I've got 3 new greeting card designs available in my Etsy shop! And this time, I've recycled some of my favorite designs from past projects--including two of my sold out shirt designs, which I'm sure you'll recognize.

I figured that these two designs are some of my favorites that I've created so why should they only live on shirts that are no longer available!?

You can view the new designs above (obviously) + purchase them in my shop.

​As usual, the greeting cards ("Thank You So Much" + "Rescue Dog" designs) are available as both individual cards and 8-packs, and the "Namaste Notecards" are available just as an 8-pack. 

For the first time in years (or at least, since I started blogging and sharing my art online), I didn't take any holiday painting commissions this past holiday season. It was weird not spending November and December painting, but it was also necessary given my life and childcare situation these days--and the amount of energy and time that holiday commissions usually take.

However, I did do a few small sketch projects over the last few months of 2017 (those are easier to squeeze in during naptime), so I wanted to share those sketches with you today.

I should also note that I am still taking painting commissions throughout the year, I just have a slower turnaround time than I previously did and only take on 1-2 at a time. So, if you do have a special project in mind, don't be afraid to reach out--just try to plan ahead if it's something you need in a timely manner!

You can view my recent sketches and a sentence or two about each of them below...

Sketch above: This sketch was commissioned by Emily as a wedding present for one of her BFFs + her [now] husband. She had me include their dog and cat too, of course, so that the sketch included the whole family. So sweet!

Sketch below: This sketch was commissioned by Tracy as a Christmas present for her brother and sister-in-law. They have kids but she wanted to create something special for them as a couple, which I thought was beyond thoughtful. The drawing was based off of a picture of them at a wedding together. 

Sketch below: Sara (yes, Starr Struck's own Sara!) had me create this sketch of the grocery store that her dad owns in Wisconsin. She gave it to him as a gift AND used it as a decorative element at the bottom of the website that she just designed for the store. Perfect double-use of this gift!

Sketch below: Stephanie commissioned this sketch as a Christmas present for a dear friend + her fiance. How cute are their matching dogs!? 

Thanks to everyone who thought of me for these fun projects. You can view more family sketches here and learn more about my commission process here. 

Guess what? I've revamped and redesigned my yoga holiday cards and *couldn't be more excited* about getting them out into the world this holiday season!

I've also found an amazing new card printer, which means better quality printing, nicer paper (hooray!), and thick, colored, matching envelopes to go with each card design. It's the best! 

So, just in case you're new to the blog or aren't familiar with my yoga greeting cards, here are the holiday designs that are available this year. You can purchase each design individually, in 8-packs of the same design, OR make your own custom 8-pack of any cards you choose...

Woohoo! Now that Thanksgiving is just over a week away I'm finally getting into the holiday spirit; I hope you are, too! 

And as always, thank you for your unending support + for shopping small this time of year :) 

As we get into real fall weather here on the Cape--the kind that actually requires a hat, scarf, and gloves--I can't think of any better outfit inspiration than this series of fabulously funky illustrations by Budapest-based artist Ilka Mészely.

There is something so wonderfully simple, straightforward, and also slightly comical about this particular collection of sketches, but despite their simplicity, I still find them to be perfectly composed, lovingly crafted, and quite interesting. 

You can view some of my favorite little sketches by Mészely below:

Don't they just lift your spirits a bit? Bring you a little warmth on a chilly day? They also make me want to up my outerwear game and add a bit more pattern and funk to my wardrobe...

If you like Mészely's work as much as I do you can learn more about her on her Facebook page, follow her on Instagram, and shop her work on Etsy. 

I know that we just celebrated Labor Day, but I'm not done with summer yet. I plan on squeezing in quite a few more days at the beach, swims in the ocean, and late-afternoon BBQs before closing the door on this summer, so I'm still in the mood for art that captures the beauty of summer, as well. 

Enter the incredibly talented painter Elisabeth McBrien. Her work speaks to me on every level; I love her style, her color palette, her subject matter, and her incredible ability to capture light. I have a feeling that after viewing a few of her paintings, you'll fall in love with her work, too.

I've included some of my favorites below...

See what I mean? Endless summer on canvas! I can practically feel the sunlight slanting through the trees and the warmth in the air...

You can check out more work by Elisabeth McBrien on her website. 

And I hope that you, too, can savor these last few weeks of warm weather and sunlight! 

My four most recent commissions have each been quite unique. I find it so interesting how my custom art orders come in waves--I'll get a wave of pet portraits, a wave of couple/family sketches, a wave of wedding dress paintings, and then there will be times like the past couple of months when there is no common thread between projects and each one is completely different. It's so fun and unexpected!

Images of these recent commissions + a bit of background info about each piece is below...

House Portrait above:
This large watercolor painting was ordered as a gift from Lindsay to her mother; it's her mother's childhood home that that she cleaned out and put on the market this year after her own mother passed away. Lindsay surprised her mom with this gift and she said it was a hit--it moved her mother to tears (in a good way!). 

Couple Sketch below:
Amber ordered this sketch as a birthday gift for her boyfriend. They're a local couple so they asked for a Cape Cod anchor in between their heads, which I think was a really adorable, sweet detail to add. I also loved drawing Amber's hair in the braid and adding her signature earrings ;) 

Tools Painting Below:
Jane ordered this painting of her father's Masonry Tools to honor his business, McCann Masonry. She also had me create a quality image of the painting so that I could get prints made that she could give as gifts to other people in her family (such a great idea and perfect way to share the custom art love!). 

Couple Sketch below:
Marjorie commissioned this sketch as a wedding gift for her friends who "literally have everything they'd ever need." She said they're super adventurous and recently got married at the last-minute while on a trip in Malaysia (sounds pretty amazing, right?). This drawing was created from images she took of them on a trip to DC a few years ago, where they went paddle boarding in the Tidal Basin. So sweet!

Thanks to all of these commissioners for thinking of me for your custom art needs! Learn more about my commission process here.

If I could, I think I would like to have one of Carolyn Gavin's paintings (or prints) hanging on every wall in my house. Just a glance at one of her pieces makes me feel more optimistic, more creative, and more awake. Her work makes me want to go paint right this second and use the brightest paints I can find. It's SOOOO beautiful!

The great thing about Carolyn Gavin's work? Most of her paintings are available as super affordable prints in her Etsy Shop. I'm seriously going to buy a few, just have to decide which ones...

Some of my favorites are below:

See? Aren't you in a better mood now? And don't you want these paintings all over your house, too? Swoon. 

Learn more about Carolyn Gavin by visiting her Etsy shop or following her on Instagram.

Hope your week has been as bright + cheery as these paintings!

Floral OM symbols!  I've had these new card designs floating around in my mind for a few weeks now and I finally found a little time to get them down on paper last week.

Thus, I have 2 new "Blossoming OM" greeting card designs now available in my shop (shown above and below). Plus, each of these designs {and the "OM SWEET OM" housewarming/studio-warming design below} are also available as 8" x 10" prints that can be framed and given as a gift to your favorite yogi, hung in your home practice space or studio, or placed in your office as a reminder to stay yogic at work ;) 

Lastly, I played with an old wheel pose painting to create the following design, which is also available as a blank card and 8" x 10" print:

You can shop all of these new designs in my Etsy shop; greeting cards can be purchased individually or in 8-packs (make your own assorted 8-pack out of any of the cards available in my shop!). 

Interested in selling my cards in your studio or boutique? Contact me for wholesale information. 

Oh wow, I'm swooning over here. I mean, have you ever seen anything more quietly beautiful than this pastel painting of two pineapples? I want it! Or rather, I want to look at it every day and marvel at the colors, the composition, and the skill. 

This piece of art and the other equally-swoon-worthy pieces below are all courtesy of UK-based artist Anna Roberts. Her work is soft, airy, summery, and silent in a way that makes me feel calmer and more at ease just by looking at it. She has a gift!

Here are a few more of my favorite pieces by Roberts...

Can you believe these aren't photographs!? So crazy, I know!
​
You can view more of Anna Roberts' work on her website or by following her on Instagram. 

Waaaaayyyy back in 2013, I did a little daily painting project that I called "A Dress a Day." As a part of this project, I painted one dress per day for 100 days. I did this because I wanted to make myself paint more and I wanted to get more comfortable with using watercolor paints.

The project achieved both of these things and it was really fun, plus it was a nice little way to make money, too, as I sold some of the paintings as I went. That being said, I painted 100 dresses and not all of the originals sold, so for the past few years, the remaining watercolors have just sat in a folder in my studio, hidden from sight...until now!

As I was cleaning up in my studio last week, I decided it was time to do another "From the Archives" sale, so this time around I'm selling some of my favorite remaining originals from this project--20 in total.

There is only one of each painting available (obvs) and I'm selling them for $28 each { + free shipping!!}. They are priced to move and unframed so that you can choose the perfect frame + mat to make your painting pop on the wall.

The best places to hang these paintings? In a bedroom near an armoir or closet, in you daughter's room (we have two in Charlie Mae's room over her dresser and they look great there!), as a part of a gallery wall, or in a small nook in a bathroom. They're so fun!

​Click on the button below to view the available paintings: 

The sale pricing will be available today-Friday, July 7th. After that date, all remaining paintings will go back into the "archives" (haha!). 

​Happy shopping!

I'm a warm beverage kind of girl. I drink a cup of hot Chai Tea with milk every morning of the year--even if it's sweltering outside--and I love a good decaf latte or pot of herbal tea. Basically, if it's hot and not too sweet, I'll give it a try and probably like it. 

So, when I came across Lori Larusso's beverage paintings, I was immediately smitten. They're beautifully painted (obviously) and her use of bright, bold background colors is striking. Also, anyone who has ever tried to paint a drinking vessel (I have) knows how hard it can be to get all of the circular lips, bottoms, handles, and saucers just right perspective-wise, but she nails it every time (because she's a pro). 

Lets take a look, shall we? Here are some of my favorite pieces from this collection...

Totally great, right!? Don't they make you want to sit down with a cuppa something steamy right now? Glad I was writing this post while sipping my morning tea--it made these paintings all the sweeter ;) 

You can see more of Lori Larusso's work on her website. 

The above painting is one of the sweetest and most heartwarming custom orders I've ever painted. It was commissioned by an old college friend, Sara, who ordered it for her sister-in-law who just had her first baby, a little girl. As you may have guessed by looking at the painting, her sister-in-law's first two pregnancies ended in the loss of her babies, both of whom were little boys. 

I heard back from Sara after she recently gave the painting to her sister-in-law, and she had this to say: "Both [of the giftees] cried today when they saw the painting. [The husband] hung it up in the nursery as soon as he got home so I'd say it was a huge hit."

Needless to say, it was an honor to create this unique, meaningful painting for this special family. What a gift.

The below painting is also a super thoughtful gift, although I know it's hard to follow-up the previous story. This one was commissioned by Cara as a wedding gift for a couple who got married in the church pictured in the painting.

This is Cara's fourth or fifth (I've lost track!) gift commission and I love how much she loves giving custom paintings to her loved ones ;) This time I've also included the original picture below the pic of the painting, so that you can see how the creative process works...

As you can see when comparing the painting (above) with the photograph (below), Cara and I talked and decided that I should paint the church as we hoped it would look on the couple's wedding day in April--we added green plants, some little flowers, and blue, sunny skies. I also punched up the colors so that the church would really pop. 

And that's that! I'm in the process of finishing up two more commissions that I'll be sure to share as soon as they're given as gifts.

​Next up in my behind-the-scenes/recent work series: a roundup of some of the logos that I've created as of late. I'll share those in a few weeks.

Interested in commissioning a painting? My process and pricing can be found here.  

Oh, you guys, I don't even know where to begin with these paintings by Australian artist Sally West. The color palette, the thick, decadent, icing-like brushstrokes, the subject matter, the fact that she paints all of these pieces ON SITE (yes, on the beach)...all of it! I'm enamored.

You know when you see a piece of art and it just jumps out at you in every way? That's what each painting in this series has done to me. And if I ever have enough money, you'd better believe that I'm coming back to Sally West's work and adding a piece (or two) to my "collection." 

So. Pretty. 

You can view some of my favorite paintings from this series below...

Love West's work as much as I do? You can view more on her website or on KAB Gallery's website, where you can view the entire series.  Oh, and here's a great behind-the-scenes shot of a work-in-progress that you just have to see: 

Ahhhh, I love it! 

Hope your day is as delicious as these paintings. 

Couple + Family Sketches = the gift that keeps on giving! Both to me and to the recipient! These simple little drawings have become a staple in my world and I am so glad that they have because I simply *love* doing them. They're so much fun!

All three of the sketches shown in today's post were commissioned as custom gifts, so I've included the basic details about each one below...

Sketch above: Commissioned by a few friends as a "new baby" gift for their friend Lindsay, the mom shown in the top right corner of the sketch. They're SUCH a sweet family! Sidenote: I also did a painting of this family's dog, Amos, a few years ago (back when he was still a puppy). It's such an honor to create custom art for a family as it grows. 

Sketch below: Commissioned by Stephanie as a gift for her brother and his fiance, who are obviously getting married very soon! We chose this pic from their engagement shoot because we thought it would be the most interesting composition and after drawing it, I think it was the right choice ;) I also loved Stephanie's idea of adding their wedding hashtag in a cursive script in the bottom corner; such a great touch!

Sketch below: Commissioned by some of the Bride-to-Be's Bridesmaids as a shower/wedding gift. Another wedding that is swiftly-approaching! Yay! Congrats, Katie! Wedding season definitely is upon us and it sure is exciting ;) 

As usual, a big thanks to all of the commissioners who asked me to create these sketches for them!

Interested in ordering your own personalized sketch? Details and pricing can be found here. 

...And here we are with yet another round of holiday commissions to be revealed! Obviously all gifts have now been given, so we're in the clear and I can share these paintings with you today without any big surprises being spoiled ;) 

The paintings and the stories behind them are below...

Painting Above: Zoe the Airdale (Acrylic on Mounted Panel)
Stacy commissioned this painting of her parents' dog Zoe, as Christmas gift for them. Zoe had to be unexpectedly put down in 2015, and it sounds like her parents loved Zoe in the same way that we love our sweet Sayde, so I can't imagine how hard that must have been for them. Stacy told me that her mom started crying when she opened the painting, so it sounds like it was the perfect gift (what an amazing daughter, huh?). 

Painting Below: Mandery Family Tree (Watercolor on Paper)
Another amazing gift from a daughter to her mother! For this project, Patricia researched her mother's side of the family on Ancestry.com and learned all sorts of interesting things about her family's heritage. She pulled together a bunch of names and dates for relatives dating all the way back to the 1600's, and had me create this family tree mapping out her mother's lineage for her. Such a great idea.

And there you have it! Nothing makes a better gift than custom art (in this artist's humble opinion, ha!). 

Thanks to all of the fabulous peeps who commissioned a piece of custom art over the holidays; I had so much fun bringing your visions to life. 

Want to learn more about commissioning a painting? Visit this page on my painting site.