Blank Page

I love looking at a blank page—knowing its potential and the fresh start that it provides every time I pull out a new sheet. I am known for having a piles of "used" paper cluttering my desktop. I tend to keep paper around until I have used both sides of the paper to its fullest potential.

Whether it is a sketch, painting, doodle, or just a lengthy list; the process of filling a blank page is cathartic and stimulates my brain. I can more quickly see a solution and new ideas in the few minutes it takes me to fill a page, and that is refreshing.

So FILL a page today.

Spray Paint is Magic

The trans-formative power of spray paint can turn rusted stair railings to primed and flat black in seconds, and can take any dime-store trinket from lame to stylish. I have relied on spray for years to help change up accessories with my favorite colors. I want to get more involved changing items around my house that currently were just gifts taking up space to unique home accessories (or maybe hitting up flea markets with friends to find a best buy).  Spray paint is easy to buy at craft stores, which often have 40% off coupons. So spray paint is a cheap and quick way to re-purpose old materials.

For beautifully painted pieces keep this in mind:

1. Always spray outside or in a spray booth
2. Make sure it the object is clean, and free of grease and dirt (otherwise paint won't stick well)
3. Spray in smooth, even movements (back and both).
4. Let it dry between coats or it will drip.

Cake Pops

A couple weeks ago I finally jumped on the cake pop bandwagon. My husband dislikes most sweets, particularly my favorite cake/cupcakes. I keep trying to make the cake pieces smaller and smaller. I began with a typical round 8/9 inch, but I would be lucky if a single slice got eaten. I then moved to cupcakes (my favorite). They would be eaten, just not quickly enough. I try to make small batches, but even when I half a recipe it was always have more than we can enjoy. Cake pops were the perfect solution.

Tablespoon bits of cake covered in white chocolate. I can still decorate them in crazy ways, and they come in any flavor I desire. My first pops weren't quite so lovely, but I have great goals with these examples to aspire to:

Too bad sprinkles are so expensive, but now I have some recipes to make my own sprinkles.

• Kitchen Daily
• The Kitchn
• Brave Tart

Linoleum Illustration

For this month's illustration I went the analog route. I freehand cut a linoleum block and made a simple nesting doll stamp, that I have put on a few cards. If you would like one (email me your address, and I will send one to you!) I love way the lines become thick textured lines from the way the knife pulls at the linoleum (if you are having trouble carving you can always use a hair dryer or iron it heat it up, then it carves like butter!)