Cathy Michaels Design by Cathy Bluteau

Looking forward to Feb 7

In exactly one week from today – February 7 my new online class"Journaling From Inside" goes live.  Yippeeee.

 

Why am I so excited I'll tell you why..

 

First off you may have noticed that the name changed.  Apparently the term “from the inside out” is trademarked and so at the last minute I had to change it to Journaling From Inside.  As far as content goes that doesn’t change a thing for us so it's all good.

 

The exciting news is that this video has 6 parts, 8 parts if you include the intro and the supply section. 

 

It is a full 2 hours of online instruction.  We will "play at" making 5 different journal pages.

  

It’s lots of fun to do because we create some beautiful pages but also because it makes you think a bit about yourself – and that’s always a good thing since we women (especially) don’t spend enough time to take the time to think about ourselves.

  

So in the class I will ask you to take some time to ask yourself 3  key questions  These are:

- What adjectives do I use to describe myself today

- What adjectives do I wish could be descriptive of me today

- What are my crazy, crazy dreams that I never wanted to tell anyone.  (We’ll create a page to lock them away to review again next year!)

  

This one will really be a lot of fun so do join me.  There are lots of discussions forums on the Creative Workshops   site where my course is being held.  Use the discussion forums - I will be with you all the way!

 

So go here now to join me next week!

 

Here's another sneak peek video if you missed it the first time!

 

 

 

Fulfilling Fantasies on a Monday morning.

Well I am here in Starbucks writing this blog post to you.  This has been one of my fantasies sitting in Starbucks tapping away on the keyboard ! 

Okay well the real fantasy was to be sitting in Starbucks tapping away on the keyboard ... while I wait for my licensing agent to show up for our regulary scheduled meeting to discuss where we will launch my next new product line! 

That's the real fantasy - there I said it. I figure since I am sitting at starbucks and tapping away at the keyboard then I am halfway to my dream fantasy  - well almost - don't you think?

Anyhew, reality sets in on this monday morning.  Here are some of my doodles from this weeked:

This week I have few things to tell you about including sharing some great new blogs I have been finding, as well as another sneak peak to my new online class which starts next week!

But first, doodles from the weekend - from Starbuck's:

and some girls inspired by tags I saw on pinterest but no artist name - so sorry I can't give proper credit here!

Happy Happy Monday

 

Friday Etsy Favs and more

Happy Friday all.  I made a few changes to my blog - new banner, added flickr pictures, made some changes to new items.  BTW if you look on the right sidebar at the very top I always post anything new that comes up.  I update it frequently so have a look there regularly to see what's new.

Also been etsy hopping a lot and wanted to share a lot of my favorites these days ... check these guys out - unbelievable.

 

Have a good weekend all. Cathy

More doodling/sketching

Keeping occupied in the evening with colors and black and white:

Black and white abstract:

and more faces!

 

Happy, creative Thursday

 

Cathy

My latest obsessions (2)

I have 2 new obsessions - well not both are new, the first has always been an obsession:

 

Blank Journals

I know, I know it's crazy but I LOVE my journals!

And then I have been filling them with my next new obsession - drawing faces!  I am taking a class with Tamara Laporte which spurned these images.  Not quite there yet but it's coming:

Have a great creative day all!

 

Cathy

On Motivation

Have a good Monday All!

PS,  I took one of my drawings and used the lasso tool in photoshop to erase the center.

Cathy

New items in the shop

New items in the shop - check it out:

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Cathy

Valentine's preparation

Seems to me we just finished one big holiday (Christmas) and now we are all preparing for the next one - Valentine's day.  Ahh but this is a softer, gentler holiday to tell people we love, that we love them.  I promise to cover that this year.

Over at Shimmerz Stacey has a great promo on some beautiful new colors - just for valentine's day - check out these beautiful reds:

 

Go check it out over here

On a similar note I am preparing some new things for the shop re valentine's day - here's a sneak peak:

 

Have a good good creative day

 

Cathy

 

Sneak Peak to February 7

Hi all, I have been busy busy finishing off the details of my new online class coming out in February.

I created a new sneak peak video so you can see what's in store for you.  This will again be over at Creative Workshops and you can actually register now.  You can go over there and get more details too.

Here's the video - it's a little over 90 seconds.

 

Good wednesday

 

Cathy

Sketchbook Challenge

More stuff from my sketchbook as part of the Sketchbook Challenge:

 

My Copics are the best!

Leaf me alone  (LOL LOL)

 

ooops look again, not the same as the first one.

 

HaVe A GrEaT TuEsDaY

 

Cathy

Painting flowers with Shimmerz?

Happy Monday all. Today I am over at Shimmerz again and I am going to show you how I create flowers like those below using Shimmerz sprays - yes sprays.  

I made a  videothat shows you step by step how I did this.  Check it out over here

Also check out all the new colors that are out on the Shimmerz website.  They are special just for Valentine's day so please go and take a look.

Have a great, creative day

 

Cathy

Friday Flickr Favs

  

This year I started participating again in the Sketchbook Challenge.  It's a great way to keep yourself improving on your sketching and as you all know - I have lots of sketches so it's been fun participating.

 

So here below for my Friday Flickr Fav are some of my colleagues on the Sketchbook challenge flickr site:
Have a great weekend all

 

cathy

Easy-Peasy Journal Pages

Hi everyone, I am over at Shimmerz today to show you an Easy-Peasy Journal Page using Shimmerz.

You can check it out below or over here directly at the shimmerz site

Happy creative day to everyone Cathy

Being Honest

So I will be taking this month and part of next month off my regular day job to help organize my mother for her radiation treatments and also as per my doctor - to get a little rest. 

I have a tendency to set crazy unattainable goals for myself (vist mom hospital daily, spend more time with my son, do my artwork, go out with my husband, call friends, work 50 hours a week day job) and then I crash feeling so dissappointed that I wasn't able to complete everything.  Ugh - it seems to be a pattern with me and you would think by this point in my life that I would know this by now - but no - I have to crash to realize I have done it again.

So I have decided to just "breathe".  To go back to just doing the things I love and stop trying so hard to make everything happen.  I read somewhere recently that sometimes when you can't seem to get an answser to all your questions it's because you are not ready for the answer yet - that seems relevant to me at this time.

I'm going to sit back and just let things happen a little,,, enjoy things, take time, and most importantly - live in the NOW.  So easy to say and so hard to do - but I am going to try.

My word by the way for 2012 which I don't think I mentioned is CLARITY.  Just clarity - clarity to know clearly and precisely the path I should be following.

So somehow, as with all art, I have been furiously drawing these and I think I know why,

I see these girls as my "fairies",

 

My fairies that I believe are watching over me  ; )

My magical fairies - I love them!

 

Have a good Tuesday all

Cathy

 

Sources of inspiration

I didn't have much time for creativity this weekend somehow. Did some reading, took my son to hockey, wash, clean, organize - you know how it goes.

I did have time for a quick little sketch though.

I had purchased this card last week:

and that inspired this:

Cute huh?  Done with pitt markers and copics

So many sources of inspiration ... so many things to draw, paint, write about ...sigh ...

The Winner is ...

 

THE WINNER OF MY NOTEBOOK AGENDA/PLANNER FOR 2012 IS .....

NADINE JOHNSON

 

Congrats Nadine - so happy for you - send me your address via email at cathy.bluteau@videotron.ca

 

 

Cathy

 

Winner + Quick Sketch Video

Hi all, I will announce the winner of the agenda later today to allow for time change differences so stay tuned later today (Friday) for the winner.

In the meantime enjoy another Quick Sketch Video - this time drawing flora!!!

 

 

Enjoy - speak with you later today!!!

 

Cathy

2012 Giveaway - Agenda/Planner

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay  let's do a giveaway for 2012.

Hope you all had a great New Year holiday with lots to celebrate and look forward to in 2012.

To help you get the year started right I am going to do a giveaway of "My Little Notebook".  My Little Notebook is a little agenda/planner that you can use to get you started off to positive things in the New Year

Take time for you and yourself!

Have a little fun ...

All you have to do to participate in the giveaway is leave a comment... that's it - any comment you like.

I will draw the winner on Friday the 6th of Jan 2012 so comment away.

 

PS.  You can see more of the inside pages of the agenda by clicking on the blurb button in my right hand sidebar under what's new!!!

Cathy

 

2012 Sale Continues

Love receiving all of your New Years resolutions/goals/intentions - its great!

 

Just a reminder I want to clear out the shop to start stocking some brand new items so to the end of this week my sale is still running: 

20% OFF ALL ITEMS IN THE SHOP

Start today until January 4th!

 

enter coupon code NEWYEAR at checkout

  

Cathy

 

New Year Intentions

 

Looking towards 2012 and as always very hopeful and really looking forward to a New Year.  I don't have resolutions just "intentions"/goals. 

I will show you mine, if you show me yours - what are your 2012 intentions:

 

• Dance More
• Fear Less
• Attend a 2012 art retreat
• Draw More/Paint More/Create More
• Learn More
• Forge Ahead
• Leave the rest behind

 

 

 

Let me know what you have planned for 2012!  Leave a comment! 

Cathy