The Butterfly Collector

New things in the Studio!

Dear Butterfly Friends, I thought it might be fun today to share some studio pics I have been taking over the past few weeks! Winter is passing and the Spring sun is appearing and i have been feeling more and more inspired to create new things again. I have been experimenting with watercolours and mixing them up with my acrylic paints...

Beautiful wool has appeared as we start to make things for our school's spring fair ...lots of pom pom's being created ...

I was gifted a new canvas in a size I normally wouldn't buy and something wonderful and colourful and shapefilled and new is coming as I enjoy working on this!...

I have started a little seasons series on watercolour paper ....so far I have finished Spring and Autumn. Winter and Summer are on their way ...lots of pics of things in progress below! I look forward to adding some new things into my shops over the next few days and a few more blog posts to show you my new pretty prints too! Shae xo

 

 

 

 

 

Pink and Sparkles!

Good Evening Butterfly Friends, It's all pink and sparkles over here at the moment! So many fun projects to share and new paintings too! Above I have doing some great tutorials playing with my profile pics on the PicMonkey site on how to create double exposures and turn your photographs into illustrations ...you can try it HERE too!

"In pink fields she wandered, softly sunlit,
sparkling with rain and sure to find her way home again"
words and artwork copyright shae leviston 2015

 

I have been painting quite a lot the last few weeks on small canvas's and on watercolour paper too! Rain Deer decided to show up on my dining table one night and I have started creating her a lovely boyfriend too with an aqua background!

She has skipped over to play in my Society6 Shop where I have turned her into lots of great homewares and such ,,,you can see them all HERE!

"She wore flowers in her hair,
to remind her that nature is all around,
that beauty can always be found"
words and artwork copyright shae leviston 2015

I am also continuing my long traditional of painting girls! She Wore Flowers in Her Hair can be found HERE!

 

I made this crazy little print using one of my paintings as a background. I was listening to other amazing creative painters speak about their craft and I was thinking about when I watch other people view my paintings and see their faces light up...it's a whole new language of spirit and love, of joy and wonder and of sharing my soul. Its now in my Society6 Shop too!

 

"I Wonder What It Would Be Like To Float Away Like A Balloon?"
An Illustration for my DreamSpun Colouring Book I've turned into this pretty Print and lots of other playful things too! I love watching the kids colour this in  ...in All the Colours!!! Homewares are HERE and Colouring Books are ready and waiting for eager and happy pencils HERE!!!

 

I have also been fortunate enough to be asked to design these wonderful Chai Tea Packages for Diversitat Wholefoods who do wonderful things in my town to help others!

And I have another fabulous job creating stoybook readers for younger classes at a Steiner primary school ...lots of wonderful washy watercolours and bakery scenes!

New pink and orange things on my desk and a Unicorn for a special little girl's birthday!

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And last but not least I participated in the Toms Without Shoes photograph challenge ... as a result of so many people joining in they are giving away nearly 300,000 pairs of shoes! Yay for TOMS and lilac nail polish!

I will be back shortly with a cool blue and aqua post! Until soon, Happy Daydreaming and adorn yourself with some sparkles this week! Shae xo

Wings, Crowns, Little Houses, Tea ...good things in December!

 Dear Butterfly Friends, 

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from me! Thankyou so much for all of your support in 2014. It's been wonderful sharing the free Gratitude Calender's each month and having such beautiful feedback from those enjoying using them.

The last month has seen me come back to painting after quite a few months off. Even though I have been drawing illustrations for clients, creating on the computer and putting colouring books together it has been so nice to come back to my first love using my favorite paintbrushes. 

Pretty things with wings and crowns have been forming, little houses emerging and I have had a really beautiful time painting in my backyard under the Jacaranda tree and also in the Cocoon Store on Sundays too. They stock my Colouring Books and Lucky Dip Paper Packs and I thought it would be nice to sit and paint and interact with lovely customers and show off my wares too! I've added a few pics from the store below and they can be found right here ... Cocoon!!!

 

And from my desk at the moment ...Little Paper towns are forming and another lovely winged girl with feather adornments is not far from finished! Until next time, I hope you all have a very lovely holiday, drink tea, have some pudding and cake and let your creative self loose, Shae xo

P.S. I am planning some new printables for 2015, can't wait to share them with you!

 

 

Synchronicity!

Isn't it funny that when you take a step toward your passions and doing what you love that the universe always rises up to meet you and gives you a helping hand onto your happiest path! Good things are happening here ..New Paintings in progress for a new art show, new exciting people in my life who are letting me out to shine, an exciting new shop looking after my work in one of my favorite little towns nearby and a great oppotunity to teach a new mixed media and art journalling class at Zeally and Cliff near the seaside!!!! (... see below for details ...I would love you to join me on this new adventure!

Plus I was featured in MoYo Magazine too ( the world's only magazine dedicated to surface pattern design)...check it out Here!!!

Lucky Blossoms and Tea Parties!!!

Good Tuesday Afternoon Butterfly Friends,

Today I woke to a wonderful surprise when I learned that my wonderful Surface Pattern Design teacher Rachael Taylor had featured my new work on her design blog. I have used all the amazing things Rachael taught me in photoshop to create my colouring books and printables from my original drawings. 

You can visit her post about me and her amazing blog HERE!!! and you can read all about the amazing course she teaches here ...The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design!

Which now brings me to the photo above of my newly designed Paper Collecton (one of the first of many) ...I am excited to be sharing it very soon with you and below the newest Colouring book is nearing completion too ...

The Butterfly Collector's Tea Party is a NEW Colouring and Creativity Book filled with Delicious Goodness... 
Design and Create your very own cakes, cupcakes, cookies and tea cups! And it's filled with party favors so you can have your very own Tea Party and invite your friends!
Stay tuned ..it's coming very soon ... 
Please join my mailing list on this blog to be notified when I will be dishing this Perfect Party up!!! Make sure you're one of the first to draw up a storm in a teacup ... 

So until tomorrow when I get to show off the fabulous "Paste Up" Mural I made with my Illustration group I am in and coming up on Free Printable Friday ...something gorgeous for Mother's Day!!! Shae xo

Pink Blooms and Macaroons!

 
An art journal enrty for today! Pastels seem to be stealing my heart at the moment!

Beret's, Berries and Blooms!

Sharing my art journals makes me feel a little vunerable sometimes, but I also know that when other artists share their pages and thoughts and words that I feel like I've been able to share in their little private world for a moment and be inspired too! Some favorite artists who have continually inspired me are Sabrina Ward Harrison and her amazing journals and books. A visit to anahata  also always manage to make me want to write and get out all the great messy stuff to collage with too! This art journalling course also looks great and I'm enjoying reading the blogs of the two girls who created it too!

In mine today  ... this little french girl I've yet to name popped up in a sketching session, lanterns, berry colours and blooms, cookies, fun affirmations I've been given to use, pictures, thoughts and words that make me feel positive and inspired!

 

Books, Hearts and Desperate Romantics

Reading ... all of the above at once and loving them all!

Watching ... Desperate Romantics... the Pre- Raphaelite Artists brought to life on the small screen! I'm watching their escapades as I paint!

 

Writing ... Hearts and flowers and learning to let go ... an Art Journal entry for today!
 

green twine, parasols and festival time!

Having a creative day today ... white chocolate and berry scones, a BIG cup of tea and Tori Amos's lovely voice drifting about the house ...and some small things to share today... A page from my Art Journal ... a book very close to my heart where I write diary entries, draw, stick in pretty inspiring pictures and like to write WORDS and Thoughts that just pop into my head ... most of them end up in a painting along the way...

This busy girl getting ready for a party is on a tiny canvas and one of a pair that is making an appearence at our town's Festival Of The Sea this coming weekend ... all the artists in town ( about 70 of us!) have painted black and white canvas's for this event! The theme is Celebrate ... looking forward to seeing everyone's all up together!

 

Wonderland was Wonderful! I got to see Mr Burton's masterpiece on the weekend and loved it! I have pulled out my collection of Alice books and this one too ... found in an Op Shop and from the 70's ... great illustrations by Gerald Rose. Hope to be back tomorroow with a new painting to show you!

Vanilla Tea!

my last entry for 2009, an art journal page! Happy New Year!!!