Hearts and flowers on the mind.

Tomorrow is the day that we put out grumbles aside (yes?) and celebrate love and friendship. It’s a fine holiday, don’t you think, especially falling in the middle of a wintertime of grey and bare. (At least for us in the northern hemisphere/upper latitudes, acknowledged!) I have several things for you today on this longer post. Hope you’ll stay with me all the way through.

1

So maybe you’re thinking about getting out those red and pink crayons or markers or paints?

2

Maybe you’re remembering previous Valentine posts that had all sorts of goodies, ideas, free stuff, inspiration and want a revisit? Here

Or maybe you’d like to see A LOT of inspiration on my Pinterest Valentine page here. And check out my other boards while there. I use Pinterest for inspiration and collection of good ideas to share with you more than any other social media place. Which leads me to:

3

I am at the start of a 100 day project. #The 100DayProject is an annual event that encourages artists to make art for 100 days in a row (or any reasonable variation of it, life happening as it does) and courages posting it on instagram or 100 Day Project sites. The artist is encouraged to pick a topic, style, subject, motif, art supply, or theme and do 100 of them. I have passed on it for several years because…well, 100 days???!!! of a series…seems pretty overwhelming since I get bored pretty easily with the same thing.

BUT! I have taken it on this year and I hope you will follow along with me. I need encouragement! followers! (Oh, boy do I need followers! IG never being my go-to way of posting my art, my “follower” count is pretty dismal. I hardly obsess over this, but it would be nice to have a few more, she said sheepishly). My series this year coincides with a big goal I have for the year (besides the goal of posting on IG every day (haha, we’ll see about that!) which is to have more mastery of photography and Photoshop. To look for interesting photos in unexpected places. To work magic with a camera. I have an older Nikon and the iPhone, a little macro lens for close-ups, and a guiding light in Kim Klassen and her amazing classes and community. Plus I have built-in nature with all the trails around our home where natural textures and displays abound.

So I am creating photographic postcards, each with a quote I like or that seems appropriate. Playing with fonts. Playing with design. Working magic with filters or using just the raw photo itself. I think I can do this. I have already posted ten already. I’d LOVE if you’d take a look, and even more, if you do Instagram at all, to check me out as I wind my way through the 100 days. And follow me.

Here’s my IG link:

https://www.instagram.com/oneredchair/

A side note: I started a little earlier than most (Feb. 13 is the official start date) because I know it will be interrupted by my trip to London and Paris late April. (Gee, too bad, huh?) I would like to think that I could post each day from over there but I know myself too well to promise that, so my project may well also go on a short vacation. Who cares?!

4

Instagram artists who have some hearty-artworks to enjoy. https://www.instagram.com/pilgrimwaters/?hl=en. Susy Pilgrim Waters.

https://www.instagram.com/licosmoss/?hl=en. Anna

5

New notecards are on the horizon. Pretty dang soon. Still finalizing and designing the stickers, labels, and tags that always go in my sets. These are working copies and finals may be a slightly different, but hopefully, it’s enough of a sneak peek to have you look back in about a week. If you’re on the mailing list, you’ll get first notice.

6

And for those of us who still love getting things (especially art) in Snail Mail, here’s a video on Mail Art. Mail Art is fun. He explains why.

One more thing while we are on the subject of love. You may have already seen this, since it wasn’t long ago that I created it….so feel free to pass by, but otherwise, a video of my series “Five Things I Love.” It has a few hiccups, just note.

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