Gemma Alice Art

Does this caption have anything to do with the image? Not really.

Did I draw a pretty cool design, but have nothing relevant to say about it? Absolutely.

Drawing is a therapy for me, I love it, It centers me and makes me feel more in balance and it gives me calm when my brain can't find any (I have medication that helps with this, but I don't really have time to sleep for 12 hours in the middle of the day, so we try other things🖍)
I've also learnt I can use my creativity as a bit of a gauge for my mental health.
When I'm in a depressive episode I struggle to create anything, I feel too much pressure and I have little patience with testing ideas.
When I'm up, I will draw everyday, I will stay up late creating endless designs, which by the way are always 'the best thing I've ever done'.
The extremes I feel (due to some pretty wonky brain chemistry) absolutely have the power to wreck havoc in my life, but I'm learning how to 'ride the waves' 🤔

Trying new things 🤓
I tried a software tool that, as you draw, replicates the image 4 times around a center point. I've used it several times before and thought it should be useful but never really got along with it, so this time I kept going untill I was fairly happy with the image.

Well I gave it a good try, and the verdict is: I don't like it (the tool, not the design) so back to my regular tools!

🧫🧪⚗️
This pattern is accidentally giving me sciencey vibes.
I hope you have a great tuesday and achieve all of the things on your 'to do' list!

..almost rainbow camo 🌈

✨️Seeing Stars ✨️..pretty cute rainbow stars

🌷 Trying out a different type of pattern repeat today.
Going on our family walk today really reminded me, I can't wait for spring!
(I can't wait for it to be more than 5 degrees outside)

What did I do yesterday?
Not a lot, I certainly didn't do more than one thing on my list.
When an absolute whirlwind of a boy is your full time 24/7 job, keeping the house is a part time job and running a small business is your other part time job, being ill and 'out of action' isn't very convenient. I don't think I've had a proper sick day since I was pregnant with him.
Well yesterday I was child-free and spent most of the day laying down in a dark room with the most horrendous headache.
Being on medication for the rest of my life has some bonus problems, paracetamol is the only medication I can take for pain (unless it's administered in hospital) so my best option was to try and sleep through it. Thankfully I woke up about 4 and was feeling slightly better, I did a few house jobs (clean the kitchen and living room, did some laundry, took a shower😲)
And then a little drawing, not for a project or purpose, I just doodled what I felt like and I'm pretty happy with the outcome, the colours just make me happy.

💜Presume positive intent💜
Since I came across this saying a few months back, it's come to mind many times and is something I'm now consciously trying to do more.

It's hard, when you're really in the thick of it, struggling with depression or holding too much on your plate with no room for yourself, if you're having a bad day, week or month even the slightest comment, even from someone whom you utterly adore, can feel like a personal attack.
A lot if the time this then leads us to respond in anger, haste or in an unkind way to a comment that was never intended that way.

So, I think, if I try to see the positive and 'presume positive intent' or at least neutrality, then maybe we can avoid unnecessary conflict and things can be a little calmer and simpler for everyone.
And who wouldn't love that!

You are exactly where you need to be 🌍

🥰 Valentines card #2
I really love the gradient on this one.

I hope you are having a great weekend, we've had a busy day and went to a new swimming pool which Elliott loved and even managed to squeeze in a little creative time working on some new cards.

🍂Hello November🍂
The cozy month, before you're running round last minute trying to sort the one christmas present you inevitably forgot and absolutly freezing your toes off!
Cue boots, scarves, hoodies, movies and hot chocolate ☕️

They're here! (Almost!)

My final 6 christmas cards for 2022 and I really love them 🎄

I'll be dropping them off to tomorrow and they will be up for sale on my etsy store next week.

Please let me know what you think?

Let's talk christmas decorations!
Are you someone who puts them up as soon as halloween is over or more of a 20something of December kind of person?

Ideally I'd like them up around the middle of December, i love snuggling under a blanket in the glow of a million fairy lights.
Then by January 1st I'm so ready for a clean, tidy, christmas-free house🏠

Currently in the queue for my covid booster 🧪 using my time to do something productive.
Another one of my Christmas cards that will be avalible on my Etsy store and also at soon! 🎄✨️

You know that saying 'it does not matter how slow you go, as long as you do not stop'?
well work/drawing/creating has slowed down, really slowed down, BUT I haven't stopped!
I'm still making my alternative Christmas cards - think christmas but 80s patterns + pastel colours. just trying get through some hard brain stuff🧠 do all the fun family things and keep a tiny person alive!

Looking for an alternative christmas card? This is a sneek peak at one for my colourful christmas cards that I'll be printing and delivering to next week!

Something a bit different, having a play with texture in a couple of abstract pieces this evening.
💜❤💛

I think we've all been there.
True or not, we all have times where we feel like we have no idea what we're doing, like we've lost direction and are just being pushed around by other things in life or maybe that were not in control of where we're going.
For years I've said that going to art school killed my creativity because of the hoops you have to jump through to attain grades (that are not based on creative ability at all!) And I think a little bit of that has come back, I've been so worried about what will get engagement, etsy views or sales, that I'm not just creating.

So I'm going to try and do some daily drawings just for me.

Hello?
Sorry for the lack of content and new products over the last couple of weeks, life has been a lot, its been hard and very hectic.

I had to find some time and energy from somewhere and designing had to take a backseat.

We're now at one of my favourite places, and am enjoying some family time before another busy week begins!

A little 'work in progress' drawing today and although its not finished I might pop this one on the 'free downloads' highlight as a phone wallpaper because I think it's pretty 💙

Hope you're all having a great week!

Unpopular opinion: I think snow is kind of rubbish ⛄

It's beautiful to watch snow falling if you're inside in the warm, or to see picturesque snow covered landscape photos and if your a little playing in the snow is fun, BUT that's where it stops.

Snow loiters. It turns in to grey mush that gets thrown to the curb from every moving car.
You can't tell what's underneath, is it normal road, is it a sinkhole -no one knows.
Lastly and most importantly, if I leave the house I spend any time walking looking like a stiffened penguin or terrified of falling to my death. Or both.

What are your feelings on snow? Love it or hate it, let me know⬇️

New card designs now on etsy! (Link in bio)

There's several different cards all in this 'rainbow confetti' style and more still to be added.

When you have to finish designing your Christmas card collection but you're in a heatwave 🔥

Happy Friday!
We have absolutely nothing planned and for us this weekend -such a treat.

In the words of Dr. Seuss, 'be kind in your mind' -that means to yourself too!
Sometimes being kind to yourself is taking time out and slowing down, there's always so much going on, pressure to 'hustle' and glorification of being busy that we rarely have nothing to do.
So amongst the house admin and endless other jobs I'm going to try and take advantage of our 'no plans weekend' and slow down 🦥

I hope you have a fantastic (and slow) weekend!

.seuss

🌱 Never Stop Growing🪴
I don't have much to say today, after a pretty intense therapy session has reduced my brain to mush, except for I hope you're having a great day and not completely melting.
Water your plants.
Water yourself.
Eat ice lollies 🧊

You are in controll of your life and you can do anything you dream of.

.seuss

Hello 👋 this is your (probably unwelcome) reminder that it is 19 weeks till Christmas day!
That's 4 just paydays 😬

So it's the middle of August and at the beginning of another heatwave, why am I talking to you about Christmas?

Last year the searches on etsy for Christmas related items started to pick up in August. AUGUST.
It then peaked around the middle of October and then pretty quickly dropped off.
This combined with small businesses generally prepping for Christmas in May means I am compleatly behind.

I'm not going to put any Christmas items on my shop untill September (I probably won't be ready before then anyway- thanks covid) but know I am squirreling away any free moment I get to have them finished as soon as possible!

Sneek peak at one of my Christmas cards 🎄

🌟 Be kind to yourself 🌟

If your a small biz owner, you'll probably have heard the expression 'think about who your post is for' if the answer is for yourself, then you'd be encouraged not to post it.

Today this is for you and for me, remember to be kind to others of course, but also yourself.

Your thoughts, actions and inner dialogue are with you 24/7 DO NOT underestimate the influence they have on your outlook and how that effects every aspect of your life.

What's something you do to 'be kind to yourself'?
Let me know in the comments⬇️