Tessandore Creative

Cocoa

I was trying to draw a yummy mocha in a nice pottery mug.  Since marshmallows found their way into the cup though, I decided it was probably hot chocolate sans the espresso.  Either way - I wish I had a mug like that!  ♥

Bock Bock!

My life has taken on a chicken theme lately, so naturally I had to paint a chicken coop.  Why chickens?  Fresh eggs, baby!
Ok, I'm not really that much of an egg devote but I do have an inner farm girl that's been under wraps for too long.  Since my life doesn't seem to be going in the direction of moving to farm country, I decided to bring a bit of the farm life here.  First, I have to build a coop (I'll let you know how that goes) then ~ 3 hens will be coming home to roost!  I'm really looking forward to it. 

One last thing, since I love a good work table photo...
It was kinda stormy here today so the painting started out with a rain cloud.  I played around with using the watercolor crayons & the acrylics together.  That combo may have potential.  ♥

Kinda Sketchy

Not bad, eh?  I can never seem to draw an owl I'm happy with, but I think this one's quirky-in-a-good way.

I've got a BIG canvas in the works right now and was going to show it in progress, but I'm having a hard time photographing it.   Might have to pull out the strobe lights for this one.  Or at least head outside with it this weekend.  It's different from my other work so far, but I can also see that the many steps I've taken {practice, practice, practice...} have landed me here.  That's a nice place to be.  Now I just have to keep moving ahead and not get caught up in the fear of ruining it!  *remembering to breathe*  :)

On my mind today:

"You never know what the tide will bring." ~ a quote from the movie Cast Away that was on tv last night.  Whatever you think of the movie, that sentiment is maybe my favorite one, and the hardest for me to remember. 

This year I've started collecting (in my journal) happy surprises that come up in my life.  When I'm feeling a bit discouraged ~ like I have been the last week or so ~ I like to read those little things.   Anything that makes me smile and think, "wow, I never would have guessed that could happen!"  

When I'm in a down mood, I get to feeling that I somehow know what the future will bring...and of course that usually only includes my worries & not my hopes.  So it's a happy thing to remember that you just never know.   Amazing things are possible.   ♥

Home

Home from Baltimore & a bit under the weather *sniffle*.  But it was a good trip.  The only drawback was getting too used to the spring-time temps.  It's been snowing here for the last 2 days!   ♥

Best. Day. Ever.

I'm not going to elaborate on that.  You'll just have to take my word for it.  ♥  But really...it was an unexpectedly great Valentine's Eve!

What I can tell you is that I made a couple new paintings today.  I'm still really enjoying these tiny watercolor papers.
After finishing this little blue dress, I had an idea for using a left-over candy heart box for a canvas.  I started by just covering the top with gesso, then drawing a cute girl...
She was colored in with my watercolor crayons.
Some details & outlines were added with a fine point marker.
And some background color to finish her up!

Oh, and I also added a nice coordinating ribbon around the edge.
A post from Carla Sonheim started me thinking about using recycled materials for painting.  Check out this great three part tutorial on her blog.  She's using a recycled cereal box as a canvas...neat!  ♥

Utah!

I am SO thrilled to report that I will definitely be going to Art Nest in February!  I'm already poking through my art supplies to see what I have and what I'll need.  This is going to be wonderful and the perfect way to celebrate my 40th birthday. 

I'm looking forward to meeting the instructors & getting to know all the other artists + learning some new things, playing, eating some yummy meals and having good conversations & laughs.  Bliss!  Did I mention that I'm excited?!

The path into '09 is looking pretty good.  ♥

Still Learning

I am loving Shiva Artist Paint Sticks!  These are the oil paint crayons that I mentioned a couple days ago.  I’ve only ever used acrylics for everything and have been totally happy with that.  But these oil paint sticks are sooo creamy and blendable.  Love ‘em!  The only drawback for my impatient self is that I have to wait a day or 2 for the paint to dry before I can do face details over them.  Still...love ‘em.

That I can recall, I’ve only ever taken one art class.  (Learned how to make lampwork beads – SO fun!)  In general I’m reluctant to take a class because I’m wary of copying other people’s work or ideas.  It’s only been in the last year or so that it clicked for me I could learn a new technique and then make it my own.  Thankfully that process seems to happen very organically.  This is a theme reinforced by the book Taking Flight that I’ve had not far from me for the last 2 weeks.  This is one of my works-in-progress inspired by the author, Kelly Rae:

To my eye it doesn't quite look like my own original work yet, but I have faith that it will evolve.  And I’m having so much fun learning & playing!  ♥

Square Buttons

Don't know what it is about this shape I love, but there they are.  :o)

Sunshine Girl and Yoga Girl, in all their square button splendor!

Angel / Butterfly Girl

Can't believe it's been May since I drew a new girl!  Summer + travel really eats into that good indoor creating time.  Which also explains why my blog has turned into a bit of a photo/travelogue lately.  But - tonight rather than just thinking about doing something creative...I actually picked up my pencil and got busy.  Amazing how that works!  Plus, I had on the good tunes which always helps. 

Music to draw/photoshop by tonight:  Pearl Jam.  Not the newer stuff...all old school.

Veronica takes a walk.

This morning I received a fun message from a fellow Esty store owner that my girl Veronica had wandered her way into a treasury.  Here's where she ended up:

What a great collection!  I love all things camera too.  This cool treasury was put together by MegzyPhotographs.  She's the first photographer that I've noticed on Etsy to offer to digital delivery.  As she says: "With prices going up on both gas and shipping, maybe we should just cut out all those middlemen and email the photograph file!"  Good idea Megzy - and thanks for letting Veronica visit.  :o)

Molly, part II

Ah...that's better!  I had originally finished this festive girl with a pink wallpaper background, but she never quite felt right to me.  A little crop and change of background - now she's one of my favorites!

NOLA

vrooom.....she's off in her aero-zoomer!
This is a sketch I did to help pass the time on my flight to Louisiana last week.  Here are a few snaps from the trip (click on the image for a larger view):
I had a wonderful time and wish I could have extended my trip!  Coming from Alaska, I was just sure the 90 degree temps would wilt me right down, but it wasn't too bad.  Especially once we found the trolly car as an alternative to walking everywhere.  :o)   The beignets at Cafe Du Monde quickly became a nightly treat - so yummy!  And the people were so nice too.  I'd go back in a heartbeat.

A little more wise every day.

This is the first in a new series I'm working on of Wise Women.  Each one is intended to be a reminder of our best self for those days when we're just not with it.  As my friend Carey might say, this woman "has her Zen sh*t together".  Here's to that!

Ostrich Girl

I had the idea for her while driving a few days ago.  Funny, isn't she?  I don't know where these images come from, but I'm glad to receive them!   So fun to "see" an idea like this in my head and then be happy with how it comes out on paper.  (or clay, or which ever medium...)  It seems that the projects I'm most satisfied with always come from that kind of fully-formed idea.  If I've carried the image around with me for awhile before bringing it into reality, it just seems to come out right.  Like my hands are only in service of the idea.  Have you had that experience?   Or do you do your best work when you just let things flow and see what comes out?

Alice

Matilda

French vanilla or strawberry....either way, her hair looks like soft-serve ice cream, right?  She's my favorite girl right now.  Possibly because she my most recent.  Does that happen to you?  Where your current project always seems like the very best?  Ha...I guess you could say she's the flavor of the week!  Silly, I know.  :o)

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  We had an unexpected spring snow - pretty!

Deer Girl

I collected a few smallish (about 2x3') pallets last summer that were being tossed out.  I knew they would be great for some type of project, but it wasn't until this weekend that I decided to use one as a canvas for my Deer Girl. 

I started by dragging it out into the snow to spray-paint a matte black base.   Then drew in my girl and painted around her.  I love those different shades of blue!  And after working with so many tiny needled-felted things, it was nice to work on a BIG project. 

The lesser-known December holiday

No, it's not "Festivus".  Today is my friend's birthday!  Although she would prefer nobody know that.  So I won't name names. But I didn't want to let the day slip by without notice. 

Miss Bunny's been baking

Carrot Cake, of course!

Baby, it's cold outside!

One little birdy, 2 little versions

Floaty Girls

Tumbling out of the sky or floating up into the clouds?  They look to be at peace with wherever life takes them.

Of Mice and Mail

These are the little mice I drew yesterday and I think I'll make cards out of them.  Oliver has come to court Miss Macy Mouse.  They would make a nice couple, don't you think?

And - gifts in the mail!   :0)  Even though I shouldn't be shopping for myself right before Christmas, I bought these little charms from CraftyMule and they just arrived today:

mmm....cereal!

sketchy

I'm rather fixated on making birds lately  - not sure where that came from.  This crabby guy is following in the footsteps of angry birds before him...

Like this one from the BadBird shop (she also has a great suspicious bird) and so many from MincingMockingbird's shop.  The guy at MincingMockingbird is seriously funny.  My two favorites from his shop are Snaps and For Reals? - the descriptions are a "hoot"  (ooo - sorry...had to get my bird humor in!)

And in friendlier animal news...I'm working on getting my hedgehogs just right:

starts and finishes

I've got a new series of characters coming to life in my sketchbook...

I think I'll debut them all as a finished group in the next couple weeks.

And this is Veronica, my first Photographer Girl!   She's mostly done, but I might go back and give her some jewelry.

Happy Friday!

~ busy, busy, busy ~

What a great, fun & productive day!  I've got many new projects in the works, new things that will be posted in the shop in the next couple weeks and I'll be featured on the Etsy Showcase on Nov. 23 & 24th.  It's a whirlwind of crafty activity around here!

First thing today, I finished "painting" (digitally) the girl I gave a little preview of a couple days ago:

Her name is Molly and she's on her way to a party with the Bluebird of Happiness riding along in her hat.

I also had a chance to whip up another pin cushion.  I've been scavenging soda lids from everywhere (click here if you're not sure why that's relevant) so there will be plenty of these on the way.  + I'm definitely going to try Meg's idea of making them into bases for photo holders.

My stitching needs a little work, but probably if I just slowed down it would help.  I do like how the cherry on top came out though!   

Camera Girl

One more girl in the works...

I've been wanting to draw a girl with a camera for quite awhile now.  Maybe this will be the first in a series of photographer girls?  I'll have a finished version to show soon! 

Sneak Peak

Here's a new girl I'm working on...
That's all I can show you for now.  I've got several things in the works though - it's been a very productive weekend so far.

In other news...it finally snowed today!  Personally, I was hoping it would hold out until December to come down.  But I must admit that it looks very pretty.  :)

Whoooooo

One of these days, I'll be able to draw a decent owl.  In the meantime, I thought this guy came out ok. :)

In addition to owl practice, I also made some Christmas cards that will be in the shop sometime today.  They're available now, as is the "winter night" version.

Exhausting the possibilities...

As I originally intended her to be...

I'll keep this an extra-short post...the fox and tree have a good idea - time for some shut-eye!  Sweet dreams...

Another winter swirly sky

I thought I'd share this peaceful winter scene.  Although it was drawn/painted a couple months ago, this is it's debut.  I usually try to post something I'm currently working on, but tonight I spent tweaking & uploading buttons to be printed.  Very exciting to me - but nothing really to show you yet!  :)

An interesting tidbit about this image...the snow is actually a photo of snow from last winter.  The nook that the snowman is nested into was a roll of snow coming down off a sign post that was nearly buried.  Thanks to my dear friend, Photoshop, everything merged together quite nicely!