Headed West - Painting Progress

Well it's not done yet... but close!  I'll try to finish it tonight and post pictures tomorrow of the completed piece.  I know right where its going to go, and I'm so excited to frame it and hang it up!!  Why does oil paint take sooo long to dry??  I just love working on large canvases.  <3

...isn't Annalisa getting big!!  You can't really tell here, but she's running, and skipping, and dancing, and using new words every day.  I love it.  She has an infatuation with this painting too.  Maybe it's because it's sitting on a box on the ground... (my art table broke in our move and I haven't gotten a new one yet.  Besides, what more could I want!  I have a big box and a pink velvet poof!) ...or maybe it's because I keep telling her not to put her fingers in the paint... or maybe she's a natural born artist and she just can't resist those colors and smells, and textures... 

I'm going to go with that one. 

Check back tomorrow for the latest piece in my growing "Texas collection"!

Texas, From My Point of View

I cannot tell you how good it feels to paint again!!  It's been far to long.  I've missed you dear brushes!!  You should have seen me... on all of my cross country adventures (with my sweet baby and sister in the car) I would frantically grab for my camera (which of course, was never where I left it), trying to still drive in a straight line at 80 mph, and snap a picture of some amazing sun set, or lush field, or dry landscape.  I am sooo excited about doing a series of landscape painting inspired by the beautiful variety of America I've seen over the past couple months. 

This particular painting is hitting pretty close to what is now "home".  I snapped this photo soon after entering Texas.  I love how huge and grand the sky looks, and how much depth there is in the golden fields.

This is an oil painting on canvas.  It measures 11x16 and has a dramatic red border (I'm liking the suprise element that adds to my decor).  I haven't decided if I'm going to sell this painting quite yet...  my new apartment feels a little naked...

Many more paintings to come!! 

I must clarify, (for the sake of my artistic integrity!!)  I was not painting this landscape!!!  I was just admiring the similarities...  This is the view from my bedroom window.  You should see it at night...  wow.  Maybe I'll paint that someday! 

Summer of Adventures

Hello!
Wow.  What an adventure these past couple months have been!!  Let me catch you up!  Since my last post, I have packed more boxes than I wish to remember, arranged them like a rubix cube in a storage unit,  spent a lovely time in Charleston, SC, said goodbye to my dear, dear husband for two months while he received training with the US Air Force, I have travelled thousands of miles (in a car.  With two babies) across the country, spent precious time with my dear family (on both sides) celebrated my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary with a huge family reunion (I had the honor of decorating and flowering everything -- so much fun),  kissed my girls double time (for their daddy while he was away), travelled from Ohio to San Antonio, TX with a caravan of family for my husbands AF graduation (SUCH a fun weekend), and then, on to San Angelo, TX, where my husband continues his training and my girls and I battle the heat and enjoy our time together in the wild, wild west!

God has brought us such a long way.  I've never felt his grace and peace more powerfully that this summer.

Here are a few photos of my adventures!!  (sorry there are so many..  there were just so many photogenic moments!)
I'm excited about getting into this blog again and hope that you'll join me!

Angela of Spindrift Images took our family portraits.  Beautiful!!

This was SUCH a fun celebration!  Congratulations Grama and Papa!!  I love you!

Needless to say... I'm SO very, very proud of my husband.  He is an amazing man.

Layers and Layers of Lovely

 

As you might guess with a quick browse around this blog, I LOVE collections of lovely things.  I love creating little collections of items I find noteworthy.  

I've been out of the crazy art cycle for a few months but I'm getting the strong itch to get back in.  

A little more on all that later...

As I was perusing Etsy for inspiration, this treasury naturally formed.  If you are interested in leaning more about any of these items just click here!

Also, my Etsy page is still up and active!  Check it out!

Madelyn is Here!

 

 

After 9 months of excitedly waiting, planning, dreaming I’m pleased to introduce Madelyn Ansley Jeffords.  She was born on February 11^th, 2011 (what a cool birth date!) and is the sweetest new born on earth… 

The delivery when very, very well (I won’t go into all the lovely details as this is not a medical blog, and most people interesting in creative things have weak stomachs…)  But, it was beautiful and miraculous (I say that NOW!)  

Annalisa is such a great big sister.  We were a little concerned at first, but she loves “her baby” like crazy now.  I’m excited…  they’re going to have so much fun together!

I’m posting a lot of photos with this post.  Sorry.  I couldn’t thin my selection down at all.  They’re all so precious!  

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go snuggle my little bundle some more...

The Kendall Family Photoshoot

This family came from all over the world this Christmas, and what better way to celebrate that than with a photo shoot!  I had such a great time photographing these families individually and all together. 

I hope some sweet memories were made!

It's almost time!!

I tend to not be able to sit still to long without doing something...  fold laundry, work on some sort of craft, paint... lately, it's been sewing!  Now, you must understand, this is very rare for me.  I'm not the most skilled seamstress... I spend a lot of time with my seam ripper, trying to get it just right.  But every now and then (apparently, most often when there is a baby on the way!) I get the fabric itch.  I made Annalisa (my first daughter) a blanket before she was born out of fuzzy yellow fabric and satin, and she has grown so attached to it.  I wanted to make another one for Madelyn (due in 8 days!)  So, I've been hard at work creating her blanket and a bumper pad (shown above still in progress).    Yes, I will take out the needle!!!  It's just there for stability at the moment.

I'll post photos of the finished collection when I get it all complete.

Madelyn Ansley Jeffords will be here soon!!!

 I thought it would be fun to create a fashion statement for our couch too...  This was so easy and so much fun to make that I think, maybe, our bed needs one too!  We'll see...

Happy Valentines Day!

Band of Hugs Valentine's Day Card

Modern greeting cards and party invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Madelyn's wish list

"Madelyn's Wish List"

Sweet little Madelyn Ansley Jeffords will be here soon!

With so many beautiful, handmade, creative items offered on Etsy, I decided to make a registry, of sorts, on there!   There are so many sweet, artsy, creative, and, of course, handmade to look through...  I had the hardest time compiling this collection!  But, it was such fun.  Our sweet baby girl, Madelyn Ansley Jeffords, is due on Feb 12th and we are excitedly awaiting and planning for her arrival.

Click on here to be directed to the collection on Etsy.