Creative Tuesday: Polka Dot (#69)

I have a very late Creative Tuesday entry.  But I still enjoyed creating the piece and thought I should post it anyway.  The theme was a simple one (and fun).  I admit I didn't spend much time thinking about how to make it cute or clever.  I simply played with the shape of the Polka Dot.  And I think this is the result of a whole city of polka dots dancing and playing together.

I started with some transparent watercolor circles and began layering deeper and deeper from there.

All said and done, I used watercolors, markers, and colored pens.  Very soothing to create and nice to get into my doodling pad again!  (Not the greatest picture, but you hopefully get the idea.)

Happy Three Years to Us!!

Three years ago today I married my best friend.  A part of me can't believe it's already been three years -- where has time gone; and the other part of me can't believe it's only been three years -- what an amazing adventure we are on together! 

I decided to doodle up the 'Old Apache Blessing' that we used in our ceremony.  The words are still so meaningful today!  {Feel free to download it or print it if it's your kind of thing.}

I Love you Mr. Happy.  More! (yup, more!)

Previous anniversary thoughts and more wedding details can be found here and here.

Creative Tuesday: Valentine

Oh how I adore Creative Tuesdays!  Although, I think I have to admit something to you...

I haven't felt very good about this week's theme since I first read it.  However, you would have never known that by looking at the results of this week's Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday's assignment! 

The theme that scared me so deeply was Valentine.  I'm not that mushy... the mister and I don't really celebrate Valentines Day... we don't hold hands in public a lot... it's just not us. 


That said.... 

Ta da! It's like a Prism Heart Zentangle (read about what a zentangle is here.)

I admit I went into it with such a bad attitude.  Bad artist.  Silly girl.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that it's ok if I don't see the finished idea in my head.  It's ok to just pick up a pen and pad and start making lines.  Then make a few more.  Then a few more.  I surprised myself with what began to appear once I pushed through my fears of not liking the results.

And I'm satisfied!  I feel free and creative again.  I *heart* Mr. Toast for metaphorically twisting my arm into these challenges each week.  I am better for giving them my all.

I hope you will consider joining in this or the next assignment and check out other artists in the community here.

Project Journal

As we are nearing Thanksgiving, our sewing and crafting time may be running short as our family time increases.  My remedy for that is my new project journal. 

I have found myself lately inspired to the brim with ideas and things I'd like to try.  I may be driving home all the while plotting out a project or sometimes when I am cooking dinner I can see a new quilt pattern in my head.  But, when I finally make it to sit down at my sewing table I can't think of those creative morsels... at all.

The remedy:  A colorful hard covered journal that I can fill up with everything!  And it's small enough to tuck into my purse so I can take it with me everywhere.  (this one is from Barnes and Noble)

Just look how pretty it is.  The colors, the design, the shininess!!  sigh, it's wonderful!

It's also wonderful to know that my ideas will be safe and sound from my lousy memory.  I am also finding that as I plan out an idea and then later come back to it... I am enhancing it with extra details. 

Win-win!

With my journals I typically write something to myself like I did on the first page of this one.  And yes, I gave myself only one rule here.... "Don't hold back." 

As in, there are no bad ideas only bad memories!

Some of my early doodles:  for me it's more important to be able to scribble down an idea quickly rather than capturing it with a perfect sketch and lots of text.  These quickies are enough to jog my memory for the rest of what I was thinking.

- A wood carrying sling made from bright blue canvas
- light jars; which my loving husband has informed me may get too hot and therefore cause bad things unless I maybe do this with LED light strings  sigh
- decorated branches in vases to flank the mantel

- possible designs for christmas lights on our front stairs and door.
- recycle plastic bags into bows/pom poms to add to the railing.

And the ideas go on and on!!

I am enjoying the peace of mind knowing my ideas are safe and I am enjoying seeing them come to life too!  I am sure you will see more of the journal in the future!! 

How do you keep your ideas or inspirations safe?

On the nerve wrecking spectrum of happy

I finally did it.  I stopped being my biggest critic for a whole whopping five minutes.  Just long enough to snap some pictures and post my doodles.

Creating art is a really personal thing.  It's another way to capture what is going on in your mind.  A way to translate how you feel.  A way to connect.  Creating, putting pencil to paper, getting those thoughts out is a happy thing!

Sharing them, on the other hand, is a little more on the nerve wrecking spectrum of happy.  That sort of happy nervousness where you know sharing is the right thing to do, but you wonder, "What will they think?"

Before I talk myself out of this post I am going to commit and just post these dang pictures and be done with it.  Here you are:

Over at Hot Toast and Jam, there are a group of crazy creatives (like me --and I mean crazy in a free spirit, lovely, incredible kinda way), who partipate in Creative Tuesday's. 

This rounds theme was Travel.  Here is what came out of my brain:

I would give anything to pack my bag, snag my teddy, and head off to the nearest ticket window to start some great adventure!

And with the help of yummy smelling markers, some color!

Travelling for me also means dreaming of serene places I wouldn't mind kicking up my feet and neglecting my technology. 

So, there you have it.  My first time joining Creative Tuesdays!! 

I have a feeling this is going to be one of these things that only gets easier!