I had an absolute blast creating the inchies for Amy Maricle’s Inchie Challenge at Mindful Art Studio. I made this 4 inch square journal for the inchies. I painted each page with coordinating watercolor paint and decorated the outside covers with pens and doodles.
This is a short video of my journal hope it inspires you to create something fun this Labor Day Weekend!
I can’t believe yesterday was Day 12 and the last day of Amy Maricle’s Inchie Challenge at Mindful Art Studio.
I had such fun creating these inchies in varying sizes. I guess what I liked the most is that you’re given a starting point on what to create with the prompts given. You don’t have to burn a fuse trying to decide on “what” you’re going to create. You only need to think about the “how” part of the creation process.
Plus I love seeing everyone’s creative muse at play. There were so many wonderful designs, loved them all! Now I have to make a mini journal to put these into 😊
Hope you enjoyed this adventure in art with me, thanks for stopping by!!!
Amy Maricle at Mindful Art Studio is hosting another Inchie Challenge. I participated last year and had so much fun I couldn’t resist joining again.
The idea is to create a small piece of art based on a prompt provided by Amy, every day, for 12 days. You should use 2×2 inch squares of paper but I already have varying sizes cut so I’m using what I have in my stash.
Creating simple pages in a journal can bring so much joy. I’m still working in my Simplest Things Journal which I started as part of Amy Maricle’s Challenge at Mindful Art Studios. I find I’m taking notice more of the wonderful patterns that surround me in my environment that I never saw before.
As most of you know, I’m a huge fan of color, lots and lots of colors. I love playing with paints and creating new colors when they mix. Some don’t go as expected and others are a wonderful surprise. But for me, the color mixing is one of the most fun parts of this art journaling process.
Another great aspect of art journaling is it’s a great way to unwind and destress yourself. You only need a few minutes of time a day to work on the creation of a new page and minimal supplies. So it’s a win win!
Hope this inspires you to create some art!
Thanks for stopping by!!!
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“Color is a super power that directly influences the soul.” ~Wassily Kandinsky
With summer fast approaching I thought it would be nice to squeeze in at least 1 more spring art journal layout. I love bunnies and trees and wanted to create something magical with the two.
I started creating lots of layers and used paper doilies for the top of the tree. I found the words “Weaving Magic” that I had cut out from a magazine and saved in my stash and thought it would be perfect for this layout.
I was originally going to add more critters to these pages but I liked the idea of keeping it simple and focusing on the bunny’s wonder of all things magical. What do you think?
I hope this inspires you to create some magic this weekend✨
Thanks for stopping by!!!
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“Everything is magical when you see it with your heart.” ~Unknown
Sometimes the greatest joy comes from the smallest and simplest of things. In filling my Simplest Things Journal which I started as part of Amy Maricle’s Challenge at Mindful Art Studios I’m finding so much joy and freedom as I create different designs with simple marks.
There are different steps in my process. For some of these I’ll start by creating small tiles, in varying sizes that I stash away until I’m ready to use them. Other pages will begin with a watercolor wash in the journal and then I go from. Really it comes down to doing what makes you happy at that moment and I honor that.
If you’re going through any kind of stress or you just need a break this is ideal and so beneficial for your heart and soul. You can check out online classes, YouTube videos or simply pick up a pen and get some paper and start playing. You’ll be amazed at how good it feels. The best part is you don’t need a big block of time, a few minutes a day is all you need!
Hope this inspires you to create some art!
Thanks for stopping by!!!
Share the Happy💖
“Color is the place where our brain and the universe meet.” ~Paul Klee
Sometimes we all need an unwind and the concept in Amy Maricle’s book “Draw Yourself Calm,” the practice of slowing down has been very sound advice. We live in a fast paced world and this is an excellent practice to help you destress. I try to create one a day. It doesn’t always work out to that but I do end up with several a week.
I like using 140lb watercolor paper because it can stand up to just about anything especially wet mediums like paint and inks. I’ll start by cutting a 9×12″ piece of paper into several sizes: 2 and 3 inch squares, ATC size, 3×4 and anything else I’m in the mood for. That way I always have them on hand and ready for some creative fun. When the mood strikes me, I’ll use my Sakura Pens to create some pretty cool designs.
I’m filling up a small basket of these little gems. Some I plan to use in my journals while others I may incorporate into larger pieces of art. Either way, I have a nice selection to choose from. Plus I have the satisfaction of creating and completing a work of art even though it may be small😊
I hope this helps you to stay inspired and create some art!
Thanks for stopping by!!
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“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” ~Edgar Degas
The big day is here! I just received my newest issue of Stampington’s Art Journaling Magazine in the mail and my article along with my Angel Journal are featured on pages 118-122🎉 Angel Valentina, shown above is one of the angels in the article.
Many of you followed me on this incredible artistic journey as I created these angels and filled my journal. It was a wonderful experience and I’m so grateful that my art was chosen for publication and that you were with me on this journey.
Thank you to all of my readers for your love and support. It means the world to me💖💖
This issue is scheduled to hit the newsstands on April 1st so make sure to pick up your copy so you can read the article✨
Have a beautiful weekend!!
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“Angels live among us. Sometimes they hide their wings, but there is no disguising the peace and hope they bring.” ~Unknown
I thought with Spring upon us very soon I’d share with you, this watercolor abstract I made a while ago. I used my Cricut machine to cut out the letters for the word Imagine and I framed it in a 12 inch square frame. This painting hangs in my studio because it was one of the first things I painted when I came back to my art after a somewhat long hiatus😊
I love that the flowers are loosely painted and you have to use your imagination to see them. It was also a fun way to experiment with the paints and let the colors mingle.
Our imagination is so important in our everyday lives. We use it for everything our minds dreams of and we create from that. So have some fun today and use your imagination✨
I hope you’re week if off to a great start! Thanks for stopping by!!!
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“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” ~Carl Sagan
This past week I joined Laly Mille a very talented artist from France for a free online workshop. It was absolutely wonderful as we created this journal spread together. I find Laly’s art mesmerizing with the lovely colors and dreamy romantic layers that pull you into each painting.
This butterfly spread took several layers but it was worth the wait. Originally I wanted the angels to be fully visible but then I thought angels are rarely seen but you know that they’re there. So I covered them a little, making them much softer and I liked how they turned out. I love pretty much the entire spread but my favorite part I think is the twinkling fairy lights, they look magical ✨ What’s your favorite part?
I highly recommend you hop over to Laly Mille’s site and revel in the beauty of her art at LalyMille.com. She also offers online courses which are available on her site.
Hope this inspires you to create some art!
Thanks for stopping by!!!
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“I dream of the painting and then I paint my dream.” ~Vincent Van Gogh