The Greenest Place

 

Check out my latest little guy!   

The Greenest Place, a little 4x4 oil painting on gallery canvas.  xox

Thick paint strokes, lovely teal, and major contrast...  where would you put this little one?

Summer's End

 Two posts in one night....  crazy.  But here is the twin to the painting I just shared with you.

Aren't they a cute couple?  

"Summer's End" 4x4 oil painting on gallery wrapped canvas and is, of course, available in my shop! 

This oil painting is a little fresher, a little greener, a little simpler.  

As you can see, I have the cutest little helper in the world.  ...but please, baby, don't touch!

Little Fields of Gold

Hello dear readers!
I have begun painting again!  It's like a refreshment for my soul, let me tell you!  We are pretty much settled into our new home, my art room, while not set up quite right, is unpacked, and my brushes are getting a little action!


Now, let me introduce you to one of my newest little guys!   “Little Fields of Gold” is a charming little oil painting with yellow and golden fields in the foreground, layers of warm sky and clouds, and dots of trees and shrubs. The brush strokes and the thickness of the paint (“impasto”) to add character, visual direction, and a feeling of lovely texture to this little painting.

I love the tiny size! This little guy measures 4×4 inches, which, for some reason, allows me to get out of my head and just paint. I had fun playing around with the color pallet; warm teal, gold, blue, gray. The canvas is 1.5 inches wide (edge) and is able to stand on it's own and it is very easy to hang. 


So happy, so cute, so bold and brash for such a small thing! 
You can find this baby in my shop or on my new portfolio website!   Please, go on over there and see what I've been working on!

www.EmilyJeffords.com

My life, the thriller.

 Hello!  Well, let me up-date you on my crazy life!  Over the past couple months since my last post on this blog I have completed three more little painting that coordinate with the one in my last post (and they're pretty cute together, I have to say!) packed up my whole house, drove myself and two little girls from far-west Texas all the way to far-east South Carolina where my husband is now stationed.  unpacked our whole house (my goodness we have a lot of stuff!) into our new home in Charleston, got settled in for a couple days, then had a whole party of out of town guests come for a visit.  They left, then we left for a little "R&R" in DC during which time we proceeded to sleep very little and walk very, very, very far across that awesome city.  After a week of excitement there we headed to Greenville, SC, then onto Atlanta, then - finally - home to our new home (still in partial boxes) in Charleston.  My goodness I hate being in the car! 

We have had a couple days of "normal" so I am getting back to work!  I thought I would start by updating my shop!  Here are a couple images from that process.  I was also honored with being featured in several treasuries on Etsy!  I really love the one pictured above. 

And now, back to work!  I'll be posting some photos of new work soon (as soon as I can find the box that has my watercolor paints in it!)

I have created a new painting and I'm so excited to share it with you!  It's been far to long since my last painting; but anything longer than a few days feels way to long to me...
“Nearing 143657″ is a 4×4 inch baby painting.  I love painting tiny paintings because they are perfect little pops of artistic expression.  I like to place them on a shelf near a collection of pretty books, or on a mantle by a vase of flowers.  They also look great in groups, or solo in a little area, hanging on the wall.  Well really, they just look great no matter where you put them!  Tiny paintings are also perfect for the art lover without a huge budget.  These babies are priced just right (think, Christmas gift!)

“Nearing 14367″ is so named after the location this painting was inspired by.  My parents live at 14367 CR 37 in a beautiful home out in the country in Northern, Ohio.  Their home has to be one of the most warm, welcoming, comfortable, loving (and yummy!) places on earth.  I took this snapshot while driving down the road on the way “home” one afternoon.  There is so much lush foliage, and warm sunshine in this place…  I incorporated many shades of gold and cheery green, as well as a huge variety of warm blues in the sky.  It hope this painting fills you with that sense of lovely warmth and belonging as well!
There are eight more small paintings coming soon but you can find this one in my fine art shop.
 

Facebook Page coming soon!

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Shop: BeautifulHello.etsy.com

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BeautifulHello inspiration blog:  BeautifulHello.wordpress.com

So much excitement!  Life is amazing... but life is oh so crazy.  

In case you're wondering, no, I am NOT going to stop painting!  I have oil paints in my blood.  I think in watercolors.  I am not stopping.  There will be many more paintings posted on this blog in the days ahead, so be sure to check back often or "follow" this blog so you'll be the first to know when they're posted!  I simply have to focus on a different expression of my art for the time being.  We're living in a small apartment (without a studio or place to paint), while living in a strange city in the middle of nowhere in Texas.  And with my husbands stressful and crazy work schedule and my two daughters, I need to put aside my first art-love for right now to focus on my family and other art forms.

I'm not trying to sound cranky or discontent!  I'm not at all!  I know this is where God wants me right now, and where I'm supposed to do...  I just want you to know that I'll be back!  

We're moving to Charleston early next year and I am soooo hoping for a house with a studio... or at least a cozy little painting corner.  But either way, i'm looking forward to getting out my brushes again soon!

I may even surprise myself and create a line of little paintings before Christmas!

Darlings

In case you're wondering what occupies my time these days:

I just had to share some photos I took yesterday.  My little darlings sure to keep me busy, but they also keep me smiling, happy, laughing, on my toes, active, attentive, peaceful, and oh so joyful. I wouldn't trade Annalisa Grace or Madelyn Ansley for anything in the world.  

We're having fun together on our Texas adventure.  

It doesn't hurt that they're both ridiculously cute... 

Annalisa is 2 now (!) and Madelyn is 8 month old.  They're both learning so much and have started to really enjoy playing together.  So fun.

Beautiful Hello and I Wish We Had Fall

Hello to my most faithful of followers.  I have been a horrible blogger as of late.  I’m so sorry!  As you know, we moved to Texas where my husband has been doing some advanced training for his job in the Air Force, and since then I’ve only completed four paintings (one of which I hate because it’s blue and for some reason I don’t like blue.  Weird, I know).  Honestly, its been hard to paint here.  I’m used to having a room full of light and peace and space in which to let all my creative juices come out through paint, but that’s not really the set up I have goin’ here…  Because we’re only here for 6 months, we decided to get a smaller apartment to save money for our, hopefully, much nicer home in Charleston (where we’ll be moving next!)  I have to say I am very, very excited about that.  Really, just seeing green grass makes me happy these days… Charleston, SC is going to feel like paradise with all the little gardens hidden around town, and the lush sea side feel…  can not wait.

I am, however, still staying very busy!  I’ve created a new line of wedding invitations and save-the-date cards that make me very happy.  I’m such a hopeless romantic deep down…  I’m selling them on my shop: BeautifulHello.etsy.com .  Hop over and check them out!  Even if you’re old and married (like me) they’ll make your day a little brighter.  They are all "DIY invitations" meaning I design a custom piece for you, format it onto paper and you get it printed and assembled.  It's totally I win win because the bride and groom still get that custom, unique look (that normally costs an arm and a leg) for a tiny fraction of the price, and I get to focus on designing (the part I loooove) and less on printing. 




Here are a couple samples.  I am still working on getting examples printed of all the other ones I have completed.  Coming soon!

 

 

See...  we're still in love...  and such a cute couple we are!

(yes, I made up fake names and info.  That way no weirdos find us)

Since we don’t really have fall here (everything died back in May, so there are no leaves to change colors) I thought I’d create a virtual fall/love collage for my own sake.  But I thought you may enjoy it too.   The first image "DIY Photo Wedding Invitation" was created by yours truly. 

If you have some leaves near your home, jump in them for me!

Painting Ohio - Progress

Things that make Monday great:  Got my new macbook pro battery!!  I no longer have a portable desktop!  Design Star on Hulu, coffee table DIY is alllmost done! horrid gold lamp is not a sleek and trendy black with a very unique shade, and I have chocolate chip cookies!!  ...only missing my dear man.  Wish you were here Dan!!

Final Photos and background stories coming tomorrow!

Headed West

Well it's done.  The first substantial (aka, large) painting for our new living room!  As you know, we just moved to West Texas from sunny, lush, green South Carolina.  Let me tell you... it's a bit of a landscape culture shock.  I used to live in Houston, so I thought I knew what I was getting into... but it feel so different!
I love the warm colors, the HUGE sky, and the hundred different shades of yellow that are prevalent here.   It seems like you can see for miles and miles and miles... and, you probably can!   I snapped the photo that inspired this painting on my drive from San Antonio, TX to San Angelo, TX.
This painting, called "Headed West" is 24x36 inches on canvas.  I cannot wait to get it framed and hung behind our lovely new couch!!