Boxing Day Sale!

I thought I would share some holiday cheer, and end the year with a boxing day sale. I know I love shopping all the deals during boxing day (online of course, I'm not brave enough to go to the crowded mall lol); so I thought that would I would spread some of the 'sale karma'.

Prices have already been adjusted. So you can just go on ahead and shop! :o)

Warm Wishes

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone! I hope everyone is warm and safe this holiday season.

I forgot my camera cable at my new place (it's packed in some box or another - almost done unpacking there). So, I'm not able to post my Christmas pictures until a little later, when I can take them all off. I have pictures of two trees to share as well :) - the tree at my parents place, and the tree at my new place.

Bluebirds and an update:

First I wanted to share a new painting - Bluebirds. I understand that it's more autumn-themed, and that season is very far done now (especially if you're living where I am, and getting dumped with snow). But, I had started this piece in the fall and have just only recently finished it. I just thought the contrast of bluebirds in a changing tree was beautiful. I love using complementary colours.

It's available in the shop for sale, but as mentioned in my shop announcements: only prints will be shipped until the 19th of December. All other items (including originals) will be shipped out in the first week of January. This is because once again I'm in limbo - I will explain below - and so I only have my printer with me, not my other items.

Now for my life update: I am done my clinical placement and school for medical radiation technology!! It was a long 7-8 years (I did a degree first), but I am now ready to tackle the work force. I still have to write a provincial exam in January in order to practice. But after that, I can freely work. And I am still considered 'graduated' from my school before that. So, I've been busy applying for jobs, just trying to line something up for right when I am able to work.

Being done clinical, also means that I moved. I now live in a small town near Whitby. It's nice. I'm in a house again - after living in an apartment for awhile, I'm excited to have floors and a backyard again. My stuff is moved already, but not unpacked. I'm currently typing this entry from my parents house in Northern Ontario. I came up here for an in-class review: the last little bit of my program. Tomorrow, I will be heading to my new place to try to unpack and organize before I head back up here for Christmas.

I know I have neglected my blog during all this. But time was tight to complete Christmas commissions and orders, study for my big exams, packing and tie up loose ends all at the same time.

Commissions...

As I mentioned before, I have been very busy in the studio working on some commissions. Most of them are family trees, but I have done one family forest. These paintings below are all on their way to new loving homes:

(I love this colour combination - the pink, blue, green purple...I wasn't so sure when I started, but it turned out so well!)

Moving Sale!

I am moving, again. And in an effort to not have to move so much, I'm trying to clear out some of my paintings - hence, my Moving Sale. I don't have enough wall space for them all, and so I think they would be happier in new homes where they can be fully loved. There are some print pieces as well. This sale is taking place at my Etsy shop, Jellybeans.

These are great deals, some paintings are over 50% off, and some start at $15. It's the perfect opportunity to get some original, fresh artwork on yours walls! I will be adding some 'never seen on Etsy' art pieces as well as I go through my stock. These prices will go back to normal once I've moved - they're at discount right now in an effort to not have to move them.

Here's a peak:

My Studio Today...

I've been very, very busy this past little while - hence, the lack of blog posts, which I apologize for.

Firstly, here's my halloween costume which I had promised to share:


I was an octopus, and it was a huge hit with everyone! I even wore it to work the Friday before.

Things that have been keeping life occupied:

• Various wedding orders - I do love working on these, I get to use my computer design skills as well as my painting.
• Family Tree Commissions - I've been busy getting these done and out in time for the holidays. If you were interested in them, I'm only accepting one or two more for the Christmas deadline.
  
• Study study study - I have a huge 6 hour exam coming up.
  
• Clinical - it's almost done though! December 10th is my last day! But until then, I got to work harder every day to impress :)
• Oil paintings - I'm still dabbling in oil. My Angie in Oil blog has been a little silent as well, but that will be updated right after this one, so check it out :)
• Packing - I'm moving (again) very soon!! Only about an hour from where I am now, but it's still exciting...I'm most definitely counting down the days!
  

I'm a busy girl these days, that's for sure....

Coming...

I have some new paintings to share - both commissions and personal dabbles...I need to find some time to scan them in...

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I wish everyone a happy Halloween!



Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a most amazing Halloween cartoon that I love dearly :) If you've never seen it before, than I suggest that it's most definitely worth a watch. It sort of balances all the other scary movies that I've been seeing this past week.

Bat Tree

With all the Halloween goings that have been occuring around me - I just had to create a small spooky painting - my Bat Tree. These 'tied-on' bats are definitely a lot more cute than the real ones. I think this is the closest to spooky and scary that I will get in my shop, and with my work. I know Halloween is supposed to be all scary and full of screams and horror - but I always find myself deviating towards cute.

This small painting is available in my shop.

This year, I'm dressing up as an Octopus - I've borrowed a sewing machine to put it together, and for my first real sewing experience, it's going quite well. I hit snags here and there, but I figured them out quite well.

My Creative Space

I've been very busy painting these days. I decided for some relaxation between projects and work and school that I would make myself a colour chart with the watercolors I have. I do have more colours than what I used for the chart, but a 14 colour chart was all that I wanted to get into at the moment, and these were my more used colours.


I also have some oil paintings waiting for next steps - they just need to dry at the moment. Once dry, I can continue on them. I put up the 'do not touch' sign in case the roomate, or any guest rub against them...it would ruin the pieces and their clothing.

Family Comissions

I've been very busy in the studio with family commissions lately. Here are some colourful family forests that I have recently completed over the past month:This large one below took quite awhile, but all the colours are wonderful together! It's like a rainbow of trees. I think it is my favourite out of the bunch :)

Silent Sunday: Leaf Love

Autumn Walk up North

As I had mentioned in previous posts, I was visiting my parents in Northern-ish Ontario last weekend (Near North Bay / Sudbury). It was my Thanksgiving weekend - I work this weekend at my placement.

My mom and I took a walk down through the bush and the trails taking some pictures while the leaves were at their full potential.

The maples are my favourite, but they also have the most beautiful colouring to them when they change. Sometimes you get lucky and catch a tree in the midst of changing, and it has all of the colours.


Lots of lovely birch trees with golden yellow leaves

The Cutest Cattle

On the way to the trail, where my mom and I were going to take a whole lot of lovely fall pictures, we came across my parents neighbours cattle.


Now, I have never seen them before - just by typical standards, everyone in the area either has dairy / Holstein cattle, or the normal looking beef cattle. The red-brown one was a little skittish. The lighter one was adorable - it would put it's head to the side a little bit, and just resembled a stuffed cow so much!

New Camera!

I got a new camera this past weekend. The exposure button on my other one broke off, sending it, and the spring under it, flying across the room. I was trying to make do with taping them back on - desperate, I know - but it didn't cut it; I wasn't able to focus at all. So I broke down, and got a new one.

Oreo was my first test subject to undergo the many exposures on many settings. Its like he knows and is not so impressed with the increased attention lol. This is also a completely un-photoshopped image

I got a Canon Powershot. Still not really a fancy camera, but many times 'better' than my previous four year old camera. I'm still getting used to it, and trying to figure it out. I know that once I have playing around with the options a bit that I will love it just as much as my old on. And it's red - so I already sort of love that part of it.

I took a bunch of photos at home of the lovely fall colours. Once I've gone through and edited I will share them with you. I have a "foliage" setting, so we'll see how well that worked out!

The Staring Contest

The Staring Contest - Original watercolor

I finally thought up a name for this painting, these two critters looks like their having a staring contest, so I named it just that! I was quite excited to finish this painting. It was just so much fun!

Here's a close up of the two:

This original watercolor painting is available at my Etsy store. I hope to include my lovely star kitty, Oreo, in more pieces of artwork.

The Cat and the Cardinal Progress - 2

I started painting the drawing I shared last night. Here is it's progress as of yet:

I wasn't so sure about how I painted the leaves at first. But once the cardinal was in there, it looked to fit a lot better. Now back to painting... :o)

The Cat and the Cardinal

I've been wanting to include my partner in crime, Oreo, in my artwork for some time. This morning while waking up to my dear kitty making odd noises while staring at the morning birds - one of which was a cardinal - I got this idea. (Oh, and the title of this post is not the painting title, I'm playing with a few in my mind right now)

Having not a huge experience in animal painting to lean on, I thought that this composition was the easiest for capturing my kitty - profiles are always easiest, or to me they are...there's no need for symmetry with only half a face to worry about.


The first sketch is the one that I did on the watercolor paper. It's the one that will be painted. The second is the sketch from my sketchbook. It looks a lot better because it doesn't have the texture of the watercolor paper. I thought at first of just having the cardinal...but I starting thinking: what if the cardinal was just as 'curious' (yes, I'm calling my cat's natural hunting instincts, curiosity). That's when I got the idea for the cardinal to lean into Oreo. It's also a very interesting bird angle I find, a little out of the ordinary.

Silent Sunday: Long Shadows

New Autumn Prints Available...

These colourful prints are now available as prints!

From left to right: Acorns, Sapphire Dreams and Red Maple

The originals of these have gone to new lovely homes. But you can still enjoy these paintings as reproductions. If you would rather have an original, there are plenty of originals available in the shop, or you can request a custom painting.


Sorry about the small picture, I tried to make it large with the three in a row but blogger wasn't having any of it.

It's my birthday!! (and a little present for my readers)

It's my birthday today!! I turn 24 (yay and nay lol)



...annnnddd to celebrate, I'm offering 24% off anything and everything in my shop on Etsy: http://jellybeans.etsy.com All you have to do is mention BDAY-2-4 in the notes to seller, and I'll send a revised invoice for 24% off your order. This deal is only good for today.

There are some lovely new fall pieces, and some winter items that would be great to have or give! And don't forget the holidays are coming up, I have started listing my new 2010 holiday card designs.

The Family Farm: Serene

The farm looks so serene when the work is all over. Which is a false appearance, since the reality is: the work is never over. I love the red wagons against the golden field...

Woodland Spirit

There are notions that everything goes back into the earth and becomes one with it.
My painting, Woodland Spirit, illustrates that idea. A tree, with reminiscent of deer antlers, may in fact be embodying the spirit of an animal long past, and is then still part of the forest that it so much loved and made its home.

Everlasting

Autumn is the time when all those summer flings start to blossom into true romances. Romantic notions engraved in such long living trees create such a dreamy notion of love everlasting.

I think I have been reading too many romances...Everlasting is a new watercolor for my fall line. It doesn't contain the traditional colours, but it does contain the notion of autumn in the romantic sense of summer flings becoming so much more then just some giggles and light kisses. It is available in my shop.

The Family Farm: One of my favourite reasons for home...

This cutie is one of my favourite reasons to come home. This gorgeous lady's name is Sandy, and she is the most lovable pooch ever. She is best friends with everyone right away - puppy love just radiates from her! Thus making her a not-so-great farm watch dog, but that's okay, we all love her oodles still. She does protect again other critters though with unbelievable ease. I think she thinks she's a person, seriously. In her head, she is not one bit dog lol.

Christmas Preview: Snowy Eve

I know, I know...Christmas is still ages away. But in the online world it has to come a little sooner just so everyone receives what they need from online purchases, with time to send them on to loved ones. I like to post my Christmas stationery early, so that people who live in far off places can order, receive the package and mail out their bounties to more far off places.

This year I have three new holiday card designs, plus my previous designs will be returning as well.


Snowy Eve is the first of my new 2010 card collection. It is offered in glittered and non-glittered formats. Personally I love the sparkle! It's a nice winter card, and can be used for other occasions than just Christmas.


It's an evening of lovely, pure snow falling down gracefully and collecting on a tree which has gone to sleep for the season.

These cards are available in sets, and of course are completely customizable! You can have a message printed into each of them, or even mix up the sets among all the cards so you have one of each! Go see my holiday section for the most recently listed items :)

Owl in Red Maple

I have always wanted to incorporate an owl in one of my paintings before, but never could figure out an idea. Welcome, 'Owl in Red Maple'This lovely red maple, highly reminiscent of my country Canada, has an equally lovely owl living amoung it's branches. The blue of the owl adds a fun element to the piece, and it pops out of the red leaves. The red maple was another idea that I was playing with for awhile, how to use the red and create a shape so that you know it's a maple tree.


That owl just makes me giggle. I thoroughly enjoyed creating this piece!

The original painting is still available for sale in my shop.

The Family Farm: Some furry surprises...

Now, what do these look like? Feet of course, but more specifically?

Kitten feet! That's right, when I went to visit my parent's farm, they had a little of kitten's terrorizing about. The litter was of five kittens. Being farm cats, they are not always 'tame'...so we're only able to handle and hold three of the five. The mother is completely lovable, so hopefully the other two kittens will come around with time.


One of the reasons why we sometimes cannot hold the kittens, is that they tend to be born in 'inaccessible' locations, and so we cannot handle them until they come down...and by that point some have decided that they don't want anything to do with people. These kittens specifically were born in the ceiling of my dad's large work shop / equipment storage shed. How they got there, who knows lol.

This little guy is my favourite one, and completely photogenic! Look at him working the camera! I wanted to name him 'Milo'...but apparently he's been named something else

Book review: My Name is Memory

This story was amazing. I loved the whole concept behind "My Name is Memory" by Ann Brashares. This story believes that we reincarnate ourselves after each life, and that how we are brought into our new lives depends on actions take in our previous lifes, and that human connections remain in tact through this seemingly endless journey. A best friend in this life may have been your mother in a previous life.

Daniel, the 'hero' of this love story, is a rare sort who can remember all his lives. In his first memory of his lives, he falls in love with a women. In later lives, he comes to know her as Sophia. He strives in all his lives to try and find this one true love of his and make her remember him. Present day Lucy is Daniel's Sophia. He wants for the perfect moment to confront her. Unfortunately, Lucy is scared of what Daniel is saying, and his constant referral to her as Sophia. They separate, with their lives continuing in two different paths; only to be reconnected again in their current lives.

I just find the whole concept of love (friendly, family and romantic) existing beyond life in another realm and continuously drawing people together in ever changing connections.

I wasn't sure about this novel at first. Since I've only known the author to write the 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' series, I was worried that this story would be more geared towards a young adult audience. I was not disappointed, this story was most definitely written for adults.

I give this wonderful story 5 warm fuzzies out of 5. I always love a good, solid love story.

This story is worth a read, especially is you enjoy love stories. Even if you don't, I think most would enjoy this one. I read it straight, until I was done at 2 in the morning, 4-5 hours after starting. *Blushes*

Acorns

With fall just around the corner, I've been compiling a page of 'all things fall' - or, ideas for my fall-themed paintings. Now, I can't show you that page until all my paintings have been complete and posted - or else that would spoil all the surprises! I have one or two more to go, I think - as long as I don't come up with more ideas! They were supposed to be all done, but I came up with more ideas while completing some of my other paintings.

Acorns is my second painting for the autumn collection. The original has already sold, but that only means that prints are immediately available now! You may have noticed too that my banners in my blog and shop feature this autumn tree.


I was worried that the acorns may look out of the place, but the reddish brown worked amazing with the sap green. This painting was a squirrel's dream! You can purchase this print at my shop.