FREEBIE – Gratitude Journal Cards

Hi everyone. Today is FREEBIE day! You may recall me talking about Gratitude before and how important it is to have it in our lives – this post might refresh your memories!
Well today as gratitude to you lovely people, I have four FREE Journal Cards for you to download!

FREEBIE – Gratitude Journal Cards by Dreaming on a Star

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Dreaming on a Star at the Markets!

Hi everyone. Dreaming on a Star has been at the markets!

So far I’ve done four markets – three at Strandhill People’s Market and one at the Sligo Flea Market in the Model Art Gallery.

I love interacting with customers. Hearing someone compliment your work or making someone smile is a special thing.  I love making that connection – it’s both a joy and a privilege.

Dreaming on a Star at Strandhill People’s Market

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Tigerprint Kids Character Design Competition

Hi everyone. I’ve entered the Tigerprint Kids Character Design Competition with a little character – she’s one of the Doodle Dolls.  She’s very girly, loves flowers, colour and pattern and when she grows up she wants to work as a fashion designer.

Doodle Doll by Dreaming on a Star

She came from a little doodle I did a while ago.

Dolly Doodles by Dreaming on a Star

I’d like to work more on these doodles and make some patterns and a collection. Watch this space! ♡

Happy Birthday Olive!

Hi everyone. Today is my niece, Olive’s birthday! She’s 3 years old and I drew her a little illustration to celebrate her birthday. She’s a cutie pie, full of energy and mischief.

Happy Birthday Olive!

She’s a sparkle of sunshine in everybody’s life.

My family tell me how much she reminds them of me when I was little. So I’d like to wish my little kindred spirit a Happy Birthday.  Love my niece. ♡

March with Dreaming on a Star

Hi everyone. March has been a bit quiet at Dreaming on a Star. I had a horrible, stinky flu that lasted for two weeks, then I got a chest infection.

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Thankfully I’m all better now and ready to face April with gusto! I had some happy news in March that I would like to share with you all. One of my illustrations will feature in this fab book about Dogs! Read more…

Have Gratitude for your Life!

Hi everyone. I’ve been reading lots of inspirational books lately and one thing that keeps cropping up, is cultivating a sense of gratitude in your life. Do you have gratitude in your life?

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Printable Recipe Cards and Organisation!

Hi everyone. I’ve been organising my life recently! Maybe it’s the start of a New Year, but I want to streamline my life! I’ve been collecting recipes for years – torn out of magazines, scribbled down from TV programmes, tips and recipes from friends and lots of recipe books. The problem is they’re on scraps of paper, here and there.

I’m a fussy fusspot. I’ve been searching for the perfect book to house my recipes. I couldn’t find anything I liked, so I went for a plain hardback book from Paperchase – that way I could customize it with my own designs!

Recipe Book

I haven’t finished designing the cover. I made a little typographic doodle and cut it out and stuck it on the cover. I will probably change it. My recipe book is a work in progress, because I am only storing recipes that have been tried out and I actually like. So it will be a while until the book is filled. Read more…

Valentine’s Day Journal Cards for Project Life

Hi everyone. Valentine’s Day is approaching!  As you may know I’ve spoken before about Project Life, where you journal and record all your memories.

I’ve made a new set of journalling cards especially for Valentine’s Day!

Journal Cards

Now you can record your perfect Valentine’s Day! Read more…

My first week as a student at Lilla Rogers’ MATS class!

Hi everyone. I’ve enrolled in Lilla Rogers’ MATS class (Make Art That Sells – Part A) and have my very own student card! The first week is over and I want to tell you how I’ve been getting on and show you what I’ve been doing!

Dreaming on a Star’s MATS Student Card!

The first week was all about Bolt Fabric. We learned to analyse different styles, what makes a great fabric design, how to make your designs stand out. There were interviews with Lilla’s artists and influential buyers in the Bolt Fabric industry. Lilla even spells out step by step how to approach a buyer.

The assignment for the week was to make a mini fabric collection (main print & two coordinates) based on Berries & Pyrex Casserole Dishes. Lilla broke down the assignment into simple steps. She emphasized having fun, because her motto is – People Buy Your Joy!

Unfortunately I had the flu for the first few days and I was panicking that I would get left behind. I managed a few scribbles whilst lying in bed but I really wanted to get stuck in. I kind of freaked out a bit, but I got some advice from my designer friends – look after yourself first, and everything else will look after itself!

So I took it easy, reading the course notes and a few days later when I was better, I started to draw a bit more and explore ideas about how I would approach the brief.

Berries & Pyrex Casseroles – Doodles

Lilla emphasized our Uniqueness and wanted us to put Us into our work – we all have a unique way of looking at the world.
When I was reading the brief, the idea of collecting berries reminded me of Harvest time. In Ireland, in Celtic times, an important Harvest festival, Lughnasadh was celebrated here. It was the gathering of the first fruits of harvest, namely berries.

I loved this idea and wanted to give the brief an Irish slant, but I didn’t want it too obvious. If you google Irish and Celtic symbols, you’ll see a lot of intertwining symbols. While these are very beautiful, they are ubiquitous in Ireland, so I wanted something less obvious.

Newgrange & Passage Tomb

Newgrange is a Neolithic structure in County Meath, Ireland. It was built over 5000 years ago and is thought to be a religious monument. The structure is aligned with the rising sun and its light floods the chamber on the winter solstice.

The tribal markings you can see on the ‘Doodles’ picture are Celtic symbols found on the massive stones in Newgrange. These are less obviously Irish but are beautiful. They are thought to explain the astronomical significance of the structure. (Also you may see there are quite a few geos in the design – those Celts were right on trend!)

Here is my finished piece:

Dreaming on a Star – Berries & Pyrex Dishes – MATS Bolt Fabric

Lúnasa (modern Irish spelling of Lughnasadh – pronounced Loo-na-sah) is also the name for August in the Irish language.

I hope you like it. I enjoyed making it and learned so much in Lilla’s class. She offers loads of advice and tips. I’m looking forward to Week 2. ♡

Beatles lllustrations by Dreaming on a Star

Hi everyone. A few weeks ago I went to International Beatles Week in Liverpool. It’s a week long celebration of all things Beatles. There’s loads of tribute bands, films, documentaries, shows and a memorabilia fair. It’s quite literally Beatles heaven if you’re a fan of the Fab Four!

Beatles Illustration

I’ve always been a fan of the Beatles but it’s only in the last 10 years or so that I’ve become a bigger fan. Their body of work never ceases to amaze me – from their raucous, rock-n-roll beginnings to their unmistakable jangly, catchy pop, to their more experimental, psychedelia and finally their thoughtful, more mature songs. Read more…