Happy Sunday! It has been one of those perfectly relaxing, family time, Target trip, coffee and donuts kind of weekends at our house. I wanted to share what I added to my sketchbook yesterday. I was inspired by a piece of vintage pottery my mother-in-law gave me last year for my birthday...
This one will probably become a coloring page. Having too much fun with these! And speaking of coloring...you can grab my coloring books on Amazon, and printable versions in my Etsy shop here and here! XO,
I had the privilege of hearing Krista Tippett from On Being speak yesterday, and this gem of a quote stuck out to me. I hope it does something for you too. Happy Thursday! XO,
Hello friends! Are you staying warm? Winter has officially finally arrived in Indiana and I'm basically wearing a scarf and drinking coffee 24/7 but that's OK because scarves + coffee...I mean. I've been doodling lots of hearts the past few weeks, getting a mini Valentine's Day coloring book ready for my Etsy shop. Here are some shots from my sketchbook...
I'm super excited to get this one together and up in the shop. Valentine's Day is my favorite!
Holy cow you guys...did you notice that Valentine's Day is only a month away? Not that January is my favorite month...but it could slow down a bit and I'd be just fine. I figured I could help you out by adding two printable Valentine's Day cards to the shop! The first one is for you to give out to your friends, perhaps bundled up with some chocolate and a good book...
This one comes in two color versions, because 7 year olds are all about choices (or at least mine are). Both are super affordable and the best part is you can print as many as you need! Hope you have a fantastic weekend! XO,
Happy Monday friends! Whew...did you make it into work OK this morning? We're finally experiencing winter weather hear in Indiana...about 10-ish degrees this morning and my boys had a 2-hour delay so I'm just now getting settled in at work. I wanted to share a few new coloring pages I'm working on for a Valentine's Day mini coloring book. I think it will be similar to my Christmas coloring book...5 or so pages and it will be a printable for sale in my Etsy shop. Here are the first two pages I've completed...
All of those hearts were fun but left my hand a bit crampy! This one was fun to sketch...
And here it is inked in...the heart keys are my favorite...
Excited to see what else makes it's way onto the page. Any suggestions or requests? XO,
If you haven't noticed, I'm in a bit of a roll with blog posting lately. Woohoo! It feels good to be sharing in this space again. Here are a few recent additions to my sketchbook. This one was inspired by my new thrifted lamp. You can watch part of the process here.
A new quote I'm playing with...
Participating in a Creativebug sketch challenge where the prompt was teacups...
And this tree which has sparked ideas for a new product. More to come as things start to take shape...
If you know me at all, you are aware of the fact that I'm a bit obsessed with Target and midcentury design. So when I saw this lamp on our last Target trip I fell in love.
But not with the $65.99 price tag. I refuse to pay that for a Target lamp, or a Target anything for that matter. Target is for clearance deals, the dollar spot, and cheap popcorn. So the lamp stayed on the shelf. Fast forward a week, perusing the aisles at my local Goodwill, I spotted this!
Sure it was more than a bit dingy and the shade wasn't the right scale, but otherwise it was perfection. And $6.99. So I brought it home, spiffed it up with a fresh coat of white paint, added a shade I already had hanging out in our laundry room, and voila!
I wish the details are more visible in this photo, but you can see them in the before. I'm in love with the texture and pattern on the base, and that wood makes me drool. So good. Is there anything better than a fantastic thrifted find? I think not.
Have you scored any awesome thrifted deals lately? Show me! Oh, and if you want more tips on Goodwill shopping, check out my 5 Rules for Scoring Big at Goodwill! XO,
I've been a bit obsessed since, oh, last week, at organizing every single thing in our house. I guess it is all a part of my one little word for 2016. One thing that has been driving me crazy lately is my book collection, which has been overflowing my bedside table and a too small basket for over a year now. So, I was looking for some sort of bookshelf that would fit in the little nook inside our bedroom door. And then yesterday someone at work was selling wooden crates for cheap....and...voila!
Instant bookshelf! I love how I'm greeted by all of my favorites when I walk into our bedroom now.
I can see every title and choose whatever inspiration I need that day, from Shauna Niequist to Lisa Congdon, Austin Kleon to Bob Goff. And on top I gathered a few happies that help to center me and remind me to breath and relax...
I'll probably dress up the top a bit more, but this was a happy start. My favorite thing about this little book nook is the feeling of calm and happiness it brings me whenever I walk into our bedroom. I think there is some good feng shui here, and I'm a total believer that a visually appealing space can positively impact your attitude. Are you tackling any home organization projects so far this year? Tell me about them! XO,
I'm working on new illustration ideas for 2016 and this is the first handlettered quote I've started. You are going where you are growing. If you aren't growing in a part of your life, there isn't going to be much, if any, momentum. Growing can take on many forms from simple to complex. It can look like being more intentional and positive with how you interact with family and friends. It can mean learning a new skill through a class or practice. Growing can look like reading that book you've been meaning to start, getting your body moving more, drinking more water, taking time for self-care. Wherever you want 2016 to take you, be sure you are growing in that direction! XO,
Have you ever had a year start with so much anticipation and thankfulness that it seemed too good to be true?
I'm finding myself in that place with 2016. It is going to be a year of renewal for me, in so many forms and all at the same time.
I'm saying thank you under my breath, and out loud for that matter, quite often these days.
While life has been good and blessed for us the past few years, it has also been tough mentally. Money has been tight, my anxiety has felt like an uphill battle more often than I would like to admit, and issues of the heart have left me with a crack that I'm still working on filling. (Although I've heard, and believe, that the cracks are where the light comes in, so I guess I'll let them stay.) Despite all of that I have been tremendously happy, learning bit by bit that the rough moments make the smooth ones that much easier to appreciate. But at the same time, an unwelcome scarcity mentality has creeped in, and I have accustomed myself to expecting things to not go well. Honestly I've convinced myself that the good stuff is for other people, and surely not me. But then the past year happened. My coloring book happened. Things with my career started getting easier. An extra work project came along that is going to give us a bit of unexpected money, so we're, fingers crossed, planning a waaaay overdue kitchen renovation. And as if that isn't enough, my boss has approved a six-month sabbatical for me this year! (Never, in my life, did I think I'd be using the word sabbatical in a sentence about my own job.) Six months of doing research and working from home or the coffee shop or anywhere I want to, thank you very much. Who gets to live this life?! This girl? I'm seriously expecting Ashton Kutcher to jump out from behind my couch right now as I type this and yell "You've been punked!" But then that would mean Ashton Kutcher was in my living room, which really wouldn't be a horrible thing. Everything is coming together this year in a way that, quite honestly, freaks me out and elates me at the same time.
With all that in mind, I've chosen "renew" for my one little word this year.
1. to begin or take up again 2. to restore or replenish 3. to revive, reestablish 4. to restore to a former state; make new or as if new again This is going to be a year of beginning, of replenishing, of reviving, and of restoring. I don't think I have ever been this excited about a new year. I'm ditching that scarcity mentality, saying thank you to God for this year of renewal, and finding every way possible to enjoy this ride. I'm gonna have renewal happening all over the darn place. Starting with six months of not punching a clock. Whoa. For a girl who has worked an 8-5 office job for 17-ish years, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that one. The first block of time starts in March and while not on paper yet, I already have a list started in my head of projects I want to work on. I got a jump start today by cleaning out my sock drawer. Talk about renewal...how the heck can so many unworn socks fit into one 6x12 inch space? I've been pinning kitchen ideas like CRAZY. I calculated that between our two houses, we've lived with horribly yucky kitchens for a total of 10 years. Get ready for some major renewal, nasty 60's speckled-counter kitchen. I also have lots of other house projects in mind, like cleaning out closets, painting, and refreshing my "art studio" in the corner of our rec room. And then there is the mental renewal I'm already feeling...space to dream and think and plan. Knowing I'll be able to start my mornings the way I want to (after we get the boys to school, that is) with a slow breakfast, exercise, scheduled time for my art, and fitting in my work research whenever and wherever I want. Goodness my mind is spinning in every wonderful way thinking about the freedom this will open up. And lastly I'm SUPER excited to keep the momentum going with This Girl's Doodles. I have no idea what this year has in store. I have no other plan but to keep my eyes, ears, and heart open to what is sent my way. The coloring book has truly been a gift, and if that can come my way who knows what is next. I know that this gift of time will open me up even more to inspiration, and I'm jazzed and anxious to see how that translates onto paper. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and sharing in my excitement. I truly believe it has taken a community to get me to this point, and you are a part of that! Have you chosen a word for 2016? I'd love to hear about it in the comments! Now let's go live the heck out of 2016! XO,
