Skinny Markers

Lately I've been noticing that the fastest easiest way for

me to create is to just bring bring my trusty set of Microns

and colorful kit of Staedtler fineliners. No muss, no fuss,

no clean-up (yay!) I love, love, love my watercolors but

even as easy as that is, it's hard to fit in these past few

days. Here's what I've been up to:

tulip and daff that are all around us these past few weeks

I've got two of these in my kitchen, for good luck... hey, you never know:)

starting to pop up...we have this one and a white bush out front

from memory, this leaf could be completely wrong, lol

a blue work book i have on my desk = conference call art:)

There is also an awesome pack of Sharpies

in my drawer. I bring these out too sometimes

I like the thicker line but hate that smell.

If anyone could recommend another brand that is

similar that is less tox to my brain and

nose please let me know what you have found!

I hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend. 

Went up to the house in the country today and 

looking to the day we can sleep over. Its a

work in progress:) Now I am off to kick the kid off

the xBox and get myself to bed.

Bonne nuit!

Back with more great mail!

This post is the second part to my mailbox goodies!

 

I was delighted to have the chance to swap with JennieBellie:)

Her "The Cheats" zine is genius and full of useful drawing

instructions. Jennie had even tucked papers into the zine to draw

 on as well!Then she also sent along some fun cutouts for me

to use too:) I loved her 'Just Magic Door' as well. Its

at the top left of the photo and I plan to use it for journalling.

Oh yeah! Jennie has a fantastic YouTube channel , if you didn't

know already. It full of great tutorials!

This next Zine is a such a fun one as well. Elizabeth

[ Sketchbook Buttons ] was so kind to trade thoughts

with me about zines and swap hers with me too.

Look at these pages, aren't they wonderful? I also love the postcard

she wrote to me on. Its this great drawing of Thanksgiving dinner!

 

From Sketchbook Buttons


About a week later I received a big envelope from Laura,
her blog is one of my favorites.  I had sent her my zine and
small piece of art. Then I saw her flickr stream andI fell in love
with these paintings of hers and she was so kind to
have sent one that was almost the same!

I have this displayed on the shelf in my office. Love it!

Last but not least, here is a three-ring binder that I have with some

 amazing ATCs I have been lucky enough to swap. I may have posted

a few of them before. I know one of these days I'll have them out of the

sleeves and framed. There is not enough hours in the day! LOL!!

Thanks for letting me show off what I have received.

All this work is fantastic and I am just so delighted to meet

such generous artists through my blog and flickr stream.

It's really amazing!

Have a great day:)) XO

Do-Over! and LOTS of mail:))

oh boy... I did something today that I was thinking of doing
for the past few days...which was re-make new Daffodil
ATCs for the swap I was sending out this week!

off to Florida

off to Texas

I really fell hard for the two daffs that I painted so much so that

I couldn't bear to give them up!

I just couldn't get myself to put them in the envelope.

I like the new ones I created but it was easier to pack them up with

a card and send them off! LOL! I do get attached to my art.

And I 'm sure I'm not the first person this has happened to (?).

Now for zines from the ZINE SWAP -

I am so delighted. I have been getting so much mail these days

and wanted to share some images of things I have received!

how great are these stamps?

I make 5 and sent to five people. Five people

mailed me their zines.

 Here are first four of the five zines I received and everyone was so nice

and sent some little notes and goodies along with their zine. 

 Miss Lemon who created the one on the lower right corner

sells her zines on Etsy

The last zine came a few days later and I love how she decorated

the envelope with all the bar codes and "MAIL"s. She also send through

a little pouch of stamps, which I really enjoy!

THEN

...more mail came!

I'll write about it in my next blog entry.

I've got more photos to take:)

I'm so grateful for all the wonderful people who have

written and mailed to me.

My heart and my mailbox are happy!

Good night xo TGIF

Fran

Card #2 for Daffodil ATC swap

I used the photo I posted yesterday at Easter as my inspiration for my second ATC

 I am sending out.

Here it is.

 I'll send them in the mail tomorrow.

I made sure to scan them as I think I might put them on Etsy

and sell as prints.

Notice the "might" in that sentence, haha!! ( I know me)

I dread uploading to Etsy, the process should be easier, man! LOL!

Have a great day! Gotta run and pick up the boy from his basketball clinic:)

Happy Easter!!!!!

Have a wonderful, relaxing day!

ENJOY,

Fran

<3

Daffodil ATC swap



ATC - Daffodil 2.5" x 3.5"

pre-watercolors

Here's ATC #1 for this swap. I have to create another and did get it started..I had it framed with a seed packet design but I'm pretty sure Daffodils are grown from bulbs :) This one has a seed packet flavor but its not specific...I caught myself.LOL!:)  I have to come up with a new idea for ATC #2.

I am so glad it is Thursday! I am so beat. Staying up too late these past few date (ahem, it 12:02am now) I've got to start focusing on breaking this bad habit of being a nigh owl. Its to ingrained in me. Any suggestions, I wonder?  Ok so I'm getting sleep now. I'll post when I have the other ATC done. I got my last and fifth zine from the zine swap today. I'll take a photo to show everyone all the different types I recieved. What fun that was!

Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone! I'm off now for five days, yippee!

Inspired!

First page I drew up for Vol. 1 Issue1

I have a sudden interest in making another zine:) I had so much fun with the other and after getting some specific feedback from a friend on Flickr, I thought I would set out to do another. I wasn't too sure about content but she told me that the content wasn't always what interested her and that she was just looking for a glimpse of another artist and how they fill a page. So that info was helpful. Maybe I was just over-thinking things, [as usual]....I have no idea what to name it and was thinking along the lines of My Boring Life, haha!

Last year at this time I was feverishly working on Easter items but I'm uninspired this year, unfortunately. I usually send out Easter cards too..oh well, next year:)  My parents are going on a cruise and leaving this Friday for all things warm, sunny and sandy, south of Florida, so we won't be getting together with the whole family at their house on Easter Sunday...a little sad, but they are so excited about going I can't be sad. I'm just so happy that they get the chance to go out and go on their adventures. They truly deserve it:)

Hope everyone is enjoying their week and getting some time to be creative. Happy Wednesday! I'm off this Friday and taking Monday and Tuesday so I'm hoping to get some more pages completed. Take care! XO