Watercolor Doodles

Recently I've been OBSESSED with watercolor doodles. My journal is now almost filled with little faces, monsters, creatures, designs, you name it. I first saw the idea for watercolor people here and was immediately intrigued. Basically, you just do a blob of watercolor paint, wait for it to dry, and then doodle on top of it with a sharpie. And it is so enjoyable. It is seriously the best activity to do late at night when your brain is tired, first thing in the morning when you want a brain jump start, in the afternoon...ok, ok, you get it. It is simply the most fun I've had with watercolor and a sharpie for a long time!

Here are some more of my favorites:

12 Dresses in 12 Months: May

I had this floral dress cut out since January but finally got around to sewing it up this month. And with its sunny disposition, I think it is perfect for May! It is a standard shift pattern with a cotton floral print and a stretch fabric for the arms. I sewed it all up in a couple hours so I think I'm getting the hang of this dressmaking (although, I did accidentally sew one sleeve on incorrectly two times...).

And who is this lovely lady in the picture with me? It is my sister-in-law showcasing her own DIY dress that we worked on together. It is the same pattern but she used a two-sided knit (the same I used for my February dress) and also added in pockets! Too cute!

Watercolor Painting: A Beginner's Approach

I'm pretty sure that the last time I really painted with watercolors was in high school. And I absolutely hated it. It was so hard to control my water supply and I ended up with mottled paintings that never came close to resembling what object I was trying to paint. So for years I've avoided it by staying with acrylics and oils. There I found forgiveness for my mistakes for I could always just add another layer to cover any rash decisions I happened to make with my paint brush.

But I found that acrylics and oils often deterred me from painting because of the set up time. I don't have the space in my apartment to keep all of my art supplies out all the time. So when I do want to paint, I generally have to spend quite a bit of time setting everything up. And that is just enough work to deter me from starting.  Then, I met a new friend that was really into watercolors. On a trip we took to California, she actually painted in the car with a little watercolor set that she had! So I decided that maybe I had been too hard with my high school critique of watercolors.

For Christmas, my sister gifted me with an adorable travel size watercolor set and a some watercolor paper postcards. And so I gave it a try...and LOVED IT! Yes, I do occasionally end up with mushy paintings with too much water, but overall I've been so pleased with my little paintings. I also picked up a watercolor sketchbook and also a slightly bigger brush to help me experiment a little bit more. I've even watched some Youtube videos to help me with different techniques. Mostly, though, I've just been enjoying the play and experimentation that it allows me have.

So in case you, too, have been avoiding watercolor painting for whatever reason..I encourage you to give it a try! You may just find that you love it!