Soap and Quackers

Who still likes to spend time coloring in those popular adult coloring books?  I sure wish they had them when I was child.  I LOVED coloring and I've never out grown it I guess. I don't use those coloring books but I do love to work with color pencils in my sketchbook.    

Interesting coloring facts:  The coloring book, formerly called the painting book, has been around since the mid to late 1800's but coloring crayons weren't invented until 1902. (https://www.vox.com/2015/9/2/9248663/coloring-book-history) Since then, they have become a standard part of everyone's childhood.  Don't you still feel a bit of excitement to see a brand new box of crayons?  You know that really big box with the built in sharpener?  I sure do! It's like a goose bump moment when that lid is lifted and all those unmolested color choices are there making their grand appearance, standing at attention in their neat little rows waiting to greet you. I was always envious of my classmates that were so lucky to have the "BIG" box with the sharpener as we grew up poor and I always had to settle for the smaller sized box.  This could explain my strong emotional connection still today to that sharpener.  LOL.  

Yesterday, I finished working on a new drawing in my Wash Tub series that I am really excited about. It is hard to believe but this is actually #14 in the series so far.  This one is of a black Labrador and two mallard ducks in that very familiar tub.  At the base of the tub I have added some fuzzy baby ducks and a red ball.  The dog has soap bubbles on her head, which I hope gives you the impression that she has been playing in that water herself.  We all know that Lab's love to play in the water.  It's a really fun piece and I had a great time creating it.  It is SO much fun in fact,  that I felt a downloadable coloring sheet would be a great idea. 

As and artist, I feel it is important to share my love of drawing with others and that is what prompts me to create fun giving away items. Little pieces of artwork to share with those that support this creative journey I am on.  Please download as many as you like.  Share them with your students, grandchildren or maybe you just want to color them yourself.  I would LOVE to see your finished coloring projects.  Snap a picture and let me see too.  

Here is the link to my FREE COLORING SHEETS

Zinnias

One of my favorite garden flowers is the Zinnia.  They are easy to grow and just full of bright, bold colors that attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard.  So this new piece was just so much fun to create. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about the name and I couldn't really come up with anything funny, punny or clever so I named it "Zinnia in the Bucket".  It's rather obvious name but I find that it is better to keep the title simple than to be too elaborate or wordy if a "clever" title alludes me. 

The medium I used here is Prismacolor pencils.  I get asked often it the is watercolor and so I thought I would mention that I use odorless turpenoid with a brush to melt the wax and blend the layers of color pencil.  This process gives it a painted look that I just love.

I decided I was going to also make the design into a coloring sheet and offer it on my website as a free download. I have a number of design there already and I just love the whole process of sharing my art with others.  So feel free to hop on over to my website and print as many coloring sheets as you need.  All I ask is that you don't try to sell them. 

Here is the link:  http://www.julietownsendstudio.com/free.html

Who Doesn't Like FREE

One of 6 Christmas Card designs for 2018

It seems these days that I'm either at this computer promoting and marketing or I am in the studio working on inventory.  I've made a number of Christmas Ornaments and super cute key chains in the past couple weeks that I hope will be a popular choice at my last two public exhibits of 2018.  I'm hoping to have the key chains up on my Etsy Shop really soon.

There are two FREE offers that I'm excited to share with you.  First one is my "Donuts and Coffee" coffee mug drawing over on my Julie Townsend Studio Facebook Studio page.  I've included the link below.  This contest ends when I hit 700 likes on my page and I'm only 12 likes away so don't wait too long to enter.  You just have to share the post, like the page and leave a comment and you will be entered in the drawing.



Like my Facebook Studio Art Page @JulieTownsendStudio

Julie Townsend Studio-FREE Christmas Gift Tags
Julie Townsend Studio- Country Plaid Christmas card designs

Second item I want to share with you is these Christmas gift tags I design.  I'm call thing them "Country Plaid Christmas" and they compliment my Christmas card designs.  Follow the link above to my website and then you can download the PDF file to print out on your own heavy paper or cardstock.  You can print as many as you like as long as they are for personal use only.  You might want to check out my Christmas Card Gallery while you are there because what a great personal touch to have your gift tag match your Christmas card. 

FREE and Just In Time for EASTER

I know that I am just a little bit excited about my newest Etsy Listing that I'm calling a Funny, Punny Bunny bookmark! I mean this week alone I have sold a total of 58 bookmarks in my sheep and cow design and that just blows me away. I purchased a new Scotch Pro Thermal Laminator, a Fiskars 12 Surecut Deluxe Paper Trimmer , and 4.5 x6.5 (5 mil) lamination pouches that are just perfect for this job.

In fact, I am so excited about bookmarks right now that I decided I was going to give a few away for free. All you have to do is follow the link to my Etsy Shop for this listing that I have linked below, favorite my shop and leave me a comment about seeing this on my blog on or before 4/1/18. That is all you have to do to be included in the drawing to receive a free bookmark. Now that wasn't so hard and in perfect time for Easter!

Funny Punny Bunny Boomarks

A Free Christmas Gift From Me to You!

There is just never enough time it seems in the month of December.  Okay...I know that the month has 31 days just like the 6 other months of January, March, May, July, August, and October but December is different.  We are asked to cram so many events, shopping, meal preparations, gift giving, baking and in my case painting into such a busy time.  I am declaring that for 2017, I am going to start thinking about Christmas in July, even if it is 115 degrees outside here in Las Vegas!

Yesterday, I was scanning my Facebook account when I saw this really great idea for Christmas.  I decided that I was going to make gift tags that featured my own original Christmas artwork.  I searched the internet and found another blogger that had written a very helpful blog post a few years ago on how to create stickers using Microsoft Word.  Now I am not good with graphics programs such as Photoshop, even though I really want to learn that program.  I only use Photoshop right now to crop and adjust my photos.  Word is however a program that I am comfortable with.  Let me share that link with you on how to create stickers in Word:  http://justagirlandherblog.com/make-labels-in-microsoft-word/ 

By the way this blogger, Abbey Lawson of justagirlandherblog seems to have figured out the blogging world and has an impressive home business that she and her husband have built.  I am going to spend more time going through her posts and maybe some very positive changes to this blog will be coming in the future.

Anyway, back to the gift tags.  I couldn't wait to figure out how to accomplish my own gift tags.   My first attempt actually didn't turn out too bad. I made them 2.5 x 3 inches and printed them using white card stock on my Canon Pixma Pro printer.  I cut a complimentary card stock that featured a Christmas print 1/2 inch large so that I could have a nice colorful border and add to the substantiation to the overall tag.  I think it turned out really well and I was pleased.  I really see adding a matching gift tag to each of my individual greeting cards that are sold or even selling packs of gift tags.  Either way I'm excited to attach them to my own gift giving efforts this year.

A side note here....As I was getting ready to write this blog, I had a dear friend who IS THE QUEEN of graphic art and a MASTER sticker creator, Victoria Thatcher at  http://www.victoriathatcher.com suggest to me a few improvements and with her suggestion, I got rid of the black outline of my text boxes.  I didn't know how to do that before hand.  She also told me how to upload the file as a PDF and put it on my Google Drive so that I could share it with you today.  Thank you so much Victoria for your friendship and constructive critique.  Be sure and check out Victoria's blog because she is amazing!

My Original Artwork titled "Except for the Mouse"

As part of the GIFT GIVING season, I have decided to make available a free printable document of my gift tags that feature a number of my 2016 original artworks.  This file is for personal use only and isn't to be sold or redistributed without my written permission.  All you have to do is click on this link SORRY LINK IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THIS OFFER.   Please leave me a comment if you downloaded this file.  If you are interested in prints, cards, commissions or original artwork send me a message so that I can discuss it with you.  You can also find my work at my Etsy store.

My Christmas Gift to You!

Christmas Gift Tags 

Merry Christmas and have a Blessed 2017!

My Original artwork on display.