The 100 Day Project

I first heard of Elle Luna's collaboration with The Great Discontent for The 100 Day Project a few months ago on Instagram and knew I'd love to do it. However, after recently quitting a daily drawing exercise (coincidentally, after 100 days), I worried that it would be flaky to commit to another project, put too much pressure on myself, and need to quit again.

The 100 Day Project can be anything you want to do for 100 days. You could meditate, conjugate a new verb daily, bake something, write a letter, whatever you want. The idea is that it will help you learn something new or hone a skill and hopefully make it a new habit or gain confidence.

After much introspection, I knew I had to follow the tingly/excited feeling in my gut that told me to do this. Plus, one of my favorite internet friends, Michelle Ward, says that if you're equal parts scared and excited, you should go for it. (If you're just scared, don't do it!)

I thought about why my last project fell short. The goal was to paint daily to explore more with my mediums, marks, style, and to have fun - all which I did, and it truly helped with my abstract work. But I couldn't keep up with the daily time commitment because honestly, my heart wasn't into it anymore.

The previous project lacked focus, and no longer aligned with my current goals (I'm starting to sound like my day job). It was making me feel like my style was too disjointed, when I want to be more consistent in order to grow my art and illustration business.

Creatively, I thrive on having limits. By not having stricter limits in place for that exercise, it required more time to sit down and think of what to paint, what to do, and what to work on.

Here I am using Marie Kondo's methods to clean my house, hooked on seasonal capsule wardrobes, and meal planning hacks because it takes out the guesswork and makes my daily life easier. By realizing that I need to apply that to my 100 Day Project, it started to make sense.

So I focused. What do I want to do? I wanted to find a way to paint more without relying on my signature style of black outlines specifically for interiors. I wanted to have more content and ideas for my interior design consulting side hustle. And I had so much fun creating a master bedroom vignette for myself, that I knew that this would become my 100 Day Project.

Day 1: Since the outlines and rules were already set, I just had to wake up a little earlier to paint before work.

Day 2: (technically I fell asleep and painted it on Day 3 instead. Early lesson learned that I need to do this in the morning or I won't be able to complete it). It was my favorite painting so far though!

Day 3: I realized I needed some type of story or character in mind for these designs to make sense and to give me a way to make decisions on what to paint. Or to just give an excuse to do paint something ridiculous.

Day 4: I realized part of the fun was creating the stories and characters. I enjoy it as much as the painting.

Day 5: This one was heavily influenced by myself, as I love having all of the dishes washed before bed lately.

So far, I'm loving this project, and seeing what others have challenged themselves to do. The hardest part is taking a good picture in the morning with natural light! I'm sharing it on a Tumblr page so that all of the paintings and stories are in one place, and of course on Instagram under #100DaysofMHVignettes and #The100DayProject. 

http://marissahuberart.tumblr.com/

Watercolors for Caitlin Wilson Textiles

Right before Henry was born, I was commissioned to paint several water colors for Caitlin Wilson Textiles, thanks to a referral by Rachel Grace. My illustration style and what she needed turned out to be a good fit, and I am so grateful to have this opportunity to work with her. Caitlin is an amazingly talented and creative designer. I had so much fun bringing her lovely pillows and interiors to life in watercolor for her portfolio and website relaunch. I always love a fellow enthusiast of bright and happy colors.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I loved being able to do something that felt "normal" in the early days of motherhood, as I was feeling tied to the sofa while feeding the baby or trying to sleep. It was a bit stressful as well definitely, but it helped me to work faster and  plan my time differently. Instead of painting a watercolor in 2 shots, I had to think of what I could accomplish in 15 minutes, 30 minutes, and be flexible as well. As sometimes my mom could hold the baby, and sometimes he needed me, as I am his food source!

This type of working means that I have to leave my studio area in progress sometimes, and avoid the common procrastination trap of thinking everything must be neat and clean before I can start working. Sometimes you just have to get it done, even if it's painting on your bed while watching TV with a cute little boy who just wants to snuggle next to you.

Caitlin could not have been sweeter or more understanding regarding working with a brand new baby, as she's a working mom herself. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to meet her in person before she relocated to Portland, but I can definitely say she is a sweetheart (via email) and a talented and hard worker who deserves great success.

Enjoy the details of these watercolors. The floral pillow with navy piping was my favorite to paint. Okay, and the bulletin board!

Notes from a New Mama

When I last left off, (two whole months ago!), I was having a little too much fun acting crazy with my big belly, which is a completely fun prop before it exhausts you. Sadly, the writing waned as I was tying up loose ends at work, getting the house ready and trying to enjoy the last bit of selfish me-time for awhile by taking naps, going to the movies and just doing whatever I wanted.

Henry Andrew was born in February, and we are counting ourselves very lucky to have a happy and healthy baby boy. I think he's already a little flirt, and is making friends and charming women and men alike wherever he goes. Mike and I were so excited to finally meet him, and it's so cool to see what a sweet dad Mike is becoming. And to see someone who had never changed a diaper become a pro in a few short weeks!

I was so very lucky to have my mom stay with us for five weeks to help during this exhausting yet very special time in his life, especially since Mike didn't have much time off work. I was grateful for her support, advice, cooking, cleaning, for another set of hands to hold the baby, for hands to hold me if I was overwhelmed, and to see the magic of my mom becoming a grandparent and falling in love with this little boy.

Apart from the intense new motherhood experience, I also had the opportunity to work on some design and illustration work. A friend and I did some virtual interior design for a client in New York City, and I did some watercolor illustrations for a fabulous local designer, Caitlin Wilson. It was boot camp in terms of figuring out free time with a new baby, but it also helped me to reconnect with the part of myself that is "Marissa" and not just a source of nutrition and love for a new human. Please refer to the part where my mom was here for 5 weeks lest you think I'm pretending to be a super-mom.

Some days I felt like I never left the sofa while feeding the baby. Though I spent many hours gazing into this baby's sweet face, I also watched all three seasons of Downton Abbey. Yes. It is all it's cracked up to be, and I'm already missing it!

Mom and I baked three chocolate chip cakes in five weeks, and got hooked on no-knead sourdough bread which my Aunt brought for us with a starter.  We balanced it out by making some bright colored salads with the first of the gorgeous spring vegetables. I am so excited for Spring!

The weather has been cold but sunny in Philadelphia, and we've been taking Henry on walks in the neighborhood. We have some friends in the neighborhood who occasionally join us, and I have been treating myself to hot chocolates at our local coffee shop as an extra incentive to get outside! He loves being carried around in our Baby Bjorn and will fall asleep for entire hours it seems.

I did finish knitting a baby sweater for lil Hen before he was born. It's way too big, but he looks pretty cute wearing it at around two weeks. It's crazy how quickly they do grow and how their faces change. He already looks entirely different than in this picture. We're enjoying him and adjusting and learning every day.

I'm not sure how much I'll post about Henry or being a mom on here in the future, but wanted to show my face and introduce you to our little boy. Thanks for being my virtual friends, and  I look forward to reconnecting on this space with you all in this coming year.

xoxo, Mariss

5 Ideas for Decorating Wall Space

One of my good friends has all of these freshly painted walls in her new house, but now needs art and things to fill them. I've been mulling it over in the back of my head and finally sketched out some ideas for her.

Idea One:

Display your favorite belongings, collections and quirky items in shadowboxes. Group things together.  I'm partial to odd numbered items when it comes to collection and repetition.  If you need inspiration from the Queen of Collections, check out Lisa Congdon's Collection a Day.

Past items I've displayed are the gold sequined beaded bag (sketched below), a lemon yellow flapper dress scored at a thrift store in Florida, and a tiara from homecoming court. What a trend, all of these things are shiny, sparkly and somewhat gaudy!

I think a collection of medals would be neat, especially if they held personal meaning. The options are endless, and it becomes art, sentiment and quirky sideshow for your guests. Go mount your beloved grandmother's old spoons, broken pieces of teacups, the burlap coffee sack you picked up in Central America. Whatever speaks to you. Be genuine!

Idea Two:

Frame things you have or are large. Think maps, large photographs and favorite pieces of fabric.

Maps! Who doesn't love maps? They showcase the world at different times, feed your travel lust, track places you've been, are colorful graphic images, and take up space.

You can embroider an epic roadtrip route traveled in college where your car broke down on the side of a mountain in Utah (moi), track a honeymoon trip, or pin places you want to go. You can use the actual map as a canvas for the shape of a favorite state. Purchase or create an illustrated map for a favorite destination or to document an event or trip.

Utilize your thousand megapixel camera finally and blow up your travel photos, still lives, or portraits. You can go as big as The Novogratz's do with wall paper, or you can aim for 24x36. Or buy a print of some of your favorite photographers.

There is also fabric. I mounted a handmade woven piece from Peru with a dowel rod. You can frame or mount on canvas that yard of fabric you love but won't ever touch. Enjoy it everyday instead!

Idea Three:

Make your own collages using old paint chips, cut paper, magazines, old books, etc.  If you're artsy, make shapes and have fun. Have some friends over. Use a reference to trace a silhouette or a favorite vegetable. Do a grouping of 4 fruits or veggies for your kitchen. Paint 3 pictures of your favorite dogs that you're not allowing yourself to adopt yet. Make shapes using cut out triangles or a paper punch. Cut stripes and be random.

Frame it and enjoy. Trade with friends. Collaborate. See if wine helps or hinders. Paste over the mistakes. Hang it in the laundry room if it's an utter failure!

Idea Four:

Make paintings! Same as idea three, but with art supplies. You can make a ton of colors by mixing primary red, blue, and yellow with white and black. Acrylic is easy if you've never done it, and mixes with water which everyone is used to. Trace some patterns, mix up some colors and make simple piece of art that you are proud of.

Idea Five:

Invest in artists (established or emerging depending on your budget), that you love.  Purchase photographs, prints, letterpress, screen-prints, illustrations, printed linen, whatever you want to look at daily.

I always think you should buy art that speaks to you, that makes you smile or feel something each time you walk by. Of course I live with a painter, so our walls are filled gallery style, but I still smile each time I see my beloved Heather Smith Jones piece or the watercolor from my friend Margaret's travels to Alaska in the 70s.

Here are some resources and a few of my recent favorites to get you started:

• 20x200
• Etsy
• Big Cartel
• Michelle Armas
• LALADexPress
• Claudia Pearson
• Julia Rothman
• Lisa Rupp Designs
• Mike East (have to add my partner-in-crime)

Regardless of what you choose to fill your home, enjoy doing it, know that it's a process, and bring things and art in that you love. Let me know what I forgot!

And have fun! Life is short and artwork can be rearranged.

(Says the girl with an alligator head and pink lawn flamingos).