Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Doodle Saturday

I couldn't bring myself to put up the halloween doodle yet, so here's this one! The eyes are kind of creepy :)

November desktop wallpaper

Download a free desktop wallpaper for November, featuring one of my mixed media pieces, here. Available in 3 sizes: one for iphone, and 2 choices for computer monitors. Whoohoo! I'm a couple days early!

Halloween!

My favorite holiday! Here's a party invite I designed for a friend. The cool vintage owl graphic is from the generous Graphics Fairy. She posts a royalty-free freebie everyday! The spooky display fonts are from House Industries.

Sunshine, please

This is about the only sun we are going to get in Minnesota today!

Dog illustration

Camilla Engman has put out an open call for anyone that wants to submit art of her dog Morran! She's compiling some of the art into a book, with all proceeds going to charity. Below is my entry. I was inspired by a photo of Morran in this very pose.

I'm a fairly new fan of Camilla's, learning about her about the same time I discovered uppercase magazine. She does great illustration work! 

Favorite earrings

I found these in one of my favorite shops, Leap of Faith, in Cedarburg, WI. The company is Beijo Brasil. They also make great belt buckles!

Daily Doodle Calendar 2

Since visiting ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula, I’ve been fascinated by the Ancient Mayan culture. Just for fun, I follow a blog called “Jaguar Wisdom”, which offers an introduction to the Mayan calendar. I find it is an interesting source of material for comtemplation. If they strike a chord with me, I will include the Mayan day signs and numbers that match up with the calendar day I'm journaling about. Below are Oct. 11 and 13.

Winner of giveaway

...is Kelliejo! Congrats! It was a good one to enter, as there was a 50/50 chance of winning ;)

Gratitude Art Journal class

Registration is now open and I fixed the paypal problem: it now accepts credit cards! Click on the logo in the right column to go to the class page. There you will find the supply list, class description, and registration/payment info.

Doodle Journal Page - Perfectionism

Some days I need a reminder... I'm striving for progress, not perfection. This is the center spread in one of my handmade string-bound journals. I used micron pens and water-soluble markers.

Time for a giveaway!

I've decided to have a contest for this cute embroidered fox wall hanging!

It measures approx. 5" wide by 12.5" long and has two plastic rings sewn on the back for easier hanging.

Enter the contest by posting a comment under this post about your favorite thing on my blog (limit one per person) by 1PM central time Thurs., Oct. 20th. I will use a random number picker to select the winner. Good luck!

No color

Feeling a bit black and white, a little under the weather. Less drawing, more rest.

Journal Page - Breathe

Doodling can help keep me occupied, sometimes keeping anxiety at bay, like when I'm waiting for my rescue inhaler to kick in...

Time flies when you're having fun!

I got a lot done on this rainy Wednesday. I can tell by my sore right wrist (my "mouse" hand)! I've been busy drawing, too, but I've mostly been working on some journal page designs in photoshop.

I'm still trying to decide if it is feasible to get these printed, or if I should just do limited runs for on-site classes and then offer digital files for sale to everyone else. Anyone have experience with a good U.S. digital or offset printer that produces archival "scrapbook" paper pages?

News flash!

Click on the new "Classes" tab above for some exciting news!

When all else fails...

...I use a little trick I learned this summer. I will designate a page or two in one of my tape-bound art journals as a "daily doodling calendar". When it's hard to carve out a good chunk of time to do something creative, I can at least get a 5-10 minute reprieve by recording whatever I want for each day.

Pins and Needles

I don't know what it is about fall that gets me thinking about needlework. Maybe it's adapting to the fact that much more indoor time is around the corner, and I'm looking for fun tactile projects to keep me occupied in the hours that I had been spending in the garden. I attended a rug-hooking show last weekend, which got that itch going again. When I went hunting for the wool I purchased at that show a year ago, I found a pile of little embroidery projects that I had cranked out in about a 2-week period at this time last year. It was fun to see them again - I think I will keep them out and in view for a while!

Buddha quote

This is a work in progress, both artistically and personally. I'll be revisiting this quote for sure - a new favorite!

Upcycling

I've always loved the texture and graphics of burlap coffee bean bags, and therefore appreciate just about anything that's been made from them. I found this great tote made by "Moonflower Bags".  Had to have the red tiger!    :)   

http://www.moonflowerjeans.com/

Late Bloomers

A true visionary

He is especially respected in my profession. Thanks for everything, Steve. RIP.

Tag design

Had some fun drawing with water-soluble markers and micron pens on patterned paper.  

I am enjoying using white gel pens on dark backgrounds. I added the ribbon, type, and 

drop shadow in photoshop CS4.

I'm as happy as...

True story.

uppercase

I recently subscribed to a magazine called "uppercase" (click here for website), after seeing it referenced here and there on other blogs. For print design aficionados like me, it is a well-done publication. For "the creative and curious", its content is fresh and interesting.

The company also publishes books, one of which I am really digging called "A Collection a Day"(click here). Hmmm, perhaps I need some lidded jars to corral some of my "collections"!

A fine day for a drive

Sunday was a beautiful sunny fall day in my neck of the woods.  I was curious about how my phone's video camera would capture from my dashboard. I wish I could upload at a larger dimension :( You'll have to trust me on how vivid the sky and leaves were. Oh, and a little "Fleet Foxes" for the soundtrack. I'm sure I will enjoy watching this in a couple months when the trees are bare and it is cold, gray, and snowy!