A Heartfelt Thank U

size: 4"h x 6"w
A friend's son had a heart attack while running and was kept alive by several bystanders and EMT until an ambulance arrived. She asked for postcards to be made to thank them.
On Staples white cardstock drew out the funky letters with a ZIG Writer. Added a Signo Unibal gold gel pen inner line, then colored with ZIG Clean color markers. Punched out a heart shape and outlined it onto the postcard. Adhere the artwork onto a blue lightly textured cardstock.
words: a heartfelt thank u!

Woven Tag - Geli Print - All Else Fails

size: 2"w x 7"h (plus ribbon)

Weaving 4 strips (7/10" w) of geli prints done on Genoa Bond paper to create the tag. Gluing the bottom slightly... Hanging with a light blue Sari ribbon.

Punched out tags from white and blue cardstock. Wrote in the words with a white gel pen and a blue ZIG Writer.

words: When all else fails laugh out loud.

ECS Env Exc Apr 2026 - Barbara Keir

ECS Env Exc 2026 - Barbara Keir

Env 5"h x 7"w

I love making these kind of decorated cap letters.
Used Unibal gold gel pen and Prisma colored pencils on our calligraphy paper (Genoa Bond).
The card was made a while back and resting in my stash. Just some hexagons I was playing with at the time.

Mini Booklet - Blacker Than Black

size: 2.5"sq x .25thk closed
I had this little black book sitting on my desk that I had made a little while ago using Value pack Black Cardstock with a glued spine... so decided to fill it in finally
First added the wavy lines using Stamperia Contour Black which gives a raised glossy black line. Then I added the vertical lines using a Metallic Black Gelly Roll pen which kind of ends up being a silvery color. Then added the text with the same pen.
The title page used a different Black Metallic pen that seems to have a gold sheen to it. Can't remember which pen did that...
words: Blacker Than Black
If they don't give you a seat at the table bring in a folding chair. Shirley Chrisholm

Brown Bag It

size: 4.5"w x 5"h
On Staples cardstock. I pulled out a Brown ZIG Writer and then just started drawing and abstract line with both ends. Then since I was using a brown pen I wrote in that word... Then colored the negative areas. And the first word that came into my bran was "Brown Bag It"...
words: Brown Bag It

Feel Free To Explore

size: 7.5"w x 4.5"h
On Genoa Bond paper using a ZIG Writer for the letters, doodling and ZIG Clean Color markers for the P.
words: Feel free to EXPLORE

The Future Belongs To The Brave

size: 6.5"w x 4"h
On Genoa Bond paper using a ZIG Writer for the letters and coloring with Prisma colored pencils.
words: The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. Ronald Reagan

Amazing - 26 Little Letters

size: 4.75"sq
I was just doodling kind of... So drew the graph lines added the Celtic lines to create a knotwork design, and then started putting doodles in some of them and then said add letters...As it turned out there were exactly 26 boxes...
On Genoa Bond paper using a ZIG Writer for the letters and doodling, then coloring with ZIG Clean Color markers and a grey for the graph behind the letters.
words: It's amazing what 26 little letters can become.

Art Of The Fold - One Page Booklet - Think Green

size closed: 2.75"w x 2.25"h x .5"thk
Our AofF for May is anything using 1 piece of paper. I've done a few of these but this time I decided to glue some of the pages and create pockets so the booklet opens like a normal book... I love the results and decided I wanted an all GREEN theme...

I used my Guild's Genoa Bond paper, folded to create 16 sections. Cut the paper thru 1st & 3rd lines from the left edge thru 3 sections, then from the right edge thru the 2nd line thru 3 sections, and folded starting at one end till the end.

Glued a very thin line wherever needed to create a page/pocket and then punching a semi circle either at the edge or top depending on how the page was glued. I reinforced the glued edges with a very thin piece of geli print scraps.

Used various gel pens and Clean Color pens for the colored text.

Created tags to fit the pockets with the Genoa Bond paper and then adhered a piece of a dark green heavy paper. Wrote in green color names using a Gelly Roll white gel pen.

Art of the Fold - One Page Booklet - Flower Circle - Blossom

size closed: 2.5"dia

Our AofF for May is anything using 1 piece of paper. I've done them in square shape where it opens and lays flat again. But this time I decided to glue some of the pages so the booklet opens like a normal book... I love the results.

I used value pack black cardstock which is medium light weight. Folded like a normal construction (fold in half (landscape mode) and each section folded in half again and repeated in (portrait mode.) getting my 16 little squares.

Cut the 1st and 3rd score lines from one edge to the 3rd score line. Repeated from the other edge and cut the middle score up to the 3rd score lines. Then start accordion folding from one edge to the end. You should have a nice little booklet.

But you don't have a NORMAL booklet... so start gluing to make them pages... 

Draw a circle that's larger than your folded booklet and cut the corners away to give the illusion of a round booklet which will keep your spines safe.

I used geli prints, pink and blue cardstock using a floral punch and adhered them to each page alternating color etc. Then cut smaller flowers and Peel Off glitter centers.

Added text to the geli print flowers in a funky hand with a gold gel pen.

words:  Blossom (on the cover) and Blooming (on the inside - 1 letter per page).

Mini Booklet - Celtic Knots

size: 4.25"w x 2.25"h closed
I've been playing with Celtic letters recently because of a class by the Edmonton Calligraphy Society. I decided to make a booklet of the two lettering styles I liked so I didn't have large pages to carry around...
I had these paper ends from my Guilds genoa bond paper laying in my stash and decided it would make a nice booklet. Then the booklet was laying on my desk and decided these letters would fit in nicely...
The letters look similar in the images but they have quite a few differences within the alphabet.
The cover was a piece of cold press w/c paper I had done some sort of background on and laying in my stash. Hand bound with 3ply un-waxed linen thread. Wrote the word "Celtic" in one of the styles with a pointed nib and misc white ink.

Celtic Knotwork 3 - Iris

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
I'm continuing on with the Celtic style lettering from  Pauline Baynes (Edmonton Calligraphy Society). This one uses the 3rd exemplar which I still don't really like but keep going back to it....
On Canson Mixed Media paper using a ZIG Writer & Prisma colored pencils for the Flower and doodling.  Gold Uniball Signo pen and a Juice Up pen for the text.  Iris

Celtic Knotwork 1 - No Excuse

size: 4.5"h x 6"w
I'm continuing on with the Celtic style lettering from  Pauline Baynes (Edmonton Calligraphy Society). This one uses the 1st exemplar.
On Canson Mixed Media paper using a Juice Up pen for the outlines and text and Prisma colored pencils and a gold Uniball Signo pen for the center area of the letters.
words: No Excuse

Lettering - Explain Yourself

size: 4.5"h x 6"w
I saw something on line and thought I'd play with the concept...
On Canson Mixed Media paper using a ZIG Writer and various watercolors
words: Explain Yourself

Celtic Letters - Dream Big

Continuing on from Pauline Baynes Celtic Letters class last month. Thought I'd play with all 3 BIG GRIN. This was the last exemplar. It's the most tedious which I probably won't play with again...

Dream Big...
size: 9"w x 5.75"h
Used the Mica gold for knot outline and Prisma pencils and a splendor blender for the coloring. Thought I'd play on the "big" word

words: Dream big

Celtic Knotwork - Dreams

Continuing on from Pauline's Celtic Letters class last month. Thought I'd play with all 3 BIG GRIN. This was the 2nd exemplar. I think it's my favorite of the 3...

Dreams Be Your Wings:
size: 7"w x 6"h
Again used the ArtQuest w/c for the main knotwork of the letters then Prisma colored pencils, graphite shading.
words: Let your dreams be your wings.

Celtic Knotwork Lettering - Dream On

Edmonton Calligraphy Society had Pauline Baynes teaching Celtic Letters last month. I was not able to attend but she was kind enough to allow me the handouts. Love all the variations but they are definitely time consuming... She gave 3 exemplars and I thought I'd play with all 3 BIG GRIN. This was the 1st exemplar.

Dream On:
size: 7"w x 5"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper,
Outlined with a ZIG Writer, painted with US Art Quest Mica w/c Metallic set, 2B Grafwood pencil and paper stump shadow.
words: Dream On and make them come true.

3D Liner - Joy - Choose Joy

size: 4.5"w x 7.5"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper lined the JOY letters using a new product to me... Stamperi Contour Black - needle nose tube. When dry adhered my paper to heavy cardstock so it wouldn't warp. Loaded the letters with water and dropped in Kuretake w/c #30 Cad Red, #43 Cad Yellow, #51 Light Green & #62 Turquoise Blue.
Wrote out the rest of the text with a Staedtler Calligraph Black 2.0 broad edge tip.
words: Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. Henri Houwen

Doodling - Squeezed In Nowhere To Go

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper created the leafy design with a ZIG Writer and painted with various w/c paints adding white gel pen highlights on the circles.
Text with the ZIG Writer
words: Squeezed In - Nowhere To Go

Doodling - Must Never Be Obvious

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper created the with a ZIG Writer and painted with various Mica paints and gold gel pen.
Text with a Juice Up pen
words: Ah, but my dear sir, the why must never be obvious. That is the whole point. Agathe Christie. "Five Little Pigs"

Hearts - Love Me Tender

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper created the words with a Zig Writer in a funky lettering style then added the hatching using a red Juice Up pen. Added the hearts with a gold Uniball Signo pen and added graphite shading. Text with a black Juice Up pen.

words: Love Me Tender Love me true never let me go. Elvis Presley Lyrics

Interlocking Squares - Y

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper created the interlocking squares design then adding my initial. Painted with w/c and Prisma colored pencils and some Mica metallic gold paint.
words: Y

Rocks - Finding Patterns - Essence Of Wisdom

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper created the rock design, painted with w/c and adding the thick black outline.
Text written with a ZIG Writer.
words: Finding patterns is the essence of wisdom. Dennis Prayer

Origami Book - Artwork Jan - Mar, 2026

  

Another Origami book, this time holding artwork done in Jan, Feb & Mar this year. 

Created with Bogus Recycled Rough Sketch paper 70# 18" x 24" pad. Used 1 sheet per booklet page and 1 sheet for the links

I stopped at 6pages including the covers,, otherwise it would have become too unwieldy...

I like the results. 

 

Understanding - Bubble Stamp Booklet

4.25"w x 5"h x 1/4" thk.
I had these rubber stamped pages from a long time ago... I had used one of my extra large stamps and embossed with various colors of embossing powder (gold, copper, silver, black), then colored in some of the bubbles using Prisma Colored pencils primarily and one with some w/c.

I wrote synonyms of the word "understanding" on 1"h white cardstock with the arrow shape at the tip. Adhered to each page (one below the other on subsequent pages). Bound the booklet using an accordion glued spine.

I added “do you UNDERSTAND” on the last page…

Doodled - Scarborough Fair

size: 7"w x 4.75"h
I was at my Guild's play day and this song was going thru my head... don't ask why... I have no idea.
On Genoa Bond calligraphy paper wrote out the text with a ZIG Writer, then colored areas with Prisma colored pencils (905, 918, 921, 995, 1003, 1003, 4800).
Was looking at it and then drew the border around it with the bullet tip. Looking at it some more added the border design with a Juice Up pen and the colored pencils.
And that's how most of my work evolves...
words: are you going to Scarborough Fair?

Doodle - Sing To Your Heart's Content

size 4.5"w x 6"h

A piece I did at my Guild's play day this past weekend.

On Canson Mixed Media paper created the border design then added the text using a black ZIG Writer and ZIG Clean Color markers.

words: SING to your heart's content

On Canson Mixed Media paper created the border design then added the text using a black ZIG Writer and ZIG Clean Color markers.

words: SING to your heart's content

Blue Flower - Beauty Is In The Eye

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper created the flower and leaf design and painted with w/c adding gold Mica paint for the stamens.
words: BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder.

Abstract Doodle - Write Me Down In History

size: 4.5"w x 6"h
On Canson Mixed Media paper created the wavy line using a Premium Deco Color gold marker. Doodled with a ZIG Writer Then added the text with a Juice Up pen.
words: You may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lines. You may trod me in the very dirt, but still like dust I'll rise. Mary Angelou

Heart Accordion - Floral Advice

I seem to have forgotten to upload this structure...

size: 2.5"sq closed
size: 13"w x 5"h x .25" thk

I folded a piece of 5"h x 13"w Genoa Bond Calligraphy paper accordion style. Cut into it for the heart shapes, as well as cutting to create the square shapes. Colored the petals in the hearts with Prisma colored pencils.

Text written on separate pieces of paper (speckled gray toned stationary paper) and adhered to the structure (it hid the fold lines). Added the title to the cover

Words: If you're going thru hell keep going... but stop and smell the flowers.

A of F - Accordion - Cut Out - Spring Has Sprung

size closed: 2.5"w x 5.5"h
size open: 12"w x 5,5"h
Our AofF for April is anything to do with Spring... That seemed like too open a theme. I have a tendency to like parameters... but I knew I wanted large letters to doodle in... and within very little time this was finished without really thinking... originally I thought I would color the florals but decided to leave it alone.

I used basic Canson Mixed Media 12 x 12 white 98# paper, pencil marked my 1.75" sections for my letters, scored and folded then drew my 1/2" border around the whole thing... Drew my letters, outlined with the bullet end of a ZIG Writer and cut around the negative areas. Drew the floral designs with the fine tip of my ZIG writer and painted the backgrounds with Holbien Peacock Blue.
Wrote in the rest of the text with the fine tip of the ZIG Writer in monoline.

words:  Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the daisies is.