My first tool of the trade is obviously my Mac with all its programs. But I want to give props to my Dahle paper cutter.

It cuts accurate straight lines and has a self-sharpening blade. Because of it, I don’t have to use my X-acto knife anymore! What a life-saver because I cut a lot of paper!

I’m interested to see some clever tools that others use on this week’s Studio Friday!

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ETA: haha I used “interested” and “interesting” in the same sentence so I had to go back and revise my adjective.

My son loves Thomas the Train… looks like that will be a good portion of how I spend the day off. (Although, you really don’t get a day off as a parent.) My son is almost 2 but he looks older than that here. Maybe it’s because his head is shaped like an alien.

See more blind contour participants at Inkfinger.

How do I break free of the “artist’s block?” I try to find other visual stimulation… whether it’s taking a stroll outside or go shopping!

These days with a toddler though, the most convenient way for me is to look at a bunch of magazines. They’re always readily available and I happen to have a pile of them. (Have I mentioned I can amass many piles of just stuff?! Gotta break that habit!)

Check out Studio Friday to see what breaks other’s of their ‘artist block’.

“…..who everyone takes their inspiration from – an artist of traditional media, multimedia, craft world, living or dead…..”

“Bluejay Bathing” by Charles Harper

It was really difficult to think who I’m inspired by. There are so many artists in history whose work I “ooh” and “aah” over. After mulling it over I find that I’m consistently drawn to mid-century modernism. I just love the simplicity and clean lines of that era. One particular artist that I think of is Charles Harper. What a guy: he’s in his 80s and still producing work! I love his prints… the whimsical design, his use of color and negative space. Seeing his work makes me want to learn how to screenprint or break out my block printing supplies again.

See more of his work here.

Maybe I chose Charles Harper as an inspiration because deep inside I have urges to try some screen/block printing.

Check out Studio Friday to see more artists’ influences.

You are going to live on this absolutely amazing island with stunning surroundings, a white beach, magnificent trees, waterfalls, no poisonous insect on it (hahaha, so no spiders or ugly thingies)…it’s a real paradise this island. Rich in food and water as well, so no worries on that front either.

You are allowed to bring only three items from your studio.
Now: what would they be and what would you do with them and what do you imagine you might create????

(I’m assuming that I have my husband and son with me on the island too. I’m also assuming that I will return home at some point.)
I’d be bringing my camera. Gotta capture those memories. I’ll also be sure that I have a super-duper long lasting battery and huge memory stick in there.

Second, I’d be bringing my sketchbook with pencil attached to it. I don’t sketch nearly enough, if at all these days.

Third item I’d be bringing is my linoleum block cutter. I’ve been wanting to do block prints in forever. I know I can’t bring inks since it’d be more than 3 things. BUT… on an island full of trees I’ll figure out a way to make wood blocks from those trees. I can carve images on the blocks or maybe find some hard thick bark (I can dream) then bring those home and make really pretty prints!

Go check out Studio Friday to see what others would bring to the desert island.

I almost didn’t do this week’s Studio Friday CREATIVE ROOTS (my mom). After reading several inspiring posts, I had to write about my mom.

In my mom’s era and in a different culture, art and creativity were not considered important. But my mom showed her crafty skills by making all my school uniforms. I had several because I remember some schoolmates making comments like “another dress again??” LOL. One time a girl who sat behind me, thought I had too many dresses so she flicked black ink from her quill pen all over the back of my white uniform!! Oh well… my mom just made another one.

In the US, when I was 9 my class had a contest on drawing a flag and my mom “helped” me. (She drew it.) We got 3rd place (I’m sure the teacher knew I didn’t draw it). But to this day, I can’t believe how well my mom can draw even though I’ve never seen her do it. Many times I wonder if my mom had grown up in a different time or culture how far she could’ve taken her skills or what she would be doing now. So this post is for my mom.

Please visit Studio Friday for more inspiration.

Here’s my blind contour drawing for this 1st Friday. Orangeaid Snapple helps me keep COOL in this super hot weather we’ve been having lately.

Go see more blind contours at Inkfinger.

This is the 1st time I was able to participate in Studio Friday. This week’s topic is “Music to my ears”. I have 2, one that stays put and the other is a walking sound machine.

The 1st one – I listen to podcasts or whatever I have on iTunes:

The 2nd one – I get songs in different versions all the time from this one:

Go to Studio Friday to see more participants.