by Linda | May 12, 2010 | DIY printables
This week has been full of computer-time and digital work for me, so when I needed to make a birthday card for a friend I naturally started with a digital design. With birds on the brain from my daily bird exercise, the phrase “bird-day” instead of “birthday” popped in my head.
I decided to go with it and designed some pieces to print out, then put it all together for more tactile feel. I will be creating a nest for the birdie with strips of kraft paper on the front of the card. Who doesn’t love hybrid handmade, goodness, right?
I thought I would share the graphics with all of you, in case you want to make a quicky bird-day card for someone!
Download Happy Bird-Day Designs PDF
Feel free to use it in your personal projects. The printable has the first page for the front of the card and a second page for the inside panels, if you want to include them. Happy hump day to all and until tomorrow…ciao ciao!
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by Linda | May 11, 2010 | my creative journal
Sometimes when you are feeling down, a bit anxious or just uninspired one way or another – it helps to just sit down and doodle away. Use a black pen on white paper and just go at it. Dot, line, curve…fill it in until you run out of ink! Somehow, the process of doodling really helps to alleviate stress and I’m sure you’ll feel better before running out of ink! It works for me anyway. The repetition and the movement of my hand gliding across the page, just going with whatever comes out of my mind naturally…it’s freeing and relaxing.
Here’s the art journal page I started today. I think I might really run out of black ink…but I felt like coloring in parts and creating that stark contrast of black and white. Even though I’m feeling a bit down, doodling really helps me express it and muddle around as needed. Try it sometimes…and check out this cool video from Mother Henna on how she doodles in a henna design style. Until tomorrow my lovelies…
by Linda | May 7, 2010 | my creative journal
Happy Friday my lovely readers! TGIF for sure. I’ve been really busy with work…and as I typed that, I realize that it’s probably redundant to say “I’ve been busy.” Aren’t we always busy? Aren’t we always occupied doing something or another? As I pondered the issue of never having enough time and being busy, I was reminded of Parkinson’s Law from my project management days. It says that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion and it’s so darn true!
If you give someone a deadline, they hopefully will make it by the deadline, but it’s not often they complete it early. Given the guideline, we somehow spend all the time we’ve been given, if not more! I certainly know from personal experience that it’s much easier to go over than under in work hours. The point is that if we don’t give ourselves the limits on time and set those goals, it’s just not going to happen in the end. We all need some kind of time management…otherwise time just flutters on by…
I know there are people who can’t stand schedules or routines. They live off the excitement of diving deep into projects when needed and then going through a period of rest to revive themselves afterwards. I venture to say that they are the exceptions. I’ve done it before and lived that lifestyle…it’s sucks! At least, I don’t enjoy it and can live without the “adrenaline.” I would rather not put myself or my family through that kind of lifestyle. I realized that we seem to be better creatures with routines. Perhaps we were made to be that way…if we want our bodies to keep going, longer and better?
When we start a routine, we seem not to notice that time has passed, but the work gets done in the end. I did a little experiment a while back deciding to draw a bird a day. Little sketches, nothing major and definitely really ugly certain days. I started on March 9 and suddenly it’s already May and I’ve got a whole bunch of birdies under my belt. It’s been a really great exercise and I am so glad to have started and accomplished so much. Others might have done daily paintings, 365 photos, morning pages, etc – it’s all about routine and giving yourself that bit of structure. From all the various methods I’ve tried to impose on myself while working at home, this little morning routine has proven to be the easiest, most effortless and most consistent and fruitful looking back. Interesting indeed. Maybe we just have to break up all our tasks into daily routines, a bit at a time and it’ll all work out in the end? Will I be more efficient in the end?
Hmm…something to think about this weekend. In other news, I’ve started to digitize some drawings into digital stamps. It’s fun and oddly relaxing at the same time. I wonder how long I can keep this up and if I should switch to something non-birdie eventually? Well, hope you have a great weekend and to all mommies out there – and early Happy Mother’s Day! You are fabulous, we appreciate you and we all love you. Thank you. 🙂
by Linda | May 5, 2010 | DIY printables
Looking for printable telegram papers for your next papercrafting project? Here are some free downloads I have created…
Another hump day and my list of to do’s is definitely piling up. Even with some pressing items, I just couldn’t help myself and started working on a scrapbooking mini album. Sometimes you just have to take a break, right? I recently discovered tissue paper roll minibooks and posted the beginnings of my obsession. A 3-inch by 4-inch book seems pretty small and easy to complete, but it actually takes quite a few steps from preparing the photo layout to embellishing.
At one point I had to get on the computer and create a journaling design. I need lines to journal on because I can’t handwrite straight and the easiest thing is to design and print journaling tags at home! My design will go on the back of photo tags that slide into the flattened tissue paper rolls.
My design idea is a vintage telegram look, but I can’t decide if I will print it with the old paper background or print on white paper and distress myself. Either way I thought it would be nice to share the design with all of you. Perhaps you will find a good use for them – collaging, art journaling or maybe a few tags like me.
Click on the images to download the hi-res JPGs (For some reason some people don’t see the images, so you can download the ZIP file here.) I would love to see what you create with them as well, feel free to post a comment. Here’s a peek of the my minibook in progress…wish me luck on getting it done, so perhaps I can finally get back to work!
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by Linda | May 4, 2010 | DIY printables
Hello everyone! So things have been quiet on the digital stamp front even though I’m working on the computer every day. I decided to release a free digital stamp for all you blog followers…just because…it’s been so long since a freebie! Here’s a cute birdie digital stamp…freckled cute, right?
Free free to click and download the full-sized PNG. Use in your lovely Springtime crafts and have fun! Let me know if you post your projects, I would really love to see if these freebie postings are of use to anyone as well 🙂 BTW if you like these little birdies…there will be more coming! I’m also working on a collaboration using a few of them, so stay tuned for more!
by Linda | May 4, 2010 | my creative journal
I’m sure that I’m the last to find out about this great idea…reusing tissue paper rolls for mini albums! I saw LiveLoveScrap’s video on Youtube and then a few more videos of the same idea and was totally inspired to make my own. I have collected a huge stash of tissue paper rolls, knowing one day there’ll be a good reason why…EUREKA! So first I decide to wrap a sheet of paper around the tubes and I happen to have paper already in the size that fit two tubes together. I thought it would make nice spreads of pages…
So I made a bunch, but the only thing I don’t like are the edges where you can still see the raw color of the tubes. I think I have to find some ribbon to trim it off…now I am trying to think how I would bind these, given that I have them doubled up rather than single paged. Hmm…
Since I haven’t decided what to do yet, I decided to paint a bunch more for more albums, because that seems like an easy way to cover up the raw color. I can move forward with adding paper once they are dry…
I will share the results soon…let me know if you’ve done this before! Would love to see examples for more inspiration. Actually, I just realized I can work on the tag parts now, so I’m off…
by Linda | May 3, 2010 | my creative journal
Happy Monday my lovely readers 🙂 Can you believe it is already May 2010? Well, this week is especially exciting for me because I have the great honor of being one of the guest curators on Crescendoh.com! It’s a chance for me to share my Art Saves story as well as my favorite links. BTW, you can totally share your story as well – check out the Tell Your Story page to send the lovely folks at Crescendoh your information. I’m also so happy as the month begins because my 1st wedding anniversary is coming up and I’m constantly reminded of how happy my life is now and feeling so grateful for my husband, my family and life here in Italy. I could gush and go on forever, getting super emotional…but I thought perhaps it would be nicer to share some photos from a family trip this past Saturday.
We headed out to a celebration on Saturday, May 1st – our version of Labor Day – to the town of Luco Mugello where my father-in-law was born. Although we are still mourning, having lost him just last year, this trip was a great opportunity for family to greet old friends and reminisce about old times. There was a local cycling race and the event people also honored my father-in-law at the time…it was a lovely celebration memorial type event. I’m actually starting a heritage project, creating a book and a website about his professional cycling career and ended up taking 596 photos for the event. I had such a great time exploring his hometown and we decided to hike up to the top of the hill to explore a bit more. I was so inspired by the views and nature all around us…btw the picture you see above is the opening of the famous Mugello Moto Gp Circuit racetrack…just around the corner from the town of Luco.
I had such a great time with my family and every single time I see the hills around me, I’m reminded of how happy I am to have took the plunge and followed my heart to Italy. I am so thankful for the life I have and immensely happy…talk about bursting with joy!
I cannot express in words how much Art really has saved me in so many ways…but perhaps the pictures can help illustrate all the little things I notice around me, how much gratitude I have for everything around me and how bright and shiny my view really is on this life we have…
Isn’t it lovely how unique and wonderful those wildflowers are…even if some people might consider them weeds? Hope you have a fabulous week and hope you enjoyed a peek into my nature walk! Thanks for stopping by, as always.
by Linda | Apr 29, 2010 | my creative journal
Hello there! I think I may be close to finishing this painting today. I fiddled around with some new glittery acrylic paints and just love the shiny look. Now if I could just decide how to complete it…sometimes I leave things around for ages before going back to it.
As I looked at my painting from afar, I started doodling on scrap papers and drawing ladies. I’m caught somewhere between childish whimsy and more realistic features…then I start scribbling. I wanted to draw a bunch of ladies to add into my junk journal though…have to do something with that journal.
Of course, I get distracted easily and realized since I love my kneaded eraser so much, I have no need for the regular rubber ones that leave little bits all over the place. So I thought it would be a great opportunity to carve them into stamps. I want a leafy stamp to use in collage and things were looking pretty good…
Then my hand slipped and I messed it up! This rubbery stuff is way softer than linoleum, so I had to lighten my hand up a lot. I just started over, cutting up the eraser and using other ones I had lying around. I ended up with a bunch of leafy shapes, which is pretty nice to create variation.
Then I jumped onward to finish this recycled project of using a bottle to make a birdhouse. I used my trusty hot glue to make a leafy roof…I guess there is connection as I went from carving leafy shapes to glueing leaves…but honestly I just easily jump from project to project. My mind is whirling with too many things most of the time, so I have to let out the energy one way or another. I have to go grab more leaves to finish this up, but I was happily surprised how lovely the leafy roof looks.
So those are the creative happenings for me and I will finish up that birdhouse and show you the results tomorrow. The weather is so beautiful these days and there are birdies outside my window terrace every morning. I figure it can be put to good use asap.
by Linda | Apr 28, 2010 | DIY printables
Looking for a free printable paper dolls? Check out my template here that is free to download and print. A great DIY crafty activity to do with the kids.
Today I decided to revisit my old paper doll template because I wanted to change up the proportions and create variations. Let me share a new printable paper dolls template with you.
I recently read a post on Violette’s blog about leveraging a drawing, reusing it multiple times or perhaps creating variations by making multiple copies to work with. I don’t know why, but previously I always thought I had to create everything from scratch.
It’s the romantic assumption that original must be better?! I realized that it’s just crazy to limit myself like that. Why I am creating rules to box myself in, right? When you draw something, if you keep working on it, them you can experiment even more.
I suppose the idea of copying – even if it’s yourself – seemed wrong. My thoughts suddenly drifted to discussions and debates about how nothing is original and we all build our work on top of those before us. And that’s a whole other discussion….
Suffice to say, I sort of had an epiphany and have freed myself to do whatever I want. I can reuse my own drawings and I don’t have to work from scratch each and every time at all.
It’s funny how sometimes we get so deep into our work that we lose sight of the big picture. I totally lost perspective regarding the freedom of creation and the fact that there are no rules.
Glad to get that out! So, all this led me to revisit my printable paper dolls template, creating two different body proportions to play with.
Feel free to download the free printable PDF below. Use to your heart’s content and I hope you have fun with it! The first page is meant to be cut out and put together to make a moveable printable paper doll and the second page is just the outline to draw directly onto if you want the full piece.
Download Printable Paper Dolls PDF
I used the printable paper dolls to play around with body positions. You can place the parts in a certain way with temporary glue or tacky glue and trace over to experiment with drawing different positions.
It can serve as a nice guide for drawing the body form… or you can just make yourself some pretty paper dolls. That is definitely fun as well, especially with your kids!
I started to work in my art journal and on one page I drew a granny and a scary girl doll then made a photocopy. Now I can always have the original to experiment with and I can cut out the copy for collage.
Hope you are inspired to go make some paper dolls and copy your own Art! Sounds funny, but sort of daring too, huh?
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by Linda | Apr 26, 2010 | my creative journal
Happy Monday! Today let me share a bit of Modigliani for Monday inspiration. I am totally inspired to do a bit of painting and wanted to share the lovely art vibes with all of you and how it all came about. I happened across Dirty Footprints Studio‘s Art Journal Love video on Youtube, introducing Modigliani and how his work inspired her art journal pages. I was really captured by his paintings of women, bold lines but overall soft blurry, feel to it…really interesting contrast in my eyes.
via cordovero.blogspot.com
I decided to do a bit more digging about Modigliani and learned that he was an Italian artist, but mainly worked in France. Known for his figurative paintings and modern style of mask-like faces and elongated forms, he had a hard life with addiction issues…so sad! Originally from Livorno, Italy (literally just an hour away from where I am now) I realized what a small world we live in. However, I suppose living in Italy means there’s probably a million old world artists who grew up “near” where I live now!
via artysmarties
Looking at Mogidliani’s work makes me wonder why he might have loved to paint portraits of women. Perhaps because he started as a sculptor rather than a painter…or perhaps it was influence from being very close to his mom or the countless ladies of his life in Paris?
via pet-portraitartist.com
I also love to draw portraits of women, although all imaginary from my mind rather than actual portraits. I feel there is so much to learn from Mogidliani’s work and style. It feels very free and sketchy to me and I always try to find ways to loosen up – I can get very tightened up at times. I find myself making up stories for his women…what about you? I’m also inspired to go paint some women now, but I hope you can also find inspiration from his work. And of course don’t forget to have fun with the process. Ciao ciao!
