YUM: Making a Cake with a Can of Soda

Yes. You've seen it on Pinterest and other blogs... I am here to tell you... IT'S AWESOME! And that easy. Box of cake mix. Can of soda. No icky fats. Just a chemical dump. LOL... who knows which is worse! All I know, it is cake and cake is lovely. I ate it for breakfast :)

I used a sugar-free devils food cake and a diet dr. pepper. I had hoped it would 'spice' up the chocolate a little. I couldn't taste it. But the chocolate was really really yummy! The cake is SO moist you will get it stuck all over your fork. I made cupcakes :)

Yeah... that's my messy desk in the background and my new Valentine card project.

Enjoy the cake!! here is the whole recipe:

One box of cake mix
One can of soda

Bake as directed on the box based on what you're using - cake pan/ cupcake pan... etc.

Some yummy combinations might be:

Yellow Cake - Cream Soda
Rainbow Chip - Cherry 7up
Chocolate - Dr. Pepper/ Cherry Pepsi/ Coke
White Cake - Orange Soda/ Strawberry Faygo?? Hmmm... Could be fun to try?

I don't know if I'd go the Mountain Dew route... but a Red Bull super caffeinated cake might be just what I need today... :) Possibly a Red Bull/ Carrot Cake??

Love: House Portraits and Personalized Maps

I opened up a new Etsy store for exploring architecture and other things I like to draw... like maps! I love maps... I will highlight some of that work later...  I've call the new shop Aquarius Studios. Check it out here: AquariusStudios For now it is houses mostly. Some historic buildings that I took photos of during my travels. Some I sketched along the way. Other things I just sit down and well... I make it up. I've also taken some houses that other architects have had me do exterior studies of and I'm having a bit of fun with Illustrator. I'm on the spiritual journey of "simple".

A fun sketch from a Paris photo - I made up the shops :)

A re-imagined sketch with new storefront.

 

Both of these drawings are quick 10 minute sketch exercises.  

A typical elevation that I would do for another architect or developer. Not really simple... but close.

An Illustrator "sketch" of the lake I used to live on when I was growing up. No, I didn't live near the heart... actually just across from it... I wanted solid colors, bright and minimal. So after I got this out... I tried a house :)

I can't say that I would choose these colors in watercolor. I don't think I could ever get them to look this good! But I've got some other ideas up my sleeve to try. The drawing is also 8 x 10 so the small scale starts to muddy in watercolor. I like the boldness and simplicity. I needed to step away from my usual medium for a while to explore some new options. We will see where this goes.... I still love hand drafting everything even before I trace it all out painstakingly careful in illustrator. I'm still an architect at heart. Even if it is a digital sketch.

Which Social Media is Best for Your Brand?

A question I've been trying to wrap around my head lately... Which social media is best for my brand? Best for my marketing? I get invitations to join different social media options every once and a while and I wonder - should I be adding another place to post? another page to manage? will it benefit my time and effort? Who will I be connecting with - like minded people or buyers? what am I NOT doing that I should be?

I began with a goggle {because that is what we do in 2014}... Which social media is best for my brand? About 562,000,000 results (0.31 seconds) Excellent. 
I have time for that. Not. I have time for the first page. 
Twisted Toast blog says there are actually two parts to the question:

• Which social media are right for me and my brand?
• Which social media are used by my target consumers?

I was amiss in thinking I was asking both questions with the first? I'm not the business or marketing major so I will go with it. Especially because at the end of the post it simply says:

"So what is the moral of this tale, the spin of the plot, I hear you ask? Simply that social media is what you make of it, not what it makes of you." -- Twisted Toast

No, that doesn't narrow down that you should use this platform or that platform if you are in this or that business. But for me, it was a relief. I take it as you certainly should use the platforms that YOU are attracted to. Because the people you may be trying to reach are there. If you are comfortable using Instagram or Tumblr and facebook... then use them because you will enjoy it and your followers will enjoy what you post if you're doing it with intention. If you get invited to another platform - check it out, see how friendly it is to use and pose the questions:

• do you think you will enjoy inviting others to join? 
• can you be sufficiently creative to capture readership?
• can you make your posts interesting and more experience oriented?

For a visual business like I am in, I need to get my images out to people to react to. I need a virtual gallery of my art going out daily as I create and design. To that end... I've decided that I am not taking enough advantage of more visual means of communication. I should be posting on Instagram, Tumblr, Flickr etc. I don't have a smartphone... I know it is insane. I had one... then the financial crisis of 2013 hit. Then, it was stolen... ugh. So, while we are still in personal economic recovery there just isn't room to pay for such a large cell phone bill. Any media that I do for now has to be done via ipad {without data pkg.} or home computer. Of course I have an incredible iMac and great software so I do have that going for me!

With some of those personal barriers aside, I've tried to take advantage of facebook and the blog to post more pictures of the things I create. I hope to keep it coming!! xoxo

To that end... here is a quick scan of the ranch house in progress! Remember house ON a ranch - not the suburban "ranch house"!!

Draft sketch of the ranch house in California!! Working on details today and inserting it into a logo.

a little kindness goes a long way. xoxo

Valentine's is a month away!

It's Lovely Tuesday {the 14th - hint hint} Valentine's is only a month away!! To celebrate... Spend $25.00 at Rebekah's Valetine Etsy shop and receive $10 off!! Enter IHeart10 at the checkout! 

Two Days ONLY! Expires Thursday!

CLICK HERE 

How to Explain Your Artistic Process

I know that beginning any new project can be daunting! But after stumbling around for a bit {4 years} and encountering all kinds of projects, I've finally got it nailed down {to a point} so that my clients aren't too overwhelmed by all the back and forth emails that it takes to draw a home! My architectural clients are a bit easier because we've been working together for a while. I know what they like and they know my style etc. Just getting that to translate on Etsy is what I'm working diligently on now! That way folks know my style a bit better and have a better idea of what they will expect. My drawings are actually quite simple. I try to make my watercolors bright... and I love to add the character that makes a house... a home.

almost finished with this client! just a few more details to tweak, like adding the brick texture. i have omitted their address for privacy.

Some clients are very straight forward and their homes can be drawn quickly. Other homes require more detail etc. But, the process is pretty much the same. I've finally taken the time to type this up and add it to my about page! It also helped ME to understand my process and explain it to a prospective client. The biggest help to me was listing out exactly what steps are the most important for me to be efficient, how to prioritize my projects, when and how to communicate with my customers and also how I would package and send the drawings.

When I did my first drawing, I got it all finished and then I almost had a heart attack... Wait... OH NO! I have to ship this!?! How will I do that!?! Do I have anything to put it in so it won't get folded or crushed? I researched online for some good packing materials... and how to make sure drawings make it through the mail flat. I didn't want to roll these because the watercolor paper could get creased.

Check out my little process biography below and feel free to comment or even take what text you might need for your own use. This stuff isn't rocket science. But it can be difficult to begin - I certainly researched a lot of other people process to be able to explain mine. Even when you do this everyday you may not be used to writing it out. I am not the only person doing this job {obviously!}. There are a lot of great artists on Etsy that are extremely busy working away drawing houses, pets and people! All kinds of super talented folks. That is the great part about art. Everyone has a style and can market it. When your prospective client comes across your art, they will love it, appreciate it, or hate it! LOL!

Dita Von Teese said it best - 

"You can be the juiciest peach in the world, and there will still be people who don't like peaches." 

How to have a house or building portrait done!
Email me at rebekahkik@gmail.com. Please include your name, contact email and what size print or package you would like to order. House and building illustration packages I currently offer are: 8”x10” ($125) and 11”x14” ($150).
I also offer note card packages. These packages include 8 (4x6) cards of your illustration as well as an 8”x10” or 11”x14” original drawing. The 8”x10” greeting card package costs $150 and the 11”x14” package is $195.

I will contact you right away to let you know what my workload is like and how soon you can expect that I can begin your portrait. As soon as we are ready to begin, I will follow up with a link to the Rebekah’s Valentine Etsy website to your personal reserved listing. Once you purchase that listing, we can move forward to complete your house portrait!

Please send reference pictures to me at rebekahkik@gmail.com. I recommend sending a picture that is straight on of the whole house, then also including detail shots of the door, windows, house number, or other small details you'd like included. Please note, I only include landscaping directly on the house and minimal trees in the back of the house to keep a subtle framed look. I don’t include people, cars, power lines etc. in my house portraits.

Once I have all the necessary reference photos, I will get to work on your custom house illustration. You can expect an email with a PDF file of your illustration for review within a few days. At that point, You will have a chance to share any thoughts or suggestions. It may take a few days to make your requested changes but we will keep in touch and set solid deadlines. The overall process can take up to three weeks with excellent communication and editing. Keep that in mind if you are giving this as a gift!

Once the illustration & color palette is approved by you, I will watercolor the house on 80lb. bright white Aquarius II paper. My house portraits are drawn and painted completely by hand. These are NOT digital prints. You will receive your original drawing, unframed, and packaged in a clear sleeve within a stiff envelope and mailed to you USPS First-Class Mail.

So Many Ways to Say "I Love You" {some featured cards from Etsy!}

I will be the first to say... I love a creative card. I have a ton stashed away in folders, boxes {yes boxes} and some I keep out on my desk - just because they make me smile :) Friends acknowledge this obsession and send me cute things all the time. {I love you guys}

So, I went searching around to find some other clever folks that are doing awesome things outside of the regular hallmark scene. Yes, these are Valentine's Day themed. So if Valentine's day still feels like "singles awareness day" to you... don't worry, I've got you covered love :)

First up... Sad Shop. Will not make you sad at all! She says it like it is. Simple and sweet. Totally my style for giving :)

sadshop

Sweet, Sad Things from Seattle

Julie Ann - She rocks all the awkwardness out of every moment that you need to have a card. Her tag line ~ "you won't find this sh*t at hallmark".

Julie Ann

Los Angeles, CA, United States

Hello Small World ~ This couple rocks all kind of great art! But my sweetie is getting this card... He doesn't read my blog. So here it is!!

hellosmallworld

Amarillo, TX, United States

Love: Custom Home Portrait Stationery

I painted these cute little houses for a client over the summer and I've been thinking... why not make a set of stationery for realtors, a housewarming gift for new homeowners or maybe you've moved your office into a sweet new location?? As an architect... I could get working on one of my OWN home. This would be a nice gift for architectural buffs that love their home! 

Each card will be an original watercolor! I will draw then print the image... but watercolor each one separately. Because I love to paint... and printing just takes a little away... Each set of 8 will come with a stationery box and white envelopes. Check out the images below for a little teaser... Simple and bright is my style preference... I can go into more detail on fancier architecture. These are just for an example!!

Go to my Etsy site for full details!!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/174281551/5-x-7-stationery-set-8-cards-custom?ref=shop_home_active