Blackwork Embroidery

The small pin cushion I made last yr. after taking a class at the local library. I found it so calming to work on and I loved the little pattern it made. It is blackwork embroidery. I haven't been able to find alot of info for beginners. There is a book called Blackwork for Beginners but it didn't help me so much. So I started the same pattern again. I am not sure who will receive the new pin cushion. This one belongs to my mom. I am thinking to try and make it into a sachet filled with lavender. Maybe I will do more and give as small gifts for the holidays.

Full

Today I am Full...

Full of POSSIBILITY
Full of HOPE
Full of DREAMS
Full of LOVE
Full of INSPIRATION
Full of GRATITUDE

Things are feeling so great right now. I have to say that the e-course In the Fish Bowl has been so great so far. There are so many talented artists out there and they are all so wonderfully kind and supportive. I couldn't ask for a better group of classmates. And it is so nice to see so many artists who are moms in the group.

The above apple garland was created by my children. I cut the apples out of newspaper and they painted away with the tempera paints. We all sewed them together. It was a fun way to mark the season. They are working on pumpkins next. I was inspired by this post
from Maya Made. The kids had so much fun doing. Thanks Maya for the inspiration.

Best,
Dana

Illustration Friday-Pattern

I created this painting in my kraft paper sketch book with gouache. This is my first IF submission. Pattern- It resonated with me because I designed patterns for many years as a surface designer. It was quick and fun. I hope to feel inspired with next weeks word.

Painting and a Sketch book page

The top pic is a page from my sketch book. The bottom one is a painting I did based on another page from my sketch book. I am not so happy with it. Not sure if it is too flat and lacking something that the original sketch did. And maybe I just feel that today and will like it tomorrow. :)

Hello

I hope everyone had a great weekend. The weather here in NY has been splendid. Yesterday I took the kids to Truck Day. They had a blast. They got to sit in the big trucks and blow the horns. Today we went to the farmers market and ate cookies and explored the community garden.

My husband and some very generous family and friends are replacing our roof, the roof with 3 layers!! So I have been super busy with the kids. My little guy is sick and I am hoping he feels better tomorrow so he can go to school.

We are all adjusting to him going to school. It has gotten easier now. Still weird that there is this whole other part of his life that we are not a part of. His sis misses him and wants to go to school as well. Soon enough baby girl.

So between school, play dates and runny noses I haven't been creating so much. I started working on my blackwork embroidery and I felt it wasn't coming out right so I stopped. I am doing a pattern that I did last yr. as a pin cushion that I gave to my mom. She is going to bring it over this week so I can take a look at it and see what I am doing wrong with it.

I also printed out these by Alicia Paulson. I have no idea if I will be able to do these or not but I am feeling so excited to try.

I do have ideas for more paintings and the sketch above is just a quick sketch with some ideas to explore further.

This week begins the e-course Life in Fish Bowl with Marisa from Creative Thursday. I can't wait for this to start. I can't wait to see what she covers. I feel so ripe with possibility lately. There are so many truly inspiring women artists and designers out there and I feel so thankful that I am able to read about and learn from so many of these wonderful artists on a daily basis via the web. In my "real" life I don't have the creative network that the web offers so to read along on their journey is incredible. ( If they are a mom as well, even better. ) I have a post coming soon about being a mom and an artist.

I hope your week is a great one filled with many creative possibilities. MAKE ART.

Sketchbook painting and artist

I painted this with gouache right in my sketchbook. The paper gets kinda wrinkly and it was a quick one but I am happy with it. I think I am going to do a similar one on watercolor paper. I have been so inspired by many artists lately for different reasons and I keep wanting to mention them so here is one (will get to more soon):

Kelly Rae Roberts- She has a blog right here. She is also the author of Taking Flight. I haven't read the book yet but it is on my wish list! I have been reading her blog regularly for awhile. I enjoy her art and her wonderful words of inspiration along with beautiful photos. She shares her journey as creative woman who has had success but also still has slumps and doubts just like the rest of us.

P.S. Just noticed that if you have a pic that runs horizontally and you want to enlarge it, it gets cut off. Guess there isn't enough space in the layout.

Giving them wings

I haven't posted in awhile I know. My son started pre-kindergarten on Thursday. He did so great! No problems with leaving me and he even takes the bus home. I let him because it is all 4 yr. olds and we are the first stop. So he was great and I had a little bit of a hard time. It is his first time to go to school and it really feels like I was just holding a newborn and now he is off and running. Where did the last 4 yrs. go?

It is really so great to see him doing so well and I really couldn't be happier for him. It is just strange.... feels like there is just something missing when he isn't with us. I have been told that it will get easier and at some point I will look forward to him leaving the house. So we will see.

I am working on a new banner for the blog. One with apples... tis the season. Also, I am going to post a painting I did in my sketchbook tomorrow. Have you read Somerset Studios new magazine Green Craft? I went to Borders yesterday to read some of the new magazines and this one is just great. Check it out if you are interested in green crafting.

Colors

Worked on some colors last night.

test

This is a test! Only a test! I just found this blog post about enlarging your pics and for me it is pretty easy. You can do it right as your are uploading from your computer and it was just two steps. Give it a try. I am not a person that knows anything about html and I could follow it.
I also found this blog that has lots of great info for designing your blog.

Finished!

Gouache, 8"x10" on hot press watercolor paper.

I finished my painting. The mint isn't as bright as it is here. I enjoyed this one and I love working with gouache again. I made it so it could be a painting for the wall but also I can turn it into a repeated pattern.

Also, I learned how to make these LARGE blogger photo posts here. There is also this post that teaches you to enable the large photos for good but I haven't had a chance to try it. I read about in on Gennine's blog. The first way is pretty simple but it isn't set forever.
ETA-Just realized the large photos didn't work!! I guess it was just too easy. Will try again later. I have to give the kiddies a bath. ***Did it! Still think it can go bigger. Try again next time. AND it takes maybe to much time.

Flickr ARTISTS

1. Doodling (A3), 2. New plate design, 3. progress, 4. Watercolor Stripes, 5. VESTIDO XADREZ E PAREDE DE MOSAICO, 6. First week of September journal page., 7. YIP 365.112 : Studio Closeup, 8. blessed, 9. A Collection

First of all this took so long to make!! Ahhh! I used the Mosaic Maker for the first time and I don't know what I am doing wrong but it seemed to take too long to make. Does anyone else use Mosaic Maker with ease?

Well, so I decided to do a mosaic because if you are like me you love browsing Flickr and coming across a great artists work. So I thought I would share with you just some of the artists that I have discovered on Flickr ( a couple of them I may have read about on a blog). There are so many wonderfully talented people out there that daily I am blown away by the beauty that is created. Some of the artists I have read a bit more about on there blog and some are recent discoveries. So I hope you enjoy their work just as much as I do. And if you have favorite artist you discovered on Flickr leave a comment and let me know. I would love to discover some more great art.

Hello September

Welcome September! We didn't have much of summer here in NY. Lots of rain and cool air so it pretty much flew by. Now the weather is beautiful! Sunny and cool. I hope it lasts a bit longer.

My son starts pre-k next week. It is going to be a big change for all of us with the driving back and forth and not having him home with me all the time. I think he will love it and do fine and it will probably be harder for me then him.

I had entered the CRANE & CO. STUDIO LINE call for artists a month ago. I didn't have any of my designs picked. But I am curious to see how this line turns out. Should be exciting to see it.

Also, the Etsy shopped is now empty.

I did the above painting in my Moleskin watercolor journal using this color story and gouache paint. I am liking the direction of the color but I still don't feel like it is right. I am not sure if the grey needs to go darker or lighter and the mint, less bright. What do you think? Anyone, Anyone?