Amy of Pikaland's 100 things to draw

Wow! Amy from Pikaland has this wonderful list of 100 things to draw! Really really love it!! (and just have to share it :-)))

Open publication - Free publishing - More art

Link-love-click here to read the original post on Amy's Pikaland website (and to download the PDF file)

Like this post? Do share it with your friends and give them a graphic goodness treat using the share buttons on the post-footer below :o) sweet thanks!

My colorful weeks on The Weekly Spade

Eww, I've been off for a few weeks! Been pretty busy at work and I missed sooo much the blogging world. Happy to be back.

My first destination was Kate Spade. I LOVE colors. And Kate Spade has the most fabulous colorful website with superexciting contents + eyecandies. Especially, now, with their ohlalasolovely blog "The Weekly Spade - A Blog About Color". It's my must read!

Okay, I admit. I might be very busy, but I think...there's always wee bit extra time to peek into this ultra inspiring blog...;o) Now look at those colors...how can't you fall in love...?

Kate Spade's Things We Love

Oh yay! I can't help. I just have to share this fabulous THINGS we LOVE at Kate Spade.

Browse and jump into Kate Spade's popsy world.. and if you're like me, it feels like serotonin booster, you know, the very thing that makes you feel happy from the inside your brain :-))

Choosing authenticity

One of the things I learned from my Dad, an artist, was authenticity. It was the very word that deeply sinks into my pscyhe, and I don't know if actually I just inherited that from Dad without realising how it would have shaped my life, the way I live now. There were times in my school years I lamented why I was different from my classmates, but then coming home, Dad would give me encouragement that my 'differences' - if I stick to those - were the things that made everyone know it's "me", that made me 'stand out' and that I don't have to be ashamed that I was 'extra-ordinary'. Then I went on. I found my life, life found me. And the journey is still up and down. And I'm thankful that Life still gives me gentle reminders whenever needed. Like the video of Dr Brene Brown above. Watch it. Take notes. You'll love it.

My icon of style: Paloma Picasso

I remember that one particular day in my childhood, I was probably ten year old, when my mother lend me a fashion magazine, and while devouring nice pictures throughout the pages, I was struck by one picture of a strikingly beautiful woman, black-haired and wearing dark red lipstick. And I remember asking my mother ‘who is she, mommy?’

There was something that made me instantly relate to her, even only by looking at her picture.

It turned out to be a picture of Paloma Picasso, daughter of the famous painter Pablo Picasso and Françoise Gillot, also a painter.

Both my parents were also painters, that’s probably why – without explanation – I felt there was something about her that ‘clicked’ when I saw that picture in the magazine. By the way, Daddy’s paintings were also contemporary, and somehow at ten years old I was already familiar with the word ‘Picasso’.

Years passed. And one day I recognized the elegance that once struck me, through pictures illustrating an article about Pablo Picasso. I became nostalgic about my late Dad, about those days in his studio playing colors, or even those times I was still very small sitting in my Dad’s class, drawing my own art while Dad was teaching – when my parents couldn’t find someone to babysit me. But at the same time I re-discovered my style icon who is Paloma. I really really really L.O.V.E. her style. At least, looking in the mirror, I realized I’m also very fond of red lipstick ;-) And looking back, my childhood as a daughter of two painters did have a huge influence and made me refuse to give up my designing life even though I already have a day job I’m equally passionate about.

What about you, dear reader, who is your style icon and does your childhood play a big role in how you choose to live your life now?

- me with mom on first day to school - with dad on the boat to Bali -

Deco inspiration: classic with colorful twist

Help. I want this living room. Seriously. It has the colorful twist I've been dreaming of for a living room. Let's thank decorator Miles Redd for the fabulous work. It's classic. But I had to hold my breath when I saw the teal curtains - in such composition with golden-green-ish wall and other extravagantly bold details. I swear I love this. I had to know why... yes, I have always preferred teal over blue, golden over yellow, and a dash of dark red or fuchsia or bold raspberry popping up somewhere. And those colors as floral patterns on a beige background. And in this room I discovered the power of black as well. Look at those black frames. They add to an oh so powerful character to this room. I always admire those people who can do the combination and orchestrate the colors to a fantastic room to step in, and stay.

How will I put this inspiration to my own graphics?

I'm in for the color orchestra! inspired by the colors in this room. Will be perfect for your playfile collection to accompany the Graphic Goodness Exercises :-) This graphic goodness kit will be available soon at Amretasgraphics Shop. 

In the meantime get a bit taste of this graphic goodness kit... the two blog background tiles below were made using the color orchestra above, free for you to download and use if you want. I use Template Designer on Blogger and it's very easy to change the background. Just make sure that you choose 'tile vertically' so the background will repeat itself making a beautiful patterned tile :o)

Have a graphic goodness!!

Here come the two blog background tiles (click on the image until it's fully open then save it to your own storage disk)

Inspiration 911 for the creative souls

(c) Jill Badonsky

Creative souls aren’t immune to bad-hair-days… you know, those days when so many things occupy your mind and it feels like you’re driven away, far far away, from being inspired. That kind of day really tortures me when it happens.

But not so long ago I found a way to counter-attack those bad-hair-days: thankfully I subscribed to Creativity Portal’s Discover Your Muse E-zine. And there’s a special section on the website where Molly Anderson-Childers conducted interviews with Muses, Authors, Artists, Writers, Teachers, Coaches & Creative Professionals, in a series called “Creative Careers in the Arts Interviews.” It’s about creating fabulous careers in the arts. Eeew.



And so, I printed out all those interviews, put them in one (creative) folder. And I would pick one or several interviews when I feel like uninspired. Then I’ll go outside and walk or dance or laugh. At least, move your body and get some sunshine if possible. And count the leaves you see on the street… just kidding, it’s impossible, but it’s fun. It’s all about being playful. Sometimes I read the interviews outloud. It feels good, too! If fact, it feels reaaaally good. It feels like having candid conversations with these creative souls.


Especially the interviews with Jill Badonsky's Nine Modern-Day Muses (and a Bodyguard).

And still better, the author of the interviews Molly J. Anderson-Childers, has a list of 101 Ways to Delight and Inspire Yourself. Which is awesome.


Oups, no, I will not spill too much information, follow the links, go get the fun yourself :-D

My icon of style: Kate White

Okay, today is a bright, sunshiny weekend, and weekend post should be inspiring, no? Getting inspired should be an effortless part of everyday life, and I'm in awe of inspiring women 'round the globe.

"Ideals are like stars", general and politician Carl Schurz once said, "you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the seafaring man on the ocean desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them, you reach your destiny."

This weekend I'm all into Kate White, the editor-in-chief of Cosmpolitan, and bestselling author of both fiction and non-fiction books. How did she do all that! Doesn't she also have 'only' 24 hours a day, just like the rest of us?

Luckily Kate White offers her brilliant advices on her very own website. Advices that maybe, or I should probably, follow wholeheartedly, when it comes to nurturing this secret passion on writing, even if it's only for private journaling, or let's say, for this blog :-)

And by the way, have you seen Kate White's weekend home, featured on Country Living? Boy, how I love the vibrant colours she picked for the interior. I'm particularly drawn to the lemony, Provence-inspired dining room. Says Kate: "We wanted that spirit in our home--the beautiful smells, the great food, the sensuousness of that life." Ohw, moi je dis "I'm home".

My icon of style: Carolyn Quartermaine

British artist and designer Carolyn Quartermaine is my idol... well, one of my idols in the design world. Her style, her choice of colours, all. And I love it how she uses her own home as "an inspiring three dimensional sketchbook" - as quoted by Elle Decor.

Her book "Revealed" (Conran Octopus, 2001) is one of my main inspirators and I have special folder for all Carolyn Quartermaine related files I could find: magazine articles, pdfs, images, that I can take a look often, training my eyes and visualizing I could live the CQ-style :-)

Such an envy, really. And now looking at those files in the folder again, I dream of transforming my room into my own 3D sketchbook, just like Carolyn Quartemaine...

For the moments, here are the looks I'm dying to covet, from Carolyn Quartermaine's home:


Here's how I really really want my drawing room to look like. Clean, fresh details, but somehow there's a kind of artistic mess here and there.


The details are exquisite...


This is beyond sitting pretty. Here you sit gorgeous


That's how I would have my storage to look: unconventional, magical


Perfect setting to embark on a fairytale dream land, a beautiful rest