Woodland River and Bridge 11×14 Watercolor
Rolling Down the River.
A rare landscape watercolor
I created of a river
in a wooded landscape
with a rusty old bridge
inspired by a photo shared with me
of the Clackamus River in Oregon.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#mckinneyx2designs #etsy
The Odessa Chronicles.
What an honor it is to see my original watercolor art on the cover of a book!
A sweet blogging friend, Carolyn Shelton, challenged me a while back to create a painting of the one of the characters she and and her writing “partner in crime” (and partner in humor and heart and spirit), Colin Chappell created in their ongoing collaborative fictional story that was being shared on Carolyn’s blog. When I painted Odessa the barn owl as a special gift to Carolyn, she loved it. So I decided to paint the other characters that lived on Moonbeam Farm as well.
As the story grew, Carolyn and Colin decided to publish their series into a book, and they asked if they could use my art for the cover and inside the book. I happily agreed, and now Carolyn’s dream has finally come to fruition!
Odessa is a barn owl with an attitude who befriended Jaxon, a magical jackalope. The two of them met Dewy, a cat who desired a life of luxury, and the three of them moved into an empty farm.
Joshua Jeremiah Jonathan Jacob Jackson Pebblestone bought his dream farm. His life was going to be spent immersed in the peace and quiet of rural life… until he discovered three lodgers had already moved in!
The Odessa Chronicles is a 290-page collection of adventure stories about the friendship and antics of Odessa, Jaxon, Dewey, and the Man Servant at Moonbean Farm that is fun for children of all ages.
Thank you Carolyn and Colin for allowing me to be a small part of this adventure!
If you would like to purchase a copy of The Odessa Chronicles, you can purchase it here.
I have also written and illustrated a small book of silly rhymes and tales you may be interested in called Klaus the Mouse and other Silly Animal Tales. It is available on Amazon here.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Navy and Peach.
They complement each other so well.
One soft and subtle…
One strong and bold.
It was fun to use just three primary colors – indigo, red, and yellow ochre to create this loose abstract flower painting.
I swirled and splashed and dabbed and splattered.
And then I scribbled with a micron pen to create some fun shapes.
So good to find time “in between” to let loose with my watercolors!
So fun to “create” make-believe flowers.
So glad to cherish the moments
at TheCreativeLifeInBetween!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Bringing Home the Christmas Tree in My Little Red Wagon – 11×14 Watercolor
Christmas in July.
Today is July 31, 2018, and it is the last day of #WorldWatercolorMonth 2018.
And even though I’m wearing shorts and the air conditioning is on, I’m starting to think about Christmas.
Just a teensy bit.
Christmas is such a fun time to create art.
I chose to use my little girl character created for this painting (inspired by my first granddaughter) to feature in this first Christmas watercolor for 2018.
My oldest daughter-in-law and I are starting to think about what we are going to create for fall and the holidays for our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop and Berry Vine Gifts and the big Mars Fall Craft Show this year.
I’m looking forward to seeing what we come up with and sharing it here.
I’m looking forward to another Christmas, but with TWO granddaughters in our family this year!!
I’m looking forward to finding time for art.
I’m grateful to Charlie O at Doodlewash for hosting #WorldWaterColorMonth again this year and for honoring me wth the privilege of being a World Watercolor Month Artist Ambassador. (Today is your last chance to purchase the souvenier pouch that supports the Dreaming Zebra Foundation in giving art supplies to underprivileged children throughout the world!)
I’m grateful for your visit here today.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Early Morning- Mars, PA – July, 2018
Each New Day.
(Early Morning Observations)
Each new day
is another opportunity to
continue building,
add another layer,
strengthen the foundation,
claim your space.
Each new day
is a gift to
live and grow
and simply be
the uniquely wonderful you
you were meant to be.
Shine in the light
of each new day.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Starting a New Day in Mars, PA – June 29, 2018
Another Day.
Another sunrise.
Another beginning.
Another chance to smile
and make someone else smile.
Another chance to give
and also to receive.
Another chance to win,
but also learn to lose.
Another chance to change
something you didn’t do well yesterday.
Another chance to speak kindness
to someone who is lost.
Another chance to do something for the first time,
or maybe for the last.
Another chance to see and smell
and listen and taste and touch.
Another chance to hug
and say, “I love you.”
Another day.
Another chance to embrace the beauty of this life.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
PS – It is July 1st, which means World Watercolor Month begins today! I haven’t had a chance this past week to do any watercolor painting, but sure plan to do some this month (and hopefully today!) to share. Don’t forget you can support #WorldWatercolorMonth and The Dreaming Zebra Foundation by purchasing one of these Limited Edition WWM Souvenier Zippered Pouches with My “Terry’s” Yellow Canary Watercolor Design on it. 100% of proceeds on this product goes to The Dreaming Zebra Foundation! These flat pouches vary from small to large and can be used for pretty much anything. I’d like to give one of these away to one of my faithful followers and friends here at The Creative Life in Between. If you’ve read this far and would like entered in the random drawing, which I’ll announce the winner of next Sunday, just add a comment saying “Enter Me in the Drawing!” If you’d like to purchase one, simply click on the photo below.
Playing and Creating.
Some leftover paint
mixed up for a pouring project
that I played with on paper
with a goal of creating a wave…
Turned out to look
nothing like a wave,
but so many other things
magically appeared.
I see a bird
and a dolphin
or a crocodile
and a fish.
I feel movement
and life
and freedom
and joy.
Art
imitating
life
While enjoying
the special time
at life in between.
Relaxing
while playing
made something
I would never sell or hang on a wall,
but I created
and learned
how things react
and mix and mingle.
Art – like life –
isn’t always about
the destination –
but about the journey.
Play and create today.
Do something that brings you joy
in that “in between” time you get to call your own,
and enjoy the journey.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Original Watercolors, Acrylic Abstracts, and Handmade Rustic Decor available at McKinneyX2Designs. Klaus the Mouse available on Amazon here.
Breaking Free in Blues Abstract 11×14 Arches 140lb Cold Press
Breaking Free.
Three months ago,
when I lost a job I loved
that I thought would be my last,
I was devastated.
I was broken free.
Two months ago,
I started a new job that I now love
and hope will be my last,
and I am so energized.
It is like breaking free.
Over the past few months,
I’ve started exploring new art mediums –
in my “life in between”
from watercolor to acrylic to mixed media.
I am breaking free.
This painting,
done over two days this past week
combining these old and new mediums
feels like I am expressing
the elation of breaking free.
And I love it….
The painting….
The joy…
The freedom…
Yes – I’m breaking free!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This original painting – as well as high quality prints and card sets – is available at our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY Shop!
AND PS I’m so excited to let you know the Yellow Canary McKinneyX2Designs World Watercolor Month Limited Edition Pouch is NOW AVAILABLE!!! Here is the link to order yours! Hope you will help support Dreaming Zebra – a nonprofit encouraging children to embrace their individuality to express themselves creatively and follow their artistic dreams. 100% of the proceeds for the sale of this Limited Edition Pouch will help provide art and music supplies to underprivileged children throughout the world.
World Watercolor Month 2018 – I’m an Artist Ambassador!
My amazing buddy, Charlie O’Shields at Doodlewash is at it again! He is hosting the annual World Watercolor Month celebration in July, which he created three years ago to inspire people to paint with watercolor while raising awareness for the importance of art and creativity in the world.
Art has brought me so much joy since I discovered watercolor about three years ago that I want to be a part of sharing it, so Charlie honored me with the privilege of being a World Watercolor Month Art Ambassador.
For the month of July, I will be donating $1 from every watercolor sale (originals, prints, greeting cards) from our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY shop to Dreaming Zebra which helps support children in need around the world by providing art supplies and art education.
Research has shown that art education has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the learning field across socioeconomic boundaries. Unfortunately, arts education programs are too often the first to be cut when cuts are made, so more and more children each year are missing out on the important benefits of art classes.
The Dreaming Zebra Foundation is unique in that they provide an art recycling program that is free to the public. Reusable art & music supplies that would otherwise be discarded, along with new or unsold materials, are donated by individuals and businesses and matched to recipients who have requested those materials for arts education purposes in communities around the world.
And Charlie chose my Yellow Canary, which I created in honor and memory of a special blogging friend, Terry, as the MX2 watercolor to be put on this year’s limited edition Artist Ambassador zippered pouch souvenier merchandise for World Watercolor Month 2018. 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of these zippered pouches will go to the Dreaming Zebra Foundation!
To learn more about World Watercolor Month, click here.
I’ll be sharing more in July, which is only 17 days away – can you believe it?! Hope you will join us in the fun!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
#WorldWatercolorMonth
Blue Pineapple Watercolor 11X14
A Blue Pineapple for a Baby Girl Nursery.
I had a commissioned request to do a turquoisey-blue pineapple to go with a pink flamingo for a baby girl’s nursery.
Pink Flamingo Watercolor 11×14
Sweet new mommy-to-be, Sarah, reached out to me through our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop and asked if I could do my pineapple in blues and paint her an original pink flamingo – with a couple dabs of gold in each if possible.
I have been having so much fun pouring acrylic abstracts lately, it was a mind-shift to gently and neatly “splash” in watercolor, but it came back like riding a bike, and I truly enjoyed creating these original pieces in 11×14 for a sweet baby girl’s nursery.
I love the fun, creative ways new parents are decorating nurseries now, and this nursery is sure to be adorable.
Wishing you a day that is colored with turquoisey-blue pineapples, bright pink flamingoes, and dabs of gold!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 