My blush "love" pattern collection. I also have a love for all things party and shower related. At some point I will throw a shower with napkins and plates with this collection (even if I have to print it myself). Not to mention the wrapping paper. Luckily I have many years before my 8 and 12 year old daughters or teenage nieces are ready for a bridal shower.

She who always has a song in her heart will always dance.

Music inspires my little one and she inspires me. If there is a melody anywhere around her little body is moving. I had a neat experience as I painted this one. I decided I would listen to her music as I painted. When one particular song came on, "A Million Dreams", and I stopped painting Avery, I started to make her dance. I've painted her, now how do I make her dance?

Have my website started. Still need to go through with a few suggestions you guys gave me. Started a Society6 shop and sold two mugs. It’s the little things, right. Need to upload a bunch more stuff to that site. Printed a bunch of cards for Teaher gifts and a fundraiser auction. Thought it would be a good time to snap a few pictures to eventually put on the website in the “shop” section. Yay. And entered a few Spoonflower’s this month. Got 36 votes for the feather pattern from people I don’t know. Wanted to see how well it would do without asking people on Instagram and Facebook to vote..

Just trying to move the needle a little at a time.

Just thought I would share my latest collection. This will be turned into notecards for the little shop that carries my work. And hey, they only have two left in stock! I need to contact them to refill their box.

This will also be part of a fabric collection. Spoonflower launched a new bedding product. So, one of these images will be selected for the contest. I think it’s called “neutral bedding.” And because I want to treat myself, it’s going to be my new bedding. At least part of will be my sheets and throw pillows.

Then society 6 products will carry the prints as well. Loving the wheat for a tumbler and the cotton field for a tote

I painted solid background in the gray, aqua, and blush. I’ll add some to the paintings in photoshop. Not sure which ones I’ll put with the floral elements. I wanted to paint the backgrounds on with the florals, but it is so much easier to change things when a blank background.

And hey, did y’all know you could use white to make a great flesh tent in watercolors? Who knew. I have not used the white before. All this time wasted!

Who doesn't love a cupcake? But what if they are even better than expected? What if, there was a hidden surprise of yummy unexpected goodness?!?!?!? An ingredient that you never knew would taste so magical in a cupcake. Or a birthday sprinkle confetti surprise. What about finding out the type of little bundle that you will be bringing into the world? Cupcakes can hold such sweet little treasures. After all, they are a cake that fits in a cup.

Mermaid Toile (fabric pattern). Finished! My little kidlettes as mermaids. It was a blast imagining them as mermaids. What would they be doing. Can't wait to get my bag all printed up for the pool. They may swim like mermaids, but they still need their goggles!

There are many of you guys that are so stinking amazing! I want you guys to create books, stories and comics that I can read to my children. Even ones that they can fall in love with on their own. I have been wrestling for the past year of wanting to have more time to create my work, to get better, and really give this art thing a "go." Learning more about the business side and all the other information found here make that dream more real than ever. It being more real makes it harder to feel trapped in my current position in life.

Please don't take this post as winning. Or one of those "oh, I wish I had that problem." This is just what I am slowly realizing with my work and myself as an artist. Think of "national women's day." This is my choice as a woman and don't go all feminist on me please.

I am a stay at home mom. I have 4 kids from ages 11-4. None of them took a bottle. That meant sleepless nights for mostly me. My husband works hard. Extremely hard. (as many of you all do). With his high demand job our home rolls aren't exactly 50/50. He swoops in for playtime after all the homework and after school things are done. and I wake up and get them all ready in the morning. Dr apps, allergy shots, carpool, practices, that's all me. He provides a good living for our family. I don't "need" to work and earn extra for our family to be comfortable and enjoy a few of the extra fun things. I will not put my husband's job and our families financial security for my personal self fulfillment.

Then there is a beast inside that needs to make things. As an artist that wants to work, have validation it is SO hard to not be jealous of those that have nothing but time to prefect and poor into their work and promote. I felt so bitter for a while that I had to give up something I wanted so badly all my life and that my artistic growth was stunted because I had no creative energy when I was pregnant and nursing babies and chasing toddlers.

Then my heart began to soften. Stupid time-hops on Facebook with my work and trying to dig up something on pinterest and finding work from 5 years ago. The straw that broke the camel's heart was a visit to my brother's house. One that recently moved back to a drivable distance. I saw the work spanning two decades. Work that I had forgotten I even made. Good work. Work that I was proud of. I never stopped making work. I have always created things for the people I love. That candle of creativity has always burned bright. No, not much money has exchanged hands over the past 15 years. But a lot of love has. Work that I tried my best on. That gave my full heart in creating.

So, if your paycheck hasn't come in yet. PEASE DON'T STOP MAKING WORK YOU ENJOY DOING! Don't stop sharing it with your friends and family. Hopefully, if you need to feed your family, the right people will see your work. I know there are so many of you I am dying to get in my library. I mean that with the most sincere part of my heart. You guys are brilliant. I "real" people in your life love your work (not just the hearts and likes and up-votes), even if you create it as much as you wish.

As one of the original painting tutorial man use to say, "Happy Painting."

“I can't think of anything more rewarding than being able to express yourself to others through painting. Exercising the imagination, experimenting with talents, being creative; these things, to me, are truly the windows to your soul.”

This month’s challenge I’m going to make a pattern collection. I envision it being for a wedding or a bridal shower. Just trying to make a “lovely” collection. Maybe I’ll even mock up plates and cocktail napkins. I know for sure it will be turned into a note card set for Mother’s Day. So- here is the start.

@Chip-Valecek okay. Been thinking about it for a little bit I have a few other ideas. I would love to see your art hero’s. I think the project would be the dream portfolio. Who are your art hero’s that are working in the market currently? There is a Skillshare class I watched on licensing. I can’t remember what it is. Go into your hot topic and Spencer’s and look who manufactures that stuff. Scratch that. Just show us who your hero’s are that are similar in style. Maybe do some master studies of their work.

Look outside the svs community to see if there is someone who could be a mentor. I think offering to pay for a portfolio look and a conversation is something that would help. Someone who knows that niche of the industry.

Make a product. Go to a place where they would sell said product. Your horror paintings would make a nice book. Your inktobers. Christmas is cute. I would pass on the Christmas collection. Maybe a compilation of monthly contests? I don’t know. Find who buys your stuff and make stuff. Or something. You need more people looking at your work in your niche. To buy and to give feedback. You base too much of your value on svs monthly contests. Give yourself more table legs!

Your people are there, find them!!!!!!!! You know i love surface design and stationary. My work certainly doesn’t fit into story telling. But These classes still are really well done. I don’t way stop learning from them. I feel last inktober really changed things for me and my direction. Your inktobers would be great for those hydro flask sk sk ssskkk and stickers.

Good luck! But don’t leave us either!

@esgoldman and @ArtofAleksey you guys are killing it! That’s awesome. I would love a list. I have a few things in mind already, but I would love to see what you guys have come up with.

The images I posted are going to be turned into notecards. That’s kinda what I do. And all the profits from that will be donated to something. I want to explore “be the bridge.” A woman on Instagram has promoted them. Her handle is @ohhappydani . I think I spelled it right. She is super kind to “white Christians” yet insanely informative. SOOOOO good. I feel that changes hearts can be done in so many ways and she really has a way to bring out the compassion and understanding that has helped me even break through to my family. Not to mention push my thinking.

I kinda want to do a sticker that says “listen, learn, act.” Maybe in the center of the flower heart. And those profits would go to the cause as well. I know there is much to be done In Systematic reforms of organizations. But... there are many many many hearts that need to break down their defensive walls and try and understand with compassion and look. I kinda feel like that is where I need to start. Where my scope of influence can start.

@KathrynAdebayo that was a great piece! Thanks for sharing that with me. Great message and beautiful watercolors.

@slywriter thanks so much for your thoughts. I do like what you said about finding your audience or individual to speak to. There’s so much to say, but who do you want to reach or touch with your work. Or even talk to. That’s awesome. And lots of slow growth for sure in 2020. The pandemic and isolation was so surreal and different to anything the world was accustomed to. And then the social and racial (I can’t even think of a name or title of this that is fitting) happenings? Is something that is reoccurring and been happening for longer than our country has existed. That is a slow change and hopefully at some point we will be able to see a difference in the world. But honestly, not looking to change the world, just myself, my home and continue to reach out as best as I can. It’s the old starfish story, “it mattered to that one.” I can’t fix the problem, but I can tell someone I love them. I can make someone smile. And I can learn more and be better.

@Coley thanks coley! We are asked to speak up, and it’s hard. There’s tons of fear in speaking up. Telling someone i love them I hope is the right direction. And if I need to do it differently, I’ll try again.

Not sure if that was the best title. First off, this is not the place to debate the issues right now. Go to any other platform where 90% of what is being posted right now is where you can share your opinion.

Here is where my heart is... I just want to open up and share what I’ve created. Tell you what I was feeling and see if that came across. And I would love to see what you guys have created as well. When the shut down was in full force I had to create a piece that allowed my emotions to escape onto paper. I had the same feelings this past week. How do I feel about racism? How do I feel about George Floyd. My daughter is on Instagram and doesn’t understand what seems to make perfect sense to her. Why would people treat other people differently because of their skin color. She’s watching how i respond. We’ve talked about race her entire life, but she’s never seen the social unrest through the lens of IG. What is my real reach? What do I want to say?

Here’s where I landed with who I am and my reach. I’m white and I am from South Carolina. My friends and family need to know how i feel. My friends who are African American need to know that I believe racism exists and I will do what I can to not say and do things that are hurtful. This also mean understanding the meaning behind actions and phrases and doing my homework. They need to know that I am teaching my kids to love and treat others kindly and fairly. They need to know I will stand and protect them. My other reach is my white fiends and family. They need to know that it’s going to get uncomfortable if conversations occur where things are hurtful, inappropriate and when I feel it’s time to change our way of thinking, I’m going to talk about it. I will not tolerate racism in any form. But also, it’s going to be a kind conversation. I’m not yelling or attacking. We just need to pause and think and change.

So my work. Trying to make the image using the “entire box of crayons.” crayola has a huge box of skin tones. I wanted to celebrate the individual and the collective whole at the same time. That we are all beautiful together and individual. In the heart I wanted it to show unity and being so held together that the seeds of racism don’t have a change to grow. It’s not finished. I can’t figure out if I want to show quotes of unity or a barrier that blocks out hatred.

There are three images so far. It will take a few posts to put them all up on the thread

I think the need to create has to do with making something tangible. On normal days I needed that. My life is so one chore and the mess comes back in an hour. Kids need to eat, dishes get dirty, laundry is a constant cycle. Now that we have very little to even distinguish what day it is, or even what time of day it is, the more I need to feel like this isn’t Groundhog Day. You know, that movie with bill Murray. I love the feeling that making progress or creating work gives you. Even if it’s a piece of crap, you’ve moved the needle toward your goal of becoming a better artist. Or let go of some pressure building. Or made someone smile. Some days, I feel like speaking is my second language and visual communication is my first. Sorry for going so random. You guys speak my language and those I live with don’t. I love them, but I sometimes feel like Charlie Browns teacher when I’m talking to my husband. That’s okay. I’ll keep him for today. Just had to get the thoughts out. Here is the completed quarantine 2020 card set. I took a better picture with my iPad. Sorry this one is from my phone and it’s dark.

@jfeuer I do sell little notecards. Would you like a set of them? It will be a mixed one with all the images, but i can customize it for just the “you’re essential to me” image if you’d like. The are 4.25 x 5.5 so they aren’t really for a 5x7 standard frame. If you want just the images I can print them 5x7 rather than in a card form. The cards are $10 ($13 when you include shipping) for a set of 8 cards. It Includes envelopes.

@Coley that really was a sweet angel!

@jfeuer that is really beautiful! Great images and line work. That makes a beautiful coloring page. I love how art can be a distraction. Something to distract our minds and hands.

I didn’t notice about the spacing. Most times a little more freeform with spacing. I think how I was feeling at the time came through in a way I didn’t realize. How we are all feeling nervous and boxed in. Afraid to move.

Here are my last two of the series. I’m going to send the faces ones out to my kids I work with in church. I teach the 10 year olds on Sunday and the 7-11 year old girls during the week. I miss them so much. I’ve been doing a Facebook live and it is great to connect with them through art. But i still miss their stinking little faces!

Yesterday was rough. Some days it just hits you that this isn’t normal. Not what we are used to doing. I painted a few things a felt better. Anyone else feel like their emotions flow through your fingers?