watercolour – Play. Create. Discover…

art, Blog, inspiration, Monster Monday, play

Rolly Manatello: Rolling in Your Bliss

June 2, 2021 Kristy Fae

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I adore stuffed animals. I always have and I always will. I remember, when I was a kid, kissing each of the stuffies lined up in my bed before going to sleep. How could l leave even one of my cuddly buds out when I loved them THAT MUCH?! Even now in my thirties, I have to remind myself with a giggle that my stuffed friends that have received less attention than others recently, aren’t actually feeling bad about it.

Or are they? My mind knows they are not living creatures, but my heart? Welll…that’s a different story. So why fight it? Why deny our hearts the pleasure of adoring something THAT MUCH? So that’s what me and my newest addition, a Manatee by Jellycat (one of my fave plushie makers), lovingly named Rolly Manatello, have been up to lately: rolling around in blissful cuddles, savouring the soft and the squishy, visiting dreamland, and even painting pictures together— or at least side by side.

Manatee Plushie by Jellycat, Photo by Kristy Biscuit

Here’s a painting that came about in one of our rolling sessions. I decided to try out my new digital Procreate Watercolour brushes (from http://www.designcuts.com) in a quick ‘n’ dirty splash-digital-paint-around-a-digital-canvas sort of way. As is often the case when I sit down to do a fast, messy illustration, without an end-goal in mind, I love the outcome. And so does Rolly! We admire the movement, the imperfection, the tangibility of the work: the playfulness.

So if you’re needing a spirit animal as inspiration this week, why not bring to mind Rolly Manatello and get out there and roll around in your bliss!? Savour. Admire. Create. Play. Just like the laissez-faire demeanour so often attributed to the gentle giant of a sea-cow, the manatee: don’t think too much, just go along your merry way, stumble upon inspiration, dabble in it, follow your joy…and notice how your heart feels about it. Then come back and comment if you’d like to share your experience…

Happy Rolling!

Thanks for visiting Art of Nonsense! Also find me @artofnonsense on Facebook and Instagram or visit the Art of Nonsense Shop for more creature fun and inspiration.

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Pssst- what I write in this blog is a reflection of my own ideas and experiences and/or interpretations of any referenced material. The content of this blog is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. I am not an expert or therapist and cannot be held liable for any content provided or how it is used. Please enjoy at your own discretion. I reserve the right to change the content or management of this blog at any time. That said, I hope you enjoy it! © 2021 Kristina Durst aka Kristy Biscuit All Rights Reserved.

Blog, inspiration, Monster Monday, Monsters, play, Self-Love, Writing

The Dragon and the Fly: Sitting on the Water

May 24, 2021 Kristy Fae

Hi monster fans! Just dropping in with a little reminder and a touch of inspiration this Monster Monster. For those of you who have been trying to do too much, yet feeling more worn out and “less than” the more you do…this post may be for you!

If you’re anything like me, you have plenty of creative ideas as well as a never-ending list of to-do’s on multiple lists. If so, let’s just take a pause. Breathe. Seriously, just take a few deep ones as though you’re gathering up your fiery breath to roar it out at a gigantic marshmallow OR it could be a gentle subtle breath, like the breath of a fly, peaceful and easy. Do it in whatever way feels good to you right now and most importantly: enjoy it, savour it, like a delectable treat. Because it is one.

As far back as I can remember, I’ve adored dragonflies. With their enlarged, inquisitive, reflective eyes, thin bodies, and delicate wings, they truly strike me as something from out of this world. When I was young, I would take the dinghy out into the bay on the lake and rescue the dragonflies that had swooped too low for a fresh fly and gotten their winged waterlogged. I would retrieve them from the top of the lake’s surface, set them on the side of the dinghy, and watch as they would flutter their wings in the sunlight until they were dry enough to transport their bodies back into flight once more. Me, sitting in blow-up raft in the middle of the lake surrounded by bugs: and I couldn’t have been happier.

What magic comes to us when we are willing to pay attention to the small things around us? To sit still and hear our heart’s longing? To act on those gentle, shimmering impulses… like a dragonfly’s wing…?

So that’s where I’ve been and why I haven’t been keeping up with this blog lately. I haven’t been on the lake with the dragonflies, but out in the sun, at my drawing desk and craft table, with the little inspirations that come, trying to enjoy each minute of it all. And I don’t pretend that it’s easy to do less, slow down, and pay attention… but I guarantee, it is worth the effort to try.

“The Dragon and the Fly” by Kristy Biscuit

Thanks for reading! Also find me @artofnonsense on Facebook and Instagram or visit the Art of Nonsense Shop for more monsterly inspiration!

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art, Blog, Monster Monday, Poetry

Dandylions: The Magic of Nature

April 27, 2020April 27, 2020 Kristy Fae

When you sit still with Nature, She starts to talk to you,

She comes alive in ways you never knew,

She asks you to see things like you never have before,

It’s magical what happens when you step outside your door…

For those of us lucky enough to have wild access to Mother Nature, remember to visit and cherish Her. Sit with Her. For anyone who doesn’t, don’t fret. You can find Her in your mind, in the sky outside your window, in the plant in the corner, in that beautifully shot documentary, in a pet or song bird, in the depths of your soul… She’s all around, holding us with grace and inspiration. We are Her.

Thanks for stopping by! Also find me @artofnonsense on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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art, Blog, Monster Monday, Monsters, Poetry

Yawning Yarnie: Got a case of the Mondays?

April 6, 2020April 6, 2020 Kristy Fae

Happy Monster Monday everyone! If you find it hard to get into the swing of things on Mondays, this one’s for you. Meet Yawning Yarnie: a slumbersome, foot-dragging creature from my upcoming children’s book entitled “My Very Hairy Monster Friends!” This illustration version was a practice run using leftover paint, which came out so vibrant that I suspect it was gouache instead of the anticipated watercolour. When I moved on to try to finish the final version, I ran into issues. I recently invested in new, more expensive watercolours and stocked up on a different kind of paper (finding my usual selection unavailable). Word to the wise— experiment with your new supplies before deciding you’re a master of the medium and don’t expect them to behave exactly like your old ones (temporary grumpy faces and arm-crossing allowed however). I guess this is life’s lesson right now anyways: “Don’t expect life to be the same when the whole world around you has completely dislodged itself from any normalcy.” Hrm?

Well so, the old cheap watercolours seem to be working better (more smooth and vibrant) than my new expensive investment, and I’m not feeling particularly thrilled about that. In any case, practise practise practise is my motto these days. Getting used to using different mediums in new ways can be challenging and tricky— and apparently fun lol— so I’m trying to embrace that and see what happens while stifling my perfectionism en-route (especially tricky). Anyway, I’ll show you Yarnie’s book page when it’s complete, but for now here’s a teaser… I hope you enjoy yawning with Yarnie today!

**“Poor Yawning Yarnie”**

Poor Yawning Yarnie
Yawns with such might.
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Gives herself a good fright!
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Yawns all the day long.
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Sometimes yawns out a song!
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Always yawns out of tune.
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Yawns as big as the moon.
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Yawns when she eats.
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Even yawns when she sleeps!
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
Once yawned in a bird —
Now when she yawns,
A chirping is heard!
Poor Yawning Yarnie,
All she wants is to play.
But poor Yawning Yarnie,
Yawned her friends all away.
Poor Yawning Yarnie…
But there’s one thing to do —
If you want to see Yarnie,
You must start yawning too!
Then make it a game,
And go yawning about,
This could help Yarnie
Yawn ALL her yawns out!

Thanks for reading! Also find @artofnonsense on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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