Strawberry Birthday

We had a birthday girl here yesterday!

Usually I let them choose what kind of cake they want and how they want it to look.  I've done various animals, the solar system, construction scenes, Redwall Abbey, a coral reef, and I don't even remember what else.  But Eleanor just wanted strawberry cake, strawberry frosting, strawberry ice cream.  In a a circle.  With a number 4, because she's so proud of being 4.  My mom had the idea to let her decorate it herself, so we got some poor, early, storebought berries and I picked wild strawberry leaves and blossoms (all quite edible) and let her have at it.  She needed help with the number 4, but otherwise she did it herself and loved it.

My creative endeavors have been few and far between.  Garden planting has been the focus, and just generally enjoying being outside as much as possible.  On the rainy days we read (currently reading aloud Swallowdale by Arthur Ransom) because that is more fun than trying to finish handwriting books and a writing assignment...  Alas... those things do need to happen, though, so we can call our school year finished.

I'm still determined to work on those loose watercolor flowers.

And I've been jumping in on a couple of Instagram lettering challenges when I have the chance.  One of them is Learn a  Word Everyday, and I love learning new words.  The above background is a gelli print that I doodled and stamped on a little.

Watercolor + zentangle + lettering!

I am mostly working in my mixed media journal book, because that paper can take just about anything and I can use watercolor with lettering, etc.  But I am finding that the paper is hard on my brush marker tips... some are starting to fray and I haven't had them very long.  You can see the effects in the edges of the lettering above.

I have a page in my journal where I have stamped off extra ink when I use a stamp elsewhere.  I lettered on top of some of that, but the placement was not ideal.

And spring continues in it's glory.  The lily-of-the-valley smells divine!