new artwork

it has been a little quiet over here lately - and i am finally (finally!) able to show you why!

every spare moment for the past few days has been spent working on this baby. 

i celebrated a little bit last night after it was finished, by baking blueberry muffins and enjoying a glass of wine. 

i'm always so thrilled when i know my artwork is going to a loving home. that is the exact destination for this one:).

xxo

hubby's alaskan adventure.

for the first few days he is gone, i always really enjoy myself. i tend to stay up super late. eat cereal for dinner. watch chick flicks like nobody's business. but, then it gets old. fast.

the hubby has been dreaming of visiting alaska since i've known him. and as of this month, that dream finally became a reality. i am thrilled for this adventure of his that has broadened his point of view, strenghtened his mind and body, and made him appreciate things in a new way.

he was able to snap a few photos  - and i wanted to share them with you:

he has been home 3 days now, and is still recovering. you know he is an avid outdoorsman to begin with - he says this was the biggest test of his mental and physical abilities yet.

i'm so happy he is home! doesn't he know i'm afraid of the dark?! haha.....(not totally kidding).

happy thursday, friends. i'm feeling excited about the approaching weekend. how about you?

xxo



25 things.

 as promised...here is my 25 by 26 list. goals/plans/dreams to shoot for/accomplish over the next year. i'll be honest-i'm feeling very (very) vulnerable about putting this out there for the world to see. but i'm on a mission to be accountable. so here goes!

25 by 26. the list.

1. become a full time artist.
2. stock my etsy shop. create, create, create.
3. visit connecticut, maine, west virginia.
4. get a (second!) tattoo.
5. connect with like-minded people.
6. do this!!
7. authenticity in everything.
8. honesty in everything.
9. meet mae chevrette.
10. spend time outdoors.
11. buy the camera of my dreams.
12. submit artwork to somerset - get it published!
13. pay off my car + student loans.
14. ride bikes with hubby.
15. float the river!
16. invite abundance into my life.
17.  grow a garden.
18. sew (1st up: curtains!).
19. spread love and happiness.
20. artwork photoshoot.
21. visit a pumpkin patch in the fall.
22. have as many fall adventures possible (best season EVER.).
23. have an art date.
24. get a monthly massage.
25. go on a road trip.


what is on your list of dreams?
xxo

art crush.

you guys. i am so in love! i discovered the stunning work of diana sudyka this morning, and just had to purchase this amazing print. impulsive? yes. but it is so perfect, how could i not?



"Starling" by Diana Sudyka



happy friday, friends! yahoo!

this weekend, i'm going home. it it off to the mountains for me! what are your plans?

xxo

girl time

since the hubby left for alaska, my mom and I have been getting in some major girl time over here.

  

she is on the tail-end her summertime break,

so her little mill city retreat could not have come at a better time.

even though i still have my 9-5 to report to,

it's amazing how a little break from the norm can be just the ticket. i feel amazingly energized!

whenever mom visits, she brings flowers. dahlias are some of my absolute favorites! you will think i'm crazy, but they make me so excited for fall. i'm most definitely an autumn girl at heart, and can't wait for crisp breezes, pumpkin spice lattes, scarves + boots, pumpkin patches, bright leaves...man. this list could go on forever!

so far we've shared coffee + laughter + good music + delicious food + long neighborhood walks (after sunset) + creative ideas. it's amazing how she tends to make everything better.

oh! and look at mister:). he is the cutest thing in the world.

he loves loves to crawl under blankets. it doesn't really matter which one.

sometimes i'll walk into my bedroom, and the only thing i'll see is a little tail sticking out from beneath my bed spread. it's hilarious.

i've found a new favorite spot for a vase of flowers! perched on the fireplace. love:).

hope you are having a beautiful week, friends!

xxo

magical morning light

i spent a good part of this morning capturing beautiful light + original artwork. 

my little studio feels so magical in the morning light.

i'm a bit of a slacker when it comes to photographing originals. so here are a few new, and a few old ones! available here:)

happy day, friends.
xxo

create your life.

**captured on one of our woods walks:).

i'm beginning to realize that it doesn't really matter how much we wish for our lives to be different...
what matters is the steps we take to create the lives we want.
i'm also finding: this takes bravery.

here's to brave choices. and to taking little steps towards the life we dream of.

xxo

goals, revisited!

now that i am officially one year older (hello, 25!), i thought it might be a good idea to revisit my '24 by 25' list of goals. to be fair with myself, i started this list in december 2011- giving me about only about 8 months to see how many i could accomplish before my birthday. lists have always had a way of motivating me to get more done...i'm pretty pleased with the results!

1. visit maine, connecticut, and west virginia (for the first time!) 

2. create every day   

(this one morphed into not only creating art, but creating an artful life.)

 3. invest in a mac computer(!) and scanner

4. be happy

 5. learn photoshop (still learning!!)

6. take pretty pictures

7. three creative/meaningful blog posts per week

8. read

9. make dinner 2 nights a week

10. start an exercise program

 

11. write a letter to my pen pal every month

 

12. finish my wedding album- and print out some favorites!

 

13.surround myself with people who make me better

14. forest adventures with hubby

15. meet more artists  

(including: the lovely flora bowley at her book signing; susannah conway; was in the same room as mati rose-does this count? yes, i was star struck and unable to introduce myself. ha! )

16. buy only what i need (and shop locally!)

(for the most part, yes! although i did make a target run the other day and bought way too much. sometimes i revert back to my impulsive days. one step at a time!:)

 

17. art date with the lovely Katie Daisy! 

(well, it was more like a coffee/dreaming with a splash of photoshop tutorial date...still counts, in my opinion!)

 

18. coffee and junk shopping with mom

19. make pillows from my vintage doilies

 

20. date night with the hubby once a week

(we made a pact that this didn't have to mean 'go out and spend money'. our dates included: bike riding along the river. watching a movie. reading outside on a blanket. making dinner together. watching the sunset from our porch. moon-lit walks around the neighborhood).

 

21. find something good in each day

22. go to church!

 

23. participate in an art show

24. pay off my car loan and school debt

(i am happy to report that i am DANGEROUSLY close to this one! dangerously, friends!)

are you a list maker? what kinds of lists do YOU make?

i'm hard at work on my '25 by 26' list. it is growing quickly! it's up next, so stay tuned:).

image transfer + acrylic paint + ephemera = new painting!

i had the pleasure of collaborating with the lovely haley graham, of haley graham photography for this one! the original photo is by her:). she is absolutely amazing with light. i could spend hours browsing through her photos.

this piece is a culmination of image-transfer + acrylic paint + ephemera.
i had the best time in the process. to me, that is the best i can hope for:).

available here.

happy thursday, friends!

a happy birthday! hello, 25.

 yesterday was a most splendid day. the sun was shining, and i was surrounded by people who love me most. i really didn't want it to end! it began rather early, (as i often like to start my days) with strong coffee, and with mom pulling out photo albums of my early childhood.

man, those were the days.

i remember for every birthday, my brother and i would wake to find streamers and balloons hanging in our doorways. it was my favorite thing ever. it's all in the details. <3

i wanted to show you my new hair do!! (and new sunglasses...thank you hubby:)) according to my hairstylist, the curl will loosen (a lot) after i wash it tomorrow. which is good, because i just want a touch of wavy. either way, changes are so much fun!

avery park (in corvallis) is so special to me. the hubby and i would spend hours and hours studying here during our days at osu. and, this is also where he proposed! so it was nice to spend some time there yesterday.

i've been thinking (a lot) about goals, and what i'd like to accomplish over the next year. the list is growing, friends! i'll share that soon:)

happy day.
xxo

august dreaming

good morning, august 1.
may this be the month we make things happen.
reach for our dreams. celebrate everything.

 

who's with me?