What is in my travel art kit?

Recently, I traveled from New York to San Francisco for a family trip and I packed a minimal kit to create a painting studio on the go. I usually pack everything... literally, everything because I have this "just in case" mentality. So when I packed less this time, I thought I'd share.

Here's what I brought with me:

What's inside this Grether's Pastilles tin? All my basic tools in a tiny box. I love it!

Instead of putting my paints in half pans, I put them in lip balm caps. And that piece of Glad Press'n Seal is the perfect wrapper for my small Dinky Dip of ink just in case of any leaks.

This tin is very similar to the Altoids tin except it is just a tad taller which allows for stacking brushes on top of the paint.

• Grether's Pastille tin with:
  • Six Daniel Smith Essentials set + one half pan of a Cotman Winsor Newton color I've been testing
  • Two Da Vinci travel brushes
  • Shortened and hand-carved Silver brush
  • Small piece of sea sponge
  • Small binder clip
  • Pencil + sharpener + kneaded eraser
  • One Dinky Dip of Sumi ink wrapped with a piece of Glad Press'n Seal to mitigate any leaks
  • Shortened oblique pen holder + Nikko G nib
  • Small silica gel bag to ensure everything in the tin stays dry (I collect these bags from random purchases such as bags, electronics, or shoes and recycle them for this purpose.)
  • A few small squares of reusable putty to hold things in place or to secure my mini water container
  • You'll also notice that I use a blank plastic card as my mixing palette, also secured by the reusable putty (If need be, I can also use it to scrape my paints or paper!)
• Nalgene mini bottle from the Container Store to hold water on the go, but they also sell it on Amazon
• A few pieces of super absorbent towels
• A small pencil case with a mechanical pencil, Tombow mono eraser pen, Micron pen, and brush marker; purposely can be separated in case I intend on only sketching
• Travel watercolor journals and a pad of Strathmore watercolor postcards

These handy postcards from Strathmore are perfect for on-the-go painting. And when done, they can be sent home with a stamp from location for a personalized souvenir!

I have been doing research as well as testing what works best for me the last two years. A huge thank you to Cathy Johnson for sharing her tips on making homemade watercolor palettes:

• Homemade Watercolor Kits
• Cathy Johnson: Watercolor Palettes On the Go
• My Smallest Travel Kit... So Far

What's in your travel art kit and what are your must-haves for painting on the road? I'd love to learn what works for you!

What am I learning through the 100 Day Project?

Last year, I joined the 100 Day Project on Instagram and it changed my connection to creating. I learned so much through the process and am so thankful to @elleluna for putting this challenge out! So what did I learn?

I must build a creative discipline in the chaotic everyday. My everyday as a working mommy of two means there is a level of uncertainty everyday and I am operating rather exhaustedly. Finding a balance to ensure that I stick to making time to practice calligraphy or pick up a paint brush is a discipline that I value no matter how chaotic the day.

I must find time to create every day and every week. If you're a busy mum too and don't think you can find the time to make something, you can! On some days I wake up an extra 30 minutes earlier than my babe. Other days, I give my daughter crayons and her own book to draw and color. We sit together at the kitchen table and create together. Another option is to give her a few table toys she hasn't played with for some time and have her rediscover them while I spend a few minutes sketching something.

As shared on my Instagram feed on June 27, 2016, this was my kitchen table aka workspace over the weekend, when my daughter and I drew and colored together. Most days I wake up very early before work to write or draw #pearls100daymomproject2016 in my sketchbook, other times we use our right brains together side by side! Inspired by @etsy seller @ruth_oosterman to share what it's like to find time as a creative mum. My workspace is minimal and I don't have all the tools but I do what I can to have 20-30 mins to use my fine motor skills.

I nourished my soul through creative expression using my hands. While my brain is often filled with what's next with my family and work, being able to switch gears to study colors or practice calligraphy is incredibly nourishing for my soul. Creating something is an incredibly therapeutic process and helps clear my mind for a new kind of discovery each time I open the sketch book. It's also a really nice way to use my fine motor skills besides typing on the keyboard. :)

I enjoyed documenting everyday moments whether it be Project Life or #pearls100daymomproject2016. Since having the chance to create every day, I wanted to more of it. I've been extending my everyday creativity challenge into a weekly routine.

My other favorite part about art journaling was my exploration of color interactions. In addition to capturing everyday moments which is very natural for a scrapbooker like me, I really enjoyed the process of learning more about the science of my inks, paints, and tools. I have so many different types of dyes, pigments, and mediums, I just want to see how they all dance together.

I loved shopping my stash! If you're like me, you've built up tons of supplies. Every time I want to try something new, I love shopping my own stash of supplies and learning how I can stretch them into different kinds of techniques. Art journaling allows me to test and trial with no pressure of having a finished or polished piece. Love!

As shared on my Instagram feed of July 2, 2016, this was a 30-minute color study I had completed the night before.

See more of my creative mommy journey by following me on Instagram!

What is the 100 Day Project on Instagram?

I thoroughly enjoyed the classes from the Modern Calligraphy Summit and became incredibly inspired to create after watching the wonderful artists share their work. Since then, I've added doodling, watercoloring, and brush lettering to my growing list of creative outlets. I then furthered my watercoloring curiosity when I stumbled upon Etsy shop owner, Ana Victoria Calderon's Youtube and Skillshare classes. I've been hooked on watercoloring since!

I started researching non-toxic vibrant watercolors and invested in a few different pan sets as well as a few tubes to create my own 5-8 color palette. I even found time to putting it to good use and started mixing for color studying. It's been so much fun!

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But it has been challenging to find a consistent routine to create, until stumbling upon the #the100dayproject hosted by @elleluna on Instagram. When I learned about the challenge I was immediately excited by the thought of having a small moment to be creative in some way, every single day from April 19 through July 27. Then it dawned on me that I am surely to miss days in between. In fact I missed day 1!

What topic could I document creatively where the gaps in the 100 days could be a part of the art and story of the documentation? My subject is #motherhood to be filed under #pearls100daysofmotherhood2016 as a snapshot of what it's like for a regular working mum making life happen in Brooklyn, NY via Instagram. I'll express my lens of motherhood through a simple word, doodle, picture, memory, or watercolor exploration [almost] everyday for the next three months!

Come join me in my mini art journey! Here's what I've created and documented in the first week:

See you on Instagram!

The Modern Calligraphy Summit is Here!

Back in September last year, I unexpectedly came across the Modern Calligraphy Summit thanks to Instagram and on a whim, decided to begin 2016 with a learning opportunity. The online classes begin today. I'm so excited to learn from the awesome artists and teachers every night at my own pace.

Since signing up, I've found ways to put my nibs and ink to good use so I'm more prepared by now. Practice truly makes better. I'm no where near perfection or even close to consistency, but I've been warming up my hand and wrist to gain better control of my penholder and the way my nib meets paper.  I don't practice everyday because it's nearly impossible with mommy, work, and home responsibilities, but when I do, I learn something new about my letterforms. Here are some of my calligraphy projects along the way.

Finding the perfect nib for me. I started on Gillott 303 and 404 nibs. I then tried other kinds of nibs recommended for beginners and found the Nikko G nib to be most suitable for me. It's become one of my favorite nibs. I love the control I have when I use it because I tend to be a little more heavy handed and the Nikko G gives just the right amount of flex while being rather forgiving.

Updated Pearl's Pen Pals Etsy shop logo. My previous shop logo was created almost 5 years ago and a refresh was long overdue.

Practicing. Every few weeks, I find myself looking back at older calligraphy samples to see what I can improve. I always find something and so I keep practicing. I think I'm finding more comfort in my own penmanship. Just compare the differences in a few months. The same words but notice the different flow and pace in the lines of my more recent sample.

Turning calligraphy into a cake topper. For my babe's 2nd birthday, I vectorized my handwriting, die-cut it using my awesome Silhouette, and made a glitter cake topper for her kiddy party. After the party, I kept the topper and snipped off the dowels to use it as a scrapbook page keepsake/embellishment. It's one of my favorite calligraphy projects!

I'm looking forward to learning a ton these two weeks!

#nevertoooldtostartsomethingnew

Potty Training in Only 3 Days?

First and foremost, I am not an expert at potty training by any means and I've only done this once with a lot of help. So do not take this as advice. Take this as one family's story about potty training that was completed in only 3 days.

Secondly, yes, this is a real change in gears from what I typically post here, but potty training is a real challenge for families and recently, it's been a bit of a topic amongst coworkers and friends. Sharing our story is to share that there is hope, even when it seems like it's impossible.

Thirdly, I can't stress the importance of teamwork and learning from others! My husband did most of the work because we started over a weekend and he had to continue the routine during the week. I also consulted my group of friends who've done this before who gave me so much good advice.

Having said all that, here's how we potty trained our 22 month old girl in 3 days.

Preparation

• Our daughter started letting us know when she was going in her diaper. Reading her queue, it seemed like it was time to start the process with her.
• We picked a weekend/week to start where we could consistently be at home and near the bathroom.
• We picked out the set-up that we felt best suited us. We chose a potty seat on top of the toilet along with a step stool.
• We picked out comfy training underpants and decided to continue using her baby wipes instead of toilet paper as part of the training process.
• We had a full box of her favorite mini graham crackers on hand as a reward for going on the potty and her favorite mini cookies on hand as a reward for going #1 or #2 successfully on the potty.

Schedule

• Day 1: Wearing only a shirt and underpants -- and nothing else, we let her go about her day. Every 20 minutes or so, we would bring her to the potty and for every successful sitting, we would reward her with a graham cracker treat. For every successful #1 or #2, we would reward her with a mini cookie treat. For every accident, we would say "uh oh" followed by "it's ok" and we would clean her up like no big deal. Our goal there was just to let her know that accidents aren't good but not to make her feel bad about it.
• Day 2: Same set-up, though we had a lot more resistance and we started doubting that she was ready because of the resistance. There was crying and I could tell it was hard for her, but then when she would have a successful #1 or #2, and she would be so proud and then she started asking for the mini cookie. As parents, we were torn and we considered stopping entirely. There were still accidents and we treated them the same.
• Day 3: Same set-up. Then she started telling us when she needed to use the bathroom. We were making progress. There were still accidents, but much less than Day 1 and 2.
• Day 4: Same set-up, but since she started telling us, we no longer put her on the potty except 30-60 minutes after a juice or a substantial amount of liquids. No accidents!
• Gradually, it became second nature to her and the diaper was long gone. Plus, the pants came back. We continued to read her queues and she continued to request cookies after successful potty visits.

We were so proud of our babe. Of course, there were tons of logistics to consider and deal with now that she's potty trained and so used to the potty seat over the home toilet. For example, how do you go to the potty when you're out? Or what happens during naps and night-time sleeping? Here's what worked for us:

• On the road: We pack a lightweight portable potty for the road. The first few times on the portable potty in the car or in a public bathroom is a bit of getting used to but one the kiddo gets it, it's easy because the portable potty is their security potty. She learned rather quickly, especially since we used the same reward system.
• Going out: The portable potty is nice and clean. It's perfect for the car. But one of our friends also suggested a foldable seat that goes above toilets. We keep that around along with seat covers for emergencies.
• During naps: Our toddler tends to take short naps of 1-2 hours, so we decided to keep her in her underpants. However, the trick was to make sure she went on the potty within 10 minutes of getting up.
• During nights: After her last #1 of the evening, we switch to easy ups. Every morning after her first #1, we switch back to big girl underpants.
• Consistency: It's so important to provide consistency with the same familiar set-ups, rewards, and routines. Lastly, always remain calm throughout the process even when through the frustrating accidents.

I remember during those first 3 days of training, we scoured everything Google had to offer. We read blogs and parenting websites because we were so desperate to understand whether or not it was working. It felt especially daunting after the nth accident and I just wanted to make sure she was ok -- that we weren't traumatizing her through the potty training process. I so wanted to know what we were doing was right and a part of her growth.

My goal in sharing our story is to give hope to others that are desperately seeking tips and advice. My message is that there is hope! Good luck! Hope this helps in some way.

5 Steps to Designing a Small Space Custom Craft Closet (Part 2)

It's been nearly a year since lovely beauty arrived and it's been very fulfilling to have a seamless part of our apartment dedicated to my crafts. I'm still organizing the depths of this massive closet and finding new ways to utilize every inch efficiently but I thought I'd share more about what I learned from my process.

Designing a Small Space Custom Craft Closet

It's a huge financial and design commitment but it is well worth it if it meets your needs and helps you live more efficiently. For us, it was a no-brainer given my crafting obsession, our cozy (read small) New York apartment, and the curious itty bitty fingers wandering around. Here are the five steps I took to designing and organizing my small space custom craft closet:

1. Take stock of tools and supplies. Minimize when and where possible.

The same organization rules you've come across in the past for a tidy home are the same ones for your craft closet. If you haven't used the item for over a year, it's time to share it with someone who will make use of it. Or take an adapted KonMari method, and ask yourself, "does the item spark creativity?" Will it be used to create a project in the next few months? If not, again, share it!

2. Organize supplies and tools by frequency of usage. 

Once I cleared up all of the supplies into just the essentials that sparked creativity, I started organizing by frequency of use and access. Organizing by usage gives essentially forces you to distinguish between storage and everyday supplies. This is an important distinction.

Take for example, you have a huge supply of acrylic stamps, but you tend to use just your Project Life stamps on a daily basis while all of your seasonal and holiday stamps are only used once a year. In order for you to create efficiently, you'll want to keep the Project Life stamps in a place that is more accessible than your seasonal and holiday stamps since you won't need those every day. You can probably put your seasonal stamp stash at a higher level towards the back of your closet, so it doesn't get in your way while you're creating.

You may be tempted to organize by use or type of craft as that makes more sense for you, but you'll still want some semblance of organization by frequency of use. For example, out of all of my supplies, I use my acrylic stamps and stamping-related tools the most. So that's taken a full two drawers in my closet. I organize by manufacturer but I also have a section of frequently used stamps that I keep in the front of the drawer, so I don't always have to open the drawer all the way to the back. It also makes cleanup easier because I don't have to reach as deep into the drawer to put things away.

3. Measure stash and space. Sketch out a rough drawing with measurements.

This is the fun part because you get to bring your visualization to life by putting pencil to paper. But it can also be hard because if you're looking for maximum use of every inch, then you'll also want to be very accurate with your measurements.

Start with the sections that are at working surface and eye level. Envision what you need closest to you based on your most frequently used items. Then go up and down.

4. Research custom cabinetry makers.

Before calling anyone up, research on widths and thicknesses of different types of materials. Also research the type of closures you want, whether they be drawers or pocket doors, etc. The best way to find a cabinetry maker that's a good fit for you is to really talk to them and learn what is their process and what is included as part of their services. Trust your gut! Questions that helped me determine the maker for my closet:

• What is the process? Do you render 3-D drawings with clear measurements of each piece of the unit? Can you build the unit flush to the wall including measuring all floor and ceiling moldings? Do you measure the location in person prior to locking down measurements of the custom cabinet(s)?
• What are the terms of the agreement? How much is the deposit and accepted terms of payment? How many installments and by when? Is balance due upon arrival?
• How long does it take to make the unit and have it delivered? Does the unit arrive completely installed or will it be built on location? What type of insurance do you have?
• Do you have references to speak about the custom unit you've built for them? Do you have floor samples of the quality of your work? Do you have floor examples of heavy-duty drawer units and pocket doors (or any other kinds of fabrications you're hoping to have built as part of your unit)?

5. Produce an at-scale drawing, complete with all specifications. Sign off.

This was probably one of the most important parts of the process for me and I really appreciated that this was part of the service. The at-scale drawing is an exact blueprint of your unit and you'll want to make sure you account for every detail. Look for where all of the pieces will be connected and where all of the rails and hinges will be placed. Lastly, look at all of the measurements and make sure they meet the specs of your original measurements. This is important for you to review before you sign-off.

Then comes the hardest part... the wait. But once it arrives, it's back to happy organizing again!

Great Resources for Learning Modern Calligraphy

Happy new year! I can't believe it's already 2016. I've certainly slacked off on posting towards the end of last year, with my daughter's birthday planning and the holidays all back-to-back.

I've been trying new things with pens and nibs. I've also been working on a few side projects including two names, one for a business identity and another for personal stationery.

I discovered that I really enjoy using the Pilot Fountain Pen Custom 742 with the FA nib. There's a nice smooth feel to how it writes on paper and although sometimes, I get the occasional railroading, it generally is a great soft nib fountain pen. To reduce the railroading, I tend to write as I do with a pointed pen, really allowing the ink to touch the paper and letting it be a slow stroke.

Skipping between the fountain pen and the pointed pen is a real treat because I've realized just how little I write on a normal basis. After a long week of work, I always feel really rusty picking up the pens. Warming up is incredibly important to get wrists rotating and the fingers used to carrying the curves of the pen since my hands are so used to the shape of the keyboard throughout the week.

Since signing up for the Modern Calligraphy Summit, I've been doing a ton of research to get prepared. I've pulled out tons of old tools and books, but I've also found a lot of great resources online. Here are some that have helped me get started again on this hobby:

• IAMPETH - A wonderful set of resources around supplies and videos on how to write letter forms.
• John Neal Booksellers - My favorite go-to for all tools for calligraphy. I was first introduced to their catalog by Hannah Rose Calligraphy.
• The Goulet Pen Company - When I was researching on the best flex nib fountain pen for my needs, I found the reviews so helpful and learned all about the basics.
• Connie Chen Calligraphy - I first came across Colors of Christ on Instagram and was instantly drawn to her beautiful works of art. She also shares videos of how she produces her work on YouTube and it is mesmerizing!

Additionally, I found a few other great posts on how to get started on calligraphy from these blogs:

• Antiquaria
• The Postman's Knock
• Julia Bausenhardt
• Pieces Calligraphy
• Happy Hands Project

What are some good resources you've come across to learning calligraphy?

Make & Create: DIY Painted Beads Necklace

My daughter loves playing with my jewelry. She's particularly obsessed with my bangles and necklaces which inspired me to make her a necklace. It was fun and she sat on my lap for different parts of the process. The hardest part was asking her to keep her fingers from touching the paint even though it is non-toxic. We got through it and I love how the necklace turned out.

My babe is a spunky gal and so I picked punchy colors to go with more wintry colors for our Fall/Winter edition of this necklace. I say edition because I hope we continue to create jewelry together. In due time, I look forward to watching her get her fingers inky as she finds enjoyment in making with me. :) For now, I'll share my process for creating this necklace.

1. Start with bare wooden beads. Use a Dremel to smooth out any scratch bits.

2. Hold beads up with a skewer on a helping hands. Have a tweezer on hand to hold down the bead as you paint.

3. I broke out my Kaisercraft paints from my Kaisercraft Design Team days. After all this time, they're still just right for painting!

4. Patiently wait for beads to thoroughly dry. Add extra coat of paint if necessary. Air dry again and then coat with a thin layer of matte Mod Podge.

5. Once fully dry, string on leather or faux suede cord. Pair the necklace with practically anything! It's beautiful on a blank canvas of a solid white or black shirt, but it also works so well with even busy patterns.

It was a hit and she loves it! What are you making?

Falling Back In Love with Calligraphy

As the daughter of a calligrapher, I've always had my hand in lettering and improving my penmanship. Four years ago, my husband gave me the gift of a two hour intensive beginner's course to learn copperplate script from Hannah Rose Calligraphy and I was hooked! But then life got the best of me for a bit there and I simply had no time to practice or pick up the oblique pen again until recently. It's been awesome familiarizing with my pens and brushes.

I also happened to come across the Modern Calligraphy Summit on Instagram. On a whim, I signed up and now I'm excited to learn more come February. This was my first homework assignment -- in my best penmanship, let the world know I've signed up.

Although, completely unplanned and certainly not within my 2015 goals, I'm happy to add this to my list for daily practice. I'm also thrilled to begin 2016 with this art on my list. Always learning!

With what are you falling back in love?

Cook More: Shakshuka Baked Eggs Brunch at Home

I love brunches but sometimes it's just impossible to make it out of the house. So I've been trying out all kinds of dishes at home that are easy to prepare but still very delicious and have nice presentation to them. Enter, shakshuka baked eggs.

I first learned about this dish from brunching at Carnem in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Since trying it there in my own personal cast iron pan, I've created my own recipe just for brunching at home.

Here's my version of shakshuka baked eggs with beautiful kumato tomatoes!

Ingredients

• canned diced tomatoes
• fresh grape, plum, or kumato tomatoes
• diced onions
• garlic
• cumin
• olive oil
• sea salt & red pepper flakes

Preparation

• Heat pan with olive oil and finely chopped garlic. Dice onions and add to pan. Add diced tomatoes with liquids and cumin to taste. Cook down to a paste-like consistency. Add some salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes to taste. Spoon into individual cast iron dishes.
• Slice fresh tomatoes into half slices. Place around cast iron dishes in a scalloped design, leaving the middle ready for eggs.
• Break two eggs carefully, preserving the yolk in the middle of the dish.

Sometimes, you get twins and you get three egg yolks instead of two!

Cooking

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on how runny you prefer your eggs. Top with a twist of sea salt on yokes. Add a few slices of apples and toast for a delicious brunch at home.

Much of this recipe is trial and error for me. It can also be easily tailored to your own tastes, so add as much garlic, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes as you'd like.

It really can't get any easier than that. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by!
Pearl