glimpse in my sketchbook

 New blog and etsy headers and logos...
I have been playing around with making a logo, and finally settled on one. 

I have taken the extra piece of watercolor paper after cutting  my pages into squares to use for the mandalas I have been working on for the e-class, Falling into Mandalas, that I am creating. (hopefully it will start July 14th!), and I used those pieces to practice logos and headers. I have a new one on etsy that will show up April 1st, 

and you have already seen the new one here. here's some of my practices, and some girls from my sketchbook...

lots of bright color has been my plan lately....
and also!...
I have my own domain name now!
www.fallingladies.com

it's not complete yet but almost.
I am hoping it will make it easier for people to find me.

see you next time...

also: you have until midnight tonight to comment on my last friday's post to win a chance at the mandala book I am in called "Mandalas for the Inspired artist"
Good luck!
And thanks to those of you who have already ordered your own signed copy from me in person or on etsy!

5 random things

1. I have added so much to my charm quilt pinterest board that I needed to make another one... called english paper piecing. They are my most popular boards. One thing from it I would love to try is making this fabric scrap twine....

Or to make these with scrap fabric instead of scrap paper...

Or buy this book... 

2. I have put no effort into my cafe press shop in over a year but I have had one thing continue to sell regularly....

This peacock mandala on wall clocks, throw blankets and magnets.  

I really don't make much per sale but it is really great knowing people out there in the world have a clock with an image I painted!

3. Another thing that seems to sell with no help from me anymore is the 8x8 swatch of fabric for the Bee Queen doll on my spoonflower account....

I love thinking a little girl (or adult) has a little Bee Queen doll on her shelf or in her pocket!

I keep telling myself to get the picture book done. 

Technically the art is done and it has been all completed in book form on blurb except for the last page. All I have to do is add the artwork to the page and finish the back book cover and click "done". It has been 3-4 months since I finished the art work yet I cannot get myself to click done. What am I waiting for? why am I procrastinating?

Am I afraid of failure once it is out there?
sometimes i think I should redo the art as it's not quite right...

I just don't know.

Maybe saying this "out loud" on here will force me to get with it and finish it.....

we shall see!?!

4. I have been painting daily again!
But i don't have them photographed to show yet, except this little guy...
My latest addition to my etsy shop is here.

I painted this little owl named Worsted a year ago and kept him in the box with the other painted stones but I never photographed him or listed him. He's been biding his time in the dark but now he needs to go out into the world. Maybe he was just a slow learner or maybe he had failure to launch but I think he is finally ready now. 

5. The winter here in the Fingerlakes region of NY has been very mild but we did get a storm recently.
The roads were really bad but it was beautiful.
My photos don't do it justice at all. The best parts of the road are too dangerous to stop for a photograph because there's no place to pull over on the side. These were taken a day after the storm and bad roads...
It was like driving through a glass forest with bright sun shining through it. and then snow on top of that!
so pretty....

Day 9

This is just a peek at the watercolor piece i am doing for the children's picture book; The Bee Queen's message. This is part of her message. I don't want to reveal the whole thing till i get it finished. It has been slow gong as i am rusty with doing lettering and signs. Mandalas and faces are quick but i am out of practice with lettering. I had to search out some blackboards signs on pinterest to get a little inspiration...

 I had planned a different post for today but the leaves and fall colors this week were just too pretty not to take photos of. I have also been working on the Bee Queen's message (Go here or  here for other posts about what I mean). I am even to the point of starting to use BLURB to publish it, but as I do that I am having to go back and do some new art. Here's some pieces...

 above is  the piece that will become a doll (using spoonflower) to go along with the story...

 You'll just have to wait to see it all and hear the queen message....

another page

Another page in my picture book, 'the Bee Queen's message"...

the Bee Queen

I posted some watercolors awhile back that have been turning into a story... here's another piece towards that picture book....

 This illustrates the conversation the Bee Queen has with the leader of the crows, to ask for his help...

Hopefully more to come soon...