Happy Thanksgiving! Color my Thankful Girl!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

I hope you all are doing great this beautiful November. As we rapidly approach Thanksgiving in the U.S., I count my blessings, and they are many. I pray that you also see those many wonderful blessings in your everyday lives, whether you’re an American friend or an International friend. And please know how much I value our friendship, wherever you are!

In honor of this Holiday, I’m posting a coloring page. Although she was done as part of my Inktober drawings and has a story all her own, she’s representative of this Thanksgiving because of the great and wonderful bounty she carries on her head so here I’ll call her the Thankful Girl of Many Blessings. 

Here in warm and sunny San Diego, I’m working on my Christmas cards and slowly finishing my October picture story book. You may find my art on Instagram (@BarbaraHauenstein). If you don't already follow this blog, please sign up on the full web version in the box that says "Follow by email" to see each new blog as it comes out and receive your freebie.

Although I retain the rights to the drawing below, it is a gift for your personal use and is intended as a humble thank you for following my blog. I encourage you to alter the pages you print here (and from other art, as well) with rubber stamps, ephemera and more! I like to print mine on 110 lb. card stock and play with them by coloring and altering them. Please let me know how yours turn out in the comments below or send me an email!

My books online are available for purchase on Amazon. Just open Amazon and enter my name (Barbara Sanders Hauenstein) in the search box to see current available books. If you have additional questions about purchasing my art, please email me.

Wishing you every Happiness!

Buzzy Barbee

Barbara Hauenstein

BuzzyBarbee@gmail.com

InkTober Time

The last time I posted a blog was during the start of Daisy Yellow Art’s Index Card A Day (ICAD) Challenge in early June. I am happy to say that I completed all 61 days of prompts and, along with that, now have the beginning illustrations and snippets of my book, “Farley’s Fairies and the Mystery of the Little Cottage.” It was a lot of fun and I will post here to let you all know when I’ve published the picture story book and make it available on Amazon online.

It’s now October, time for the 31-day InkTober Drawing Challenge and for another Barbee picture story mystery! This one features 3 sisters, Inky, Pinky and Dinky and several of their closest friends, ha ha! I’m posting my illustrations in the InkTober 2019 Public Facebook Page which you can join by searching for Inktober 2019 in Facebook. My art is also on Instagram (@BarbaraHauenstein).

I’ve had several requests for the free use of my illustrations and so will post occasional coloring pages here that you may print and color yourself, but I cannot make them all freely available since I spend many hours creating them and am publishing books for sale. Those posted publicly are watermarked and reduced in size so won’t print out the same as those in my books. With that said, my intention is to provide coloring pages here that are clear and free for personal use, although they still carry my copyright.  I encourage you to alter the pages you print here (and from other art, as well) with rubber stamps, ephemera and more! I like to print mine on 110 lb. card stock and play with them by coloring and altering them. I intend to create videos on my process soon. Please let me know how yours turn out in the comments below!

My books are online on Amazon. Just open Amazon and enter my name (Barbara Sanders Hauenstein) in the search box to see current available books. If you have additional questions about purchasing my art, please email me.

I hope you all enjoy every minute of this wonderful autumn season!

Enjoy the Journey!

Buzzy Barbee

Barbara Hauenstein

BuzzyBarbee@gmail.com

Here’s the story behind this blog’s illustration, from my October 2019 story:

Episode 11 from my October 2019 story.
Prompt: SNOW.

One of Inky’s friends w as named Mary. Mary had several little lambs with fleece as white as SNOW. She loved snow! She was super good with crafts and so created some little mountains and trees and garnished her hair with them to match the “snow” theme.

Mermay, ICAD and Anatomy

MERMAY
Oh my goodness, it's June already! Well, I had a fun time creating mermaids for Mermay in May! My daughter in law even baked me an amazing mermaid birthday cake to celebrate the end of Mermay!

Cinco de Mayo Mermaid

Mother's Day Mermaid

My Beautiful Mermaid Birthday Cake!

Amazing Detail! The Frosting Was Painted On!

My ICAD Cover Card

ICAD
I have begun my favorite challenge, Daisy Yellow Art’s Index Card A Day Creative Challenge which runs for 61 days, from 1 June through 1 July. I create art every day and this year am writing and illustrating a mystery called “Farley’s Fairies and the Mystery of the Little Cottage.” I write a little tidbit every day and at the end of 61 days, I should have quite a story, ha ha! I hope I can put it all into a little book, complete with coloring pages when done. You too can join the ICAD Challenge by reviewing the prompts on the Daisy Yellow Art website and joining the FaceBook Group to see and post your art. Click HERE for the web page. It's not a competition, it's a creative challenge. As written before on my blog, I've learned alot about my art during these challenges and made many wonderful life-long friends from around the world! This is my fourth year and so far, I've finished every one. It does take dedication and I've found that trying to limit my time daily helps, although I'll admit that some days I do more than planned. Although I draw my cards, many collage and create more abstract index cards. It's all good!

ICAD Day 1, Prompt: Mailbox

ICAD Day 3, Prompt: Magenta

Anatomy and Face Practice

ANATOMY AND FACES
I located a wonderful guide on the internet to drawing the human body and so have been practicing, although I found that I prefer the wonky folk-art style humans I've been drawing. I'm also practicing faces. This little art page is the result of my first works on these subjects. Click HERE for the original link written by Joumana Medlej. I'm also reminded of my YouTube video on drawing faces, it is simple but effective and gives good practice.Click HERE to access this free video.






Well, that's what I'm up to, please chime in and leave me a comment about what you're up to, I'd love to know! Thanks again for tuning in and if you haven't already, enter your email in the "FOLLOW" box then confirm by clicking on a button you'll receive in the email.

Enjoy the Journey!
Barbara

Books 2 and 3 have been published and I have a free coloring page for you!

Hello Lovely Friends, I have great news!


BOOK 2 - 2018 ICADs

After your wonderful encouragement and requests, I spent several weeks compiling my whimsical index card art from the Index Card A Day (ICAD) Creative Challenge last summer (2018) into a full color, 6x9 inch paperback book titled, "Book 2: 61 Days of Barbee's Index Card Art 2018 with Special Tips and Techniques" and it's now live on Amazon.com and available for purchase! Each page has a uniquely upbeat and positive piece of "happy art" that is sure to leave a smile on your face and your heart filled with joy! I must thank my dear husband Bruce for his support helping me prepare these books for release. He's my rock and my inspiration!

BOOK 3 - SKETCHBOOK - COLORING BOOK

To go along with Book 2, I created, "Book 3: Medium Companion Sketchbook for Barbee’s 2018 Index Card Art" to enable you to color and alter the 61 black and white sketches derived from the colored index card art in Book 2. You'll be smiling as you alter each page by coloring and adding your own touches.

It's not your mother's coloring book! Just like Books 1 and 2, it's a fun 6x9 inch book that you can take with you in your purse or backpack. But unlike Books 2 and 3, it has 61 pieces of sketchy black and art for you to personalize as you like. The paper is the same as with the first 2 books so I recommend you try using colored pencils, gel pen and markers, although everyone's results will differ. You can also use rubber stamps and glue on collage pieces (any type of paper/ephemera) using a glue stick. Don't forget to add lots of scribbling and doodling as well and come up with creative ways to alter the art!

BACK TO BOOK 1 - 2017 ICADs

Here's the link to my first book: Book 1: 61 Days of Barbee's Index Card Art . If you enjoy one, you're sure to enjoy them all! 


ABOUT THE ICAD CREATIVE CHALLENGE

Each book features 4x6 inch index card art created during dear Art Guru Tammy Garcia's Daisy Yellow Art Index Card A Day (ICAD) Creative Challenge that runs each summer from 1 June through 31 July. 2019 will be the 9th Annual Challenge! Tammy created this fun event to get us all creating something every day on a simple index card. Many people from around the world create art of many kinds with a variety of materials and posting to a special facebook group that Tammy hosts. More information may be obtained by visiting Tammy's website at DaisyYellowArt.com. 

FREE COLORING PAGE!

Below, I added the black and white sketch derived from my 2018 index card "#49 Landscape." as an example to show how each of the 61 pieces of art in Book 3 appears. You may save and print this for altering by right-clicking on it, then clicking on "save as" under your computer files, opening in your photo program, and printing. On your smartphone or tablet, tap the image, select "save as" and save it in your photo album, then print as you would any photo. I typically email them to my computer then print from there. This is my gift to you thanking you for inspiring me to publish these books!

If you enjoy my art and would like me to continue to create similar books, you can let me know by purchasing one or more of my books on Amazon.com and sharing them with your friends and family. They're a fun addition to your art library and they also make great gifts! You can search within the Amazon.com website using my name, Barbara Ann Sanders Hauenstein, to see all my books. 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE (FOLLOW ME)

If you'd like to see continuing news about my art as well as more free gifts (I have a few things up my sleeve for future blogs), please subscribe to my blog by entering your email in the "Follow by Email" box and then confirming this within your email account as well as joining me on Instagram @BarbaraHauentein. 

Thank you for your continuing good wishes and inspiration! ~ Barbee

MerMay 2019 is here!

Hello my dear friends!

As we say HELLO to May, I want to let you all know that there's a wonderful art event that happens every May!  It's called "MerMay" and it's a fun creative celebration created by illustrator-extraordinaire Tom Bancroft a few years ago. You can participate by creating a mermaid a day and hashtagging: #MerMay2019. You can view prompts and tutorials from Tom Bancroft by clicking on the Wacom sponsored website here. One of my favorite MerMay artists is James Luke Burke, who I've mentioned in my blog before. You can click here to access his MerMay Playlist in YouTube. It's very inspirational! In addition to James Luke Burke, you can find other amazing MerMay artists by searching the internet using the term "MerMay." I hope to see your MerMay art soon!

The End of December Already?!?

Warm New Year's Eve Greetings Everyone!

It's official, New Year's Eve is here! I hope you had a wonderful year. I had an awesome one! With lots of help from my sweet, smart husband, I published my first book, "Book 1: 61 Days of Barbee's Index Card Art," which has my collection of 2017 summer index cards from Tammy Garcia's Daisy Yellow Art Index Card A Day (ICAD) Creative Challenge. Tammy's an amazing art guru who's led us on a multi-year journey exploring how many ways we can dress up an index card to address her imaginative prompts! My first book is available here in paperback or Kindle, if you haven't already picked up a copy. It's a positive, happy book and will leave you feeling inspired! I am working on Book 2 now which will hold my collection of 2018 summer index cards, as well as special tips and techniques. By the way, Tammy Garcia's fantastic Daisy Yellow Art website, available by clicking here, has many free and paid workshops as well as several prompt series and a plethora of instructional, fun videos, so be sure to check it out and sign up for her year-round free Facebook Group.

With the New Year comes our hopes and dreams for 2019. December was a busy month but I took time to do a few pieces of art which I'll post below on this last day of the year. These were for a Facebook Group I belong to called "Rediscovering Your Creativity Through Mixed Media Play" led by another of my favorite mixed media artists, the very creative, Carolyn Dube. If you don't belong to this group, I recommend you sign up. It's free and fun! Carolyn's website which you can access here also has a bounty of free and paid information and workshops with many YouTube Videos that are informative and fun.

The first art journal page I created in December bears the quote "Big Wishes Cost As Much As Little Ones," the idea of which came during a card I did for the 2018 ICAD Creative Challenge. Because big wishes cost the same as little ones, I have several GARGANTUAN wishes. I wish for (1) unconditional PeAcE, (2) FoOd for every living creature, (3) ShELteR and clothing enough to bring each creature comfort, and (4) LoVe to bring every creature joy and happiness - ALL of these are very much deserved by all the creatures great and small living on our dear Mother Earth. These super HUGE wishes cost as much as tiny ones, so I'll continue wishing HUGE and praying for them into, and throughout, the next year.

NOTE: If you haven't already, please subscribe to my blog. It's a two-step process. Once you enter your email in the box, you'll need to confirm your email address within your email account. Please also subscribe to my "Barbara Hauenstein" YouTube Channel by clicking here. I will be creating some fun videos next year, including ones detailing giveaways of great mixed media art supplies! And, finally, have a fantastic New Year 2019! I look forward to crossing that New Year line along with you and will see you all next year!

"Big Wishes:" This piece was created for the "Art Play Prompt" given by Artist Carolyn Dube on 9 December on her Facebook Group "Rediscovering Your Creativity Through Mixed Media Play." The prompt was to use a book page. I created a background by rubbing several bright colors from my mini distress ink pads into my small (8.5x5.5 inch) Dylusions Art Journal with a small applicator that fits on my finger. I cut the tree top star and the snow from old book and glued them on using a glue stick. Some random stamps were added to the background to grunge it up. I colored the tree, star and snow with watercolor pencils then used a black Copic Liner Pen and a white Signo pen to add details. 

"Deer Santa:" This piece was also created for the "Art Play Prompt" given by Artist Carolyn Dube on 16 December her Facebook Group "Rediscovering Your Creativity." The prompt was to use a triangle. There are plenty of triangles in here - can you count them all?  I created the background and colored in the elements the same as "BIG WISHES" above  and drew some ornaments, clouds and details with a black Copic Liner Pen and a Signo White Pen. 

"Happy Faces:" This face surrounded by flowers (many of which also happen to have faces) was another piece created for the "Art Play Prompt" given by wonderful Artist Carolyn Dube. The prompt was to use a post note and was given on 2 December. I created the background and colored in the elements the same as "BIG WISHES" then outlined and added details with a black Copic Liner Pen and a Signo White Pen. The large flower face on the bottom right didn't turn out the way I wanted, affording me an O.O.P.S. (Carolyn's acronym for an "Outstanding Opportunity Presenting Suddenly"). By using the post note, I was able to cover up the face I didn't like and draw a new face over the top of it on the post note. You learn something new every day!

"Christmas Blessings:" This piece was also created for the "Art Play Prompt" given by Artist Carolyn Dube on 16 December in her Facebook Group "Rediscovering Your Creativity." The prompt was to use a triangle and this was the second journal page where I addressed that prompt - lots of triangles here, ha ha! I created the background and colored in the elements the same as "BIG WISHES" and outlining and details with a black Copic Liner Pen and a Signo White Pen. 

InkTober 2018 and Favorite Videos

Greetings Dear Friends!

I hope everyone's doing well. I can't believe how the year is flying by! I've been very busy participating in InkTober 2018 which began 1 October and runs all month. It’s all about creating one inked piece of art every day in October. It's a great way to get Christmas card designs done or do some Halloween art. Below is a collage of my first 18 pieces.To learn more about Inktober and see a list of prompts and rules, click here. I love the prompts because they are challenging and make me think about how to create a drawing that references them but you can ink anything you like to join in the fun! There are several Facebook groups for Inktober, I selected this one and also post to instagram @barbarahauenstein. Instagram is a bit new to me, but it's a great place to see a lot of Inktober art!

FAVORITE VIDEOS:
I began following an excellent artist on YouTube lately named James Burke. He's doing a different kind of InkTober where he writes a rhyme a day and then paints it in ink on his "James Burke" YouTube Channel. It centers around an easy to draw character named Daisy. He has another series of YouTube Videos about "How to Draw" different seasons' items. For instance, in the video here, he shows how to doodle simple shapes for Halloween. During all his entertaining videos, James Burke gives a lot of hints about drawing, painting, mixed media and other important creative things.

Well, that's it for now. I hope you all keep on enjoying creating and have a wonderful Halloween!

-Barbee