etsy

World Watercolor Month 2019 – I’m an Artist Ambassador Again!

/ Jodi / 54 Comments

World Watercolor Month 2019 – I’m an Artist Ambassador Again!

My amazingly-talented, awe-inspiring, huge-hearted buddy, Charlie O’Shields at Doodlewash is once again hosting the annual World Watercolor Month celebration in July, which he created four years ago to inspire people to paint with watercolor while raising awareness for the importance of art and creativity in the world.

I wish I could express how much joy art has brought to my life since I discovered watercolor painting about four years ago – around the same time as Charlie – when we became blogging friends.   Charlie has taken it to a whole new level with his energy and creativity, while I hobby along, yet he has once again honored me this year with the privilege of being a World Watercolor Month Art Ambassador along with some “real” artists I totally admire!

For the month of July and in honor of World Watercolor Month, 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.

This year, Charlie chose my Bumble Bee watercolor, which I love because it also expresses an important environmental message, as the MX2D watercolor to be put on this year’s limited edition Artist Ambassador zippered pouch souvenier merchandise for World Watercolor Month 2019.  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 11 days away!  How is that possible?!  Hope you will join us in the fun – through sharing your art or supporting art through your purchases.

I would also like to give away a couple of these pouches as a way of thanking all of you sweet supporters of The Creative Life in Between and McKinneyX2Designs.  To be entered in the random drawing, simply comment with “I want it!”  I will choose two winners July 1st!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

#WorldWatercolorMonth

Lemon Love

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

Lemon Love.

When life gives you lemons,
paint them!

I don’t know why lemons get such a bad wrap.
(you know – the old, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”)

I guess because they are sour,
but there is so much to LOVE about them!

This year, they are all the rage in summer decor.
I even bought a few faux lemon trees to decorate with.

And then there are ALL the wonderful
things you can bake and make with them!

Give me Lemon Crinkle Cookies
or Fresh Strawberry Lemon Poppy Seed Cake.

Give me Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake
or Lemon Lavender Loaf.

I’ll take Lemon Butter Scallops
or Pan Seared Lemon and Garlic Mahi Mahi.

Give me Lemon Butter Chicken
or Lemon Garlic Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin.

I’ll take it with a crisp, lemony Chardonnay
or Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy!

But for today,
I’ll just paint lemons!

Bright, summery,
happy, sunshiny lemons!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS.  Don’t they look fun on these pillows?

And these bar stools?

And make cute cards?  🙂

(click on the photos for information on how to purchase any of these and many other fun, lemony items in our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY and Society6 shop!)

Anticipation

/ Jodi / 40 Comments

“Anticipation” Cliffs of Moher, Ireland Watercolor Painting by Jodi McKinney 11×14

Anticipation.

As we walked the path
and climbed the hill

anticipating what might await us
from the top,

nothing could have prepared us
for the beauty.

I lagged behind a bit
letting hubby get a head start

anticipating the joy
I knew would show on his face.

I snapped a photo,


but wanted to paint the “feeling.”

I struggle with painting landscapes
so I was excited to happen upon a YouTube video by Angela Fehr

introducing an online course called,
“Heart-Led” Landscapes.

It was exactly what I was looking for,
and I love the freedom it has given me to try a new approach.

This was my first attempt at a
“Heart-Led” Landscape.

It is not meant to be an exact duplicate
of the photo.

It is meant to reveal my heart and emotions
when I look at the photo.

Not knowing where my heart would lead,
this painting speaks “Anticipation” to me.

Can’t wait to do more!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Three Feathers

/ Jodi / 39 Comments

Three Feathers Watercolor – 11×14

Three Feathers.

Three feathers
painted at the end

of a beautiful
three-day weekend

celebrating life and love
and liberty,

celebrating family and friends
and freedom,

celebrating nature and nourishment
and nationhood,

celebrating appreciation and admiration
and art.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Painting a Path – Preserving a Memory

/ Jodi / 32 Comments

Cliffs of Moher Pathway, Ireland in Watercolor – 11×14

Painting a Path – Preserving a Memory.

On our recent trip to Ireland, I took over 1,000 photos!

I narrowed that thousand down to about 100 that I chose to preserve in a photo book for hubby as a final gift for his birthday and memory book of our amazing trip.

One of my favorite photos is of this stone-lined path along the Cliffs of Moher.

I decided to try and paint it in watercolor – though I’m not a great landscape artist.

Hubby knew right away what and where it was, which made me smile.

I prefer to paint loose, rather than realistically, but sometimes that is even more of a challenge.

Maybe you see another spot or special place near a beach when you look at this painting?

No matter what you see, my hope is that it evokes joy and a sense of peace and happiness.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Book-Signing Event

/ Jodi / 43 Comments

Jodi McKinney, Author & Artist, McKinneyX2Designs, Berry Vine Gifts

A Book-Signing Event.

There once was a little girl
who dreamt of being a mom.

Her dreams came true
with two sweet little boys

who she loved so dearly,
and they grew into men.

The mom was so proud and happy,
but missed being needed as a mom.

She learned other things
in her life in between

like blogging and writing
and painting with watercolor.

Then the mom was blessed again
with an even greater gift.

The mom became a grandma
to two beautiful little girls

who brought so much joy and love
and inspiration to her life.

Encouraged by hubby
and friends near and far

The mom painted characters
and wrote silly rhymes.

Then she put them together
in books dedicated to her grandie girls.

The first was pure fun,
and the second devoted to her bestie grandma friends.

And now this mom has been honored
with the opportunity to share this joy

In a book-signing event
at a sweet local shop.

Please stop by if you are anywhere near the Pittsburgh area!
I would love to share this joy with you!

Author Book-Signing Event:  Jodi McKinney
Klaus the Mouse and Other Silly Animal Tales
and
Lucas the Lion and his Fun Rhyming Friends

Saturday, May 25th – 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Berry Vine Gifts
185 Bradford Road
Bradfordwoods, PA  15015

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  Lots of fun handmade, home decor, jewelry, children’s clothing and gift items available at Berry Vine Gifts!  You won’t regret a visit to this charming little shoppe!

Both books are also available at Amazon if you cannot make it, but are being offered at a special price for this event!

An Art Exhibition

/ Jodi / 103 Comments

An Art Exhibition.

I was asked to share 20 -30 pieces of my art

at a local theater,

The Iron Horse Theater.

The Iron Horse Theater Company’s mission is to provide thought-provoking and entertaining theater that will enrich the cultural life in what is now known as the “rust belt” area of southwestern Pennsylvania.   The symbolic name, “Iron Horse” represents the hard-working and “iron-willed” people in this part of the world. It is in this spirit that they create theatrical experiences that celebrate the grit, determination, and strength of the human character.

I was asked to display (and/or sell) my art during their upcoming Mother’s Day Cabaret

and their Harps and Harmonicas show during the month of June after a patron of Berry Vine Gifts saw my art.

I’m quite humbled and excited to be given this honor, and I can’t wait to see the show!

If you are anywhere near the Pittsburgh area, I hope you will consider visiting and supporting this wonderful community and theater.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Bee Happy!

/ Jodi / 48 Comments

Bee Happy!

Did you know that honey bees — wild and domestic — perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Grains are primarily pollinated by the wind, but fruits, nuts and vegetables are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90 percent of the world’s nutrition — are pollinated by bees.

According to Greenpeace USA, bees are dying from a variety of factors—pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, global warming and more. Many of these causes are interrelated. The bottom line is that we know humans are largely responsible for the two most prominent causes: pesticides and habitat loss.

So what can we do?  Greenpeace says these three things can give us a strong start:

  1. Ban the seven most dangerous pesticides.
  2. Protect pollinator health by preserving wild habitat.
  3. Restore ecological agriculture.

Just a few thoughts buzzing through my head about saving the bees as I share this recent watercolor painting.

Bee Happy and have a great day!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

April Showers Part II

/ Jodi / 41 Comments

April Showers Part II.

After painting April Showers, I wanted to expand on the idea with a mom and two daughters walking in the rain for this watercolor.

Those that know me may recognize the inspiration. ❤

The Easter bunny brought a yellow umbrella with pink flamingos on it to Grandma’s house for Grandie Girl 1, and she is such a good big sister to Grandie Girl 2.  They both (and I) adore their Mommy!

So this one is in honor of them as well as all mothers of daughters and grandmas of granddaughters.   It makes my heart smile.

Wishing you a joy-filled day!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

http://www.mx2d.com

 

Watercolor Blues

/ Jodi / 62 Comments

Blue Irises Watercolor 11×14

Watercolor Blues.

I had the watercolor “blues” this past weekend.

Not the sad blues, but the HAPPY French Ultramarine and Cerulean and Cobalt Teal blues with a punch of Crimson and Quinacridone Gold for more fun!

The flowers and trees are just bursting right now during the Spring rains and sunshine creating such inspiration.

It was so wonderful to spend a few hours painting and printing and framing and organizing supplies in my art room.   Treasured, cherished, creative time…. at life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

mx2d.com

Etsy

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