journal for mixed media).

first, spray a very light mist of water onto your stamp.

while your stamp is still damp, rub the side of your watersoluble graphite pencil over the entire stamp. the water will activate the graphite and transfer it to the stamp.

now stamp your image onto your paper. it's no problem at all if your image isn't perfect.....just take your pencil and go over any lines or areas that need more graphite (adding these extra lines also makes it look more hand-drawn!).

now using your waterbrush (or paintbrush and water), go over your lines to activate the graphite......

you can spread the graphite out to give your artwork shadows and dimension!

and if you want to take it a step further, you can add your own touches with some boo-tiful letters, a fun border, and a little watercolor! now you have a whimsical little piece of art that was created with graphite, and looks like it was completely hand-drawn!

{this project was created using a derwent watersoluble 8B graphitone pencil,
mini mister bottle, waterbrush, haunted house rubber stamp by imaginisce (i found mine at michael's), derwent inktense pencils, strathmore visual journal for mixed media}

embroidered pillows

2011-10-21T09:02:00.000-04:00

i took some time to do a little window shopping in my favorite PB catalogs, and when i spied these pillows, i immediately knew they would be the next entry in my pottery barn journal. i've always had a real soft spot for satin-stitching and french knots......and i don't think a girl could ever have too many embroidered pillows! they're the perfect thing to surround yourself with as you're lounging on the couch......with your feet up on the coffee table......while you're watching your favorite movie......and eating a chocolate bar.....or two...... :)))

i hope you have a relaxing surrounded-by-embroidered-pillows kind of weekend!!

{journal page created using koi watercolor, derwent watercolor pencils,
waterbrush, micron pens, pencil}

stencil hop 2011!

2011-10-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

i've been a huge fan of julie fei-fan balzer since for-ev-er! not only is she extremely talented, but she's also an awesome teacher, and she has a very generous heart when it comes to sharing her art know-how with us! so when she invited me to participate in stencil hop 2011, i was absolutely thrilled!!

julie has designed a fabulous line of stencils that are featured over at the crafter's workshop......i think these little cloud and raindrop stencils are really sweet, and i just love the whimsical feel of them!

so how about we use that playfulness to change things up a bit......let's use these clouds and raindrops in our journal to create something a little different.......something a little more "frosty".

starting with your pencil, follow the inside edge of one of the small cloud shapes in the middle of your journal page (i'm using a strathmore visual journal for mixed media).

now, stack some more cloud shapes on top of each other by outlining with your pencil, except this time, only draw the top of the cloud.

now using the large elongated raindrop stencil, place it under your bottom cloud at a slant, and run your pencil along the left side of the raindrop.

move your same elongated raindrop stencil over to the other side of the cloud, and slant it a bit to the right while matching up the point at the bottom with your first line. trace only the right side of the raindrop.

now using the small raindrop stencil, place it at the very top of your stacked clouds and trace around only the top part of the raindrop......draw a little stem, and you have a cherry!

using your favorite waterproof marker (i'm using a micron), trace all of your pencil lines......

and you've gone from clouds and raindrops to a frosty treat!!

fill in all of the scoops of ice cream however you like......draw sprinkles, polka dots, lines, zentangles, fill them with stamped images, or write words inside!

then, have some fun using your favorite medium to add some color, along with all your favorite finishing touches! and when you're done, you've got a super-happy version of frost-bite.....and this kind won't turn your fingers blue! :))

{you can find these stencils and julie's other fabulous designs here at the crafter's workshop!!}

*now let's hop on over and see what these other artists are doing!*

Lori Vliegen: http://elviestudio.blogspot.com/ (you are here!)
Bianca Mandity: http://biancandm.blogspot.com/
Claudine Hellmuth: http://claudinehellmuth.blogspot.com/
Kerry Lynn Yeary: http://blog.kennerroad.com/
Samantha Kira Harding: http://www.journalgirl.com/
Diana Trout: http://dianatrout.typepad.com/blog/
Mou Saha: http://collagecollagecollage.blogspot.com/
Julie Fei-Fan Balzer:
http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/2011/10/clouds-tcw230.html

{this journal page was created using a strathmore visual journal for mixed media,
cloud and raindrop stencils by julie fei-fan balzer, micron pens, pencil, koi watercolor, and a waterbrush}

inspiration monday

2011-10-17T09:03:00.000-04:00

when i first came to blogland, i saw lots of photos of beautiful journal pages that had been created by other artists. but, i never really understood why keeping an art journal was so important. and then i started keeping one. and, i'm going to be honest......at first, i still didn't quite get it. mainly because i thought there was a "certain way" you were supposed to do it. i thought that if i wasn't using specific materials, or didn't have time to work in my journal every day, then i wasn't doing it "right". but, then i realized that's the whole point. there is no right and there is no wrong when it comes to keeping a journal. it's simply a place for experimentation, for play, and for growth. and the important thing is that you try to keep one.....according to your rules.

keeping a journal gets really easy when you let your journal become your friend......that special friend that you're willing to be your true-self with. that friend that won't judge you, or your artwork, or the fact that you might be in a crummy mood that day. that friend that encourages you to grow, and maybe even suggests that you try a little something new every once in a while.
because whether you're a mixed-media artist, a poet, a watercolorist, a writer, a collage artist, a note-taker, or you love to sketch.......keeping a journal is a wonderful snapshot of who you are on that particular day, and what your passion is at that particular moment.

no matter what type of journal you keep,

i think Mr. Skousen sums it up perfectly:

"keep a journal.....you'll be so glad that you did".

:))

{please join me tomorrow.......

i'll be participating in julie fei-fan balzer's stencil hop!!}

retail safari

2011-10-14T09:10:00.000-04:00

i absolutely LOVE spending time in my studio. but there are some days that call for a little retail therapy.....and when that happens, i head out the door and go straight to hobby lobby! it's my number one place for happiness, in the form of every craft supply you can imagine......and when there's a sale going on, the happiness just gets happier!

plus, i've got a 40% off coupon just burning a big hole in my pocket.....
my only problem is trying to decide what to use it for!
should i grab a super-size jar of mod podge.......

or maybe give in to excitement-overload with all these 12x12" paper lovelies?!

my heart starts to beat faster just looking at all these red-rubber beauties.....
how in the world could i ever choose just one?!

or maybe i should just pick a pretty paper punch.

(say that fast three times!!)

of course, i really don't need any more of these to add to my growing collection......
so i'll just back away very slowly now...... :))

and i suppose i probably don't need any more of these, either.....
but i sure do love looking at them!

and with all those goodies to tempt me, would you believe all i ended up with was an empty cart and a big hole burnt in my pocket from that coupon?! for me, most of the fun is definitely in the craft hunt! and while i might be leaving hobby lobby empty-handed this time, this retail safari isn't over!
i have lots of other coupons for lots of other craft stores.....
and i also have the entire weekend to let them burn another hole in my pocket!! woo hoo!

i hope you have some fun-time to go on a retail-safari this weekend, too!! :))

hands and hearts

2011-10-12T09:05:00.000-04:00

ever since i made this fabric tape, i've been wanting to use it on a page in my journal.

so i decided to snip a piece of each tape (i cut the floral tape into a triangle shape).......

and glued the pieces into my journal in the shape of a house.

then, using my microns, i wrote out a little quote to go with it.

but, when i finished, it definitely didn't look "done" to me.

so i added some watercolor to the page, along with some doodle marks on the house to

give it more definition and jazz it up a bit.

i think it still looks like something's missing, though......

because sometimes when you work on something, it's not complete until
you add that final element......that perfect "finishing touch".......

and then you know without a doubt that, yes......now it's done!

{thank you from the top, middle, and bottom of my heart
to all of you who signed up for my letterLAB cursive class!! xoxox}

{journal page created using fabric tape, micron pens, pencil,
koi watercolor, waterbrush, glue stick, elvie heart-in-hand}

inspiration monday

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

over the past several months, i've received lots wonderful notes, e-mails, and blog comments asking me about the letterforms that i use in many of my art projects and journal pages. and because you've inspired me so much with your requests, i'm over-the-moon-excited to announce letterLAB, my very first online class, scheduled to begin on november 7th!!
woo hoo!

many of you have told me that you really aren't too crazy about your handwriting,
so, in this lab session we're going to go back-to-basics and focus on our cursive writing.
(don't worry, it's just a review and it goes by quickly!)

and once we have a good foundation in place, then we move on to the fun stuff!

and work on a journal page together.....

along with three more art projects, using everything we've learned!!

so, meet me in the lab......the letterLAB, that is,

(don't forget to tuck a chocolate bar in the pocket of your lab coat!)
and let the fun begin!!

*letterLAB is my first online class, and
it's packed with video instruction and PDF worksheets to get you started!
it's hosted by Creative Workshops and you can read more
about the class format here.

*for more information and registration,

click here!

{edited: this class is hosted by creative workshops. once the class opens on november 7th, all those who are registered will receive an invitation to the class and all of the videos and PDFs will be available right away. the class is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can work at your own pace and you'll have access to the class whenever you want. this class will be offered for at least one year (and most likely longer), so you'll have plenty of time to finish viewing all of the videos. for more information, please click here!}

mover of mountains

2011-10-07T09:15:00.000-04:00

"that's been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity.
simple can be harder than complex: you have to work hard to get your thinking
clean to make it simple. but it's worth it in the end because once you get there,
you can move mountains."

words of wisdom......

from technology's mover of mountains.

{created using koi watercolor, derwent inkense pencils,

waterbrush, micron pens, graphite pencil, hand-carved leaf stamp, pigment ink}

{p.s. please join me on monday for some exciting news!!

have a great weekend! :))}

silly ostrich

2011-10-05T09:14:00.001-04:00

this journal page has been cheerfully brought to you by
an ostrich, an onion omelette.....
and a really big dose of pure silliness!
:))

{this journal page was created in my strathmore visual journal
using pitt pens, derwent inktense pencils, waterbrush, and graphite pencils.}

inspiration monday

2011-10-03T09:17:00.002-04:00

i've recently discovered that every once in a while, inspiration comes along and strikes in the form of two different projects......at the same time! my first inspiration-strike has been in the form of my pottery barn journal. here's another double-page spread (so much fun filling in all those boxes!!)......i think that having something monogrammed in your favorite thread color must be the ultimate-luxury-wish-list item, don't you?!

inspiration has really helped me stay the course with filling these journal pages.....

and i only have three more pages to go and my journal will be finished!

and as for the second project, well, inspiration hasn't quite worked out all the mechanical kinks yet.....but i sure have been working hard on it! i'm hoping that the stars will all be in alignment very soon, because i'm just beside myself with excitement to tell you about it!

{p.s. thank you SO much for all the sweet comments you've left here!

please accept my apologies for taking so long to visit your blogs!}

{pottery barn journal pages were created using koi watercolor, watercolor brush,
watercolor pencils, micron pen, and pencils}

kind gardens

2011-09-30T09:20:00.000-04:00

"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

2011-09-28T09:18:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-26T09:12:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-23T09:16:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-21T08:52:00.001-04:00

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

2011-09-19T08:36:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-16T09:15:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-14T10:10:00.002-04:00

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

2011-09-12T09:04:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-09T10:12:00.001-04:00

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

2011-09-07T09:19:00.000-04:00

"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

2011-09-05T06:08:00.000-04:00

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

2011-09-02T06:15:00.000-04:00

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}

some green and a little chocolate

2011-08-31T09:12:00.004-04:00

when you're eating gluten-free and you find someone like elana over at elana's pantry who is also eating gluten-free, has done lots of experimenting with gluten-free ingredients, and is willing to share them with the world, you're absolutely thrilled over the thought of being able to bake goodies and eat like "real people" again. however.....when it comes to baked goods, the color green isn't exactly what i want to see in my muffin. but that's what i love about elana......she's smart.....she adds chocolate chips. and when it comes to chocolate chips, i'll eat them with cardboard if that's part of the deal.

so i thought i'd give her zucchini chocolate chip muffins a try.......

and they're absolutely delicious!
actually, they're so good, i figure i could really use the whole green-in-baked-goods-thing to my advantage.......with all that zucchini in there, don't you think i could probably eat the entire batch and get one of my required daily servings of veggies?! (not to mention my chocolate fix......heehee)

{you can find the recipe for these gluten-free zucchini chocolate chip muffins here! }

inspiration monday

2011-08-29T09:16:00.015-04:00

here's a quick and easy way to create a journal page.....using leftovers!

if you've been carving your own stamps, grab some of those little leftover pieces......or you can also use leftover snippets from your last session with fun-foam sheets or chip board, and then mount it to a piece of wood, or acrylic block, or even the lid of your stamp pad.

(i used these little pieces of speedy-carve that were leftover from my alpha-carving session the other day.)

now open your journal, grab your stamp pads (i used colorbox chalk inks) and start to stamp.....

and stamp some more......until you've stamped all of your strange shapes onto the paper.

this is where i like to squint my eyes a little and try to see those shapes as the beginning of something else.....like maybe an animal, a pan of brownies, or a group of flowers. to make your shapes look a little more like actual objects, add some doodle lines with a micron pen, along with some watercolor here and there to give a little dimension (wait for your stamp ink to dry completely, and then go back with a waterbrush and some watercolor.....this is also how i doodled my letters here).

now add all of your extra-special doodle touches......
and say hello to a sweet little journal page that started with nothing but leftovers!

{here's what i used to create this journal page: leftover speedy-carve pieces, colorbox chalk ink, koi watercolor, waterbrush, micron pens, 2B graphite pencil, pan pastel}

*to all of our friends who's lives have been affected by hurricane irene,
you are in our thoughts and prayers.*

jumped (s)

2011-08-26T10:06:00.001-04:00

once all my alpha-stamps were carved, i couldn't wait to use them! so i thought the best way to give each one of them equal time was to stamp out one of those alphabet sentences. but once i had finished stamping the last word, i noticed that i had a letter "s" leftover.......

......because i had stamped the word wrong! oops.
oh well, i went back and stamped the "s" on there anyway......
it's not an alpha-sentence unless you have all the alphas!
(besides, sometimes the letter "s" can be a little temperamental if he starts to feel left out. heehee)

{journal page supplies: hand-carved alphabet stamps, pigment stamp pad,
koi watercolor, micron pen, 2B graphite pencil, pan pastel}

alpha-pink

2011-08-24T09:18:00.008-04:00

i was rummaging through my little drawer of carved stamps the other day and i realized that i didn't have any alphabet stamps. how in the world did that happen?!! so i got out a big piece of speedy-carve, and because i'm such a rule follower, i started with the A. but once i got to the G i started to lose steam.

part of me wondered how long i could survive using only the first seven letters of the alphabet.....but after trying to find words using only those letters, i decided i don't normally use phrases like "bad-fed-cage-face" in my art journals. egad! so i continued carving......

and after a timely choco-break (or two), i had carved all 26 of those sweet little

alpha-pinkies.....

and this is all that remains!
conclusion: there's nothing better at the end of an art day than a big pile of pink!

{alpha-stamps carved from speedy-carve using speedball and staedtler carving tools}

inspiration monday

2011-08-22T09:14:00.027-04:00

i can't think of anything more inspiring than to have my sweet little niece alyssa sitting by my side up in my studio. everything looks great to her, and instead of wishing she'd done something differently, she welcomes "happy accidents". alyssa is a pro with polymer clay, so this time we thought we'd switch it up a bit and open a package of paperclay that i've had in my stash for a while. you don't need many supplies to have fun with paperclay......the only thing that's really required is water, because the clay dries out fairly quickly (mini mister spray bottles are very helpful!), along with some clay tools, and craft wire (this is optional, we used a little for finishing touches).

the first thing to do is look through your journals for some inspiration......

and then grab a piece of paperclay and start molding it into the shape you want. it helps to give a little spritz of water now and then to keep your fingers clean, and the clay from drying out too much. the water also helps smooth out the clay, and serves as "glue" when you add other small pieces like ears, legs, and who knows......maybe a hat!

alyssa made a bunny (with nails for the legs), and a piggie.....

and i made the birdie (wire for legs and tail)

and the mousie (nails for legs, and wire for the tail).

then let them dry completely. drying time depends on the thickness of your piece......we let ours dry for about two days. then it's time to paint your masterpiece.......

with some acrylic paint or watercolor.

once everything is dry, introduce all your new paperclay

cuties to each other during their photo shoot (as you can see, alyssa was quite busy).

and giggle a little over how much fun it is to be inspired by
all of that creative goodness right there inside of your journals!

{supplies: paperclay, wood clay tools, mini mister bottles, acrylic paint, paint brushes, 20 and 24 gauge craft wire, wire cutters, small nails, scrapbook paper for birdie wings, embroidery floss for mousie hat trim}

busy hands

2011-08-19T10:04:00.000-04:00

my 12-year-old niece alyssa has been visiting me this week. she loves to swim, go to the book store, and read new books (she also loves the smell of new books.....). but what she really loves when she comes to stay with me is to play in my studio.......

and i really love it when she's in my studio, too.
it absolutely melts my heart to see those precious little artist hands busy at work.

we're finishing up some projects today......i'll show you what we've been up to on monday!
have a great weekend, bloggy sweeties!!

simple things

2011-08-17T09:14:00.000-04:00

"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring -
these are some of the rewards of the simple life. "
John Burroughs

inspiration monday

2011-08-15T10:00:00.002-04:00

i have a bit of a problem when it comes to just being still. i start to go a little crazy if i don't have something to do with my hands, and if i can multi-task, i'm even happier. so when i sit in front of the t.v. at night, instead of stuffing my mouth with chocolate chips, potato chips, or anything else related to chips, i've been "collecting" little snippets from magazines and catalogs. then when i'm looking for inspiration, i can turn to this growing pile of printed goodness!

these snippets would be fabulous collage fodder, but i'm going to use them as starters for journal pages. first, i'm going to create a new journal: to take away that "fear of the blank page" i like to take pieces of 140 lb. watercolor paper and slosh some watercolor across the page.....on both sides (diluted acrylics work great, too!).

then i lay them out to dry.....and hope my dog doesn't walk all over them.

once the pages are dry, i fold them in half,

and now i have the beginnings of a new journal that i can bind later.

{note: i cut my pieces of watercolor paper out of a spiral bound notebook like this one. it's also perfectly okay to paint your paper while still in the notebook, and then you don't have the extra steps of folding and binding later!}

now, it's just a matter of rummaging through your snippets (i consider that half the fun!) and creating a journal page. since your snippets come from all different sources, you'll have a great variety of subjects to choose from. for example, you can create a page based on a quote you like.....this snippet says

"don't go through life, grow through life" by eric butterworth

or maybe you find something that reminds you of someone special.

you might come across something that brings back a favorite childhood memory.

and sometimes you read something that really speaks to your heart.

when i was in school, i used to keep a journal very similar to this one. i think the nice thing about this style of journaling is when you're inspired to sit down and be creative, you already have a starting point......your pages already have color (and you can always add more.....or not......depending on your design), and you have an illustration from your snippet stash to help you get started!

go through those piles of magazines and stock up on inspiration......
you'll have lots of fun, and save tons of calories by not eating all those chips!! :))

the random.org wizard speaks.....

2011-08-15T05:15:00.001-04:00

***giveaway results***

the response to my giveaway was overwhelming......THANK YOU!!

so instead of choosing one name as i had originally planned, i asked the random.org wizard to pick three bloggy sweeties for me......and this is what he said:

so means that
twyla, #14
leslie, #16
and jeanette, #24
have a new art print coming their way!

thank you, thank you, thank you to each and every one of you for

the sweet, precious comments you have left here on my blog!!

i am truly overwhelmed and overcome with sheer delight in knowing you!!

i've said it before, and i'm sayin' it again:

you are the bloggy best!!!

xoxo

{inspiration monday coming up shortly!}

friday giveaway hug!

2011-08-12T09:07:00.018-04:00

i have received so many wonderful blessings since i began this blog......but without a doubt, my absolute sweetest blessing has been meeting so many wonderful bloggy friends! it would be really difficult to try to put into words just how much i adore you.........how much i'm inspired by you.......and how much i truly appreciate all of your support and sweet comments every time you visit here.

there are many days where i have lots of doubts about what i'm doing (well, actually, i usually have no idea what i'm doing!!), but i think that's where being able to turn to your blog-buddies for feedback helps so incredibly much! and it's only because of your encouragement that i've felt brave enough to put my artwork "out there".
and for that......please consider yourself bear-hugged.....and i mean bear-hugged BIG!!

in celebration of YOU, my bloggy sweeties, i'm having a little giveaway. i'd like to offer one of the prints in my etsy shop (your choice).....to say thank you for taking the time to stop by here and say hello......and for cheering your fellow bloggy sweeties on......and for leaving a smile.....and well, for all of those other things that are on my heart that there really are no words for.

xox

{giveaway details: just leave a comment (one per person, please) on this post by 10:00 EST sunday, the 14th of august, and i'll choose a name via random.org and announce it on monday!}

{other: please make sure you leave a link or an e-mail address where i can contact you.....
and if you're under 18 years of age, make sure you have permission to enter this giveaway!}

edited: comments are now closed for the giveaway......thanks SO much for your support!!!

the mousie and the mushroom

2011-08-10T09:10:00.001-04:00

for the past several weeks, my bloggy friend ludid has been reflecting on several pieces of artwork that she created as a child. her art has helped her remember good times, and challenging times, and it's also helped her to put some perspective on why she creates the way she does as an adult today.
ludid asked me if i had any childhood memories of a favorite piece of art......and my mind wandered back to a little mousie sitting under a red-polka-dotted mushroom. i hadn't thought about this little guy in a long time.....and as it turns out, i've been carving for a lot longer than i had remembered!

ludid invited me to share some of my thoughts about this little mousie......
you can read them here!
{thank you, ludid, for a wonderful walk down memory lane......it's always fun to reconnect with our inner-child-artist!!}

inspiration monday

2011-08-08T09:14:00.098-04:00

i'm a true believer that when you're looking for inspiration, look no further than your very own artwork! there are lots and lots of ideas hibernating in your art journals, and they're just waiting to be turned into something brand new! for example, you might find a little sketch that you did a long time ago and wonder, "how can i use this?".

one idea is to take your design and carve a stamp!
(i carved this stamp from a piece of speedy carve.....)

then stamp it all over a blank page in your journal.

add some journaling and other doodles using your favorite pen,

and finish it off with pan pastels or watercolors.
now you've gone from old design.....to new inspiration!

but don't stop there! change up the colors on your stamp......

and you never know...... a fun little rainbow garden might sprout up!

(when an opportunity to draw cute little flowers with smiley faces comes your way, you've gotta take it!)

and after all that gardening, treat yourself to some frozen happiness.....
all you need to do is change the direction of your stamp!

when you're looking for some new ideas, think of your art journals as little treasure chests......there's lots of inspiration bounty in there, i promise!

{all journal pages were completed using a hand-carved stamp, colorbox stamp pads,
micron pens, pan pastel, and a 4B pencil}

where the heart is

2011-08-05T09:47:00.000-04:00

i've been in kind of a weird art mood all week.
i want to be creative, but have no idea what i want to create,
so sometimes i don't create at all!
but i figure instead of doing nothing, i may as well do what i love......
pass some time carving a few stamps.
goodbye, weird art mood.

i hope your heart helps you discover playful art this weekend! enjoy!

from yellow to rose

2011-08-03T09:12:00.002-04:00

i wanted to create something really fun and different in my journal yesterday.
and as murphy's law would have it, no really fun and different ideas came into my head.
so, after staring at a blank page for about ten minutes (and taking a little chocolate break), i ended up just swiping some bands of watercolor across the page, thinking that maybe if i made some sort of mark......any sort of mark.....an idea might appear.
but after going from yellow to rose, i still didn't quite know what to do with it.
so when all else fails, it's time to get out the microns and just write in the names of the colors.
i don't know if it's really that different......but it's colorful, in a fun sort of way.
mission (somewhat) accomplished.....now it's time to get back to that chocolate. :))

inspiration monday

2011-08-01T09:19:00.003-04:00

i recently found a super fun video by joanne fink where she shows how to create her gorgeous decorated letters in her own "zenspiration" style! i really love the way she adds doodles and doodads in all those wonderful little blank spaces........and then i started wondering how could i go about putting my own spin on it? so instead of drawing my letter on paper like joanne does, i drew an "L" on a piece of heavyweight muslin fabric using a micron.

then i took it to my sewing maching and filled in some of those empty spaces using

different colors of thread.

when i was done making a mess with the sewing machine (i'm a total newbie when it comes to free-motion stitching!), i realized i had covered up most of my black lines.....

so i touched it up with some more micron.

and, well, it's not exactly "zenspiration"......but it's definitely "elvie"! :))

you can watch joanne's video here......
have fun inventing new ways to decorate your initials!

{some}day-dreamin'

2011-07-29T09:19:00.002-04:00

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

2011-07-27T09:35:00.002-04:00

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

2011-07-25T10:30:00.003-04:00

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

2011-07-22T09:17:00.002-04:00

have a fabulous weekend!!
:))

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

there's no place like it

2011-07-20T09:15:00.008-04:00

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

2011-07-18T09:12:00.005-04:00

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}