The March Equinox Project

I've been meaning to do a proper color photography post. Now I've got an excuse and a plan.

1 - A few posts back, I mentioned some colors that remind me of spring.

2 - I read about this color walk in the lovely Whimsy Love blog.

3 - Then, today I joined an Alt Summit online class (which you can find here) about projects to get your creative photog juices flowing. One of the exercises suggested was to come up with a project and do it.

I'm going to combine those three totally unrelated pieces up there into a new photography challenge: the March Equinox Project.

Here's my challenge:

• I'm choosing one color every week
• Taking lots of pictures of nature in various shades of that color
• Sharing a collage of that week's color with you
• Then at the end, make a collage including my favorites from each color

Duration: From the March Equinox to the June Solstice

That means that I'm already 1 week late! So this week, my goal will be two colors and two collages.

I'm choosing green and white to start with. I'll be sharing a full collage for both in one week.

For now, I'll leave you with just a bit of green sprouting from our apple tree that I happened to snap this weekend.

I didn't know I'd be doing this challenge when I first edited this picture, so it's textured. The others won't be.

What creative challenges have you embarked on lately? Would you like to join me?

Dragon Lily }{ the sketchbook challenge

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, beginning on January 23, 2012 is a year of the dragon (see here for other years). According to their traditional zodiac, the dragon is energetic, fearless, warm-hearted, and charismatic as well as arrogant and impatient. Dragon babies are very popular in East Asia (also here and here). 

You can probably see where I'm going with all this - the growing dragon in my belly. To be honest, I'm not one to believe in zodiacs, but I find myself calling this little girl (yes, it's a girl!) my little dragon all the time. I even checked her compatibility, and it turns out they are most compatible with rats (N. is a rat). I hope it's true and they turn out to be the best of friends. 

Then, last week I stopped by a flower shop that I hadn't seen before just to check out their selection. They had these beautiful pink and orange flowers in one arrangement. I asked the shop keeper what kind they were and he said they were "dragon lilies." Boom. I had to get some.

March's sketchbook challenge's theme is "flowers" so I decided to draw a dragon lily in honor of my little dragon. It was quick work, nothing elaborate - just an outline filled in with copic markers.

Now let's just hope she doesn't breathe fire. 

Do you believe in zodiacs? What's your Chinese zodiac sign?

A mixed media card }{ tutorial

I'm calling this post a tutorial, but in truth it's more of a process post. What I mean is, if you follow the steps, you may be using the same process I did, but most likely your card won't be the same. You might change the colors, the background, the final touches, etc. In any case, it's been a while since I did a tutorial-like post.

To be completely honest, I'm not 100% happy with how it came out at the end. So I'm asking for help. What would you have done differently?

This all started with an idea to sew ripped up music sheets together. I didn't know anything else about the project, only that it had to include that. The whole process went along without planning ahead - after each step I'd try to think "what's next?" So I gathered a bunch of things I might use, but here's a final list of what I did use:

• watercolor paper
• old sheets of music
• alcohol-free ink
• walnut ink spray
• sketch paper and pencil
• gesso
• watercolors (and brush of course)
• scissors
• matte gel
• ribbon
• small jewel
• sewing machine and thread

And the process:

1. Cut a piece of watercolor paper and sprayed it with pink ink. 
2. Then grab a ripped up piece of sheet music

1. Rip the sheet music into 4 smaller pieces and then sew them together.

1. Press the edges of the sheet music on the ink pad

1. Sketch some girls on separate piece of paper. This step in particular can easily be made simpler by using a stamp, like these.

1. Decide which image to use, color it (or not), and cut it. I used watercolor for this, but I've seen people do amazing cards with copic markers and other supplies too.

1. Decide on an arrangement on the background paper and paste it together using matte gel.
2. Put on the finishing touches, whatever you deem necessary. I added gesso on the girl for some highlights, as well as some darker colors for shadows here and there. Then I also added some thread using various decorative stitches to the side, then a jewel to her hat, and finally some ribbon.

So back to my question up there, what would you have done differently?

Spring equals sewing

It happens every year during spring: I get an urge to sew new dresses and skirts, as well as house decor items.

This past week I had so many projects in mind, and although I've started some of them, this is the only one I was able to finish.

I love the way the dress came out and it was so easy (and quick). I picked up the pattern last year on a garage sale I believe and I'm so glad I did.

Fall and winter have me in the kitchen, while springs takes me back to the sewing room and fabric stores... I wonder what summer has in store for me this time.

The seasons influence my lifestyle and creative activities so much. What about you?

Lemony sweet treats

What colors remind you of spring?

For me yellows, pastel pinks, turquoise, light blues and greens. So every spring I feel this need to bring some of these colors in the house - flowers, vases, bowls, art, anything that I can easily place in view.

Food as well - fruits, veggies, juice... And these stick around through the summer. Lemons become a staple around here, from spring valleys to the high peaks of summer heat. Ahhh, lemon, how I love thee...

Yes, yes, back to the post.

I found this amazing lemon oat bars recipe over at simple daily recipes and boy, oh boy. She's right when she says you can't stop at one. They're delicious.

A sweet way to celebrate spring

A St Patrick's Day Weekend

The Lovely Catherine Denton is having a blog party today for a very good reason: her daughter is going to Africa to do volunteer work with orphans. She's having giveaways and fun posts all day and giving discounts on her Etsy shop. All proceeds go to her daughter's trip. Do stop by and say hello over at her post.

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No, we're definitely not Irish, not even remotely (Brazil, Japan, and Ireland are all quite far from one another). But this past weekend was filled with St Patrick's Day festivities.

Friday

In order to get N. to eat some veggies she usually shies away from I decided to make a leprechaun meal. The sandwich (ham, swiss cheese spread, and shredded carrots) was the hat, then I added a beard (mashed avocado), a mouth (tomatoes), eyes (mozzarella cheese and raisins), some gold coins (cut up baby carrots), and shamrocks (kiwis and cucumbers). She loved it and ate everything... except the veggies.

Saturday

N.'s best friend and her parents were on their way to a St Patty's day celebration at a carousel factory museum and texted us to see if we'd like to go. N. never refuses a playdate with this little girl (and I like her mom a lot too), so off we went. It was so much fun. We had a little scavenger hunt that took us around the museum - very old carousel horses, carriages, and other animals; organs that read and played music from a sheet of paper with holes; wood carving the animals by hand; a man dressed as St Patrick that told us his story, and then at the end of the rainbow, a pot of gold (candy) and a carousel ride on a 90 year old carousel (no worries, it was safe). Then, crafts, face painting, Irish dancers, and a lot of fun. The girls had a blast, but by the end they were tired and cranky and didn't even want to give each other a hug goodbye. Then they made up, of course. 

ps.: I wish I had more pictures of the place, but it was incredibly dark and some areas were restricted when it came to photography. For the ones up there, you can see all the noise and blur from bumping up my iso way too high. Also, a lot of the pictures I do have also include N.'s little friend and I wouldn't post without her permission.

Sunday

A quiet and beautiful spring day. We went to the park, drew with chalk on the sidewalk, blew bubbles, and just enjoyed a sunny day outside. 

How did you spend your weekend?

Intention }{ Illustration Fridays

"Perhaps not the best way to check his intentions after all..." 

Poor flower... And all for naught.

watercolor and gesso

Did you ever do this as a young girl? Did it ever work out?

Close up }{ The Sketchbook Challenge

I'm starting to get some of my energy back. *only some* 

Although that still leaves me with little time to post more often, it does mean that I have the energy to fit in a quick sketch or two into my week. Like this one.

That's N. sleeping

I got inspired by the February sketchbook challenge theme: close up. Drawing faces usually presents a big challenge for me, and I thought the theme would be the perfect excuse to practice drawing at least a portion of a face. Especially the nose........ What is it with noses? I can never get them right. But focusing on just a small part I was able to do better than usual. 

This was the full page of the sketchbook by the way. I didn't use it all, so when I cropped the picture I only kept the actual sketch.

What is your biggest drawing challenge?