New Year Message

I think I used this same Scripture last year with different artwork. It has such a wonderful message of "a year of favor from the Lord." I used purple and gold to signify royalty colors. Happy New Year everyone!

Japanese Card

This little card has nothing to do with Christmas. My Portland friend, Sandie, gave me these cute little Kimonos in late November and the idea for the card has been percolating in my head ever since. I just had to get it on paper today so here it is, hope you enjoy. And a blessed, happy Christmas to everyone. xoxoxox

Christmas

This is the image for my Christmas card this year. I love this image of keeping the baby loved and close, not laying in the manger! And, to me, gives the idea that Jesus came for the whole world, everyone, every race. Peace on earth!

A Thousand Doors

I ran into this new quote ( to me at least) in a card shop the other day. I think it could have many layers of meaning. One thousand doors reminded me of one thousand cranes so I drew one in the evening sky. Enjoy.

New Banner

I liked my Thanksgiving Banner so much I decided to make one for Christmas too. It adds a cheery note to the front door. I am feeling much better, not so blue. Even though the circumstances have not changed, so many people praying for me and caring about me. I am so blessed. Thank you all, have a happy weekend!

Blue

I know, this is little picture is not very creative, right!

Did you ever have one of those weeks or two weeks? Well, that's me right now, right in the middle of the second week of misery and pain. I realize that there are many worse tragedies than lonely! I know people are busy, its the Christmas season, right? I get that. So I am trying to be creative, making art, working on our Christmas cards, trying to stay lifted up and grateful.

So grateful for my husband and my health!

Missing my grandchildren, missing my friends in Spokane, missing dinners together, coffee, talking, people! A little bit quiet here in Hawaii. Just plain blue!

Ohana Family

I decided to illustrate this quote from Lilo and Stitch, with a little people paper chain. I love my family!

Iris Folding

This week I learned how to do Iris folding from my friend, Suz. It was really fun. The hardest part was cutting out the shape of the Kimono. Using a mat knife is not one of my many talents. The folds are all put on from the back and it is such a neat surprise to turn it over. I always thought Iris folding like the flower but no, my friend, Suz explained, Iris folding like the iris of a camera lens or the eye. Have a happy day!

Spread Love

I love this quote by Mother Theresa. It is so loving and such a good reminder to me of bringing God's love to everyone, especially in my own home. This piece is a stretch for me in all directions. My colors of choice are blues, greens, pinks, reds so this is especially a stretch in the color family for me. Then, I don't do "messy" well and to deliberately blur my colors, a big stretch. Finally the calligraphy is Carolingian which I have not done in probably a year so another stretch for my pen and hand. Hope you enjoy it anyway. Have a great day!

Aloha

I have to say that painting Hibiscus flowers are really difficult so this is not my most favorite flower I have ever painted but you get the general idea. Sending out Aloha ( that is hello, goodbye and lots of love!)

Peace in Your Heart

This says it all. Happy 2 days after Thanksgiving!

Making a Thanksgiving Banner

I saw this cute kit at a Scrapbook store outside of Seattle, Washington and ordered it. I changed some of the papers and the backing board but I thought it was so cute. I used a Japanese Screw punch to make the holes in the backing board. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I am thankful for you!

Different Worlds, both Blessed

We are so blessed to be able to spend time with our family and friends in three different parts of the world. Spokane in the summer with a brother, 3 aunties, and 7 families of cousins and lots of visits with our daughter back and forth to California. In the winter we play with our wonderful neighbors, our son and daughter-in-law and 4 adorable grandchildren in Hawaii. Just making the transition yesterday between the two places. Here are two contrasting pictures as we woke up to our first snow in Spokane yesterday morning and this morning, the sun peeking over the palm trees. Thank you God for so many blessings.

Pass on the Love

I think blogging is kind of like this saying. We are passing along our gifts and the love that has been given to us. Sending love out to you. <3

A New Day, a new Monday

I thought this was a sweet saying about being kind, so important. May I always remember!! Have a great Monday.

In His Hand

Just felt like painting mountains this week. It has been SO busy, I have been neglecting my blog and I love my blog and love creating artwork for it. Hope you all have a happy Sunday tomorrow.

This is to have Succeeded

I had a Chapter Leader Summit Meeting last weekend at Gonzaga University ( my alma mater!) Someone sitting next to me asked me what I did for a living so I told them, artist, calligrapher. She said, oh, I have a job for you. And this was it. Thanks, Molly!

Dream On . . .

I found this quotation in some of my papers recently. It did not scan all that well which I don't understand but I like what it says and hope you do too. Never, ever, ever, give up on your dreams! Have a happy Sunday!

A Book of Herbs

This week I have been working on a small, accordion book of herbs. It just sounded fun! So here is one of the little pages for you to look at. It is definitely fall in my part of the world, a beautiful sunny day but a little chilly. Hope you are having a great day too!

Trust in the Name of the Lord

This has been my favorite verse of the summer. In the midst of buying a new house and (still) trying to sell an old house, I am trusting in the name of the Lord my God!

Leaving a Place That You Love

I think this is a beautiful thought. We put down roots of love, of friendship, of nurturing and care, everywhere we are. Leaving is hard but it is also a joy to go. We are SO blessed with family, friends and love in many places.

Yearly Desk Calendar

Here is a little peek at my yearly desk top calendar. I pick a theme ( this year it is butterflies) and then find 12 quotes and hand letter each one and then hand paint an illustration to go with the quote. Then I send them to the printer. I hope you enjoy this small peek, have a great week!

Reality

This quote was given to me by a customer as a wedding gift. Don't you love the quote, I was not familiar with it? I guess it has been several light years since I read Dr. Seuss to my children.

And this week I was graced by a visit from my fabulous Hawaiian neighbors, Donna, Wes and 2 year old Krislyn. We had SO much fun. She is a technical wizard par excellence and got my copyrite symbol going again on my computer. Thank you, Donna.

We had fabulous summer weather for their trip to Spokane, sending those beautiful fall day blessings out to all of you.

New Geese

Sometime back in a previous blog, I put up this quote. I never was happy with the artwork so this week, I redesigned the whole thing and drew better geese. It was just for me but you know, most of us are perfectionists! Have a happy week!

Freedom, Sunshine and a little flower

I have been working on my annual desk calendar this week and this is a quote from the Calendar, written by Hans Christian Anderson. Thank you for all your nice comments on my blog, I appreciate you.

Rose

When I first started making the "Art of Marriage" ( see a couple of blogs below this) I always had a rose on it. Then I tried the bouquet that you saw last week but now I painted this rose to go back to my original idea. I think I like it better, what do you think? Have a great day!

Benediction

Benediction means a blessing.

The weekend before last we went to Portland, Oregon to help celebrate a great friend of mine who happens to be a Catholic Priest. We go way back to dancing in college together and editing our University Yearbook. This weekend celebrated his 20th anniversary of his Priesthood and his 65th birthday. We had such a fun time. Friends are the best!

During his anniversary mass, the congregation sang this blessing to him. It was so beautiful, powerful and brought tears to my eyes. I looked it up on the internet so I could hear it again under Curtis Stephan. I wanted to do this for him in Calligraphy and thought you might like to see it too.

Sending a blessing out to all of you.

The Art of Marriage

This is an anonymous saying that I found many years ago. I have always loved the part about being the right partner. Today I painted the bouquet of flowers to go along with it.

Chaos

This week I have been making some Calligraphic sayings for the Gallery in Idaho. One of those was this one, "Dancing Star." The top stars are made out of hand painted paper. I started with white Canson paper and then used a palette knife with teal, cobalt, gold and purple and just spread it all over the paper. Each star, then, becomes a little different depending on where it is cut out of the colors of the paper. May you all have a little chaos and give birth to the creativity of the dancing star.

Perhaps they are not stars

I think I received this saying on a Sympathy card when my Dad died. I have always thought it was beautiful, great word pictures. I hope you are all having a great Tuesday.

Making Paper Messes in my Studio

Here is one of the walls of my new studio and my paper mess in preparation for making some new calligraphy sayings for my Gallery in Idaho. Hope you enjoy!

Making a Trail

I guess I always think of sled dogs when I see this quote, in case you wonder where the dog idea comes from. Blazing a trail!

Roots and Wings

I hope you are all having a beautiful summer day today. A tree in full bloom sinking deep roots, hopefully that is what I gave to my children.

Peace

So sorry I have been neglecting my blog of late. First we moved, then we had the Hawaiian Grandchildren for 10 days of fun! And then we went to Portland for a fun birthday party. Back to my drawing board today, wishing you PEACE!

The First Post from the New Studio

Our first night in our new home was Wednesday night. We have been working like dogs, lol. On Saturday morning, I started in my studio and 6 am and finally quit at 5:30 pm. Putting away books and hanging pictures, I just could not hammer one more nail. (:

This is a sweet Scripture I used to do many years ago and relettered it before our move. Have a great Monday!

Miracle

Don't you just love what this says, hoping I instilled into my children that they are indeed a miracle? This is moving week for us and won't even have internet ( horrors) for a couple of days so this might be my last blog until next week. Stay tuned. Thanks for all the encouraging words. xoxoxo

An Unexpected Blessing

I have always been a Scrapbook maker, capturing the memories of my family. In 1985, I found myself in the middle of a divorce and fled my house. Taking only my children's baby books, I left all the rest of the Scrapbooks behind. I was never able to get them and they burned to the ground last summer in a forest fire. Memories lost forever.

We are in the middle of a big move from our big house to a much smaller condo in the city. In the middle of cleaning out the basement, I found a miracle. A Scrapbook from the late 70's and early 80's. The last one I had made and I have not seen those pictures in over 20 years! Oh my gosh, I sat down and cried. I did not even know I had it. Precious pictures of my little children in grade school as they grew. I can only thank God for such a precious gift.

Like the Water of a Deep Stream

I like this quote, drinking from a deep stream conjures up so many wonderful images. Hope you enjoy and have a great day.

Help For Mothers

I have always been kind of a neat freak about housekeeping ( just ask my children!!!) but when my children were small, I used to have this saying for sale in my business to help mothers know that it wouldn't always be snowing! And the house wouldn't always be messy!

Praying with JOY

This says it all, so thankful for all of you. Have a great Sunday!

Wedding Vows

I designed this a few years ago and liked what it said so I relettered the Calligraphy yesterday and thought I would share.

An Old Favorite

This is some artwork that I designed and lettered when my kids were still small. I have been reorganizing my studio in preparation for moving ( a LONG story) and came across some old artwork. I love the sentiment and love holding those little babies!

Happiness

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Hesitation

On Facebook I play this ridiculous game called Bejeweled Blitz. I am really terrible at it and play against some friends that are just whiz kids. They outpoint me by about 250,000 points in one minute. I am terrible but I keep playing! So this morning I was thinking that if I hesitate for only a second, I lose. That brought to mind this funny quotation that I have had laying around my quote notebook for years. So I did a quick sketch with my watercolors and calligraphy and hope you enjoy it and it makes you smile!

A Prayer

I lettered this just yesterday as a present for my friend, Liz. She has always loved this poem and wanted to have it in Calligraphy. It was my joy to give it to her.