celebrate today

sometimes the best way to solve the

"i-don't-know-what-to-draw dilemma"

is to look around and document 

all those things that surround you every day.

some of them might seem a little humdrum,

but it's always great practice and sometimes quite challenging!

i mean, who knew i'd get stuck….and do a lot of erasing!…. 

trying to draw a hairbrush!

(thankfully, i had less trouble drawing the chocolate….

it's a subject i'm very familiar with….heeheehee)

here's to celebrating all the little things….

and a big thank you to danielle donaldson for such great inspiration

through her "storybooks and studious girls" class….i'm having a ball!

{and my celebration continues today, as i've been featured in Dasherie, 

a beautiful publication devoted to the lettering arts!  

i'm thrilled, honored, and very thankful to be included in the Summer issue,

where so many fabulous artists have had their artwork showcased!

all orders for this gorgeous magazine that are placed today will 

ship tomorrow….all those placed after today will ship the first week 

in August.  you can read more info here!}

{journaling supplies:  stillman&birn beta series journal, .3 HB pencil}

star spangled

this weekend, we're celebrating Independence Day, 

and we're so very thankful to all those 

who have been so brave in protecting our freedoms!

✭☆✭

sending all my sweet friends here in America

many star-spangled-hugs for a very

happy and safe weekend!!

xox

chair party

little tiny chairs (some no bigger than a quarter)
all together on one page so they can
mix and mingle and get to know each other a little better.

let the party begin!


{supplies:  stillman & birn beta series journal, watercolor, .3 pencil}

joy multiplied

you know that feeling you get when you've 

finally found some time to yourself to sit and be creative…..

and things start to "click", 

and then you do a big happy dance to celebrate 

the joy you feel at that very moment of being an artist?

and then one day your joyful artist-self is blessed  

to create something really special 

for two really special people in your life…..

{like, maybe the rehearsal dinner invitation for 

your son and his sweetheart….oh.my.goodness!}

and you feel that joy-boost clicking so big 

you think your heart just might burst!

{so you take that energy and joyfully create a menu card for the dinner, too!}

this is the epitome of joy multiplied!

♥

it is with very joyful hearts that

my little dutch sweetie and i are proud to announce 

our son Spencer, has married Tatiana, the love of his life,

and we're absolutely over-the-moon-elated!

spencie and tati…..

poppie and i wish you more happiness than your heart can hold,

and continued blessings upon you in the many years ahead!

we love you!!  

have a seat….and a video

for me, part of the fun in creating my chair collection was 

the challenge of how to find a proper "home" for it.

 i usually like to create a little book for my artwork,

but since each one of my chairs was illustrated on loose sheets of paper,

that made the book option difficult.

 and then i started thinking about the actual chairs in my illustrations,

and took inspiration that chairs are most comfortable arranged in a cozy room…. 

and when you open the doors to the room…. 

each chair is there, inviting you to have a seat!

so, instead of making a book, 

i created this simple box structure for my chairs to live in.


 

here's a little video peek of my illustrated
chair chamber!

 

you can watch this video in larger format here!

{you can read more information about each chair in this series

and the inspiration behind it here}

{to create these illustrations, i've cut 140lb CP watercolor paper to 6" x 6", 

and i've used watercolor, a little colored pencil, and graphite pencils.

the cover was created using a sheet of canson mi-teintes paper.}