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This is probably the longest I've gone without blogging. The final month of 2015 and this first month of 2016 have been spent taking a (much-needed) break and reassessing everything in my life after the numerous changes and challenges of last year. I've had to make decisions on what to prioritise and what to cut out completely, and have been surprised by the choices I made.

So I'm starting this year out full of Hope, and I'm passing that along to all of you. I've decided to carry on with the free printables to subscribers of the Floating Lemons monthly newsletter although it almost didn't make the cut. But despite my extremely full schedule now that I'm back in college, I do find pleasure in producing a text-based illustration every month, and anything that makes me feel good is staying for the coming year! This year I'm going for just one word, every month, that will express some form of inspiration or just good energy, and I think that "hope" is the perfect way to begin, even if it is a wee bit late ...

Here's a step-by-step progress of the illustration, from trying to figure out which text design I should use:

I was helped immensely by friends on my facebook and instagram pages who voted almost overwhelmingly for number 6, thank you! I then scanned it in, cleaned it up and printed it out very faintly so that I could roughly draw the flowers intertwined through it, and experiment with colours:

Once I decided on what I liked, I scanned the whole thing in again, made small changes in photoshop, reversed it and printed it out so that I could draw the outlines out in pencil and then transfer them onto a sheet of watercolour paper, then start colouring it in with watercolour pencils:

I then added water, painted over the pencils, worked in extra layers, and kept going:

Here's the final illustration before I scanned it in and cleaned it up in photoshop:

It took me a lot longer than expected but it was a pleasure getting 'into' a piece of art again, and a wonderful beginning to a creative year full of hope. I'm expecting more changes and challenges this year and look forward to tackling them all. Cheers.

PS: To get the Hope design as a free printable please do sign up for the Floating Lemons monthly newsletter and you'll get a text illustration available for you to download and print out at home every month. To subscribe just click HERE. Thank you!

Here's a fun illustration I did to go with one of my favourite quotes: "A Journey of 1000 miles begins with one step", attributed to Confucious.

I'm offering it as the first free printable for 2015, to the subscribers of the Floating Lemons monthly newsletter. Last year I managed, by some minor miracle, to create an illustrated affirmation a month for those who signed up - despite the huge changes going on in my life. I was determined to keep my promise and I did it. Yay me.

This year, however, I'm going to be a bit more sensible as I know I'll be moving house again, and I will have assignments to complete for college ... so I'll illustrate favourite quotes whenever I can, and offer those as free printables, as well as intersperse that with a few giveaways throughout the year for all you wonderful friends who have signed up. A bit less stress and pressure until I find someplace to settle down in, eventually.

If you'd like to join in and receive a surprise gift or illustrated quote once a month, please do sign up, HERE.

Hope you're having a wonderful start to 2015. Wishing you infinite possibilities for the year ahead. Cheers.

This one is for my mother. Please keep in mind the fact that I'm a beginner and still experimenting, and excuse all the mistakes that you more proficient watercolourists (is there such a word?) will probably be pointing out, as I'm playing without training or rules (Tons of fun!). Still my mother likes it and that's what counts, right?

Here's a few progress shots:

I used watercolour pencils at the end just to clean up and add some detail. Now, off to think of something else to paint ...

Have a wonderful day. Cheers.

Still not quite finished, due to lack of time. Had some wonderful visitors over the week and between that and work deadlines, have managed to progress at the speed of a snail. Should have it done by next week, fingers crossed.

The one on the left is almost all coloured in, and as I'm planning to keep the one on the right somewhat lighter, it shouldn't take too much longer before I can post the final drawing. Am only glad that the real artichokes who modeled for me were eaten with much enjoyment long before this. Cheers.

A quick watercolour pencil sketch. It's not easy knowing when to stop, especially as I'm used to the more detailed and layered coloured pencil work! The result isn't exactly as I'd envisioned it, but I'll keep playing. Is there a fine line between stubborness and determination? Cheers!