Get Moody

Mood boards are a great tool to visually convey a message without saying a word.

While everyone has a unique way to develop a mood board, I have found it is best to keep it super simple. 

My Mood boards focus on three main subjects:

 1. Color pallet 2. Font  3. A few basic images. 

I have been working on an illustration design recently that will be used for a wine bottle label. The mood board above inspired the final design. Mood boards are not just for clients, as a designer I find it useful to have as a reference to go back to during the design process. 

I hope this inspires you to use the power of visual messages, and create a mood board 
after your own creative vision. 

The March Hare Is Approaching

The last days of February are upon us. I am almost too excited for March and it's spring days to began.

Everyone should be given a day to spoil themselves as personal congratulations for all you do.

 It may not be your birthday this week, but one day could be reserved officially as an unofficial unbirthday.

Go on, You deserve it! Have A Very Merry Unbirthday!

Sunset Delight

Sunsets are magical. For a brief amount of time the sky lights up with colors that transform the landscape. Everything looks different when bathed in colored light.

 Tranquil cool dusk, meets the warm sunlight, and together they create a violet sky.

As night takes hold the last of the warm sun rays melt through the darkness. 

The fiery rays of sunlight are quenched by the cool darkness as the day fades to night.

I hope you take some time to enjoy a sunset or two this weekend.

Sweet Treat

Over the last few days winter has made it clear that spring is not yet here. 

On chilly days nothing is more comforting than something warm and sweet. 

For this banana cherry bread you will need the following ingredients:

        1    cup Sugar

        2    cups Flour

        1/2 cup Butter

        1/4 teaspoon Salt

        1    teaspoon Baking Soda

        1    teaspoon Cinnamon 

        1    teaspoon Vanilla

        2    Large Eggs

        1    cup Bananas

        1    cup Dried Cherries

Mix butter and sugar together until creamy.

In a separate mixing bowl sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. 

Blend together the butter mixture with the dry sifted ingredients.

Combine eggs, bananas, dried cherries, and vanilla with the the previously blended ingredients.  

Pour the combined ingredients into a buttered 9x5 loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for about 70 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. 

Remove from pan, slice, and enjoy with someone who needs a smile.

Wise Words

The quote above recognizes the truth in creativity. Sometimes the ideas that seem so outlandish, and completely out of bounds inspire true genius.

 Encourage fresh ideas. 

Don't be afraid to look outside the "normal" realm in order to find new inspiration. 

Flower Power

Flowers have a silent yet expressive communication all their own. The Color, fragrance, and shape of each flower is unique and gives us a hint as to it's individual personality. 

Symbolic of  love, beauty, luxury, and strength, orchids have always held special meaning through out time.  

 There are over 25,000 unique verities of orchids world wide.  The alluring charm and captivating  mystique enchants all those who gaze upon them.

It is amazing how something small, delicate, and silent can express so much.

Be it flower gazing or otherwise, I hope you make a point to appreciate some quite beauty this weekend. 

Let's Get Crafty!

Nothing says "I Like You" more than a handmade gift. 

Friendship bracelets are  fun to make and even more fun to give away. 

For this striped bracelet you will need:

Two colors of embroidery thread.

Cut four strands of each colored thread about 24 inches long.

Arrange the thread in an alternating pattern as seen above.

Starting on the left hand side, make two knots per thread, continue across the eight strings.

Working left to right, start the same two knot sequence on the next colored string in the group.

 This alternating striped pattern will be the end result. The whole process takes little time, and will deliver big smiles to those you care most for this Valentine's day.

Go Get Crafty!

Show Some Heart

It is that time of year again. Every store is filled with cards, flowers, chocolates, balloons and other suggested offerings to give to those around you that fill your heart with love. Valentine's Day is just another holiday used to push trinkets that nobody needs, and yet they are mass produced on a grad scale. 

But...what if we started looking at this holiday in a new light?

What if we looked at Valentine's Day as a time to focus on the connection shared with those we love. 

What if we used Valentine's Day to remind ourselves of the positive power of love.

I hope you spend time this week sharing your love with those you care for most.

Snow Day

Today is a snow day. 

There is something almost magical about how snow and ice transforms all that it touches. 

  Ice cascades over rocks to create waterfalls frozen in time.

The soft snow fall blankets river rock creating dynamic contrast and textures.

Delicate and light the fresh snow highlights the barren winter tree branches.

The best part of any snow day is getting an excuse to act like a kid and play.

I hope you get an opportunity to enjoy a snow day this weekend.

Sometimes You Just Have To...

A new week of a new month is upon us. Starting anything new can be exciting. 

The feeling of excitement creates an energy that can propel through the thickest of mud on the darkest of nights. But, what if that anticipated gilittery burst of excitement is little more than a poof of dull dust... 

Well, I guess, Sometimes You Just Have To Roll With It.

When all else fails - bust out the spray paint and paint that dust gold yourself!

Inspired Work

This week has inspired thoughts of creation, and what it really takes to be creative. 

Ideas, talent, dive, determination, and skill are only a few of the qualifications necessary. 

Visiting the National Gallery of Art to examine works by the great masters always 

helps to gain perspective. 

Michelangelo Buonarroti's  David - Apollo circa 1530. 

This work is one that illustrates a personal habit of Michelangelo, and many artists for that matter, this habit is one of leaving work incomplete or "non-finito". While many leave unfinished creative work by the wayside never to see the light of day, Michelangelo's unfinished works are treasured. This unrefined masterpiece has a way of tantalizing the viewers imagination as the work emerges from the rough textured marble. 

The views eye seems to fill in the missing information, this helps to unite the viewer with the piece. 

Up close this statue has an amazing amount of texture. The rough texture is a result of the chisels used by Michelangelo to free his figure from the block of marble. The makers marks take the viewer on a guided tale of creation, Point chisel marks left behind as the rough form was created, claw chisel marks of various sizes show the refinement process as the artist removes rough stone to revel his work.

The photo above of work by Auguste Rodin entitled "Hand Of Rodin With Female Figure" reminds me of a quote by Michelangelo - 

"The greatest artist has no conception which a single block of white marble does not potentially contain within its mass, but only a hand obedient to the mind can penetrate to this image"

With this in mind I hope you create yourself a wonderful weekend, and a fabulous February.