The Magical Oaxaca—A City That Enchants & Transforms You
I’d be lying if I told you I’ve dreamt of visiting Oaxaca my entire life. I didn’t. It’s not like when I dreamt of travelling to Paris since I was a little girl, cutting out all the magazine clippings I could get my hands on. But when I started working with Elexia of Artelexia, through her love of this magical Mexican city, I became veeery curious.
She would tell me of her first time there, how the city literally changed her life filling her with the purest energy and inspiration to start Artelexia. She’d tell me about the delicious food, the vibrant colors, the architecture, and the people—most of all she’d tell me about the energetic vibe of the people. From her first stories, I knew I needed to visit Oaxaca someday.
I knew of a trip she was planning for some time, months before the idea of me travelling there ever crossed my mind. Every so often I’d ask her how the trip was coming along, how many guests were joining her, what she was planning to do, and each time I’d get a little more excited for visiting. Someday.
The months passed, and with each a new story of Oaxaca—the enthusiasm grew and grew.
I was excitedly planning my own trip to Mexico City, while just a few days—2 to be exact! —before Elexia’s expected departure she told me yet another story. It was then that I could not restrain myself any longer and booked the last space in her tour.
It’s been four months since I visited this beautiful city and was completely enchanted by her. I let myself be mesmerized by the people, the food, the energy that still remains pure and of the people, sharing their lives and earth with us, making it all that more magical.
Oaxaca has carved herself a large space in my heart. It is a city unlike any other I’ve visited, incomparable—it just is.
I have a love affair with a magical being. Even my husband says I am changed—there is me before and after Oaxaca, and I can completely understand why. She does that to you. She lets you into her womb and re-births you an evolved being.
These few images I’m sharing don’t do this wonderful city justice. It’s a place to roam, to live, to just be. To let oneself get enthralled by the energy of the people, the colors and textures of the architecture, the taste of the food, and become one with it all.
I hope you enjoy these few images I managed to take while I was completely in awe, literally with tears in my eyes and a knot in my throat, as I felt every present moment.
I will see you soon, my beloved Oaxaca, for your magic is hypnotic and I must return to you … someday.
Creating Your Gratitude & Appreciation Art—A Workshop
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I imagined the perfect theme for this month’s Lettering & Painting Workshop at Artelexia—Gratitude & Appreciation. Of course, giving it a Mexican feel for all the mamacitas in our lives, Gracias Madrecita.
This workshop was special and different for a couple reasons: First, it was the first time a mother-daughter duo attended—and what better month to do so. Second, different from other workshops I’ve led, this time I included templates of the sample paintings I created for attendants to use if they desired. It turns out more than one wanted to paint the Gracias Madrecita illustration with the Virgencita on it.
Thank you to all the ladies who joined me for this fourth workshop, and to the mother-daughter duo for making it extra special, too!
I’m excited to keep dreaming of each monthly theme and bringing these workshops to you.
We’ve already scheduled monthly workshops through the Fall, with themes to be announced closer to each date. Visit the artelexia.com upcoming events page for a list.
This time around, I'm sharing the same Virgencita and Mother’s Day art I created for the workshop with you. Just click on the images below to save, print, and color. All art is for personal us ONLY.
Click on image above to download.
Click on image above to download.
Click on image above to download.
Do you also want to have fun creating
YOUR Colorful Gratitude Art?
Download the Creating My Gratitude & Appreciation Art guide
and I'll give you space to define that appreciation to create your Gratitude Art!
Simply enter your info above and I’ll send you the Digital Guide to Creating Your Gratitude & Appreciation Art straight to your inbox.
I respect your privacy. Your email will NEVER be sold!
Creating Your Milagros Y Promesas Art—A Workshop
A few days ago, I excitedly hosted my THIRD lettering & painting workshop at Artelexia! The theme? Milagros Y Promesas, my take on a Manifesting Your Desires session.
With the excitement—and ‘physical’ re-adjustment—of returning from a trip to Oaxaca, the class was posted with just a few days in advance, therefore creating an intimate group of ladies who attended.
It was something I’d always dreamed of, though, because it gave me the opportunity of interacting with each person individually on a more personal level.
While the dynamic was different with this group, I can honestly say I enjoy the differing energy with having both a large and small group to guide through these workshops. Plus, MANIFESTING?! I could talk about that till I turn blue in the face!
Thank you to all the ladies who joined me for this third workshop, and to the single attendant who braved the class for the second time! It filled me with so much joy to have you share a tiny bit of what you desire to manifest in your lives.
I’m excited to keep dreaming of each monthly theme and bringing these workshops to you.
We’ve already scheduled monthly workshops through the Fall, with themes to be announced closer to each date. Visit the artelexia.com upcoming events page for a list.
Do you want help in choosing
YOUR Milagro Wish to be Manifested?
Download the Creating My Milagros Y Promesas Art guide
and I'll show you how to define that desire to create your Inspiring Art!
Simply enter your info above and I’ll send you the Digital Guide to Creating Your Milagros Y Promesas Art straight to your inbox.
I respect your privacy. Your email will NEVER be sold!
Creating Your Self Love Mantra—A Workshop
Remember a few weeks ago when I shared about the first ever workshop I guided? Well, this past Wednesday I had the greatest time guiding a second workshop with some very enthusiastic ladies—and gentleman—in creating their Self-Love Mantra Art.
In wanting to help others enjoy the same enthusiasm I have for lettering and painting, I’ve come up with various themes for each month for these Wine & Workshop Wednesdays held at Artelexia.
For February, of course LOVE had to be the theme, but I wanted this to be more meaningful than simply creating a love note or greeting. I felt focusing on ourselves would be more impactful and would let us go a bit deeper into self-care, which I believe is tied hand-in-hand with self-love.
During each workshop, besides chatting with friends you’ve invited along, or making new ones with those around you, I walk around and help you dig deep a little to discover your chosen word or mantra. With the aid of some worksheets I’ve created, and a process of answering three prompts, you end up with your mantra which you then go on to create art around—hence the lettering and painting.
Just check out these happy faces! One of my favorite parts of the night is taking everyone’s picture with Frida, with what they’ve decided is that one thing which will bring them joy.
And extra special thanks to the ladies who attended for the second time!! I’ll be sure to have more advanced lettering tutorials for you next month, chicas!! ;)
We’ve already scheduled monthly workshops through the Fall, with themes to be announced closer to each date. Visit the artelexia.com upcoming events page for a list.
Do you want to have
your own Self-Love Mantra?
Download the Creating My Self-Love Mantra Art guide
and I'll show you how to focus on a little self-care to create your Inspiring Art!
Simply enter your info above and I’ll send you the Digital Guide to Creating Your Self-Love Mantra Art straight to your inbox.
I respect your privacy. Your email will NEVER be sold!
Creating Your Word of the Year Art—A Workshop
It all started last Fall, on a day when the energy and inspiration was not as high as I like it to be. I mentioned this to a friend, and in trying to get me out of my funk she suggested I lead a few workshops in her shop.
Well, this is what happened last Wednesday!
I’ll keep this simple, because there really is not very much to say, but THANK YOU. Thank you to Elexia for helping open this big door for me, and to everyone that attended and had fun along with me!
Just check out a few of these images I managed to capture as I ran from table to table chatting and guiding all the ladies—and single dude who attended—in figuring out their word of the year, a few basic tips on lettering, and in creating their own art with it.
I hope these images tell more than what I can write. You really cannot imagine—and I can’t seem to find the words just yet—how much this means to me. I’m sure in due time I’ll be able to dig deeper and share my story from introvert hermit working from a corner desk in my home, to leading my first workshop on something I’m only just learning and enjoying the process of.
Stay tuned for more workshops to come!
Need a Resolutions Overhaul?
Download the Creating My Word of the Year Art guide
and I'll show you how to narrow down those resolutions to ONE WORD!
Simply enter your info above and I’ll send you the Digital Guide to Creating Your Word of the Year Art straight to your inbox.
I respect your privacy. Your email will NEVER be sold!
Word of the Year—Watercolors & Lettering Art
Resolutions have never been my thing. I can’t think of one I ever accomplished. In recent years, I’ve let myself be guided by more of a theme for the year, which I share more about in my latest Journal entry.
In keeping with this theme of Word of the Year, I’m preparing for a workshop to be held in the coming weeks which will include us all creating a visual representation for our current theme.
It was fun going through a few creative processes I’ve been learning with watercolors and lettering to showcase a few of the words I’ve chosen in years past.
Growth
I clean script lettering adorned with many swirls and leaves.
Happiness
With so much color and pattern—what makes me happy—this one is straight forward. A rainbow gradient serves as a background for the word and the sentiment.
Joy
This is my word for this year. A feeling of pure bliss, in whatever state of life we’re in. Flowers, colors, a dark outline in contrast to the watercolor paint splashes, not really representing anything deep, just a design choice I enjoy very much.
I’ll keep you posted on the Creating Your Word of the Year Workshop to be held at Artelexia soon. In the meantime, what is your word or theme for this year?! Please share in the comments below.
All Is Well—A Hand-lettered Holiday Greeting
As a graphic designer and stationery lover, I always had the yearning for designing my own holiday card. It was expected, no? Well, time would always just fly by and I’d never get to it, until last year when I created a lettered design and had a stamp created from it.
This year, I wanted to keep the tradition going being that so many of the recipients acknowledged how much they liked the year before’s. Again, waiting too close to the deadline, I recycled a lettered phrase I love which I made earlier in the year. It fit the theme perfectly.
I used my newly acquired lettering skills and used a hand-lettered script design.
I added a few festive jolly holly details, used watercolors to add some color, and finito.
Now, to decide if I should hand-make all 20+ I needed, or if to clean it up and send to print.
The latter won!
I hope your Christmas was festive and fun, and may the coming year be filled with many joyful blessings, because All is Always Well!
Mexican Talavera-inspired Tile Patterns in Watercolor
While these patterns were inspired from the actual venue and typical Mexican tile motifs, I wanted to make them my own by continuing with my watercolor curiosity and just going at it.
I shared the Mexican-themed anniversary invitation these tile patterns were meant for here. A palette of yellows and golds and black were used for that invitation series.
I chose a palette of blues and neutrals for this series, and let myself play with how they flowed together. A hard thing for me to do initially.
In all honesty, finalizing these painted tile illustrations took me the better part of 6 months. Sometimes I get into my head too much and overthink how things are looking and how they’re supposed to look. These are really my second attempt at them.
But when I let go of exactly how they needed to turn out, they turned out better than I imagined.
I even let myself play a bit more with how the water and paint flowed together, and came up with these interesting, flow-y tiles. They seem nice for coasters!
Looking forward to painting more of these Mexican tiles and also exploring a few designs of my own.
Mexican Talavera Tile Wedding Invitation
The invitation that started it all.
This anniversary invitation is special. Not just because it started me on a path to designing invitations for many lovely couples, but because it was designed for my in-law’s milestone celebration: their 50th Anniversary.
When we started the design process for this invitation, I knew I wanted to reflect the rustic décor of the venue—a 1950’s ballroom/casino where they celebrated their 25th anniversary—but also showcase the deco feel with a modern twist. In this case, with the sans serif type treatment and logo.
Of course, Mexican Talavera-inspired patterns would make an appearance. I took four basic tile designs found around the venue and altered them slightly with color and shapes to personalize.
The elongated, accordion-fold format of the invitation stemmed from my desire to create something different, not the typical 5”x7” flat card invitation. This gave us enough space to include all the pertinent information without over-crowding the design.
A square, gold, metallic envelope gave that extra touch of glamour, lined with a complimenting patterned liner, created by combining various tile shapes to design a new pattern.
The envelope was finished-off with a wrap-around address label, also adorned with a few of the floral elements used through-out the invitation.
This has to be my favorite invitation I have designed. I created many versions for over 50 couples, all with different patterns and color palettes, making them each unique.