A Little Valentine's Day Fun

Hi there.

I had a bit of fun today creating a Valentine's Day photo shoot.  I was going to post about the Zinnia art show, but I really wanted to take some photos today just for the fun of it instead.  I hope you enjoyed them.  I had fun getting my creative photography wheels spinning!  I can't wait to tell you about the art show in my next post!  

Happy Valentine's Day! xoE

Happy New Year!!

 Hi there!

I just wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year!  

Thank you all for making this past year a good one.  I can't wait to see what treasures this next year holds for all of us!  Whatever it does bring, make sure to give it all you've got and don't forget to live your life with heART!!  xoxo

Glitter and Warmth

Hi there.  I just wanted to share some photos from a walk around Pasadena at Christmastime.  I love how festive and glittery everything looks this time of year.

Light-projected snowflakes going up walls (above)...

And on sidewalks (below)...

A huge Christmas tree in a courtyard...

But best of all... a nice warm fire to share with loved ones at home...

No matter what or if you celebrate anything this time of year, I hope you get to enjoy some time with loved ones and share a good belly laugh or two.

Prints Anyone?

            


Hi there.
 
I need input from all you creative, smart, lovely people out there.  Yes, that means YOU!!

I've been doing some thinking and planning.  I've finally ordered business cards, postcards, and even some greeting cards with some of my art on them.  They were all ordered from Moo.com, an amazing company, and I can't wait to get them and share them with you!!  It's a long needed step towards opening my Etsy shop.

So here's where I need your help.  My next step is ordering art prints of some of my art, so I was wondering if you had any favorites that you might like to see or buy prints of.  NO obligations to buy, of course, I just want your input.  If you go to the top of my blog and click on the link that says "artwork" or just click here, it'll take you to a page with my art, journal pages, and even cards that I've made.  Jot down the ones that you think would make good prints, and let me know in the comments.  I'll be so gratful!

Here's an example of a few I'm thinking of making prints of...

 "Ahh...Paris"

Who would't love a bit or Paris in their home? 

Since I no longer have the original, I think I want one of these prints for myself too!

"The Healing Tree"

I already have an order for an 11" x 14" of this so this ones a definite

 "Bridge of Sighs monoprint"

Love this one!

"Puddles of Inspiration"

I think this might make a fun print for a studio or even kids room, but what do you think?

I really would love your input!  What do you think?  Like any of these for a print?  Or any others?  "Unleashed"?  "Don't Lose Heart"?  I am totally open to any suggestions!  Don't be shy!  And like I said... no obligations, just tell me your favorites, there's no wrong answer here!   And what sizes  8 x 10 or 11 x 14?  Smaller?  5x7?  Too many questions?  ;-)

As a little incentive I'll pick one of you commenters to win a set of postcards or greeting cards (when they come in, lol!)  I'll pick the winner on Monday night, Dec 12th.  

Thank you!

Shadow Shot and a Fab Necklace

Well hello there.

Time for another shadow shot.  This is a photo of one of our sunflowers before my hubby harvested the seeds.  I think it's a pretty darn cool thing that sunflower seeds come out of a ...umm.... flower... but not just any flower... a pretty flower.  Maybe that's where they got the inventive name, huh?  Sunflower seeds.  Yeah, not enough coffee in my system today.   So moving on...

To join in the Shadow Shot Sunday fun, go here.

What's this beauty you ask? 

 It's a fantastic necklace I won from Fanciful Devices.  Oh man, she makes the most incredible jewelry.  I can't believe I was lucky enough to win this!  I love everything about it, including the double-sided pendant.  You have to see all the pretties that this woman cranks out... amazing!!  Oh, and it was wrapped all pretty-like too.  I loved it so much that I wore it that night to dinner... and we stayed home!!

Oh, by the way, the cool background that the necklace is sitting on (no not me, the other one!) is my latest painting.  It needs a few more lil' touches then I'll share it with you.  

Tree Tunnel Shadow Shots and a Painting Peek

Hi there!

Yesterday was a good day!!  I painted more!!  Yay!!  It feels SO good to finally be getting back into my studio regularly.   The house is a mess, but eh...who cares?!! (sorry honey).  And I may have finally finished a painting that's been eluding me for quite a while.  It just wouldn't tell me how it wanted to be finished, but yesterday I was determined to GET IT DONE!!  I got into that lovely flow and had the best time working on it.

More of that later, let's get to those cool shadows.
These were taken on the way up to a client's house in Crystal Cove (the one I painted the furniture for this summer shown here and here).  I love how the trees formed a beautiful, leafy tunnel to drive under.  Pretty, yes?

Check out more shadow shots or join in the fun by heading over to Hey Harriet's for Shadow Shot Sunday HERE.

Ok, back to the painting...I still need to take photos of the piece I finished (well, it still may need a few more finishing touches first), so you'll have to wait a few days, but to hold you over here's a lil peek.  I'm so darn excited about it, I can't wait to share it with you!

Until then...

Shadow Shot Sunday : Pretty Column

Hi there.

I'm still getting caught up from the past few hectic weeks, so I had to dig in my stash for an old shadow shot.  I love this column (why is that word spelled so funny?).  This is part of a church in Pasadena that I showed more photos of here and here.

If you want to join in with your own shadow shots, go to Hey Harriet and tell her hey from me!

And thank you VERY much for all you sweetness and love on the last post.  It means a lot to us... seriously (my husband read and appreciated your comments too).

Sorry it's taking me a long time to get back to you all, but I will visit everyone who comments.. even if it takes me a while.

 Oh, and I snuck into my studio today and painted, YAY!!  It was only for about 15 minutes, but that's better than nothing, and now a painting that's been almost finished for quite a while is 15 minutes closer to finally being finished!

Saying Goodbye

Sometimes saying goodbye is no big deal.  Bye.  See you later.  Until tomorrow, etc...

Other times it's not so easy.

My husband's grandfather passed away last week.  

We miss him already.

He was a very interesting man, who led a very interesting life.

  I'm happy to have known him, and I'm so glad our son got to know his great-grandfather.  They had a sweet relationship and loved each other very much.  I'll miss the sweet little song he'd sing to Elias that always made him smile.

I took this of them just last month

Goodbye Dzeda (Grandpa) Orloff.

Wow, what a month.  

Now my sweet lil' toddler has a nasty cold.

I need more sleep.

I need a vacation.

I really, really need to make some art.

Anybody want to come over and clean my house, do my laundry, and watch my poor sick cutie so I could lock myself in my studio for a few hours?

Anybody?

Shadow Shot Sunday : Chairs

It's time for Shadow Shot Sunday again.

This was taken in Pasadena this summer (I know... Pasadena...shocker right?)  Hubby and I were walking along on a date, eating our gelato (yum!) when I suddenly stopped and just stared at the ground. 

 Ooh, a swirly shadow!!  Can't pass up a swirly shadow now can I?

Actually it's hard for me to pass up a good shadow of ANY shape or size.

Totally addicted to shadow shots!

To join in with your own shadows, just pop over to Hey Harriet's for Shadow Shot Sunday.

I'm Back.. And I've got Some Shadow Shots!

Hi there.  

Sorry I went MIA on you, but I've had quite a bit going on these past several weeks. 

 I had to finish up a furniture painting job (photos to come soon), my husband went back to school (he's a teacher), and a few weeks back I  unexpectedly lost my 40 year-old cousin.  We were good friends as teens, and even though we had lost touch many years ago, I'm going to miss him.  And him being only a year older than me has really got me thinking about what's truly important in life and to not let it slip by mindlessly.

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day."

                        --E. B. White

Just found this quote and I love it.  It makes me smile.

Ok, moving on. 

 Here are some shadow shots that we're taken at my client's gorgeous home (the one I painted the furniture for).  I love the scroll shadow within the palm shadow.  Can you see it (above)?  It was caused by the ironwork on the balcony shown below.  A shadow within a shadow.  How cool is that?

To join in Shadow Shot Sunday drop by Hey Harriet's and tell her "Hi" from me.

And speaking of painted furniture, here's a lil' peek at what I painted on the front of an armoire.  I'll show you more this week.  See you then.

Shadow Shot Sunday : Tree+?

Hi there.

I would like your input on today's shadow shots.

At first glance these two photos look the same...BUT if you're very observant (and I know you are), you'll notice the tree is in the center in the first photo and a bit on the right in the second photo.  I usually try to go by the rule of thirds in my photos, which tells you NOT to put the main subject dead center... BUT once in a while I like a photo better with the subject in the center, not on the side.  Like in these photos.  I like the centered one better, but I was going to ignore that and post the other one because "the rule... don't ignore the rule!"
 I think sometimes we need to break the rules.




















I would really like your opinion. Which do you prefer out of these two photos?  Sorry to make you work on a Sunday ;-)  but I appreciate your input.  Thank you!!

For more shadow shots or to join in with your own shadows, go on over to Hey Harriet's for Shadow Shot Sunday!

Shadow Shot Sunday : Lettuce

Hi there!

This gorgeous, yummy lettuce is... uh scratch that... WAS from our garden.  Tasty stuff.  There's nothing like fresh veggies picked right before dinner.  

 So... lettuce cut out this chit chat and head on over to  Hey Harriets for Shadow Shot Sunday.  

Sorry... I tried hard to control myself by NOT using any lettucy puns, but I just couldn't help myself.  

Ok, I didn't try THAT hard, hee hee.

Shadow Shot Sunday : Church

Here is my shadow shot for this week.

 This photo was taken of a church in uptown Whittier, Ca.  I was driving by and noticed the strong shadows being cast on the church by the tree.  So of course I had to turn the car around and park, and take a few photos.  Do you blame me?

To see more shadow shots, or join in with your own, pop on over to Hey Harriet for Shadow Shot Sunday.

Lovely Lavender

Last week's color (yes I'm behind!) for The Summer of Color was purple.   I needed to make a thank you card.  So what do you think happened?  Yup, I made a purple thank you card.  Actually we'll call it lavender, since that's the shade that I used and the plant that was part of my inspiration. 

I took this photo (below) last year up in Oregon in my sister's front yard.  I love the image and have been wanting to use it for something, so this was the perfect time.

I started by collaging pieces of paper onto a card, then painted over them to make a nice background.  I transferred the image onto the card by experimenting with Transfer Artist Paper (TAP).   I then layered on more paint and added a few embellishments.  

There's just something soothing about lavender, isn't there?  Even when you can't smell it.  Hmm.. maybe I should scent the card.

Nah...probably not.

With each of my Summer of Color posts I've tried to add a few extra photos that feature the color of the week .

So... here's a couple more photos that were also taken up in Oregon.

I love anything "thistle-y"

Lavender field against a white barn... heavenly.

And while digging through my photos I came across this painting that I had in an old post, that I did for another color challenge.  This was the first time I used the color lavender in my art and loved it. 

 That's why I love doing these challenges.  It makes you step out of your box and try out a new color or technique that you might not normally use.  So a big THANK YOU goes out to my friend Kristin for taking the time and energy to do this for us!!  There's still time to join us and maybe even win a prize from Kristin!  This weeks color is Orange... I'm excited about this one!!

So...what are you doing to challenge yourself?