{holiday coloring book!}

Hello friends!

With the holidays in full swing, {raise your hand with me if you already started Christmas decorating/shopping!} I thought a holiday coloring book would be a fun way to help you de-stress and relax.

So I put together a five-page printable holiday coloring book with lots of festive images from a cozy fireplace to lots of holly to happy ornaments. 

You can grab it today in my Etsy shop! And remember to tag your photos with #coloringwithTGD! 

XO,

{shoes and morning fog}

I have a favorite spot in our local park that I intentionally drive by as often as possible.

This morning it was looking particularly ethereal, with the crisp morning air creating wisps of fog where it met the water. 

Contemplative is a word that describes me on any ordinary day, but the past few days I have been feeling stretched thinner than usual by worries both near to my heart and those of strangers, and finding a way to take what I define as personal flaws and showcasing them at the front of my mind. Giving them tiaras and trophies like they deserve to be applauded. 

Last night I picked up my devotional (Savor by Shauna Niequist) and the day's passage was about grace. How fitting.

"Grace isn't about having a second chance; grace is having so many chances tha tyou could use them through all eternity and never come up empty. Its when you finally realize that the other shoe isn't going to drop, ever. Grace is an even better gift...its forgiveness without forgetting, which is much sweeter than amnesia." 

Amen. 

Forgetting isn't really possible So let's do our best to forgive, and be thankful for shoes and morning fog. 


XO,

{around here lately}

Hi friends!

How are you? How has your week been? I've been thinking it is a day ahead all week, so basically in my mind today is Friday. Tomorrow morning I'm going to be a bit annoyed when the alarm goes off at 6:20. Oh Saturday...you can't come soon enough!

Here are a few things I've been up to around here...

My first podcast interview! 

My friends Jen and Danielle interviewed me over at She Percolates and it was so.much.fun! I talked about my definition of success, how I balance my day job with my art, who I would love to have a coffee date with, and I spill the beans on my newest project. You can give it a listen here!

This Girl's Doodles out in the world!

I'm super excited and humbled to have my artwork for sale in some local shops! You can purchase canvases, prints and cards at Roscoe's Coffee Bar & Tap Room...

I have a variety of prints at The Tin Cup, an adorable new tea room and gift shop in town...

And my coloring books are available at Veach's Toy Station...

This local support has been overwhelmingly awesome! I'll also have a booth at The Autumn Artisan's Bazaar November 6-7 with lots of new mugs, tote bags, prints, cards and maybe some other goodies. It will be a fantastic place to buy lots of handmade holiday gifts! 

#presentoctober!

October is my absolute favorite month, and I want to be as present as possible, so I'm sharing a photo a day on my Instagram where I take a few moments to stop, breathe, and be thankful and present. You can find my photos by searching #presentoctober and feel free to join in by sharing your "present" moments. {I did my first periscope about this...are you following me? I'm mandyford_art}

New projects!

I've been busy on a few new projects and I'm so thankful for the flow of work coming my way. This tree is part of a commission piece for a local college...

I created another free coloring page, just in time for all things fall! Click the image to download...

You can also grab the October calendar here.

And if you listened to the podcast, you know that major things are happening with the coloring book!! I can't wait to share more...hopefully next week!

Have I told you how awesome you are?!

I love each and every one of you. Hoping you have a lovely Friday tomorrow...oh yes, tomorrow IS Friday. 

XO,

{our stripped down selves}

A lot of things have me thinking lately about knowing who we are and liking who we are. 

When we strip away all of the material things, the titles, the accomplishments, the amount of likes and follows on social media, the number of times per week we go to church, the political candidate we support, the brand of religion we profess...when we are stripped down to the essence of who we are. 

What is left? 

Do we like what we see? 

Are we good to other people? 

Do we leave them feeling better about themselves? 

Do we encourage them? 

Do we make time for the people that matter most to us? 

In the end that's all we really have...liking our stripped down selves and being good to others. 

XO,

{new work: planner kit}

It is always exciting when I am asked to create commissioned illustrations, but this project stands out as one of my favorite so far. 

My friend Kimberley asked me to design a "dashboard" for her new planner kit club including the theme "frolic into fall" with all sorts of autumn icons including a cute coffee cup, bonfire, pumpkins and leaves. Here is how the kit turned out {In in LOVE!}...

And here is a close up of the dashboard illustration...

In addition to the dashboard piece, there are lots of fun stickers with the individual illustrations. So fun! 

Here is the link to buy the kit! 

Hope you are having a fabulous holiday weekend! I'm SO excited to sleep in again tomorrow.

XO,

{in my sketchbook}

Happy Tuesday friends!

It has been awhile since I shared a peek into my sketchbook on the blog, so I thought today would be a good day! I did a lot of drawing last night preparing some new coloring pages for an exciting collaboration. I'm not quite ready to share the news yet but hopefully very soon!

Here are a few of my sketches from last night...

That super intricate frame in the middle is my favorite...the middle will be filled with an encouraging handlettered quote. 

I also want to say a heartfelt thank you for the response so far to my coloring book. It is super humbling and exciting when people want to pay you to do something you love. 

If you want a copy for yourself or for a gift, you can preorder a hard copy here, or get an instant digital copy here.

You are awesome!

XO,

{who's ready to color?!}

Hello friends!

I'm sorry I've been neglecting this blog of mine. If you follow along with me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook you'll know why I've been so busy.

I've been making a coloring book! And it is ready for purchase!

This book would not be a thing if it weren't for SO many encouraging words from SO many of you, so THANK YOU!

I have two versions of the book available. First is a printable for those who want instant gratification, and the ability to print the pages as you want to work on them. You can grab that version here.

I'm also doing a preorder for hard copies, which you can purchase here. 



I'm super proud of how this turned out. The pages are all single sided and on cardstock so your markers won't bleed through, and there is a spiral binding which makes it super easy to keep it open while you are coloring. 

I'm just over the moon excited to have this out in the world and be able to share it with you, and I hope if you purchase a copy you have lots of fun coloring my doodles!

And remember if you share your finished pages online, tag them with #coloringwithTGD!

XO,

{Support The Laundry Project}

Do you know what it is like to not have clean laundry for you or your family? 

Would you like a FREE printable of one of my doodles?

There are many people in my community that aren't able to afford to do their laundry...something most of us take for granted. One of my friends has started The Laundry Project, a local non-profit that raises funds and provides supplies for people in our town to do their laundry. I want to help raise awareness for this wonderful project and encourage others to support it. Sooo...

I'm offering a FREE printable of my "Do Love" doodle to anyone that donates $4 or more to The Laundry Project, because that's how much one load of laundry costs, and because the best way to show love to others is to do something! When you donate, be sure to include ‪#‎dolove‬ in the comment box, and I'll send the printable file to the email you use when you give (please allow a few days for delivery). 

Here is the link to their fundraising page: http://www.youcaring.com/low-income-families-of-richmond-in…

Thanks friends, and please share this post if you feel led!

XO,

{free coloring page!}

I've been hard at work on coloring pages for my adult coloring book, and if you follow me on social media, you've seen lots of peeks at them. {Like here and here and here.} 

I'm having so much fun with it! And I'm super thankful for all of the wonderful words of support I've been receiving from friends about the project. You all keep me going!

I'm getting close to having it finished, but until then I thought it would be fun to share a free printable page with my email friends...

To get the page, simply head to my main website and sign up for my email list. You'll instantly receive this coloring page and a fun July desktop calendar {I send one a new calendar each month!}. 

If you color the page I would love to see your finished masterpiece...tag me on social media and use #coloringwithTGD!

Thanks friends and happy coloring!

XO,

{celebrating rejection}

Today I want to share a quick little story about how I'm celebrating rejection.

I know I sound a bit crazy...but just stick with me.

I created the doodle up there as a submission for a book about hand-lettering. I was super excited about it and my confidence was pretty darn high when I sent it in.

And then...yep, you guessed it. It wasn't chosen.

Insert sad face.

But how could I create something that says "Everything is OK" and not stand behind it, right? Everything IS OK, even if my happy little drawing isn't going to be published in a book.

No time for sad faces around here. There is always something to celebrate! So...I'm giving it to you for free in this month's This Girl's Doodles calendar!

Wait...did you know this is a thing? If you aren't signed up for my email news, you might not know about my monthly calendars. 

It is super easy to sign up. Just click here, and enter your email address in the yellow box at the top of the page. 

I promise to only send you good things a few times a month, including my calendars, random inspiration and of course This Girl's Doodles news. I even throw in other free printables from time to time. 

Hope you enjoy the calendar and find ways to turn rejection into a reason to celebrate!

XO,

{a new song}

When I have a favorite new song these days, I add it to the playlist on my phone, and it is the first thing I want to hear when I start my morning drive to work. 

The second the melody hits my ears, I instantly feel alive and energized and happy from the inside out. 

Do new songs make you feel that way too? Like you want to soak in every drum beat, drink down every ounce of the singer's voice? 

New songs equal possibility for me.

And it occurred to me this morning, as I blasted "Nothing Without Love"...my current favorite, that I want to feel this way about each new day. That it is full of energy and life and possibility. 

Imagine what life would be like if every morning felt like a brand new song. Pretty great, huh? 

XO,

{unique in the best of ways}

Often the things we hide and consider awkward or ugly are what make us unique in the best of ways.

I have a band-aid shaped brown birthmark smack dab in the middle of the top of my left foot. Until about late high school, my primary criteria when summer shoe shopping was if the straps strategically covered it. I treated it like an unhealed wound. I was embarrassed by it and thought people would judge me because of it. (And in those difficult teenage years I was probably partially right.) 

It wasn't until my early twenties that I let it free. I bought flip flops with abandon and laughed when children or the occasional adult would ask, "What happened to your foot?!" with equal parts fear and curiosity. 

Now, at the age of 36, my brown band-aid and I live in a fairly decent state of harmony.

The other day, a new-ish friend and I were enjoying a mid-day chat about all sorts of random life things and I must have mentioned my birthmark. And she said, "I love your birthmark!"

Our conversation kept going at the same happy pace, but inside those words stopped me in my tracks. This was the first time anyone had equated positive feelings with this part of me. She saw what I considered to be an awkward thing I tolerate as something that contributes to my uniqueness. 

We could all use more friends like this, right?

What is something unique about you or someone you love that you can celebrate today?

XO,

{in my sketchbook}

I've been a bit obsessed with Rumi quotes lately. 

Here are a few I've added to my sketchbook...

I hope you have a weekend filled with inspiration!

XO,

{logo designs}

I've had the fun opportunity lately to design logos for three local customers. 

I'm always excited when new work comes my way that challenges me and opens my mind up to areas of design I wouldn't have thought about taking on. 

The first is for a handmade shop...

I created the square size above, and also a horizontal version for her Etsy shop and Facebook...

She gave me lots of ideas and told me to mash them all together. I was thrilled when her response was overwhelmingly positive to this design. I have to say I'm a bit in love with the button centered flower. 

The next logo is for a local non-profit organization...

And finally this logo design is for a new handmade artisan fair in our town this fall...

I am really enjoying logo design and am open to new clients if you or someone you know would like a unique doodled logo! 

XO,

{who are you inviting?}

Hello friend,

Today I want to chat a bit with you about company. You know...the people we spend our time with.

I've been reading lots of inspirational books and articles since I started drawing again, and many of the authors talk about surrounding yourself with people that encourage and inspire you. And while that might sound cheesy and cliche, it is SO darn important. 

Last night I picked up the book The Crossroads of Should and Must and read almost the entire thing in one sitting. It is THAT good. Not only is the content wonderful, but the presentation is beautiful. Lots of hand painted images and quotes. This is one that particularly stuck out to me...

The book inspired my doodle up there and this question...

"Where are you going and who are you inviting?"

This is a super important question.

The people you invite into your life have a direct correlation to where you end up going. Of course we are never sure of our destination, but if we want it to be somewhere happy and positive, darn it if we don't need happy and positive people around to help make it happen. 

Say you love writing and started a blog. And you ask your childhood best friend to give it a read and let you know what she thinks. And even though you've been friends with her since you were in diapers, this friend has no appreciation for the value of good writing and her feedback is less than encouraging.

Time to stop sharing your writing with her.

I'm not saying you need to dump the friendship, but you must find another friend that appreciates 
your talent and values your goals. Someone who will encourage you, offer constructive criticism, and ask you from time to time, "Hey! How is your writing coming along?"

If you have a calling you are working on, you HAVE to surround yourself with people that see value in it. You just have to. 

Do you have good company in your life? Write down the names of your friends and family that encourage your calling, and when you need to share something, go to them and only them.

They will help you get to whatever destination you are meant to reach.

XO,