New Pen & Ink Doodles - Fun With Fish!!

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

I know it's Tuesday because my computer tells me so! Ah time... we've never really been on speaking terms. Being somewhere 'on time' is a challenge. I wonder if people realise that it takes days of planning for me to BE in a PLACE at a pre-arranged TIME? No...probably not. Other people are so beautifully and wonderfully.....NORMAL! I have normality envy! Any jobs I've had I've had to be insanely EARLY for a shift, which employers seemed to like and generally resulted in overtime and a glowing appraisal. If only they'd realised that my "enthusiasm" was basically a side-effect of chronic ineptitude regarding time keeping! Bless 'em.

Aaaaaanyway... It's day TWO of my personal "don't-screw-up-the-blogging-AGAIN" challenge. I've made a list. Well, several lists and I'm honestly no closer to knowing what to post each day so we're winging it and reveling in the joys of spontaneity......(remember to breathe....breathe!)

Today's offering is a fishy one! I have more of my doodly woooodly crazy fishy fish to share with y'all. I still love my nib pens with their fine lines and deep black india ink.

Little doodles and details narrow my vision, help me focus and control my immediate environment - quiet the chatter and confusion. I suppose this calming sensation is the reason for the recent rise in popularity of zentangling.

I think I'll always enjoy drawing and painting anything sea-related and these fish are just such good fun and there's such diversity of life in the seas and oceans that inspiration, patterns and ideas aren't hard to find. This time around I decided to doodle some jungle river fishies as well, just for a change.

This is the fish-fest fun fiddly faff-about I'm sharing with you today. If  you're interested in more of the same inky doodle fun check out my 'pen and ink' collection up there in the margin page listings - you'll also find a reference for the pens I use and HIGHLY recommend. If you're in the UK you can purchase them from Dinkybox, along with other very cool art supplies.  Hope you enjoy the post and the doodles - thanks for visiting, you know how much I appreciate you! (SQUILLIONS!) Love and hugs from Shroo :) xxx

Art Cards In My Etsy Shop

Back again!

Well....three hours sleep is better than nothin'! Would have been longer had the Colonel not landed on me like a furry sack of wet cement and woken me right up! Not to worry. I don't recall EVER having a regular sleep pattern so I'm used to this and a couple of snuggly hours in soft blankies with a hot water bottle is very refreshing! Things only get dodgy after a five+ day run without sleep - that's when the world goes a bit 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' as my mind makes up a toon world that'd make Walt Disney weep bitter tears of envy into his cryogenic chamber! Can't complain - there are flying blue toon bunnies. Aaaaawesome!

So, against the odds I have managed STUFF today....nooooooo, no vacuuming still.... I'm writing that off for the week with all hopes for next Monday, but let's not hold our breath there! I've picked up the big bits. That'll do fer now!

I HAVE, however, listed my new Etsy stock - a range of little art cards/tiles (each slightly larger than an ATC or ACEO). I had such fun making them and I'm quite pleased with the colourful results. Best part is that they don't cost a kidney to ship! WOO! So, without further ado, here they are -

I'm quite nervous - I've not listed these little things before so I am going to keep fingers crossed and hope that people like them enough to buy them. Wish me luck!

My next project will be to make some more journals - all the elements are ready so I have no excuse!

I still like Etsy... I have sold on Ebay for years as part of my old job and they're a nightmare. Etsy, by comparison, are far more reliable - and a hell of a lot cheaper! There are some incredible shops on there and some GORGEOUS unique works of art. I thought I'd just take the opportunity to share just few favourites - click the picks to visit some splendid arty Etsy shops. These belong to some lovely fellow bloggers:

Patti Vanderbloemen's Shop

Karin's Shop - GinkgoetCoquelicot

Isobel's Shop - Threadnoodle

Kathy's Shop - KathyinozarksFibers

Jill's Shop - Kiln Fired Art

Niina's Shop - Fairychamber Fantasy Art & Illustrations

Just a taster of what's available!

Ok - that's me for today. The Colonel's fixing me with his gimlet stare - I suspect that it's cuddle time, which means that he'll plonk his furry bum and prickly claws on my knee again....wonder how long it'll be before my legs lose all sensation! Kitties....what can ya do eh? Thank you for stopping by again! Sending hugs from me and gravelly purrs from The Colonel - see you soon! Shroo :) xxx

Into The Light - Arty Stepping-Stones

Hello !

*waves from behind the sofa*

I'm feeling fragile. I've had a selection of random head glitches sparked by some rubbishy life events and have disappeared into a hole again, but this is me poking my twitchy head out into the light and just reaffirming that I'm NOT gonna get smacked in the face with a shovel! 

Are we all ok? I hope you've had an EPIC couple of weeks because you know you deserve the best of all shiny splendidness, like magic calorie-burning cupcakes, and great hair days, and a visit from tap-dancing, glittered cats, or Hugh Jackman .......(gimme a minute................ok -) yeah - all kinds of awesome! Spring seems to be edging its way through the biting frost-coated winter drapes that have blanketed the world for what seems like an eternity....little delicate flowers appearing, strong and fragile at the same time. That's kinda how I feel - who knew I'd be a snowdrop?!

Yet again, planning ahead hasn't quite gone as smoothly as...well...planned, but I'm going to try and let myself off the hook - I figure that the world won't stop spinning if I don't follow my post schedule....nothing's likely to combust or explode...there appears to be no zombie apocalypse (awwwww......dammit) so I'm just going to pick up and ...I feel that there should be some sport-esque bijou analogy-ette here, but I'm allergic to sport in all its evil forms so .....bazinga! Without further ado....

I've had a LOT of journal time....a LOT..... It's the kind of journaling that I reserve for the 'special' books - the ones on the (cue spooky music) daaarrrk shelves..... Here's my journaling tip for anyone who experiences grotty dark patches and breaks in reality..... keep a selection of journals JUST for these times. Experience has taught me that if I inflict negativity on my regular daily journals/art journals that they become somewhat oppressive to me and in turn that affects my mood when I return once the darkness has passed. I have everyday books for everyday thoughts and emotions, sad books for sad days and angry books for angry rants and crazy painting. And I find that it's ok. I ALLOW myself to be angry or sad; I don't deny it. It needs to escape and get itself the hell away from me so that I can be happy again. Keeping these journals separate and specific helps me to clarify my feelings and find that release. They're no longer a bad reminder or oppressive judge, rather they're a support network of familiar and safe book friends that listen and forgive. I don't feel compelled to destroy them, rather I feel more secure knowing that they're there when I need them. I keep them apart from the rest - they don't mind, they're understanding that way and I can ignore them until I need them again.

I can't share - or rather I choose not to share these [dark] journal entries and art this time around. Everything's still a bit raw and also it's a bit grim and let's face it, none of us need more grim.......instead, just keep thinking 'Hugh Jackman, Hugh Jackman'...... (gimme another minute....... *sigh*)

This time around I found that I needed quick arty fixes to help me stepping-stone my brain back into the light.  These I CAN share with you 'cos they're WAY less freaky...

I grabbed a couple of old sketchbooks and just played....drew things that made me happy - my go-to subjects: mermaids, kitties, fairies, flowers, seaside-related stuff... I found it hard to begin with, but I followed my own 'muse taming' techniques and coaxed that pesky musey minx into some happy arty activity, reluctant though she was at first. I find that these techniques help me loosen up, reduce that pressure to perform.

Silly scribbles and cartoons, doodles and zentangles - do these things as often as you can...when you're talking on the phone, watching tv, waiting for dinner to cook, waiting for the bus or the train - whenever the opportunity presents itself. These little arty moments provide an excellent exercise for that lazy-ass muse and they poke our brains with a stick so that we LEARN AND DEVELOP skills and techniques, teach our hands to move just right.

 Catching up a little further - the sad loss of Leonard Nimoy (I'm a massive fan) prompted some journal doodles, which echoes what I said about using special days and moments as an incentive and guide for a journal entry - they're markers in time and something that I'm always glad of recording when I look back at past journals and sketchbooks:

I honestly don't care whether these are accurate or perfect... these are my personal journal pages - they don't HAVE to be perfect. LESS pressure - there's so much stress in life, our journals and our art are supposed to be a positive light in our lives. We don't HAVE to be the same as someone else....we don't HAVE to be 'on trend'... we don't HAVE to follow the competitive fashions and fads.....we can just be happy and creative.

 Art is truly in the eye of the beholder so when you look at your work, know that it is a reflection of something unique and beautiful within you. And the more you doodle and scribble and play, the stronger you will become with techniques and skills and tricks of the trade. A line on a page doesn't exist 'til you draw it. What you draw and paint is born because you WANT to make a mark on the world - and what could be more beautiful? Love what you create. Nurture it. Be a proud parent to your art and in return it will reflect the coloured facets of your soul like a mirror ball - (and don't we all need a little disco beat to groove to?)

I'm feeling better for having completed this post. Thank you for putting up with my rambling AGAIN!  I'm so late with my planned posts now that catching up is the blogging equivalent of jogging through treacle, so I'm going to re-think and re-jig the stacked up backlog and move on with less of that pressure. I annoy the crap outta myself when I realise that I'm adding my own stress....it's just stoopid! I'll see you soon and in the meantime - be friends with your art, and hug your books and journals and arty supplies and be kind to yourself. 

Big smooshy cuddles from Shroo :) xxx

Some New Journals on Etsy!

Hello, you wonderful You!

Here with a quick post - mostly pictures - about new journals finally listed in my Etsy shop. These have really been a labour of love as I currently only feel moved to make my journals and altered books when I'm very emotional and full of memories. Most of these reflect my dream states where my head is filled with days at the seaside, my old home by the sea and my heart's joy - the wild beauty of untamed nature. 

The books are coptic bound and allow, pretty much, a 360 degree display when open. I've tried many wonderful binding techniques, but I keep coming back this method which is still very pretty and versatile, but crucially allows for greater practicality of use, especially for art journalers. I also stayed true to my promise of reducing my arty hoard by selectively adding some of my favourite lampwork and art beads - some of which I've had for nearly fifteen years! I'll recover from the trauma of using them EVENTUALLY I'm sure!! Okee - no more rambling, here- have some piccies!

'Gaia's Dream'

'Heart Of The Ocean'

'A Mermaid's Wish'

'Seaside Dreams'

'Rock Pool Treasure Trove'

That's them then! Each one contains a mix of papers (colours and weights) which are great for writers or a fun challenge and opportunity for art journalers. I feel a sense of achievement in having finished them and put them in my shop (at looooooong last). I hope you're going to praise yourself for your achievements this week - you know you're awesome!

I'll be back this weekend with the first of my 'supplies' posts ...I TRIED to narrow it down to just ten things but honestly....that's just not gonna happen..... See you then - hugs from Shroo :) xxx

 *  *  *

 My uncle, Grandpa and mum at the beach, braving the icy cold of the British coastal waters! My Grandpa would quite earnestly tell them (and me too) that baby jellyfish would swim through our legs - so that there was panic when they were spotted!

My Grandparents 'living it up' at the seaside! Party on!