Happy New Year!

Yes, it's been over three years since my last post.  It's not that I've stopped creating or journaling, quite the opposite.  I've filled several journals over the last three years and I continue to create my own planners (at least for my personal planning).  It's always a challenge when you have several social media accounts and you're trying to keep up with posting, commenting, and replying.  And then I got overwhelmed - being a teacher again after many years of being a mom, trying to create and journal everyday, helping my children prepare for life after high school, it was too much.  I also got discouraged - I wasn't getting new followers (did I really try to promote myself?), my art didn't sell, and I felt that I was really wasting time.

These are all excuses, I know.  And until I found the right motivation, I simply didn't want to connect.  There were times when I tried to start blogging again, but the funny thing was, I forgot how and I couldn't figure out how to access this blog.  In fact, I had to get my son to help me revive this blog.  LOL.

I'm not going to over-analyze myself here and try to fully explain my absence.  I just felt the need to blog again.  So I will continue, hopefully every two weeks, if not every week.

In 2020, I discovered the Traveler's Notebook system.  Basically, it's a bunch of smaller notebooks put together in one binding system.  I actually liked the size of the standard TN so I had several of my journals (Stalogy and Seven Seas Crossfield) but to the standard size.  

For 2021, I'm still using the TN system, but I'm using it like it was intended, with various inserts that you put together in one binding system.

The one on the left is my school planner.  The middle is a Prima TN that serves as my wallet as well as my monthly pages and memory keeping.  And the right is my main traveler's notebook that has my planner and my art journal.

Here's a quick video I did of my art journal pages from the last two months and a quick peek of my 2021 art journal.

Here are the first two pages of my art journal!  The new journal uses the new Tomoe River paper which has mixed reviews from the fountain pen world.  So far, I'm enjoying the paper as it wrinkles less and it takes less time for pen and watercolor paints to dry.  I will do another review once I've had more time to play with it.  I am still using Daniel Smith Watercolors for the most part.  Perhaps I will do a supplies post next time.

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July is World Watercolor Month!

My friend, Charlie O'Shileld over at Doodlewash petitioned to have July be the official month dedicated to watercolors! And Charlie has challenged artists from all over the globe to participate in 31 watercolors in 31 days. Check out the details here.

I can't wait to participate! Hope you can too! 

Inktober Day 5

Continuing with the Halloween theme, my Inktober entry for today is another decoration I have. I drew this with my Platinum Carbon pen and since there are lots of carved markings on the actual piece, it was perfect for a loose sketch. I then used my Koi watercolors to color. 

Last night, we were invited to celebrate Sukkot with friends. They had built a beautiful sukkah with PVC pipes and decorated with lights, palm leaves, leaf garlands and lanterns.

It was actually not hot so it was very pleasant to eat outside. Our friend, Mary, always has delicious foods prepared. And her apple challah is so very good. I had to do a quick sketch of the sukkah..

For those of you reading who may not know about Sukkot, it is a Jewish holiday that reminds us of what it was like to live a nomadic life like Jews after escaping Egypt under the cruel Pharoh's rule. It's also one of the festival holidays so we celebrate the fall harvest. There is some evidence that the American holiday of Thanksgiving was fashioned after Sukkot.  We make a temporary dwelling outside, with four walls but the roof is only partially covered so that we can see the stars. Typically it is decorated with fruits and vegetables and  homemade decorations. During the seven days of Sukkot, you are supposed to dine inside the Sukkah and some will sleep in the sukkah. We had a great meal (we always do when Mary is cooking) and an even better conversation.

Halloween SelfieX3

It's almost October and that means my favorite holiday is approaching! I LOVE Halloween! Every year, I hand out the candy wearing my bat headband, my red scarf with black sweater and my jack-o-lantern earrings! When the kids were younger, I used to host a Halloween party every year because I love to make Halloween treats. I still make a few now, but it's not quite the same anymore.

The portrait above was done by a talented artist, Jenny Kroik, who was featured on the blog Doodlewash (if you are not following this blog, you definitely should!) Jenny does amazing selfie and portraits in watercolor. You can follow her on Instagram here,

I was inspired by Jenny, so I decided to try it myself...a bit more ghoulish version..

And here is the original.

I will be posting decorations and treats in a future post!