Seeking Peace through Wash and Ink

I'm a little stressed out these days. In fact, I am so stressed that I feel like I may have a form of PTSD akin to what I felt on 9/11. Now, I really didn't publish this post to complain about stress. Instead, I'm writing it to let others know they are not alone . . . and to say that I am seeking peace from within.

One of the best stress-busters I know is creating art - in any form. The process itself soothes my mind. In fact, working on something that is loose and non-specific works wonders for me! 

That is one reason I like doodling, or Zentangle-inspired art. (I am NOT a Certified Zentangle Teacher, aka CZT, and what I'm showing here is not true Zentangle. That's why I'm calling it Zentangle-inspired!) I've seen various names for this type of art, but that's what comes to mind right now. 

I have also been taking some art classes at art-classes.com, learning about wash and ink. Technically, that's watercolor wash and a fountain pen. :-)

So, here are some examples of recent work that I did with wash and ink. I simply laid down a watercolor wash in various colors, let it run where it wished, let it dry, then added ink lines where there were color changes. Then I added additional ink lines to make patterns in Zentangle-like fashion. This one is rather growing on me.

I think I may video tape this process soon. It's so freeing - and so good at relieving stress! Hope you like it!  FYI: My husband took a photo and used a portion of it for his cell phone wallpaper. <grin> 

The top left image is the whole-page view. The other three are close-ups of various sections.

Hope you like it! Until next time. . .may God bless. 

New Valentine's Day Cards

Hi, all. Just dropping by for a moment to let you know that I have listed a couple of Valentine's Day cards in my Etsy shop. Both of the current designs are pink, rather than the more traditional red. I may add another design or two this weekend if I have time! I have a limited supply of these, so if you're interested, act quickly.

Design 1 is for a love in your life! Here you can see both the inside and outside:

This card features a white embossed layer with flowers. On top of that is a sunburst, topped with die-cut flowers and leaves. The front says, "Just wanted to say..."  Inside, the message is "I love you. Happy Valentine's Day." Additional hearts are in the bottom right corner. 

This card, and the next, comes with a heart-stamped envelope. Each card can be mailed with a single first-class stamp in the USA. 

Design 2 can be sent to absolutely anyone:

This card has a slightly different pink color, designer series paper strip, ribbon, and die cuts. The outside says, "Just wanted to say. . ." and the inside has a simple "Happy Valentine's Day." As mentioned, you can send this one to anyone - friend, love, co-worker, etc. You decide!

If you'd like to take a look at these and other items in my Etsy shop, follow this link: https://karensblueridgestamp.etsy.com. 

Thanks for stopping by!

A New Year to Create

Hello, dear friends. We've done it! We made it through another year, and we have a brand new one in which to create. 

What better thing can we do this year than try to make our world a better place? Some will invent. Others will persuade, some will fix, and still others will spread lovingkindness. What will you do?

Personally, I will try to create a little something new every single day. I find my stress level goes way down if I find brief moments when I can draw, paint, crochet, or do something creative. Have you told others you are creative? If it's important enough for you to say, then you apparently give creativity an important space in your psyche. But do you act on it? 

This year I will revive my YouTube channel. But instead of mostly stamping, my channel will be filled mostly with art projects. Sometimes, I'll combine the two! I spent tons of time last year ramping up my art skills, and I have received a lot of compliments on the projects I've made. Please consider subscribing to my blog and to my YouTube channel to stay informed when I upload new content. Because my part-time work schedule and family support activities can ebb and flow, I'm not committing to a specific time to post. That means it's even more critical for you to subscribe. That way, you'll be notified that there's something new. I hope to see you in one or both places.

For now, allow me to show you a few art pieces that I gifted to family this Christmas! Yes, we do LOVE our fur babies around here!  (I draw OTHER things, too!) All three drawings are at the top, with their reference photos directly below. Left to right: Shih tzu Belle, Shih tzu Riley, and kitty Sarah.

All three portraits were drawn using an original reference photo (bottom) and the grid method of drawing. All portraits are done with graphite art pencils.