inspiration monday

it's true what they say:  inspiration really will strike when you least expect it.  the other day i was surfing through my new pottery barn catalog, and when i saw these fabulous birdcages.....

this image popped into my brain and i had to doodle it onto some paper right away!  i'm not sure why the birdcage is sitting on top of a box, but inspiration is a little kooky that way sometimes!

{i'm also not sure why the birdcage doesn't have a door.....maybe that's why the little birdie is so happy?!}

doodle finished onto a separate piece of paper and added to my journal......

watercolor, watercolor pencil, micron pens, 4B pencil

click on image for better view

three stamps and a journal

i remember a very talented art instructor telling me long ago that "your artwork isn't finished until you've signed it".  so i've created this little doodle stamp to add to journal pages, tags, the back of a handmade card, or any other favorite project that might need "finishing".

and here's one to document all those hours spent working in your favorite journal.....and drinking all of those grande-choco-lattes.....while at your favorite coffee shop! 

 just to give notice to all of that important stuff in your life, this stamp can be used to make tags for a special gift, your own note pads, or to hi-light special days on your calendar.

and i can't think of a better creative playground than one of these blank watercolor journals......the arches textwove paper on the covers, and the 140 lb. strathmore paper inside make it the perfect surface for your favorite wet or dry medium!

whatever your art tools of choice are, i hope you find lots of creative time to play with them this weekend......enjoy!

you can read more information about any of these items in my etsy shop!

"keep a green tree in your heart

and perhaps a singing bird will come."

more blue and green......with just a hint of hot pink and yellow-orange (my vacation from using orange didn't last too long, did it.....!).

journal page finished using watercolor, watercolor pencil, micron pen,  and graphite pencil 

inspiration monday

i've been wanting to take my artwork in a bit of a different direction for a while now.  sometimes just changing your favorite color palette is all you need to put a new perspective on things (can you believe that no orange was used to create this journal page?!!).  who knew that blue and green watercolor could be so much fun to play with.....!

this journal page was created using micron pens, graphite pencil and watercolors on fabriano artistico 140 lb. soft press paper

click on image for better view

paper fabulousness

there's lots of fabulous paper out there (and one peek into my stash would reveal that i probably own at least two sheets of each of it!).  but sometimes a sheet of really, really fabulous paper falls in your lap, and you want to do something really, really fabulous with it.....like showcase all it's fabulousness on the covers of an art journal.

but this isn't just any fabulous paper.......

it's paper that was lovingly and skillfully stenciled by my dear fabulous friend and partner-in-art-crimes martha lever.....

and not only is this paper fabulous, 

it's also artsy, genuine, one-of-a-kind, colorful, unique, exceptional,  primo, special, vibrant, one and only, zesty, sparkling,  creative, energetic, and extremely imaginative......much like the fabulous martha-artist herself!

see more of martha's beautiful artwork here!

and you can read more information about this art journal here in my etsy shop