Tag: creative

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 4

The Mug of your Wildest Dreams!

Draw your favorite mug again, but this time add a little something more! What I mean by this is for you to add brilliant and fantastical features to your mug that would make it that much more special. 

  • Would you add wings so that it could fly to wherever you are? 
  • Maybe it would have arms and could take notes or write your novel as you sip in luxury.
  • Maybe you would change the size or design.
  • Or, just maybe it’s actually the mug you wanted for a present but didn’t get! Draw it!
  • Better yet, maybe the mug wouldn’t change but where you sip from it would!

Add any features from your imagination that would improve upon your favorite mug! Have fun. Be creative. And make it fantastic! Maybe think: What would a kid want to be added to a mug? (They don’t limit themselves as we adults do!)

Please share if you feel brave. I can’t wait to see what features or powers your mug has gained overnight.

In creative adventures,

Autumn

 

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 1

Here’s to new beginnings and creative challenges!

I’m excited and nervous about this sketchbook challenge. How about you? 

I’m excited because I love creative challenges, and I know that if I commit to a sketch a day for the next 31 days, growth will happen.

I’m nervous because, well, I must commit to it. I need the discipline to make sure I carve out time in my day to make a sketch. I don’t want this to be something I’m excited about in the beginning – and start off with a bang – to only fizzle out once I hit the middle of the month. So, let’s help each other to not let that happen. Shall we?

So, for the challenge…

You can sketch anything you like or take my suggestions. I won’t be giving a lot of instruction on technique or anything else, but I will give you some ideas of what to sketch. And, I will definitely give you encouragement and tips along the way. Feel free to reach out with questions as you work. I’m here. 

Here we go!

Day One: Pick a word for the year. My husband and I do this every new year. It’s a word to inspire, to work toward, to invite more of its examples and evidence in our lives throughout the year. 

My word: Discipline. 

I need to be more disciplined in order for my art business to grow. And, I most definitely want it to grow. Once my teaching year resumes, I get incredibly busy. My days are

 long and it becomes easy to neglect my creative side and my little sprouting art business. So, this year, I’m making it a priority. And, it will take discipline!

Now back to you:

Step one: Pick your word.

Step two: Doodle it onto the first page of your sketchbook. 

You can make it a fancy script. Or, big and bold. Maybe add flowers sprouting from it. Duplicate the word several times. Write it in different scripts. Fill the page or make it stand it out with a lot of white space around it. But Do Have Fun! 

If you would like, please share your word. Or, share the page. I would love to see your wonderful new year words!

Your friend in creative adventures,

Autumn

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Introducing Two New Titles

I’m excited to announce the release of two new books! Both have been a year in the making.

The first is a picture book for young readers that uses repetitive, simple sentence structure and onomatopoeia for a whimsy introduction to a fun character. This is bird! And bird has wings that go flap-flap-flap. But do you know which part of bird goes blink-blink-blink or swish-swish-swish? Flip through these colorful pages that blend photography with digital illustration to get to know bird and the sounds he can make. Young readers will find themselves flip-flip-flipping through the pages over and over again.

The second book, Add a Splash of Whimsy to your Day: A Journal for Creative Play is a journal with fun activities and artwork to inspire creativity. Grab a pencil or your favorite pen. Bring along your crayons, colored pencils and gel pens. And most importantly, don’t forget your imagination. Let the creative play begin! Through vibrant and whimsical artwork, coloring pages and writing prompts, this journal will send you on a creative journey of play and inspiration. You will be prompted to dream big, transform your fears into an adorable monster, relax with a little coloring, and doodle to your heart’s content. Whether you are a little kid or a big kid, this journal has something for everyone. Who knows, perhaps a story or a doodle can turn into something more! This journal is perfect for those young and old, who love to write, draw and color.

Thank you for checking them out! And I hope you find creative inspiration in one or both of them. Stay tuned because there is much more to come very soon.

Shine your light,
Autumn

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Precarious

It begins with a short story, so I’m learning.

It started with a word, then a phrase. Those phrases and words became a sentence.

orange_with_white_flowers

That sentence grew to become a paragraph that carried with it a glimmer of meaning, a seed of an unknown specimen. So, I held my breath and watered it. I watered it knowing it might not grow. It might be a dead seed, after all.

But, I kept watering it anyway like any foolish writer would do. Any creative type has to do.

Soon, that paragraph sprouted meaning, and that meaning multiplied and expanded to begin to take a form, a grander shape with potential. After some time of tapping the keys and refilling my glass, twice… in-between the first capital letter and the last period there grew a story with a life and a memory and a moment. Within that life, that moment, that memory, flowered a tragedy for one but a victory for another, even if that victory will prove to be momentary.

But, any victory whether large or small is worth the ride. Yes?

And, that my dear, is the precarious birth of just one story— one story that will someday grow up to become a book of its own.

May your small light ignite something grand, as it only can….
Autumn