Tag Archives: Inspire

The Art of Emotions: Capturing Faces in Acrylic

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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.

Share the Happy ❤️

Creative Watercolor Journal Ideas

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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. 🌸✨

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Share the Happy💖

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Setting New Creative Goals with Watercolor Landscapes

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  • Day 1 – Night Falls
  • Day 3 – Dusky Skyline
  • Day 4 – Beach Bonfire
  • Day 5 – Golden Wood

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 behind This 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! 🌄✨

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Trash to Treasure Art Journaling

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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!!

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“Open your heart and mind like the wings of a butterfly. See then how high you can fly.” ~Zeenat Aman

Makes my Heart Sing Art Journaling

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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!

Share the Happy💖

Photo by Unchalee Srirugsar on Pexels.com

The Sea Art Journaling

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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. 🌟

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Sea Girl Portrait Art Journaling

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I can’t believe how long it took me to complete this art journal portrait! I began with the sketch in December, and after several layers of watercolors, she’s finally finished. 👏👏 The sketch itself was time-consuming, as I wanted to get it just right. Then, I meticulously added layer upon layer of watercolors, with a few enhancements using colored pencils—though not too much. It was truly a labor of love, and I poured so much time and effort into each detail. This video shows how it all came together 😊

I hope this inspires you in some way. Have a great weekend! ⠀

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Butterfly Art Journaling

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This artwork is for the Scrappy8Challenge on Instagram, and this month’s theme is “Don’t label me!” Coming up with this design was quite the journey! I played around with watercolors, pen, stencils, some cool stamps, collage and a bit of glitter. For this theme I added a few empowering phrases that speak volumes:

“STOP comparing”
“labels are limiting”
be YOU-nique!”

I created this design in my 4.5×5″ handmade watercolor journal that was gifted to me by my sister from ArtsiRosi Etsy Shop. I’ve been using this journal for the challenge and it has quickly become one of my favorite journals!

I hope this piece sparks your creativity and inspires you to break out your art supplies for some weekend fun! Wishing you a safe and Happy Memorial Day!!

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Puppy Art Journaling

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I’m playing catch-up with the Scrappy8Challenge on Instagram. Only one prompt a month, and I still managed to fall behind! 😂 For March, the prompt was “Collaged Animal.”

So I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite photos of my pup, Chanel. That bashful look gets me every time! She’s an absolute sweetheart, and her resilience is truly inspiring. Despite losing her sight at 3 years old, she wakes up every morning with boundless joy and still plays fetch! She’s got a lot of determination and a great attitude💖

This was created in my 4.5×5″ handmade watercolor journal, using watercolor paints and pens. I added a felt heart and a sprinkle of rhinestone hearts, along with the collaged image of my little girl.

Hope Chanel’s story brings a smile to your face today. Wishing you a fantastic day ahead!

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Easter Bunny Inchie Tiles for Art Journaling

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  • 3.5 Inch Square Tile
  • 2.5×3.5 Inch Tile
  • 2.5×3.5 Inch Tile

I really enjoy creating with these playful scribbles. With Easter Sunday tomorrow, I couldn’t resist making a few bunny tiles. Since I like working in 3’s these are my designs. I added splashes of watercolor paint to the scribbles and a little glitter to the tails for extra sparkle.

I’m going to add these to my stash for future use in my journaling. Hope this inspires you in some way today, thanks for stopping by!!

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“Live out of your imagination instead of your memory.” ~Les Brown