​They say necessity is the mother of invention and I couldn't agree more! This year, along with my Christmas gifts, I am including hot cocoa spoons with gifts to my family and friends AND I'm also offering them in some of my coffee mug gift sets. 

Since gluten and milk products trigger migraines and inflammation in my system, it is imperative that I read all food labels. This led me to create these cute little gift tags for others who are also gifting homemade hot cocoa mix or chocolate spoons. People with food allergies will forever be grateful that you took the time to include an ingredients list with your gift!

The card measures 2x2 inches, it features my original hand drawn artwork on the cover and the text on the back can be customized to include your list of ingredients, instructions and can be personalized with your name.

Now, as far as the chocolate spoons I made, I used @enjoylifefoods semi-sweet, diary-free, vegan and gluten-free chocolate chips to ensure EVERYONE can enjoy a cup of hot cocoa regardless of their dietary restrictions. I just melted the chocolate chips, poured them into each spoon, topped it with crushed peppermint candy, placed in the fridge to cool or a few minutes and wrapped them up to gift. 

Because I like to taste the chocolate in my hot cocoa, I use two spoons in 10 ounces of hot almond milk and add a dash a cinnamon. Yum! The chocolate spoons can also be used to sweeten your coffee and make a hot mocha. If you’re a chocolate lover, these treats will totally hit the spot!

By the way, I still have a few mug sets available with gluten-free cookies and these diary-free chocolate spoons.  Treat yourself or a loved one. You’ll love them! 😋

​I did my first pop-up of the season this weekend in beautiful downtown Palm Springs hosted by Interstellar Comic Books & Gifts. In the last year, I’ve only done a total of three pop ups and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each and every single one of them because of the connections and friendships I’ve made.
The first two times I participated in an event I was selling Lipsense and while I’m still a Lipsense distributor, I put that on the back burner to focus on the stuff that makes my heart sing; creating unique, colorful hand lettered gifts and greeting cards featuring puns and feel-good phrases in English, Spanish AND Spanglish.
Below is a short compilation of my Instagram stories that I shared the night before the event as I practiced setting up my display. Let me know what you think!

Aside from doing pop ups around town, I’ve also decided to host hand lettering workshops in my home and in the homes or business locations of friends and family.
So, if you’re in the Coachella Valley and you’re interested in hosting a lettering workshop or pop-up shop, please send me a note! I’d love the opportunity to co-create an event that is fun for all.

Just sharing a mini doodle demo to ensure you have lots of friendly ghosts greeting you this Halloween. 🎃 Have lots of fun and be safe today!

For more drawing and lettering tips, watch my Instagram stories at @PaisleyInParis

Halloween always inspires me, in so many ways. There’s LOTS of cute artwork out there already, but you know what? No one can do it the way YOU can.

Inspiration behind the illustration
Take this piece for instance. Sugar skulls have become more and more popular in recent years as America has embraced the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 2nd.

I began by looking at a list of prompts for something to draw and was inspired by the word “skull”. I started by drawing the frame and thought I’d draw a framed "photo" of a skull. Then I asked myself "what would a fancy guy wear for a picture?” then “school pictures” came to mind which automatically made me think of cool high school kids. A few minutes prior to drawing, I had been browsing Instagram and came across a video clip of Post Malone wearing a grill on his teeth. Haha! I thought “Hey, Malone is young(ish), popular and cool. Let’s give this little guy a gold grill too for his (and then it popped in my head) SKULL PICTURES” - gasp! I felt so clever, ‘cause you know what? I love puns! I felt the vibe of inspiration run through me and began to draw happily ever after.

What makes your artwork unique 
My point is, that it’s these personal experiences that add a touch of uniqueness to your artwork and creativity. Next time you’re doubting your ability to reinvent the wheel, think again. You CAN do it and you can totally infuse your style into it as long as you tap into your experience and let the thoughts flow.

So, just curious now... what would you wear on picture day in the afterlife? Leave a comment below to let me know.

As for me, I’d wear my LipSense for sure; probably draw flowers on my head with it ‘cause I’d have no lips, but that’s ok. Whatever makes a girl feel pretty, right? 😁

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Spent hours on the couch today drawing. It's, like, the only positive spin on staying home with the flu - ha!

On that note, here's a 17 second video of one of the pieces I created today. I liked the idea of drawing a moon with a witch hat, but I wasn't liking how dark and spooky it was turning out. You know I'm all about bright and happy artwork, so I redrew the moon with a bigger smile and changed the color of the sky to an untraditional color - peach! Never in a thousand years had I thought about drawing a peach sky before. But that's the beauty of art. Through trial and error, a bit of experimentation and stepping out of the traditional, you will find yourself with results that will delight you!

Also, I must add, I really like the way her hat turned out! I haven't yet mastered the art of adding textures and shadows to my work, so I do it sparingly.

​Baby steps, my friend. Baby steps. 

Is there anything you've been experimenting with in your creative journey lately? Please share in the comments below!

Also, if you are new to my website and would like to see more of my artwork, visit my Instagram page and say "hello" – I love making new friends. =]