Once Upon a PAL

Today's square -- drawn for the 4th of July :)

Not so very long ago I 'liked' a page on Facebook called 'Once Upon.' It's an online Facebook community for "rediscovering the tales of childhood, revisiting the magic hidden there and fighting some demons" and it's hosted by a charming artist by the name of Janet Kisch.

Janet updates 'Once Upon' often each day, sharing samples of her own work plus wonderful art that she finds all over the Internet. (I can't begin to tell you how much I personally appreciate the fact that she credits the artists, too, which hardly ever happens on the Internet and is just so darn refreshing, don't you think?).

Less than a week ago, Janet gave the members of her site this great suggestion. In part, her status post read:

"On some of the craft/sewing/crochet pages they sometimes have an online 'get together' and create something from a pattern to be finished by a certain date, and then at the end enjoy all the individual ideas that jump from that, and vote for their favs... Now as you know, I'm always encouraging you to PLAY and to bring out your gorgeous inner child into the light of day and have some fun. SO... here's the thought, and it's for EVERYONE, even if you don't think you can be creative, whether you're an artist or crafter or stitcher or writer or even a plumber for that matter, you can join in! It would be a small block a day for a certain number of days with a theme. This can be drawn, collaged, sewn, buttoned, can be ink or paint, whatever speaks to you! I will post some simple rules so we're all working within the same basic parameters. It would be so amazing to see all the work at the end of the time. You would be posting it to me at the end and I will make an album for viewing? If you're interested in a PAL (play along ) just leave a comment..."

Oh yeah, I commented, you bet I did! And although having done so makes me a little bit apprehensive (who knows what accomplished artists are also taking the challenge!), I can't help but love stuff like this as it makes me think outside the pencil box.

When it appeared as though a number of us in the community were interested, Ms. Kisch gave us her guidelines for the challenge, including the time frame and date of deadline (and I won't include those dates here as the challenge is already underway and nearly half over as of the time of this posting, but feel free to visit her site, 'like' it, and go from there, 'k? You could always catch up!):

"Here’s our PAL (play along) and a few guidelines. You can create using any art medium. You can work on paper, card, fabric, you can crochet or knit or take photos, you can make relief sculptures on your squares, anything goes! The theme is “This Day." It will be a reflection of your daily mood, your loves, your joy or anger in each day. If you love a certain thing (like owls) you can do a square a day with an owl to reflect your mood. Works can be abstract, realistic or atmospheric. Your squares could have a button a day, or a brooch a day, a doodled design, black and white or multi-coloured, anything goes! Here are the only things we will conform to….thus making it a project of the same size with the same theme.

• You must have fun, and play, stress free!
• There will be 12 squares each measuring 5cm. (The finished work will measure 15cm x 20cm)
• The object is to complete one square a day, and that they are individual squares as opposed to a page mapped out in squares. The squares will be assembled at the end of the project."

How exciting! I wasn't sure what medium I wanted to be creative in, exactly. I already write a daily e-mail blast and do a daily 'doodle' that I post to my own Facebook fan page, and I try to blog here as often as I can -- all in addition to my regular art, etc., so it would have to be something that wouldn't take up too much of my time. I figured: as long as I'm already putting pencil to paper during the day, perhaps I'd just continue to do so for this challenge. It seemed like a good fit, too, because I've lately been interested in working smaller by taking my designs and my style into Art Cards and ACEOs (2.5" x 3.5"). For me, one of the biggest parts of this challenge would be making use of a size of paper that, at 2" x 2", is even smaller....

Each square so far includes one word that describes how I'm feeling on that day, plus an accompanying illustration. On the back, the square is dated, signed, numbered (#1 for the first square in the project), and labeled with a note detailing what was happening on that day to warrant the word I chose to illustrate.

I promise to share a photo of the assembled collection of squares when I'm finished, 'k?  In the meantime, PLEASE consider visiting Janet's wonderful site and 'liking' it. If you're a lover of book illustrations and whimsical, thought-provoking art, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Plus, if/when there's another PAL challenge, you'll be one of the first to know about it. :)
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Happy Birthday, Mary!

I'm reclaiming space today, clearing out cupboards and organizing drawers and doing stuff that is about as far away from drawing as I can imagine. And not on purpose either. (Seriously, I don't know what's wrong with me; must be the weather....)

But then I took a moment this afternoon for coffee and computering and discovered that today is uber-whimsical artist Mary Engelbreit's birthday. After that there was no going back to tackling the junk drawer. Nope. It suddenly became all about the pencils....

And little blonde girls with Peter Pan collars and bows in their hair....

And checkerboards and cherries, of course.

And bowlies. :)

(And fried-egg flowers, too; how could I forget to include a fried-egg flower??)

Because suddenly it seemed really important to draw a little something as a way of saying, "Thank you for sharing your delightful imagination with us, and for being such an inspiration."

Happy birthday, Mary Engelbreit! This bowlie's for YOU.

:)
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Marjolein Bastin and the Dipped-in-Gold Day

Yup. A Dipped-in-Gold-Day. A Fresh-Air-and-Sunshine Day. A Spring-is-on-its-Way Day. And here's why:

Responding to what sounded like Birdfest out my front door this morning, I opened it to discover robins feasting on the berry clusters in my rowan tree. Instant Spring moment!

Artwork copyright Marjolein Bastin

During my walk around the neighborhood afterwards, I glanced up to catch a black-and-white Tuxedo tom cat lazily watching me as I pursued some exercise.

On my return trip home again, I recognized the unmistakeable 'foley artist' sounds of a happy starling in full song. (In spite of my earmuffs! Says a lot about happy starlings....)

And once there I checked the Billbox to find a delightful handwritten (in fountain pen, no less!) letter from a good friend.

And because of that wonderful letter with its wonderful stationery, I took a moment today to reacquaint myself with the artwork of Marjolein Bastin.

If you're unfamiliar with Ms. Bastin's work, I suggest you study the photos in this post or hie yourself to yon local Hallmark store and spend a wonderful afternoon appreciating the beautiful cards and tchotchkes there that feature her work.

Artwork copyright Marjolein Bastin

I've collected Marjolein's charming cards since my old Law Office days back in the 90s when the Hallmark store in the downstairs lobby of the office building I worked in kept me delightfully busy over many a lunch break.

One of my fave card designs featured two little birds feathering the nest of a birdhouse made of art supplies. I was so charmed by the image that I made a similar birdhouse for both my mother and my grandmother by painting store-bought pine birdhouses from a local craft outlet and hot-gluing straw, pencils, and paintbrushes to them. They turned out wonderfully if I do say so myself, by neither were ever used for housing birds.

Opening my letter today and seeing my friend's familiar handwriting and Marjolein's familiar watercolor studies absolutely transported me. I felt like I'd been sent back in time!

And now that I think about it, my whole day has been about birds, birdsong, nature, spring, and watercolory surroundings.

And memories, of course. And the magick of reconnection.
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Happy Spring!

Artwork copyright Patrick McDonnell

It's the wonder-full first day of Spring! And this sweet artwork by artist Patrick McDonnell has it all: birds singing, flowers blooming, butterflies butterflying, puppies and kittens doing the happydance together. Plus, it gives me an opportunity to share with you an artist who inspires the heck out of me. I could study his line work until the cows come home.... (sigh)

Here at Tumbledown, all is in pleasant chaos. Some would say I'm spring cleaning, but I'm not sure that's it. I'm in a state of flux, inside and out.

Since I wrote last I've been knee deep in books. Still. Only this time I'm culling and organizing the herd, making space, rediscovering old faves and unearthing books I didn't know I even had. Hours and days and weeks have passed during this time and I've been happy to let them. This needed doing and it's pleasantly clearing my head.

And anyway, I'll get back to it. But I wanted you to know I'm still here, I haven't forgotten about you, and I hope you're enjoying this fabulous First Day of Spring!

:)
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PLEASE check out more of Mr. McDonnell's work here and sign up to receive a daily Mutts email that will put his delightful and heartfelt art in your in-box every dang day. What a sweet way to start the day, right? :)