Handmade valentines & learning Hebrew

I'm trying to learn Hebrew, and so for my valentines this year I decided to write "love" in Hebrew. It's pronounced "ahava" and spelled אהבה .

I made them out of repurposed thin cardboard from a coffee cup carrier (and some scrap card stock with drafts of illustrations on it), which I painted with watercolors, and then drew on with gel pens and markers.

Practicing drawing mouths

Recent illustrations

Some mail art and illustrations I've made recently. The map is meant to be Union Square in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Beautiful things, in photos

Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum 

Rain on my windshield

Bathroom window at a church in Jamaica Plain, MA

Illustrated Boom Boom the cat glitter holiday ornament

Happy December!

I made this Christmas tree ornament for my friend, with an illustration of her cat Boom Boom. I also used lots of glitter, because why not?

I drew Boom Boom on white card stock, then pasted him onto gold glitter paper which I cut into a circle using zigzag scissors. Then I cut a piece of cardboard into a slightly larger circle, wrapped gold tissue paper around it, which I secured with glue, and gathered the ends of the tissue paper on the front, to be covered by the glitter paper. I also added some extra glitter on top of the tissue paper to give it more sparkle. Then I used a hole punch to make a hold for the ribbon.

It's so cute in a little gift box!

Illustrated pecan pie magnet and fabric bag

I made this glittery magnet for a loved one whose favorite pie is pecan.

I drew the pie on card stock using markers and colored pencils. Then I covered it in a coat of Mod Podge, added a little gold glitter, and stuck a magnet to the back of it (on top of another layer of card stock to keep it firm).

The back of the magnet

I made this little fabric bag to put the magnet in.

Bright lights, in photos

Hot air balloon festival in Kingston, RI 

Hot air balloon festival in Kingston, RI

At the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston

A trip to Chicago, Illinois, in photos

Tree stump

Glass door

Mural

Mural

A trip to London, in photos

Silver shoes on light blob

Afternoon tea at The Ritz Carlton

Wallpaper on the street

Flowering tree on the street

The Barbie Dream House-esque bathroom at The Ritz Carlton

Flower stand at the street market

I got teary looking at this Warhol piece at the Tate Modern. Who knew I liked Warhol so much?

Feathery, lush art pieces by Leika Akiyama

I stumbled upon this fabulous maximalist art by Leika Akiyama at Boston Center for the Arts.