vol.25

where ever we are together... that is home.

This is by far my most favorite print to date. :) I listed it this morning, and you can find it here  (If the link says sold out, not to worry its more then likely been re-listed) I was contacted by a lady who had hoped to see this quote incorporated into a print. I loved the idea the moment she mentioned it. Drawing the house was super fun. It brought back good memories of the days I drew only in pencil. I kind of wanted a sketchy look, so after using my pencil to sketch it out, I went over it with a black colored pencil instead of a black pen. Trying something new is always fun... right?

a couple detail shots....

In other news, I'm hosting quite a few giveaways right now. I had planned to post about the giveaway over at 30handmadedays but with the sale going on... I just stayed too busy! Its already ended, but if your a craft person you'll love mique's blog!

I'll try to have another giveaway dedicated post up soon! :)

Have you started your shopping yet? My mom and I are leaving the girls with my dad and Jaydon and going out for dinner, as well as getting some Christmas shopping done. We have our tree up (pics to come soon!) but still no presents to wrap! :) I think I'll be doing the magority of my shopping online again this year, I loved having the packages show up at my door. :)

NEW print!

I have had this print in the works for quite some time. I actually designed some scrapbook paper for my portfolio with jms art licensing, with the glasses and same background. I've been trying to work the glasses into a print for months! Well, I think I finally got it right. :)  You can find it listed in my etsy shop. It is also available in my zazzle shop in the form of postcards, cards, mugs, aprons, tote bags... to name a few things. :)

a smart person... by volume25
More Smart Cards

I've been shying away from using bold colors in my art lately... I keep second guessing myself and using neutrals... but I have no idea why!?

If I can think of another quote that seems fitting, I may do a coordinating print with one of the other three pairs of glasses. Any ideas? :)

I have a couple BIG projects in the works... one being the beginning stages of my very OWN website. I'm not sure how long it will take me to get it going... I've spent far too long on the beginning stages of the home page... but it has been fun. :) Have you heard of x-site pro? I've been trying to save and set some money aside over the last few months so that I could purchase the program. It costs just under 200.00 which seems like alot, but if you have spent any time at all checking into how much it costs to have a website designed... the 200 would seem like pocket change! :) I really wanted to design my own site, but did NOT want to take the time to learn html coding... this program really simplifies things. I'll be able to give a better review of it after I get a little further along, but so far I am loving it.

So, Vol.25 will have its own official space online. I love etsy, but think it would be nice to not rely on it for all my sales. Would you still prefer to shop through etsy? I'll definitely keep my etsy shop open, but am curious how many people would actually shop a website as opposed to etsy?

Well, anyhow... there is also another secret project in the works... Here is a little hint/tease... it combines two of my favorite hobbies... photography and drawing... and Nope... its not the graffiti art series I'm working on either! :P Perfecting it is going to involve hours spent with my trusty friend "google." Any guesses?

xoxo - some love for your kitchen

xoxo 8x10 print

Hello everyone! I just completed some more art, with your kitchen in mind. :) Remember the photographed version I did of this for my own kitchen? Well, I've finally taken the idea and turned it into a drawing. Love how they turned out. If someone needed me to, I could even change the colors of the letters fairly easy. So that it matched your kitchen perfectly.

 

love 8x10 print

Of course... they are also available in a print set, to save you even more money.

print set

On a different note, I am SUPER excited to say that I will be painting our bathroom today! After months and months of remodel work, in between playing and enjoying summer... the bathroom is almost finished. At times it seemed I would never be able to say that. :) We took down the paneling that was in the bathroom and hung sheet rock, replaced a window, purchased a new vanity, purchased some new lights, added a linen closet and separate entrance, the bathroom used to only be accessible from our room... NOT a good set-up. After all this it feels so good to have it almost done. We are planning to meet with our realtor on sunday. SUNDAY! I am really really looking forward to this.

Once again I have found a house I want, and I can't help but dream up decorating ideas. Once we list our house, I think we just might make an offer contingent on the sale of our home. So, we've been super busy here in the last week. I'm once again cleaning and decluttering, trying to stage and envision the house from a buyers perspective. We also painted the front of the house, to add some curb appeal. We're both tired of working on the house, and looking forward to selling it. Although I must admit after doing allll this work on the place it does seem hard to leave it. I mean the entire house has pretty much been updated just the way we like it. But, I'm looking forward to moving on I think. :) 

Anyhow, thats an update for you! :) I'll be posting pictures soon!

i will be grateful for this day- a new print!

SUUUPER excited about this one! I've been trying to complete this print for a few months now, and finally came up with the perfect text. Everything just fit so well. :) Its listed in the shop now, and ready to be a positive reminder for you every day! :) Hoping to list a couple paintings tomorrow, but really not sure if I'll find time! I am off to bed!

A new print set- featuring type and furniture!

I just listed two new prints in the shop, I think they may be my new favorites! You can click on the pictures for a direct link. If the page you are getting says they are sold out... never fear I've probably already relisted them in the shop. 

The harvest festival is only 4 days away and I'm starting to panic a little. I still have so much to do! My tent is supposed to be coming in today, and Jaydon will be cutting my peg board for me. I'll finally get to see it all come together. I'm looking forward to that. My grandma is also planning to sit down there with me on Friday so thank goodness for grandma's! :) Today I have a bunch of painting to do! I have 4 more 8x10 chunky canvases to paint. These will be 4 more customizable paintings. Still brainstorming ideas on just what I want to do on each one. :) After I get my paintings done then I'll feel a little relief. It will mainly be designing my signs and then making adjustments if any are needed with my display. :)

Well, I had best get going. I have some other quiet things I can be doing while the girls are still sleeping!

BTW- Today is the last day for FREE Priority Mail Shipping in the shop!

new art in the shop 'specially for your kitchen!

"Rose Brand Pears" available here (if any are showing as sold out you can also search my shop for the print title. :)

Organic Fruit is available here.

Red Delicious is available HERE

 

and last but certainly not least... is "Grove Family Produce." 

Oh... Cant forget to mention that you can buy them all together in a money saving print set too...

I actually started these prints back in May, but I wasnt sure really what direction to go with the fruit. Months later I finally decided on pulling some inspiration from Vintage crate labels. Hopefully I modernized them *just* enough! :) I listed them in my etsy shop, and will be taking them to my show this next weekend! If you cant make it to the show, you can still take advantage of the free priority mail shipping offer happening in the shop now till monday the 21st. :)

I'm still plugging along, printing prints, painted the chalkboard cabinet doors... they turned out AWESOME... My tent's been ordered, my folding chairs are yellow now and waiting to be "embellished" with some acryllic paint. I'll be sure and share some before and after pics.

i measure my life in coffee spoons- a new print!

 

 This new print was completely inspired by Tiffany Johnson. We had exchanged e-mails for one reason or another and she had this very same quote attached with her e-mail signature. I've been meaning to finish this for months, but finally got around to doing so today! :) Hope you all love it. I listed it in my etsy shop, and also uploaded it to zazzle on various items. My favorite being this mousepad. :)

 

love it! :) Anyhow as you know I'm busier then busy! Printing prints like crazy and taking inventory, packaging up postcards/christmas cards etc. :) Looking forward to my first Craft show. BUT I wanted to get this finished for the show, and of course listed, and posted!!

btw- thanks for all the optimism regarding the craft show! Everyone's confidence in me is super encouraging!

new print set... created especially for your bathroom!

Hello all! Just a quick post to let you know i've just listed this new print set in the shop. You can also buy them individually. While my cousin has been staying with me, we spent one day last week sitting at the table and drawing. She's always been quite the artist herself, so it was fun to do something we used to do together as kids. :) Anyhow, I was able to get quite a few sketches done. Now I'm just working on coloring them. :) She and her kids went over to moms to spend a few days, she'll be leaving this thursday. I really dont know WHERE the week went!

I've had a couple requests for bathroom art. I definitely had a hard time coming up with something suitable for a bathroom, and would LOVE to  hear any ideas you may have. It seems you guys are always full of the most perfect inspiration! :) I guess I just decided to go a little more on the safe side with these.

 yes, you're the fairest of them all available HERE.

the way you think available HERE

....and listed both the images on zazzle, under the fashion category. You'll find them on buttons, stickers, key chains, tote bags, mugs, doggie clothes, postcards, cards, postage stamps, aprons, hats and t-shirts! :) whew... that was a little long winded. ;)

I've also been working on Halloween/Christmas designs. I absolutely despise thinking about summer being over... but it seems that I need to accept that it is in fact almost over. :( Anyhow, I'll be sharing those a little later this week! 

I'm also working on a photo book with pictures from the reunion last saturday, so I'll be busy with that!! :) Hope your monday was positively perfect! We're going shipping today!

p.s. I recently had a teacher politely point out my incorrect grammar on my "you'RE the fairest" print! I've changed it here, and I'm updating it everywhere! Its going to take me longer to fix it on zazzle, but I should have it back up over there tomorrow morning! :)

NEW art - i am a bookworm

I've FINALLY finished this one! I had a little bit of trouble getting the colors just right. It did take considerably longer to color then most... but I am so liking how it turned out. I think it would make a perfect teachers gift.I listed it in the shop just a few minutes ago...

Jaydon fell asleep in the recliner. We have had 100+ temps here this last week, and it has really taken it out of him in the evenings. Hes a framer so in the heat all day long... :( Our house progress has slowed considerably... but I guess he deserves a break. ;) I do have quite a bit I can share of the kitchen AND bathroom... so I should try and get some posts up, cause it IS exciting! BUT, for now I'm going to find myself a fluffy goose down pillow, I have a feeling I'll probably have to wake Jaydon up by way of an ice cream sandwich... cause I think hes OUT. :) night all!!

Dont forget to enter the giveaway!!

life is like riding a bicycle...

 

"Life is like riding a bicycle - in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving."

                                                                                Albert Einstein

This quote from the genius himself, is so true. :) Sometimes its always nice to have a little reminder via a favorite quote. This was one of those illustrations where everything seemed to fall into place. I LOVE it when that happens! I did try a couple different colors for the bike, but when I used the pink it just seemed to really fit. I had two backgrounds from the beginning that I thought would be perfect for this print. Problem was, they both turned out looking good, and I couldnt decide which one to use!

so I'm going to let you make the final decision. When you order the print, just let me know which one you'd like in the message to seller. Now everybody's happy! ;) You can find them HERE.

Here is another sneak peek at another print I'm working on. This one has been fun, but a little time consuming... I seem to have this thing for prints with books in them. Think I have enough?

Well, there you have it! :) Its Friday and jaydon is getting off early today. Hopefully he'll be home by noon. We are finally making what feels like some progress on our house. The kitchen cabinets are now painted (inside and out) and hopefully today we can install the crown molding and cabinet doors. YAY! Its feels sooo nice to finally be finishing up the cabinets. We even started painting the outside of the house! Jaydon used to run his own painting business before we met, and he knows a few tricks to make the whole thing go a little faster. We may just paint the trim, and leave the body. The trim is in desperate need of a repaint. It is an ugly bright green...The body is white though, so livable. :) Does everyone have big plans for the 4th? Journey's birthday is Sunday the 5th. She'll be a YEAR old. It seems so hard to believe! She is STILL waking up at least once in the night, and I am SO hoping she stops REAL soon. :(