Illustration Friday - Opinion

My opinion.

Illustration Friday - Strings

It appeared to be fragile, yet nothing could unravel her Castle of Dreams.

Illustration Friday - Sugary

Hot coffee-- there is almost nothing better. One lump or two?

This is something I made in my sewing class. I really admire people who can sew-- I think it's so challenging. It's very unforgiving. Things can go so wrong, so quickly. And I have no patience for the seam-ripper.

I'm going to take a break from posting for a while so I can focus on a new project I'm working on.

Goodbye for now!

Illustration Friday - Enough

She had finally had enough! So, she hitched a ride on a passing bird and no one knows where they went.

Garden of Dreams

When you visit the Garden of Dreams -- stay a while.

Illustration Friday - Sour

Love had gone sour. She knew it was time to let it go.

Peace of Mind

Peace of mind, please be mine.

Illustration Friday - Hoard

A pair of wings, a hoard of cash, and she was FREE!

Illustration Friday - Punchline

A skeleton walks into a bar and says, "Give me a beer and a mop."

The Explorer

She was ready for something new ... and so off she went!

Illustration Friday - Baby

(I'm not really sure what this image means. It just popped into my head when I read that the topic was 'Baby.' Any ideas?)

Taking the Step

My husband is going to play at an open mic this weekend at a local pub. He's played guitar for about 15 years but this will be his first time really playing in public. We're each slowly working towards our goals...very s l o w l y. We are big fans of The Tortoise and the Hare story.

Illustration Friday - Worry

She felt trapped by all of her worries. And didn't realize how close she was to being set free.


(This topic ended up being more fun than I thought it would be.)

The Rescue

It was time for her to rescue her heart from the depths. Luckily, she was a strong swimmer.

Illustration Friday - Wide

She was a dreamer. And the world opened wide in front of her-- full of possibility and hope.

Illustration Friday - Electricity

The magical glow of the coffee maker light...When the power goes out this is what I miss the most. I don't mind using candles and handwashing dishes-- but if the power is still out by the time I go to bed at night, I get anxious thinking of the next morning with no coffee to wake up to.

(This picture is pretty silly, and was probably not the best use of time to make it. But you know how it is when you get a picture in your head and you have to try it out-- just to see what it will look like? Well, now I know- Mr. Coffee doesn't make for the most dynamic imagery:)

Illustration Friday - Seed

Children are the seeds that will grow into our future. Tend them well.

This image is in honor of my son's preschool teachers and Sunday teacher. They put so much work and heart into helping the kids grow and learn.

The Honeymoon!

This is a wedding picture for friends who just got married. They are currently on their honeymoon in a tropical paradise.

Illustration Friday - Wrinkles

Long live crow's feet!

This was a really quick collage. I don't have a lot of time this week and I thought I'd skip this topic because "wrinkles are no fun!" But then I realized that some of my favorite people ever are my grandparents and it seemed right to honor the great wrinkled ones!

Illustration Friday - Primitive

The "primitive" still exists in each of us. Sometimes we forget, because we are surrounded by technology and our modern, indoor lifestyle. But the same essence and fire burns in us that has always been there, through all cultures, at all times. It is still there-- waiting for us to take the time to reconnect.

Illustration Friday - Fail

They tried to tell her she had failed. But she knew that she just had to wait for the tide to change, and she'd be back on her way. And, of course, the tide always changes.

Illustration Friday - Save

"Love is not something you save and hoard. You're born with it and you spend it... and there's always more..."
-John Okada, author

Illustration Friday - Homage

This image pays homage to my grandfather. It's about a dream I had after he died, in which his spirit taught me how to fly.

I still miss him, but his spirit lives on!

Illustration Friday - Heavy

Somehow the night felt very heavy.

Illustration Friday - Garden

It is believed that in dreams a garden symbolizes the process of self-discovery.

Illustration Friday - Leap

When you take a leap of faith, be sure to hold on tight! Don't let self-doubt or other's judgments loosen your hold on your dream.

Collage = Multiple Attempts

Since the Illustration Friday topic is "Multiple" I thought I'd show the multiple reject pieces that it takes to make a collage. Every time you want to try out a different color or different size, you have to cut another piece of paper. This image shows all the extra pieces I cut for my "Multiple" collage. (Except the bird... I just threw him in.)

Illustration Friday - Multiple

Have you ever had multiple wishes come true at the same time?

Illustration Friday - Theory

She knew there was magic in shooting stars that couldn't be explained by any scientific theory.

Illustration Friday - Choose

She learned that if you have a hard choice to make-- stop and listen to your heart. It will always lead you in the right direction.

Know when to fold 'em

She had always played by their rules. But now it was time to fold, cut her losses and fly away-- a free bird, following her heart.

Illustration Friday - Blanket

She sailed on, under a blanket of stars, feeling so small, and yet so free.

Queen of the Butterflies

One day, she declared herself Queen of the Butterflies. And somehow, it became true!

Illustration Friday - Tales and Legends

According to Native American legend, "The trickster Lox takes the form of a wolf, follows hunters, invades their camp, and destroys everything he can." This image is post-invasion, when Lox and friends are hanging out campfire-side.

Illustration Friday - Stitch

She finally learned that by holding the needle herself she could stitch together her life exactly as she wanted it.

Bowl of Fruit

This is a quick painting I did at an Illustrated Watercolor Journaling workshop I took with a local artist. It was a great class-- a beautiful day in the mountains and tons of art supplies! I love workshops because they are a great excuse to just experiment and play, without worrying about results. And you get a whole day of uninterrupted art time-- a rare and complete luxury!

Illustration Friday - 100%

50% woman. 50% fish. 100% mermaid.

On your journey, beware of the mermaids. While beautiful and enticing, they are almost certainly a sign that you are about to be shipwrecked.

The Journey

It had been a long journey but at last she saw a sign, letting her know that she had almost reached her destination.

Illustration Friday - Soar

One day she got tired of running away from her fears- so she taught herself to fly.