ETSY Shop Update and Month Long SALE!

The holidays are approaching quickly! I've started Christmas way earlier than I ever have in the past, I love Thanksgiving so I don't like "skipping it" to start decorating for Christmas. But this is the first year that Reed and I will be "home" for the Holidays! I've also been asked to participate in some bloggy Christmas events so I'm kinda excited :)



So in honor of getting ready for Christmas but not skipping over Thanksgiving and the importance of acknowledging our blessings I'm having a thankful sale on my ETSY shop!!

From now until the 28th I will be offering free shipping across the shop, and I will be having a 40% off sale in honor of Black Friday. I've never been someone to wake up early and hit the stores so my Black Friday event will last from Midnight until Noon! So put it on your calendars and get over to the shop to get your custom gifts and goodies!! 

Here are a few goodies I have in the shop that have proven to be pretty popular :) 

Want a puppy portrait to add to your family room, office, or mudroom?? Well This 8x10 portrait is only $25 and is the perfect size to make a statement about your loved one without giving off a "crazy dog" owner look. Even though lets be honest, we all are crazy dog owners at heart right :) 

I have various other size pet portraits ranging from $25- $40 so be sure to check them all out! 

This customized tray has been SUPER popular lately! This $30 solid pine tray is a great gift to give for a wedding present, anniversary, or just because. I've done a few different designs for this changing around the wording, and even replacing the place with a bundle of grapes. If any of you have custom designs floating around just let me know and we can work together on achieving it!! 

This is one of my favorites :) These scarves are hand painted with a floral design and beautiful vibrant colors. Along with this one I have done loads of other designs varying from College teams to monograms! If you don't see your team or monogram listed message me and we can get it done asap! And even have a few in a little boutique!! Woot woot!! 

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED! 

And don't forget about the Giveaway I have going on with Rachel over at Like A Saturday! You have just a few days left so be sure to enter enter enter!  

Painting with out BLACK

A few weeks ago I shared how to use the  language of color (if you missed it check it out here) I talked about all kinds of terms and how the color wheel is set up. Now I didn't get a chance to go to deep in to color theory and I don't really think I'm qualified to go much deeper. BUT I did think I should share how all of those terms can be used in an actual painting. 

So today I decided to do a little pet portrait of a precious pup and show you how the knowledge of color can help create a really unique painting. 

Quickly I'll just share with you how I started. You can see that the board I was using had a painting on it before. So I just used some gesso (basically primer) to cover it up and start a quick drawing. I am so not good at sketching so I usually just do a real generic sketch (this one was based off of a photo) and then fill in the details with the paint. 

I then started with my high lights. Based from the image I took the lightest parts of the fur, where the light was reflecting, and chose my light colors. I didn't want to do a super realistic painting so I decided to go with yellow and a bright orange. And I left them straight out of the tube, no mixing. 

This puppy is a dark black with khaki/cream spots on his face, ears and paws. But like I said earlier, to avoid a flat and realistic style painting I decided not use black or white at all. I decided to use nothing but color to create this painting. So by using the knowledge that contrasting colors often create a muddy brown/black when mixed I started at it.  You can tell that there are lots of blues purples yellows and pinks. What you probably can't pick out are the greens. Green and red are one of the best combinations for getting a dark color with out using black. So the dark spots are mostly a forest green mixed with a red. You can see how different areas are shaded with different colors I used that to create the volume of the body and show how the light can cause different temperatures of color just by how it hits the object. 

Painting with out black and white is hard. But often creates a much better painting. By using other colors to create your darks you are actually painting much more realistically than if you only use black as your darkening agent. Just look at an object and really study it. You can see that the shadows are different shades or tones of a color like red, green blue, ect. It takes a minute to notice but once you see it its like light goes off and you will never see white as just white or black as just black again! 

I enjoyed this fun little painting. I wish I had paid more attention to my photography so I could have actually shared the process with you instead of just talking. But I just got caught up in my TV show and painting. Too many things I love happening at once for me to stop and photograph the process :) Sorry 

So this wasn't nearly as informative as the earlier post about color (here) but I hope it helps you get creative with the next little craft or painting you decide to make. Seeing that you can get real lights and real darks with out using black and white will make any project more interesting and dynamic!! 

*I have started some advertising with Passion Fruit Ads and need some lovely blogs to grace my side bar :) Please check out my advertising page and let me know if you are interested!! HERE

Tote Bag giveaway

Hey guys so I thought to get back on track I would do a giveaway! I haven't done one in ages but thought that maybe it would get you guys excited for my return to the blog world!! 

First, Tepe is ridiculous. It was beautiful outside today and all she wanted to do was be in side watching me paint. Most of the time she was sitting on my feet but I think she got hot and had to cool down for this picture :) 

Back to the task at hand :)

Here are some of the other things have recently added to the store so go check them out!! 

Link to the shop: https: Etsy Shop

I've added some illustrations to the shop, just little doodles that I enjoy and some of my favorite quotes :) These things are fun to bust out and so relaxing to make! 

And here are the tote bags that I'm trying out! In the giveaway you can win either one the winner gets to pick! These are tan canvas tote bags measuring 13.5 in x 13.5in x 3.5 in. They aren't the biggest but would be perfect to carry a few books with you or to take with you down to the beach or pool. And don't forget the end of the year is coming up so your gonna be needing teacher and grad gifts! If you like one of these or have an idea for a personalized one let me know, I'd be happy to work with you! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will be open until Wednesday of next week (Wednesday the 22nd) and the package should be sent out by Friday the 24th. 

This post was written on my phone, and the images are off of my phone. So I'm sorry if the quality isn't too hot. 

But good luck and don't forget to share! 

"The earth without art is just 'eh' "

Well, I've finally slowed down a little bit and decided to do some crafts :) 

I took down the decorations for Christmas last week. 

And I got a few more decorations on sale at Target :)

I kept the wreath up,

both the white yarn wreath and the grapevine wreath that I stretched out across the top. 

The stars are a garland that I got from Target for $10. 

The bunting was made by a sweet friend for our engagement party. 

The bottom half of the board I decorated with a quote that I've always loved:) 

I used just some basic crafting goodies. 

Doilies, craft paper, markers, and paint. 

I wrote out the quote 

"The earth without art is just 'eh'"

For the words "earth" "art" and "eh" I used a bold script and painted it in fun colors. 

After they dried I cut them out 

For the remainder of the quote I wrote out in bold black lettering on doilies. 

I love how this looks!

What do you think of it? 

I don't know how long I'm gonna leave it but its making me ready for spring :) 

Burlap Craft!

I decided to try some burlap crafts that I've seen around recently.

This is a Burlee. 

(Basically a burlap door hanger.)

So here is how I made it!

I bought some burlap at Walmart for about $2 a yard.

I then made a little template of the shape I wanted the burlee to be

And cut out 2 matching pieces and hot glued them together. 

I then cut out ANOTHER template of a buck. 

I wanted to pull together the styles of Reed and I, so, I used the buck silhouette and used my blue as the back ground. 

After I painted the blue I stuffed it with some plastic bags. 

Annnnd to hang it I used the burlap ribbon and tied it in a sweet bow. 

Sooo I painted the details I was thinking. 

This is gonna hang on our door, as a welcome to our house.

I then glued the top together and the bow on and 

TA DA!! 

I don't have a great picture of it on the door yet. But hopefully we will get one tomorrow when the sun comes out :)

Hey and also don't forget about the Etsy shop. I've added a few new things recently!

 

 

GIVEAWAY!

Well, I said when I reached 300 likes I would do a giveaway. 

I reached 300 likes this weekend sooooooo here we are!

Now I asked what yall wanted most and the 4 people that responded 3 of them said a tin welcome sign. 

(Y'all need to start talkin to me on facebook! My feelings are getting hurt!)

So, here it is! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And some examples of what you can win!!

Don't forget these can be completely customized,

change the color, name, date, image EVERYTHING :)
Lets make it special just for you! 

This giveaway will run until the 13th!

So don't wait around!!

My Fall "Mantel"

Well, in our little house we don't have a fireplace. 

So I don't really have a mantel. 

But I was still inspired by all those awesome blog posts about fall mantel pieces. 

I haven't really done much. 

And I haven't spent much time on it but I figured i would share the little bit of fall decorating that  I have attempted :) 

These are just some craft pumpkins that I got from Michaels at like 40% off!! 

I'm sorry I didn't take any before pictures. 

Or process pictures. 

But basically I just used a black paint pen and went to town! 

 Daniel 2:21
"He Changes the times and seasons" 

Just thought it was a good verse for fall :) 

Of course!

Go Tigers!! 

:)

Finally 

"Home Sweet Home!" 

These are the types of crafts I love.
So simple but so fun.

I need to make more time for these type of projects!! 

I linked up this post with

PS> My picture quality has gotten a little better. (I think anyway).

I just got a Nikon D5100! 

I'm still figuring out how it works and all the settings but I am having a BLAST figuring it all out!

Hopefully sometime in the near future you will be looking at a little better documentation :)