Project Happiness

While I was away in my own little island, I tried my best not to wander off too much from my usual routines. I didn't want my family to think there was anything wrong and I knew confining myself into my studio would bring up all sorts of questions that I wouldn't be able to answer. After all, taking a break from the world doesn't necessarily mean you have to cut yourself off from the ones you love. So I carried on with my life. Took care of the kids, did the chores, even let myself work every now and then.

Here is one of the projects that actually kept me happy...

As a little girl, I grew up adoring Pooh and his friends. I remember having all kinds of collectible items in my possession...dolls, books, figurines, clothes, bags...you name it, I probably got it! So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I was asked to work on this special commission. To recreate the whole gang in their original classic style, from scratch. All the long hours and hard labor really paid off when I finally got them all gathered up for their group shot. Now, don't they look cute? :)

I'm glad that I decided to keep my hands busy during my troubled period. It can be lonely up there in my head, and working on these guys brought back some wonderful childhood memories. I'm so thankful mine was a happy one.

Hugs,

A Special Project Revealed

Hey everyone! How's the weekend treating you so far? I'm here to share with you some very exciting news! Remember when I told you that I have been up to my head finishing up a special project that started towards the end of last year? Well it's finally done (yaay...fireworks please!), and here is a peek into what I have been up to...

I've been busy creating illustrations for JUMINA - a Norwegian Fairytale. They are an exclusive children's clothing brand based in Norway and they make the most beautiful and whimsical children's clothes ever! Seriously, I think I would have loved wearing their line as a child (probably as a grown up too! LOL). The images you see above are to be used as part of their official clothing line, also as a children's story book which will be published by JUMINA. I can't tell you how excited I am and hopefully it will receive positive feedback once it's launched. :)

Anyway, now that the project's done, I'm glad I'll have more time to create the things I've had frolicking about in my head...but that of course, is another story. In the mean time, I'll leave you with some of my favorite JUMINA outfits that I'm sure you'll love too! Have a fantastic weekend, my sweets! :)

Warmest hug,

Out of Practice

A few weeks ago I received a message from a lovely lady, asking if I could do a drawing of a boy for a nursery, and she also asked if I could send samples of my work that featured boys. My initial reaction? I froze and went blank. Wow. I couldn't even remember the last time I drew a boy! So I rummaged through my files, my portfolio case and my sketchbooks, scattering them everywhere, to find only three (yes, THREE!) among what seemed like an ocean of drawings with girls, women and a few furry animals. It made me questioned my artistic tendencies and if there was even a specific reason why I repeatedly use the more feminine angle rather the masculine one.

So I went and challenged myself. I took on the project and started the next day, determined to deliver some good sketches of boys. But all I could come up with were doodles of sweet little girls with very short haircut. LOL. It was strange to see how awkward I was trying to portray a little boy in the most natural way and finally admitting to myself that I was without a doubt, out of practice. Then after a few more attempts, I was glad to be able to deliver some sketches to fit a boy's nursery. Thankfully with an end result that made the lady (and myself) very, very happy. :)

How about you? Do you have any artistic tendencies you'd like to share? I would love to hear it! :)

Hugs,

A Healthy Diet for Imagination

Hey everyone! So the week finally ends. I hope you had a joyful and productive one. I have been working hard, trying to catch up with commissioned works. What with the creativity rut I'm stuck in, that's probably just about the only thing I can do (yep, it's still there, just hanging around casually like an unwanted guest). These two drawings were ordered last month and I've been working on them along with my other projects. I guess it's just a good thing that I'm already in the finishing stages, so there's not too much creativity demanded. Otherwise I would be going insane about now. :)

Some people recommend doing more sketches, creating simple things, or even staying out of the studio and just do whatever that really pleases me before finally going back to work. So many remedies to try and all I can think of is how much easier it would be if I could have prevented it in the first place. Like a good diet to keep the body healthy, I'm sure there's a way to keep the creativity level safe and stable. Wouldn't you agree? Now what exactly do you feed imagination for it to stay in tip top condition? Well, here are some of the things off the top of my head that I will be trying...

Read a book (start to finish!)
Watch a movie (preferably with a magical or whimsical theme)
Update my music playlist 
Take a walk and enjoy nature
Spend time on sites that show inspirations (Pinterest, craftgawker, etsy...any suggestions?)
Make a date with my sketchbook
Play with paints and make some mess
Have a day off from work and take oodles of naps! :))

What do you reckon? Do you think that would help? Here's hoping... Anyway, I hope you find some peace and happiness this weekend. Big hugs to everyone!

Sponsor Love ♥ On a Crafty Afternoon

Wow. It's Friday already! Shucks. I think it's always a bad sign when I say that, which means I've let the week flown by too fast and that I've forgotten to slow down again. Well then, let's pause a minute and have a little relaxing fun. While some people might find relaxation in front of the TV or get busy in the garden, I prefer  to visit my craft corner and make some mess. But before I do that, I would find some kind of inspiration just to get the creativity juice flowing. This time I'll turn to one of my lovely sponsors for that!

The Crafty Pixie

Want to know who The Crafty Pixie is? Her name is Annie Hagopian, and she is as sweet as all her adorable creations! As you can see, she loves to create fun and pretty things, and most of her felt work strongly show the Japanese Kawaii influence. Her shop is loaded with plenty of cute and lovely trinkets, ranging from jewelry to ornaments in adorable characters and cheerful colors. Come visit her shop and Facebook Page to see more!

Links: Shop ♥ Facebook Page

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Now that I'm all fueled up with some inspirations, here's a peek into my one quiet and therapeutic crafty afternoon...

There you have it, a little crafty mission accomplished. Well I know it's nothing like Annie's but at the end I got a happy recipient and a relaxed mind. Not bad for a 30 minutes project, eh? :))

So don't forget to slow down a little. Friday isn't over yet...who knows what you might accomplish at the end of the day. Have a good weekend, everyone! 

Send me an e-mail for more details

A New Watercolor Project

 

Happy weekend, everyone! I hope yours is starting wonderfully. I've been resting my pencils for a couple of days and picked up a brush to start a new little project. Some of you may already know that watercolor has always been a challenge for me. I guess it's the unpredictable quality of it that seems to keep me on the edge of my seat everytime I use it. What can I say? Maybe pencils are simply "well behaved"? Haha! But nevertheless, I'm really enjoying this new project. It's such a change from my usual work, kind of feels like a vacation for me. Sorry though, I can't tell you what it is just yet, but I will when it's ready! :)

So anyway, that's actually something I've always wondered about other artists. Do you use a particular medium for all your work? Do you ever feel that using something different would make your work unrecognizeable? I've noticed that some artists use various types of mediums and still manage to show their "signature", even if they are required to work outside of the box.

Well, that's something to ponder about... Meanwhile, I wish you all a lovely, cheerful weekend. See you soon!

Hugs,

The Owl Parade

 

 

 

 

 

New owls in the shop, eagerly waiting to be adopted and taken into a new loving home.

Just thought I'd share them with you. :)

Hugs,

An Owl on My Desk

A tiny winged creature flew through the window and into my bedroom last night....

...whispered sweet little "hoot, hoot" and perched himself on my table.

This morning, he requested a shiny new coat of colors to make him stand out from the rest...

...so I painted him a silvery blue color with hints of lilac to make him sparkle under the moonlight.

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I discovered this lovely owl on my last weekend family trip (in case you're wondering if I had carved him out of wood myself). I learned that he was traditionally handmade by the local craftsmen and sold locally for tourists who came to visit the area. Unfortunately, there has not been much exposure to their business and they only receive a relatively small amount of opportunities to what I think should be a lot bigger than they have now. So I'm thinking of collaborrating with these talented local craftsmen to recreate other little owlettes (maybe other creatures too!) and sell them in my shop. Just lending a hand to help them thrive better in a much larger forest. :)

The Blue Owl is now perching and hooting happily in my shop. Maybe you'd like to pay him a visit and help me support our local craftsmen? :)