Finger Painting is FUN!

Happy Monday everyone!

Do you remember what it was like to finger paint as a kid?

I remember how fun and free it was to stick my fingers in the pretty colors of paint set out for us by the teacher.

I can still feel the sensation of the cool & slick pigments on my fingers. 

The construction paper always felt rough at first when my fingertips spread the paint in lots of different shapes to form a picture.

When we are children, we do not judge what we do... we just do it and enjoy it as we do it!

That is what life is all about... enjoying the moment and appreciating the experience of whatever we are doing.

As we grow up, we lose some of that ease of just doing it to do it.  It always has to mean something or "be" something, and that pressure can kinda take the fun out of what we are doing.

So when I saw a Finger Painting Class offered by my favorite "art teacher" :) Carla Sonheim, I could not wait to sign up! 

In this wonderful 3 lesson, mini class, we relearn how to smush paint around again and have FUN seeing what appears on the page!

Here are the paintings I have made so far...

Three little Pugs all in a row!

A Bear

...and a Bunny!

They were so much fun to make and I cannot wait to see who else pops to life.

I highly recommend checking out all of Carla's classes.

She is an amazing teacher!

It does not matter if you think you cannot draw or paint. :)

If you can scribble on a piece of paper, you are an artist!

She will teach you a whole toolbox of wonderful techniques and from the very first lesson... all of a sudden art appears!

It is relaxing, fun and exciting just to create!

I would love to see what you make!

Please feel free to share it with me!

I would love to see!

xoxoxo

Melissa & R-Chee

Our Summer is Blooming!

Happy Monday everyone!

It is meeeee...

R-Chee!

Guess what we have been up to this summer?

We have been enjoying it by taking the time to stop, see & soak in all the wonderful things around us!

Like ... cooler breezes that have arrived this Summer that rarely come in July!

Enjoying the rain that falls from the clouds that gather in the bright sunny skies every afternoon.

Appreciating the flowers that pop their heads up at us!

... and creating lots of art together and then sharing it with you!

 My mom and I have had so much FUN drawing, coloring, crocheting, sewing and learning that our Summer has been flying by!

Here are some of the things we have been inspired to make with our crayons and crochet hooks so far...

"Pick Every Flower"

Wax Crayon & Collage ~ Melissa Langer 2015

...and our freeform crochet flower garden is growing!

It is so much FUN to see how it changes everyday!

I am excited to see which way it takes us next!

What FUN things are you doing this Summer?

Please leave us a note and let us know!

We cannot wait to hear all about them!

xoxoxo

R-Chee & Melissa

Monday Morning Musings ~ Grab Your Pug & Get in Close!

Happy Monday everyone!

I had so FUN kicking back & coloring with my crayons this weekend!

I love appreciating the stillness of Sunday mornings.

Before the sun rises, it feels like everyone in the world is still asleep except for the little birds singing outside and my sweet R-Chee looking up at me with his groggy pug eyes.

It is the perfect time to grab my crayons and a cup of tea and color the morning away!

Look who came out to play with us!

This little pug appeared to remind us to...

"Get In Close"

by Melissa Langer ~ 2015

Wax Crayon & Collage

and listen to what the stillness has to say!

What does your "Inner Pug" say to you?

xoxoxo

Melissa & R-Chee

A World of Wonders ~ Come and Color with Me & R-Chee!

Happy Monday everyone!

R-Chee & I love to color to just relax sometimes!  You can color on anything and make a special thought, feeling or character pop to life right before your very eyes!

I love turning junk mail into little canvases to color on.

It is a wonderful way to recycle messages people are offering that would otherwise be thrown away.

He was so FUN & Easy to make!

To create him...

I lightly painted a coat of gesso on a junk mail postcard mailer and let some of the background still show through.

After the gesso dried, I painted a light wash of watercolor over the gesso to add some color and let it pool to form water stained blobs to find a character in to bring out.

After turning the page this way and that to create some interesting shapes, I let it dry and pulled out my pencil and found a little fox to color in!

I pulled out my Neocolor 1 & 2 Wax crayons and started coloring him in.

He started to come to life and I finished his features with a bit of outlining with a black ink permanent marker.

The final step was to get out my old magazines and paste and cut out letters to form a message he was calling out loud and clear!

After our new friend appeared before our eyes & we heard him as he exclaimed... 

We LIVE in a...

"World of Wonders"

Wax Crayons, Ink & Collage on paper

Melissa Langer ~ 2015

"World of Wonders!"

What a smart message!

We are all here appreciate everything around us!

What things will you appreciate today?

A flower?

Blue Skies?

Clean, Fresh Air?

Please leave us a note and let us know!

We cannot wait to hear all about it!

xoxoox

Melissa & R-Chee

Reindeer Games ~ Come & Play With Me!

Happy Monday everyone!

R-Chee & I had so much FUN making a new collage last week that we made another one to share with you!

After our new friend appeared before our eyes & we heard him call out to us...

"Come & Play with Me"

Wax Crayons, Ink & Collage on paper

Melissa Langer ~ 2015

He was so FUN & Easy to make!

To create him...

I lightly painted a coat of gesso on a junk mail postcard mailer and let some of the background still show through.

After the gesso dried, I painted a light wash of watercolor over the gesso to add some color and let it pool to form water stained blobs to find a character in to bring out.

After turning the page this way and that to create some interesting shapes, I let it dry and pulled out my pencil and found a little dog to color in!

I pulled out my Neocolor 1 & 2 Wax crayons and started coloring him in.

He started to come to life and I finished his features with a bit of outlining with a black ink permanent marker.

The final step was to get out my old magazines and paste and cut out letters to form a message he was calling out loud and clear!

"Come & Play with Me!"

What a smart message!

We are all here to play & have FUN!

How will you play today?

Please leave us a note and let us know!

We cannot wait to hear all about it!

xoxoox

Melissa & R-Chee

Meet Tip Toe Teddy!

Happy Friday everyone!

R-Chee & I had so much FUN making a new collage this past weekend that we made another one to share with you!

After our new friend appeared before our eyes & we heard him whisper his name to us!

"Tip Toe Teddy"

Wax Crayons, Ink & Collage on paper

Melissa Langer ~ 2015

He was so FUN & Easy to make!

To create him...

I lightly painted a coat of gesso on a junk mail postcard mailer and let some of the background still show through.

After the gesso dried, I painted a light wash of watercolor over the gesso to add some color and let it pool to form water stained blobs to find a character in to bring out.

After turning the page this way and that to create some interesting shapes, I let it dry and pulled out my pencil and found a little dog to color in!

I pulled out my Neocolor 1 & 2 Wax crayons and started coloring him in.

He started to come to life and I finished his features with a bit of outlining with a black ink permanent marker.

The final step was to get out my old magazines and paste and cut out letters to form a message he was whispering from his heart to me...

"Tip Toe"

Tip Toe Teddy likes to Tip Toe everywhere he goes!

It is FUN to Tip Toe through the Tulips!

Spring is coming!

We can all feel, smell, hear and see it popping up all around us!

Let's go play in the sunshine this weekend!

How will you celebrate the Spring weather?

Please leave us a note and let us know!

We cannot wait to hear all about it!

xoxoox

Melissa & R-Chee

Simply Bark Out LOVE!

Happy Monday everyone!

R-Chee & I had so much FUN making a new collage today!

After our new friend appeared before our eyes we heard him bark out a message that we had to collage!

"Simply Bark Out Love"

Wax Crayons, Ink & Collage on paper

Melissa Langer ~ 2015

To create him...

I lightly painted a coat of gesso on a junk mail postcard mailer and let some of the background still show through.

After the gesso dried, I painted a light wash of watercolor over the gesso to add some color and let it pool to form water stained blobs to find a character in to bring out.

After turning the page this way and that to create some interesting shapes, I let it dry and pulled out my pencil and found a little dog to color in!

I pulled out my Neocolor 1 & 2 Wax crayons and started coloring him in.

He started to come to life and I finished his features with a bit of outlining with a black ink permanent marker.

The final step was to get out my old magazines and paste and cut out letters to form a message he was loudly barking from his heart to me...

"Simply Bark Out LOVE"

Ta Da!

That was FUN!

What FUN things are you doing this week?

Please leave me a note and let me know!

R-Chee & I would love to hear all about them!

xoxoxo

Melissa & R-Chee

The Brave Heart ~ Our "Here HO" on a Snowy Day!

Happy Monday everyone!

Look who popped in to say "Hello" to all of us on our snowy weekend!

Meet Leo the Lion

~ our Hero ~ "Here HO"! :)

While a foot of snow falls outside and you are cooped up inside... 

What can you do for FUN?

Just pull out an advertising postcard out of the junk mail recycle pile, some gesso, crayola watercolor paints and some crayons!

Then create a background to play on by...

First applying a coat of gesso to your postcard for texture, 

then a light watercolor wash comes next to make blobs to find shapes to trace that look like a something to you,

and then color it in with crayons, markers or your favorite medium of choice!

You cannot do it wrong!

Remember... we are playing and having FUN!

When making mine, I left some of the postcard color and letters peek through to add to the design to play with and found letters to trace that said "HERO" to me in the postcard's original message of "Here's How". :)

To finish the message I heard him say, I pulled out some magazines and cut out letters and heart shapes to glue on "Brave Heart" as a collage.

Voila!

A snowy day becomes an unplanned playday!

What a good reminder that even when your plans are changed for you ... you can always choose to have FUN!

xoxoxox

Melissa & R-Chee

Inspirations from Friends Far & Near!

Happy Monday Everyone!

R-Chee & I have been having so much FUN creating new things to share with you!

My friend Lynne in the UK shared her wonderful painting of a moor by her house with me today and I smiled from ear to ear when I saw it!

Not only was I instantly transported across the sea to her moor with her, but I was also reminded of one of the drawings I just did of a whimsical creature that might be found in her moor!

It feels to me that the magical creature above would help paint the colors in Spring and Summer you get the vibrant purple heather and in Autumn and Winter the rust and brown bracken.

I must have these colors in my heart this week!

I just created this new Sweater Vest ~ Into The Woods ~ for you to enjoy :)

I have one available today in a size S in my etsy shop and it is ready to ship today!

I love making Dog Sweater Vests for you!

I have this one and other sweater vests available as Ready to Ship Sweater Vests in my Etsy Shop today!

If they are sold out or you do not find the colors and sizes you would like, No Problem!

I am thrilled to make you any color combination that you choose!

Please just choose one of my custom listings and let me know the colors you would like for the body / bobbles / collar.

It is that easy!

Please feel free to also choose a matching custom Woofie Warmer, Barkclava Dog Hat or different Sweater Vest.

You can make up your own color combos or...

You can see all the possibilities anytime in :

The Sweater Vest Gallery at

http://www.dogsweatervests.com/

The Woofie Warmer Gallery at

http://www.woofiewarmer.com/

and

The Barkclava Gallery at

http://www.barkclava.com/

I am happy to make any color combos you would like and now also make Black or Fawn Pugs,  Smile, Monogram, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Love & Teddy Bear Badges in my Etsy Shop that you can add to any Sweater Vest, Hat or Neck Warmer!

How Fun!

xoxoxox

Melissa & R-Chee