I call these my Deep Breath Collages because they require focus, but not too much, which allows my brain to gently sink into a peaceful artistic place without feeling any kind of pressure. They really are perfect for the moment when things feel off, and you need something to make things more calm, peaceful, and…
Journal peeps
DIY Travel Journal
Last August, my mother-in-law and father-in-law took our entire family (including all of my husband’s siblings and their partners and children) on a grand Hawaiian adventure. During the days before we left, I made a travel journal to give to them as a thank-you for the spectacular gift. As we creep towards the summer season…
Watercolor People
These people have been filling up my journal pages. Most of them have resting faces. Maybe a bit frowny? They are not sad! Just pensive. Make watercolor blobs in your sketchbook. Use an art pen to create people. More blobs, more people, and repeat. This is fun!
Sketchbook Hair
Sketchbook idea: Hairstyles first, faces second. This is fun for everyone: kids, adults, those in between. It also encourages the artist to appreciate and experiment with different kinds of hair. And, hey, if your kids have the urge to cut hair, maybe this will satisfy? 1. Draw hairstyles on various pieces of paper. Use magazines,…
Journal Prompt: Bento Art Box
This week, my daughter had a new friend over to the house for lunch and play. After washing hands and doing a few excited pirouettes across the kitchen floor, they sat down at the table. I bought bagels as a special treat, but our friend mentioned that her dad always packs her a special lunch. …
Hand Printing Workshop Announcement
Was your spring weekend sun filled and glorious? We hosted a backyard party for my mother’s 65th (almost wrote 6th. Hmmm. That would have been curious) and the sun poured all over our celebration. I was bursting with gratitude all weekend long (the sunshine was just the tip of the gratitude iceberg). Oh, and look…
workshopping !
These are photographs from Thursday’s Creative Journaling workshop. During each workshop, the children will learn a new artistic technique and also work on an experimental writing exercise. During the eight weeks, we will practice lots of different, unique writing styles, and by doing so, the hope is that everyone learns what kind of journal…
a sweater (and other things)
Today, during an impromptu thrift shop stop, I found this beautiful sweater. It is the Anthropologie brand Sleeping On Snow and it is called the “Sketchbook Pullover.” I almost keeled over. It is new with tags and I bought it for $5.99. Little Mouse was with me, and she didn’t really get what the fuss…
h o u s e s
I once had a dream about a little neighborhood of houses just like this. The houses were on a river, though, and I was stuck on the opposite side. This was like 14 years ago, but I was keeping a dream journal at the time, so it is forever preserved on paper (at least…
moleskine collages
A dear friend gave me a three pack of pocket size Moleskine notebooks for my birthday, and, this afternoon, I was inspired to create little fabric, felt, found paper collages on two of the covers. I’m still pondering the third. I’ve been so caught up in stamp carving and block prints that I forgot how…
nesting
Almost springtime always makes me feel like almost cleaning. You know – the move that futon here, install some new shelves, paint a stool, sort my buttons by color kind of cleaning. Definitely not the dusting, mopping, scrub the grout with a toothbrush kind of cleaning. Between all of our almost cleaning, birthday celebrations, and…
