Sketching

Plan With Me: Functional Art Journal in Our Planner Spread

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Today I am sharing something a little different-a simple plan with me video.  I haven’t done a planner video in such a very long time but I thought it would be fun to combine planning with art. I like to keep my planner spreads simple and functional but I also like them to be fun to look out amidst the to-do’s.

I started off adding some washi tape along the bottom and then used some colored pencils to add some decorative boxes. I used some fun watercolor pencil around what I typically use as a running to-do list for the week. I then added a quick pencil sketch. I am trying to do daily sketching and using my planner for tracking and quick sketches seems like a wonderful combination. I finished off with a few stickers.

I hope you enjoy this video. If you like planner videos let me know in the comments as I am happy to share more.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

If you found value in this video you can buy me a coffee 🙂
https://ko-fi.com/thedreamingdilettante

Happy Planner: 2023 Happy Planner x Zaewild Painted Blossoms Happy Planner – Classic Dashboard Layout (it doesn’t look like the one I have is available but it is a similar style to these)
https://amzn.to/3CBHfM5 (affiliate link)

The colored pencils I used: https://amzn.to/449Fodk (affiliate link)

Music by Angela Predhomme – Hey Mr. Sunshine – https://thmatc.co/?l=A91D246D

Painting Faces

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How are you? I have been working through with the help of some art making. This weekend the weather was a little gray and between puttering in the garden (and bringing in some cut flowers to place in bud vases around the house) I made some art.

I have been working on a theme of small ladies that I would love to turn into stickers. I do love stickers and adding them to journal pages or in memory keeping. I am still fine tuning them. I love how they look as sketches but when I start painting them I feel like they are loosing a little something. Maybe I should try them all in colored pencils?

I am also working on a little paper clay decoration for Father’s Day. I am hoping I can get it done in time-I have been doing a bit here and there as I can. The inspiration came from Sarah Hand’s new book “A Happy Book of Little Gifts to Make” (that’s an affiliate link and if you make a purchase I receive a small commission but it doesn’t cost you any more).
With any luck I can finish it up in time and share some photos with you.

I was also flipping through one of my larger sketchbooks. I don’t know about you but there are certain sketchbooks or art journals I just connect with. It has very little to do with the book itself and I think more to do with how I have created in it so far. If I have been free and having fun just playing with materials I tend to really, really love the book. This is one of those journals. Usually, once I realize that I love the book I suddenly put all this pressure on myself to “keep it going.”
It feels a little like learning to ride a bike-once you realized you are doing it you fall over?

In flipping through this journal I came across I piece I had done a while back that I absolutely loved. I mean, really loved. I just connected with her so much and I am sure it had to do with how I felt creating her. I remember when she was done and I shared her with my family they just smiled and said it was nice. They didn’t quite share my enthusiasm. Art is like that though isn’t it? It can feel like the entire Universe aligned and offered you clarity and then another person can see it and just shrug. Art is so very personal.

I get it-it’s not as if she is a fabulous execution of a face. Still, she meant something to me and flipping back through the journal and seeing her I felt it all over again.

I also felt the call to make another one (and maybe more than one). This time however I felt a little nervous. Afraid I was putting pressure to create the same feeling I had when I made the one above. (I named her “Babette” by the way)
Instead, I picked a background page that had my favorite colors mixed in it and it and just started playing.

Can I say I love her even more?

 

I also love this photo with my messy desk. I took it just to make sure I captured her and instantly knew this would be a part of a post I wanted to share with you.

I am pretty sure this journal is going to be filled with similar girls. I love the two-page spread and there is just something about each of them that speaks something to me.

I hope you like this little peak into what I have been creating over the weekend. I would love to hear what you have been making or creating. Please share in the comments below.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

 

 

Weekly Doodles #2: Video

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I am back today with another weekly doodle session. I am not sure if I will do this every week-consistency and routine is not a virtue of mine. I am however, enjoying the challenge of making little sketches of what I have been up to in the week.

Art shows us so much. It highlights the voices in our heads-sometimes the critical ones that whisper, “you aren’t going to share that are you?” I try to remind this voice that creativity is what we love and what we share not perfection.

This week I am greatly inspired by artist Mindy Lacefield. She does wonderful sketchbook pages adding stickers, washi and pulling them all together with color. I keep that in mind a bit here as I play with some of my newer materials and blend in a few stickers and some her washi.

This week we picked up groceries-including some really yummy french bread.  I went for a few drives in my minivan which I loved, worked in my garden and my 2 youngest had a blast sledding down the giant mulch pile we had delivered in our driveway. I also took part in a zoom call for Mindy’s sticker club which was just so much fun that I had to draw a little sticker book. I also ordered some goodies for Easter so I added a little Easter basket as well.

I colored everything in and had lots of fun with the colors. I would love to tell you that I have a pink minivan but I do not. White however wasn’t really something I could color so I added some whimsy and painted my van my favorite color.

The same is true for my garden fence-it is not pink although I am thinking a pink fence would look beautiful-what do you think? I also don’t have an arbor-yet but it’s in the works for this year.

Have you done any doodling of your week? Having fun and not worrying about it being an exact representation can really make your art so much more enjoyable and interesting. I would love to hear what you are working on.

This week I decided to film my little process and share with you. I sped everything up and added some music so if you have a few minutes why not pull out some of your favorite art supplies and play along?

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Resting, Recharging and NaNoWriMo Wrap Up

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How are you? I hope this post is finding you well and that (if you celebrate) you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a very nice visit with my husband’s family. It was gorgeous weather here on the East Coast and the kids were able to spend time with their cousins which is always a highlight for them.

On Saturday we went to a local Christmas parade which has become a yearly tradition for us. We started it when my oldest was only 1 and have been going every year and really enjoy it. I admit to feeling completely wiped out but as this was the first year my youngest was going to really watch the parade I didn’t want to miss it and I am so glad I went. It was a fun time for us all.

I have also been keeping up with my NaNoWriMo challenge and if all goes well I should reach my word count on November 30th. I will be sure to let you know how I make out!

Now, I rest. Now I work on recharging. I love doing things and being around people but afterwards I need my cocoon time. To curl up, be cozy and not have to speak or talk or listen much. To just be and reconnect.

I missed my art journals. I want to play with paper and paint and make a mixed media mess but I just didn’t have the energy today. I also wanted to write a fantastic blog post complete with video and again, just didn’t have the energy so I thought I would just stop by and say hello to you and share a small sketch I made in bed while listening to my favorite podcast

It felt good to make a small amount of time for those activities that are just for me. To honor those things I love so much and to make time for myself in a way that is just for me. There is so much I want to do and so many things I want to accomplish but I have to remind myself that it’s never the accomplishment that matters-it’s the experiences we have.

I hope you are taking care of yourself today in a way that is special just for you.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante