Doodles | Show a Little Love

Sebastian is gone this weekend visiting family in Philadelphia. Sadly, one of his closest uncles died last week due to cancer. I didn't know him very well, but I remember Sebastian talking very fondly of him when we dated and throughout our marriage. I knew he was someone special when this particular Uncle flew all the way out from the east coast to attend our wedding in 2009.

My mom and I were talking recently about how we so often say that we want to visit someone, but sometimes time runs out and we never do. I'm learning bit by bit that we just need to make time. Otherwise, there will always be something else that needs to be done. It's not that that a person isn't special to us, it's just that so many other things can and will take our time and attention if we don't set aside time for seeing those we love (as well as doing the activities we love).

And even though deep down, we all know this, I completely understand that it's a tough wisdom to execute. So if anything, maybe we just need to pick up the phone or write a little note to those that we hold dear to us, so that they know we're thinking of them.

When I began this post, I didn't mean for it to be somber. What I really meant was to showcase some doodles I worked on tonight since I'm home by myself with a sleeping tot tucked snuggly under her covers. And these doodles, as quirky as they may be, are about love, which is what we need to tell and show those around us often.



I have some fun ideas for these doodles. Can you guess what that might be? I'll be working on this project throughout the weekend and will try to show you what I came up with later next week.





Here's to the weekend...and to telling someone special you love and appreciate the good they bring into your life.

Doodles: Christmas Spirit

I was perusing through the store yesterday looking for a fun craft for the kids I teach religion class to on Tuesday evenings. I ended up finding some beautiful stickers for the kids so they could make Christmas cards, but I also found a sketchpad that seemed like the perfect size for my own use. I had originally wanted to stop by Barnes & Noble or Micheal's to find something sturdy and "artsy", but when I saw a kids Crayola sketchpad, I thought, why not? It has spiral bounding, which I like and at three bucks I don't feel the pressure of having to make every sketch perfect. I can be pretty self-conscious when it comes to art and design at times. Because I'm an avid blog reader, I often read graphic design blogs of people who are so creative and can produce such beautiful artwork. It's inspirational and impeding at the same time. You should see the scores of crumpled paper I have laying around me sometimes because my sketches never turn out the way I see other people's do.



For the first time in a long while I was able to sketch and not stop at every wrong stroke I thought I made. I just kept going, and in the end, I didn't mind what I had. It's no secret for designers that the importance of sketching cannot be understated. I still remember being in college and having to draw 50 sketches of an apple and a banana. At the time I couldn't understand why I would waste my time doing such a thing, and I thought the assignment was boring. But it's true, sketching really does allow you to slow down, pinpoint what you want to create and most importantly take note of the fine details that can go unnoticed but are essential in making up what we see and feel. It can be a tough concept to grasp, and there are times in my professional work when I still immediately go to the computer to start a project, but the payoff of sketching is often worth it.





It can be liberating to sketch for fun. A chance to get away from all of the digital tools that surround us everyday and put pen to paper and see what may come. I should also note that to this day, my aptitude for drawing apples and bananas is pretty darn good.

Digital Sketchbook: Peace on Earth

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till, ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said:
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I recently saw this showcased here. If you get a chance, watch this live version by Casting Crowns. It's the song that really got me into the Christmas spirit. (I'm pretty much in love with any song that has a good choir in the background.) 

Digital Sketchbook

I've been reading a lot of design blogs lately and it has inspired me to get back into designing for fun, not just for work. It's nice to be able to create something with no restrictions, no limitations and no expectations and seeing what comes of it in the end.

I've also created a printable, card version.

All you need to do is download the link here*, fold your piece of paper just like you did in grade school and viola. You're one step closer to brightening someone's day. Because really, who doesn't love to get snail mail? I know I do!

*Just a hint about the download--you'll be directed to a site called Ge.tt, which is just a free, snazzy google app for sharing files. No need to install anything, the PDF should load in a few seconds and give you the option to download to your computer. Enjoy!