have faith in yourself

In my Doodling Ink class at Rachel's Handmade U in Omaha this past weekend, we played a card game that acted as a doodling prompt.  So I thought I'd pick one of the words as a prompt, too, and doodle-write a page to go with it.  Today I chose the word "faith" as my prompt.  (This was your word, Paige. :)

Although I'll still be adding color and more doodles, here it is in its first stage.  I'm thinking I'll make this Strathmore notebook into a series of reminders to myself -- for whenever I need them.  Like today, when I'm working toward another deadline (not complaining; I'm super happy to have these deadlines).

Have faith in yourself and your ability to be the best you!

off to doodle in omaha

Time to finish packing for my "Doodle Ink" class at Handmade U in Omaha this weekend. I'm excited and more than a little nervous to be teaching my first doodling class. Even after all the other project classes I've taught, it's a whole different ball game trying to translate something you do kind of naturally into a technique you lay out in thoughtful steps. Wish me luck, please!
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inspired ideas for spring

Just in time for your spring crafting spree, my super-talented friend Amy Powers has published the gorgeous new spring issue of her Inspired Ideas ezine. You can buy your own 87-page issue here, available for download on either your computer or your iPad. (You can purchase a print version, too.) Below are some sample pages.






There are lots of fresh and ingenious crafting ideas offered in this new spring issue. There's also a helpful calendar listing of the many crafting events coming up around the country.


And, although I'm usually providing support behind the scenes, Amy invited me to add a "spring garden doodle" to this issue just for you. Let yourself feel like a kid again with a new page to color! Would you like to be queen of your garden with a crown, a spring banner, and a watering can among the flowers? You can print out the doodled page from the ezine to any size you like and then add markers or watercolor or your favorite medium. I hope it puts you or your child in the mood to capture the beautiful colors of spring.

just plane doodling

What can you do on a looong plane ride to Brussels? Use your tray as a base station for some portable doodling supplies, hope your elbows stay relatively close in and relocations for bathroom runs are minimal. :)

Looking forward to some sunny days while I explore this venerable city.

painting with jesse reno

After heading straight from beautiful St Maarten to rainy Virginia Beach for Art & Soul this past weekend, I'm now finally home and unpacking. Before buckling down to a few doodling assignments, I wanted to share some iPhone photos snapped during my 2-day painting class with Jesse Reno.

The first day was all about hand-applying layered grounds of color, adding various finger markings to increase the scale and complexity of the color backgrounds. All colors were mixed in our hands from red, yellow, blue and white, and no brushes allowed! These couple photos were taken early during the first day's process.  They're just the initial finger-painted backgrounds -- and they changed a lot during the two days. In the first background above, I think I was still being influenced by the island sun. Then I turned it over and painted this second background, apparently influenced by the darker coloring of Jesse's painting and many others in the class. Almost everyone was using darks, especially blues! In another background down below, I've reversed myself and lightened up my palette again.


Late in the afternoon, we engaged in a spontaneous exercise, directed by Jesse, of randomly drawing element after element on a white piece of paper, then randomly transferring some of the elements to one of our backgrounds. We were finally allowed to use our pencils and brushes. :) First came the quick faces, then the eyes, then the animal bodies, then symbols, and so on.



During the second day, we developed our backgrounds with more layers of color and markings, blocking out areas to emphasize other areas, adding personal symbols and animal shapes. It was challenging, exhausting and enlightening, and of course I forgot to take photos. Plus my hands were continually covered with paint. By the end of the second afternoon, I needed a break and just sat looking at paint with Donna and Heather and Mindy. Somehow Mindy still had steam to keep painting, rotating her pieces to stay fresh. In April, she'll be teaching an online painting course using her beautiful mixed media techniques.


Meanwhile, I can hardly wait till I can get my hands covered in paint again.

doodling and sea-gazing on st maarten

Slowly but surely, I'm squeezing a little doodling for my April class at Rachel's Handmade U in between the necessary hours spent cuddling with my baby granddaughter, sea-gazing
and tootling around this small island.

Here's a little sea-gazing for you, too.
Can you hear the waves crashing rhythmically ashore?
Can you feel the breeze puffing out the sails?
Maybe you've been on one of the cruise ships with its lights gleaming as it leaves the island at sunset?
(you can just see a cruise ship aglow on the horizon in the last sea photo below)

Sweet Eliää with her mommy in the indoor lap pool

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getting in the island mood

This island pace here on St Maarten may be slower, but our days have been full and I've barely had time for photos. So I snapped some quick ones just to get my photo finger going. Of course, I'm spending lots of time with this little lovely, my 5-month-old granddaughter Eliää, and her daddy.


Today was spa day for my daughter-in-law at the Christian Dior spa in the lobby of their apartment building. Afterwards, she enjoyed sunning with her spa partner Jackie while Eliää and I waved down at them from our balcony.


Some more views from the apartment's balcony overlooking the glorious ocean:








And here's the balcony chair where I'll sit doodling for my April class and other projects while listening to the waves tumbling in. Can I really call this a working vacation? Well, tomorrow morning at 6 am, Eliää and I will watch from the sidelines while her parents run, swim and bike in the island's triathlon. That's work, right?


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back to st maarten + journal pages

Down to last-minute packing for my winter visit with my middle son's family in St Maarten. While there, I hope to share more photos of beautiful island scenery again this year. Meanwhile, we're having odd winter weather here in Virginia, with temperatures today in the 60's. But that can't last, can it?

Before heading off, I mailed both my book and my first guest pages for a round robin book swap that includes 11 talented ladies. My super-organized first swap buddy obligingly mailed me her book early so I could finish her pages in time.


For my book, my "Tales of a Creative Life" covers are made of fun upholstery fabric swatches picked up at JournalFest buddy Michelle Geller's favorite Good Will shop during my visit with her in Portland. She knows where all the best places are to find vintage goodies. I'm hoping the heavier brown textured leather, leftover from another of my book projects, will help protect the softer fabric as my book travels the country. I think the book feels so nice to hold.

First of several sign-in pages, with doodles and watercolor.

My first guest pages were to be in a soft neutral and pink palette,

so I opted for a delicate sketch and a light color approach,

using faces I found on Pinterest for my reference.
I drew and lightly shaded the two faces with pencil,
then added just a bit of watercolor for contour and warmth.

Off to finish packing! Mustn't forget my camera and doodling supplies!
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doodling class in april

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I know, it's a tough life ...

lately I've been spending more and more time just doodling!

But really, I do have a good reason.

In April, Rachel Velder McGough will host her Second Semester of Handmade U near Omaha, and I'm so excited

to be teaching a fun doodling class during the weekend!

This intimate retreat held April 19-22 will take place

in Minglewood Lodge, where classes and meals will be held

and the majority of those attending will stay.

So cozy!

Registration for the event has just opened on

Rachel's blog.

On the Friday, my journaling buddy Michelle Geller will be teaching

a full-day bookmaking class called Stitched and Stashed.

In the morning we'll stitch our journals together,

using Michelle's fresh take on the Coptic binding technique.

During the afternoon, we'll add to our journals

with papers and ephemera from her wonderful stash and our own.

The next morning, in my doodling class called Doodle Ink,

we'll make a small sampler book and then practice the fine art of doodling!

More than just a mindless gesture, doodling in art journaling

can be a joyful form of stylistic drawing.

Starting with my tips about tools and process,

we'll approach doodling as a a serious but playful addition to one's pages,

including lettering, borders and frames, and stylized birds and flowers.

It will be all hands on!

In the afternoon, Rachel will teach her prize-ribbon class,

using her fantastic ribbons brought back from France!

I hope you're coming!

Please say yes!

p.s. By the way, I doodled this "Yes!" in response to another invitation

to participate in more doodle fun!

Hope to be able to tell you more soon.

happy thanksgiving to you

As I started setting the family table early this morning,

gathering pieces collected from making our home in so many previous places,

I was pleased to welcome a sunny day to celebrate this Thanksgiving.

Later, while I make the butternut squash soup to precede the turkey,

I'll add the place cards to the votive holders

filled with tiny cones from our hemlock tree.

And all day I'll be thankful for the blessings of a family that gathers,

some already here, some not yet here,

to give thanks together wherever we live.

I hope your day is shared with those you love!