Sketching with Crayons and Blogger Issues

Hello everyone!

A small rant before I get to my current favorite subject - Art 🎨

I've been publishing this blog since 2008, but I find that I've never experienced as many blogger issues as currently. Everything from not being able to comment on either my own or other Blogger blogs (thankfully, that's been resolved) to changes made within my blogposts not updating and pictures not uploading. Separate to that I've recently been informed by Google, that my domain, which I've had since 2013 has been migrated to a host outside Google/Blogger, so now I have to deal with that as well. It's so annoying! Ok, rant over.

I've really taken to sketching with crayons lately. I've written about sketching/drawing with NeoColor I crayons in a previous post. These crayons have a lot of pigment and a little goes a long way. I find that starting with a light application and adding layers works best. The images look a bit "fuzzy". This is because I am working on lightly grained paper, not smooth. I like a bit of texture in my drawings. Here are a few examples of my bird sketches - and a cat! 

Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Postcard Art Exhibit 2026

Hi everyone!

I failed to post about the Postcard Art Exhibit at the time the exhibit was held, due to it coinciding with me falling ill and subsequently being hospitalized. In fact, I made the deadline just in time and there is a fun instragram reel where my entry happens to be the 600th one 😄

The Postcard Art Exhibit is an annual, international showcase of hundreds of postcard-sized original artworks created by artists around the world. The event sponsors a different charity each year. This year's exhibit was held in the Netherlands in support of people living with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia. 

The showcase was curated by Dutch artist Tessa Maagdenberg. My contribution is called "Spring Awakening", a mixed media piece in my signature style with lots of layers and featuring a cute bird. The artwork at the top of this post is my official catalog entry. In the picture below my postcard is displayed amongst many others on one of the exhibition walls.

Can you spot it?

 Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a lovely Friday!

Important: I can't seem to comment on other blogs??

A Simple Art Journal Page

Hello dear blog friends!

Getting back to art after a long, unforeseen absence has me feeling unsure where to start. It's like I'm afraid I may have forgotten how to make art. I know, silly, but still I hesitate. I'm feeling a little stronger, a little more myself again...so I simply wanted to play in my art journal with no specific goal in mind. There's a soothing quality to art journaling and I come back to it again and again, if only to calm my mind. I chose some of my favorite colors and supplies, such as my Aqua Markers, a stencil plus a few flower and mark making stamps... and then I decided to film the process as a way to review it later on. If you would like to see my process for this page click on the link below the image. This video does not contain a voice-over (I'm not ready for that kind of editing yet) - however, I added some relaxing background music:) And one more thing before I forget: If you are watching my videos on You Tube make sure to click on the setting wheel (find the cog at the bottom of each video) and adjust to at least 720p quality.

CLICK TO WATCH

Note: This video shows how I created the left page. If you're interested in learning how to create the right side page - there is a full tutorial in my channel.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and your lovely comments!

Süße Geschenkidee: personalisierter Fotoschmuck 💝

[Werbung]

Hallo, ihr Lieben 👋🌼

der August neigt sich dem Ende zu und für die meisten von uns ist der gewohnte Tagesablauf bereits eingekehrt. Ganz untypisch für mich freue ich mich schon auf den Herbst, der hoffentlich etwas Abkühlung verspricht. Einen Blick in meinen Kalender verrät mir, dass in den kommenden Monaten einige Feiern anstehen und wenn es etwas Besonderes sein soll, dann schaue ich gerne auf der Online Website Callie - dort gibt es liebevoll ausgewählte Geschenke für jeden Anlass, ob Geburtstag, Verlobung oder Abschlussfeier.

Insbesondere personalisierter Fotoschmuck hat meine Aufmerksamkeit bekommen, denn personalisierte Geschenke kommen in meinem Freundeskreis immer gut an 😊

Nachfolgend zeige ich euch meine Favoriten:

1. Die obige personalisierte Medaillon-Halskette mit Foto in Herzform offenbart beim Aufklappen der zwei Herzhälften ein Foto eurer Wahl, welches sich ganz einfach auf der Webseite hochladen lässt. Der Anhänger ist mit glitzernden Cubic Zirkonia versehen und machen ihn zum richtigen Hingucker. Die Halskette mit Herzmotiv aus Sterling Silber gibt es in drei Varianten: Platin, Gelbgold und Roségold. Zudem ist sie hypoallergen und somit für Menschen mit empfindlicher Haut geeignet.  

2. Vielleicht habt ihr schon bemerkt, dass ich Schmetterlings-Motive besonders mag, und daher ist mir diese personalisierte Foto Medaillon Halskette gleich ins Auge gefallen. Dieser Schmuck mit Foto besteht aus hochwertigen, leichtem Messing und sorgt mit dem glatten Rand des Medaillons für hohen Tragekomfort. Die Kette ist mit kleinen Perlen versetzt und hat eine Länge von ca. 45 cm. Der aufklappbare Anhänger hat eine Größe von 1,6 x 2 cm und es lassen sich gleich zwei Fotos hochladen. Ein hübsches Geschenk mit gutem Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis.

Personalisierte Porträtfoto Manschettenknöpfe mit Text Gravur Vatertag Valentinstag Geschenk für Herren - CALLIE

3. Außer Farbfotos gibt es auch die Möglichkeit Schmuck mit Fotogravur anfertigen zu lassen, z.B. diese originellen Manschettenknöpfe im schlichten und modernen Design. Eine schöne Geschenkidee für euren Liebsten. Die Manschettenknöpfe gibt es wahlweise in Edelstahl oder Sterling Silber und je nach Wunsch mit Platin, Gelbgold oder Roségold beschichtet. Es lassen sich Fotos sowie Text eingravieren.

4.  Zuletzt zeige ich euch diese süße personalisierte Foto-Projektion Halskette mit Schutzengel Anhänger  

Ich muss gestehen, dass ich davon zuvor noch nicht gehört hatte.

So funktioniert es: Mittig des Schutzengel-Anhängers ist ein Projektionsstein eingehängt, welcher das Foto eines verstorbenen Familienmitglieds (oder einer geliebten Fellnase) beinhaltet. Mithilfe der Handy-Kamera lässt sich das mikrogravierte Foto betrachten. Man kann es auch mit der eingeschalteten Taschenlampe am Handy auf eine glatte dunkle Oberfläche projizieren. Eine ausgeklügelte Idee und außergewöhnliches Geschenk. 

Um die Langlebigkeit des Schmuckstücks zu garantieren sollte der Schmuck nicht mit Wasser, Parfüm oder Körperlotion in Berührung kommen. Auch auf eine sorgfältige Aufbewahrung sollte geachtet werden. Dafür kann ich euch diese Schmuckkästchen empfehlen, die es praktischerweise ebenfalls bei Callie zu kaufen gibt. 

Vielen Dank fürs Lesen und vielleicht ist ja bei dem großen Angebot für die oder den zu Beschenkende/n etwas dabei. Schaut einfach mal in den Online Shop rein.

Ich wünsche euch eine schöne Woche und viel Spaß beim Stöbern.

Garden Memories ~ A little handmade Album

Hello lovelies,

After a lengthy hospital stay / rehabilitation I am finally back home recovering. As much as I wish I could jump straight back into my blogging routine and create art tutorials for my YT channel - the energy level isn't there yet. Plus we're having heatwave after heatwave, which is physically demanding. Besides, most people in Europe are on holidays in August, so I've been  making the most of this downtime by leisurely crafting a little photo album from scratch just for me. I find paper crafting a meditative activity. There's just something about the simple act of cutting and sticking down pretty papers that calms my mind and soul, while simultaneously keeping my hands busy. I found a cute paper pad with enchanting animals called "Amongst the Hedgerow" created by illustrator Karina from Karinartspace. I used this as a background for my front and back album cover as well as the inserts. I made sure to provide space for journaling about cherished garden memories. Throughout, I embellished my album with paper flowers, shiny brads and whimsical chipboard ephemera depicting cute animals and cozy garden scenes from the same range. I created flip books, secret pockets and photo cards to hold my garden photos, and to finish, I decorated the album with lace and ribbons. The following pictures show my finished creation. Enjoy! 

Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful day!

Easy One Sheet Mixed Media Booklet

Hi everyone!

Weeks ago I had prepared this blog post, but not quite finished editing it. So, it's been sitting in draft and then this happened. I've scheduled this post for today, but I won't be able to reply to any comments as I am currently in the clinic. Just fyi. 

Anyway, on to a happier topic!

I've been making these little mini booklets for years. They are a simple and fun paper craft with endless variations. All you require is one sheet of paper. I like using drawing paper of 160 gsm weight. I tried a heavier weight, but then it gets tricky when folding. Besides, since I apply mixed media techniques it's going to get a little fatter anyway. 

I started by creating a textured background on my A4 size sheet paper. I covered the entire sheet, alternating applications both vertically and horizontally for a non-directional result. For full instructions on how to fold this sheet into a booklet you can watch the video below. And if you're there, I would so appreciate a "thumbs up", as my channel that I have worked so hard to build hasn't seen much traffic since I've been absent.

Thank you so much 💕

I like to decorate my booklet covers with some collage fodder. I had some pre-made mushrooms in my stash which added a pop of color to the blue-green background. I created two tags to slide into the openings and used a simple binder clip to close the booklet. Now it's ready to be filled with journaling, photos, doodles, tiny art or whatever else you desire! 

Thank you for stopping by and reading along! And thank you for your kind comments re my health issues. I am doing everything in my power to recover and get better, so that I can get back to blogging again. Just know I appreciate all of you 😊 Hugs!!

Please pin / share this tutorial

Emergency Room

Hello lovely blog friends,

You may have noticed my long absence in the blogosphere. A couple of weeks ago I wasn't feeling well. I didn't think too much of it. I went to bed with an Ibuprofen and hoped I would sleep it off, whatever it was. However, around midnight I woke up with chest pains, shortness of breath and I felt feverish. Those who have been following me for a while know that I despise hospitals and I usually avoid those places like the plague, but a niggling voice in the back of my head told me to call an ambulance...which promptly whisked me off to the dreaded hospital where I spent around 5 hours hooked up to machines, given scans and had my bloodwork taken. They immediately pushed intravenous medications. It turns out I narrowly avoided a heart attack. A heart attack omg. Retrospectively, I'm glad I did listen to that voice in my head! I spent a week in ICU and then was transfered to a specialized hospital where I spent another two weeks. All the while I was thinking of my blog family, and hopefully you can forgive me for not responding to any of your lovely comments or checking in on your blogs. In my weakened state it was simply impossible.

I have been released home and in a week I will start rehabilitation. Frankly, this very stressful experience has left me completely exhausted. It is just going to take time to recover from this. Please bear with me. Thank you all! Take good care of yourselves ~

Trying out the Studio Light Brush Markers

Hello lovelies,

It's important for an artist to grow. While I mostly paint with acrylics and gouache, every now and then I step outside my comfort zone and try a different medium. If you've been reading this blog for a while you'll know about my love/hate relationship with watercolors!

But I actually want to feel at ease with them. The other day I came across a relatively new product from Studio Light. I think I've mentioned this Dutch company on my blog before. I have a couple of stamps and stencils which I enjoy using, as they have a unique design. 

Recently, they have expanded their product range to include water-based brush markers, called Aqua Markers. These markers come in sets of six in pre-made color schemes. The four sets I have are Disco, Sunset, Foliage and Sea & Sky, which I have swatched in my journal. Alltogether there are 14 sets available, however, I chose the above as these colors are ones I would likely use for my flower sketches, stamped images and background washes. All of the sets can be mixed and matched allowing for a customized color palette.

I stamped a flower image in my journal on 200 gsm hot-pressed watercolor paper. The markers are designed for drawing, coloring and hand lettering. They have two brush tips, one regular and one large to create varying widths. The larger tip is more flexible than the smaller one, in my opinion. The application is smooth and darks layer fairly well on the lights. I used a size 4 round brush to create the typical watercolor look, but I found it's best to use a brush with stiffer bristles, perhaps a watertank brush. Since these markers are water-based, they are odorless - an important issue for me.

These markers are quite "juicy", especially the green and blue ones. Another way to apply color, is to add pigment to a palette, spray lightly with water and either pick up the paint with a brush or place the substrate directly on the wet paint to create an expressive background, like I did here. The colors mix on the paper which gives interesting effects.

I am going to continue to experiment with them a bit more. My verdict: These brush markers come in a wide color range and are an affordable option for coloring stamped images or using them in coloring books. As mentioned, it's best to use a stiffer brush to pull out color to create the desired watercolor effect. They are best stored laying flat in their original box. I may yet warm up to watercolor painting after all :)

This is not a sponsored post. I simply like and frequently use different products from Studio Light in my mixed media artwork.

Thank you for reading along. Have a beautiful day!

Modern Abstracts

Hi everyone!

Every so often I feel this creative urge to paint wildly abstract. Abstract art has always been the style that I'm most drawn to, even as a teenager! You wouldn't have found any posters of TV stars on my bedroom walls at that time - instead I hung pictures with bold, abstracted images! I like that modern abstracts leave room for imagination and evoke an emotional response. When I paint abstract I try to capture a feeling and use color to tell a story. 

Below I'm sharing my recent practice pieces I painted in my journal. This is a useful exercise for when I decide to go large. This artwork was inspired by both nature and urban environments.

 

I've already heard some interesting interpretations of my artwork from people on another platform. I would love to know what you see when observing these paintings. Let me know in the comments.

Thank you for visiting and have a lovely day!

Monday Moodboard

Hello lovelies,

Who else loves journaling? I've kept a journal or notebook my entire life! Back in the day they were pretty standard, usually lined, and I remember giving mine an upgrade with stickers. Nowadays the choices are endless. Plus there's a whole array of journal essentials, such as washi tapes, sticker sheets, binder clips and writing tools. I've curated some lovely picks in my journal-themed board below. Have a great week!

Click on links below for more info.

1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4

p.s. this might be my last "mood board", as lately these posts get flagged. I remember times when small businesses used to thank me for a spot on one of my boards, as it's free promotion. I guess that's no longer the case! 

Drawing with Crayons [NeoColor I]

Hello everyone!

Who remembers coloring with crayons as a child? I remember the joy of receiving a box of crayons and discovering all the yummy colors in it. Crayon art is not just for kids these days. If you look online you'll discover some pretty amazing artworks done with this simple yet familiar tool! 

I believe that changing things up in my art practice revives that creative spark so needed for coming up with new ideas for my art journal and YouTube channel, and having seen some crayon drawings by other creatives, I decided to treat myself to a new box of crayons. I bought the NeoColor I from Caran d'Ache. These are hard wax pastels, which are water-resistant - not to be confused with NeoColor II from the same company, which are water-soluble. 

The box came with a cardboard sleeve that contained a convenient swatch card on the reverse side. I swatched the crayons with varying pressure, as I wanted to see the level of saturation. This will serve as a guide for shading. There's a good range of blues, greens and earthy tones - great for sketching landscapes and a decent couple of purples, reds, and pinks. I would have loved to see a light magenta in there instead of the orangy-red, though.

I like crayons as a medium, because they are so colorful and not intimidating to work with. They are also economical, as you can use up the entire crayon.

I started with something simple like a green apple. I selected Nr. 521, Nr. 240, Nr. 245, Nr. 249, Nr. 049 and Nr. 035 plus white. Blending takes some practice. I used cotton swabs as well as paper blending stumps. The paper I worked on happened to be lightly textured, and I like the "fuzzy" effect, but if you prefer working on smooth paper, that works too - in fact, it's probably easier to blend. You can sharpen these crayons using the larger hole of a two-hole manual pencil sharpener. You can draw as detailed as you like, but I quite like my expressive style. In these first examples I decided on a fruit theme. 

These crayons are pricey, but they are highly pigmented and I expect them to last a long time. I have sketched several pages of fruit and I have not worn down the tips yet. They don't have a smell, like some cheaper ones do. I believe I got my money's worth with these ones. Plus Caran d'Ache offer them individually, so if you are just starting out and want to try out this medium you can simply buy a couple of your favorite colors. I would recommend to always purchase the white, as you'll need this for blending.

Crayons don't erase well, so consider the colors for your drawings carefully and test them on a separate piece of paper. They are not a fast drawing tool It takes time (and patience) to fill a surface. I like that these don't leave a waxy residue or crumbly bits on the page. They are permanent and do not require a fixative, although some creatives give their work a light spray.

These are just a few of my very first sketches done with crayons. Obviously, I'll need to practice a lot more, but these fruit drawings have already taught me so much about shading, blending, hatching and crosshatching. Most importantly, they are tremendous fun!

Thank you for visiting and Happy Sunday!