Morning beginnings...

A little coffee...

a little paint..

How do you begin you mornings?

May Flower Challenge - Day 26 - Gift Bag

I'm fascinated with flowers. 

They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time.

I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper...I also see them all over NYC. 

Each day during May I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in.

The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link much contain flowers.

Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more.

What do you get a 3 year for her birthday?

Well, I get normal 3 year old gifts (clothes & books).

BUT...

The gift bag is another story.

I took a shopping bag

and decorated it with flowers.

I encourage you to upcycle your shopping bags.

Thanks for stopping by.

May Flower Challenge - Day 22 - Tie Dye Painted Flowers

I'm fascinated with flowers. 

They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time.

I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper...I also see them all over NYC. 

Each day during May I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in.

The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link much contain flowers.

Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more.

I've been playing around in 21 Secrets,

learning new techniques,

new products,

and simply having fun.

I've adapted one technique

and painted some tie dye flowers.

Outlining the flower in water.

Then touching the water outline

with the paint.

Tucker sat in the window

and watched as I painted.

A few minutes later he decided that he 

was supposed to be the center of attention.

He had a little purple and orange 

paint on him when he got up.

Giggle.

I'm linking up with Julia over at 
Stamping Ground for WOYWW.
(What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday)

Thanks for visiting!

May Flower Challenge - Day 19 - Gift Bag...

I'm fascinated with flowers. 

They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time.

I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper...I also see them all over NYC. 

Each day during May I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in.

The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link much contain flowers.

Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more.

Superman and I were in Greenwich Village today.

This means that we were also at Anthropologie

(it is just too close in proximity to pass by).

What do you do with the shopping bags

that your favorite stores give you?

I re-purpose or upcycle them into gift bags.

I've made these scribble flowers forever.

I love their imperfections.

(I also twist wire into pendants in this shape.)

What do you do with your shopping bags?

Have you ever thought of reusing them?

May Flower Challenge - Day 15 and WOYWW

I'm fascinated with flowers. 

They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time.

I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper...I also see them all over NYC. 

Each day during May I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in.

The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link much contain flowers.

Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more.

Today I'm linking up with Julia at Stamping Ground 

and What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW).
(As well as posting flowers for my
May Flower Challenge. A flower a day in May.)

I'm taking 21 Secrets

and I am having blast 

learning new products and techniques

and them making them my own.

I thought I would share 
my watercolor.
I still have a lot of work to do 
but I thought you might enjoy seeing
a work in progress.

Thanks for visiting.

If you are here to join in
and play along in the May Flower Challenge
please link below.

May Flower Challenge - Day 13 - Doodles

I'm fascinated with flowers. 

They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time.

I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper...I also see them all over NYC. 

Each day during May I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in.

The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link much contain flowers.

Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more.

 I hope that you will play along.

On Monday's I typically do a Soul Whispers 

(message from the universe) post.

I've linked one of my favorite so you can check it out.

I've been doodling, again.

Julie over at Artistically Afflicted recently posted 

about her black and white mark making.

It has inspired me to post my recent flowers.

I don't always have the time to sketch

or doodle so I find that if I divide the page

up into smaller spaces I don't get overwhelmed

when I cannot finish a full page.  This way I 

can complete a small section at a time.

Thanks for visiting.

Leave a comment, play along...

Flowers every day during May.

May Flower Challenge - Day 12

I'm fascinated with flowers. 

They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time.

I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper...I also see them all over NYC. 

Each day during May I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in.

The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link much contain flowers.

Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more.

What do you see when you see an egg carton?

I see flowers...

1. Take your egg carton and cut off

4 of the egg compartments.

Be sure to leave the center 

(the part that sticks up the highest)

connected.

 2. Cut each egg compartment

down the middle, flip it over,

and begin to cut what are

your flower petals.

 3. Make sure you have an audience.

It will make the job more fun.

Java enjoyed watching and 

isn't she cute?
She is laying on 2 of the above flowers
and she looks quite proud.

4. Next, add color.

I used Tombow markers.

5. I made 2 so that I could layer

them on top of one another 

to add depth to my final flower.

In the above photo, I am

holding a "round head fastener"

from my office supply store.

I used a black marker to 

make marks on the head.

6. Put the 2 flowers on top of each other
and push the fastener through the middle.
You now have a flower.

I've made many different flowers out

of egg cartons so I promise

to show you more before the month is over.

Thanks for visiting and linking up if you are playing along.

May Flower Challenge - Day 7

I'm fascinated with flowers. 

They are all over my tiny apartment. I photograph them all the time.

I draw, paint, doodle them, create them out of paper...I also see them all over NYC. 

Each day during May I will post flowers and I hope that you will join in.

The only rule is that your blog post or flickr photo that you link much contain flowers.

Click above on the May Flower Challenge Page to learn more.

I've been visiting my parents the past few days.

Oh, the space to play.

My NYC apartment is small

so to have a kitchen table to make art on is heaven.

I've been making some books out of 

upcycled gift bags,
lace, pieces of material,
old paper, and other found objects.

I even used my Mom's sewing machine
to sew a flower.
(That is a pretty amazing feat
since I think I lasted 2 weeks
in home economics -
I switched to woodworking and had more fun.)



I will finish the books by doodling,
adding quotes,
stamping,
adding secret messages,
little envelopes,
and anything else I can think of as I go along.

What do you use to make art?

Feel free to join in at any time.
Play for a day or the rest of the month.

WOYWW inspired by 21 Secrets

I'm linking up with Julia over at Stamping Ground today.

WOYWW (What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday)

This is what my desk most recently looked like
(before I put the piece of art that is in the foreground away
so that the cats don't chew on it).
The rest of the stuff always stays there.

I signed up for 21 Secrets
at Dirty Footprints Studio
to learn more about art journaling.
The above is inspired by Tammy Garcia's, of Daisy Yellow, workshop.
I love to learn about products that I've never used.

I am having so much fun!

Hop over to Stamping Ground to be inspired
by a few other artists that are playing along.

Also, don't forget that my May Flower Challenge starts May 1st.
I'll be blogging about flowers every day during May.
I hope you'll join me at least for a day.

WOYWW - Flowers

I'm playing along with Julia at Stamping Ground this week 

and What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.

I've been playing with old make-up brushes.

Using them to stamp and paint.

I had someone a few weeks ago ask me
to post something that I've finished,
since you always seem to see my art in progress so here it is.
All inspired by the flower doodle in the center of the photo.

Flowers. I have flowers on the brain this time of year. 

Spring add color to my landscape and I look forward to seeing them bloom.

Speaking of flowers. 

During the entire month of May I will be blogging about flowers.

Flowers I create, that I see in NYC in the gardens, in architecture, etc.

Each day I will post a link on my post 

so that if you want to play along

 and blog about flowers we can all play together. 

Visit here to learn more.

And, don't forget to visit Julia's blog so see a few more desks this week.

WOYWW - my desk today (well last night)

I'm linking up with Julia at Stamping Ground for 

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - WOYWW.

I started to play along with

Catherine Just this week in her photography e-course In Plain Sight. 

I am having a great time - you should check it out. 

My desk is pretty clean - which is amazing since it serves many purposes. 

The journal I am currently using, 

my glasses so I can see things up close, 

to the right are some to be flowers

 (yes, those light blue things) cut from an egg carton, 

supplies,

paint brushes 

(love the plastic bathroom container I found to keep them in),

 and at the top inspiration from friends.

The Believe art is from Jill's Dream 

and the Wonder Always is from Deborah Velásquez.

Do you see the paper peeking out from under the journal?

It is used as a scratch piece of paper that I scribble on, 

dab paint, it is messy but I want to use it for something. 

I'm just not sure what. 

I'd love to hear your ideas.

Hop over to WOYWW and visit a few desks for inspiration.

Flowers ...

It's Spring!

It has finally been above 50 degrees in NY. Yippee!

I'd like to think that means that Spring is finally here (fingers crossed).

Spring brings flowers so I've had flowers on my brain.

Louise Gale started her monthly Creative Color Challenge up again

so I'm jumping in with flowers, of course.

A little water color fun.

I almost forgot, it is Paint Party Friday, too. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Paint Party Friday - Creating a Little Love

My week has been filled, over the top filled, with travel, conferences, presentations, long days, very little sleep, and not enough art. (All because of the day job.) So last night, instead of watching tv in zombie mode, I decided to paint some love.

I cut out some hearts from watercolor paper, painted, and doodled.

I love the way they turned out.

I am linking up with Paint Party Friday today. Hop over and visit.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone.

I hope your day is filled with family, love, and joy.

AEDM - so grateful

AEDM Day 30

I'm linking up with Art Every Day Month throughout the month of November.

Creating art each day: doodling, painting, journal making, stamping, photographing, etc.

It is the last day of Art Every Day Month and I am so grateful. I'm also a little sad this month has been a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

I created a ton of new art. 

Creatively thought up an entire new line of products that will in 2013 become cards, original art, fabric, wall clings, and even silver pendants for necklaces. Totally excited and drawing up plans of how to make it all happen. Yes, that means that I will open an online store of some kind in 2013.

Also, I am so grateful for all of you. Your daily visits, kindness, words of encouragement, and love sincerely mean the world to me. 

Thank you!

Here are a few of my favorites from the month.

Also, I've signed up to participate in Kat's (at I Saw You Dancing) 'reverb12 during the month of December. I can't think of better way to reflect on 2012 and get excited about 2013.

Check back during December I promise there will photographs of NYC all decked out for the holidays.

Hop over to Leah's site at Creative Every Day and visit a few other blogs celebrating AEDM.

'tis the season...

AEDM Day 29

I'm linking up with Art Every Day Month throughout the month of November.

Creating art each day: doodling, painting, journal making, stamping, photographing, etc.

NYC is bursting with holiday spirit.

The store windows have all be revealed.  

The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center was lit last night. 

There are decorations on lamp posts.

The doorways of buildings have garland and ornaments.

There are lights everywhere.

I bought a couple of poinsettias yesterday. (One for the bathroom where the cats can't reach and another for my day job desk.)

I even saw a construction worker with a Santa hat over his hard hat yesterday.

I love Christmas in NYC. 

I think it is about time that I put up a few decorations in my 300 square feet.

Oh, and maybe I should do a little shopping and send a few gifts home to my family since I will be staying in NYC for Christmas.

Hop over to Leah's website and visit a few other creative soul's who are participating in AEDM.

Creative Color Challenge and Day 28 AEDM

AEDM Day 28

I'm linking up with Art Every Day Month throughout the month of November.

Creating art each day: doodling, painting, journal making, stamping, photographing, etc.

Today I'm also participating in Louise Gale's Creative Color Challenge for November.  Each month Louise gives us a color palette to play with during the month. I just love the warm colors she gave us this time.

On Day 6 of AEDM I shared this piece of leaf art. Created with watercolors, inspired by the maple leaves of Central Park.

I decided to make a mobile out of them. Originally I was going to take them to my office, I still might, but for now they hang on my closet doors near my bed.

By the way, at the suggestion of a dear friend, I did not cut up my original watercolor. I photocopied it, cut the leaves out, and simply strung them with thread.

Thanks, Louise for the color inspiration and this month's challenge. Also, thanks to Deborah Velásquez for the mobile inspiration.

Hop over to AEDM and Louise Gale's site to visit a few other creative souls today.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Flowers...

AEDM Day 25

I'm linking up with Art Every Day Month throughout the month of November.

Creating art each day: doodling, painting, journal making, stamping, photographing, etc.

Flowers, flowers, and more flowers.

May your day be filled with smiles.

Hop over to Leah's website and visit a few other creative soul's who are participating in AEDM.

Doodle in color...

AEDM Day 24

I'm linking up with Art Every Day Month throughout the month of November.

Creating art each day: doodling, painting, journal making, stamping, photographing, etc.

Just a little doodle with watercolors...

Now to work on my sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project. 

Hop over to Leah's website and visit a few other creative soul's who are participating in AEDM.

Flowers...

AEDM Day 21

I'm linking up with Art Every Day Month throughout the month of November.

Creating art each day: doodling, painting, journal making, stamping, photographing, etc.

Back in October when I visited my parents I stamped random okra flower stamps on white paper.

The okra I bought at the farmer's market in NYC and packed in my carry on, which by the way the TSA agents giggled at as they hand searched my bag to see what it was, produced only 5 flower petals when stamped. It must have been a different variety that the okra I had previously use (which you can see here).

I chose to doodle grass across the bottom.

I then added stems, leaves, dots, and depth to the flowers.

I also stamped some clusters. I then doodled them too.

I love the way these turned out. 

I want to see a whole page of them and then I'm thinking fabric.

Happy day before Thanksgiving. For me, this means a short day at the day job and a weekend planned with naps, art, and snuggles with Superman. I am so looking forward to a little down time.

Hop over to Leah's website and visit a few other creative soul's who are participating in AEDM.