from my sketchbook ~ discover who God created you to be

MarveLes Art Studios Blogs, Mixing It Up 4 Comments

hey friends ~ a page from my mixed media sketchbook.  all i can say is this. {i agree!}a bit of papers i had gelli printed, and doodled on, which was glued to the top of the page with gel medium.  i also incorporated some textured wallpaper, and then used twinkling h2o’s for the watercolor.  finished with a sakura glaze pen in …

being confident in a rose ~

MarveLes Art Studios Mixing It Up 4 Comments

happy friday all  ~ recently, i was asked by a friend to create a special watercolor piece for her brother.  this is how it turned out: thanking jen for asking, and giving me this blessing of creating this special piece.  may it ever be our focus, the true source of our confidence, and the only measure of true perfection, our life in …

a little flower and a whole lotta peace ~ watercolor

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a new 8″ x 10″ original watercolor, {newly listed in the etsy shop} too: yesss… still lovin’ my microbeads!  and the mighty power of a simple black “dot” ~ and a squiggly line ~ of any kind.  i used the white signo uniball pen um-153, a pitt pen, or unipen, microbeads from both martha stewart and michaels craft store brands, and …

the sparrow ~ from my sketchbook

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hi there ~looking forward to seeing the spring sparrows… and while they haven’t quite made an appearance in our yard yet… they surely have made an appearance in my sketchbook!{thank goodness!}and while i’m at it…every sparrow needs a little bit of glamor, right?  let’s just call it … frost! yes!  i know so, too! sweet spring… sweet spring ~ not to worry,  …

{more} garden flower watercolors ~

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hi there ~is it spring yet?!  {nope}  not here.  not… yet.  meanwhile, we “dream in color” here in montana {and wait not-so-patiently for the real spring to arrive…and these four pieces are the last of my dream garden i showcased yesterday; part of my newest 8″ x 10″  original watercolors, and the first one is one o my personal favorites: …

a garden of flower watercolors ~

MarveLes Art Studios Blogs, Mixing It Up 7 Comments

hi everyone ~well, even though some work-weeks wear me out… energy-wise ~ i find that a precious minutes, to play, draw, or letter help me to relax, and rejuvenate.and i have been slowly putting together a set of eight watercolor originals. these are all 8″ x10″ created on hot press watercolor paper by strathmore, with a sketchy border, hand-lettered, made …

walking the line{s} ~

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hello lovelies ~ i think i’ve finally begun to realize i don’t always enjoy “coloring within the lines” … and in saying that, i also recognize that it was one of those ‘under the radar’ suggestions that became “the rule” i remember growing up with from early childhood when our main art tools were coloring books and crayons.it’s time to break …

a wild dahlia flower in microbead detail ~

MarveLes Art Studios Blogs, Mixing It Up 7 Comments

hey friends ~ happy Friday {thank goodness!}not sure what to call this piece ~ maybe it’s a red sunflower… would love to hear suggestions for a creative name on this piece?  i’m fresh out … {it’s been one of those weeks}.i have lots of time in this one, and i was pretty patient, all in all! it was enjoyable, gradualling adding microbead details and color …

{hot off the press} ~ large feather prints ~

MarveLes Art Studios Blogs, Mixing It Up 2 Comments

hi there ~as i’ve explored the “land of watercolor,” i’ve begun to understand the differences between types of paper; “cold press”  and “hot press” specifically.  in my limited experience, only cold press paper is available locally, and seems to have the most selection, as well, either online, or in a crafty store. what I love about hot press is the texture is definitely a …

hope ~ pray ~ soar ~ {in watercolors, on cards} ~ & in my heart!

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happy weekend to you all ~ love my “long” weekends.  this happens to be three days for me, with president’s day off this monday {thank goodness!}… an extra day is surely a blessing that i could live with every week! they are such a solace to my time at home… you’re probably tired of my cards… but  i have to say ~ …

from my sketchbook ~ pure in heart

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hi friends ~ it’s a beautifully simple message.  perfectly on the mark for valentine’s week.full of hope. full of promise.and it’s {always} a matter of the heart.because… that’s where it truly must begin. thank God… we can do just that when we put our heart in His hands. {thankful for that miracle} soli deo gloria ~ xo leslie Leslie says:

new watercolor valentine cards ~

MarveLes Art Studios Blogs, Mixing It Up 7 Comments

hello  ~ during this time of the winter’s peak in montana, i most often find myself, eager to come home from work, and curl up in the chair, with a big lap desk and my watercolors spread out!  {it’s a little risky for a messy girl like me} but with -29 degrees, it’s a cozy way to spend the evening. and so… i’m …

footprints on your heart ~ and in my sketchbook

MarveLes Art Studios Blogs, Mixing It Up 5 Comments

hello ~i’ve been concentrating lately on just playing in my sketchbook pages ~ abd here are just a few things i’ve {gradually} learned playing with watercolors:~ use multiple shades of one color, darker and lighter~ always start with the lightest shade of one color, and use layers, going to the darker colors last~ leave some white spaces and open areas~ add …

feathering my nest again ~ watercolor mixed media

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hi there ~ i’m so glad it’s the end of my work-week, and ready to jump into the weekend  this is a larger piece i have wanted to do for a long time.  and my heart has loved the process.  it’s a sketched piece created in a large-scale moleskine journal, size 8.5″ x 12.” and i’m loving the bigger venue…  i guess …