A to Z Blog Challenge: W is for...

 Watercolour Month (July)

With day 100 of the 100 day project on June 1st, I will take the month off, so that I can do the watercolour month challenge in July.

The book is now out for pre-sale, and I can focus on art for the remainder of the 100 day project. This challenge was becoming tiring (today is day 65), but with the book now off my schedule, I have a bit more control over my schedule and can also pay attention to the tiny treasures project.

For watercolour month I usually paint larger pieces and am looking forward to tackling the list of watercolour projects I want to paint.

Here are two of my favourites of the challenge in 2025.

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: V is for...

 Variety

Variety is the spice of life, but for someone who gets bored quickly, variety in art practice is essential. So I draw, paint (in a variety of mediums), collage, print, and do mixed media work in a variety of styles too.

The coffee grinder is a realistic drawing, while Notes is an abstract/impressionistic painting done in oil. Sun printing is fun, and I still want to do cyanotype sun printing. I used one of the sun printed butterflies in the collage image of post R (for Recycle).

Coffee grinder (carbon graphite)

The same goes for my writing: I write novels and short stories, in different genres from contemporary to science fiction, and fantasy. And also mixed them up, especially in the new Lords of the High Council sub-series which is a mix of action, supernatural, fantasy, science fiction, religion and romance. (Note: my books are adults only)

How do you add variety to your creative activities?

I will have a CreativeLife post on Sunday, and I will be back on with the Letter W on Monday. Until then!

Notes (oil paint)

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

Sun printing (turmeric & alcohol)

 

A to Z Blog Challenge: U is for...

 Ultramarine and other blues

 Blue comes in a variety of pigments, including ultramarine, cobalt, and turquoise. My favourite blue is turquoise, but I use all of them in paintings and drawings.

Blue is considered to be the favourite colour of most people...I am not one of them. 😏

But here are a few blues from watercolour paints, pens, and markers in my art and craft material stash.

What is your favourite colour?

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: T is for...

 Tags

 Tags are a fun creative project. Typically used in junk journaling, they are easy, and versatile.

You can decorate the one side and use the other write on, or just leave it blank. We have three monthly creative projects in our art group: lifebook, an art project, and a tag.

Here are a few of my recent tags (they are all 16x8cm).

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: S is for...

 Share

Today is Earth Day and I am celebrating with tiny paintings towards this planet that we all share.

Sometimes it is frightening to see what people are doing to each other, and the planet, our one and only home.

Whether you think we will colonise another planet in the future or not, until then this is our home. 

Why not do something for our planet today?

Happy Earth Day fellow creative!

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

 

A to Z Blog Challenge: R is for...

 Recycle

 This concept is one of my favourite art things to do...recycling painted paper for collage. I even used randomly painted papers in a painting for a competition two years ago. Since I don't paint portraits, the only type of art that made the finals, my painting didn't get anywhere. But it is still one of my all time favourite abstracts.

I love collage of all types, and will often make tags (a junk journal thing) with collage, and now also have four sketchbooks of various sizes (two really small) exclusively to play with collage.

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé
  

A large prompt based collage challenge I did in Dec 2025
(70x50cm)

A to Z Blog Challenge: Q is for...

 Quader

An old Scots word literally meaning “to make something square,” but which can also be used figuratively to mean “to agree with or get along with someone.” (mentalfloss.com)

While I don't think I will be using this word in my writing any time soon, I do find the blog challenge always a good time to learn a new word or two. Q is a letter that definitely lends itself to such a learning opportunity.

Here is a watercolour background and ink doodle drawing I did for #the100dayproject - all square at 11x11cm. 😏🤣

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: P is for...

Planning

Everyone plans their work or other activities in a way that works for them. Whether it is a digital planner or a paper planner. Maybe even both. I prefer a paper planner.

Over the years I have adapted the Bullet Journal method to a style that works for me. No, I don't spend hours decorating the pages, because I need the space for planning everything.

When there is some space left at the end of the month, I will add stickers, washi tape, or stamps to decorate the space. I use a spread for a whole month. Then I can see everything at a single view. I draw a calendar, and a tracker. These are the only 'drawn' items.

I cannot add the individual activities of my work, there are simply too many, so I make a list of the highest level tasks that need to be done per job. I add my logbook (I need this for tax purposes), and then a list of everything else I have to do: pay tax, book a service for my car, etc.

How does it help with dealing with feeling overwhelmed?

Priorities. My work priorities are not in my control, but everything else is. By knowing my priorities, and the number of things I have going on, I can see what must be done by when, and what can be delayed by a day or two.

But I also plan to take breaks. Not hours, because I do take breaks during my workday, but days to relax and forget about my responsibilities. I do this as often as I can, and not when I have to. Something I learned the hard way!

And it is knowing my priorities and taking time off regularly, that has been the most useful to managing that near paralysing feeling of overwhelm.

There is no past tomorrow, so I will see you again on Monday!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: M is for...

 Monochrome

The word monochrome is mostly associated with black and white art or photography, but it doesn't have to be. Monochrome means single colour, so it can even be red or blue. Check out this YouTube video by LiazDaydream for cute paintings done with green ink.

My husband has done some amazing monochrome photography and I think that is where the concept originates: those old black and white films.

I had a look through my art to share monochrome art of my own, but other than black and white drawings, I couldn't find any. Not recent work anyway. I do love using a single colour so I am using my own post as inspiration to do some more monochrome art. Perhaps for the #100tinytreasures?

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜Linzé

CreativeLife update: art, the novel, and that pesky geyser problem

Hey there creative friend!

Our pesky geyser problem has finally been fixed, and I have started work on repairing the ceiling in my studio. It's mostly scraping off the flaking paint, and then repainting it. Most of the water damage was inside the cupboard, which made it awkward for someone who doesn't like ladders, to reach. But I managed.

Of course, I could ask Hubs, but it's my studio and I like painting walls and ceilings, which he certainly doesn't. And if you don't like something, you either postpone it, or you do a crap job. Since a crap job was not an option, it meant that I had to do it.

Reorganising is still a challenge. Since I want to move some furniture around, it is taking time with unpacking and moving and storing stuff again. Also a good time to get rid of things. I have already put aside a lot of pencils, and other materials, but they are still in the house. I want to put everything up on a website maybe in two or three batches to sell. I thought of donating everything, but advertising it might interest someone who actually needs a few things and don't live in my area. I will share where and when everything is available.

At least now I can get into my studio and work on some larger panels again. The tiny watercolours are still fun, but the big brushes are calling and those are the most fun to play with.

My 10th novel's editing is going well. The final edit is in progress, then it needs to be proofread and formatted for publication. The cover still needs some work, but I will have a chat with Hubs since he is my cover guy. This means I could actually make the new May deadline! Woohoo!

The A to Z blog challenge is underway if you want to have a look at the other kind of stuff I am up to in April. The next post is tomorrow.

Until next time!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: J is for...

Art Journal

or Lifebook in my case

I have been a fan of Tamara Laporte's lifebook for years. A private space for thoughts, often covered up by a painting. This year our art group is back on doing a monthly lifebook entry as part of our creative practice.

Sharing is optional to the members of the group. I would sometimes share my painting, collage, or drawing but the private stuff would either be covered up at that point, or simply done after.

I choose a theme for us, since it can be difficult to choose a reference (or idea) when one's private thoughts are not always conducive to artistic expression.

This past March, the theme was Growth. Each member of the group could interpret the theme in any way they wanted, but it also gives some guidance for personal reflection. To be honest, I don't write in my Lifebook, because I have a journal and don't need a theme or a reminder to use it. It has been a practice of more than 40 years for me, so the art is just another opportunity for some fun.

>>> My March Lifebook interpretation of the theme, done with acrylic brush markers and metallic gel pens.

Until tomorrow for a CreativeLife update post. The A to Z challenge resumes on Monday.

🇿🇦💜Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: H is for...

The 100 day project

and 100 Tiny Treasures

The 2026 edition of #the100dayproject started on 22 February. Today is the 47th day since the start of the challenge, and by some miracle I have been keeping up a daily creative practice.

Last year I spent more of the time writing, but so far I have only used two days to write, and not draw or paint. This does not mean that I haven't written during the other days, I have. I do have a book to finish, so writing (and editing) is necessary so I won't miss the new publication deadline in May.

And then I decided to do #100tinytreasures. These are tiny paintings and the perfect solution for days where I have to focus on the book. The tiny treasures is not a challenge but a quest (alias the inventor, Leslie Stroz) to make 100 tiny paintings in a year. So not everyday, but often enough to keep the creative interest, and a perfect solution for the 100 day project too.

And just so you know: I don't count the A to Z challenge blog posts towards the 100 day project. And on that note here are a few of those tiny paintings.

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: G is for...

Graphite

The most basic of all art mediums, the humble drawing pencil remains a favourite.

A friend asked me last night which graphite pencils I like to draw with, and I had to think for a moment. While I usually reach for my trusty 2H first, I have been drawing with a 5H pencil as well. And this choice is the result of the paper I am drawing on.

The 5H pencil just seemed be the best choice for drawing on Canson Sandgrain paper. We have an oil based material project for April, and I chose oil pastels. The harder pencils don't smudge easily, so the oil pastel won't get dirty because I smudge the first layer of the painting with my fingers. I love Sandgrain paper, although I know many artists don't because of its abrasive surface.

But here is another oil pastel I did on Sandgrain paper - it is based on an acrylic painting tutorial by Michelle the Painter on YouTube.

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: E is for...

Experiment

Staying creative is not always easy, and experimenting is often a good idea to keep the creative juices flowing. But not all experiments are successful, as many scientists will attest.

But when it comes to making art, who doesn't love making a mess? So I did. And while the outcome is not a masterpiece, I did like the process: I combined two ideas from two different ladies on YouTube.

I am sharing both my attempts, and will definitely try it again. The crayons for the background didn't work so well, but I will try with artist grade crayons or paint next time.

Until tomorrow!

💜🇿🇦 Linzé

  

A to Z Blog Challenge: D is for...

Drawing

Drawing or sketching? I like both, but drawing is a more time intensive activity. Sketching can be done while waiting for your coffee at your favourite coffee shop. Ofter called urban sketching it can be a quick record of a time or place, whereas a drawing usually requires more time, more attention, and can be a work of art when it is done.

`White ink drawing

Both are fun, and serve to satisfy the urge to create something. So, when I have a bit of time, I like to do a drawing with lots of details and might even add colour with watercolours or coloured pens or pencils.

Sketching on the go? Why not? It is excellent practice to capture a moment (or moments) and takes almost no time on a busy day...just long enough to get a cup of your favourite brew.

There is no post tomorrow, so I will see you again on Monday!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

CreativeLife update: the100dayproject, the A to Z blog challenge, and a near studio disaster

 Hey there creative friends!

  As I write this post, February is about to expire and a new month with new challenges and creative projects is almost here. Since I paint on wooden panels, they need a bit of TLC before I can start painting. I started the process a few minutes ago on three new panels.

  I bought 12 of them because they were a good price, and when inspiration strikes, I can't wait to start. For now there will be 3, but there could be more. I painted two panels in this style a while back, they were sold, and I loved the process, so I thought why not paint a few more?

  I already did a few sketches, and there are definitely ideas that make my fingers itch. I like it when that happens! 😁

  The original idea for the project was on the list of projects I made for my art group this year, but once it became time to send them the reference (not to copy though) the muse struck...and a series was born.

˜ ˜ ˜ The100dayproject - a few of my daily collages and paintings below ˜ ˜ ˜ 

    The plan was to start the first painting this week, but that was until I noticed the ceiling in my studio. It was wet around the closet where I store my solvents, and my completed paintings. To say that I had a light panic is an understatement.

   I removed all the paintings as fast as I could - I put them in the living room, along with my largest easel. I also had to move the finished sketchbooks stored on a shelf. Inspection of the inside of the cupboard made the news worse. The ceiling and the wood inside was wet.

 

   

My paintings are okay, although one sketchbook was damp, but fortunately sustained no real damage.

   I packed the cupboard with dehydrating things, and it looks like it will be dry in another day or so. I will fix the ceiling once the geyser has been repaired or replaced. We don't know yet what the insurance will decide.  It's a huge frustration and I hope it will be resolved soon.

When I logged in to start writing this post, I saw posts about the annual blog challenge coming in April. I don't know how many years I have been taking part, and this year will be no exception.

Blogging every day is hard work, but with advance notice, I can definitely make it work by preparing at least ten posts ahead of time.

It will overlap with the 100day project, and two more challenges that I have enrolled in, so planning ahead is necessary. 

My A-to-Z Blog challenge theme for 2026

And my studio is back to normal. 🙏

Until next time!

💜🇿🇦 Linzé

PS: Keep an eye out, if you love horror fiction, there is another exciting book launch coming the 20th!

CreativeLife update: art, finishing a first draft, and the house freaked me out 😳

 Hey there creative friend,

Happy 2026 to you! I think it is still appropriate to give new year's wishes in January. 😉 Although if your year started like mine, things just picked up where they left off in December - fast paced, and bordering on overwhelming. That was after we got the house sorted.

On 31 December we started hearing arcing of the electrical connections inside the house. Since we are both engineers, we tried to see if we could figure out what was going on. Neither of us could. It got worse on the 1st and it started to freak me out to the point that I insisted that we get an electrician before the house burned down.

I contacted my business partner's son, who is a qualified electrician, and fortunately he was available to come out on Friday, the 2nd. It took four hours, lots of digging, which hubs helped with, for them to find and fix the problem. The main supply cable to the house was damaged and the arcing we heard came through the pipe the cable was routed with into the house. The bill was a nightmare, but it could have been so much worse.

Dragonfruit in watercolour and
coloured pencil (Jan 2026)

While I am writing this post, I am enjoying an impromptu long weekend (not complaining) because my work was done by Thursday and my clients were not ready for me to start their tests on Friday.

I spent the time transcribing the handwritten words of the Guardian of Dreams. The first draft is finally done. I am not happy with the ending, not the actual ending, but how the story got there. Does that make sense? Anyway, I will fix it when editing, so not really too worried about it.

I am also working on the prequel (a full length novel) of the Guardian of Energy. It is close to being finished too, so lots of editing ahead for me this year. Both the prequel and the story will only be released, once both books are finished.

💜  What I learned this week

Why Caring What People Think Makes You Miserable

https://journeyofideas.substack.com/p/why-caring-what-people-think-makes

I decided to do Inktober52 again this year, and drew the third prompt last night. The first two prompts were listed as free time. While I have done some creative things, a collage and the watercolour of dragonfruit, there was no ink involved.

I am doing the Inktober52 prompts as part of an art journal slash journal monthly page in an A4 sketchbook. This is a new thing for me and I am still feeling my way around the design. I don't want to make it a big deal, but the idea is to have highlights and things worth remembering on one page per month for that end-of-year reflection that happens and then I can't remember the details.

I do keep an actual journal, but rereading a whole year's worth of entries really doesn't appeal. So we will see how this will go towards that goal. Including actual drawings as part of the page, will help me to keep up the practice.

The plan is to share more details on my Substack and Medium pages, but I will share those links on my social media if you are want to learn more.

Stay creative, until next time!

💜🇿🇦 Linzé

CreativeLife update: fixing a boring novel, and Inktober

 Hey there, creative friend!

    I caused a problem for myself on multiple levels: the book I had planned to publish in December, is not finished yet. This means that it is too late to send to my editor, but the bigger issue? If you have read any of my Nations of Peace novels, you will know that somewhere in each story there is usually a binding ritual of some kind to tie the romantic partners together for life. With uneven lifespans, and not-quite-human characters, this was my solution for a happily ever after.

   In case you are not familiar with the series, these binding rituals vary depending on the type of characters. Spoiler alert: my books are only intended for an adult audience.

Back to the problem...

The novel I am talking about is the first of the stories of the High Lords. The Lords of the High Council made their debut in Michael's Mystery. It is the story of Anoré D'Exelmante, the Guardian of Dreams. His abilities include telepathy and telekinesis.

He meets the love of his life. And as things typically go, they want to be together for always, hence the binding ritual. Anoré is immortal, but the woman is human. And here is where I dug myself a proverbial grave: the binding ritual. I couldn't figure it out.

When I wrote the story, I decided to skip it (leave some space in the file) and then carried on with the story. You know stuff that goes wrong, and issues that need to be fixed and talked about, etc. When I started editing it (before sending it for a professional edit) I realised that I didn't like the story. Okay, it became boring. I hate boring, and so will you, my reader.

I do like the characters, so I had to fix it. Period.

I then deleted all the words from that space to the end. Okay, I just moved the words to my Deleted file, because you never know if they would be useful. Then I started to rewrite the story. And I figured out the binding ritual almost immediately- imagine that. 😉

With Novel November just around the corner, I will be finishing the story of the Guardian of Dreams. Do another edit from the start in the new year, send it off to my editor, and then publish it in 2026.

What did I learn from this situation? I need to trust myself. I have been writing for 25 years, and the best stories come from letting the process lead the way, not my engineering brain.

The High Lords are fascinating characters, but Anoré's lady is turning out to be a surprise ... to him. And me, when I started trusting the process.

I have included a few of my Inktober 2025 drawings, to give come colour to this post, but it's not been an exciting challenge for me - mostly because of severely limited available time. Maybe I will bore you with that story next time. 😉

Until then, life creatively!

💜🇿🇦Linzé

CreativeLife update: Laughing my ass off making art

 Hey there creative friends!

   This past week I finished the Creative Reset course with Louise Fletcher. One of the exercises we had to do was to draw blind selfies. I share a few below, but I laughed so hard when I saw the results. Some people had a really hard time doing this exercise. While I understand the difficulties people might have, I had no problem staring at my face (no make-up) to do the assignment.

                         

   Blind drawing, in case you don't know, is to draw while looking at the subject, but not at the paper. I used a mirror.

   Then I noticed the Mont Marte September challenge on Instagram. Since I do have a few materials from Mont Marte, and enjoy a challenge, I decided why not? And guess what the first prompt was? Yup...do a selfie. This was no blind drawing challenge, so I had to have a think about which photo to use. What style I want to use. And of course, the medium.

   Oil pastels won, since I have been working on improving my skills with this medium. Since winners are chosen randomly, my chances would be closer to zero than anything else, I thought...let's just go for it.

   It's not a very good likeness, but it was fun nonetheless. What do you think? My profile picture on Instagram is the real me if you want to have a look and compare. Be nice, please.

   So now it's back to the paintings for an actual competition. I have one finished already, one is in progress, and the plan is to do a third since they allow three entries.

  Unit we chat again, have an awesome creative time!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

The 100 day project Week 15 (Day 99 and Day 100)

Hey there creative friends!

Are you as gobsmacked as I am? I made it! At the start of the challenge I was enthusiastic and got going with loads of energy. The enthusiasm is still there, but the energy not so much. But it will return after a short break.

What has been your experience of the 100 day project? Did you finish? Will you do it again? What skill do you think you have improved upon the most?

As mentioned I am taking a break, but my blog will be back to it's not-so-usual schedule of posting once or twice a month unless there is a book feature.

The promised Instagram posts will feature later this week. Thank you for visiting my blog and sharing in my 100 day challenge.

Until we meet again!

💜 Linzé

Day 99 and 100

And this is it. I chose to write these last two days, since it was the best use of the little time I had available.

Time: 3 hours