February Sale!

Hey folks!

So, in anticipation of a big move coming up, I've decided to share the love (it is February after all, isn't it?) and have a month long sale.

So, starting today, EVERYTHING in my shop is 25% off when you enter the coupon code FEBARTSALE at checkout.

Go, Shop, Enjoy.

:)

Much love always.

Happy Anti-Valentine's Day

Even though I am happily married to probably one of the most romantic men I know; I loathe Valentine's Day. In fact, I've banned my husband from specifically buying me anything on February 14th (every guy's dream right?). Most people wonder, a usually sunshiny, happy, lovey dove type would have an all out vendetta against the "Holiday of love".

Well, I'm going to tell you...

Maybe it's my stubborn side, that refuses to do what I'm told, coupled with my oddball sense of romance; but I've never been into the whole idea of Valentine's Day for many reasons:

1. It's one of the most depressing days of the year for many single people, who have to endure 24 hours of everyone else's mushy lovey dovey boasting about their AMAZING significant other. When other people are sad and excluded, it makes me sad.

2. It's a HUGE amount of pressure for newly formed couples, to impress one another with the "perfect gift". As my brother used to say...dating season is off from December 1st to February 14th, so as to avoid the big gift giving bonanzas.

3.I love you should be said with words and actions...not gifts.

4. Love is a constant. You should feel it, experience it, live it, all year long. Give sweet cards in the middle of September; surprise someone with something nice on a random Monday; pour your heart out just because, not just because it's February 14th.

5. Lastly...and this is mostly just in our family. Gifts cost money. Money that's hard to earn. So, frivolous spending is saved for bigger better things. No cards at Valentines, means more money in the bank to go on vacation, or buy a new tv, or just have an extra family dinner out. Little sacrifices can mean better things in the future.

I'm usually a holiday junkie. But, a holiday that expects love to be displayed primarily with extravagant gifts amongst the happily attached...eh, it's just not for me.

Out with the old...in with the new!

Happy Last day of 2011 everyone! Hope you all stay safe, have fun, and ring in the new year in whatever way pleases you (even if you'll be greeting it from dreamland, like me) ;)

A big huge thank you to all my loyal customers, fans, and friends. You guys have made this year an absolutely amazing one for me creatively.

Cheers to 2012! It's going to be even better!

xoxo

Lauren

Countdown to the New Year!

I've always been a person of new beginnings. Every moment, every new day, every new week, month and year, is a chance to start fresh. I love knowing that every second, I can make changes, start over, or just tweak things to make different parts of my life new and interesting!

Over the past month, I've been taking this idea of change and applying it to my art. Unlike many of my fellow Etsy sellers, December was a fairly quiet month for me in terms of sales. Which, for many reasons, I am grateful for.
One of those reasons being, that I was finally able to sit down and experiment with new forms of artwork.

One of the things I have come up with, that I am most excited about, is my new Art Pendants!

When I started experimenting with the pendants, I had no idea if I could pull it off. It's hard enough to paint on a small scale, but cutting paper tiles and mosaicking in miniature, proved to be quite a challenge!
But, after hours and hours of practice, several sets of failed resin pours, lots of "oops!" and a couple swear words...I finally got the hang of what I was doing and started having a lot of fun!

I'll be rolling out my art pendants some time within the next couple weeks. So stay tuned to see all the fun new miniature works in store!

And being as I seem to be all about "shaking things up" right now, be sure and keep an eye out for even more new things! And perhaps even a Giveaway or two ;)

Much love to you all!

Nose to the Grindstone...

What is it about having a deadline that really lights a fire under your butt (I mean, besides the obvious?)
In just a few short weeks, I'm going to be participating in a local art/crafts fair for the holidays. The day I got the acceptance email, it was like someone put my artistic motor into overdrive. I had a whole bunch of new ideas, copious amounts of enthusiasm and motivation, and the sudden ability to function on minimal sleep.
For me, the moment someone sets a date on my calender, it's like I become a speeding freight train...completely unstoppable.

I just wish I could harness that kind of energy for the times when I didn't necessarily "need" anything done in a specific time frame...you know, like the months proceeding the holiday mayhem, or that random afternoon when my son decides to take a four hour nap.

Don't get me wrong...I definitely get things done. It's just so exciting to see the kind of progress I make when I have a deadline to meet. I like working on lots of different things at once, and it seems like I only ever do that, when there is some deadline to meet or some event upcoming.

Perhaps, I need to find a way to incorporate more timelines into my work schedule. Whether by participating in more events, or setting personal deadlines.

What sets your creative fire blazing? What are great motivators for you?

A little Pre-Holiday fun...

So, this year I've decided to try my hand at making fun little Holiday Ornaments, using my love of paper mosaic.
Here's a little preview of the first four I've finished. Aren't they cute?
They are a lot of fun...but, wow, the smaller I get with these things, the trickier the mosaic becomes. I think I've glued more paper to my fingers over the last week, than I ever have before!

At peace with it all...

The last four months or so have been a whirlwind, fraught with life challenges, life changes and just a whole lot of living.
I'm finally at a point where I'm past worrying about what's happening and just riding the wave, through good or bad, I'll take each step as it comes.
As is the case with most of my work, this latest piece, "Lotus Blossom" is a visualization of that acceptance and inner peace.

I truly wish every person who sees this could see the actual painting in real life...it is so serenely peaceful. The greens and yellows are so delicate and the gold border is shimmery and uplifting. I am so happy with how it all came together.

This one is definitely going to be hard to let go; but it is a painting I hope will be enjoyed by many, because it is just the kind of piece I feel is meant to be shared.

Much love always.

Lavender Festival

Just got home from a lovely little art show reception for our local Lavender Festival's art contest.
Didn't win a prize, but it was definitely a fun experience, and I got to meet and chat with a lot of fabulous local people.
The two pieces above were my entries, and while they didn't win, they definitely garnered a lot of attention and interest. :)

Well...this tired momma is off to bed, it's past my bedtime. Goodnight all. Much love always.

Dia De Los Muertos

In honor of Dia De Los Muertos (which takes place today and tomorrow) I thought I'd share with you a picture of my Halloween costume. I decided to draw inspiration from some of my Sugar Skull artwork and create a piece of art for my face.
It was quite a fun undertaking, that's for sure! My two year old kept trying to "help" and thought mommy was pretty hilarious putting "funny paint" on her face.
(I'm just thrilled he thought it was funny and didn't run screaming from the room, because mommy suddenly didn't look like mommy anymore)

Dia de los Muertos has for many years, been a celebration I've found so much passion for. Celebrating the lives of those who've passed on, sharing stories, building alters...and most importantly, smiling (instead of crying) for the loved ones we've lost. I feel strongly that joy in the life lived is far more valuable and honorable than despair in the physical body we've lost.

My grandfather passed away a few days after Dia de los Muertos several years ago. It was my first experience being with someone I loved as they slipped away. I held his hands through his last breaths and told him that I loved him and that it was ok to leave...I would miss him, but I would never forget the joy he brought to my life.
My grandfather (whom I also share a birthday with) was always an incredibly special person in my life...and every year, Dia de los Muertos is a chance for me to celebrate that joy and the special connection I had with him.

A softer side of me...

As you may have noticed...my work seems to have softened up a bit lately. I'm exploring what I call my "gentle" side. The quiet, muted, more delicate side.
Being as my life outside of my artistic endeavors is very loud, crazy and hectic at the moment, it's nice to work on mellow, soothing pieces for the time being.

I find that lately when I sit down to work, I am so tired and stressed from the other things in my life, that bright bold colors are too much. So, while I have several bold, beautiful, colorful pieces in the works, it may be a little while before I finish them.

So, for now, I'm embracing my quiet and enjoying the new opportunities it is presenting. :)

Much love always.