doodles and inspiration and such

Feeling a little under the weather today....I may have caught a cold from a friend's kids. I love children but they are such germ factories!

In any case...I feel rather productive. Last week, I managed to:

• make 35 flower barrettes
• brainstorm/thumbnail some upcoming projects
• drop off more barrettes, pins, coasters and purses to ArtSpring
• and have a lovely time in Albuquerque!

This week, I've been cleaning and getting rid of stuff. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) going through my stack of work papers to throw away gave me an idea for some collages...I had a lot of cute doodles on my huge pile of legal pads and want to use them for something.

I particularly enjoyed this little bird doodle:

Here is a sketch for another project I want to do with beads, sequins and primarily satin stitch/embroidery on fabric. I'd like it to be really ornate, filled with color and sparkly things!

I was partially inspired by artist Renee Harris. I love how she uses embroidery in narrative pieces...you don't see that very often.

I also would like to do a fabric collage or something with a windmill! I have always been semi obsessed with windmills. 
 
In the Netherlands, I went to visit Zaanse Schans and was fascinated by the windmills, particularly "The Cat," which is a working windmill that they use to grind pigments for paints. Of course, I bought some oil paints made there :) A beautiful place and a lovely day!

I did this little painting of one of the windmills there. Can't believe it was in 2004!