Yeah, I never got that - even my grannie who has been stitching for years never figured it out.

Ahh! He's so cute haha. (he'd hate me for saying it) and I love that quote! Jdjdnkd lovelove

What is wrong with felt tip pens, Ern? I am NOT A MEMEBER OF THE BULLET JOURNAL club, I'm sorry!!!!!

On an unrelated note: omg!! BABY YODA! I didn't know you were such a nerd, gosh. Disney+ is a great invention in these times though, right? These are SO GOOD, ERN.

ugh ern...teach me to cross stitch did I ever tell you that Darth Vader was my first ever BFF? I used to call him up on my red Playskool phone and invite him over for tea

Is there anything in this disorganized chaos of my brain that makes you think I do anything like bullet journaling? I just like a good gel pen.

You also DID SO know that I'm a nerd, ok? OK? YOU KNEW THAT ALREADY.

It surprises me 0% that you and Vader are besties. Tell him hi from me.

***

Lesson 6: IDK, Just Try Stuff



I don't want to make a big lecture about experimenting with different supplies and enjoying the process, 'cause obviously I'm just winging it here. Why are you still reading these lessons? I obviously don't know anything about anything!

But since you're here, wanted you to know that sometimes the attempts are ugly and sometimes they're lucky and lovely, but at least I get smarter after each attempt. I learn more about what I like and about how my materials work. Like for book journals, thicker papers don't work at all. Applying watercolors AFTER ink makes things run. And I need to give up on the idea of using a gluestick because it is GARBAGE. Nothing sticks!

Lesson 7: Color is fun



I found some older doodles recently. I bought these fineline markers specifically for coloring, but then found that they were much more fun for doodling. I had hopes of learning the fine art of hand lettering at some point, but I don't think I'm disciplined or organized enough to learn that.

Ahhh those colours are beautifullllll <3 I love it. It looks like a Peacock pruning and showing off as it starts to siiiiiiiiiing.

I LOVE the message Not to mention the loopy writings.

Everything in here is beautiful i like the cross stitch. That one is really cool. I don't know how to cross stitch though.

hello i like all the variation in here it is very delightful
and i'm still stalking
love u

Ur cross stitching is so neat and cute and lovely

also I like your handwriting lots and I am going to have to try a zentangle thingymabob because they look like fun and yours are pretty

I almost asked if those were flair pens, or........?

I LOVE IT. I agree with ToRo; it's a pretty peacock. :3 <3

Lesson 8: Planning is key?



No, I mean honestly, if I was organized, I wouldn't have run out of room before getting all the lettering in, but I still like how it turned out. More random doodling with the rainbow markers. If I post many more of these, you'll be able to tell that I went through a 'I think I can draw in paisley' phase. I am no longer in that phase, so do no fear.

I LOVE your handwriting, Ern-la

Aaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!

I adore this last one. And I dunno, if you hadn't TOLD me that you ran out of space I wouldn't have believed it. It's so good.

And I reallllly like those colours.

Were you a Ravenclaw in many other lives? *cough*

these are all beautiful is there any medium you prefer?

I promise that this is not representative of my chalkboard perfect D'nealian. I promise.

You don't think those words scrawled at the bottom are a dead giveaway? But yes, my inner Ravenclaw definitely came out here.

I think it depends on the mood. If I want to just do some brainless, cross stitch is good. Doodling is good. The art journaling takes more thought and intention and planning. But all are fun.

***

Lesson 9



Another cross stitch. This one took me quite a while, actually, and was a really unique pattern. Each heart stands alone and has no set coloring, although they recommend variegated thread (changes colors). So I got to pick from 30 different hearts and choose where I want the colors to go in the set up... I love how it all turned out.

That is gouuuuurgesoussssss. *can't spell because its late and I'm in love*



Those hearts are amazing.

I adore the middle one on the top row, and the far left one on the bottom row *hearrttttt eyyeeesss*

Awww, thanks, bud! The hardest part (other than following slightly vague directions) was picking the colors in a way that would end up not looking all bunched up warm tones on one end or dark shades at the top or something.

Lesson 10: The Tenth Lesson



Just... more doodles. All the doodles. The page is full of doodles.

I have this anathema to double posting, but I'M GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY.

Lesson 11: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?



I've always loved watercolor paintings. I can watch video tutorials forever, and it's SO COOL how different brushes and amounts of water and the science of WICKING ACTION and wet vs dry painting can create these really beautiful works of art. I also cannot do this beautiful art form, but WHAT BETTER TIME to try to learn?

I've been looking for small, easy, DETAILED tutorials for beginners online, and these are a few of my early lessons. I've already learned that I have the wrong kind of paper and brushes, so it's a work in progress, but I like what I've learned so far! Granted, they're pretty much stroke from stroke copies of the tutorials, but copying is fine in these circumstances, RIGHT?

ERN OMG i lOVE watercoloring is so HARD how do you get it to not be all runny I-- also the first one looks like a magical space moon stone i wish my eyeballs looked like that iridescent orb

Ern-la, you CAN do this art form. YOU ARE DOING IT. Remove can't from your vocabulary, please. You are amazing. And I'm obsessed with those trees. Seriously, Bob Ross would be proud. I keep looking at how they slowly disappear, like we're in a fog in Seattle.

I LOVE your ~galaxy~ orb so much. I am absolutely awful with watercolors so I think this is really great that you're watching tutorials and picking up tips and tricks. Can't wait to see more!

Yes, it is REALLY HARD, you're right. And the first one IS a magical space moon stone, or actually it's a galaxy. I'd like to try this design again with a specific constellation in mind.

And also, it is definitely all runny and then you let it dry.

If I remove can't from my vocabulary, then I won't be able to say 'I'm sorry, I can't come to your party because I'm social distancing' and I'll have to go to the parties.

I learned how to do a 'wash' with those trees. Call me Bob.

I just mostly keep learning that, in spite what they say about how any brushes or any palettes will do, it really really matters! I'm talking myself up to buying some 'watercolor brushes', even if they are cheap ones.

---

Lesson 12: These are the not the brushes you're looking for



There are a TON of tutorials out there that teach different ways to paint flowers, and I want to learn them ALL. So expect to see flowers until your eyes cross, ok? These were two different tutorials - the first was just learning some different brush stroke flower techniques, so you can see what some options are. Assuming I just really want to paint more flowers for the rest of my life.

And the second was a mixed media adventure, where you paint the flowers, add the leaves and stems with ink, and then go back and paint the leaves. I kind of love how this turned out. I think it would be a really pretty homemade card or something.

Send me tutorials and I will bumble through them!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE that second one ern, OMG *drooling* it's so pretty and I love how the inking really helped those colors and shapes pop while also making the blossom bits look softer

I agree. It's a nice juxtaposition. Every time I've combined ink and watercolor, I've liked the effect.

***

Lesson 13: I literally forgot to name this lesson wow



I'm still on this watercolor bent, unfortunately (fortunately?) so you have to suffer through another tutorial of the day. I put these two together just because I think it's really cool how watercolor interacts with different products and how different painting methods can give you totally interest effects.

In the first, the effect was supposed to look like those agate slices, although I apparently also made a geode avocado. I added salt to give it that textured effect around the center. Salt is SUPER COOL with watercolor.

For the second, the leafy goodness of the trees is made with crumpled wax paper in watercolor. It's a cool effect - I've also seen tutorials that use crumpled tissue, so I'd be interested to see the difference between wax paper, parchment paper, tissue, etc.

ANYWAY. Hi. I love you guys.