Dream Custom Artwork

The Harveys

2012-02-20T12:05:00.002-06:00

A large 24x24 to hang over the bed in the master bedroom. It reads, "I love you every day". So sweet!

A set of beautiful monograms of the happy couple's initials to hang on either side. These are each 16x16.

The pale blue and chocolate brown color combination is so pretty. Thank you Grant and Rachel Harvey!

For The Laundry Room

2012-02-18T09:10:00.003-06:00

I just finished these two canvases. They are special because no one ordered them! I squeezed in a little time to paint something that I had been wanting to try for a while now. That rarely happens!

I had seen the definition on a plaque in a magazine and thought it was cute but I wanted to make a few changes. I changed to colors, font, size, and I wanted it distressed. I guess I just used the words! One (the 16x16) was sent o the Junior Auxiliary for their annual art auction. Good luck, girls!

The other (the 14x18) is for my very own laundry room! I am so excited! I don't really have very much of my own artwork around the house. It's not that I don't want it and I have a ton of ideas, I just don't have the time. Maybe I should start making the time every once in a while!

Etsy Love

2012-02-17T10:52:00.008-06:00

I know that Pinterest is the going thing right now, but I haven't fallen in love with it just yet. However, I do love me some etsy! I have found just about anything I've ever needed there from supplies to vintage to beautiful finished products. I get asked a lot about Lauren's clothes and that is where a lot of them come from. She is tall and thin so I like being able to send in measurements and have quality items custom made to fit properly.

My etsy shop constantly stays busy. I have made contact with buyers and other artists from all over the world that I would not have known otherwise. If you make something, I highly recommend opening up a shop! It is very easy to do!

I recently jazzed up my etsy page with some custom banners and graphics. I love this color combination and pattern. I see some inspired canvases and a blog make over in my future! Fresh Lavender Designs created these for me for only $12.00! That's a deal! Be sure to check her out!

My Loves

2012-02-14T15:58:00.003-06:00

All I can say is that you know you've got a good man when he asks for a new ironing board for Valentine's Day! Laundry is his job around the house so I was happy to get this for him. I found this beautiful set of vintage travel posted when I was cleaning out the attic. Apparently, I bought them in 2004! He got them matted and framed as his gift to me. Sorry they are all just stacked in a corner...for now! Can you tell that we have been together forever?

Today is my little sweetheart's seventh birthday! I can't believe that it has been seven years since she came into out lives. She is so sweet and smart. She really is out little princess!

I am not intentionally leaving Carter out if this post. I guess he is just a typical 10-year-old boy and Valentine's Day is just not even a blip on his radar! I did make him some heart shaped pancakes!

Here's what I was doing on Valentine's Day 2005. That Valentine's Day will never be topped! You all have great day!

Show Us Your Life - Working Moms

2012-02-10T12:54:00.004-06:00

Today's "Show Us Your Life" from the Kelly's Korner series is featuring working moms. I think all moms are working moms! I am a teacher, both at Tennessee Tech University and Centertown Elementary School. I am also an artist. All of the artwork on this blog was hand painted by me! I love what I do and am very proud to share with you all today. You can browse the blog and use the search box to see lots more examples.

Lauren is my very soon-to-be seven year old daughter. She is such a girlie-girl and I could not be happier about that. She loves purses, shoes, and hairbows. She likes to shop, fashion, pageants, ballet, and pretty much anything that sparkles! She's my sweet girl and I just love her so much.

Carter is my ten year old son. If my daughter is a girlie-girl, my son is all boy. He and his dad are just two peas in a pod! He loves all things sports related, I mean all things. He loves to read and has this way of thinking that just blows my mind. He is so smart and sees stats and numbers totally different than I do. No matter how big he gets, he will always be my baby boy.

Carter had a recent health scare this past summer with pneumonia. He spent a week in the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. We've never had anything like that happen before and it was sort of a game changing experience for us all. He has completely recovered.

When we are not at school, we love to travel. Every chance we get, we are going somewhere interesting. While we love to lounge by the pool and sleep late, we also like to get out and do and see whatever the area has to offer. We've done everything from zip lining to snorkeling to dune buggy racing!

We do have rules for work and play. We do fuss and fight from time to time. We do love each other, try to be kind, worship God, laugh a lot, learn a lot, and try to have fun along the way.

I am off to enjoy reading about all of the other busy working moms out there! thanks so much for visiting today!

Buttons

2012-02-09T15:49:00.002-06:00

I was walking through JoAnn's (love that place!) and this big bag of assorted buttons caught my eye. I didn't really have a plan for them, but I stuck them in my cart. A couple of days later, my mother-in-law was telling me about how she is redoing her basement into a sewing room. Inspiration struck.

Button monograms. Perfect for craft and sewing rooms if you happen to have one. They are also perfect for anyone's front door or just about anywhere in the house. How cute would a bunch of pastel buttons be in a baby nursery?
I've got buttons in lots of colors and letters and words can be done in any size. Check the size and price guide and inquire about colors.

Shabby Chic Tree

2012-02-06T15:52:00.002-06:00

Kristin Green wanted something special to take to a recent baby shower. She requested a black tree with an aqua background. She also wanted pink flowers on the tree with a "shabby chic" look.

I chose to do the aqua on aqua dots in the background to give it some more visual interest. I knew that the dots in the background would compliment the type of flowers that I wanted to do. I also added a bit of lime green in the leaves.

These are not the colors typically associated with the shabby chic style and I was a bit concerned about how it would all look after distressing. There was no need for worry - it turned out beautifully!

Thank you for the order, Kristin! I hope you and mom loved it!

Cannon

2012-02-04T16:00:00.002-06:00

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this canvas. I took about twenty pictured trying to capture this rich blue. It is so pretty in person!

Toni Morton custom ordered this to match some really pretty sailboat bedding as a shower gift. She stated that the walls will be light blue. I think this will look so good on that wall.

My favorite thing about it is the simplicity. Cannon can have this in his room as a newborn, but this would work for a teenager, too. That little strip of red, the clean pale blue stripes, and the name all in lowercase just work together. Did I mention that I love this one?

A Little of Everything

2012-02-02T17:30:00.003-06:00

I've had so many things going on lately that I don't feel like I have it all together. I hate that feeling. I am just trying to get it all as best I can and have a little fun along the way. Whew! I decided to sort of cram them all (well, not all!) into one post.
I did squeeze in time for this simple project. It is very easy to recover a chair seat. This one involves a small square of fabric, four screws, and a staple gun. The blues, greens, creams, and the birds are more in keeping with the colors I have picked out for our new home. Love.

"We're open all the time." This is Lauren's sign for her play kitchen, but I feel this way about my own. It seems that I am always cooking, cleaning up after a meal, or at the grocery store. I think my kids are going through growth spurts. They literally eat all of the time!

I saw these "canvas photos" at WalMart and decided to give it at try. I absolutely loved this photo snapped at Emily's wedding. Carter's big smile just melts my heart. It is not the best quality I've ever seen, but it is nice for the very reasonable price.

I like the gallery wrapped edges and the fact that I don't have to frame it. Yes, it is propped up on a box in my very empty hallway!

Finally, I am very sad that winter seems to have passed us by. While these sunny, warm days are nice, it just doesn't feel like winter. I enjoy all of the seasons and was looking forward to a big snow or two. My beautiful burlap snowflake looks terribly out of place when I have flowers blooming. Where are you, winter?

Little Girls

2012-02-01T19:41:00.002-06:00

My little girl had a health scare this week. Without going into too much detail, after blood work, two x-rays, and an MRI, everything has turned out okay. It's been a rough week. Tonight I am thinking about little girls and how precious and fragile they are. Hold them close and love them while you can!

Addison and Abigail's mommy ordered these two sweet little 6x9's for their rooms. I think they turned out so pretty and just right for a little girl's room. Thank you!

Sharing the Love

2012-01-30T16:58:00.003-06:00

Lianna Knight ordered a "love" canvas in pink, red, and black stripes. I think it turned out so pretty!

At a 6x9 size, it is perfect for all of those little nooks, the front door, or even in a wreath.

I was thrilled to go to the mailbox today and find all of Lauren's Valentine's Day stuff. Yes, she was pretty excited, too! I got the matching class set of cards, stickers and even a shirt all printed here. Wendy is my go-to girl for anything custom printed. You will not be disappointed!

Mary Claire

2012-01-29T13:25:00.002-06:00

Megan Clarke in Murfreesboro ordered this large 18x24 to give to a friend as a shower gift. She told me that the nursery will be done in quilts and shabby chic. She said colors were light blue, pink, sage green, and yellow. That's a lot for one canvas!

Luckily, I has a lot of space to work with. I sat down and sketched on this one for a while. This is the design that turned out. I absolutely love it. The roses, the font, the stripes, the distressing - I love it all! I hope sweet little Mary Claire (love the name, too!) and her mother enjoy it!

Show Us Your Life - What You Make Or Sell

2012-01-27T09:56:00.003-06:00

I just love the Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life series. I always find the neatest things and love looking through all of the blogs. I try to participate whenever I can. I was excited to see this these on the schedule - it's perfect for me!

I've always painted...always. In my second grade journal we had to write about what we wanted to be when we grew up. That is the first time "artist" popped up as a dream for me and it never changed. I graduated from college with a degree in Graphic Design. It was long path but I ended up in education. I love using art in the classroom as much as possible and get to incorporate lots of creativity every single day.

When I'm not teaching, I'm running Dream Custom Artwork - these photos are really my well used supplies in my home studio. I was painting for myself and had tons of ideas. I needed an outlet. I set up a blog and took a few orders from friends...and here we are five years later! I love painting for other people and creating things that they will enjoy.

You can see lots more details about me, what I do, and how to order in the sidebar. I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks so much for visiting today!

Super Cute Bathrooms

2012-01-26T16:34:00.002-06:00

There's been a lot of bathroom art ordered lately. This design is so cute and I'm very happy that they are so popular. This one has been tweaked just a little to fit in with the bathroom. This is going to a girlie girl bathroom with a pink chandelier!
I changed up the font to a pretty cursive and used some metallic silver. The inside box is much smaller than usual and the large font is over it rather than in it. I think this set turned out so pretty!

This bathroom had lots of bright, cheery colors and was just so easy to do. You can't go wrong with this palette! The focus was meant to be on the pale aqua for the canvas and hot pink and lime for the ribbon. Too cute!

Cleaning Out The Closets

2012-01-22T16:51:00.004-06:00

It's that time of the year for me...the big clean out. It looks like we may have sold our house and purchased a new one. There's still some signing to do to make it all official. After waiting a year and a half, we are beyond excited!!
I'm tearing into the attic, garage, closets, and every drawer and cabinet in the house. I have a feeling that this is just the first batch of online yard sale items you'll see from me! Here are the photos, but click here to see sizes and prices. Thanks so much for looking and have a great Sunday!

Neutral Love

2012-01-20T09:12:00.002-06:00

Neutrals and earth tones are just my favorite. A little touch of color here and there is all you need in my opinion. It seems that a lot of people agree with me! I've been using bottles and bottles of cream, khaki, and chocolate brown paint lately. Ha!
I love this pretty monogram with only a hint a pale aqua in the ribbon. 8x10 - $25.

A distressed family canvas in all taupes, cream, and brown - so pretty! The burlap ribbon goes so well with this one. 8x10 - $25.

So true! Here you see the earth tones with black. This is a favorite color combination and is so classic. 5x5 - $15.

These are so cute for those of you who prefer bare feet in your house! The khaki, cream, and brown look so good layered over each other. 6x9 - $20 or 8x10 - $25.

Finally, a little sage green with the cream and brown. So pretty and peaceful! I love this as a wedding or anniversary gift. 8x10 - $25.

Stationery Card

2012-01-18T16:27:00.004-06:00

I just ordered Lauren's 7th birthday party invitations. It was so quick, easy and reasonably priced that I just had to share!
Check it out!

Confetti Party Pink Birthday Invitation

Shutterfly has cards for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and Birthdays.

View the entire collection of cards.

Rules, Rules, Rules

2012-01-18T16:06:00.003-06:00

There are rules at school, rules at home, rules of the road, the Golden Rule...rules everywhere you go. You can't escape them so why not make them look adorable?

All of these were done as Christmas gifts and I am just now getting around to sharing. I've got several to show you actually. I am set on blog posts from now till May!

Rules are usually done on 4x12 ($25), 8x24 ($30), or 12x24 ($40) and can be done in any color combination.

Valentine's Day

2012-01-16T19:43:00.002-06:00

Aqua on aqua stripes (so pretty!) with orange accents. There are even little felt heart and button embellishments. This sweet little 8x10 is ready for personalization and delivery. Perfect gift for Valentine's Day! One one available!
$25

This extra pretty 10x10 pink and dark purple canvas is also available for immediate personalization and delivery. There are lovely little dots and felt flower embellishments. A monogram would be so pretty in the center! Only one available!
$25

Both of these have the "shabby chic" look with sanded edges. So pretty and so perfect for Valentine's Day. Comment or email to claim!

Kenny Chesney

2012-01-14T16:05:00.002-06:00

I know I'm Southern, but I do not listen to country music. Ever. However, I do like Jimmy Buffet and as a result of that have listened to Kenny Chesney. He's got some really good summertime, vacation, beach music going on!

When I was asked to paint this quote, it was the first time I'd heard it. It's so cute and it makes me like Kenny even more! This 16x20 shipped off to Kentucky as a Christmas gift. I love all of the colors and fonts. Enjoy!

The Stars at Night...

2012-01-13T11:17:00.002-06:00

...are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas! This Texas star canvas with a special western font really did ship as a Christmas teacher gift to Texas. Mrs. Barnard has a whole cowboy themed classroom - how cute!

I love this font but it is very time consuming to paint. I especially like the star for the period and the burlap ribbon. It's the little details that just make it for me!
As a teacher, I think this was such a thoughtful gift. I hope it is loved!

Snowmen for a Snow Day!

2012-01-12T16:03:00.002-06:00

Like everyone else, I am so hoping for a snow day tomorrow. I could really use one! Just to help things out, I thought I'd post some snowmen today. These were all done before Christmas and I'm not sure if they were gifts or not.

This is my new snowman design. It features swirls and designs in the background, a more whimsical hat, and some little touches of diamonds and zebra print. The snowman also has an actual smile instead of coal!

It works so well with just about any color. It can also be adjusted for any size. It's just so cute! Now if we could get some snow and a fabulous snow day to go with it!!

Family Trees

2012-01-06T22:08:00.002-06:00

I thought I'd leave you with these two beauties for a few days. Megan Frazier ordered a couple of family trees to give as gift this holiday season. She also ordered one for herself and it is coming! I have to admit that these two were quite the challenge, but I absolutely adore how they tuned out. I also love that Megan gave such a thoughtful gift.

She carefully chose the colors and verses. So sweet and pretty. Hopefully they will become treasured family keepsakes. Thank, Megan!

Giveaway Winner #6

2012-01-06T20:04:00.003-06:00

It's our final contest winner! I've had a great time this past week reading all of the nice comments. Reading those positive thoughts, featuring my talented friends, and giving away some fabulous stuff are the best way to start a new year. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Enough! Tonight's winner is comment number nineteen. That's you, Tenara! Congratulations! Let me know if you'd like the tree personalized in any way. I'm so happy for you!

Random Number Generator: 19

I'll be posting one more time tonight just to get some artwork on the blog and then I'll be taking a "blog break" for a few days. I'm worn out! Really, there's a lot going on with this busy family right now and I don't know when I'll be sitting still long enough to blog!
Thanks again to you all and happy 2012!

Giveaway Day #6 - Dream Custom Artwork

2012-01-06T07:32:00.002-06:00

Woo hoo! It's my giveaway day! It is also the last day of the series, so be sure to enter. I've had this idea bouncing around in my head for a while. I finally took the time right after Christmas to get it on a canvas. Even though I love it (and thought about keeping it for myself!) I decided that it would make the perfect giveaway!

This multimedia tree started with a layer of handmade paper to give the background texture. That was painted a soft cream. The tree trunk was then added with pieces of torn printed paper in brown, teal, green, cream, and burnt orange. The small pieces were selected and arranged one by one. An antiquing glaze was then added over the whole thing.

Finally, button leaves were added to complete the piece. I just think it is so pretty and unique. If you are the winner today and would like a name, verse, quote, or monogram added in the space beside the tree, I will be more than happy to do that for you.

Entering is a little different today for those of you who have been playing along all week. You only get a maximum of three entries and each one requires a little something. Here are the rules:
1. One entry for becoming a follower and commenting to let me know. If you are already a follower, just leave an entry comment.
2. A second entry for "liking" Dream Custom Artwork on facebook and leaving a comment to let me know. If you already "like" the page, just leave an entry comment.
3. A third entry for leaving me a comment with an idea, suggestion, or something you'd like to see. I can't wait to see these!

The contest will end at 8:00 tonight. Best of luck to you all and happy entering!

Giveaway Winner #5

2012-01-05T19:53:00.003-06:00

Whew! Lots and lots of comments tonight! It seems that the Et Cetera gift basket is very popular. Tonight's winner is comment number 39...Ashlee Rogers! Congratulations to you, Ashlee! I know you will enjoy your prize package. Thank you so much to Karen at Et Cetera for making today's fun happen!

Random Number Generator: 39

Tomorrow is the final day of giveaways. It has been so much fun and gone by really fast. Here's a little sneak peek at my giveaway...

This is a brand new, never before seen design. That's all you're getting for tonight!

The entering process will be a little different, too.
Here's the details:
1. You get one entry for becoming a follower and leaving a comment letting me know. If you are already a follower, you get one comment entry for letting me know, too.
2. You can get a second entry for liking Dream Custom Artwork on facebook and leaving a comment to let me know. If you already "like" the page, leave a comment letting me know for another entry.
3. You can get one more entry for leaving me a comment suggesting a new idea or something you would like to see. I am looking forward to seeing some new ideas!!!

That's a maximum of three entries per person. I can't wait! See you tomorrow!

Giveaway Day #5 - Et Cetera

2012-01-05T07:42:00.002-06:00

Good morning and welcome to another day of giveaways! Today's featured business is Et Cetera. If you are living the McMinnville area and you've never been to Et Cetera, you are missing out! There is something new every time you visit and there is something for everyone.

I am so in love with their new "Burlapulous" line! I just about died when I saw all of this Valentine's Day stuff! Karen and Paula are so crafty!

For any of you newbies, Et Ctera is a shop downtown that features artists and creative people of all sorts. Think of it as kind of a market and we all get to be the vendors! I try to keep their stock of canvases updated and love having items there.

They even have wedding registries and classes. My daughter absolutely loves the painting classes!

Karen has put together a gift basket of goodies from around the store. She is giving away a cake plate, a scarf, and a tile necklace. You get all of this! So exciting! The rules are the same, just leave a nice comment and contact information to enter. Enter all through the day for the best chance to win! The contest ends at 8:00 tonight.

Good luck and have a great day!!

Winner #4

2012-01-04T20:05:00.002-06:00

I have loved reading through all of the comments tonight. Kelly, if you ever need a little pick-me-up, you know where to read! Thank you for participating tonight!
Tonight's winner is lucky number 7...Donna Vandygriff! Congratulations to you!

Random Number Generator: 7

Tomorrow I will be giving away a goodie basket from Et Cetera. You are going to love it! Be sure to check back and comment often! Good night!

Giveaway Day #4 - Sugar Rush

2012-01-04T07:32:00.003-06:00

This is the yummiest of all of the giveaways! Sugar Rush is a sweet little downtown shop that is known for it's cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and all sorts of goodies. Kelly Roberts is the owner and baker in charge. She is also one of the most creative people in town!

Sugar Rush is branching out in the new year and will begin serving lunch! Since I am a teacher, I don't get to eat lunch out very often. I will be there at the first chance I get! Kelly tells me that there will be fresh baked bread (my weakness!), hearty soup, delicious salads, and fruit tea (my other weakness!). This will all be in addition to her regular baked goods.

They also have a beautiful upstairs room that can be reserved for lunches. There will also be boxed lunch specials. I am sooo excited for Kelly and her new venture!

I am honored that the runner up for best dessert in Tennessee Magazine and a feature in Bridal Guide Magazine agreed to participate! Kelly is so generously giving away a half dozen of cookies and lunch for two.

By now you know the rules! Just leave a nice comment and contact information to be entered. Enter as many times as you'd like. Today's contest is open to local residents only. Good luck and happy commenting!

Giveaway #3 Winner

2012-01-03T20:04:00.002-06:00

A huge congratulations to lucky comment number 52, Hailey Dolbare! I know she will enjoy her new zebra print tote bag. Thank you to all who entered today and a special thank you to Karissa. Be sure to try again tomorrow for some goodies from Sugar Rush. Yum!

Random Number Generator: 52

Giveaway Day #3 - Sew Sweet

2012-01-03T07:34:00.003-06:00

Today's giveaway is from Sew Sweet Embroidery, which is the cutest little shop right here in McMinnville. The owner, Karissa Hale, is a good friend from way back at Irving College Elementary School! I trust her with all of my monogramming - which is a lot if you've seen my daughter!

Besides custom monogramming, her shop also does vinyl lettering, matching bows, and has lots of gifts for boys, girls, and babies. She also carries adult purses and flip flops. I find something I want every time I go in there!

Karissa is giving away custom monogrammed zebra print tote bag! This would be perfect for you or to give as a gift.

The contest is open to anyone today. Even though the shop is local, the bag can be shipped to you. To enter, just leave a nice comment andyour contact information. Enter as many times as you'd like! The fabulous winner will be announced tonight. It may be a little after 8:00 because my son is in the county spelling bee tonight! I'm not sure when we'll be home. Best of luck to you all!

Giveaway Day #2 Winner

2012-01-02T19:53:00.002-06:00

Yes, I am calling it a few minutes early. This girl is going back to work tomorrow and I still have 20 bazillion things to do tonight! I've got to get clothes laid out for school, exercise, and dance, study for tomorrow night's spelling bee, put warm blankets on the beds...you know how it goes!
On with the show! The lucky number tonight is 28. Congratulations to you, Angela Cossey! I know she will be super excited! Thank you so much, Michaela!

Random Number Generator: 28

Be sure and check back tomorrow for a fabulous giveaway from Sew Sweet Embroidery! Be sure to do your snow dance tonight:)!

Giveaway Day #2 - Toot Sweet Boutique

2012-01-01T20:53:00.002-06:00

Well, day one is in the books and I know Becky is so happy! I would be! This is giveaway day two's post. Yes, I am opening the contest early because I have to report to inservice first thing in the morning and will not have the chance to blog. It's a good thing for you...more chances to enter and win!
Let me just start by saying how much I love Toot Sweet Boutique! I have ordered two or three outfits for my daughter and each of them have been of very high quality, help up well, and made to my specifications. Not to mention adorable!

The talent behind Toot Sweet is Michaela Goodwin. I was so excited when she agreed to be a part of the giveaway series not just because of her fabulous stuff, but because she is such a sweet person. We've never met in person, but we seem to have similar tastes and work ethic. Michaela - we need to get together!

As you can see, you definitely need to enter if you have a baby, baby on the way, little boy, or a little in your life. I think that just about includes everyone! She created everything from ties to diaper covers to dresses and outfits. She also has a beautiful fabric selection. I am always so tempted!

Michaela is generously giving away a $25.00 gift certificate. You can see her terms on the graphic above. This contest is open to anyone! All you need to do is leave a nice comment with you contact information to be entered. Enter as many time as you'd like before 8:00 p.m on Monday night. Best of luck to you all and happy commenting! Share with me if you win!

Winner #1

2012-01-01T20:22:00.003-06:00

Tonight's winner is soooo lucky! She only entered once as far as I can see and it was the winning entry. I really thought it would be Tenara or Jamie! Anyway, the custom window goes to comment number 17. Congratulations, Becky! Thank you so much, Kim!

Random Number Generator: 17

I am actually going to start tomorrow's giveaway later tonight. I will be in inservice all day tomorrow and will not have the chance to blog. That just gives you more chances to win a $25.00 gift certificate from Toot Sweet Boutique!

Giveaway Day 1 - Picture This

2012-01-01T08:09:00.003-06:00

Hi there and welcome to the Five Days of Giveaways! I am kicking things off today with something very special...a beautiful, custom made window. I couldn't think of a better way to start 2012 than showing some pride and love for your family.

Kim Cantrell is one talented lady! It seems like she is always making something! Now she has started photography and spent a lot of time taking photographs of letters all over McMinnville. She takes the prints and uses them to spell out family names and special words.

Then she can combine that with your family pictures and display them all on antique windows. She even has her grandmother's old window hanging in her dining room. Love it!

Kim is generous enough today to be giving away one custom made window. I can't wait to see what today's winner and Kim come up with! It's very simple to enter, just leave a nice comment. That's it! You can also enter as many times as you'd like today. Be sure to include your contact info!
Because of the fragile nature, these windows cannot be shipped. Today's contest is only open to local residents. The contest will end at 8:00 tonight and a comment will be chosen by random number generator. Good luck to you all and happy 2012!

Giveaway Preview!

2011-12-31T10:15:00.004-06:00

The Five Days of Giveaways start tomorrow!!! I'm so excited! This is always such a fabulous way to start the new year. Here's a little preview of what's coming just for you.

Day 5 - a gift basket from Karen Marsh at Et Cetera.

Day 4 - lunch for two and 1/2 dozen cookies from Kelly Roberts at Sugar Rush (open to local residents only).

Day 3 - Custom monogrammed tote bag from Karissa Hale at Sew Sweet Embroidery.

Day 2 - $25 gift certificate from Michaela Goodwin at Toot Sweet Boutique.

Day 1 - Custom designed window from Kim Cantrell at Picture This.

I will also be giving away some artwork on day six, but I want it to be a complete surprise! As you can see, there are some wonderful items up for grabs. To enter, all you have to do is leave a nice comment. That's it! The best part is that you can comment as much as you'd like. A random number will be chosen each night at 8 o'clock and that comment wins! Best of luck to you all and Happy New Year!

Christopher Robin

2011-12-28T15:49:00.002-06:00

A. A. Milne has some of the best quotes through the Winnie-the-Pooh series of books. They are always so simple and sweet. I guess that's why so many people love them! Marcy Mullican ordered this Christopher Robin quote as a Christmas gift for a good friend. I love it!
This is a 12x24 and costs $45.00.

There's only a few days left until the Five Days of Giveaways begin! Just check the blog each day from January 1-5 to see what's being given away. All you have to do is leave a comment to win and you can comment as much as you'd like! Woo hoo!

Teachers

2011-12-26T19:23:00.002-06:00

"Those who educate children well

are more to be honored than parents,

for these only gave life,

those the art of living well."

- Aristotle

Thank you, teachers!

Families

2011-12-23T16:18:00.003-06:00

We had our first Christmas celebration last night at MeMaw and Steve's house. I love having our dinners and get-togethers all spread out. We don't feel so rushed and really get to enjoy each one. Here's the Martin family! My sweet little nieces and nephew are growing up so fast.

My kids are also growing up. I looked at photos from last Christmas and there is such a difference! It just reminds me to really make an effort to enjoy each moment.

Hailey Dolbare ordered a set of family canvases for her parents and her in-laws. I think they make the perfect Christmas gift! I love how they turned out!

Lauran Nichols had some friends who got married and she had this canvas painted and shipped to them. I got an email from the bride who said that she loved it!

Stephanie Vance ordered this one also as a Christmas gift. Look how perfectly it matches my couch and pillow!

Here's MeMaw and Steve with the grandkids. We had a great night and are already looking forward to next year!

Pixie Dust

2011-12-22T10:09:00.002-06:00

Heath Roberts wanted some sweet little fairies and this Tinkerbell quote for her little girl's room.

There's lots of detail in these little fairies...and a lot of dots! I absolutely love how it turned out!

I used some iridescent paint on the wings and the whole thing is lightly sprayed with glitter. When dealing with pixie dust, you need a lot of sparkle! I enjoyed this time to be creative and girly! Thank you, Heath!

Nativity Scene

2011-12-21T09:57:00.002-06:00

In the five years or so that I've been doing this, I've never been asked to paint a nativity scene. For my first one, I decided to keep it clean and modern. I think this one will really stand out on the front door!

Kayla Young has a friend who collects nativity scenes and that is the main theme of her holiday decorating. What a thoughtful gift! Thank you, Kayla!

Christmas Activties

2011-12-20T10:27:00.002-06:00

This time of the year is always so busy - fun busy - but busy! Yesterday was my sweet hubby's birthday and we went to see the new Mission Impossible movie and had a nice dinner out. Just the two of us. It was a nice break from all of the children related activities that have been going on lately.
We recently enjoyed a visit to the Nashville Children's theater, which I highly recommend. We saw Junie B. Jone Jingle Bells Batman Smells! Check out their upcoming shows here. I am so going to see Click, Clack, Moo!

Lauren got to take her friend, Kara, and they had the best time! There was even an autograph session after the play. Lauren got her book signed by all of the characters. Here she is with her favorite, Junie B. Jones!

Snacks with Santa was at our church last Sunday night. It is always so much fun! Carter LOVES babies. He can't wait to get his hands on any baby around. This is sweet little Lorien Doak, who is two and a half weeks old. Awwwww!

Lauren has been so sick with an ear infection. She's better but not back to full strength. She was absolutely worn out when we got home. Even though she is so happy in this picture working hard on her letter to Santa, she still looks a little pale and thin to me. I am just thankful that we have this break to rest and enjoy being with each other!

Tour of Homes...

2011-12-17T07:54:00.002-06:00

It's not really a tour of my home, more like my trees! I am hooking up with Kelly's Korner and Nester today. I've looked through their photos and links and decided to join the fun. This is such a great way to get some new ideas.

I've been doing the same thing for a while now. I am hoping to move to a new house in 2012 and want to keep some traditions and special decorations, but want to make some changes as well. One to keep is my candy tree. I love it!

Here's a closeup of my vintage candy garland and my favorite gumdrop ornament. This is in the entryway right next to the kitchen.

My son has a sports tree in the little alcove in his room. His window is the only one above the garage and it looks so pretty lit up from the outside. My daughter has a pink and green tree in her room. It's filled with ballerinas, fairies, and just about anything glittery!

I just posted a photo of our family tree and mantle a couple days ago so I'm not going to do that again. In the rest of the house, I have Snow Village house sitting around. These were handed down to me. I think they are so pretty and you can leave them out all winter!
Thanks for the visit! Come on back anytime!

Chloe and Luke

2011-12-15T15:54:00.003-06:00

Tiffany Judkins ordered two 8x24 canvases for her children's rooms. She thought this size would look just right over a twin bed. I have to agree! For Luke, she asked for blue, brown, and a little bit of green. You can see that green in the dash border. Just the right touch!

Miss Chloe is getting some new brightly colored bedding in all sorts of colors with stripes and dots. Tiffany asked for something "funky" that she could use for a long time. I think this is so stinkin' cute! It will really stand out on her pale aqua walls.

Brush, Wash, Flush, Scrub

2011-12-14T18:20:00.002-06:00

These sets of 5x5 canvases for the bathroom are just so popular! I've done them so many times and in so many color combinations. They are always so cute!

I love this color combo! Amy requested the extra chocolate brown and mentioned that she likes the piping. I added it to a few of the dots and am so happy with how it turned out! She also wanted green ribbon - so cute!

Home For The Holidays

2011-12-12T17:30:00.003-06:00

Today I am participating in AlaMode's mantlescapes! I just sort of stumbled on this and enjoyed looking at all of the mantles so much that I decided to join in the fun. There are some gorgeous decorations out there - such inspiration!
My mantle is very simple. I love to use candy as a decorating theme in my house. I combined some oversized candy pieces with garland and red and silver ribbon. That same ribbon is on the tree as well. Our stocking hangers are actually picture frames that house pictures of each of us with Santa as a child.

In keeping with the Christmas theme, here is a canvas for the back door with a little touch of Christmas. Love it!

Finally, while the deadline for Christmas orders has long since passed, gift certificates are always available!

For A Special Aunt

2011-12-11T18:00:00.002-06:00

Aunts are so special to many of us. I absolutely love the quote Stephanie Vance chose for her Aunt Linda. I think this will make the perfect gift!

Stephanie asked for animal print in neutral shades. I chose to do the zebra in cream on white. It's there, but it's not there! She also wanted the quote over the word "aunt". I did that in two tones of brown. So pretty!

Christmas

2011-12-10T07:55:00.002-06:00

Just let me start by saying this was not my idea! Rachel Davis had the fabulous idea to take one of my 8x24 canvases and attach ribbon to make it a card holder. You just attach your cards with clothespins. So smart!

She just wanted a simple red and white design that would go with any of her other decoration ideas. I thought the polka dots and gingham ribbon made the whole thing just adorable!

Here's my basket of goodies waiting by the door this morning. I am all set to be at Sugar Rush today from 10:00 to 4:00. I've got several new things that I have been squeezing in between filling orders. I've also got lots of things marked down to great prices. Come see me and do some Christmas shopping!

Winter Wonderland

2011-12-08T14:43:00.004-06:00

I've been invited to participate in Sugar Rush's Winter Wonderland this Saturday, December 10, from 10:00-4:00. This is a wonderful shopping opportunity set up in the Sugar Rush store. There are going to be several talented ladies from McMinnville with lots of handmade goodies. There are a few things I need to pick up and finish my Christmas shopping!

In addition to filling orders, I've been painting some new snowmen designs, Christmas signs, and teacher gifts just for this occasion. I will also have some items on sale - everyone loves a good deal! Come see me just to visit and eat a cupcake!

Five Days of Giveaways!!

2011-12-06T20:02:00.004-06:00

It's that time of the year again...giveaway time! If you are new to the blog, please check out posts from past January's to see what all of the excitement is about! It is all going to work the same way with one little change. In the past, this has gone on for ten, eleven, twelve or more days. Really.

I've decided to trim it down to five really special days for two reasons. One, I am celebrating my blog's five year birthday! It doesn't seem like I've been doing this for five years. Wow! Two, I think five days will be better time management-wise for me personally. A lot of planning goes into each day's post.

Right now I am so, so, so happy to confirm some very talented ladies who will be giving away some fabulous stuff. Be sure to check back from January 1-5 to see Kim Cantrell, Karen and Paula from Et Cetera, Michaela from Toot Sweet Boutique, Karissa at Sew Sweet Embroidery, and Kelly from Sugar Rush.

I'll just be honest...I know each of these ladies personally an think the world of them. I also happen to spend most of my money with them, too! You are going to LOVE their giveaways! Get excited!!!

Ballet Beautiful

2011-12-05T17:53:00.002-06:00

Pink and black are the colors I associate with ballet. I took for many, many years right here in McMinnville from the fabulous Mrs. West. I always thought she was so glamorous in her colored leotards and scarves. We always had pink tights and a black leotard.

Now Lauren takes from Mrs. Paula, also right here in downtown McMinnville. I absolutely love seeing her in her dance clothes. I love ballet shoes and can't toss out even the old worn out ones. I still have my first pair of toe shoes. Always will.
Whether you are a dancer or not, you can appreciate how beautiful and simple this canvas is. I love the colors, patterns, and lettering. Stephanie Vance specifically requested that quote - perfect.

Good Sports

2011-12-03T15:15:00.002-06:00

Sometimes the men and boys in our lives are the hardest to buy for. I know that's the case when I try to shop for Mike and Carter. How about a nice quote or sign for their office or room? I love the choice above for athletes. It looks great in any favorite team color combination!

This teacher is a big football, baseball, and basketball fan. The canvas is also done in school colors. This will look so good hanging outside his classroom door. It's hard, but I try to keep things masculine!

Coach Logan is going to have the best looking office door in whole school! Thank you so much for the orders, Stephanie and Hailey!

Random

2011-12-01T16:55:00.004-06:00

I had several of these assorted canvases that don't really seem to go together, but don't really go with anything else either! I guess they are all in the same color family...we'll go with that. I do love all of the earth tones used in these canvases. That burnt orange is quickly becoming a favorite and not just for fall.
This one was ordered by Leslee Sanders as a gift for a teacher. This teacher kind of has "think success" as a motto. Leslee thought it would be a good idea to have it on a canvas for her office. How thoughtful!

My mom ordered this one to take to a Thanksgiving dinner. I had done one for the mother of the family and the daughter wanted it. The mother wouldn't give it to her! Ha! My mom settled the feud and now everyone has an owl and is happy again.

I've done this design so many times that I've lost count. It's always a pleasure to paint. These two were etsy orders that shipped off a long time ago and I honestly have forgotten to where!

Just to make this even more random, I decided to include my favorite photo from my family's Thanksgiving. My grandmother is 86 years old and still hosts lunch at her house. Every time I see this picture, I feel so thankful!

Zebra Cuties

2011-11-28T10:55:00.002-06:00

Anita Nunley is getting a jump on her Christmas shopping! She ordered these two little zebra print cuties as gifts for some sweet girls in her life. I think these just make the perfect gift!

I love the lime and purple with the black and white animal print. This 5x5 size is just right for the door knob, bed post, or drawer pull. So cute!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

2011-11-26T18:11:00.002-06:00

Christmas! I am now ready to start sharing some Christmas themed canvases! I tried to wait until after Thanksgiving. I love these stripes for Hailey Dolbare.

I think this one might be my new favorite for the holiday season. Pamela Ihfe wanted trees in red, white and green for her front door. This is what I came up with!

Here's a close up of the trees. I love the trees filled with swirls and the dotted trunks. This is classic Christmas and just so pretty!

Finally, a super cute Santa (also for you, Hailey!). I've done this design lots and lots of times and the cuteness never wears off!

My tree is up. My Christmas shopping is done except for one pesky brother-in-law. I am ready to bring on the Christmas!

Thankful

2011-11-24T11:38:00.002-06:00

I just finished this quote for Kayla Young and thought it was so appropriate for today. I know this is the way we all feel about our children.

There are so many things to be thankful for today and every day. After spending a day Christmas shopping, I am having peaceful but productive morning at home and then off to lunch at my grandmother's house. I really do have a wonderful life.

Tanning Beds

2011-11-21T18:22:00.002-06:00

Since I posted a sign for a beautician yesterday, I decided to stick with the salon theme and share these tanning bed signs today. I've done this color and pattern combination before and I just love it!

This was an etsy order that shipped out last week. Even though I love it, the etsy orders are keeping me covered up! I think I'm going to do quite a bit of my Christmas shopping on there, too!

For Your Beautician

2011-11-20T13:18:00.002-06:00

Kayla Young had the fabulous idea to get a custom canvas as a Christmas gift for her beautician. SO smart! She asked for bright colors and a funky font...done and done!

I just love the colors on this one and the layered dots are my new favorites. This 10x10 is $25.00. Thanks, Kayla!

Monograms

2011-11-19T12:25:00.002-06:00

The classic, cream, khaki, and black monogram just never goes out of style. I've been doing this design for years and it is as popular as ever. No wonder, it's simple and beautiful! This 10x10 shipped out to the Sherrill family in Manchester.

This one is slightly larger at 12x12. It was ordered as a gift - perfect! Stephanie requested and neutral monogram with some dark, rich red. I love this name and think it turned out so pretty!

Pretty in Pink

2011-11-17T16:11:00.002-06:00

The pink, white, and black color combination is just one of my all time favorites. It never goes out of style. It makes me feel "French"...Chanel, Eiffel Tower, poodles, etc. Crazy, I know! This really pretty 11x14 was shipped off to be a teacher's Christmas gift. Thank you, Amy!

This sweet little 5x5 was an etsy order. Lots of pink and something "girlie" was what was requested. I think this fills the order perfectly! I had just found these oversized lavender rhinestones - perfection!

Happy Dots

2011-11-15T21:16:00.002-06:00

My sister, Ashley, ordered her holiday gifts early! She wanted something bright and cheery for her two boys' teachers.

Instead of just the regular polka dots, I layered the dots. I tried something new and love how it turned out! All of these colors are just about as bright and cheery as you can get!

Here are some more fun dots! This 16x16 is a great size for the classroom door. It shipped out to Florida a few weeks ago. Thanks so much, Tissan!

The Big Easy

2011-11-13T20:53:00.002-06:00

I've been away for a few days. My school system was generous enough to send me to the National Science Teachers Association's Area Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was a nice way to get out of the classroom and get some fresh ideas.
I went on a field trip to an alligator ranch. Really. It was so much fun! Many of you know that I have an adventurous spirit and it was truly tested here. I literally scooped this bad boy out of the water. All in the name of science!

The Mississippi River was so big and beautiful. It just shimmered in the sunlight. The convention center was right on the water. I thought New Orleans was a gorgeous town with so much character!

The hubs and I on Bourbon Street! Notice that I've gotten some beads and a bag of beignets to go!

Honestly, if I lived in New Orleans, I'd weight 300 pounds. The food is soooo good! On another field trip, we attended the New Orleans School of Cooking. This is an absolute must if you are visiting there soon. This is Mrs. Pat, the best cooking teacher ever! She is making my new favorite food - pralines. Yum!

Finally, a shot of Jackson Park in the French Quarter. Just beautiful! Now it is nice to be home in my flannel pants preparing to be back at work tomorrow. Even though it was nice to get away, I missed the kids so much!

Bathroom Art

2011-11-12T17:00:00.002-06:00

All I have to say is lots and lots of dots! There have been several sets of bathroom art ordered lately and each one involves a lot of dots.

These sweet little 5x5 sets of four really are fun to paint - no matter how many dots are involved!

This is the first time I've done this real and tans combination - love it! I think it turned out so pretty!

The date for Christmas orders has come and gone. I need to update the list in the sidebar...I will get to it! Promise! If you don't see your order there, don't panic. If you have emailed me about a Christmas order and haven't gotten a response from me, do panic and email me again! Whew - I've got a lot to do! It really is a wonderful problem to have!

New Monogram

2011-11-08T17:35:00.002-06:00

I'm loving the new monogram design! It features an extra large single initial with a little swirly design down the side. It's all done in black and cream.

The "established" information is down the side rather than underneath or across the top. I just think it turned out so pretty! Thank you for the order, Courtney, and for giving me the freedom to try something new!

Families

2011-11-06T19:40:00.002-06:00

Black and taupe make such an elegant combination. These two were both ordered as gifts. I can't help but think about when they are opened. I hope they bring so much joy. Thank you, Rachel and Holly!

Zebra Madness!

2011-11-05T21:23:00.002-05:00

Zebra print is just crazy popular right now! Luckily for me, I enjoy painting this design. Zebra stripes don't have to be perfect or line up exactly. Their imperfections make them perfect! Two girls ordered this hot pink and zebra design at the Autumn Street Fair. Thank you, Chloe and Allison!

I had painted this 8x10 and it managed not to get snatched up. I actually sat it aside and found the time to personalize it for me! I kind of have a jungle print/themed classroom. This was just too perfect!

I bought a few Christmas gifts tonight. 'Tis the season! Please remember that the last day to place your holiday canvas orders is November 10. Thanks!

The Kids

2011-11-03T16:56:00.002-05:00

Some of Emily's wedding pictures are trickling in from Stephanie Edens. She sent me this one of Carter in the antique truck with Elliot and Lauren. I love it so much. I want this printed on one of those large canvases. Carter is growing up so fast. I see so many changes in him every day. He looks so handsome here and I want to remember that big smile.

Lauren and I snapped a quick picture on the way out to trick-or-treat Halloween night. She is so sweet and trusting. This was a really fun night for her. She absolutely loved her costume, her class and church parties, and all of the candy. I was really tired and kind of wishing we could just stay home. After seeing this picture, I am so glad that I went and made that memory.

Happy birthday, mom. Thank you.

I've Painted My Last Pumpkin!

2011-10-31T21:14:00.003-05:00

As much as I love to see seasonal things some along each year, I am equally glad to see them go.

There's been a lot, and I do mean a lot, of pumpkins in our house this fall season! I really do love painting pumpkins. They are actually pretty easy to do. I also love doing all the family names and monograms.

This was a new design this year. This is a large 18x24 canvas and features more of a pumpkin patch. Love it!

The brick red background and funky font give this pumpkin a totally different look.

This is my final batch of pumpkins literally finished up tonight. They are headed to Et Cetera tomorrow. Hopefully someone out there will need a last minute fall gift!

Another large pumpkin patch. This one was featured on an easel in my Autumn Street Fair booth and got so many compliments.

Now it's on to snowmen...

Christmas Orders!

2011-10-27T12:45:00.003-05:00

I am now taking Christmas orders but only for a short time! I usually set November 1 as my cut-off date. Honestly, time has snuck up on me and that day is really soon!

I am setting the date as November 10. Anything ordered after that cannot be guaranteed ready for Christmas. Make your lists, check them twice, and send them to me!

Thank you for being so prompt and understanding about this policy. This simply allows me time to make each canvas something special while giving me time to enjoy the holiday season as well.

Keep your teachers, secretaries, and those hard to buy for family members in mind. Be sure to include yourself, too!!

Boys and My Girl

2011-10-26T18:04:00.002-05:00

My girl is a girly girl. She like to read each night all propped up in my bed. She loves her baby doll, Abigail. Now they have all of these adorable "dress like your doll" clothes. I found this purple flannel gown set at Khol's. It was on sale and they always have great coupons! I thought I'd share because I think this would make a great Christmas gift for the girly girls in your life!

Now for the boys! Pamela in Texas ordered two football themed canvases for her two grandsons. I think they will look awesome hanging together! I love the bold stripes.

This is the same Pamela who ordered one for her granddaughter a while back. Click here to see that one. It has beautiful flowers...no footballs! Is this an awesome grandmother or what!

Catching Up...

2011-10-25T19:01:00.002-05:00

We just had the most wonderful fall break with our family in Perdido Key, FL. Sometimes you just need to get away, stretch out in the sun, and breath in some warm, salty air. It does the body, mind, and spirit good!

Before we left, Phyllis Graham ordered these three little cuties for her Bunco group. I am not into Bunco and I'm not sure how it all works, but it sure sounds like fun! I love the little witch boot all topped off with gingham ribbon.

My absolute favorite saying for fall! I love the really big orange polka dots, too!

I bet I've painted fifty pumpkins this season. They are more popular than ever! This one have a little glitter and lime green polka dotted sparkly ribbon.

I've finally got done unpacking and am now preparing for parent/teacher conferences. I am hoping to get back on my regular painting schedule after that. I know that many of you placed your orders for Christmas and are in no hurry. For those of you waiting, thank you so much for your order and your patience!

One Fish, Two Fish...

2011-10-16T20:37:00.004-05:00

One day, two days...that's all I have left until fall break starts! I'm sorry, but that's about all that's on my mind right now. This upper respiratory infection really got me down and I am so looking forward to a little break. My etsy shop is already on vacation mode and I am putting down the brushes for a few days. I need to!

Anita Nunley recently ordered this 12x12 as a baby gift. It started out just like any other polka dots order, but there is just something about it that I love.

Maybe it is the color combination. Maybe it is the clean lines of the name. Maybe it is that turned out very balanced (I like that!). Whatever it is, I like it!

Here is the crib sheet that it matches. The walls will be light blue. I thought that red ribbon would really stand out! The title of this blog post comes from the fact that this is Dr. Seuss "One Fish, Two Fish" themed bedding. Thank you so much for the order, Anita!

Kaegan and Kaemey

2011-10-15T11:39:00.002-05:00

Can't you just picture these is a sweet little bedroom shared by two sisters? That's just where they are going! One over a big girl bed and one over a crib. I can't wait to see it all together!

Kayla in Shelbyville, TN, ordered two 16x20 custom pieces for her daughters. She sent me pictures of the bedding and specified the tree and the owl.

I chose to do the pink and green dots and strips and to switch them out on the canvases. I love the way they match, but aren't too "matchy". I hope that makes sense to someone other than me!

(photo Pottery Barn Kids)

Here's a photo of the inspiration bedding. I've painted for this bedding before, but it has always just been pastel polka dots. I got more layered and complicated with this one. I am very proud of how they turned out! Kayla, I hope you and the girls love them, too! Thank you so much for the order!

Lots of Dots and Coughs

2011-10-13T19:26:00.002-05:00

This bathroom set is usually four 5x5 canvases. Melissa in Indiana wanted a custom order done on 10x10's. At first I thought the bigger size might be too much, but I ended up loving it! It definitely game me more room to work!

Melissa asked for a cream background, chocolate brown writing, and yellow, lime, and burnt orange dots. I love all of these colors with the neutral khaki.

I hope she'll send me pictures if all four hanging together!

Here's another set of the usual 5x5 size. Okay, I admit it. I love them, too!

I know there are some of you who have been on the list for a while now. I apologize. I have been sicker than I've been in a long time. This awful cough and chest congestion has been hanging around for exactly a week now. I've missed two and a half days of school. Not fun. I am getting a little painting done, but I really just want to rest. I am hoping to be feeling a little perkier tomorrow!

England Bound

2011-10-09T15:08:00.002-05:00

I loved painting this special order for Sammie "across the pond" in England. She chose a beautiful Bible verse that I've never done before. She also wanted an S monogram. All of this was to be done in black, white and gray.

On the monogram, Sammie asked for swirls and a hint of zebra. I had to put some thought into that one! It turned out so pretty! I hope they make their long journey safely. Thank you so much for the order, Sammie!

Hippie at Heart

2011-10-08T09:05:00.002-05:00

I guess with being born in 1975 and being named after the Looking Glass song "Brandy, You're A Fine Girl", I am a big hippie at heart! I love to tie dye! I have absolute privilege of teaching the art class for Tennessee Tech's education department. Each semester one of their projects is to tie dye. It is always a blast!

I love the two scarves in the center, but looks at those two t-shirt designs! Great job, guys!

I would wear that scarf with everything! I like the idea of tie dying an apron, too. An apron is a great little tool to have stored away in your classroom. I use mine about once a week!

That baby onesie is just too cute! She plans on getting it monogrammed. What a wonderful custom gift that would make!

Teaching teachers to teach and showing them how to incorporate art into their lessons is one of the highlights of my week. Every semester has a different personality. It is always so nice to see my former students around the schools. I am so proud of them!

Fancy Snowman

2011-10-05T21:41:00.002-05:00

You all have seen my standard snowman design. I've done the same basic one for several years. I love it and it has proved to be very popular! Every once in a while, I have to sit down and give my designs a fresh look. I've snazzed up the snowman with a few special touches!

I love the curl on the top hat, the diamonds on the hatband, and the little strip of zebra on the scarf. Emily loved the pattern in the background. It all comes together so nicely without being too busy. This snowman can be done in any color combination. It can also be personalized just for you or to make a perfect gift!

Customer Appreciation

2011-10-04T15:52:00.003-05:00

You know those times when feel like everything is going wrong and you just want to give up? Yep. I have those times, too. I've made several mistakes on canvases lately. It's no one's fault but my own. I'm human - it happens! When it happens, it makes me so mad at myself. There's not other way to say that. As you can imagine, I've been mad at myself a lot lately! Or so it seems...
I was feeling like just hanging up the brushes. I'm out. I don't need this. I'm done. And then I got this email.

"I just wanted to tell you how gorgeous your artwork is. You do an amazing job! Don't ever stop painting...you are very talented!"

I don't know this person. She just sent it to me out of the blue. They were the perfect words at the perfect time and she needs to know that. You never know what impact your kind words will have. I am going to make a real effort to say at least one nice thing to at least one person everyday. Thank you, Ashley Bridger.

For all of you snowman lovers out there, I am ending this post with a little sneak peek at the newest snowman design. I took my old favorite and snazzed it up a bit!

Oh, yes. I forgot to mention that Ashley has a painting blog as well. Click here if you'd like to see more from this sweet lady.

Families

2011-10-02T14:33:00.002-05:00

It seems that I've been doing a lot of family canvases lately. I paint them pretty consistently all through the year, but they do sort of come in bunches! I've blogged before about how much I enjoy painting these. I know how much my family means to me and I love helping other families celebrate.
This beautiful cream, brown, and burnt orange went home with Regina Matheney. Notice the extra "e" is missing on this one! Oops! I had to repair that and then forgot to take a picture. She was so super sweet and understanding. Thank you, Regina!

Lauran Nichols ordered this one in navy and white and had it shipped to the newlyweds all the way up in Pennsylvania. I thought that was a great idea if you know someone far away who is getting married or celebrating an anniversary.

Kristen Grayson ordered this one with a thick chocolate brown border as a gift as well. This is a newer design and has become pretty popular. I like it too!

Finally, this one went out to new customer, Darla D'Alessandro. She wanted a simple cream and black with the name and established date. I did this one on a smaller 6x9 canvas. Perfect for when you just want a little something special!

Autumn Street Fair

2011-09-30T18:12:00.002-05:00

It's that time of the year again! I can't believe the Autumn Street Fair is tomorrow! This is always one of my favorite days. I get to sit and visit with so many people.

My kids always have a ball! There is not only some great shopping, but wonderful music and fun activities. We usually end up spending more that we make! Lauren will be having her own little craft section this year. She's been working hard and is so excited!

Who can forget kettle korn and great big plate of BBQ nachos! Yum!
See you there!

Jackson

2011-09-29T20:42:00.002-05:00

Love the polka dots!

Love these colors!

These two beautiful canvases will be so cute in sweet little Jackson's nursery. His mom, Lindsey, chose some really pretty bedding in neutral tones. I she'll send me some pictures of it all together!

Two days until the Autumn Street Fair! I've been painting my little fingers to the bone. I am so hoping that all of you are making plans to come see me!

Just Precious

2011-09-27T16:18:00.002-05:00

I am literally sitting down in the thirty minutes I have between errands and slapping this post down! Sheesh...it feels like run, run, run lately. Then I read this canvas and the message that I painted a few days ago. I do not take the time to enjoy the true preciousness of each moment.

I know it's there. I know this time is precious. I know I won't be running to youth group, baseball, and dance forever. I'm going to take a deep breath, say a little prayer, and head back out into the trenches. And try to enjoy it.

By the way, thank you Angie and Alex for this order! I loved painting something special for your kitchen!

New Holiday Monograms

2011-09-25T16:49:00.002-05:00

So...I've had lovely but very busy weekend. I painted a ton yesterday and feel pretty good about where I am for the Street Fair. Today I went to Murfreesboro at the crack of dawn so my son could play baseball. Mike had church commitments and he went yesterday. We lost but it was a nice morning to be out and it was even nicer to have some mother/son time.

This is one of the new designs I worked and worked on! I LOVE it! I had all of these Christmas visions dancing in my head. My mom brought Lauren home and when she saw them she didn't see Christmas at all! She thought they looked great for any time of the year. Oh, well!

Craziness!

2011-09-24T08:38:00.003-05:00

The countdown has begun...it's only one week until the Autumn Street Fair! I am using every spare minute I have (and that's not very many!) to paint things to have in the booth. There's nothing I hate more than a spare looking booth!

Today the boys are off to a baseball tournament in Murfreesboro. Lauren spent the night with her Gen and is doing girl stuff with her today. Hmmm...that leaves me all alone for a few hours. While I am extremely tempted to read a few more chapters of "The Help", take a nap, watch some trash TV, clean, or go for a walk, I am going to sit and paint. All day.

I have to! Tomorrow is my day to take Carter to baseball. This coming week at school looks crazy. I am being evaluated on Friday. All of you teachers know what that means! I'm on pins and needles! Just when I think things are slowing down a bit, something else comes along and we are busier than ever. Whew!

Reagan

2011-09-22T19:12:00.002-05:00

What a beautiful verse!

I just love this for a little girls' room - no matter how old she is. Click here to see the original that inspired Reagan's mom.

Mrs. Harper

2011-09-19T20:27:00.002-05:00

Jessica Harper in Texas ordered something to brighten up her classroom. She asked for greens, hot pink, and gray. What a pretty color combination!

I chose this pretty cursive font and added a little sparkle to each dark green dot. I think this one turned out so pretty! It would definitely catch your eye walking down the hallway! Thank you so much, Jessica. Enjoy and have a wonderful school year!

Getting Ready For Fall

2011-09-18T15:46:00.007-05:00

Our house is for sale so I am keeping the fall decorating to a minimum. I do have a pretty wreath (with a canvas in it, of course!) on the front door, lots of colorful mums on the porch, and I'm in the market for some real pumpkins to sit around.

Today I cleaned out the closets. We don't have enough room in our closets for summer and winter clothes to be in there at the same time. Our closets aren't small - we just have a lot of clothes. I admit it! The out of season clothes are stored when not being used so switching them out is a big project. I'm kind of glad it works out that way because I really purge every time I switch.

I took a big bag of each of the kids' clothes to school. I know there is someone who needs them. I put Lauren's really good things on ebay or in Our Kid's Consignment Sale. Mine and Mike's clothes are going to Goodwill. We usually have a huge yard sale once a year, but with the house being for sale it is hard to keep things looking nice and get ready for one at the same time.

All of these pretty fall canvases are helping someone get ready for fall, too! Some of these have been shipped out or delivered and some are for the Street Fair. I think I could paint a pumpkin with my eyes closed!

Christmas!

2011-09-17T09:59:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I am already getting excited about Christmas! I've got a few gifts pick out. I haven't bought any yet! I have definitely started painting for the holiday season. I've got a few new designs that will be debuting at the Street Fair. I've even already filled a few holiday gift orders for you all. See, I'm not the only one!

I LOVE putting pink with the more traditional red and green. It's strange because I've never been a huge pink fan. It looks so pretty paired with theses dots and this fancy font.

I do my kitchen area in cream and red gingham and use lots of cookies, gingerbread, and candy. This little guy would be perfect in there! That's the recipe for gingerbread in the background. The handle is made of gingerbread themed lampwork beads. So cute!

Finally, the skinny elf legs! I started out with skinny witch legs and they were so popular that I extended the idea. This is absolutely adorable hanging on the front door!

Remember that I will start taking orders again on October 1st. Make you lists and check them twice and be ready! Thanks so much!!

Rustic Wedding

2011-09-15T20:28:00.002-05:00

One of my really good customers, Jennifer Trevino, ordered a "rustic", "ranchy" wedding gift. It's kind of hard to tell in the pictures but it has been distressed. I love this one!

You can see the distressing a little better here. I kept the colors neutral to go with any season and any decor. This is just so cute and makes a wonderful gift! I hope the new couple loves it.
Thank you so much, Jennifer!

Good Manners

2011-09-14T18:53:00.002-05:00

Good manners are following the house rules even if they are not your own usual way of doing things. A cute sign is a wonderful way to make your special house rules known.

These seasonal "front door" signs shipped out this week. I thought this was a great idea!

I do so many of these "bare feet" signs! I guess there are a lot of you who prefer no shoes in the house.

Whatever your rules are, why not make them known with a polite (but oh, so cute!) sign?

Verses

2011-09-10T07:11:00.002-05:00

I did this design with this verse for the first time a long time ago. Since then, it seems that I've done it over and over again in every possible color combination! The words are so beautiful that I love it more every time I paint them.

These two have already shipped out. I think they are just the perfect wedding or anniversary gift!

Boo To You!

2011-09-08T17:55:00.002-05:00

I've been doing lots and lots of Halloween dots!

All of these have been shipped out. I hope they all find a happy home for this Halloween holiday! Thanks to you all!

More Teachers!

2011-09-07T16:54:00.002-05:00

I finished this big batch of teacher canvases and thought I was done for a while, but the school orders keep rolling in. It's a good thing! No, it's a great thing! Thank you all so much! Since I am a teacher, I have a warm, happy feeling every time I get the opportunity to brighten up a classroom.
This sweet little hot pink and zebra print canvas would really match my classroom! Cute and perfect for those small spaces!

The classic red apple will always be popular. This one is adorable with the rainbow dots and gingham ribbon.

I rarely get the time to paint canvases as gifts. I made the time for a special principal friend all the way over in Japan. He has already emailed me that he immediately hung it outside his office and loves it. Woo hoo!

Amanda Lance at WCMS sent me a picture of her brightly colored door and wanted something made to match. Since the door was already so colorful, I left the background white and added the flowers and some rhinestones.

Finally, some rainbow dots with some super cute black lettering and ribbon. I think this might be my favorite design, but I keep changing my mind! Maybe that's why i don't have one in my room yet!

Thank you so much, teachers! Have a fabulous school year!

A New Look and a Project

2011-09-05T11:02:00.004-05:00

I'm loving fall and this cooler weather and even the rain! I asked Jennisa at Once Upon a Blog to give my header a little fall makeover. I just love what she did! Today I am giving a tutorial on how to make wooden chalkboards - since it is my day off and all!

I have painted several of these for the Street Fair and have just had a ball with all of the possibilities. The larger ones with diamonds are planned for kitchens. How cute would it be to post your menu for the night in chalk? The smaller ones are designed for girls' bedroom doors. I love the idea of your little one getting write her "status" for all to see. She could put "studying" or "cleaning my room" or "no boys allowed"! Lauren is hoping that there will be one that doesn't sell!

1. I stumbled across these thin, flat sheets of wood in the Wal-Mart craft department. They are so cheap that I'm not even going tell you how much! I bought several of the small ones and two of the large ones. The large ones even have nice beveled edges. Lightly sand them and clean off all of the dust. Then paint them with two coats of white paint. This gives you a nice smooth painting surface.

2. Mark off your chalkboard space with a pencil and ruler. Choose the color for the edges around the chalkboard and apply two coats. Be sure to go around the sides as well!

3. Add any background details, like the diamonds on these.

4. The actual chalkboard paint is also available at Wal-Mart and most other craft stores. I even saw dry erase board paint at Lowe's. I'm going to have to check that out! Just follow the direction on the bottle. I did three coats.

5. Once that is good and dry, it's time for the fun part - details! Now you can do any lettering, ribbon, rhinestones, etc. that will make your chalkboard your own!

What takes the longest on these is the drying time between each coat. Be patient! I am so excited to be presenting all of these at the Autumn Street Fair on October 1. After that, I am hoping to get some more ready to go for your Christmas shopping!

Enjoy you day off, too!

Pumpkins!

2011-09-03T11:05:00.002-05:00

My orange bottle of paint has taken a serious hit in the past couple of weeks! Not only have I been painting pumpkins for the Street Fair, but also as gifts and to fill orders. I've got lots of pumpkins saved up to show you this fall.

All of these are 8x10's and cost $25.00. I did the top two for some sweet couples from our church who are getting married. Now they have something personalized for the front door of their new homes. I love the polka dotted ribbon!

This one I did just have as stock - but I have to admit that it stayed on my front door after I took the picture! I'm set until December 1!

Tis the Season...

2011-09-01T17:32:00.002-05:00

...well, almost! It is time for me to start getting ready for the season anyway. I am working on things for my Autumn Street Fair booth and have had a few holiday orders. This one went out to new customer, Lianna. I thought it turned out so pretty! How cute does that look on my front door?

One of these went out to my regular customer, Michaela. She's getting a jump on her Christmas wish list! The other one (along with lots and lots more!) will be available at the Street Fair on October 1.
Thanks so much, ladies, for helping me get in the mood for winter!

Spreading Myself Thin

2011-08-29T18:51:00.002-05:00

That's how I feel right now...spread thin. I know you all don't want me to run through a list of all the things going on in my life right now. I know you all have the same busy lives and completely understand.

I am going to stop taking orders from now until October 1. That basically gives me the month of September to get caught up on that list and make up some stock for the Autumn Street Fair. My etsy site is on vacation mode!

Take that time to get your holiday wish lists ready for me! Please make plans to come to the Street Fair in downtown McMinnville. I promise to have lots of cute new designs and some old favorites. I'll continue to update the blog and facebook so check back often!

Thank you!!

Summer Breeze

2011-08-28T07:59:00.003-05:00

I am in Oak Ridge this weekend for a baseball tournament. People ask if Carter is just now finishing up his season. The answer is no, he is playing fall ball this year with a team based in Sparta. There are several friends from McMinnville on the same team. We are really enjoying it! Carter needed continued regular exercise from his bout with pneumonia and loves baseball so it was a perfect fit.

It feels like summer just got a little longer for us! The weather this weekend is warm and sunny. We visited the hotel pool. We've all got "ball park tans". We've been eating Hawaiian Ices. Mmm....summer!
Debbie Haley is also extending her summer with this weathered "summer breeze" canvas. She design the font, layout, and colors. She also requested the weathered - not necessarily antiqued - look. I love it!

Mrs. Amy

2011-08-25T19:49:00.002-05:00

Amy Whitsett (she'll always be Amy Keel to me!) is an old high school friend of mine. We've gotten back in touch through the magic of facebook and I am so thankful for it! She's pretty close by and has the sweetest little family. She is also a teacher. I was more than happy to paint something special for her classroom.

She told me what it need to say, but left the rest completely up to me. I love it when that happens! I used some of the prettiest colors I could think of, a lovely gray font, and added a little sparkle. I even topped it off with a glittered polka dotted ribbon. So cute!

Fall Favorites

2011-08-23T20:10:00.002-05:00

It's just about that time of the year...fall! Fall is my favorite season. I love the colors and the smells. I love painting fall and Halloween canvases - so many ideas! I am working on some new things for the Autumn Street Fair, but here are some old favorites.
The skinny witch legs are always popular. I also do an elf leg version. These are available on 4x12 and 8x24.

I like the witch boot for Halloween. This one is sort of simple, but really catches the eye with black and bright colors. I think it is just too cute with the gingham ribbon!

How about some fall colored polka dots? The colors look great all the way through Thanksgiving. The 8x10 size fits just perfect on a wreath.

This design was first done with a pineapple. Someone (I can't remember who!) requested it with a pumpkin and I've done about fifty since then. The beige and cream dots look so good with just about any front door color or home decor.

Finally, so some sweet little 5x5's. These two are so cute for Halloween and that tiny size fits just about anywhere. At just $15.00 each, they also make a great teacher gift.

Start planning your fall needs and be sure to stop by my booth at the Street Fair in downtown McMinnville on Saturday, October 1. See ya then!