A little Friday inspiration....

8x10 Doodle art print by Aimee Dolich at Artsyville on Etsy

Yesterday, I sent an email out to four lovely artists that I have been following for quite some time asking some questions about their process. Aimee from Artsyville was gracious enough to take some time out of her day to share some insight with me. She was quick to respond and I appreciate her kind words and advice.

I LOVE Aimee's art. It is so colorful and fun. She has worked hard at finding her own style of doodling, Her blog is full of fun projects. I was checking out some of the cute ideas she has last night. You can find them HERE.She calls them "Creative Diversions (My Crafty Experiments)". 

Check out the "experiment" she did with a roll of cash register paper she found at Office Depot!

I love it!

One thing I was reminded of when I read Aimee's email and looked and her beautiful blog and Etsy shop is that I need to continue to experiment and try new things in order to grow as an artist. 

Aimee did just what this print in her Etsy shop said when she answered my email yesterday. Thank you for your kindness Aimee!

I invite you to visit Aimee's Blog, Shop, and Facebook page. I hope her fun and colorful doodles make you smile and inspire you as much as they do me.

Monday musings... She did it anyway!

Today, I am choosing to do it anyway!

Part of the online art journal course I am taking talks about "doing it anyway". The lesson was about the excuses we make, both real and imagined that get in the way of what we really want. "She did it anyway!" is a Brave Girls mantra. 

I had no idea how many excuses I make everyday that keep me from doing what I really want to every single day until I really sat down and examined how I spent my time. Amazing the things that hold us back. Tired, not enough time, don't feel well, fear, disorganization, facebook, words with friends, t.v., kids,

a little laziness and the mother of them all... procrastination! 

Another thing I have learned from the class is that I have a choice, every single day, every single minute, how I am going to feel, act and react and what I am going to do with each moment. I am the only one who has control of me. It's refreshing to realize that with a little faith in God and myself I can change my situation to be more joyful. I choose to find time for creativity, working out, taking care of myself so I can be a happier human being, mom and wife. 

What will you choose to do anyway today?

 

"N" is for.... Doodle

Copic RV09 Fuschia, Copic YG07 Acid Green, Copic B04 Tahitian BlueFaber Castell Pitt Pens (shades of gray) and Marvy Zig Writer in Black

"N" is for my sweet little Nikki girl! She chose 3 colors. I wasn't sure about that, but as I got going, I was pretty pleased with the outcome.

"K" is for.... Doodle

Copic B04 Tahitian Blue, Copic FV2 Flourescent Dull Violet, Faber Castell Pitt Pens (shades of gray) and Marvy Zig Writer in Black

"K" is for Katelyn.

This one is for my 9 year old. She has become quite the artist herself and requested a letter K after she saw me do the C for Charis.

Next up will be an "N" for my Nikki girl.

Happy doodling!

C is for....

A new doodle finally. I found that I couldn't put down the pens once I got started.

Copic RV09 Fuschia, Copic YG07 Acid Green, Faber Castell Pitt Pens (shades of gray) and Marvy Zig Writer in Black

C is for Charis!

What do you think?

Linking to:

Pregnant lady who loves lettering will work for food....

Last week, my friend Dianne messaged me through Facebook asking if she could bring me breakfast in return for writing on some baseballs for her son's team.

Of course I said yes. I mean what woman who is 21 weeks preggo and ALWAYS hungry would say no?! Plus, the fact that I love Dianne and I love to letter made it easy to say yes.

Here is how they turned out...

All in all, I wrote on 14 balls while visiting with Dianne and she finished the outline at home since we ran out of time. I think they turned out nicely and I hope some daddies thought they were a great gift from their little ball players on Father's Day.

P.S. Dianne so thoughtfully brought a gift card to my favorite store ever... Hobby Lobby! Thanks Dianne!

More personalized fun!

I guess I am on a personalization kick lately. N had a birthday party to go to so we went to Hobby Lobby and picked up one of these trays with our 40% off coupon, bought a few inexpensive art type items to fill it with and went home to make it all Sarah's.

These as well as the clipboards are always a big hit. They aren't expensive and they are so much fun! Sarah LOVED it!

Be sure to check out my previous post if you would love to meet some great new bloggers!

Monday Musings... Inspiration

I got my calligraphy markers out... Not my pens and ink (I just don't feel ready for that yet), but my markers. And I played, and I had fun! While messing around with the pens, I got to wondering what inspires people to create? Is it time with family, a breathtaking view or a song or story? Or do you find inspiration in the mundane everyday goings on in life?

I am inspired by my daughters, by looking around at others' creations, by color... especially by color.

How about you? What inspires you?

Hello 2010! I welcome you with open arms!

“Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Vow not to make a promise you don’t think you can keep. Walk tall, and smile more. You’ll look ten years younger. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I love you’. Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world.” ~ Ann Landers

As you know, I LOVE quotes. I found this one on SITS this morning and I love it! I hope you do too!

I am wanting to make some changes to my blog and so, Friday Favorites will be back next week. I invite all of you to participate. I will have a button for you to use on your Friday Favorites post and will also have an "I was featured!" button too.

This year I would like to get back to one of my true passions, which is hand lettering. I would also like to venture into some mixed media on canvas. I think it could be a lot of fun!

One of the other things I would really love this year is too get to know you all a bit better. I have met some lovely ladies through blogging and am looking forward to meeting more.

Happy New Year my friends! Let's make 2010 the best year yet!

Not Just a Crazy Year... A Crazy Decade!

My Daddy left a couple of hours ago. Yes, I already miss him. 10 days is a long time, but there is never enough time to spend with the ones you love.

So I got to thinking how I cannot wait for 2009 to be done and over with. Not a pretty year at all mind you. But still there were blessings none the less.

I saw how another blogger listed major things that happened in the last decade and I thought to myself, "Self, you have come a long way in the past 10 years!"

2000-Relatively uneventful, just full of fun with friends and the boyfriend.

2001-I was proposed to.

2002- Married in June, pregnant in July, bought our first house in August. This is the year we jokingly said, "We like our stress all at the same time."

2003- We welcomed our first born in March, a daughter, the one of the absolute BEST creations I have ever had the honor of making!

2004- Relatively uneventful.

2005- We welcomed our second born in August, another daughter, ranking right up there with the other absolute BEST creation I have ever had the honor of making!

2006- Relatively uneventful

2007- Midyear my mother had a stroke. :(

2008- K started kindergarten in August. Mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in September, which led to other complications, the start of several months in the hospital, chemo and bowel surgeries.

which brings us to...

2009- In March, I put down my two beloved cats, ages 14 and 15 within 11 days of each other due to renal failure. In May, my sweet Grandma passed away. In August my father-in-law Henry was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed within 2 weeks of his diagnosis. In September I underwent major jaw surgery to correct sleep apnea. In October, my mother passed away, not from the cancer itself, but from the complications I mentioned above. Remember 2002? Well, if we like all our stress at one time, this was definitely the year that proved it!

Needless to say there were many, many blessings in the past decade, but because of this last year, I am more than ready for the new year and new decade.

So, from my family to yours, we wish you a very Happy New Year! May it be blessed with lots of love with family and friends, because... in the end, that is truely what life is about.

Monday Musings... Joy

"Joy is the feeling of grinning inside." ~Melba Colgrove

"Joy is a net of love by which you catch souls." ~Mother Theresa

"Joy is not in things, it is in us." ~Richard Wagner

"There are those that give with joy, and that joy is their reward." ~Kahlil Gibran

"When you wish someone joy, you wish them peace, love, prosperity,

happiness... all the good things." ~Maya Angelou

Wishing you "all the good things" this Christmas season.