happy weekend!

kale berry salad

Kale is a big part of my diet and I am always looking for ways to make it exciting. One of my favorite salad combos is kale with berries. The sweet berries mixed with the earthy flavor of the kale is delicious way to get your daily greens!

INGREDIENTS:

Chopped kale

Raspberries

Blackberries

Cucumbers

Chia seeds

Crumbled feta

Pecans

Olive oil

TIP: Use a little bit of olive oil on your hands and massage it through the kale. This will take away the bitterness and turn that kale soft and sweet! You can also get the same result by tossing the kale in olive oil and letting it sit over night.

Dressing:

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons honey

squeeze of lemon

pinch of salt and pepper

lettering outside the lines is here!

Hey friends we've got another fun class that drops today! Here is a little peek!

LOL Intro from Megan E Wells on Vimeo.

Letter Outside the Lines

Starts April 26th

$30.00

For more details or register for class HERE

Join Megan Wells of Makewells for another fun and creative lettering class!

Take your lettering to the next creative level in this fun, “outside the box” class where Megan’s bound to help you break a few rules! Using a wide variety of materials and techniques, she'll share her favorite ways to take her original, hand lettering artworks beyond the pencil and pen, while walking you through her process of experimenting with letterforms and materials in her sketchbook.  

a morning at the tulip fields

NEW! summer online classes!

I've been working hard on new online classes and I am super excited to announce my summer lineup! Also, I've got an early bird sale happening in this new classes until May 31st so get em' cheap if you register early.

PAINTER'S BLISS

begins May 22

$50.00 EARLY BIRD $40.00

Join me for a colorful and messy class dedicated to breaking free and finding the bliss that comes with the process of acrylic painting! I will be sharing all my favorite supplies, techniques, tips, tricks and prompts when it comes to painting from the heart. From art journal pages, to small surfaces to painting on a variety of unique materials, we will explore different painting surfaces. We will explore color, expression, movement, composition, how to "let go" and discover ways to listen to our intuition when painting. 

more information or register HERE

CUT and CREATE

begins June 26

$15.00 EARLY BIRD $10.00

I don't know about you but when it comes to the creative process I have ALL KINDS of creative experiments, demo pages, color swatches, half filled pages, mistakes and test surfaces. In this class we will be using up all those "toss away" pages and giving them new life! We explore shapes and abstraction through cutting and ripping up all that paper. Then we will transform those bits and pieces of color into unique collaged surfaces.

more information or register HERE

THE GARDENER'S JOURNAL

begins July 17

$30.00 EARLY BIRD $20.00
Grab that art journal and meet me in the garden! In this class we will be using the garden as as the backdrop for exploration and creativity! We will be using a variety of techniques and materials to discover and document inspiration, memories, garden planning, wildlife observations, weather patterns and more! I will share all kinds of techniques- from sketching, collage and painting to create colorful and layered art journal pages.
more information or register HERE

PHOTO PLAY

begins Aug 14

$15.00 EARLY BIRD $10.00

I love taking photos! Even more, I love finding unique ways to alter and transform those photos! In this class we will be using printed photographs as the backdrop for layering, painting, journaling and mixed media techniques. I will be sharing some of my favorite tips and tricks for turning pictures into a mixed media art!

more information or register HERE

BUNDLE OF 4 CLASSES

$90.00  EARLY BIRD $75.00

In addition to the new line up of classes I am also offering a bundle option. This bundle includes all four new classes. The price of the bundle is $90 (compare at $110 for all four classes separately a savings of $20. If you are interested in taking all four classes, this is the option for you!

more information or register HERE

ABOUT MY ONLINE CLASSES:

There are many online workshops out there at different prices with different content. Back in 2009, when I decided to offer an online learning option, I set out to create a structure that is similar to taking a "live" class from me.  My mission is to provide an affordable class with a learning environment where you are watching lots of demos, learning techniques and then creating on your own art.

FACTS:

• I have three different structures of online classes: 

Large Class: These classes are $50 and have 5 HUGE lessons that include videos, photos, written information, prompts and more. My large format classes dive deep into a variety of techniques, projects and information.

Mini Class: My mini classes cost $30 and have 3 HUGE lessons that include videos, photos, written information, prompts and more. 

Micro Class: These classes cost $15 and have 1 HUGE lesson that includes videos, photos, written information, prompts and more.

• My classes are a combination of video learning (with demos, techniques and me talking) and lots of photo steps outs of inspiration, techniques and process.

• All classes are all filmed in my studio. Since 2009 I have been tweaking my gear and my process with the hope that video/photo content gets better and better. My #1 goal is to provide inspiring lessons and visuals that are easy to understand.

• My classes do NOT have a required supply list. Instead I share the supplies that I like to use and then give you a variety of options and inspiration to use supplies that work best for your process and your budget.

• All of my classes have unlimited access which means that once you register you can create and access at any time and work at your own pace. Whenever I "release" a new class- I release each lesson "live". Many people enjoy working in this format, as the lessons are posted each week but once all information gets posted there is unlimited time to access everything. I have found that some people prefer to work along with the live format when I release a new class, while others will wait months until they have the time, money and the schedule to register for the class. Either way works- just know that once you are in- there is no deadline or pressure to create.

earth day is every day!

happy weekend!

exploring we will go

We love going exploring as a family but once in a while Andy and I like to head out, just the two of us for our own adventures! Here is a peek.

4 tips for working with cheap watercolors

When it comes to working with watercolors, there are all sorts of different options out there. Over the years I've pretty used everything- from cheap to expensive to middle of the road paint. And while I have my favorites, I always find myself using the cheap sets of paint. They are accessible (you can buy a set of Crayola watercolors at the grocery store), the quality and colors are nice, they are great for traveling and creating on the go and the best part is that you can beat them up! Today I thought I would share 4 tips for working with cheap watercolors.

Crayola Watercolors   Prang Watercolors   Koh-I-Noor Watercolors   Sargent Art-Time Watercolors

I get asked for recommendations on watercolor paint all the time. Honestly, my best advice is that before you splurge on the fancy stuff, grab yourself a $3.00 set of watercolors and get accustomed to the process of working with wet media. 

1. Mix up those colors

It's really easy (and tempting) to paint straight from those pans which can make a cheap set of watercolors feel like they are limiting but I like to challenge myself to see how many different color combos I can mix up. This process will show you how much potential that cheap set has!

You can even get really detailed and take it a step further and number the colors.

Keep track of your color combinations and use this as a reference when you paint.

2. Layer that color

Sometimes cheap watercolors are not as pigmented as more expensive options. I've found that you can get richer more saturated color simply by layering. I like to start with a wash of color.

Once that color is dry, I paint right over the top of it with the same color. The result is deeper, pigmented color.

3. Supplement those colors

While I love cheap sets of watercolors, I've found (depending on the brand) there is always one color that isn't dynamic. A great way to make up for this is to supplement by purchasing one or two tubes or individual pans of better quality or more pigmented watercolors. I've found that red and magenta in cheap sets can be a little dull or washed out. To make up for this, I always like to have a few shades of red or magenta that I use along with my cheap watercolors.

 

4. Don't be afraid to mix different brands
There is no rule that says you can't mix cheap watercolors with more expensive brands! I love using my Crayola watercolors along side my Raphael set and Sakura Koi set. In fact, I actually prefer the teal and blue in my cheap set!