Welcome back to A Time to Play, where we chat about what we're doing in our playtime, which is hopefully every day! One of my favorite ways to PLAY is accessorizing what I wear each day. 

I simply love choosing earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings and pins to highlight and playfully decorate my ensembles in a way that makes my eyes happy and adds a zip to my step! Feeling comfortable, confident and creative in how I dress is one of my favorite things to do and it's good for my soul! 

In the above video, I am sharing with you my latest finds in the spaces I frequent when I shop for those much desired accessories that make my day brighter and more FUN! For this jewelry roundup, I'm sharing one necklace from a new vintage store, some handmade bracelets and earrings from resale and retail shops, and some lovely handmade stone and beaded bracelets from Rock Shops I frequent. 

As always, I share my tips for purchasing your own accessories so when you buy, you are gleeful with how well they suit you and your wardrobe aesthetic and color pallette! 

So without further ado, enjoy watching my collection I've curated! Some I'm already wearing and others I haven't yet worn since they are very recent purchases. 

Let me know in the comments which pieces you like the most as well as your own happy finds! 
​And remember to have FUN with Your Fashion! 

PS: If you would like some ideas for putting looks together or how to organize your closet and determine what your favorite pieces are, connect with me! I'd love to assist you as your personal stylist. Let's go treasure hunting! 
My email is refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com or contact me on social! 

Welcome back to A Time to Play, or, if you're new here, this is the place where we talk about how we spend time playing, with art supplies, music, sketching, dreaming, and anything that floats your boat that makes you feel like a happy kid again! Yep! So join me as I share with you a look back on my continuing journey of doing a daily prompt based drawing (been going strong since October 0f 2025!) 

I'm still having fun, I'm still being challenged and I'm still loving the time spent doing what I love. I been drawing/illustrating since I was a kid and my inner child still loves it! So here we are! 

So, as I'm writing this, it is July 2026, My goal was to share my month's worth of drawings the next month after the fact, but LIFE. Busy. But I'm here sharing even if it didn't meet my time parameters. But it's fun to recall what the experience was like. Many of these drawings are so memorable that I wouldn't forget!  

May 2026 Doodlewash Prompts: Mother Goose, truffle, coffee pot, rug, chipotle, serow, Horned Lark, Yapok, Rosy Maple moth.

I've been referencing the Doodlewash Art Challenge each month, so I am working with prompts I didn't come up with myself, and a lot of the subject matter is totally new to me. Like with animals I've never heard of and food I would not recognize, etc. But that's what makes it interesting and challenging and fun all at the same time. 

These challenges continue to stretch me as a artist and show me what I'm capable of, especially in a short time frame of less than an hour, after I have completed my evening journaling session. I do look forward to this drawing time as I sit in my living room recliner, lap desk and art supplies in place, watching a movie or show with hubby. I find it very relaxing. 

May 2026 Doodlewash Prompt: Mom, cat, fudge, flying frog, soursop, woodpecker, sea monkeys, walnut, dishes.

So, I will share the drawings I like the most from this month of May 2026: fudge (absolutely love the texure!), strawberry, my wonky penny (no it's not perfectly round but I loved the process using the colors that really give it that glowey patina look), the towel (loved creating that fluffy look!), grapes (although I usually prefer pen alone, I really like the way the color and pen work together on this one), and my most favorite of all, the solitaire. I chose a diamond instead of the game. I love how the shapes come together to represent such a lovely piece of jewelry! 

I would say the ones that were the most challenging: truffle (so much dark detail-must admit, it was a chore to do!), yapok (although I'm pleased with the way it turned out. the anatomy was a challenge), the cat (getting its position just right in the hunting vibe!), sea monkey (gosh, the parts were a lot of work and using the negative space to make them pop-such a challenge!), escargot (very intensive pen work to make this dimensional). 

May 2026 Doodlewash Prompts: dragonfly, fossa, strawberry, bugloss, penny, escargot, towel, paper airplane, grapes. 

I love being able to see what I can accomplish with just pen. I usually only choose color when I know it's the best way to represent the subject matter. Sometime I use stippling (pen dots) to create a lighter fluffier consistency, sometime repeating lines and crosshatching are required with heavy pen work, and sometimes light lines to accent shapes and shadow. 

Which images were the most popular when shared online: The cat was at the top! The Barbie rug was also a hit. I got remarks on how adorable Mother Goose was! And the towel got a lot of likes. 

May 2026 Doodlewash Prompts: Jaffa cakes, paperclip, mint julep, solitaire. 

So, there you have it! Another month of drawings from my nightly sketchbook I reserve just for art challenge prompts! I absolutely love sharing these with you. I want to thank all the readers, commenters, and likes from so many of you as I share daily on social! It's so much fun being a part of the artist community and cheering each other on. 

Thanks for being a part of my artist journey! You're welcome to share below which drawings are your favorites! Your feedback is always welcome. 

And remember, if you want to challenge yourself creatively, do something you look forward to. I don't find this daily drawing to be a chore. It's a fun challenge. Plus it gives me the opportunity to create a body of work I'm proud of! 

Remember that I'm cheering you on! And if you would like to work with me privately with discovering your own creative framework of cross pollination and expression, contact me direct at refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com or send me a message on social! I look forward to connecting! 

​In the meanwhile, Remember to Play! 

Hello friends and Welcome Back to A Time to Play! If you're new around here, This is the place where we Play Together: I share with you what I'm up to and cheer you on with what you're up to during PLAYTIME. 

What, you don't have playtime? Well, this is the place to get some inspiration for your next jaunt into whatever lights you up! Ready? OK! 

Today's post is my monthly Doodlewash Round UP! This one is for April. (Yes I'm one month behind schedule...I try to share all of my drawings for the month within the month following, but LIFE happens and I have fallen behind. Oh dear. Well, here's April's anyway! ) 

In cast you don't know, Doodlewash is a daily art challenge that comes with a list of prompts for the month. I'm writing this in June, so that means I'm in my 8th month of a daily drawing based on these prompts. Each month that I complete continues to amaze me. Wow. 

April 2026 Doodlewash Prompt: robin, breakfast, palm tree, shadow, colored eggs, picket fence, strawberry shortcake, miniature golf, kayak. 

So, as I continue on this fun art challenge, let's look back on my April experience. Every month is different since we usually get a different prompt each day. Occasionally a prompt will repeat from a previous month, but not often. 

Looking back on April, I continue to enjoy drawing food. I had breakfast (I chose waffles with fruit and bacon!), strawberry shortcake, maple syrup (that was a challenge for sure!), and then drinks. The drinks are more challenging with the containers, like tea cups and glass. A latte and a spritzer. These are ones I had to do in full colored pencil and pastel crayon. That in itself is more of a challenge since it requires some layering. And, often, at least 4 colors to combine and blend. 

We had some flowers/trees, all of which were just "bones" as I like to call them; no color. Just anatomy with shading for depth and texture. I enjoy doing them that way more. 

Then there was some structure based prompts like the kayak and the toolbox; they also feel like anatomy in their own way. They also require pen and color together. 

April 2026 Doodlewash Prompt: shells, grape hyacinth, latte, tool box, maple syrup, spring break, stained glass, bonnet, game, apron, spiderwort, ladybug. 

There were some prompts that really satisfied me: The bonnet with all the creases, The shield with the wood texture and metallic framework, and the grasshopper with all its parts, 

The ones I didn't like as much: the spritzer (I don't especially like drawing glass), Birds with their feathers, the dominoes without linework, and the spring shower (it's hard to capture rain well using colored pencil). 

April 2026 Doodlewash prompt: April shower, shield, cricket, House Finch, Water spritzer, Crocus, Red Junglefowl, Salamander, Lily pad. 

I continue to keep a parameter on the amount of time spent. Believe it or not, I do most if not all of these drawings in my living room recliner with a lap desk, art supplies at the ready while I watch TV/Movie with my husband! Yep! Usually it's between 7-9 pm after my evening journaling practice. 

You know I gotta love it if I'm doing it late in the evening for as long as I've been doing it. 
What I really appreciate is the body of work I'm producing (in the most relaxed state possible) and how much I'm learning about observation, strategy, detail, color, choice of approach (how will I represent my subject?), and trusting myself to get it done, not because it's a task but because it's what I do. Because I'm an artist and I make time for what I want to accomplish, and to be part of a community of other artists who are engaged in the same challenge. 

Also, I so appreciate the comments I have received on social media (like Facebook, IG and Threads); you have all been so kind and supportive! Thank you for being on this journey with me! 

Let me know in the comments below if you're doing Doodlewash too or if you're engaging in some kind of creative challenge. Or maybe just share how you're playing right now! 

I'm here to cheer you on. 
Enjoy Playtime. Do something your inner child misses. 

I know mine loves to draw; so I draw. 

Have yourself a delightful day and remember to PLAY! 

Hello and Welcome Back to A Time to Play! I'm so excited to share with you what is giving me PLAY vibes with my Fashion Accessories...one of my favorite subjects! 

If you know me at all, you know I'm a Treasure Hunter! Yep! Love going to estate sales, trade days and sometimes thrift stores looking for what aligns with my aesthetic and works with my color palette. Yes! 

And when I find something ON Point, I get SO excited! There is just something about finding the Perfect Accessory for the perfect look that just lights me up! 

So I've got a new round up of jewels I've acquired (very budget friendly, I might add!), and thought I would share them with you! My goal is to give you some shopping tips that can help you determine what accessories would work well for you and your wardrobe. And of course, I'm here for you if you're looking for a personal stylist that can help you put a look together. I love me some fashion! 

You can watch my latest vintage jewelry video below. 

Now, wasn't that fun? I trust you had as much fun as I did! Woot! 

I had a little bit of everything...from necklaces to bracelets, rings and brooches. And I'm having so much fun mixing and matching with my ensemble looks! 

It's all about have FUN with Your Fashion! 

Thanks for joinng me for this fabulous jewel haul! It's always more fun when we share, don't you think? I appreciate your enthusiasm and your desire to see what I'm up to when it comes to fashion and styling. It is one of my favorite subjects! 

Remember, I'm here if you have any questions. I'd be happy to help! Contact me direct at refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com or hit me up on social for a consult! 

Also, leave a comment about which piece of jewelry was your favorite! 

Have yourself a delightful day and Remember to have FUN with Your Fashion! 

Hello my friends and Welcome Back to A Time to Play, a place where I share with you how I am engaging in PLAY every day so you can be inspired to PLAY too! 

I am so excited to share this particular post with you, because it's VERY SPECIAL. 
For those who may not know, I enjoy art journaling. It is one of my intuitive, spiritual modalities that has stayed with me since 2011 when I first discovered this fun, engaging, messy, mixed media marvel, where I love getting my hands dirty! 

I've enjoyed creating two page spreads in my art journal many a year over, and this one is no exception. But this PLAY spread is actually the seed that was planted back in late 2024 to start this blog, A Time to PLAY. Yes, that is how far back it goes! PLAY is a vital essential element to my every day existence as a creative, artist, and musician. I could not live without it. 

Art journaling is one of my favorite modalities I continue to engage in because it gives me a way to explore on a deeper level, bringing my subconscious mind to the fore, and that is a very powerful way to know myself! 

First of all, I love to play with all kinds of media: paint, stamping, fabric, collage, design, embellishments, gesso and anything else I decide to throw on! Yes! 

For this particular spread, I counted approximately 12-13 layers of creating this highly textured dynamic design from the heart and soul! 

The first idea that came to me was cutting out letters from a fabric featuring honeycomb and bumble bees to spell the word PLAY. From there I lay down some gesso to prime the paper and then went step by intuitive step to create the following layers: 
Stamping circles using gouache paint; Cutting strips of fabric and adhering them in a vertical design I created; Cutting out circles that reminded me of mandalas and adhering them into a pleasing design; Adding more gesso in between for texture and visual interest; punch cutting circles from card stock like little balloons of celebration and adhering them where it pleased me in the design layout; stamping small flowers in various places; adding more gesso for texture, cutting out bumblebees and adhering them in strategic locations, adhering the letters for PLAY; adding marks with varying hues of oil pastel and colored pencil; and Stamping the letters that read, Cross Pollination. 

This entire spread was created and assembled between January 2025 and March 2026 (with several weeks? of pause in between during a move.) The culmination of this art journal spread feels strategic and with a heart-based layering of importance to me. My desire to focus on PLAY and share it with you is primary to me. I have come to understand how undervalued PLAY time can be, even associating it with guilt in leu of not doing the work that we still have to do each day. 

Please let this spread be an inspiration to you to make PLAY time a priority, no matter how small the play is, no matter how much time you spend. 

Folks often refer to playful activities as Hobbies. But I also see folks dismiss hobbies when other responsibilities come in, leaving them feeling depleted and exhausted. 

The KEY I have found with playtime is that I don't see it as optional, or a nicety to do occasionally. In my experience, my playtime is vital to my joy and happiness. I have seen how the many creative modalities that I engage in Cross Pollinate with each other; and when I zoom out to see the big picture, I am absolutely amazed as to the importance of how each of them work in tandem with each other to create a multi-dimensional experience that fills my heart and soul with JOY and Goodness! 

Let this art journal spread be a reminder that the things that light you up are not random; they are not just little engagements that have no meaning other than relaxing you. They All Matter. Because YOU matter. Your creativity is essential to you for Who You Are and Who You Are Becoming, authentically and multi-dimensionally. 

If you desire to get a clearer picture of how your creative modalities and what you would like to engage in can help you discover more of yourself and why it matters, connect with me either in the comments or by email (refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com) or send me a message on social. 

I'd love to connect with you and show you how we can go treasure hunting for what might be right there in front of you and how you can lead a more creative and intuitive life that brings you joy and soul satisfaction. 

Thank you so much for being a part of my creative journey; it would not be the same without you! 

Leave a comment below about what you are doing to incorporate play every day! I'm cheering you on! 

Have yourself a delightful day and remember to PLAY! 

Welcome back to A Time to Play! This is the place where I share my ways of playing and spending time doing what I love so you can be inspired to do what you love! Yes! So, let's play together, right? 

So, if you're new here, welcome! If you've been here before, welcome back. 

For this post, I will be sharing my daily drawings from the March 2026 Doodlewash art challenge that I've joined daily since November of 2025. To see my previous post for February with links from all prior months, click here. 

It's amazing to me that I have completed 7 months of a daily art challenge! Woot! 
This is in addition to my usual daily illustration of my wardrobe and activities that I draw in my journal each evening. It made the most sense to make my journaling practice the lead up to the drawings in my sketchbook that I focus on for this daily art challenge. I prefer to keep them separate even though I started out using my daily journal. 

March 2026 doodlewash prompts: Daffodils, banana, owl, March hare, sparkle, pizza, bicycle, lighthouse, dolphins, camera. 

One thing I've noticed as I continue the daily doodlewash challenge from month to month is that I do more pen drawings than anything else. I absolutely love drawing with fine pen; it's great for detail, and fine line work and I find it the easiest to work with especially with time constraints. I'm usually working on my art challenge between 7-9 pm depending on when I start my journal practice during that evening. My goal is not to surpass an hour for each drawing. Of course, some drawings take longer due to complexity of subject matter, and depth of detail. And I am a Stickler for Detail! I just can't help myself! Ha! 

March 2026 doodlewash prompts: lake, kite, yellow, monument, yoyo, buds, spectacles, watermelon, coffee cup. 

Of course there are several drawings that absolutely required color, such as the lake, the lighthouse for glow, the kite so you can see the multi colors, the color yellow and the olive oil, for examples. 

I continue to enjoy drawing food quite a bit. This month's challenge included pizza, popcorn, pasta, watermelon and cookies! The challenge is to capture enough detail, texture, and shadow to make the food recognizable without color. 

I would say the hardest of this month's prompts were the architecture: the castle would top the list. The bicycle with its many parts would be runner-up! 

I still really love to do the "bones" of florals, since I know every flower has its own anatomy that separates it from the rest. I always have to remember to break things down into parts or shapes in order to tackle the toughest subject matter. 

March 2026 doodlewash prompts: squirrel, olive oil, pasta, insect, popcorn, areoplane, cookies, deer, castle, pyramid, clematis, macaw. 

One thing that really helps me is to not have any expectation of how the drawing/illustration will turn out. I just have fun and dive right in and see what happens! 

When you want to embrace a challenge, I think dropping any expectation of a really good drawing (or whatever you choose to do) is the best way to keep it flexible and fun! 

Thanks so much for being a part of my daily drawing challenge; I really enjoy sharing them with you! I think of you all when I'm working on my next one. Thank you to everyone who has commented on social media where I post them initially, for those who follow me who love my work and for those of you who take the time to visit my blog when I share the round up each month. 

You're welcome to share in the comments which drawing is your favorite! 
Are you doing any type of creative challenge? Let me know below what you've been up to with your playtime! I'm cheering you on! 

Have yourself a delightful day and remember to PLAY! 

Hello and Welcome Back to A Time to Play! One of my favorite ways to play is with my Winning Wardrobe and the Best Accessories. If you know me at all, I am unabashedly a maximalist when it comes to the way I dress. I love all of it! Layers, textures, hats, scarves and of course, JEWELRY! 

And I love me some vintage treasures! I love shopping antique stores, estate sales and sometimes Trade Days in my local area. 

I have so much fun perusing jewelry in all sorts of places where I can find the perfect pieces for my wardrobe based on my personal aesthetic such as color, style, and preferences that suit me perfectly. 

In the Above Video, I'm sharing my latest collection of treasures from after the holidays in 2025 til about mid February. It's a mix of necklace, earrings and brooches, many multi colored. So fun! I also show ways that I style some of the pieces, using my hats as bases. 

Perhaps my finds will inspire you to acquire your own collection suited to your preferences and style. 

Remember that color palette can play a dominant role in finding just the right matches to what you already have in your wardrobe. 

If you're looking for some guidance with styling your wardrobe and accessories, email me direct at refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com for a free consult where we can talk about our winning wardrobe gameplan!

Thanks for stopping by here at A Time to Play! I look forward to hearing from you. Leave a comment and let me know which jewelry piece I shared was your favorite! 

​And remember to have FUN with Your Fashion! 

Hello and Welcome back to A Time to Play! If you're new here, this is a place where we focus on making time to play every day for our well being and fun. We often underestimate the important of playtime; here at Refresh with Dawn Herring, I don't see it as an elective; to me, it is of vital importance, like brushing your teeth! 

For today's post, I will share with you my ongoing delight with engaging with an art challenge! This is the 5th month since I started back in October 2025 with Inktober. I switched to Doodlewash in November and have continued to today! (I'm currently working through March!)To see my previous posts with my drawings, check out October, November, December and January! 

Yes, I can't believe I've done a daily drawing for an art challenge for 5 months straight! Woot! My hubby says I am seriously disciplined! Well, I wouldn't keep going if I wasn't having fun! So, we go onward! 

I continue to use my evening journaling time after I've written my entry and illustrated my wardrobe and tasks, I switch to my art challenge sketchbook and engage in fun observation and illustration! That's really how I see each drawing I do. 
It certainly lends to a true body of work with categories of Plant, animal, scenic, food, and other fun subject matter. 
Sometimes I use colored pencil and pastel and sometimes I just do a pen/ink rendering. It's about the subject matter and time required. 

With this month, I decided that if I see something with intense color that would require a lot of layering with colored pencil, that I will do just the "bones" of the subject, meaning contour drawing that includes anatomy as well as areas of shading. Sometimes I choose to color since it wouldn't be recognizable if I didn't. There are some subjects I really enjoyed coloring, like the antique button, the tree stump, the door and the sprout. I love nuances of color that bring out the texture and layer of a subject. Bringing out the beauty in the best way I can! 

February 2026 Doodlewash prompts: Armadillo, button, elephant, clouds, stump, sunrise, narwhal, clock, pattern, dragon, limb, morning glory. 

Some of my favorite pen drawings with this month's challenge were the Elephant (I absolutely enjoyed this one, especially since it is my daughter, Hannah's, favorite animal), the keys (although I did use colored pencil with this one as well), the bear and the barn. The pen drawings get a lot of likes on my social media (Facebook/Instagram). 

I love taking a subject and making it as simple as possible, like the tree limb. It takes a good artist eye to see what is needed and what can be edited out. 

I would say the most challenging ones were the sea dragon, the morning glory due to heavy coloring, the seal with all his fur, the door with the heavy patina, and the moon glow. 

Food (only one prompt in February) continues to be one of my favorite subjects to draw, with pen and coloring making for interesting textures! (There is more food on the March list!) 

February 2026 Doodlewash prompts: seal, hearts, beach, smile, turtle, birthday cake, door, trinket, nuthatch, treasure, path, bear.

If I were to choose my favorites to draw, I would say the elephant and for coloring, the birthday cake slice. 
So, which ones are your favorites? Do you prefer the pen drawings or the mixed media (pen and color)? 
I'd love to hear your thoughts below or you can comment on my social media posts when I share the daily challenge. 
I'm loving the comments folks have shared; it makes my day when they love my work. 

A special thanks to you, my dear readers, for coming to my blog, A Time to Play, and showing interest in my art life! 
My journaling practice is the perfect place to experiment. It's often the practices that we already keep that are great places to incorporate new experiences that just might stick because they work well together! 

There is an alignment and cross pollination that takes place when we choose to creatively express ourselves in more ways than one. And sometimes, it just works! 

So, thank you for joining me for another Doodlewash Round UP! It's fun to share with you what I'm up to in my creative journey. Your support means a lot. 

Let me know below what you're up to creatively and how you're making time to play! I'd love to hear from you. 

February 2026 Doodlewash Prompt: Sprout, glow, barn, orchid. 

​You have yourself a delightful day and remember to PLAY! 

Hello and Welcome back to A Time to Play, where we talk about ways we can play every day to make life more meaningful and fun, which is essential for our well being! 

For today's post, we are featuring a special someone and a special time that is deeply meaningful for me personally. I am celebrating the day Mom was born. March the 1st was her special day. And what I want to focus on today is how Mom loved to PLAY. She was the perfect example of expressing herself creatively. Looking back on how she made every day more playful and whimsical is an inspiration to me and a wonderful way to look back on her life as a creative person. 

Mom was always ready to play. She was a lover of games and ways to keep her brain sharp and have fun at the same time. One of her favorites was Scrabble which she played with her best friend, Doris, and sometimes I would play with her too. 

She also loved crossword puzzles and did them daily. I would often see her working on one after school when we would sit at the table together while I had my after school snack. 

Another way she played was with yarn. She was avid with crochet. She could make all kinds of things, from blankets to baby clothes. She was always keeping her hands busy with those crochet needles when we would watch TV in the evenings. There was always a project in the works! 

Another way Mom liked to Play was with ceramics. This was when I was a bit older and could go with her to a friend's house who had a basement, a catalog of ceramic designs and a kiln for the process. I recall working on some soldiers for Dad for a gift that she let me paint, which was fun. But she made quite a few pieces when I didn't go with her for gifts at Christmas, two of which were for me: life-sized miniature schnauzers! My favorite type of dog was such a breed. I was always surprised each time she gave me one.  The first one she gave me eventually broke during a move, but the one pictured above has stayed in tact and I have it on a shelf in my art studio! He even has a dog collar. Isn't he cute? 

Another way Mom played was with sewing. I remember many a time she would use the kitchen table to lay out her boards, patterns and fabric for making new clothes; she was a seamstress extraordinaire! She made my sister and me matching clothes for many of our youngest years and dresses for herself. And in her sewing room, she had pictures of owls from a calendar lining her walls. Owls were her favorite bird. So much so, she received many gifts over the years of owls in every form imaginable. We used to tease her that she had so many, that her house would fly away one day! Owls are a whimsical way to remember Mom by; especially the snowy owl, which was her favorite. Thus I keep one on a shelf (see above photo) in my bedroom that I purchased in one of my favorite places, Eureka Springs! 

MOM was the perfect example of a playful person. She loved being silly, whimsical and creative in every aspect of the word. And I love remembering her this way; it makes me the happiest when I think of her and especially on her special day. 

Happy birthday MOM! I'm sure you're enjoying yourself in the beyond with Dad by your side. May you both continue to Rest in Peace. 

Thank you for celebrating my Mom's birthday with me! And for joining me at A Time to Play! 
​Remember to Play every day! 

Welcome back to A Time to Play and for my Journal Play Series where I share fun stuff I'm doing with my journal practice. And one of those consistent things I've engaged with since October 2025 and using Art Prompts! If you want to see my October drawings, click here. And November, and December! 

So January was a bit more complicated. I think my drawings really went into full color rather than as sketches. So my time for sketching started to stretch just a bit, and some of these took longer than others...like I would be finishing them up the next morning. Not that that is a bad thing, but it felt a bit heavier than before. So I seriously questioned if I would keep going or take a break after 4 months...Yes that is a long time. I didn't think I'd get past InkTober, never mind 3 more solid months later! I have really surprised myself. 

And I feel once I start a month, I need to do it daily and finish. I don't want to skip, because the purpose of the challenge is to stretch and grow as an artist. Ya know? It took me a few days to figure out if I would keep going. (I got everything ready to go for February before January was up and decided to go for it once February 1st came around.)

January Doodlewash prompts: Parade, Cream Puff, Wolf, Bubblegum, Partridge, Skunk, Salt, Argyle, Apricot, Shrimp plant, Rubber boots, Cod. 

So, what I've learned from this round of drawings. I'm going to be seriously honest here. 
I do not enjoy drawing plants or fruit growing on trees. I did my very best, of course, but it required an excessive amount of layering of color, and the foliage is not my favorite. Very time consuming. 

In some instances, I chose just a few blossoms rather than a whole bush, or a few pieces of fruit instead of a bowl full. That was one way I could set limits. 

Again, I do love to draw food (the type presented as served, like fish on a plate) (I realize fruit on a tree is still food but not in the same context); the textures and layers are really fun for me. So when food is the subject, I look forward to it. Now drinks are a bit more challenging, since they are liquid and in a container, but I manage. 

There are some subjects that require a breaking down into shapes, such as the Glass, the spider and the hubcap. The spider was all about anatomy! Yikes! And this is all freehand in pen, mind you. No pencil drawings first for any of these sketches. Nope. I just dive in and trust the process. Whew! The hubcap took me several hours to do. The shapes were quite the challenge without making the roundness too wonky. And then the shading to give it depth and shine. Very memorable experience. 

January doodlewash prompt: Glass, Jujube, Fog, Jade Vine, Sailor, Bubble Tea, Zebu, Cheese, Storm, Tenrec, Peacock spider, Guarana, Ditch. 

When I see so many enjoying my drawings, I must say it is truly motivating to keep going. I so appreciate those who share my work so more can view it. Your support means a lot to me, so thank you! 

One of things I really love the most about these challenges is choosing how I will present the subject. It reflects my aesthetic as an artist and how my mind works. 

January Doodlewash Prompts: Crayons, Snowfall, Ladybug, Sneezeweed, Croissant, Hubcap. 

I've learned a lot about myself as an artist, what pushes me to keep going, what subject matter I most enjoy, and how I like using my art supplies to do my very best work. Having high quality supplies to start with can really make all the difference in how well the drawings turn out. 

I do trust my instincts and dive right in since I've had many decades of practice; a creative practice and how you build one, really shows how you work and play and how you get into flow with the most ease.

I highly recommend making your creative practices part of your daily routine. 
These drawings are done immediately after I write and illustrate my day in my journal. Then I pull out my sketchbook and start on the next subject. 

My husband often refers to what I do as a discipline. I suppose it could be seen that way; I see discipline often in a heavier light; like I'm disciplined so this is what I do to accomplish this...

I think if I used that word, it would feel like a burden; so I prefer to use the word Practice or Playtime. It's more fun that way! (I do appreciate my husband's point of view since discipline is important to him! )

Well I trust you have enjoyed checking out my January Doodlewash roundup! 
If you ever desire to talk about how you want to build a creative practice from the ground up, contact me direct at refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com or message me on social media (see this page for links! ) 

Have yourself a delightful day and remember to PLAY!