DIY Holiday Cards: Watercolor Paper Testing/ Review

Just a little post for those who paint watercolors, especially cards... The watercolor paper that strathmore makes "pre-made" cards out of is HORRIBLE! DISGUSTING! CRAP! {of course that is my humble opinion - maybe I'm a bit harsh} I have been cutting my own paper because I had a nice stash of it and thought... huh. Maybe I will make my life a little simpler and order some pre-cut stock that even comes with envelopes! What a disappointment :(. I knew it was going to be a lot heavier than what I was using... and a little textured. But the worse part is that the paper is like 4 ply card stock and feels like it's been covered in wax. The color can't even saturate the paper because NO water can get to it. There's no layering to be done because the paint sits on top. It's just frustrating. My brilliant red looks like a weird pink. Glad I only bought one pack. I will need to find another craft for those things.

I'm back to cutting up my pretty sheets of Aquarius! Might be time to invest in a paper cutter... or see if a local shop might cut it for me?? My Christmas cards will hopefully get out on time this year! But this might cramp my style for the Etsy shop I'm trying to start! I am a stickler for quality... and I need a lot of these. {just in case right?!?!}

So, let me, let you {other watercolor artists out there} in on a little secret for pretty cards that feel like letterpress... I was introduced to Aquarius II by a former employer. It is amazing and it runs through your printer like butter. I typically sketch in ink, scan it in, clean it up a little in photoshop then print the drawing on my watercolor for painting. It's my process mostly because I still have that fear of making a mistake on paper I paid a lot of money for! It also allows me to sketch anywhere... in a book or on a sheet of paper and still turn it into a watercolor. Many of my fellow architecture colleagues already know these secrets... but hey... now YOU are in the circle!

If you haven't tried the Aquarius II. I highly recommend this paper. PLUS, if you want to do a huge-o-mungus painting (22x30 let's say...) you don't have to wet and staple this paper. Get a nice flat surface and tape it down! Magic. It is also bright bright white so your colors pop immediately. I went to two classical schools that worked on Ivory 140lb. Strathmore or the like. I've got the same stuff from Italy... but as I paint more for clients and my little cards... I like BRIGHT! It looks great on the web too.

Painted on Strathmore "card paper", scanned at 300dpi, saved as jpg high

Both of these cards are the same scale. I painted each of them on a 5x7 piece of paper. I did not retouch either photo! Promise! The red on the trailer {tried to do three passes, the base just kept coming up} actually looks a tinge better on my screen now. It looks terrible in person though... alizarin crimson is what I used straight out of the tube. I usually throw a bit of Sepia in to tone out the blue, but I wanted a striking red to feel Christmasy! I did two passes on the car and it looks solid and lovely. I suppose it is what your after... but I love this bright white paper. I don't have to retouch and can put it right up on Etsy. The green is SO different as well... but my sketches turned out pretty nice.

Painted on Aquarius II, scanned at 300dpi, saved as jpg high

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on watercolor papers and such that you love to use. I will keep posting my holiday images I've got a retro theme going this year. I think I'm going to do

On the boards. Friday Edition

I'm getting better at using my technology to post sooner! I've been working a little this morning and sketched up this woody for a holiday card... Now what goes on top?? 

Tree?? Snowboard!?! Skis? Surfboard?? Snowman...? Who knows! I will update you tomorrow!! Sorry for the cliffhanger!! Vote if you'd like!!

I'm also painting the car in navy blue... Red just felt so happy and Christmasy. I need to add the yellow tone to the door and side panel yet as well. I've got a street scene coming up soon as well. I will update this post later this afternoon I hope! It all depends on how Xan will enjoy me drawing in the room next to him when he wakes from his nap.

Meet LaFawnduh - My Muse as we open Rebekah's Valentine the Etsy shop!

LaFawnduh is *the* best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm 100% positive she's my soul mate. Don't worry Napoleon, I'm sure there's a babe out there for you too. 

Peace out. -Kip

I've been working hard on getting some new items photographed for the Esty shop. Which got the name change approved yesterday and is officially... REBEKAH'S VALENTINE!!! Holy crap... I feel like a real brand now!!

Making everything has been a breeze and so much fun! It's listing that is the killer... It takes days. Seriously... Tonight I just went for it because when the lighting is great for natural photos, Xan isn't having it! I decided to go a little retro for the shoot and used the hipstamatic. Let me know what ya think! Too grungy?? I would love clean and sleek... but then again, thats not really me... I'm a little rough around the edges and messy so I guess this photography fits me better! Plus, I think it lends to the handmade look.

All of the hearts are made from a dictionary I found upstairs. It was copyright 1956. Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language. Personally, I find that entire title waaayyy too amusing!! I couldn't fold that page just because!! A NEW WORLD dictionary of the AMERICAN language. Please tell me that isn't lost on you. I'm such a nerd. And for the record... I speak English.

Anyway... have a laugh and check out our new handmade cards and LaFawnduh's debut! I've got a few more on the way that are a bit on the cheeky side too.

Advent calendar origami hearts

LaFawnduh helps show off the size and pocket of the origami hearts

little pink houses watercolor card

blank watercolor heart card

watercolor heart gift tags

little pocket blank origami heart card.

i still chuckle. i'm a dork...

Getting it Sorted Part II & Menu Planned!

Waking up at 5am requires my first cup of coffee to be really hot. Every other cup for some reason I can do warm... but the first cup... go figure.

Office Organization Redux

So, the office organization thing... stalled a bit. The help that I was getting had some troubles and I didn't get finished. sigh. However! This Saturday everyone has recommitted their assistance and hoping that we can get everything in order. I've also hired a "nanny"/ baby-sitter to come into our home and help me two days a week. I will let you know how that increases all of the organization and work load on the architectural end of my life... well, that is the plan anyway!

For another delay, we discovered a large nest of a former rodent tenant. YIK YUK YAK!!! So that needed taking care of for good. Oddly, we have cleaned up a lot of mouse crap and nesty materials but only one time. It makes me a bit nervous. Kind of on edge. Do we have mice? Did they move out after the year that there was no food in the house? We aren't sure what to think.

Anywho, we are moving forward with the cleaning up and painting on Saturday! I also took some advice from my friend Jenifer and posted a bunch of my Christmas jewelry on Ebay... happy to report... it is SELLING!! Woo Hoo!! Thanks J!! I am going to be putting a bunch of other things on Ebay now as well with the success I've been having.

Menu Planning

I also wanted to share a really cool menu organizing idea with all of you. I am trying it out right now with a lot of success. I ran across it on Pinterest (duh) and forgot to pin it!!! Who does that?? So I apologize for not giving credit to the original thought maker of this menu plan. I'm a bit naive with a few things in life so forgive me if this is common place for all of you but a stroke of genius to me!

First, I don't want my menu plan to be complicated... If you look at some past menu plans I've tried to work with a grocery list and had to write up the pantry items and keep track of things on hand etc... to sum up NOT WORKING. I need simple. Beyond simple actually... I need zero. So, this meal plan is by type of meal as opposed to what the meal actually is!! Get it??

For example... Your week of dinner could be broken out like this:

Monday - Soup and Sandwiches
Tuesday - Casserole/ one dish meal
Wednesday - Stir Fry
Thursday - International (Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern... etc.)
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Leftovers!! or our one night to eat out/ order in...
Sunday - Brinner ( Breakfast for dinner!) because we love brunch.

Whew! That seriously made this week tolerable. Instead of thinking what to do... I have a "heading" for the day to work from. My little brain can think... "WHAT kind of soup and sandwich will I make tonight..." I grab my iPad and go to my Pinterest board now labeled with the above headings... and pick out something yummy!! WOO HOO!!

To spice things up next month I might shift some things around as I get comfortable and make Friday International food... Sunday is soup and sandwich... bla bla bla you get what I mean. I'm doing my menu by month because again... I need SIMPLE. But if you have the need or want for flexibility you can happily change this menu and do this by the week. My husband and I are both creatures of habit and do not mind the routine. And this keeps me from having to worry about the grocery shopping as well. Ever been grocery shopping with a 15 month old? It isn't too bad... but, you have a time limit. (insert smile here)

Other headings could be:
Vegetarian, Tapas, Noodles, Something with Cheese, Crockpot, Grilled, Burgers, Salad, Poultry, Seafood, etc.

You could also label by cuisine type, region, or :

Italian, French, Irish, Chinese, Greek, Lebanese, Tex-Mex, etc.

You get me right?? I'm still trying to get my little templates attached so bear with me... But I've included one here!! Maybe you can print it out. I hope you can print it out if you'd like. If not, email me... and I will email it to you if you'd like. I've started this one with November. But the one I email to you, you can write in the week or month for your own organization!

And let me give you a little more love here... So when I say it is Pizza night... That could be flatbread, bagel, calzone, tortilla, cauliflower crust, crustless, Chicago style... the sky is the limit... SEE... 

brilliant.

Well. at least I thought so. ;) I hope you will too. I am putting together a vegetarian Thanksgiving and Christmas menu at the moment. I've been experimenting with different dishes to see if I like them. I will share soon so if you are thinking of some veggie options off the traditional route! 

For the Love of Cookies

Maybe because having a child creates a scheduled life, or maybe because as we get older time just doesn't seem to slow down like it did when we were younger. Even in my teens a summer day lasted ages! Laying on the dock at Gull Lake. Nine Inch Nails in my sweet cd boom box. Sitting in the sun for hours... Yeah, I'll pay for that someday. I'm sure of it. But I blinked and summer was gone. Well, not here it isn't ever 'gone'. It was 72 today. But in the greater parts of Colorado they are enjoying snow. Oh how I feel robbed that I can't see the snow... sigh. I want to go snowboarding (whine whine). I'm making plans for February/ March. Hopefully, my friend Lindsay will join! And possibly my brother and sister-in-law too! It would be a really great trip to get everyone together. The snow should be stellar then too!

I'm making my Christmas lists today and getting ready to make some gifts for my family. Money has been tight for years... so I've made a tradition out of homemade gifts. It's nice to expect some good care packages with all the holiday parties, I'm sure my extra treats get gobbled up by someone! I've got my traditional baked goods going out, including sugar cookies the size of your head. I've got these awesome huge copper cookie cutters from Williams and Sonoma. I do love them...  As a tradition, each year I've treated myself to one. This year I have my eye on the snowman!