Merry Monday - Odds

I found this quote on Pinterest, which is a great source for quotes by the way. It speaks to me and I thought it would be a fun one to illustrate. And another chance to practice my wet on wet technique! 

I hope that your Monday is going well! 

Merry Monday - The Best

"Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best." - Henry Van Dyke

This was a pretty quick painting, but I really like how it came out! 

I love this quote, because sometimes I feel like if I'm not the "best" at doing something, it's not worth doing. That's a horrible way to think about things because there will always be people who are better than you at something, but that doesn't mean that your "voice" doesn't deserve to be heard. 

I encourage you to share your passion or craft with other people even if it's not what you think of as "the best" because they will probably love it :0) 

Have a great Monday! 

Merry Monday

"Never compare your start to someone else's finish." 

When I'm starting out something new (like a blog, or digital painting for instance) it's hard not to compare myself to others who have more people reading their blog, or who are extremely talented artists and feel a bit jealous. 

But then I snap out of it and realize that these people probably have put in a lot more time and practice to get to where they are today. I think that talent and luck also play a role, but I don't think great things can be accomplished without putting in the time. 

It's easier to stay motivated and excited about new projects when I keep this saying in mind. What works for you when you start to compare yourself to others? 

Merry Monday

"When life hands you lemons ... make some sorbet!"

Here's this week's illustrated quote for you, although I don't know if it's an actual quote, I made up the sorbet part. 


Another "when life hands you lemons" ending I like is "make a gin and tonic." 


What's your favorite ending to "when life hands you lemons"? 

Merry Tuesday

The day got away from me yesterday and I didn't get a chance to post my "Merry Monday" quote.  So here it is a day late. This quote is by Mother Teresa and I think it's a lovely one. 


I hope someone has kind words for you today :0)

Merry Monday

Still working on getting looser with my watercolor paintings without it looking sloppy. Not sure if I'm making much progress yet. Also, it's harder to get the "looser" ones to scan properly. 


I'll just have to keep after it :0)


Happy April! 


*This is another quote that was hard to find the source of, I believe it's Richard Dumb. 

Merry Monday

I think we all need a reminder of this every now and again. I hope that your week is off to a good start! 

*As far as I know the quote is attributed to Lori Osterman. 

Merry Monday

Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson

I did this painting before I really knew how to use watercolors, so used pen to do the actual drawing and then filled in with watercolor. It's fun to look back at stuff like this and see how far you've come. I drew the quote on this morning in case you were wondering. 

I love this quote by Emerson because to me "live in the sunshine" is a reminder to stay positive and choose to be happy. 

I hope you're living in the sunshine today! 

Merry Monday

I decided to play around with "wet on wet" style this week. I like the soft quality it gives. 

I hope your day is going well!

Merry Monday

Here's this week's Merry Monday post. I used the computer to make the buildings because I didn't end up liking the background I painted in. 

It's frustrating when the vision you have for something doesn't work out on paper, but I'm glad I was able to make it better/different with the help of the computer!

I hope your week is going well!

*Quote “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” by Neale Donald Walsch.

Merry Monday

Still enjoying the desert. I thought this beautiful cactus was a good place to take a picture of this weeks Merry Monday.

Hope your week starts off excellently!

(The quote is sometimes attributed to different people, but most often credited to Plato.)

Merry Monday

Hey from Monterey. Here's a quick little Merry Monday post for you. 

I hope your long weekend fun (if you get one) is still going strong!

Merry Monday

I like the idea of posting something cheerful every Monday, so I think "Merry Monday" is going to be a weekly thing. 

This week I went with something romantic since Valentine's Day is tomorrow and all. 

The quote is by Victor Hugo, and I think it's pretty lovely. 

Do you have a favorite love quote?

Merry Monday

Here's a little painting I did to make Monday a little more merry.

Hope your Monday is going well also :0)