you know, it's yupo!

A few days ago I finally caved in and bought a pad of Yupo paper.

Since I've been hearing great things about it for the past 3 years or so, I figured it was probably time to go ahead and give it a try.

And you know? It was rather exciting!

It took me a while to get the hang of it, so I just played around at first. Since it's made of synthetic material, it doesn't absorb moisture like watercolor paper, so the paint dries in all sorts of lovely little rainbow puddles.

Then after it's dry you can actually scrape it away (sort of like a scratchboard), like I did on the bird's tail.

Or, you can wet a cloth and completely wipe away an entire section:

(It was pretty splendid to be able to make such a clean line whilst using watercolors!)

For the final exciting challenge, I decided to paint two identical cat-ladies, one on Yupo paper and one on regular watercolor paper.

Can you tell which is which?

okay, well, I guess it's kinda obvious that the yupo-cat-lady is in the wiped-off area... but still... :)

At first I was completely convinced that I preferred the regular watercolor paper version... but now I'm not so sure.

Yupo is a lot smearier, but there's something so alluring about all those puddles...

coffee shopping

hello, little ol' me here, saying hi to you from Magnus Joe coffee shop!

Well, not exactly, because they don't have internet at Magnus Joe,

BUT,

this picture was taken there about 10 minutes ago.

The other day I found a random $20 bill in my pants pocket. This doesn't happen very often. I wanted to spend it on something meaningful + worthwhile.

(inotherwords, I immediately thought of about 10 different books I'd like to buy...)

But although books are definitely meaningful + worthwhile, I decided to do something a little different. Since I work from home much of the week, some days it's really helpful to just get out of the house for a bit. I'm notoriously bad at answering e-mails, but somehow when I take my computer out somewhere for the sole purpose of getting work done I'm really able to concentrate. Same goes with brainstorming or researching.

So I decided to use my $20 to take a little tour of the area coffee shops. Perhaps then I will be able to find my perfect little working-away-from-home spot!

Today: Magnus Joe

Reason chose: it's part of/right next to Thaicoon Thai restuarant, which I love... plus their little monkey-coffee bean logo always intrigued me

Ordered: Hot Cinnamon Spice tea

Pros:

-not very crowded

-clean

-several varieties of seating: booths, chairs, and stools

-friendly staff

-decent variety of teas

Cons:

-music was super loud (I didn't ask them to turn it down, though)

-no internet

-no comfy armchairs

-really cold!

Final verdict: I think there are better coffee shop atmospheres out there, and no internet = no good. I shall keep searching. However, it might be a fun place to meet up with friends... you could get a booth and have the place to yourselves! But bring a sweater!

happy Monday, dears!

so delicious

I can't help it, I'm happy.

This post isn't very well thought-out. You wouldn't believe how many posts I haven't published just because I was afraid they were too boring. Or because I haven't felt like what I've made was creative or interesting enough to share. And I haven't even made anything this time-- I got these lovely yarns and ribbons in the mail today.

But they're delicious and beautiful and I thought,

you know what?

I'm going to share them anyways.

And I'm going to keep writing blog entries.

I've missed you guys.

So you may have to put up with a few boring entries in these coming days (you know, all 7 of you who read this), but I've really missed spending time in Little Storyland.

It's time to go back.

Oh, and by the way, the new official band of Little Storyland is Owl City. Mabel's completely smitten.... and maybe I am a little bit too...

more coming soon. <3

I can't promise it'll be interesting, but I'm doing this for my sanity.

Happy weekend, everyone!

a clean slate

So now my studio is all bright + white + shiny, at least one half of it is anyways, and that's the half you see here. Over the past few weeks I've been able to spend snatches of time here and there, and have now painted all the walls, taken apart & cleaned all the storm windows, dusted the baseboards and ceiling, and then finally today I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed, scrubbed, scrubbed the floor. Just this half of the floor, though. The other half, the one you can't see, is home to the tables and shelves and other things that are waiting to be rearranged.

But this half, this perfect half with its sunlight and clean walls and smooth floors, is a wonderful start and enough to lift my spirits for at least a few days. 

I even got to really truly create something in my new space today. It was only a monster drawing for swap-bot, but sitting there on the sweetly-scented floor with my trusty CD player and a patch of sun on my back, I felt like I could be making a masterpiece.

Of course it was not a masterpiece after all, but still...

you should never underestimate the power of a coat of white paint.

happy tuesday!

xoxo

loving, knowing, doing

It has been a forever long time, but finally I am back in Little Storyland. 

Back to dreaming + drawing, planning, exciting new ideas, new experiences, hopes, loves, adventures, life.

It is splendid to be back.

Hello again, world.

There's so much to share, but for now I shall leave you with this very convicting passage I will be taking to heart over the next few weeks:

"If you make every effort you can to bring your passion, knowledge, and will to bear on your art-making, you will become more creative and manifest your talent. If you challenge yourself to love enough, to know enough, and to draw on your knowledge, to work at your art and to master your disinclination to work, your questions about your talent are likely to be answered. Continue to dream and continue to believe yourself special, for if you stop dreaming you lose your motivational energy, you love less, and you grow less creative. Continue to learn, practice, and explore. Ultimately the question of the sufficiency of your talent may melt away as you manifest your creative nature." 

(from Creativity for Life by Eric Maisel)

It'll take me several days to wrap my head around all that, I'm sure. Or rather, to convince myself it's true. But it is true. Deep down I know it is so, but sometimes it takes a few reminders to put beliefs into action.

(Where's my bowl of cherries?!)

everything's coming up owls

There has been a small owl infestation over here lately, but I'm certainly not one to complain! 

All the politest owls say 'hoo,' and this fellow is no exception. Quiet and genteel (in a purple-y sort of way), he appeared on a doodle I was making for swap-bot and shyly asked to be photographed. He dreams of moonlit tea parties and a new argyle waistcoat in the near future. 

I, on the other hand, will be dreaming of sunny skies and my favorite ginger cookies to dunk in a mug of cold milk.

rainy day songs

There is, in my neighbor's yard and behind my house, a Magical Christmas Room. 

At least, I think that's what it is.

It's part of a large shed-like structure that is positioned directly against my backyard fence. And although it seems rarely occupied, when I take a peek through, there is fake snow, an army of Nutcrackers, holly wreaths on the wall, and soft furniture draped with cream-colored fabrics. Everything is clean and neatly arranged.

I often wonder what this room is for. I remember Narnia during the reign of the White Witch and how it was always winter but never Christmas. Is this room supposed to be some strange half-interpretation?

Then, this morning, I heard a strange caterwauling from somewhere nearby.

At first I thought it was Pandy. He's been sick lately and often groans on appropriate occasions (when he's hungry, or using the toilet).

But then I realized the sound was coming from behind my house, not inside it. I saw a shadow flit across the shed window. Someone was in the Christmas Room, and they were trying to sing!

.

.

.

You know how some women think they have beautiful voices, maybe even opera-singer voices, but they really don't? They warble on all the high notes and sing as loud as they can and always take the special treble part if there is one. No one has the heart to tell them they don't actually sound good because it would hurt their feelings too much. They love to sing and are emotionally invested in each trembly note.

This person was like that.

And I didn't have the heart to think they didn't sound good, because I could tell they were emotionally invested in every note of every song that escaped the glowy Christmas Room window.

But I did have the heart to sneak up through the drizzle and take a picture.

And next time, when I think Pandy is crying for help, I will check the backyard first.

xoxo to everyone, hope you're having a splendid weekend!

with love from Tabitha