Digital Minimalism: Why I Deleted Half My Apps and Feel Better

 

Hello my wonderful friends! I hope you are all good.

Linking this blog post with FFO Friday Face Off hosted by the wonderful and talented Nicole. 

These three faces were frustrating to create be honest. I was not happy in the beginning but I worked through my emotions. lol Yes they have flaws but we are perfectly imperfect too. 

 I wanted to share some more Artwork and some Youtube Shorts with you today but before I do I wanted to share that I deleted X (formerly known as twitter), my facebook Fan page, TikTok, Goodreads and Deviant Art. Too much time wasted! I feel so much better and lighter now. 

I will only be using my blog, Youtube, pinterest and IG. Eventually I will get rid of IG and Facebook all together. I have just wasted so much time on these apps and I want to just focus more on my family and creating some art and sharing it with you all on this blog.

 Doom scrolling stresses me out and I just won't do it anymore. I would like to live in the moment and enjoy each day with my family and create art and I will be sharing my art and stories with you all. I really like this artist community on here and I am grateful for each and everyone of you. 

Currently Reading

"The Creative Act A Way of Being" Rick Rubin

"A Cat's Eye" Margaret Atwood

Also working on "The Artist's Way" Julia Cameron

Has anyone read and followed these exercises? I am on Week one. Love it so far. 

I am stuck on taking myself on a Solo Art Date and find that I am using a lot of excuses not to go. lol

"To far of a walk" "Too Cold" lol 

I will update you if I go on this Solo Art Outing.

Two Films that I recently watched and recommend

"Finding Your Feet" on Prime

"Bob Travino Likes It" on Prime

I kindly received some paints, brushes and paper from my friend Mel from British Columbia and I painted two paintings. Her Youtube Channel is EverythingMarmie.

Gouache Paintings

 I love the birds. I want to make a sky with just birds. 

This reminds me of PEI. I miss the Ocean.

Gouache paints are thicker and need water dilution a lot. The paint has a matt finish. Not sure I like matt finish. I do like the fact you can layer the paint when it is dry and add more detail to it. 

This is watercolours on postcards.

Iced Matcha with Almond milk

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the day and a wonderful weekend.

Here in Canada we have family day on Monday so it's a long weekend for us.  I hope to do some art, thrift and make a vlog this weekend. Have a very happy Valentine's Day if you celebrate.

Much love to you all!

New Vlog!

🌷✨🩷Thank you! 🩷✨🌷

Friday Art FFO

 

Hello and happy Friday! Mr. Ziggy is a curious little guy. 

Our weather is grey skies and gloomy. -14 with snow warning today. 

I am linking up with Friday Face Off over on Nicole's Blog.

Thank you Nicole! 

 I always look forward to sharing what I've been up to. 

This week I felt like mixing up with various media. Markers, pencils, acrylics and paints. 

It's been so much fun.

Flowers with Gouache Paints

No planning, just going for it in the moment.

 

Abstract Acrylic Painting

I made this on paper and I wish I made it on a canvas.

Acrylics on paper

Acrylic Landscape

A field of flowers

Can't wait for spring

Acrylic paints

Acrylic Markers only

Acrylics and glitter

Acrylics, paint markers and glitter

Alice is a mixed media piece. 

I used pretty much everything on this piece. 

Gouache Landscape

If you like have a look at my vlog and please help me out by subscribing to my channel. 

Thank you all for your visit and your comments. I appreciate you so much!

February Beauty Favourites 2026

 February beauty favourites!

 These are the makeup products that I am  Loving 🥰 at the moment.

🩷🩷🩷 

L’Oreal Lumi glow tint 120 neutral

L’Oreal plump ambition lip oil in the colour ‘601 worth it’

Mac eyeshadow ‘she sparkles’

YSL lipstick 💄 ‘love shine’ 

Lisa Etheridge kitten lash mascara ‘burnt umber’

L’Oréal lipstick ‘135 ballerina shoes’ with maybelline lifter lipliner ‘big lift’

Elf power grip setting spray 

Essence make me brow 02 Browny Brows 

Covergirl blush and bronzer skin enhancer.

The Bodyshop! Back from the 90's Dewberry is back! 

LOVE IT!

Have a lovely and beautiful day!

Maria 🩷

Portrait Challenge Friday Face Off

Happy Friday my wonderful friends! I hope you are all well. I am doing good and staying warm as it is -31 outside. I am linking up to FFO Face Off Friday Challenge hosted by the wonderful and talented Nicole. Thank you so much Nicole!

I watched "The Seven Dials" Mystery on Netflix and loved it. I decided to draw Mia McKenna-Bruce, the leading actress which I think is very talented actress and very beautiful. I started with a trace drawing. I am not sure if it helped me in any way this time but I went along with it. 

Trace drawing

The bottom right drawing is the trace drawing and the upper one is my second sketch.

This is the final piece.

On the right page, top left I did a quick sketch. 

On the right page top right I took my time and I like that portrait the best. 

This is the final one and I worked on shading a lot on this piece. 

I had a hard time getting the body tilting and proportions of the body for this one but we learn from our mistakes. Mistakes are not a bad thing in art.

This is my final drawing.

 I learn so much every time I participate in a challenge. I practice line work, proportions, shading and enjoy the process and I love learning. I look forward to making more portraits. It's so challenging and I like seeing the progress. Thank you Nicole for all that you do. I learn so much from your artwork and your posts. It's been a wonderful experience. Thank you from my heart!

If you like check out my new vlog for 2026.

Hello from my cat Ziggy. :)

Have a wonderful weekend! Thank you for all your wonderful comments and feedback. 

Stay warm and thank you,

Maria 

T Stands for Quietly Entering A New Year

 

Happy Tuesday wonderful friends! I had my mammogram yesterday and my scans are CLEAR! 

Thank you Lord!

On the weekend I was anxious because of yesterday.

I did manage to fill my journals with the month of February tabs and stickers. 

It was a lot of fun. I did all this at the couch area instead of the art room.

Also I got to spend time with my hubby which was really wonderful. 

 Linking up with Elizabeth's Blog Party T Stands for Tuesday

Recently I've been loving drinking smoothies!

Blueberry banana with milk and maple syrup and strawberry too. 

So good and refreshing!

I managed to put together my January vlog! 

This was a challenge but I did it. 

If you like have a look at the video. 

As for artwork the last pieces I worked on are the pastels. 

In progress I am working on Nicole's FFO portraits for Friday.

Today and tomorrow I will be continuing the FFO Portraits and I look forward to sharing them on my blog. 

Thank you all for all your wonderful comments.

Have a lovely rest of the week!

Maria 

Art For Fun Friday and Friday Face Off

Hello Friday and hello wonderful friends. This past week I've had a bit of a scratchy throat and hot flashes are a nightmare. My head feels a bit heavy. Might be the weather. It's been grey skies for a long time. Well yesterday there was a bit of sun and I loved it. Today is very cold here and it is -14 but feels like -21.

We are supposed to have a weekend storm. I am doing my groceries Saturday morning so I can avoid the storm. I feel I need to get out and walk a bit because being stuck indoors is not my thing. Especially with hot flashes. lol Cold weather is lovely. 

This past week I worked with pastels. It was amazing and very fun. I love how the pastels glide and are creamy and smooth. I want to make some animals but I am not sure what. Any ideas?

 Linking to Nicole's lovely blog for FFO and Gillena's Blog for Art for Fun Friday.

Thank you Nicole and Gillena for hosting lovely blogger parties. 

I made up this character. I realize she has different shape glasses. 

The view from my window. I always make one of these every season. I love rooftops and nature and houses. So much fun to draw. I hope one day we can own our own home. 

I didn't manage to get a vlog together. I will try my best to do so. I've been filming little bits here and there but didn't manage to put it together. I hope you have a wonderful Friday and a lovely weekend my friends.I look forward to visiting your blog and thank you for your kind comments. It means so much to me. Thank you kindly and have a wonderful and creative day. 

Maria