fashion friday- layered necklaces

locket liz lamoreux of soul mantras and other stories

necklace from polished two

new online class- the art of abstraction!

I have another online class that I will be releasing on April 9th! Details and a giveaway coming on Monday!

a peek inside my sketchbook- the blues

updates from the studio- some big news!

I have a confession to make- I've been keeping lots of secrets over here! And while I cannot reveal everything at the moment- I have some big news that I've been dying to share! My husband and I have been working on a dream and we recently put that dream into motion- we are leaving Southern California and moving to my hometown on the Oregon Coast in June.

We are giddy and excited and more than ready to start a new chapter that will involve a more simplified lifestyle and the ability for both of us to be at home and more flexible to raise our daughter. This decision has been in the works for years and it has involved lots of questioning, soul searching, and figuring out the right time. We have known that Southern California, while wonderful in its own right, has not felt like the perfect fit for us. We both ache for the rugged outdoors, the rain, the seasons, and a much simpler way of life.

As if it's not wonderful enough to have the opportunity to raise a family in a small coastal community and be near my family (can you say free babysitters?!) but the cherry on top is that I will be opening a studio space to work from and a place to host a variety of classes and small retreats. This represents another dream I’ve held close to my heart: that I can share the wonders of the Oregon Coast and its unique inspiration with you.

In the weeks and months to come I will be sharing more details and announcing the schedule of live classes at the new space AND I will be taking all of you, my dear readers along for this adventure...stay tuned!

in not so big news- I have been hard at work on my next online class and I will be announcing the details later this week!

fashion friday- black and white stripes

dew drops

faux feathers necklace

I can't seem to get enough of feathers lately- they are the perfect subject matter for all kinds of creative projects and they happen to be all the rage in fashion. So I decided to put my twist on a feather necklace, creating my own unique feathers.

1. I started with a simple sketch of a feather drawn onto fabric. I filled in the feather with Tulip Soft Fabric Paints- they are very versatile and great to use on a variety of fabric surfaces 2. I continued to fill in the feather with colorful details.

3. When the paint was dry, I used a permanent marker to add additional details. 4. When I was satisfied with the feather I cut it out.

Next, I created two more feathers in different colors and sizes.

I stacked the feathers on top of each other

and I used an awl to poke tiny holes in all three of the feathers and inserted a jump ring.

Just for a little variation I added some beads and a little charm to the feather and the last step was to put everything on a chain.

the art of subtraction

In many of my classes I teach the importance of understanding and using lines in sketching. From bold lines to thin lines, crosshatching to stippling to repetition- using a variety of lines will bring a sketch (or even a doodle) to life! A great way to practice and challenge yourself to work on lines is by using the concept of subtraction. This means that instead of adding pigment to a surface, you are pulling it away. There are all kinds of ways to do this but one of my favorites is using scratchboard. It is affordable, easy to use and a wonderful way to exercise your brain when working on your drawing skills!

All you need to scratchboard and a scratching knife- I purchased mine HERE

And then you scratch,

scratch,

and scratch some more!