vol.25

2 new art pieces Customizable typewriter art + a new fave!

I did it! I finally finished this piece that I have been working on since 2009!

Customize Your Own Typewriter Message & choose your color

CRAZY long I know. I actually drew this sketch while we were camping back in 2009. I even mentioned it at the VERY end of that post. :) I cant believe it took me so long to finish. I guess part of the reason it took so long was me being indecisive as to whether or not I wanted something so higly customizable up in the shop. It seemed like it opened myself up for possibly making mistakes, I think I have all the bugs sorted out though! I listed it right here in my etsy shop over the weekend.

7 colors to choose from!! :)

and three ways to customize. :) I think this print will be PERFECT as a wedding gift, or a special gift this Valentines Day, Anniversary... Graduation. :) I hope it makes gift shopping easier for some of you! :)

I've been REALLY inspired these last few days. It seems I went about a week where I just felt unmotivated and couldnt finish anything. I just needed time AWAY. Well, I think I got that time because now I seem like I am in over-drive mode! I've been working on our bedroom, adding in a few key elements, and I finished up a couple pieces of artwork that I'm not sure I'll list in the shop. I may wait and see how I feel after I finish decorating the room. :)

Some of you may remember this art I finished a few years ago? I really loved the quote, and the image itself has still been selling pretty consistently so I thought it was time to re-create it. :)

it takes hands by VOL25

It gave me an opportunity to draw another vintage house (since I enjoy drawing them so much!) and I really had fun with it. It turned out to be one of those pieces that came together really easily. The colors/textures and everything just seemed to click into place without much force or reconfiguration. I LOVE it when that happens! :) I really wanted to incorporate hearts into the foundation of the house like the previous house. It just seemed right to do so. :)

So, how did your Sunday go? After church we went out for dinner/brunch with my parents and some close friends... came home and I actually took a nap while the girls were down for quiet time! I was up until 12:30 last night working on the house artwork... when inspiration hits, I've learned to try and make time for it. :)

What about you? When was the last time you took a nap in the middle of the day? :)

 

I found my old pencil drawings from 1997!!

Wow, it was So neat to come across these pencil drawings I did back in my teenage years. This one I did when I was 15...

this next drawing Isnt dated, because I never really felt it was finished but I remember working on it. I think I may have been 17 at the time...

I drew LOTS of horses, saddles, and western "stuff". :) Finding these has inspired me to pick up my trusty pencil and start drawing more of these four legged beauties. The emerging equine trend makes it as good a time as ever to re-live an old passion of mine. I'm even planning to work in a few of these graceful creatures into our bedroom decor... more on that later!

Today while Journey napped Trin and I started drawing, I was working on a horse drawing:

and Trin took inspiration from my drawing:

I love how she is always inspired to re-create what I do. I encourage her to put her own spin/heart into her drawings, but I still think it is sweet how she likes to be just like mommy. :)

So many memories! I used to sign all my drawings with a gold marker!! So silly of me...

So, right this very minute I'm working on this drawing of the horse.

It is scanned into my computer and I am trying to see just which way to go with it... In keeping with the tradition I think I want to keep it in the pencil/sketched format. :) I'm also going to be doing a simple silhouette of a horse head for our bedroom. FUN FUN!!

a quote for your week chap 70 + 2 new art pieces

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. :) I wanted to share a piece of art I finished and listed just over a week ago... I cant believe I forgot to blog it!! :)

I have several more camera sketches finished, so be on the lookout for those to be added into the shop SOON. You can find the above camera print right here in my etsy shop. :)

I also listed this new piece (HERE) that I just finished up this morning:

I've been working on it since May! Just couldnt get it right. Today everything finally fell into place and I did a quiet (the girls were still sleeping) happy dance. :)

"This quote really conveys a strong message for me. We cannot direct the troubles and trials of life, but we can adjust the sails and learn to ride with it instead of against it. Before you know it, that storm will have pushed you to calmer, peaceful waters. :)"

I think the art that gives me more of a challenge is always appreciated (by me) so much more when it is finished. :) Kind of like how someone would feel if they had tamed a wild beast... okay maybe that is a bit extreme... but it is fairly close. :) It is always nice when I'm working on a piece and everything falls into place, but sometimes I think the challenges make a victory more sweet. :)

So, have you had any victories of late? :)

 

New goodies!!

Hi! So, I'm just going to pop in really quick and share TWO new pieces of art I JUST listed in my etsy shop:

Make Today Your Day:

and I Am lost Without You ( this would be a good late mothers day gift!! ;) )

I also listed a new overlay set! :)

It is a fun set! It has a scribbled, doodled handwritten text feel to it. I'm also ALMOST finished with another set of handwritten phrases/quotes. I may even have it done as early as next week. :) I've been daydreaming ideas for some really cute storyboards (basically art you prints on canvas panels, or posters for your clients that will incorporate they're photos)  You can take a peek at the set here. Use code " LOVELY " when checking out to receive 25% off your order. Expires 5-18-11 ONLY APPLIES TO the DIGITAL SHOP. :)

Hope the middle of the week is going just GREAT! :) I have some exciting news that I'll be sharing tomorrow... although I'm guessing half of you probably already know what my big announcement is! :)

 

New Rustic Art- Young Love Collection plus motorhome updates

Hello. :) How is your week so far? Mine has been super productive! I just listed three new prints in the shop:

Buck available HERE

Doe available HERE

The couple available HERE.

The doe and buck silhouette are also available without the hearts. Just cause I know some might not appreciate the hearts as much as I do... :)

Anyhow as many of you know we're renovating our motorhome and I've been working with a rustic woodsy theme. Using lots of gray and white with added snippets of yellow throughout. It has been SOO much fun working on this little project. I put together a few pictures to show how well the new art would work in, and I'm totally loving it!

I'm getting ready to print the deer now, and I think I'll try attaching the canvas to a stretched canvas panel I already have, (will let you know how that turns out!) that way I can avoid working with a glass frame, (less breakage while traveling) and it will tie in even more with the whole "natural rustic-ness" :) The bottom left image shows the flooring we're planning to put in. It is called VIntage White Pine by Pergo, Home depot sells it but it is a special order. Which means I will be impatiently awaiting its arrival. We havent even ordered it yet, so that means I have a really long wait ahead of me. *sigh* well at least the rest of the motorhome is almost to what I would consider a finished state. I had been collecting plastic (super inexpensive) dishes for the motorhome (non breakable, quieter traveling down the road) and it was fun to finally put them in the cabinets. :) I still need to clean and line the drawers, and pick up some cheap silverware/utensils. 

If you look up (and avoid the floor!) then we're starting to look finished! :)

So far the girls love going out to the motorhome while I work on random motorhome related things. I bring out my laptop and let them pick a movie, and they sit at the table and color. There are usually snacks and juice boxes involved too... :) It rained while we were inside on this day, and it sounded awesome. :)

I still need to do another coat of white paint on the udnerside of that cabinet, but the birch trees are finished. I'll try to devote more of an official post on the before and after of the tree mural.

I ordered more bird/animal pillows from bird mafia. :) Somewhat obsessed with them at the moment.

Well, I think that is all the updates I have for the time being... Do you have weekend plans? We're taking our annual trip to the Oregon Coast, I really hope it doesnt rain too much! :)

 

THREE new prints + etsy shop sale!

Hello everyone! :) It is late, so I'm going to go ahead and keep this somewhat brief. Basically, I decided on a whim this evening to run a mothers day sale in my etsy shop... and in addition to the sale I added THREE new prints this evening! Remember how I mentioned that I had been doing quite a bit of work for my licensing portfolio? Well these are a few of those images. :)

"and they lived"

"whatever you are be a good one"

"A good Garden" coordinates well with "Bloom Where You Are Planted"

Can you tell I am really into the earthy organic super textural art at the moment? :) I hope you like them!!

The sale expires THIS saturday! Use coupon code 35PERCENTOFF in my etsy shop for 35% off your order! :)

Have a good night! :) Tomorrow... I am planning to buy paint for the motorhome! HOORAY!

Every Cloud- A new print!

Hey there! I hope you are having a beautiful Sunday! I'm just dropping in SUUUPER quick to share a new print. I actually listed this in my etsy shop on Friday, but completely forgot to blog it! My licensing agent is telling me she needs new work! She's had bunches of interest lately, but more often then not the image is already licensed! A good problem to have, and I think I just may be putting my foot in the greeting card market door... more to come on that later! :)

But at any rate, I've finished quite a few new pieces, (that my agent should be uploading soon) but I don't always feel like listing the new work in my shop... so if you ever see anything in my portfolio and you would like to purchase it from my etsy shop, let me know and I'll set up a custom listing. :) There are also quite a few retired older prints available for viewing there. I'm trying to add 25 NEW images to my portfolio before the big surtex show May 15th!

p.s. I'm working on releasing a new album and Blog post template set in my digital shop... should be all finished up tomorrow!! :)

New Art- Bloom Where You Are Planted

Hello! How ARE you? I'm doing really good. :) I'm a little sleepy, but good! I am pretty excited to show you one of the new pieces of art I created. You can find him in the shop here, under the name "Bloom Where You Are Planted" It just may be my new favorite. I feel like it really speaks to me. Have you ever felt like you havent bloomed to your full potential?

Unfortunately, I feel this way more times then I care to admit! So, I'm going to print this little guy out and put him in a place I'll notice every morning, because I definitely need a daily reminder. :)

The sun just came out, and I am LOVING it. We've had rain for a few days, and it seems like we've had it for MUCH longer then that. I am really welcoming the sunshine, and super thrilled about Spring being just around the corner... My tulips are already coming up! :)

Well, I had best get this posted. I really REALLY need to try and finish collecting all my tax info so I can take it in to our really helpful tax guys. Crossing my fingers we won't have to pay in this year! It seems kind of unlikely that we'll get a refund back... but we'll see. I'm trying to hold off on my birthday present until we know one way or the other. I'm currently daydreaming over a new Sony a55 Digital Camera! The ability to take HD video with autofocus ability in my dslr sounds awesome. :) Plus, the rotating screen is a step up from my screen that only tilts up or down. I use it tilted up all the time to save myself from lying on the ground! :)

Are you currently dreaming over a new camera? I think the Sony a55 would be a step up from what I am currently using (the sony a300) but not such a huge leap that I would be overwhelmed. I like to slowly grow into my cameras. :)

 

love what you do- new print!

Hey! How are you? What do you think of my "love what you do" print? I just finished it this morning! I've wanted to use that feather in a print the day I found it in our backyard. :) I've been brainstorming ideas, and even attempted to work it into a couple different pieces, BUT my attempts had been not so good... so I put the little guy on the back burner. This morning I was inspire again, and I can happily say that everything just kind of fell into place! 

That really doesnt happen enough. Usually I struggle with a print, and just the right amount of textures, the colors, the text, the text placement... but it seems if I just walk away and let the idea simmer a bit, I can start fresh a few weeks later and it seems as easy as pie. :) I'm learing to let things come in they're own time!

I love that this print will coordinate so well with MANY of my other prints!

So, how ARE you doing? It is bright and sunny out today, but SUPER frosty and COLD. 

p.s. You can find the new print here in my etsy shop.

New art- Love Hoo

Hi! How ARE you? :) I'm just dropping in to share a new piece of artwork with you.

It is titled "Love Hoo" and you can find it right here in my etsy shop. :)

I've always really liked the original version of this print (still available in my shop) but lately I've been itching to play with the same message in a more subdued neutral color palette. I really couldnt be happier with how this little guy turned out, and the message... is still perfect! I'll be hanging it in my daughters' bedroom as a positive reminder. :)

I'm really on a roll... because I even started on a third print for November! :) I feel like I had some catching up to do, because I think "The New Art department" has been lacking lately. I havent been creating nearly enough. :)

I'm going to have to make this pretty short, I have some shiny new appliances being delivered tomorrow, and there is some work that needs done to prepare for them!

p.s. I know you guys wanted a link list to the motorhome inspiration board I posted a couple days ago, and I promise I will be back with that tomorrow! :)