What kind of paper is in my art journals?

This recent spread in my art journal is one of my favorite things right now.  

1. I like that there's a white border around the pages.  

2. Texture & blocks of color! 

3. The pasted bits from my collage sheets.  

4. The dark color on the bottom of the right-hand page and the landscape painted on there in blue that's mirrored above.  

5. The writing of story with an ink brush. 

I've been painting lately, working with my oils after a few days away, so I have it out now as I sit on the couch. There are fluid acrylics in a box next to me, a scrapbooking tote filled with acrylics in front of the couch, random bits and stamps on the floor that makes getting up near impossible. I want to collage and sketch and lay down color in a bright mess, rebelling against the strict lines of my painting earlier. 

This spread is also in my Strathmore mixed media art journal. I adore  this paper to no end. It takes every media so well, never gets wavy or stays curled on itself, and is tough . I can't sing its praises enough. Whether I use watercolors or acrylics, I never have to gesso.

Thanks to a coupon at Utrecht, I was able to replace my full Moleskine sketchbook with a new one. I noticed something different with the new one, though, and wonder if you've also observed a difference in quality; the paper seems a little thinner and the cover feels...weird. The one I was using before was from about 4 or 5 years ago. We'll see. I still love it. There's just something about the size and paper that makes me want to collage and draw with my paint markers. 

I've all but converted my Dylusions journal into a sketchbook. I endeavor to draw one face a day in it, and am loving what I've been able to draw! The paper in it is thinner, and whenever I try to use stuff on it, it buckles or curls. Watercolors just do not work in it. I was really sad when I discovered that. But it's smooth and is wonderful under a pencil or ink, so I write and draw and doodle ideas in it. 

In super happy fun news, I have two things to share with you! 

The June issue of warrior call is now available!  

In this issue, we discuss cultivating awareness & how it helps us to distract ourselves from stress, chronic illness, or whatever else keeps us from being creative. There are a couple essays in there, photos galore, journal prompts with examples, 2 guest pieces, and a project that will definitely help you create the life you wish to live!  

I'll also be opening up a discussion forum for this issue on the Ning for you to chat about awareness, share your thoughts, and post art!  

Grab your copy for $4 now! 

I've also decided that anyone who supports the new economy will receive a complimentary issue every month as my way of saying thanks for being brave and supporting the work...your patronage means the world to me! 

The self-study version of Digital Adventures is now up and ready for you to join!

This class is jam-packed with instruction and ideas for you to take your iPad art journaling to the next level. We had such  an awesome time in the live class -- I just adored seeing my students progress, and was able to watch them improve and deepen their digital art journaling. I made it so easy  and answered so many of your questions. 

There are over 20 HD videos with 5+ hours of content just waiting for you to take the leap. Add to that digital goodies, shared files, examples, and more!  

Come on over here to sign up and get started! 

Finding Your True North

I wrote this whole long meandering blog post where it took me roughly eight pages to get to the point, and then I realized how weird I sounded, and slightly insecure, so here's the new, shorter, to-the-point post. 

Today, I read Connie's great blog post about how she runs her (awesomely successful) online business:

"The way I run my business is when I hear to do something in my heart--I do it.

When I hear to no longer do something--I stop doing it."

She then goes on to say that she's not afraid to fail. Well, I am. At least I used to be. Probably still am.

Point: time to follow my own True North. To do what Connie does and focus on what makes my heart sing and stop doing what doesn't. 

I'm going to be doing more videos for YouTube. Woohoo! Why? Because that's my True North. My place of fun and contentment and challenge. Doing videos for someone else, getting to shoot in a wonderful space with both my cameras, voice over and music….love. Just love. Tomorrow, I'm scoping out locations to shoot, and remind you of the New Economy (such as, Samie-Needs-Some-Equipment). 

(By the way, I've decided that all investors in the new economy get a copy of my monthly art journaling and personal growth 'zine, Warrior Call.)

Painting, video diary, regular series. I love the way that sounds. Makes my heart sing. So I'm going to do it. 

Grab the artwork above in my newly-updated Etsy shop! I'll be adding a new print each week! 

The End of Everyday in May: planting a garden of intent

I had just gotten off at the wrong stop for the second time that evening. 

Tired and in the middle of a city I didn't know, I lugged my bag of paint and supplies up the hill, backtracking the route the bus had taken, having overshot my stop again. As I came to the crest, my attention was stolen by those golden rays of twilight that hit us as the sun is setting. Magic hour. At that moment, I had two choices: continue on, ignoring the beauty blooming to my right, or stop to appreciate the moment and find joy in the middle of confusion and frustration.

I chose the second path. 

Before me was the Berkeley Rose Garden, a sunken crescent of winding paths and blooming roses, breaking free of that bud we all find so painful to stay ensconced in. As the sun set, people began walking in from all around, taking the paths hand in hand or exploring the woods nearby, beyond a metal gate. But looking up, oh, the view was a breathtaking vista of the bay and San Francisco, the mountains of Sausalito rising to the right of that iconic red bridge. They were cast in black as the last rays of sunlight shone around them, and nearby, a street musician played the most beautiful, simple music on some sort of modified gong. 

"Wow," I breathed, putting down my bags near an older woman enjoying the view, "I guess there was a reason I got off the wrong bus again."

She smiled at me, then looked down at the huge bag I was carrying. "Where are you headed?"

"Oh, close," I replied, rattling off the cross streets. 

She nodded and said, "My car is right over there, and I don't mind taking your stuff. Just let me enjoy the view for a few minutes."

And that is how I ended up hitch hiking in Berkeley with a professor who was honoring her 11th anniversary without her husband. 

--

I am finding two things are true about the Universe:

1. It may not put us where we want to be, but finds a way to get us where we need to go (just like the TARDIS in that respect);
2. Life manifests under the surface, and often takes its time. 

Some plants take longer than others to bloom, and we need to remember that when looking at our lives and wondering why some things have already happened, and others haven't manifested. It isn't that they won't, but that they simply need more time to germinate. I learned that in that garden, tired and lost but so full of joy. I had wished for months and years for this moment, and I was damn well going to enjoy it while it happened. 

We can grow so impatient with life! Try to order it around, send out wishes and prayers hoping for what we want to happen, and now. If it doesn't, we feel the world is working against us, that maybe nothing will ever go right, that we're always going to be stuck in the tunnel chasing that dot of light that began to glow when we came out of hibernation. 

We don't see what's happening under the surface, or behind the scenes. But here's  something else I've learned -- only the seeds you water begin to grow.  

A lot has happened in the month since I found myself in that garden. Life's thrown a curve ball that keeps me up nights, worried, or striving to care for another. The brilliant thing about it all is that my mother sees this as a lesson, sees that it is the step to something greater, something bigger. A wake up call, she says. I wasn't living before.

It's time to plant some seeds in my life. I may be adventurous and brave and living a life full of things I love, but I need to plant a garden of intent. 

Seeds can't grow without water. Without forward momentum as water and joy as sunlight. We need to make space for these things to happen, clean out the cobwebs that have collected while we indulged the Shadow Self, de clutter self-defeating behaviors. 

We need to nurture the ground the seeds are planted in by showing self-love to ourselves. Flowers can't grow in an acidic environment; it will kill the seed before it even has a chance to drink that first drop of rain. The same is true of ourselves; if we are disbelieving, if we aren't open, aren't daring or adventurous, nothing has the room to grow. We can hope with our whole hearts, but kill those seeds with self-dislike. 

It's a hard cycle to escape. We've been under a spell, angry with ourselves for not doing all we should, for not achieving or being able. Waking up not only exposes us to the good possibilities out there, but to the negativity that may have grown up around us. 

Blogging every day has helped me develop forward momentum. Has quelled the fears and pushed me past anything I was worried about. Earlier this month, I emailed friends about what to do about new work coming out of me, full of fear. Now, I just create because I know I have to do something each day, and that leaves little time for self-doubt. 

It's been a gift and a privilege to speak with you every day this month, and I hope you stick around. While I don't think I'll be posting each day, I'll be around three days a week. I can promise you that. But I like writing here, pontificating, clarifying, creating. I hope you enjoy reading/viewing it, too. 

The Real Truth on How to Cover Layers You Love

Yesterday, I shared the progression of a painting. Today, I want to share the progression of an art journal spread (or pages). Since I know I need to have something to blog each day, I've been taking more shots as I work (and plan to shoot more video while I work, to turn these written transmissions into art video diaries).

Ky recently commented on FB: 

Do you ever feel you've killed a life when you paint over another image? I do. Makes me feel almost criminal. Hush that inner critic!

Honest answer? I used to. I would be petrified of painting over things, especially if I liked them. I felt that I had to save them all, if I could, and even devised a way of painting a background in my e-book that allowed me to save those bits. 

We all make backgrounds we adore, those moments when it all comes together and the magic happens. And while we may feel the urge to continue working and developing what has appeared, we stop, because those urges and instincts can't be right. 

They are.

Example: I have a larger piece I've been working on on-and-off since I got back from Berkeley last month. I was in love with it as each layer developed, but the entire piece felt scattered, without focus. So I kept adding layers. But I hit a point where more layers weren't going to fix anything, and in fact, would only be me avoiding developing the painting further...I'd be procrastinating instead of creating.

It's still sitting on my easel, actually. I started to pull things out last night, after a month of indecisiveness. 

There are two reasons I allowed the joy of spontaneous creativity to begin keeping me from deeper work:

1. I have lately felt that each painting needs a focal point, and can't be abstract. I'm working on this, on allowing a painting to progress without a recognizable subject, but also like painting subjects, so need to go with my gut. 

2. I liked too much of what was underneath and thus got stuck between the past layers and the future painting.

One thing that has helped is this month of daily blogging. I need to do something each day. Even if it's for me only, or just for play. I can't give up or give in: time to Show Up and do the Work. It's proven that inspiration is waiting on you, not the other way around. 

Once I started showing up & creating each day, I felt myself loosen up. Remember a few days ago, when I just gave in to that punch-drunk creativity feeling and made random marks? It really unlocked something inside of me, and I now have this sense of  trust & peace when I create. I no longer fear covering up something I've made and like....I trust that I can continue creating things I'll like since I already know I can. 

Faith, not fear, in art. 

It may sound like a tall order. You may not believe that I'm all here, or that I'm just telling you something you want to hear. Or perhaps you're stuck in that middle ground where you struggle to create something you like. It's fine. You'll get here. There's a giant red X painted on the ground, and the treasure map's already in your hands. 

I wanted to go back to basics and do a gesso resist in my journal. I consciously chose this because it seems like such an "art journaler" thing -- those techniques we all know and do from time to time. It's been years since my last one. But I wanted to play, and did it with some stencils. 

I've forgotten how to do it right, though, because my results weren't as pretty as seen on Pinterest....but that's okay. I went with it. Rolled as the path became clear. Each decision leads to another, and thus, each is important, even if you can't see them all. Without those hidden layers, you'd never get to the top.

I added fluid acrylics (I do love Golden brand), then played with my new script brushes. How else are you supposed to learn how to use them? Layered some Liquitex Ink! and then hit the pages with acrylics....doing some new stuff, varying the brushes to get different shapes. 

Are they finished? No. Going back and adding detail is the best part! But I love the conversation I've had already, and there are so many possible places to go, how could you not be inspired? 

If you must, shoot pics of layers you love. Keep a record. It helps. You can then replicate the process again, if need be. But let them lead you. Inform you. Give you choices. The more layers, the narrower the choices, until you sit back and find there's nowhere left to go but turn the page and start over again. 

Evolution of a Painting

One thing I love about digital cameras/smartphones is that I can take pictures while I work.

Lots and lots of photos.

Taking progress shots allows you to see the evolution of an art journal page or painting instead of simply feel it. You know what I mean....that truth, the deep-seeded knowledge that something has happened, here, progressed while you were engrossed in your work. You can track the choices and follow the threads. Grabbing the teal for the eyes, you then made the heart, then added the stripes, which made you grab the pink to add dots here and marks there. 

I'm happy, oh-so-happy with this one because I decided to get the heck out of my own way and just give in and do whatever -- just because I was painting outside my journal and on a panel didn't mean I had to do something more "worthwhile," "painting-like," or "better." It simply meant I was painting on something different.

So paint. Make marks. Grab whatever color and whatever brush and prove to yourself that you can make something beautiful.

With all this talk about progress shots, I thought I'd share this painting's evolution. 

I was using it to show off my new stylus, but there she is, the first sitting...

Here I was showing off stencils...yummy gold! Second sitting...

Here I had some idea and started painting a figure. Sitting three...

Here I added more detail and decided I hated it. Fourth sitting...

I decided I hated it and painted over the entire thing. Fifth sitting, last night...

I let myself doodle, make marks, and play! Here's the final piece and some detail shots:

"I have a secret to tell..."

12"x12" Mixed-Media on wood

What's a Script Brush?

Still studying color, line, and value over here in the couch art studio. I pull my cart of paints with me into the living room while I keep Mom company and play around, finally open enough to simply play.

I really got in my own way for awhile there, my hands stiff from all the time spent away from the blank page/canvas. They needed to be reminded how to work, how to apply paint. How to let go with all their heart and might and just let things happen. 

My pages and paintings have so many layers. I like to see them as what I had to climb up through to get back to solid footing. I think we think too much and worry and wonder if this is "real art" or "worthy of X" and lose sight of the fact that in order to make anything good, we need to make things. 

Something Ruthie said to me on IG the other day keeps rining through my head. "Faith not fear in art."

She had just made a beautiful new apron, and I commented that I'd be afraid to wear it because it'd get covered in paint. We want to keep things pristine, perfect, for the next rainy day, the next moment we have time. She's inspired me to actually make a ruffled apron to wear and get covered in paint. I think it would be a good lesson in letting go & impermanence. 

Here's your art tip for the day. I often wondered how artists drew on their canvases with paint so easily when I couldn't get very far with my brush. The trick? A script brush. Above are two in sizes 1 & 4. They're magic. They move and swirl and draw with you, and do it so easily. Plus, I grabbed these for less than $2.50 each, so I didn't have to spend much at all! The swirls and scallops above were done with these, as well as this flower and the writing you can see. 

I don't know if I'll have much painting time the next few days, so I'll try to share adventures with you instead. We're almost to the end of May...and I only now feel like I'm getting settled with this blogging every day. That's life, though! Just as soon as you figure things out, everything changes.

Lessons From a Painting Day

Oops! I definitely thought about blogging yesterday, and even did some art, but when the evening came, I ended up turning in early and falling asleep; I read perhaps a paragraph of my book before I was out! 

I'm finally falling into a steady rhythm after the whirlwind that has been April and May. I just wrapped up the last video for my online workshop Digital Adventures and while I'm glad to have that time freed up, I'm eager to fill it with a new project. My time can be so unpredictable; in caring for another, you come dangerously close to losing yourself. It's been hard to build boundaries, and my empathic nature has me rushing in to help all the time, but I'm figuring it out. 

Today was a fantastic day! I spent it painting. 

When was the last time you painted all day?

For me, it's been awhile. I've done a couple of hours here and there, but no day-long adventures with paint and oil pastels and pencils. It truly is amazing and such a teaching kind of day. 

Teaching how? This morning, I texted Carissa a photo of a larger piece I'm working on and said, "This painting keeps getting layers as I battle fear. Any suggestions?"

She had a few. And one I already knew but didn't trust myself to listen. "Move onto another piece and look at that one from afar." She also helped me by just being a cheerleader and good friend, which I adore her for. The funny thing? I was already doing what she suggested when the message came through. 

It turned out to work. I pulled my cart out into the living room so I could keep painting while keeping an eye on my mother, and started painting. And yes, I'd get interrupted, and I had a couple errands to run, but in the end, after hours of fun and the sun had set, I began to get that punch-drunk feeling that comes with so many hours of concentrated creativity. You know what I'm talking about; when you stop thinking and just have a good time. 

That is where this journal spread came from. I got out of my own way. I stopped thinking about color theory or composition or balance and just had a bit of fun in my journal. This is why art journals are so indispensable. Have you been able to let loose lately? What is holding you back?

Here are a couple of detail shots from the painting I finished today. I'll share the full thing with you soon...

A simple Saturday.

Today was a simple day. I ate out yesterday and forgot that one of the main ingredients in most soups is flour (used as a thickening agent), and soon felt that oh-so-pleasant migraine that comes with being exposed to gluten.

Decided to read and doodle. Grabbed a big bucket of markers and started testing them on the pages of my art journal; these little marks will be so fun to work over when I get to them with paint! Everything can be used to help you get over the fear of the blank page!

I sold an original painting to a friend this afternoon, too! Remember, you can get 20% off your order through Monday by using the code LEAPIG in my Etsy shop!

Now, I shall be off to use those markers that aren't dead to color in this drawing. I'm moving on to give my figures cute outfits, and am trying to illustrate ideas and stories. In going to sit down at my magic typewriter tomorrow to write their stories. Was kinda scared to share the sketch, but I need to remember to keep making brave leaps!

Taking brave leaps!

Two nights ago, I took a brave leap and edited, reformatted, and listed my e-book from earlier this year, Going Further, on Amazon for the Kindle (and such e-reading devices). It took a lot of guts, and I'm already learning about putting yourself out there on such a big stage, but so many of you have made the leap with me, I'm in good company. 

So if you haven't seen it yet, go check it out. It's $9.99 and full of so many techniques! Let's thrive together, create, make, and journal. 

You can grab it in your respective country, as well, download it directly, and dive in. 

(If you previously bought it as the complete e-book, I would love it if you'd write a review!)

I have also done a massive Etsy shop update, full of prints of all different sizes and prices and several original pieces of artwork that are ready to find new homes. Check it all out and see if there's something that speaks to you. 

Go on. I won't keep you. 

PS. I missed the pink too much, so gave myself ombré pink/magenta hair yesterday! So here's a smile from me to you; imagine my arms are around you in a warm hug.

Random marks & color theory.

Didn't get to my journal and paintings until late tonight, so instead of starting anything new, I pulled out some basics and added to pages that already were near being finished. Do you do that? Add idle doodles or random marks just to get your hand moving, the paint and color flowing, all the while never knowing that, in those moments, you may add just what something was missing?

I have a metal leaf adhesive pen that makes my silver leaf look worn and uneven, and I love it.

Marks in reddish orange pastel over blue and green. Exploring more color relationships. These are complimentary colors, and create strong contrast. I listened to the TV as I just kept making mark after mark. Repetition. I never appreciated it before.

I'm not a huge fan of the color green, but I've been exploring its various shades and hues as I continue to study color theory. I like reading about all the different relationships and then hitting my journal to figure things out. I'm in love with the cadmium red hue I bought a few weeks ago...such a bright, brilliant red...which means I need to find a green to pair with it that doesn't look like Christmas! But as you can see here, it goes so well with teal, which is my favorite color, so it all worked out!

The reds on the right are analogous colors, meaning they're next to each other on the color wheel, with one being a primary. Still some contrast, but not as strong as the others. 

See? All sorts of things to learn, even late at night, making random marks...

It's okay to be semi-creative.

Some days, despite all the best intentions, you just don't get to do as much creative play as you'd like to.

And that's okay. If out of the past 22 days, today is the first that I haven't done much art, then wow, I've really been doing good! I've already accepted that I won't finish something each day, but I'm glad that I'm working.

Instead, I talked offering ideas with a friend, read for a bit, and worked on cleaning up another digital page on my iPad. And went to see Star Trek for the second time (when I told my mother, she seemed disappointed that I've only seen it twice!) with a friend before a quick dinner of Chinese food. 

Honestly, if there's one thing I've learned this month, it's that we need to take time for ourselves away from the house. Diving into my art practice is helpful, and has been helping me cope for years, but I'm also learning that I need to get out, clear my head, and be. 

I'll leave you with a quick picture I took of the digital work I did today...just clean up, details, and some fun. She'll get more jewelry tomorrow, and a background. I'd like to add a quote or song lyrics....so if she reminds you of any, let me know! 

Day #21 of Everyday in May!

Kinda reached a milestone! 21 days of blogging art everyday. It's certainly lit a fire under me to get creating and put down some color each day.

I've been working on a bunch of digital drawings/paintings/art journal pages on the iPad to put together the final lessons for Digital Adventures as of late. I haven't been able to keep up the pace of one a day, since they take as long as a regular art journal spread or page, but I'm still playing and discovering new things.

For example, I'm toying with a new way to paint hair. What do you think? It's so easy but gives the impression that I've spent a long time with it! Magic!

I'd like to call this one 'Growing Wings,' as they don't sprout all at once, but grow as you do.

Paint & Color.

Today's been a long, exhausting, kind of sucky day. So I turn to paint and color on a canvas and in my art journal to cheer me up.

The first few layers of something. Done on a Blick Studio Artist's Board....and I have to say, I really, really like it. I grabbed a couple when I was there in Berkeley, and the weight, texture, and way the paint moves/dries on it is awesome. I may have found my new favorite! Plus, they're ready to hang!

I really love the colors, and the gold is yummy, but do you think it's too much? I'm thinking I may paint over a substantial amount, since it seems to be overpowering. What would you do next?

And some layers in the art journal. I love writing into wet paint, and the new doily I picked up in the dollar bin at Michael's last weekend. It makes such a cool shape. And the gold paint just coated everything so well! Here is where the gold is beautiful, but not over-powering. On the left is some fluorescent pink/red (it's darker in larger concentrations; I flipped a stencil over on the page after spraying through it for a bit). Just loving everything about this bit right now. What would you do next? Or would you leave it alone? 

I'm almost finished with my book (ahem - a really good, long Star Trek fanfic, actually! *geek*) and am turning in early to finish it. I'm wiped and it's only 10:30pm. I'm getting old! *grin*

make a pattern. repeat.

I love making patterns...repeated marks on the page to be used as hand-cut stencils, perhaps. It's a bit easier on the iPad than in the physical world, but mark-making has become my newest love.

I also painted a bit on this amazing machine. I've learned so much, and continue to refine my abilities...

How was your weekend?

Like free journal page.

Managed to grab a little time for myself today. I like having one day a week when I can be lazy and ignore my to-do list, and today was that day.

Still, I managed to play. I often find myself grabbing for my journal when I see someone wearing an outfit I like on tv or in a movie, my skills far enough along that I can quickly take down a sketch.

What inspires you right now? How can you capture more of it?

I almost feel like the air is charged with ideas, and I'm running around with a butterfly net. I'm always ready to churn something out!

How far have you come?

Trapped in the waiting room for nearly 20 minutes, I dug my Moleskine out of my purse and searched with my hand for pencil...only to find there was nothing inside.

And then I remembered this post by Alisa's husband Andy, about drawing with a ball point pen, and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. 

Was I scared? You bet! Drawing with a pen is so permanent....no room to erase or change things if you mess something up, like and eye or part of the nose. Best to draw and erase and strive for perfection -- NOT! I don't know how I was able to draw the girl above with a pen, while sitting in one of those uncomfortable waiting room chairs, where time stretches on forever (in a most unpleasant way), but when I sat back and looked at her, all I could think was: 

When did this ability develop? 

It's not the best. But the fact that I was able to do it with any sort of proficiency astounded me. While I learned to draw and began keeping an art journal years ago by drawing daily, those were things I was looking at. I'm still learning to pull more and more from my imagination, but wow! 

In an effort to get a conversation going, I thought I'd end these little posts by inviting you to participate. I've been going back and answering comments, and want to reference them in future posts. For today: 

When was the last time you allowed yourself to be in awe of your talent?

I'm sure your friends have complimented you, and you may have brushed off the kindness, not believing in how far you've come. If you haven't sat back to see all the steps you've already taken in this journey, perhaps today is a good time to do so. Find some old journals and look at what used to be your "best." How far have you come? How much have you developed? 

Remember:

Chart your course and keep to it.

This post brought to you by Samie realizing the point to a recent lesson , so we're all going to believe in ourselves this weekend! Go paint/draw/collage/create!

Reworking layers.

Spent the evening watching the 'Elementary' season finale while working layers on her face...I feel pulled to finish the WIP stack in the corner of my space.

Sea & Sky

Have you ever put an old CD in, half-remembering what it is, and then a song comes on and you're jolted from your seat to years earlier, the summer sun on your face, in a different city, and different place in your life? 

Who is that you that you go to visit? And why do we then play the song over and over again? Is it to create a stronger tether to this earlier time? 

Perhaps it's to escape. While we may be in control of our present moments, they can sometimes get away from us. Spiral out. Life becomes so complicated, you no longer have time to repeat mantras or remember all those lessons you've learned from a magical book or person. And then, suddenly, you're somewhere else, remembering the silly commercial this song played on and where you were and wow, have I come far from then. 

I love the unexpected connection that is coming from posting every night. I know I'm pushed to sit down and create, if only for an hour, just so I have something new to share. There's something about social accountability that keeps me, most of the time, in line! 

For example, Susan Jane commented that I shouldn't ink the entire flower in the painting below because it adds tension. After sitting with it for a few days, I could see her point, and decided it only needed a little bit of gold to finish off the piece. And so, I declare this painting finished. 

It's hard for me to let it be simply because I love paintings with central figures; even flowers….ah, I see how that works! Sometimes I just have to write things out to figure out why I feel a certain way! 

It is 17.5"x23" mixed media on reclaimed wood and available for purchase. I love it so much, I'll be making prints. 

And I played around with a new idea I had the other day, that is, using progress shots of paintings as backgrounds for quotes. Just a little fun to be had! And this quote really spoke to me and what I'm thinking/exploring right now. 

I leave you with some pages from my journal. I think I'm finally settling into things and getting on to exploring expression and story. Even hair and details. All three are destined for canvases (two are already half-done!). Never forget the power of paper and pencil…you can literally create worlds. 

Painting play date.

I needed some time away to give me a chance to relax and refill my well, and I'd told Shelley all I've been wanting to do lately is paint, so she said hooray and I headed over after taking care of Mom for a bit. 

I like hanging out with Shelley. She just got back from Pixie Campbell's latest painting retreat and filled me in on all the magic. Oh, how I long to go one day! As long as I can continue to pull in video clients and start attracting consulting clients (both for how to make your videos better -- and you could do well to make them better! and painting clients), I may have a chance. Possibly. If pigs fly. 

Keep an eye out your window! 

I'm slowly updating my Etsy shop -- physical collage sheets went up, and some of the older prints were re-listed. I'm hoping to post new prints soon, but to be honest, I'm no longer in any rush. I don't want to overwhelm you with all these things I'm releasing. I may still have a shifting audience, or perhaps everyone's making their way back over, but I think I need to do some thinking and journaling before I step back out. 

Anyway, Shelley is a breath of fresh air. She wears the jewelry I want to wear. Makes essential oils and balms -- she's a little apothecary (though she'd never call herself one!) in the shade of a mountain with cute pups wandering the house. She spins thread and yarn and has a beautiful collection of objects that form an alter. We met on Facebook via Pixie but probably would have met through other friends at some point. 

I'm finding there are people swirling around me connected indirectly yet tightly bound by the same ideas, same needs and wants and quests. And I feel as though the universe is pulling on those threads, ever so slowly, and asking more and more of me, stretching my abilities and yanking me from my comfort zone. 

Plus, I'm a bit wobbly when it comes to stability, drawing-wise. Just look at the three girls I was working on today…they're all different, done within the same week, worked on today, and yet I still find my hands moving in new ways. What does it all mean? Will I ever figure things out? I'd love to find a way that's steady enough for me to stretch out into illustrating stories/scenes, as Gwen has asked me to try (she's one of the people pushing me!). 

We'll see what happens. I'll be rendering a lot of video tomorrow, which serves for ample doodling time. 

Isn't this just the best color combo? 

I framed this print of my Tiara painting and OMG am I in love with it! She now has a prominent place on my wall, a shining reminder that we all need to remember our crowns!

Old school cut and paste.

Spent the afternoon with a pile of color copies of journal pages, a pair of scissors, & a yummy green tea smoothie thing that ended up making me feel yucky (caffeine and I don't get along very well).

When I started making collage sheets oh-so-long-ago, I didn't have a tablet, or iPad, or any way to easily create them digitally, so I started this tradition of making nice with the copy machine at my local office supply store for a bit before finding someplace calm to cut out whatever caught my eye. The process is simple: 

Look through pages. 

Cut out patterns/images/spots that are interesting.

Play Tetris on sheets of white paper until VOILA!

Collage sheets.

I've been so in love with my work as of late (as in, pretty colors/patterns/marks!) that I walked out with 26 copies in my hands and spent the evening trying to puzzle things out. You want a good balance between big and small elements, between general stuff and detail-y stuff, etc. Does that etc make sense? Anyway, more things that should be considered.

I'm a sucker for collage sheets myself, which makes creating them easy. All I have to do is ask: does this sheet look fun to play with?

Since I'll be playing with my own copies of these tomorrow, I think I've answered the question!

Right now, I have a question of importance to ask you.

Do you like downloads (instant gratification) or physical sheets (fun in the mailbox!)?

Since I'm expanding my Etsy shop tomorrow/this week with more prints/paintings/little things, having physical collage sheets isn't a big deal anymore. Just let me know in comments, please?

(If you like downloads, the sheets have been uploaded here for your purchasing pleasure.)

And Gywn, sorry that there's a link there at the end; I don't want to fall back to impersonal saleswoman speak (it's exhausting anyway!). Relating my day, and makin' something for y'all was what I did. Well, that and wheeled mom around a bit. Got videos up for Digital Adventures. Watched Star Trek. Am posting from bed.