Tag: gifts

Travel Pics – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

~ Julie ~ 4 Comments
Los Arcos Cabo San Lucas MEXICO

Hola!

While this is generally an art blog, those of you who have followed me for a while know that I also occasionally like to share my travel photos with you guys!

Travel and photography are actually closely related to my art practice because I often use the photos to create new designs either directly or indirectly, and travel in general tends to inspire me creatively.

Below is an example of a product I created using a photo from this latest trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!

And yes, I did go to Cabo last year as well but we stayed in San Jose del Cabo, and this time we stayed much closer to actual Cabo San Lucas at the Hotel Riu Palace. (Unfortunately, my boyfriend and I both suffered from food poisoning on this trip, from the hotel buffet, so while the hotel itself is beautiful I can’t recommend it based on that experience.)  

Cabo is a fairly short and direct flight from Vancouver, and generally cheaper for me compared to other beach locations, so it’s kind of a no-brainer.  I will definitely be back to Cabo but will find somewhere else to stay next time.

Here are a few highlights from the trip:

riu palace cabo san lucas
The view from our hotel room.
cabo san lucas arch at sunset
The beach and view of the Arch and Land’s End at sunset.
sunset over the riu santa fe
Sunset over the Riu Santa Fe (the sister hotel, behind the Riu Palace)
riding horses on the beach cabo
Riding horses on the beach.
cabo wabo cantina cabo san lucas
The famous Cabo Wabo Cantina.

We went out bar hopping one night and hit up Cabo Wabo, El Squid Roe, and La Vaquita (a cow themed night club!).  It was super fun, I definitely recommend it if you’re there.  It is very easy to just walk between the different bars/clubs and quite an experience.

towel animals riu palace hotel cabo
My collection of towel animals left by hotel staff.
Lands end at dusk with horses on the beach

Lands end at dusk with horses on the beach, and the lights of Cabo San Lucas on the right

I hope you guys have enjoyed seeing these photos from my latest adventure! Let me know what you think about them and the products I made by leaving a comment below!

See more of my photography here.

Also, if you would like to know anything about Cabo San Lucas, or the hotel I stayed at or whatever, feel free to ask me and I’ll do my best to help!

Cheers,
 
Julie

Tangled Yin Yang Design

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tangled zentangle yin yang ying design drawing illustration

Hi guys! I’m back with a new design! This one is called “Tangled Yin Yang” and it’s a zentangle inspired drawing of a yin yang in black and white.

Here is my Tangled Yin Yang design on some items in my Society6 and RedBubble stores!

tangled zentangle yin yang throw pillow home decor
zentangle ying yang doodle art sticker redbubble
tangled zentangle yin yang hoody hoodie
top shirt gifts ying yang zendoodle art design redbubble

Let me know what you think of this design by leaving a comment below!

There are a lot more products featuring this design in my Society6 and Redbubble stores so check them all out on there or shop all of my designs.

I hope to have some new/different kinds of blog posts coming up for you all very soon so make sure you follow my blog so you don’t miss a post!

See you all soon.

Cheers,

Julie

Ojo De Dios (aka God’s Eye) DIY Yarn Mandala Craft

~ Julie ~ 2 Comments
ojo de dios gods eye diy yarn mandalas

I got a little bit crafty this weekend and made these super fun and pretty Ojos De Dios (aka God’s Eyes), which are basically 3D yarn mandala weavings!

They are really easy, making them a great DIY project which can even involve your kids!  Making them can be a nice relaxing activity to do while watching TV, sitting on your patio, enjoying a hot cup of tea, etc.  You get the picture 🙂

All you need to make these lovely God’s Eye decorations are the following supplies:

  • 2 – 4 Sticks of any length (I used kabob skewers from the dollar store, and cut off the pointy ends)
  • Ruler
  • Pen
  • Glue Gun
  • Various colours of yarn (scraps can be used)
  • Scissors

Simply measure your sticks with a ruler and mark them in the centre, then use your glue gun to glue the 2 sticks together in a cross shape.  Let the glue dry completely before starting your weaving.

The easiest style of Ojo is a 4 sided, diamond shape design using only the 2 sticks, like this one:

pink god's eye mandala diamond square shape

Here is a simple step-by-step tutorial for the diamond style God’s Eye.
For a more complicated design, use 2 sets of sticks, creating an octagonal shape. Don’t glue the 2 sets together, as you will attach them together using yarn.

Here is a detailed step by step tutorial for making an 8 sided God’s Eye yarn mandala.

These 8 sided yarn mandalas are still pretty easy to make, and once you get the hang of them you can easily create your own patterns!
I love how this one turned out.

yarn mandala diy craft project kids
close up ojo de dios diy yarn mandala craft

These things are really versatile.  You can make them from something as small as toothpicks, or even sticks you find outside and you can make them as big or as small as you want!

You can use them to decorate your walls, give as gifts, use as Christmas tree ornaments and more!  

Feel free to post other ways you can think of to use these in the comments section below!

Make sure you follow my blog to get more creative inspiration, and see more of my art and design projects in the future.

Find more DIY projects here!

I hope you have a great week.
 
Cheers,
 
Julie
 

Pastel Moon Drawing

~ Julie ~ 5 Comments
pastel moon drawing

Hi guys! I’m back with another (sorta) new design this week.

I recently gave new life to an old drawing of the moon I did a few years back, by playing around with it a little bit in Photoshop and giving it some colour!

The original drawing was done in pencil and black conté on paper, which was then photographed for digital manipulation.

I decided to use a palette of pastel colours which I have been using with several of my latest designs. (see Pastel Mandala Pattern, Pastel Elephant Pattern, etc).

I am happy with how it turned out, and I think it looks pretty cool on some of the items in my Society6 store!

pastel moon drawing art design navy blue mens fitted tshirt

Pastel Moon Men’s Fitted T-Shirt

pastel moon art drawing space wall clock home decor

Pastel Moon Wall Clock

pastel moon drawing mug gift ideas

Pastel Moon Mug

What do you guys think of this re-done piece?  Do you think there are any problems with re-using an old drawing or art piece?  Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Check out my shop for more products with this design and much more!

Also make sure you follow my blog if you want to see more of my designs and projects in the future!

Cheers,

Julie

Easy Winter and Holiday DIY Projects

~ Julie ~ 10 Comments
christmas holiday diy wreath made of ornaments

Hey guys, I’ve been feeling crafty lately, so I’ve been creating some fun holiday DIY projects!

Above is a photograph of a Christmas Ball Ornament Wreath I created by following this easy tutorial by Gina’s Craft Corner.

All you need to make this wreath are some ball ornaments, a glue gun with glue sticks, ribbon, a wire hanger, and some pliers!

I thought it turned out looking really nice and added some much needed Holiday sparkle to my apartment door.

Next, I thought I would share some crochet crafts I have been working on recently. These could also make great last minute Christmas gifts!

I’ve only just started crocheting this year so I’ve scoured the web for simple and thorough tutorials that look complicated but are suitable for beginners.

crochet socks diy project

The first one is for these cozy winter socks, a very easy crochet craft even for beginners.  Check out the amazingly simple, step-by-step YouTube tutorial by Glama here.  (She also has a ton of other great crochet tutorials for beginners and beyond. Check them out of if you want more project ideas or are just learning to crochet).

And finally, I am in love with these scarves by Love4Nails on Youtube!  I am making about 5 of them as gifts for my friends and family this Holiday.

Check out this very easy and beautiful step-by-step crochet scarf tutorial in the video below:

I hope you’ve enjoyed checking out these winter and Holiday crafts. Maybe you will take away some inspiration to make your own!

Be sure to follow my blog if you would like to see more of my art and other projects!

Find more DIY project ideas here!

Cheers!
 
Julie

Tangled Skull with Headphones

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zentangle Skull with Headphones

Hey guys! Today I’m sharing my new zentangle inspired drawing of a skull with headphones!

It is inspired by my recent trip to Ibiza where I saw lots of t-shirts with similar designs but not tangled like this one is.I drew this design using Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Drawing Pens in my sketchbook. I then scanned the drawing into Photoshop and played around with it a bit.

I couldn’t decide if I liked it better with or without the crossbones though so I made both versions!

Headphones Skull Zentangle Art Print

If you would like to see more of my artwork please visit my website.

You can also now purchase this design on tons of items in my Zazzle store!  This top is one of my most popular items!

Enjoy and have a great day,

~Julie