I’ve always been amazed at how a face can tell a whole story without saying a single word. One glance can share a feeling, a mood, or even a little secret. That’s why I love creating faces so much. Whether they turn out whimsical, serious, detailed, or abstract, each one brings its own unique emotion.
This particular piece was a fun practice session in my Strathmore watercolor soft-cover journal. It’s one of my first portraits using acrylic paints and inks. There were parts I really enjoyed and a few things I didn’t love as much—like blending the skin tones. I find that so much easier with watercolor, probably because I’m more used to working with it. But trying something new is all part of the adventure, right?
I still think about some of my very first watercolor portraits… those faces were definitely on the blotchy side! But that’s the beauty of learning—practice really does make a difference.
I’ve been rethinking a few things behind the scenes, so you’ll be seeing some changes coming to my Etsy shop and this site soon. I’m still working out the details, but I’ll keep you updated as everything comes together.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Wishing you a bright, happy week ahead.
Once a year, the world feels just a little more playful. Pumpkins line doorsteps. Costumes take over closets. Adults and kids alike find themselves caught up in the excitement of something that’s all too rare in our day-to-day lives: pure, creative fun.
Halloween isn’t just about candy or costumes—it’s a yearly invitation to loosen up, use our imaginations, and remember how good it feels to play.
🧡 Letting Go of Being So Serious
Modern life often comes with a constant pressure to be polished, productive, and in control. But Halloween gives us permission to hit pause on all of that. It’s a reminder that not everything has to be so serious.
When you put on a costume—even a simple one—you’re saying, “Today, I choose joy.” You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be present. Whether you’re handing out candy, carving a pumpkin, or walking through a neighborhood full of decorations, you’re participating in something simple and powerful: fun for fun’s sake.
🌟 Reawakening the Imagination
When’s the last time you played pretend?
Halloween is powered by imagination. It brings us back to a mindset we knew well as kids—the freedom to invent, explore, and dream without rules. Whether you’re creating a costume, decorating your space, or telling a spooky (but not too spooky) story, you’re flexing your creative muscles in the best possible way.
And imagination isn’t just for October 31st. It’s something we use in everyday life—solving problems, telling stories, thinking ahead. Halloween just reminds us how joyful and refreshing it can be when we let that creativity run free.
🍬 Enjoying the Moment
There’s something beautiful about the simplicity of Halloween joy.
Kids running from house to house. Laughter echoing down the street. The crunch of leaves, the glow of jack-o’-lanterns, the sense that—just for tonight—it’s okay to just be in the moment.
Halloween doesn’t require expensive plans or perfect conditions. It invites us to slow down and enjoy what’s right in front of us: a playful moment, a spark of imagination, a shared smile.
✨ Let the Spirit of Play Stay With You
So this Halloween, whether you’re dressing up, decorating the house, or simply soaking in the season, give yourself the gift of play. Let your imagination take the lead. Let go of the need to do everything “right.”
Because when we allow ourselves to be a little more playful, we feel more alive, more connected, and often—more ourselves.
What’s one way you’re bringing a little more play and imagination into your life this season? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear how you’re celebrating!
Every now and then, a journal page comes together in the most unexpected—and delightful—way.
Take this one, for example: a colorful little abstract filled with watercolor, gouache, and some playful collage elements. The stars? Pink and yellow birds I stamped and painted myself, full of whimsy and personality. But the real surprise? Their tail feathers are made from a white cupcake liner. Yep, straight from the kitchen to the art table. Because who says cupcake liners are just for baking?
I love moments like this—when the creative process is loose, joyful, and totally unplanned. It was one of those no-rules kind of pages that made me smile the whole time I was working on it. Adding a little “kitchen magic” gave it even more charm, and reminded me just how fun it is to experiment and be playful with materials.
Now I’m curious… what’s the quirkiest thing you’ve ever added to your journal or artwork? I’d absolutely love to hear!
Wishing you a wonderfully inspired weekend, filled with color, creativity, and maybe even a few unexpected supplies. 🌸✨
Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was more than just a painter—he was an architect, scientist, engineer, and visionary thinker whose curiosity knew no bounds. Best known for masterpieces like Mona Lisa (pictured below left) and The Last Supper (pictured below right), da Vinci’s art captures human emotion with remarkable realism, thanks to his mastery of light, shadow, and perspective.
But Leonardo’s genius extended far beyond the canvas. He filled notebooks with studies of anatomy, flight, botany, and mechanics, designing inventions centuries ahead of his time, including flying machines and early concepts of robots. His keen observations and relentless curiosity made him a true Renaissance polymath, influencing both art and science in profound ways.
Leonardo da Vinci’s boundless curiosity and mastery across disciplines continue to inspire artists, scientists, and inventors, proving that creativity and knowledge go hand in hand. His ability to blend science with art, observation with imagination, and precision with wonder reminds us that the pursuit of learning is limitless—and that imagination has the power to shape the future. Whether sketching a flying machine or capturing the human soul in a portrait, da Vinci’s legacy teaches us that artistic expression and discovery go hand in hand. In his own words, ‘Learning never exhausts the mind’—a timeless reminder to keep exploring, questioning, and creating.
Hope you enjoyed this post today, thanks for stopping by!
It’s hard to believe we’re already into November, with Thanksgiving just around the corner. As I start looking ahead to next year, I’m setting some exciting goals for my art journey—planning both what I want to accomplish and the new techniques I’m eager to explore.
One of my personal goals is to complete a watercolor landscape in my journal each week. I’m a huge fan of Kolbie Blume, the talented artist behindThis Writing Desk. Her books—Wilderness Watercolor Landscapes, Stunning Watercolor Seascapes, and Mastering Light in Watercolor—are my go-to guides for inspiration and technique. With all three on my shelf, I’ve decided to challenge myself to paint through each one, creating a new piece from her books each week until I’ve explored them all.
The paintings shown here were inspired by an online art challenge Kolbie hosted last year, which was a fantastic learning experience. I’m excited to dive back into her work and continue learning, especially as I build my skills in capturing the beauty of nature with watercolor.
If you haven’t checked out Kolbie’s work, I highly recommend it. Her books, website, and YouTube channel offer fantastic tutorials for watercolor lovers at any level. I hope this inspires you to set your own creative challenges for the upcoming year!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend filled with inspiration! 🌄✨
This creation is part of the Scrappy8Challenge on Instagram! I fell behind because I’ve got so many projects going on in the studio, but this artwork is for July’s prompt: “Trash to Treasure.” My original plan was to use chocolate wrappers to create something fun, but that would have meant eating a lot of chocolate! Not that I’m complaining, but I am trying to be good 😇
Sometimes things simply don’t go as planned. I had painted a watercolor abstract that just didn’t turn out the way I wanted. But with the July prompt in mind, I thought, why not salvage it and turn it into a treasure?
I had a lot of fun punching out butterflies—each one unique—and adding them to my journal. After finishing, I thought maybe leaving the background white would have been better—sometimes less really is more! But you know what? I still like how it turned out. And now, I’m officially all caught up! 🎉
I hope this piece inspires you to create something fun this weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Share the Happy💖
“Open your heart and mind like the wings of a butterfly. See then how high you can fly.” ~Zeenat Aman
Ever wondered what goes on inside an artist’s mind? Well, this journal layout is a little peek into mine! I’m all about bright, fun, happy colors, whimsical touches, and the magic of everyday life. Roses and flowers? Absolutely love them. Music and art? They all make my heart sing.
This creation is part of the Scrappy8Challenge on Instagram. I fell a bit behind because of the many projects I’ve got going on in the studio, but this artwork is for June’s prompt: “Makes my heart sing.” So many ideas came to mind, but the real challenge was capturing the feeling in a way that truly resonates.
After some thought, I chose ‘Art’ because, no matter what’s happening in the world, creating always brings me joy, happiness, and peace. This artwork was made in my favorite 4.5×5″ handmade watercolor journal. I used watercolor paints and markers, a white Posca pen for highlights, a sketch pencil for shading, and of course, a bit of glitter for that extra sparkly magic✨
I’ve got one more layout to do for July, and then I’ll be all caught up. I’m planning to work on that this week, juggling it with my other projects. I hope this piece inspires you in some way!
Thank you so much for stopping by! I’d love to hear what makes your heart sing. Have a fantastic weekend!
I’m excited to share my latest artwork with you for the Scrappy8Challenge on Instagram! This month’s theme is “Salt,” and after tossing around a few ideas, the sea 🌊 kept calling to me—it’s salty in the best way! To add a bit of interest and fun, I even sprinkled some coarse sea salt onto the background.
This ocean-themed piece found its home in my cherished 4.5×5″ handmade watercolor journal—a thoughtful gift from my sister on a past birthday. I love working in this journal; the size is just right, and the colorful thread binding adds such a special touch that I made sure to paint around it. To make it even more interesting, I drew a boat and some sea life, then stamped the quote, “My heart is at home by the Sea,” and secured it with some washi tape. I even found a delightful mermaid washi tape by Jane Davenport in my stash, which I thought was the perfect finishing touch. I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out—it’s cute and captures that salty sea vibe!
I have to admit, I’m a little behind on this challenge, so I’ll be catching up on the other two designs over the next week or so. My studio projects have been keeping me busy, but taking this creative detour was a refreshing break.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a fantastic weekend ahead. 🌟
I had so much fun creating these abstract paintings, and after working out some of the snafus, I finally put one together! I wanted it to have an organic feel, so I used a piece of a tree branch wrapped with yarn. I added wire, a few beads, and a bit of glitter for some pizzazz, and this is where it ended up.
I still have three more to go, but I’m happy with the overall vibe. I’m still contemplating adding an inspiring word—what do you think?
I see flowers as Mother Nature’s masterpieces. Their petals, whether soft and strong or luminous and fragile, each possess a unique beauty that ignites my creativity. These two new paintings I’ve created invite you to envision flowers through a lens of feeling rather than detail.
As I wrap up these paintings, I’m also piecing everything together. A few unexpected challenges prompted some design changes, but they’ve only enriched my artistic journey.
Stay tuned to see how it all comes together…
I hope this inspires you, have a wonderful weekend! 🌸🎨
Flowing Waters Art 