It was time for a new PicMonkey tutorial, and Valentine's Day seemed like a good reason to make one! This is my fifth full-length tutorial on how to use PicMonkey to create different artistic projects, but this one is a bit different. 

I went with a bit more "moody" colors. V-Day is in winter, so I wanted to show how cheery a little love could be when it's cold and gray outside. 

So, are you ready? Let's make some art! 

I pretty much thought the adult coloring page trend was dying out. I mean, why would anyone buy coloring pages when there are tons available for free? ​

I know, I know! Christmas is just around the corner! But there is still time to make some lovely personalized Christmas cards using just your favorite holiday photo and PicMonkey! 

These elegant, yet fun, greetings can be printed off and hand-delivered on time to loved ones and friends nearby, or included in your last-minute packages before you mail them off. Or just share them to your social media. 

Want to give it a try? Follow me! It's easy and fun, I promise!

Bird art? Here? With all the cats? 

I had one of those moments today as an artist. I was at the disgusted-with-myself point, squeezing out some godawful scribbles and wondering if I should just take up juggling. 

Then lo and behold, out the window I see my yard full of robins. I mean, hundreds. I counted 87  just by the rose bush. 
​
It was so cool...in a kinda creepy-beautiful-Hitchcock sort of way. 

Naturally, I had to try drawing a robin. I did ask my cat for her opinion, and she was brutally honest in letting me know that the birds outside were much more appealing than my doodles. 

But for those of you who like to watch birds, rather than eat birds, I started designing a few "Professional Bird Watcher" items on Zazzle. Now that is a title that even my cat would be proud to call her own. So far, I have I have a bag and a poster made. I will have more soon! 

Are you looking for a fun, budget friendly way to make some Christmas cards? How about Christmas decor prints? Today, I've whipped up a tutorial for you featuring a simple, yet multipurpose, Christmas design you can make using PicMonkey. 

You can easily use the finished image for holiday cards, printable art, or just as seasonal graphic on your website. 

You will need to open PicMonkey photo editor. I use PicMonkey Royale, which is the premium paid version. You can make these designs using the free editor, but you will have access to fewer graphics and fonts. Still, you will find some amazing stuff on there to personalize your designs and I give tips for alternate ideas too. 

You will also need a printer if you want to print your designs from home. 

You will also need this holiday ornament silhouette that I made just for you. Just click on the design, right click on the full-size version, and save to your computer. (Don't forget where you put it!) You are free to use the design for as many projects as you like. 

Okay. That's all you need, (unless you need to go refill your coffee cup.) So, let's get to work, shall we? ​​

What could be cheerier for a Monday than something that is motivational AND feline inspired? (Dog people need not answer that. I'm sorry I can't draw decent dogs. :/  )

Hopefully, you read mylatest post about Cats for a Cause (about my Raggedy Cat series and helping low-income families). In the post I mentioned that I opened a separate Zazzle shop JUST for cat related designs. 

Most of the products there are the Raggedy Cats, but I've also thrown in some other cat designs, because I seem to always end up doodling cats every single day. 

Today, I added this really cool new design that I can't wait to share with you. 

​Ta-Da!

In my head this design is absolutely titled "Be THAT Cat". Because that cat is cool, confident, and not afraid to be unique. ​Not only are those traits that all humans can (should) aspire to, I think they are especially important for bloggers. 

With blogging being a crowded market, I know it is tempting to jump on whatever seems to be trendy and working for another blogger, such as certain styles of post images (I might be talking about the 45 different images I saw earlier today on Pinterest,  all containing a plate of pastel-colored cookies by a laptop.) 

Those photos are gorgeous and professional looking. Which is why they are hot right now. So I get it. But I definitely do think (especially as a reader of blog posts) that it counts a lot if you express something about YOU in your images.

It's okay to go with that style of photo, but put some YOU in it. I know I personally love to be able to scan a feed and recognize a blogger's photos immediately. 

And photos are just an example I'm pulling out. Uniqueness should echo softly not just on your blog, but in your life too. 

So, this Monday, I hope you find the courage to be true to yourself, because you are the one and ONLY you.

​You are THAT cat. 

 At the moment, you can grab the design on an iPhone 6/6 case, a totebag, apostcard, akeychain, an art print or a notebook. 

(Want it on a different product? Just let me know.)

Hi! Guess what I've been doing this week? I've been drawing on cups with Sharpie markers for a party!

​And since I am having so much fun making DIY party favor cups, I thought I would share a quick, inspirational tutorial with you too. ​

What do artists of all genres have in common? They all had to start at the very beginning.

For most artists, that probably means being inspired by Crayola crayons long before kindergarten art class, and later, practicing out of those nifty how-to books that start everyone off by drawing circle people. 

I've literally had tons of these books in my lifetime, and I loved (almost) all of them as dear friends.

Even though I veered from the styles I practiced back then, I learned valuable skills and lessons from all types of art tutorial books. 

Today, I am going to share a few of them with you.

​The holidays are fast approaching, and many of these would be great gifts for budding little artists, or even big people who dream of trying their hand with a pencil or brush: 

Ask an artist today what their first art supplies were, and chances are they will say "crayons, markers, and colored pencils" made by Crayola.

​Crayola brand has been inspiring young artists for over a hundred years with a wide variety of art supplies. 

Crayolas aren't just for children. Plenty of adults still enjoy breaking open a new box of crayons (as well as memories) and indulging themselves in a few hours of coloring-book therapy.

And oh, don't you just love the smell of a new box of crayons?

So how did Crayola begin, and why do we still turn to them for art supplies? 

Time for a Wishful Wednesday, and this week, I'm wishin' for some cool new art supplies. The problem with art (or craft) supplies is that you can never get caught up--they always need to be replaced! 

Sometimes it's cool to run out of something though, because that gives you a chance to try something new. Here are a few things I've been researching for my next big artsy shopping binge. Tell me in the comments, have you used any of these, and do you love them?