Sense of Community

I belong to a Community Facebook page for Bellingham Artists (if you are one you should be too!). It is a great place to see what others are working on, what they are inspired by and what drives them. There are good discussions, feedback and suggestions.

original sketch

Flowers in Vase 

Last week I posted a picture from my sketchbook on a random doodle that I was working on and the reaction I got was so encouraging one person wanted to see it on a Throw Pillow and well why not? These days you can easily use something like Society 6  to create art prints, home decor, phone cases and a few other random things so I coloured it in and went for it!

I used Adobe Illustrator to colour it in. Live paint is my new favorite tool and my palette is from a photo I took in the Desert of flowering cacti.

Finally what the print looks like on a pillow... I'm in love with it, and just may order one for my chair. 

You know what I love? Mid Modern century design

I started these little drawings over a year ago now (I have more to come) and they are morphing into quite the little characters.  They were another 'I don't quite know what direction they are going in, but I want to hang onto them and save them for later' category.  So here they are:

You can either get a set of two, A little mid century home and a tree or a multiple set with two colourways. I was being a little conservative with the first grouping but they went a little funky with the second one! Hope you enjoy.

How to Follow on Instagram?!

I have been working on my Instagram Persona, switching it up a bit. I have been reading several how to get more followers (I am an artist and I want to show off my art!) on Instagram type posts on various blogs, many sharing their own experience and the general concenous is:

My current profile picture.. love the bleached white against the blue background!

1. Keep business with business (but show that you are real person) Family may be interested in what I am doing but they do not want to be inundated with process, product and inspiration shots. So I am going to try the two account thing. If you follow me on my personal account I invite you to head on over to my Scrappy Carp account. I will be making my MeganHCarroll account private. 
2. Follow Inspirational people, whose style you gets you motivated! Some of my favorites people who I look to each day for inspiration are @goinghometoroost-Surface and Pattern Designer, @mathewland- local Pacific North West Photographer, whose images are stunning, @lisacongdon- visual artist and illustrator and friend @ColettePenketh- makes beautiful frilly things for brides!
3. Comment and share the Love! (see above list)
4. People want to see process and have a little sense that they know who you are- PS I love food and wine so you are probably going to see a little bit of both- but don't worry I won't share every meal!
5. Beautiful Images, people who use Instagram are visual people. Give them what they want. 

I hope to see how this advice helps as I start my new account! And please share tips of your own! 

A new leaf.....

I am turning over a new leaf... well actually it is an old leaf, in the form of lots and lots of doodles, drawings, inspiration, memes ect and so on... if you are an artist or a creative OF ANY KIND you know what I am talking about... it is this the reams and reams of paper you collect with little tiny ideas or big ones. It is the work in progress- The eureka moment!!! Sometimes that moment loses momentum and well you're left with a random scraps, a half thought- something that you will save for later.

In love with this motif, I have revisited it a lot of times for borders.

Well later has come and and I have decided to get off my butt and  and do something with all those little ideas- and maybe just maybe you can do something with them too. Each time I discover one of these half form ideas I am re inspired and taken back to the original thought- I love discoveries, even if they are rediscoveries!

So bright!

Introducing Clip Art... Maybe it is just the thing you needed for your scrapbooking project or you just want to make a little inspirational card for someone and you just need the right the illustration to embellish your thought.... whatever have you I thought I would share some of my best little drawings with you. I want to let them out into the world to live and breathe as their own thing.  So please follow along as I add more and illustrations to my Shop on Etsy!!!

Remember these are for personal use, if you want more information, colours, designs etc I am happy to help or even if you want to add them to a pattern or use them for commercial use contact me.