Change of plans

Even though I never posted it, I had planned out goals for 2017 as well as plans for what art I wanted to do or try, 

Then any number of little things happen to set me off on a related but different path....like I probably saw some art I liked different from mine, or certain colors I liked. 

And also there is the dreaded activity of scanning and lightening up the art I did for the alphabet kids so I can make it into a book. I hate that part, especially since I got a newer version of photoshop when I got my Mac so now I really have to start from scratch as far as knowing what I am doing.  

So, from a combination of procrastination, and new inspiration I started on Valentines cards.... lighter, hopefully softer and looser looking .....  

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 And these four cards, have led me on to a whole new direction that I will show later. 

Hopefully once I tackle photoshop I will get these printed as cards and in my Etsy shop! 

Happy paint party Friday!

Happy paint party friday

Happy Paint Party Friday a day late.  Lots of alphabet pages to show today. I may even have them all done now, I just have to gather them all up and check as they are now scattered throughout 3 different sketchbooks ...

 

 

      I have been sick again, another stomach bug, like last month.  I hope that is done for the winter,  it was No fun at all. So Still feeling like hibernating a bit, and staying quiet and still. 

But I hope you are all well. 

Sunday sketches

Argh, I spent another hour redoing yesterday's post and BlogPress deleted it again instead of posting. No idea why, as these quicker posts work just fine.

I was so frustrated I gave up again and painted instead. The Problem with that was I had left my paints at work. So I searched my house, found these VERY old Sakura water colors, a brand new brush still in it's packaging and an also new portable palette. It was messy to get it set up as some of the paints were dry and I had to puncture or tear open the tubes but turns out they work just fine. I actually love some of the colors even more than the set I normally use, the Prussian blue is incredible. I may do a painting in nothing but Prussian blue and payne's gray as that has always been my favorite too.















Here's some color practice, to see if I liked the colors. I got the texture by dabbing them with a paper towel before they dried.

Then I did a sketch after reading the free assignments on "make art that sells" website. I haven't purchased their latest e-class about illustrating children's books that starts today or tomorrow but I wish I could. It looks great.





Happy Sunday sketches all!

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Small magic of little altars all around

I wrote a very long post using the BlogPress app and instead of posting, the app deleted the post. Actually third time it has done this to me. Can anyone tell me A good app to use to post from an iPhone? I am giving BlogPress up, too much wasted time.

I will rewrite my small magic, and ppf post soon....

Sunday sketches

Another goal for 2017 was to finish my alphabet book and I have gotten a few more letters done or started. Only a few more to go then a poster using ALL of the kids and animals. That should be the fun part!












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Been practicing my lettering

If you are on instagram you may have already seen some of these. I am there as 'fallingladies'. One of my goals for 2017 was to get better at watercolor lettering so here is some practice. I printed off a free page of calligraphy from the internet to look at, but everything is fine straight in with watercolor and a brush, no pencil first. I found that easier than when I tried to use a brush marker, with that every hesitation showed.
Practice
Practice
Practice















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Look back at 2016

I started off this year quilting on my English paper pieced quilt, inspired by the passacaglia quilt. I will post a photo of it soon....where I hope to pick it back up and start again.


And then I worked on a future mandala e-class that never came to be because I lost the videos of painting 6 mandalas when my computer died. Took me most of the year to go replace the dead PC with a mac (that I still barely know how to use.) I use my new iPhone instead.







I did finish my children's picture book; the Bee Queen's Message and self published it. I offer it in my Etsy shop.
I also offer the other book of mine that came out this year; Mandalas for The Inspired Artist.
And
I had a mandala tutorial and interview in the on line magazine heArt magazine!
3 big things from my bucket list!!!!

I started a second children's picture book; an alphabet book.
I made a lot of progress before getting inspired elsewhere. It is on the list to finish in 2017, along with the novel started years ago.



















This year I made a daily list of things I was thankful for; the first post was Here...I did keep it up all year.

I put a lot of art in my sketchbooks....







And I designed a lot of fabric, my main seller being a doll... the Bee Queen.

























I designed a logo and new headers for my Etsy shop, blog and the new website I created then let go....

I created a few tutorials for the blog....Hombre garden tags
And
Designing your own fabric
And
Butterfly wall art

I have book proposal out that I have high hopes for in 2017.

I started a new series of blog posts about finding small magic on life. The first one is Here

I worked on designing monsters and will create some projects with the final designs in the year to come. I also designed and created some new items for my etsy shop: textile embroidered and painted pieces, little penny dolls, mini books, a pouch of story rocks, and a pouch of meditation cards. Then I ended the year sewing again, this time on little ornaments of felt.

Other than art wise.... I had grown kids move out and back in. The house has been a bit crowded with the now adults and all the pets, but it is still nice having them home.
They are all so different, I have no idea how they are all mine. Here's the oldest , Brandy on one of her many hikes in Arizona...







And here is Jesse, next in line, a hippy who loves pets and is nothing at all like Brandy's athletic personality....







Next there is Wade Whiskey, who turned 21 and who is now a Nihilist, (I know, he doesn't look it but what actually does a Nihilist look like?) and the only photo I have of him all year is this one his sister took on his birthday....







My youngest had a growth spurt and now towers over me at 5'9" and 240 lbs at 14 years old. Thankful his violent tendencies have gone down as his weight has gone up! He is a sweetheart still...







We went back to "our" cabin at Gilbert lake again his year and had a nice quiet week there.
And I enjoyed my garden again this year, even though it was a hot dry summer.







That pretty much covers my year, everything I can think of at least.... now off to make more plans for 2017!

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