Coloring in Circles is the first basic technique you need to master with alcohol markers. This easy technique is the starting point for everyone new to these markers and a technique you will always use.



TIP: Practice this technique with each of your color families you are blending so you can see how your markers interact together. Coloring with skin tones and yellows are easiest. The hardest colors to blend are reds.

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Relax and take your time while you color. I hurried through this because I was recording. There are no right or wrongs ... experiment and have fun. Try different color combinations and start familiarizing yourself with your new color palettes.



TIP: When coloring over lines ... like those horizontal lines on the center of the butterfly be consistent. If you color at the top of the line then color on the top line of every line. If you color towards the bottom line then do this the same for each image.

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Think of your Colorless Blender as a COLOR REMOVER. Use it to fix mistakes. Having your heat tool on hand (or a blow dryer) will speed up the process or stop the ink from moving to areas you do not want it to go.

Experiment with your Blender and use it as a design tool to make polka dots, lines, stripes, chevrons ... whatever you think of.

So now that the business is done ... let me fill you in on my crazy September and where I've been all month. At the end of August ... beginning of September? ... I started a new job at McPherson College. I've moved from Teacher Ed to the Athletic Department. Holy smokes ... I have LOTS of work to catch up on in my new job ... but I love it. I miss my old people but I still eat lunch with them ... like almost every day. {smiles}

During the same time I was changing jobs we were moving. From outside of McPherson to in town. I AM SO OVER MOVING! UGH! I have nothing nice to say about moving other than I LOVE the house we moved to and our internet works fabulously! And ... it takes me less than 2 minutes to get to work. (at the college work that is). HAPPINESS!

Now that I'm in a new department at the college I am in contact with literally hundreds of people. And ... I've caught EVERY cold, stuffy head, fever, stomach bug ... everything that they have. My immune system should be steel by next fall. It's sure made this month even more exhausting though.

I am still working at the hospital in Lindsborg as well. I know right! But I LOVE it. I've had to cut back my hours for October drastically because this girl needs a breather.

And ... last week my sweet boy had emergency surgery. He had an appendectomy in Salina. All went well and he is recovering. Tomorrow (Tuesday) he is going to try and attend one of his classes at school. He's slowly starting to go up and down stairs so we'll see how he does.

SOOOO ... I am SLOWLY putting together my studio and trying to unpack a box at least once a week. It was a box a day but I'm so over that. My rule is ... I HAVE to unpack something in another room before I can unpack something in the studio. That's my motivation.

It feels SO good to be sitting at the table and creating again. I am hoping that life gets back to slow, boring, normal very soon so I can spend all of my free time doing what I love ... CREATING! Thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes this month ... I have so needed them ... and I appreciate the LOVE greatly. Praying that YOU have had a FABULOUS month filled with LOVE and BLESSINGS!