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.
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Click on image above to download.
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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.
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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?
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and I'll show you how to focus on a little self-care to create your Inspiring Art!
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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!
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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!
100 Day Challenge—Hand-lettering
“When things are meant to be, EVERYTHING truly arranges itself for it to come to pass… put it out there, keep on working, smartly and in alignment, and let it be so.”
When I made that declaration, I was getting ready to attend the Modern Calligraphy Summit! Here is a short back-story on how my hand-lettering adventure began.
In trying to find the BEST calligrapher to work with for my invitation client's projects I came upon the beautiful world of hand-lettering!! There's an abundance of talented people who dedicate their lives to this and, WOW, you can definitely see how really putting in the time to achieve perfection pays off.
I'll admit, in frustration of not finding the exact look I was going for, in my area, and who would meet my deadline, I thought of doing it myself. Heh, how hard could it be, right?!
WRONG!! Believe me, I watched video after video for beginners, and, although I consider myself to have good penmanship, my hand-lettering attempts were faaaar off from the beauty the professionals create.
During that time of searching and frustration, I came upon the Modern Calligraphy Summit and the beginning of another round of the 100 Day Challenge. All this pretty-ness inspired me to put my new Moleskine to good use and give hand-lettering a try. I chose the theme of daily inspiring quotes and went at it with my newly acquired calligraphy and brush lettering knowledge.
Throughout the—over—100 days, I enjoyed the process of creating each hand-lettered art, but most of all I enjoyed the quotes that I used to inject a little inspiration into my daily ritual.
From day one to day 101, I could see the difference persistence and consistency made in my creations. While there were a few pieces I cringed at, others truly felt satisfying.
It was a feat, but more than hand-lettering, I learned that step-by-step you get closer to your goal.
Cookie Fortunes—Life's Happy Oracles
My favorite part of eating Chinese takeout? The fortune cookies. I've collected quite a few that have really resonated with my life situation in the instance I read it. So, I thought I'd share a few favorites from my collection, hand-lettered and water-colored, of course.
While most of these miniature messages have echoed true to me, I've also come across some that, either don't seem like 'fortunes'—'You are a pleasant person.'—or are like my recent one below!
Really?! I SHOULD be able to undertake anything … Thanks for cheering me on, cookie!! Maybe something like 'You ARE able to undertake & complete anything' would be better, yes?
Now THESE ARE fortunes that bring me joy!
As creatives/artists/designers/independent 'anything', we can admit that the certainty of where our next paycheck will come is always top of mind. It has been a process for me to let go of past mindsets about money, for sure, but little hints like this help keep me at peace.
Knowing that the important thing is to focus on the PURPOSE, CURIOSITY, PASSION—whatever brings us joy—everything else, including money, will come inevitably.
How's that for a fortune duo?!
The last pair of my #LizzyBCookieFortunes series. Probably the ones that resonate with me the most.
Over the recent years, I have let myself be open and guided by any and all signs that feel instinctively true.
From a young age I've always felt a connection, a knowing of more than what we can purely see with our eyes. When I came upon these fortunes—at different times—it was as if I was being told 'Yes, you've always known'.
““Enjoy the lighter things in life and deeper joys will follow.””
Looking forward to continuing my fortune cookie collection. Above, a recent one I received—in perfect timing, of course.