Category Archives: Abstract

Splatter Stripe

This week Spoonflower’s Design challenge is for an Abstract Whimsical Watercolor. My original idea turned out to be a very complicated repeat. I just could not get the design to work as a seamless pattern. I saved the file, so I can continue to work on it. Do some research maybe, and find a solution.

On top of that, the abstract watercolor was not cooperating. Ughh! So I switched gears, and selected a watercolor piece I created a couple of years ago. I was down to the wire, had about an hour and a half to complete a design and upload it to the site. A stripe seemed the quick solution. It also seemed to fit the summer feeling these colors gave me. Click on the image above for a closer look.

I have a collection started. I need to upload the designs, but here is a peek. I started thinking the design might lend itself to quilting projects. Seaside cottage or nautical. That gave me the idea to do a cheater quilt. More on that later.

Splatter Stripe Collection.

Just for fun, a couple of clothing mock-ups.

Splatter stripe skirt mock-up.

Splatter Stripe, youth dress mock-up

The top winners each week will take home Spoonflower credit and a Skillshare Premium subscription to start learning everything from how to create a surface design using motifs to “The Basics of Photoshop”, “Hand Lettering” and so much more! Skillshare is an amazing an online learning community where anyone can discover, take, or even teach a class. All submissions into May’s design challenges are automatically entered to win the grand prize full of design goodies worth over $1000!

A super opportunity, and why I am so grateful for your vote!

LYA SIDE SWAP

Christine Brooks LYA 2017 side swap. Painted on wood, with USA stamp.

So happy to receive this wonderful postcard from Christine Brooks. The piece is painted on wood and includes a postage stamp as part of the art. The texture is really wonderful. I just love it! Christine lives in Flagstaff. Just a hop north of here, an hour and a half. She is also taking part in the current round of Love Notes Postcard swap.

Thanks so much Christine for surprising me with this side swap extra! It is a treasure!

Wishing-You-Joy-Orange

Wouldn’t You Like To Be A Dreamer Too!

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Dreamer. Janice Darby. LYA Side Swap 2017

Don’t know why, but the Dr. Pepper song popped into my head, and the words morphed into the post title. In trying to get it out of my head, I watched the original commercial. I did not need to realize that it is nearly forty years old!

Janice Darby’s Dreamer opens the 2017 LYA video (by Kat Sloma). Each time I saw this image on the Facebook group page, I crossed my fingers that one would come my way. Love the layers in this! Janice and I have swapped before, I always look forward to her card. She lives in Santa Maria, California. Very inspiring city I think!

On the back:

Never let it be said that to DREAM is a waste of one’s time,
for DREAMS are our realities in waiting.
In dreams we plant the seeds of our future.

Love that thought Janice! So glad you agreed to a side swap. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome art with me!

Coneflower. Chandra Lynn. LYA Side Swap 2017

Chandra sent this digitally enhanced photo from Alabama. She shared her enhancement experiments in a recent blog post. Looks like fun to me! I need to find some fun photo apps. I really love the colors in this. Makes me think of watercolors flowing together. Beautiful! She included this:

We do not escape into philosophy, psychology, and art
–we go there to restore our shattered selves into whole ones.
Anais Nin

Chandra’s blog posts are often filled with inspirational words. She teaches composition and literature, reading and writing are her passions. Thank you Chandra for sharing your passions with us!

Pink Flamingo, colored pencil. Diane McWhirter. Australia.

Diane’s work is always stunning. Take a look at her pet portraits. She also works in ink, and I just love her vivid, lively colors. Lot’s of happy in her work! Her floral pillows are gorgeous. So honored that you would swap with me Diane – had no idea your postcard postage is $2.95 (Australia)! If it helps, I think your work is priceless.

So blessed to count these talented women among my LYA friends! I find their work delightful and inspiring! Hope you enjoyed these cards as well.

What Was I Doing?

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Abstract, Terry Owenby. LYA 2017 Side Swap.

Received this wonderful side swap. Terry tells me this is an unfinished painting that she cropped digitally. She took a Jesse Reno class last year (Portland, OR), but was unable to finish during the class. She took the paintings home and they were forgotten.

In the swap we are always looking for the interesting cosmic connections, between the sender and the receiver. There is always something that binds us. Silly, but still.

I forgot to post Terry’s card. I even emailed to let her know I received it, and that I would be posting. DUH! It would still be forgotten, if Terry had not replied to my email. I’m trying to retrace my steps, useless I know. I put her card in the scanner, was interrupted, and that was that. The whole time I was writing yesterday’s post, I knew there was something I was forgetting.

I love this card. Love the colors, the wonky shapes and scratches. And the “stitch” stems. The deep blue-black is welcoming to me. And the bright berry reds are pure fun. I also really love the fact that Terry rescued an unfinished and forgotten piece.

Thanks so much Terry for sharing your art with me! Made my day!