Succulent Plants & Patterns
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: decoration, grass, green, illustrations, patterns, plants, tribal, vases, watercolour
Get a bicycle!
“Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live.” ~ Mark Twain, Taming the Bicycle
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, bicycle, colours, design, illustrations, print, spring, watercolour
Watercolour Rugs
As most of the people, I do draw when I am on the phone…then sometimes I make watercolours out of it 😉 Soon available also on my shop!
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, design, drawings, illustrations, interiors, rugs, watercolour
Illustrations for Sister Mag – Issue nº 13
Hello! I recently did some illustration work for the ladies chez Sister Mag! It was for the Issue nº 13 and this time the topics were sports and languages. I love the visual result, the texture mix, and how the illos merge with the text & content of the magazine. The magazine has great textures, plenty of interesting stuff and beautiful pictures and stories and recipes and travel tips. A huge masterpiece (as usual) of design, content and collaborations with […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: illustrations, magazine, sports, stadium, watercolour
Sally and her red vase
Meet Sally, a new addition to my plants collection. Of course the vase is not like this, but know I know it should be.. Have a great WE! Serena
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, garden, illustrations, pattern, plants, urbanjungle, vase, watercolour
Watercolour Illustrations for SisterMAG
Hello there, I know I’ve been a little bit MIA lately, but hey, now I have some news for you! I had the honour to make some illustrations for the Summer issue of the fab SisterMAG! I was so inspired that I made more illustrations that I was asked for…;) The illustrations had to be inspired somehow by Vicky Baum’s novel “People in Hotels”, so after some research, I started painting…you know, stripes are one of my fave patterns, so […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: beach, colours, handmade, hotels, illustration, magazine, sister mag, stripes, summer, vintage, watercolour
Urban Jungle Bloggers – Joelix plants
I found out about the #urbanjunglebloggers group some week ago. I thought “plants! Fantastic!”. I had to do something. Then I asked Joelix, (who together with Igor, of the Happy Interior Blog, is one of the founder of the group) to show me her favorite plants so I could make a watercolour out of them, and here they are, all watercoloured 🙂 More experiments to come! Serena
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: illustrations, patterns, plants, urbanjunglebloggers, watercolors
Green Summery Dress – Watercolour
Summer time! What are your plans for this summer? I’m staying in Madrid, so I’ll just dream about summery clothes and shoes 🙂 Do you like this colour combination? Have a great day! Serena
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: bag, design, fashion, handmade, illustration, painting, scarf, shoes, summer, watercolour
Watercolour Earrings
Just trying to paint some earrings for a series of watercolours I’m working on – I have to say I was inspired by Justina Blakeney‘s style, take a look at her blog and you’ll find out why!
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: earrings, ethnic, fashion, feather, illustration, patterns, watercolour
Watercolour Gardenias
Let’s start the week with another watercolour: gardenias this time, always from my balcony. I’m am literally fighting against the sad fate of this plant: here in Madrid the temperature is always dry, and apparently this beauty needs moisture. So I’m arranging things to set her right. Is someone in the same situation?! On the other hand, I think it’s time to stop painting plants, at least for now, I feel like painting fashion accessories, well, most because I have […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: crafts, flowers, gardenias, handmade, illustration, interiors, painting, patterns, watercolor, watercolour
My first handmade apron
So, I’ve got a sewing machine and I cannot stop experimenting with textiles and colours right now! This is a little project I started weeks ago, to make myself an apron. I used a very simple fabric and sewed the pieces with a yellow thread. Secret: I shamelessly copied the shape of the old one I have in my kitchen…you know, to have something to start with and also because..I had no idea how to do it! Then I went […]
Categories: Crafts • Tags: aron, art, fabric, fashion, handmade, illustration, painting, patterns, polka dots, sewing
Plants on my balcony
I admit I love my mother’s balcony & garden plants, so I’m kind of recreating my little green space here, in the middle of the city! Hierba buena, laurel and rosemery and I intend to buy basil and thyme also…Well, I don’t have vases like these, I made those decorations up completely, but actually they could make a good project, right?! Next time I’ll paint my vases. Ok. Btw, this illustration is part of a series about plants and I […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, balcony, colours, crafts, design, garden, green, illustration, painting, plants, watercolour
Vintage Travel Outfit
I started this watercolour before going to Malaysia and didn’t look at any picture for inspiration, I just imagined how I wished to be dressed, the period, the scene… A friend just told me it could be the outfit of some female character from The Great Gatsby movie. She’s right! It could. So I guess I imagined to dive in the 20s! Well, I wish I could travel dressed like this, certainly not the best outfit for any asian adventure […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: Asia, baggages, blue, fashion, illustration, outfit, Travel, vintage
Bicycle Pattern
Hello! Here it is one of the pattern I am working on this summer, this time mixing different subjects but with the same repeating pattern style as in the alpargatas watercolour. – I have to admit I was inspired by colorful & fantastic Mr Bright Bazaar to re-make this kind of pattern, so thank you Will! 😉 Next could be one of the earring mixed with the shoes, or… director chairs of different colors?! Who knows! Also, I am thinking […]
Categories: Patterns • Tags: art, bicycle, colorful, design, illustration, patterns, watercolor, watercolours
Malaysia: a nostalgic return to Asia
Well, I’ve been kind of out of business lately, right? (I realize by this that I’m the worst blogger!) Back to the post, I wasn’t blogging or doing anything because…I was doing what I most love, I was traveling! This time around Malaysia. The reason why we chose Malaysia as a destination goes back a little. I didn’t write anything about my travels in this blog so, I will introduce my story a little. Three years ago, me and my boyfriend, we […]
Categories: Photography • Tags: Adventures, Asia, Backpacking, Cambodia, China, colors, Food, Inspiration, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Temples, Transiberian Train, Travel
New project: Handmade Cushion!
I spent last week-end preparing and thinking about so many things for my sewing classes that I think I lost control, it’s like I have a new toy and I have to experiment with it till the last! I have to say that one thing was in my mind all along…to make a cushion! So, for its basic shape I copied one cushion I already had in my apartment, I used a simple light-creme fabric to sew it. I learned […]
Categories: Crafts • Tags: cushion, handmade, painting, pattern, pillow, sewing
Before / After Project: Director’s chair restoration
A year ago, while walking on the street, I entered into a beautiful patio: there was a magic shop selling among plants different kinds of vintage furniture from all over the world. My heart stopped when I saw a beach/director chair, blue and white stripes, It reminded me of the pictures of Biarritz in the 20´s..so I took a pic with my phone, and later that night, in my house I made a watercolour of it. It is hanging right […]
Categories: Crafts • Tags: after, before, chair, design, furniture, handmade, interior, restoration, sewing machine, stripes, wood
Handmade Red Spots Tote – another handmade extravaganza
This is my first totally handmade tote! I just bought a sewing machine, so I wanted to put it to use. I had this really simple fabric, so the first thing to do for me was a tote bag. I like this simple red spots pattern, it reminds me of strawberries actually. So one face of the tote is full of them while the other is empty. I’ll be doing more of them, I hope you like it! Here you […]
Categories: Crafts • Tags: bag, handmade, illustration, machine, paitning, patterns, sewing, tote
Yellow Happy Pattern
Hello there! This is an old pattern I once used in this post. I always look at it, since it’s on my wall, and everytime I see it, I can see a lot of objects covered with it. So, here’s the deal: I want to print it on fabric and make an entire series of objects. It is a very clean design, and simple and happy. I can easily imagine a pillow with this pattern, and curtains and kitchen […]
Categories: Patterns • Tags: art, cuchion, design, fabric, handmade, interior, kitchen, patterns, pillow, print, textile, watercolours
Pink & Yellow Patterns
This is a pattern I really love – I made it one day, on a little paper, it was just a sketch, a note I took fo a beautiful drawing I saw somewhere. I really would like to use it one day. Actually, I see it as an ideal pattern for bathroom tiles…we’ll see. 🙂
Categories: Patterns • Tags: art, crafts, illustration, patterns, watercolour
Thoughts on Business Cards
So, I needed some new business cards for myself. Honestly, I think I lost the others while I was moving from one apartment to the other… I thought about putting on some of my watercolour illustrations, but in the end I chose to stay minimalist and played only with the colours and typos I liked, in fact, each card has a different combo of colours. I decided to use a smaller size this time, and not to put emails or […]
Categories: Graphic • Tags: brand, business card, graphic design, identity, paper, vintage, watercolour
Watercolour Patterns on Cutlery
Categories: Crafts • Tags: colour, cutlery, handmade, illustration, patterns, watercolours
Basket Bicycle Watercolour #3
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, bicycle, design, handmade, illustration, print
Aqua Pattern Mix
I really like this one, so I reused it to try some other pattern. Hope you like it! Serena
Categories: Patterns • Tags: fashion, handmade, illustration, patterns, watercolour
The making of a self-portrait
Categories: Video • Tags: art, design, illustrations, patterns, self-portrait, watercolours, work in progress
Watercolour Tshirt – Alpargatas on Twiggy
Categories: Graphic • Tags: art, crafts, design, fashion, handamde, illustration, shoes, twiggy, watercolour
Watercolour Alpargatas Pattern
Categories: Patterns • Tags: designillustration, fashion, handmade, pattern, watercolour
Watercolour Bicycle #2
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: bicycle, handmade, illustration, patterns, watercolour
Watercolour Tshirt – Testing on Kate Moss
I was looking for some good picture to try the watercolour on and I found this one with Kate Moss. I wanted to put the plant design somewhere in the shirt and I thought that this upside down position was great. Now I want it for real 😉 *Kate Moss Original Photography by Craig Martin
Categories: Graphic • Tags: design, fashion, handmade, kate moss, shirt, watercolour, white
Self-portrait
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: Drawing, illustration, selfportrait, watercolour
New Pattern Studies on a Notebook
I just wanted to try more ink patterns on cut out geometry 😉 Hope you like it! Serena
Categories: Prototypes • Tags: design, handmade, illustration, paper, watercolour
Director Vintage Chair
And voila! A director chair;) I saw this chair in a shop, a while ago. It was a vintage forniture shop..and I was looking for inspiration, so I took a picture and now here it is. And it is finally mine!!:)
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: design, handmade, illustration, paper, watercolour
Watercolour Bicycle
Hey! Long time no see! Yes, but here I am, painting again. Actually I think I should start some watercolours series on something I love, like bicycles…or chairs…mmh..I’ll to think about that 🙂 Hope you like this one though! Serena
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: bicycle, design, handmade, watercolours
Me & the City – Fall uniform
Suddenly, I’m in love -again- with square shirts and blue jeans. Well, not always with boot though.. Well, yes, this is a kind of fall uniform – Ahh..fall, what a great season right? RIGHT?! There’s my birthday coming up and Madrid is beautiful with all the autumnal colors. Yes, great!…But I have to say it, I cant stop thinking about going on vacation in some hot place like…Tenerife or springy Argentina. Mmh.. Canarias could be my next stop 🙂 We’ll […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: design, fashion, illustrations, patterns, tshirt, watercolours
Me & the City – New Shoes
Yesterday I bought these shoes 😉 Have a great Sunday! Serena
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: fall, fashion, handmade, madrid, shoes, watercolour
New Fall-Inspired Pattern Studies
I’ve been trying to make different kind of patterns, as request by a friend who’s into furniture design. I cannot talk about the project right now, but I will, in the future 🙂 So here I started with some pattern studies, the first on the top- left has the classic stripes and evolved into..I don’t know, some kind of spider thing! At first I thought I could use these pattern studies for some tote bag design or for some tile […]
Categories: Patterns • Tags: art, bag, crafts, design, handmade, paper, patterns, tile, tote, watercolours
My watercolour universe – balcony plants
Well, the pot is not exactly like this, and the tablecloth neither..but, you know, I call it my watercolour universe for some reason, right?! 🙂 So, now, I need your help, should I put a yellow pattern like this behind the plant? I really want to put it but I’m not sure. So I’m letting it be for a bit. What do you think? Have a great Tuesday! Serena
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: handmade, illustrations, plants, watercolours
Handmade Watercolour Agenda
I made this A5 notebook long ago and left it blank..to one day come back and paint on the cover maybe?! Yes. I used watercolour directly on the cardboard, only white and green. The structure of the pattern is similar to this one. And, yes, this is another present. Do you like it? Have a great week! Sere
Categories: Prototypes • Tags: design, handmade, notebook, paint, paper, patterns, watercolours
Never Ending Summer Stories
The other day, I was talking to a friend, and I started to make these drawings with watercolours. I got so angry, I didn’t like them at all! I wanted to do something new, and it’s kind of therapeutic for me to talk through skype while doing this so…I put my mind in a kind of nirvana state – I listen to my friend but also elaborate images. Well, it’s kind of basic, I know, but it works, every time […]
Categories: Work In Progress • Tags: handmade, illustrations, paper, summer, watercolour
Handmade Watercolour Tags
I’m thinking about re-doing the design of my mother’s shop tags. – Well, she doesn’t know it yet, don’t tell her! 😉 Of course this is an experiment and I’ll be doing more of these tags I guess, till I find the perfect ones – But for the moment I think it could be fun to try different shapes: rectangular, round and triangular. I also wanted to mix the stripes with floral patterns, and I’m quite happy with the results, […]
Categories: Crafts • Tags: handmade, patterns, series, shop, spring, stripes, summer, tags, watercolours
My watercolour universe
I’m not working today! So I thought I could go for a walk, read a book, have breakfast alone in a bar, go look for that green tea I wanted to buy, those shoes I saw the other day… There are so many things I should be doing, I’m already stressed! Well, in the end that’s not true and you know it! As you can see, I’m building my little watercolour universe: at first there was the bicycle, then the […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, bicycle, cut out, handmade, serena olivieri, watercolours
White tote + green and yellow watercolours // Personal Project
I’m always using this tote I made some month ago, and I’m definetely going to make- and wear myself – another one, probably with this pattern. This are just some pictures of how it would look like…I’m just playing with the patterns that’s all 😉 This is perfect for the summer! don’t you think?! Which one do you like? I’ll have it done and I’ll show you the results 😉 Serena
Categories: Graphic • Tags: fashion, handmade, patterns, tote, watercolours
Handmade Notebook – Orange Nicky
Yes, another present! – Two birthdays last week. I didn’t know how to customize this one, then I thought about my friend and his clothes: stripe tshirts. Have you noticed it? The cut out has the shape of a tshirt ,and underneath, on the creamy paper, there are some drawings I made using my famous while-speaking-on-the-phone style :). I’m sure everyone has his/her own personal while-speaking-on-the-phone style ! Serena
Categories: Notebooks, Prototypes • Tags: art, crafts, cut out, handmade, journal, notebook, paper
Handmade Notebook – Black Diego
This is the notebook I customized for my friend Diego, it was his birthday! – Everything is handmade, from the bookbinding to the illustration. Well, who wouldn’t like a present like this for his birthday…uh?! Hope you like it! – he liked it, well, at least he said so 🙂 Serena
Categories: Notebooks, Prototypes • Tags: crafts, handmade, illustration, notebook, paper
Watercolours: green & yellow pattern
Hi there, I finally decided to go back to watercolours, it’s been a while since I last painted one! I woke up today inspired by green and yellow, but I didn’t want them to be too geometrical.. Hope you like them 🙂 Have a great WE! Serena
Categories: Patterns • Tags: geometrical, handmade, illustrations, patterns, triangle, watercolours
Instagram Recap #2 – My italian holidays through Instagram
Here there is a little recap of my the last Instagrams pics I took while I was in Italy. Some pics are details of our afternoons at the beach, others are from the Italian AD July Issue, then my cat, the garden etc.. Some fabrics my father was working with Succulents on the balcony Ready to go to the beach 🙂 I had just found this batik I bought in Thailand last year..I was so happy! Well, you can never […]
Categories: Photography • Tags: holidays, instagram, italy, photography, vacations
My mother’s balcony – Herbs
My mother uses a lot of herbs to cook her fantastic meals. Most of them are on her balcony, some of them in the garden. Here I made a little summary of the most commonly used. Thyme Usually used on tomato sauces for pastas – it gives a rich and authentic taste to every basic “pasta al pomodoro”. Also it’s used with rosemary and sage to spice roasts. Japanese basil My mother uses this on fresh tomatos, with mozzarella to […]
Categories: Photography
My mother’s garden
I’m in Italy!! Yes, I know, I already said that…I must be really happy to be here then;) I wanted to show you some pictures I took of my mother’s garden & balcony. Last year I stayed here for 5 months and I could help her with the plants and the garden and I really miss that, especially during the summer. There are also roses but as you know, they don’t bloom during this season so…no pics! The garden goes […]
Categories: Photography • Tags: garden, holidays, home, italy, photography, plants, vacation
In Italy!
Yes, finally! I’m enjoying a week at my parent’s house in central Italy. The scenary around this town is exactly like in the picture above, plus there’s the beach ;). Hopefully I’ll upload more pics in the forthcoming days: I took several pictures of my mother’s garden & plants and I’ve to organize them. What am I doing here?! Well, relaxing, playing cards, going to the beach, eating -a lot- every day, attending concerts and… trying to finish the next […]
Categories: Photography • Tags: holiday, italy, vacation
Me & the City – Going out on my bicycle
4 days ago I went to the Retiro park in Madrid, with my bicycle, which is exactly like this one you see above. Well, mine is blue, but I wanted to use some vibrant colours, so.. maybe, I exaggerated a bit. 🙂 It’s a folding bike and I try to use it a lot even if around Madrid it could be difficult with all the cars and buses, but I got used and found my way to move smoothly around […]
Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, bicycle, handmade, madrid, photography, retiro, watercolours
Serena Olivieri 