sleight of heart-in-hand

one thing is for sure,

no matter how hard you try to keep a date with your favorite journal,

life will conjure up reasons not to…..

until you've completely lost your creative focus.

and just when you think you're gonna have to resort to seeking out a magic wand 

and shouting "abracadabra" at the top of your lungs to find it again, 

you notice this week's DLP challenge…..

and you tell life that everything is gonna have to wait...

because you're taking a nose dive into 

the middle of your favorite journal for some well-deserved, 

and long-awaited creative time!  

here's to putting life on hold, 

and pulling a rabbit out of your creative hat. 

not because of any hocus-pocus……

but thanks to good ol' inspiration and sleight of heart-in-hand!  

:))

{supplies for this week's DLP "focus" challenge:

wings journal, derwent inktense pencils, micron pens, 6B graphite pencil}

perfect stay-cation

our DLP challenge this week is to choose a fantasy vacation spot,

and create a list of things to take along.

and while a long list of faraway places immediately came to my mind….

those other important things on my heart intervened…..

and i realized that sometimes just taking a few minutes right where you are

can be the best getaway of all.

{and yes, with a 13-week old puppy to consider,

the thought of a ten-minute retreat in my favorite chair 

is definitely a fantasy vacation!  :)))) }

{supplies used for DLP week fifty challenge:

moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 HP paper, pitt pens, micron pens, 

derwent watercolor/inktense pencils, 6B pencil, white gelly roll pen, washi tape}

3 colors, 1 cupcake

if you're ever wondering what your favorite colors are,
just open your paintbox and take a peek at the ones you use the most…..
on the other hand, the colors you're not-so-crazy-about
are the colors that look brand new.

the trick to using the colors you're not-so-crazy-about
is to think of a subject you're absolutely crazy about…...

and before long, those not-so-crazy colors will start looking
a lot more appetizing!


{this was created for the DLP week 40 challenge
to paint with three colors you never use
my colors:  lemon yellow, jaune brilliant, viridian hue}

{supplies:  moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 lb. HP paper,
koi watercolors, pitt pens, sakura white gelly roll pen, 6B pencil, washi tape}

splatter-happy

this week, DLP put out the call for drips and splatters on our journal pages,
so i got busy and pulled out some "drips and splatter" supplies like
watercolor paper, a spray bottle, water-soluble inks, and a ranger craft sheet.
but if you're like me and you don't really want to make a huge splatter mess,
here's a way to "reverse" the process…..

swipe some water-soluble ink across
 your craft sheet (or other slick, non-porous surface),
and spray it well with water using a mini-mister or spray bottle.

{for this step, i used peeled paint and scattered straw distress ink pads}

now lay your watercolor paper on top of the ink
and slightly smoosh it around.

then, lift your paper off your craft sheet and hold it up
so the ink will drip down the paper.

let your paper dry, or speed things up by using a heat gun,
and then pat your paper down into the same ink on your craft sheet.
this will give your "drips and splatters" a layered effect.

you can do this process as many times as you like...
just make sure the paper is completely dry in between steps.

you can also use water-soluble markers…..
just swipe them across the craft sheet and spray well with water.
then, lay your paper into your juicy ink slurry, lift it off the sheet,
let it dry, and repeat for a layered effect.

{for this step, i used tombow markers,
and i just dabbed my paper into the ink instead of smooshing it}

once your splatters have dried, it's time to play a game of "i spy"!
look at your paper for any particular shapes that jump out at you.
then take a waterproof marker and start
outlining, drawing, and embellishing your shapes!

you can also swipe some marker onto your craft sheet or acrylic block,
then pick it up with your waterbrush……
fill in and smooth out any areas to help your shape stand out better.

when you're happy with the way your splatter-shapes look,
then, it's all about adding your favorite finishing touches….

and before you know it,
you've gone splatter-happy without all the mess!
{or at least without most of the mess! :))}

♥♥♥♥♥

i'm very honored and excited to have been invited by the
Art to the 5th team over at Documented Life Project
as this month's Spotlight Artist!!  woo hoo!!
i'm absolutely thrilled to have my artwork featured,
and i thank the Art-gals SO much!!  xox

please join me here to see my interview!

{this journal page was created for the week 39 DLP challenge.
supplies:  moleskine planner, arches 140 CP watercolor paper, 
distress ink pads, tombow markers, spray bottle, ranger craft sheet,
white sharpie paint pen, pitt pens, black permapaque marker,
graphite pencils, washi tape}

the gift of today

there's a good chance that something about his day will

speak to your heart…..

or maybe something will even tickle your fancy….

but, one thing's for sure…..
this day has the makings to be the best day of the entire year!
{p.s.  and the same goes for tomorrow and all the days after that, too!}

this page was created for the DLP week 38 challenge to

add a feather to your page.

{supplies:  moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 lb. HP paper, pitt pens, 

winsor-newton watercolor,  sakura white gelly roll pen, 

3B & 6B pencil, washi tape}

little white pen

this week, our DLP challenge  is to use a white pen 

prominently on our journal page…..

and i'm super happy about that, because i think the little white pen

is one of the sweetest little treasures in my art box.

it's great for adding a little sparkle in just the right places…...

and no matter how you use it,

it can make any journal page seem like a masterpiece!

{i used these supplies for the week 37 DLP challenge:

moleskine planner, kraft card stock, sakura white gelly roll pen, pitt pens,

derwent inktense pencils, 5B graphite pencil, washi tape}

be you-nique

today might seem like an ordinary, run-of-the-mill day…..

but it's actually a great day to be…..

the absolutely best thing YOU know how to be!

you  beautiful,  fabulous,  awesome,  artistic,  extraordinary,

incomparable,  one-of-a-kind,  amazing,  creative,  incredible,  super cool,

YOU-NIQUE  YOU!!

xox

this art journal page was created for the DLP week 36 "black & white" challenge.

{supplies:  moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 lb. HP paper,

bombay india ink,  white Sakura gelly roll pen, white chalk, 

pink derwent inktense pencil, micron pen, washi tape}

heart-links

when i saw this week's DLP challenge to add a face to your page,

i began to panic a little, and quite frankly, i had a fleeting moment

of trying to figure out how i could "get around it".  :))

of course, the whole point of a challenge is to, well, 

challenge yourself to do the things you're not comfortable doing

(and many times to do the things you think you can't do)…..

so, i went to my stand-by method of resolving these issues:

eat half a bar of chocolate, turn on some really good music,

dig deep down in my heart, and just start drawing……

with no editing.

{well, okay, maybe a little editing.}

and the amazing thing is that while i was getting lost in the music, 

my heart kind of took over and led the way….

and before i knew it, i was able to eat the 

other half of the chocolate bar as a big reward!  

woo hoo!  xox

{supplies:  for the DLP week 35 challenge:

 moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 lb. HP paper,

derwent inktense pencils, pitt pens, 2B & 5B pencils, washi tape}

hat of paper

this week, the Documented Life Project challenged us to use numbers,

and it reminded me of a fun song my little dutch sweetie 

used to sing to our kids when they were younger.

it's a very popular counting song about a sweet little paper hat.

the song doesn't include a bear or a heart-balloon….

but, when you're dealing with kids and paper hats,

a bear and a heart-balloon really are must-haves, don't you think?  

 :))

here's the rough translation:

one, two, three, four, 

hat of, hat of,

one, two, three, four,

hat of paper.

it's a really cute little song and it sounds so much better in Dutch.

especially if it's being sung by someone with a sweet little Dutch accent. xox

you can listen to it here!

{supplies for the week thirty-four DLP challenge:

moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 lb. HP paper, pitt pens,

watercolor, washi tape, 5B graphite pencil, scrapbook paper}

goin' green

this week, our DLP challenge is to use some of those juicy bits of paper 

that catch all of our creative messes while we're working.

so, i did a nose dive into my trash can and rescued some paper towels that 

had been used to wipe my watercolor palette clean.

then i tore a couple of pieces into circles,

and folded and pleated each one to give it a bit of character.

then i stacked the two circles on top of each other

and sewed some french knots to make sure they stayed together…..

and then i added it to a stem…..

which sits next to a little wooden sign.

and after a bit of reusing and recycling, 

i have a little garden that's goin' green and growin' happy!

:))

{supplies:  moleskine planner, fabriano artistico 140 lb. paper,

paper towels, yellow thread, derwent inktense pencils, 

5B graphite pencil, washi tape, pitt pens, glue dot,

stamp from my "grow happy" set at Technique Tuesday}

{click here for more information about the DLP challenge!}

heART pocket

this week's DLP challenge is to add a pocket to your page

and fill it with treasures.

so i decided to turn to what i know best…..

and to what i hold near and dear.

because hands-down, the best place to find inspiration

is usually right there next to your heart!

{supplies for this week's DLP challenge:

moleskine planner, kraft card stock, "doodle deux" paper by prima, 

pitt pens, ink pads, 6B graphite pencil, washi tape}

dreams and wishes

when i saw the new DLP challenge to create an illustrated wish list,

my mind immediately went to this artwork i created 

a few years ago about a dream i have…..

because to me, dreams and wishes kind of go hand-in-hand.

but the funny thing about dreaming and wishing 

is sometimes you have to fulfill a wish…..

before you can move on to the dream.

so until then, there's a sweet little yellow house
somewhere in france that's waiting to be filled with lots of love…
and lots of chocolate.  :))



{you can read more about this week's DLP challenge here!
supplies:  moleskine journal, fabriano artistico 140 lb. HP paper,
derwent inktense pencils, PanPastel, pitt pens, 6B pencil, washi tape}

kindness, hearts, and sunshine

it's week 28 already, and the DLP challenge is to 

add a tiny photo to your page. 

so i decided to pull out one of my favorite pictures…..

and add one of my favorite quotes.

and the result is a page filled with hearts and sunshine….

something this journal girl could never have enough of!

bring on the happy!

{you can read more about the DLP challenge here.

supplies:  moleskine planner, fabriano 140 lb. HP paper, 

derwent inktense pencils, pitt pens, PanPastel, 6B graphite pencil,

uniball signo broad white pen, washi tape}