learning from my mistakes with color...

I loved this girl sketch until I painted it, 

then realized I had chosen way too dark of colors, 

ah well... mistakes to learn from!

 and yet, I like it a bit better in black... 

either way, 

this girl with her skunk is someone I will draw again... 

I really like her and her midnight picnic.

And if you didn't see earlier,

 go here for a chance to win my new mandala book from walter Foster Publishing! 

you have until friday.

2 books out and a giveaway!

Mandalas for the Inspired Artist is out !!!!!
The book I am in, along with 3 other artists. Louise Gale, Marisa Edghill and Alyssa Stokes, published by Walter Foster Publishing !

 YEAH!!!!
I am so excited.
 I love how it turned out.
 Lots of big bright art to hopefully inspire people!
Each of the 4 artists included all have very different styles so you get to see a variety of ways to create mandalas.
Alyssa has wonderful arranged mandalas of flowers and food!
Marisa has a cut and paste collaged mandalas that I am planning to try.
Louise shows her way of creating her beautiful organic looking mixed media mandalas.
And I show how I start my watercolor mandalas with a compass. Using a compass might seem more intimidating to some people than just letting a mandala grow out from the center, but I find it very simple and relaxing. Hopefully looking at the book you can see how easy it is to do and will try it yourself if you have never made a  mandala.

You can get the book on Amazon
But
wouldn't it be more fun to get it from me...
In my Etsy shop where I have a signed copy along with a postcard of one of my mandalas!
OR
you can leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy from me!!!!
To be entered in the giveaway just leave a comment telling me what you create that relaxes you,
anytime before next friday.




Then my second big news...

The Bee Queen's Message

I did it.

 I finally finished my children's book and put it up for sale on Blurb with my coloring book. 

It is the story of the Bee Queen and how she calls the crows to help her send a message to all the children of the world.

 Here's the cover and the Queen's message....

I have been working on it for ever it seems and I have posted photos in progress in 2 or 3 posts before. And NOW FINALLY...
You can get a copy on Blurb
and eventually Amazon 

but I am not sure how to do that yet.
and in my etsy shop once I get my physical copy in the mail.

 And you can see a preview on the big thumbnail to the right of my blog...

Yes, it is more expensive than a similar book of it's size in the store, but then it is self published and unique! I don't know if there is a cheaper way to self publish, but so far I do like Blurb. I ordered myself a few copies so I will see how it looks.

Plus you can buy a swatch of fabric on spoonflower that you can turn into a fabric Bee Queen and another to make into the Raven named Fair from the story. And there will be fabric that has honeycomb and bees just like the cover. I would love to have a gift set that I can offer on etsy with the book, fabric or premade doll and an iron on and temporary tattoo of the bee Queen's symbol. and maybe a necklace  of the Queen's symbol as well.
and a mug and jar of honey....
(You can tell I have been having fun with this idea!)
then I even wanted to make a tiny cupcake out of fimo clay for the doll to give to Fair like in the story as well.

Please check it out!
Thanks for stopping by
and don't forget to leave a comment telling me what art relaxes you to be entered into my giveaway!
Happy paint party friday!

another fox

I can't believe another week has gone by so fast...

there are finally some signs of spring finally showing in my yard!

I am showing a fox in my sketchbook that I mentioned last week...

 and some photos that I took when my husband and I got a day to ourselves, well a half day. We had to go to a CSE meeting for my son (and we got great reports from the teachers and therapists on how well he's doing this year. Especially when he's 13 and puberty normally worsens autistic behaviors. It was wonderful to hear that he is asking for work, learning his alphabet and community workers and even doing great in self care skills that he won't do at home! Yeah!) and so we took the whole day which left us time to ourselves in the morning to shop in a new town. 

Well, an old town that I haven't been to in years. 

Angelica

If you love antiques, this is the place to go. 

I only got into 3 stores and then we ate at the Canteen. 

I played in photoshop a bit with the photos taken in the stores....

 I always love anything bee related... a I bought the tiniest little fabric bee....

 I also bought a little doll, a tiny carved wooden box and some homemade fudge and an amethyst crystal to put on my walking stick this year. No pictures of all that though. Oh, and a wee tiny goddess. I will have to get photos I think of her at least.

It was a lovely day... and lots of other good stuff this week, that I will have to share later.

Happy friday!

a glimpse into my sketchbook

I have been wanting to paint these girls as often as I get a chance lately...
and since I have foxes on my mind, i added the fox, Marigold. I first drew him over a year ago, there's a post here about how he came about....

(again, too dark in my house to get a good photo, I had to try to lighten them in photoshop. We are getting warmer weather but today is dark and rainy) but anyway.... Meet Fern, Marigold and Caroleander.....

Saw a fox by the road, and then photos of them everywhere....

'Fox love' by FallingLadies

some of my favorite foxes on etsy....

Gift idea Whimsical fox broo... Dinabijushop $22	fox bookmark kids bookmarks ... MosMea $22	Needle Felt Fox Kit - DIY Cr... MakerMagpie $15.5
Woodland Nursery Art--Quick ... trafalgarssqua... $12	Red Fox wood charm necklace theGorgonist $20	The Instant Comfort Pocket B... kimslittlemons... $7.95
Fox on Library Card - Print ... WingedWorld $12	sleeping red fox figurine byrdis $27	Red Fox Wedding Cake Topper ... BonjourPoupett... $150
sweet nothings / original pa... ohchalet $28	Red Fox Necklace, Fox Pendan... thelittlefox $15	Personalized Bookplates - Bo... TheFoxandTheTe... $12
Fox in a Cloud, Ceramic Wall... PearsonMaron $32	Greeting Card -Deer Girl and... honeycup $6	Needle Felted Fox brooch, gi... MishaShop $19

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work in progress

I have been painting girls in my sketchbook, and doing watercolor quotes just cause I felt like it, and also filming myself painting  mandalas for an e-class. I took some photos  of the sketchbook and quotes to share but accidentally deleted them and I am at home and I left the art at work so I can't show them to you this morning. 

I do have two in progress shots of one of the mandalas. 

I planned to use it for the e-class but once the wing showed up now I am not so sure if it will be included since I had planned to make it an easy mandala to recreate...