christytomlinson

totally not art..

okay.. so this post has nothing to do about art.. or creating or anything special like that.. lol

but I was going through some old photos this week for a project my daughter needed and I came across some photos of me when I was a kid and just thought that it would be fun to share.. for no absolute reason at all.. but to share.. lol

so this is a picture of my family.. my parents and my 6 brothers and sisters .. right before my parents divorced (I was 7.. don't know the year)..

I am totally loving both my parents VERY large glasses.. I actually think those are back in style! lol. I am pretty sure you can guess which one I am. The only blond one. Hence the nickname from my dad.. Blondie. That house is actually around the corner from where I live currently.. so many good memories in that house.

Love this picture simply because its me, my mom and my sister tia. Love love love it.

 

This is a classic picture! this was when the twins (my two younger sisters) were babies and with my great grandparents, the woods. Look at the cheesy smile. lol I always so enjoyed going to my grandparents houses. My Grandpa had horses and we used to go into the horse barn and steal the sugar cubes and eat them. We'd wouldn't even suck on them.. just down right eat them! lol. SO bad.

This picture brings back SO many memories.. holy cow.. the three of us (my sister Tia, and my cousin Melissa).. getting into to SO much trouble as kids and young adults. I remember the time we all laid out on the trampoline in junior high and used Crisco oil on our bodies so we could be super tan for school that started in a week!  I luckily didn't stay out very long.. that was back when I hated being hot (now I love it).. well my Tia and Melissa stayed out WAY too long and ended up getting 3rd degree burns everywhere from the crisco and the sun!  TOTALLy not fun.. but it was kinda funny. and where the heck are my pants? really?

I'm only showing this picture because seriously? did I not every comb my hair when I was a kid? Oh and there is another funny story behind this picture. We were called the Red hots team.. and at the end of the year to celebrate (i don't think we won very much but still we celebrated).. we had a sleepover at our coaches house (yea that probably doesn't happen much anymore lol).  Anyhow i thought it would be super funny to take the red hots that someone had brought and put them all over my face and be the "red hot" mascott. Yeah well.. that pretty much turned out like my sister tanning with Crisco. It not only burned my face.. it turned it right and was itchy and sore for days! I seriously did some pretty dumb things growing up! lol

Okay.. sorry this picture isn't bigger. Maybe you can click on it to make it larger. But seriously? Yep that's me in the middle. Acid wash shirt and acid wash jeans.. pegged to perfection with the white bootie socks and white canvas shoes. I had a thing for fashion growing up. I watched all those movies like Pretty in Pink, Some kind of Wonderful, Can't buy me love.. you name it and I planned my school shopping according to what outfits I wanted to buy to look just like those movie characters. That white and black sweater is actually mine (that tia is wearing) and that outfit was based off a outfit that the girl in Can't by me love wore. OH and don't forget about that hair!

don't know if that is any better lol

anyhow.. that's pretty much it. If I looked hard in my boxes of pictures I know I have one that you would OH so love. My hair is about 5 " off my head (my bangs are).. and I am wearing pretty much the same shirt and broach (right at my neckline) where the girl from Some Kind of Wonderful wore in that movie. Seriously funny. Maybe I stalked movies.. who knows!

Anyhow.. kinda of a fun little post.. thanks for letting me share! 


 

Sneak Peek #5 and ANOTHER giveaway!

so last wednesday I told you about the newest giveaways we are doing for the Living Canvas Workshop! $200's worth of gift certificate to the Scarlet Lime Store each week for the next 3 weeks! For all those who are registered for the workshop you are entered to win automatically and if you haven't signed up yet.. as soon as you are.. you are entered to win each week! AND of course. the refer a friend.. for every friend that signs up and lists you as the referral.. you are entered AGAIN. cool huh? So the sooner you get signed up the better!

This week we have four winners from those who have already signed up for the workshop! The winners have been emailed and gift certificates will be emailed later this week when I return home! FUN FUN!

 

SO happy monday by the way! I am on my way from Sweden to Germany right now.. just got done teaching at a WONDERFUL event in Sweden with all those awesome sweet ladies! My dear friend Meredith came with me to Sweden to be my travel buddy.It was truly So fun! Now I am heading to Germany to meet my husband and see my mom and step dad who are currently serving there on a mission for our Church. Last week was a blast by the way.. IT was SOO good to have my best friend Mer with me there. We went a few days early to just get use to the time zone and yea.. that didn't happen. We found ourselves waking up at 2:00 am every morning and not being able to go back to sleep! lol.. so we would stay up and talk and read until the sun started to peek around 4:30 am and then we found a coffee shop and went and read and sketched the streets for stockholm as it was waking up for the day. THAT was probably one of my favorite memories.. (will share more about that later in another post). So fun though!

Okay.. so onto sneak peek of week 5 of the Living Canvas Workshop... BE PRESENT!!

 

This week digs deep and starts to focus on our relationships.. and being totally available and aware of who we are with at the moment.. so for instance.. sitting on the couch snuggling with your kids..

no cell phones, no facebook, no checking pinterest.. or emails, not making a list for the grocery store.. no thinking about what we need to get done tomorrow..

 

but being PRESENT with them. Giving them our full attention. Being Genuine. Giving quality time.. being in the moment with them. EVen if it's for five minutes. Those five minutes of undivided attention will go so much further than 30 minutes of hanging out but not really being "there" if you know what i mean.

 

Being Present is so important and truly does build and strengthen our relationships with those who are important to us.

okay! so enough talk.. here is short sneak peek video of Your Living Canvas Workshop.. WEEK 5! (and get signed up for the workshop to get entered to win the giveaways!!)

Roberts Jones and My valentines day makeover video!

Okay!! Soo.. if you remember THIS post here (linked for you lol)  I had the opportunity spend the day being pampered and "made over" by the awesome and talented makeup artist and teacher.. Robert Jones!

Robert is a world re-nowned makeup artist who has done work for Selena Gomez, Cindy Crawford and many many other people in the entrainment industry! He has several books that are published and travels all over the world teaching his art of makeup. Robert ALSO teaches online classes.. just like I do.. on how to apply makeup for the everyday, for weddings, for pictures.. what brushes to use, what colors to use for the color of eyes you have, what shades to wear to make your eyes pop.. or your features stand out. He really knows his stuff. SO if you are ever interested in learning about his workshops.. THEY are wonderful! and all online! And of course he said I could give my customers a deal.. normally a membership to the site to watch the videos is $24.95.. but for you friend.. its only $19.95 if you use THIS Link to sign up. You can sign up for one month or as many months as you want. Tons of fun videos to watch!

AND...If you know me. I LOVE all forms of art and truly appreciate them in all their forms! AND i have to admit i have a thing for makeup. I always have.. since i was young.. because my mom was a mary kay consultant.. so was fascinated early on in life.. on how to properly apply it.. how to hide imperfections in my skin Etc.  ANd Still am today. I LOVE learning ways to shade the face or highlight the eyes or how to do a smokey eye.. or a natural sun-kissed look. Its fun for me to learn those and apply them.

SO when I was asked to do this with Robert.. I was like HECK YA!!?? to learn from the best?

So Robert flew into little old idaho.. from his studio in Texas.. and spend the entire day doing my hair, makeup.. and of course giving me a new outfit to wear. (which I was nervous to wear because I wanted the size bigger to hide my curves.. and he said.. um no lol) . but it turned out great!  Bart Miller and his team.. and the girls from Paisley Studio.. where all there to help document it. We did it all at theAustin Kade Academny here in Idaho Falls.. which is owned by my now dear friend Allison Price. (I met her that day and she is the one who colored my hair... and we were INSTANT friends.. LOVE THIS GIRL) . I think we had this instant connection because she is ALSO a teacher.. she teaches the art of hair.

 

The Austin Kade Academy is beauty school..okay.. not just a beauty school..  its  hair/makeup/nails.. facials.. you name it the whole shebang!  And she really loves what she teaches. I seriously find myself in there once a week getting my nails done, or even just hanging out because I love watching her work and watching her students learn. she also has the school set up so cozy and so love bringing allie in for girls days because everything is so cheap and you can do a whole spa experience for next to nothing! Lol.. if you are ever in Idaho falls.. shoot me an email and I will MEET You there for a girls day :) we will get our nails done, pedicures.. facials, scalp treatment and maybe our hair styled too.. Seriously I will meet you there! SO fun. (by the way. allie is now convinced she is going to school there..she wants to be a nail artist someday! Doing fun nail art for people!)

 

anyhow.. the entire day was wonderful and it ended with my family coming to the studio to see my big reveal..

and THAT was fun too. The entire day was fun!

(love this picture that Paisley STudio got of my family afterwards.. so cute! )

oh and I really shouldn't post this.. because my before is really awful.. no makeup.. not hair done.. but the after.. is awesome.

The AFTER is amazing!!! wish I looked like that everday in real life! lol anyhow.. ENOUGH talk and rambling!!

HERE IS the entire video showing the day and all the fun stuff!!! hope you enjoy!!

Happy Weekend!

Christy Tomlinson Blog Post Video from Robert Jones Beauty Academy on Vimeo.

Happy Monday.. and sneak peek of week 3!

oh happy beautiful MONDAY friends! holy cow it was in the 80's over the weekend and is again today.. I am having a VERY hard time staying in this dang chair.. want to be outside doing something to ejoy this weather before it goes back to 50 and cold and rainy(this is VERy unseasonably warm for us! lol)

had a great week last week and weekend. been working hard on getting alot of the videos done for the Living Canvas workshop, did an actual art day with Art McCracken and his entire family.. teaching them how to create a mixed media canvas! (the boys did their own art and the girls make a she art girl!)

 

 

 spending time with my family

(my goofballs below playing around in my dad's old airport bus he used to take them to movies in)..

and playing cards and having a BBQ this weekend with my brothers and sisters who were in town!

lots of fun memories made last week.

So now it's monday and I leave in ONE week for Sweden and Germany to go teach Mixed media to those wonderful women over there! Can't WAIT!! So this week is going to be full of so many things.. getting more videos done for the workshop, finishing my April Mixed Media kit video.. (oh it turned out so cute!! Just need to edit it and will post wednesday!!)  and also getting the website ready for the 1st.. since I will be gone, getting all the NEW products we have ordered for the store listed.. oh cow. there is a lot. lol

so I guess I better get cracking..

AND since today is monday.. as you know we have been showing a sneak peek each week of my upcoming workshop, Your Living Canvas. This week is week 3.. Vision!

 

Alot of us.. INCLUDING me.. have a tag line or a motto that we "refer to" or live by.. Mine is on my blog header.. DO what matters most.
While this is a great START to having a vision.. a vision is much more than that. A vision is a statement or words or paragraphs of what we call our "non-negotiables" in life. In the way we live our life, in what we want out of it, in how we are with others, in our beliefs.. in our souls. I have many "non-negotiables".. some of them include the following..

my family comes first.. in everything.

these are a few others.. always always treat others with kindness.. and give the benefit of the doubt.

Be okay with YOU and love your imperfections.. beauty is NOT whats on the outside..

these are just a few of them.. I will share many many more of my own in the workshop.. but this the vision statement I have for my life and to be honest as I learn and grow and change and have new experiences.. things are added to my vision statement.. my non negotiables and sometime they change. Which is okay.. but I make sure that when I live my day to day life and are faced with making decision, i refer back to that mission statement to go to. Okay.. so I don't always REFER to it first. I have moments of weakness.. lots of them.. when i make poor decisions and vere of the path.. but then mend the mistake and hop right back on that vision and move forward.

So with that being said.. week 3 is all about creating a vision statement. Finding and listing out your non-negoationables.. and then putting them into an art journal and canvas to refer back to again and again.. and make changes if needs be! And we will help you do that!

So here is a sneak peek VIDEO of week 3!!  For more info on this workshop starting in May.. you can check this link here!

 Your Living Canvas

Happy Monday!
 

Sunny California and some super fun spring classes

Last week Ben and I headed to Sunny California for a work trip and i have to say.. i didn't even mind that we were inside working from 6 am until 9 pm at night.. it was still so nice to wake up to warm! The last day of our trip we drove down to Newport Beach and soaked in the sun and just literally hung out at the beach all day until our flight left that night. Didn't even have our swimsuits.. just hung out and watched the waves in our jeans and shorts. The sun felt SOO good!! We got home late monday night and have been spending the week playing catchup (I left my laptop on the counter at home.. so came home to over 900 emails.. but honestly with the schedule we were working in California, don't think I would have been able to even stay on top of them.. we were exhausted at the end of each DAY and my eyes closed the minute I hit the pillow each night).

I can't wait to tell you about WHAT we were doing in California.. but I am SWORN to secrecy for another few months.. but when I can.. you BET I will be shouting it from the rooftops!! can't wait!! lol.. seriously fun and amazing experience! But so glad to be home again.. missed my kids!

This week Ben, Art and I have been filming some short sneak peek videos for my upcoming class Your Living Canvas..

 If you read my last blog post, you know this workshop is a HUGE workshop for me! 6 weeks!! And it's probably one of the most meaningful and soul searching workshops I have ever done. I mean I KNOW It is. Is so dear to my heart! So I really wanted to give every one a taste of whats in store for it.. so starting next tuesday I will be posting on one sneak peek a week.. one for each week of the workshop.. of what's in store! I am super excited about it. AND Art and I were talking all this week about how we REALLY want to get people started now.. preparing for the workshop because it is so deep and meaningful.. and we want to make sure everyone come prepared for it.. we started a private facebook group for those who have already joined and starting next wednesday we will be posting pre-course challenges and fun art exercises to get you ready and prepared for the course! So as soon as you sign up for the workshop, you will be invited to that group and can start in the fun! I have never put so much thought and detail into a workshop before.. but I want this course to be everything it can be! Full of life changing experiences, Moments of clarity.. new art techniques you learn, and fun messy play.. all into one. AHH! super excited about this course!! if you want to learn more about it.. you can read last week's post.. OR click here!Wednesday is when the facebook group page starts! AND remember if you sign up before April 15th.. you receive $20 off the original price!

Okay.. SO speaking of classes.. there are TWO must do classes you need to sign up for this spring.. (besides joining me in the Living Canvas workshop).. If you have ever taken any of Margie Romney-Alsett's Spark Courses before (she did a Spark your Christmas and Spark your Valentines class).. you KNOW they are full of amazing glittery, vintage fun projects to make for your home for the holidays. Well she has another class out.. called Spark your Spring!!

This class is FULL of awesome goodness for Spring Fun!

of course done in always Fabulous Margie style.. (her attention to detail is CRAZY!!!)

I'm loving her branch with the doily flowers on it! So freaking cute!!!

It's a 3 day workshop filled with home decor, papercrafts, gift ideas, kids crafts..even altered clothing ideas! Crazy! and it's $19.00 bucks! seriously!
You have to check Spark your Spring out..

Spark your Spring

The SECOND class I thinK EVERYONE should take.. comes from one of the most business savvy.. creative people i KNOW! Jeanne Oliver..a  dear friend of mine.. has announced a new course called
Building a Creativley Made Bussiness.

If you are a creative person (which I KNOW You all are) and have been wondering how to take your creative dreams and make them into something that you can do for a living as well.. SHE can show you how. This course is all about taking those artsy endeavors and turning them into something more! ANd doing it with Balance and grace. THIS COURSE IS TRULY going to be a great course to take!! I know so many of you email me and ask me what to do with your canvases, or how to do an etsy store.. etc.. this is the course for you!! YOU NEED To take it!!

 

 If you want to learn more about this course.. Jeanne has done a sneak peek video of this course too!!
YOU can watch it here..  Creatively Made Bussiness Video

OR you can sign up on her website and learn more too.. HERE

So there you go.. two actually THREE awesome classes for Spring.. totally different and all absolutely worth your time!!

Oh and one more thing.. that I think would be TOTALLy worth your time.. my friend Art (who is doing the Living Canvas workshop with me)  posted this challenge this week.. on his facebook page.. and I SERIOUSLY am taking it.. I won't spoil what it is..but i encourse each of you to do it too! I have done this before a long time ago and remember how it affected my life. I have a huge need to do it again.. and so this weekend plan on writing one..

You will understand more when you watch the the video!!

 

So.. you are going to think I am crazy.. but we are headed out of town AGAIN.. this time with our kids! Last week was our spring break and since ben and I had to be in California for work.. we decided to pull our kids out of school for a few days and head to someplace warm (since we woke up to SNOW this morning?? Hello and happy easter??)   We haven't told them yet.. it's been hard keeping a secret all week.. but today at noon we are heading to school to grab them all for a fun family road trip back to California.. just sitting on the beach, swimming in the ocean (or the pool).. nothing fancy.. just some seriously needed family bonding time. These last few months have been a bit crazy for our family.. really crazy and we have just felt the need to give some major attention to our kids.. let them know how much they mean to us and they are important to us.. Part of my new resolution of being PRESENT and having BALANCE (which you will learn about in the New Living Canvas workshop).

So once again we are headed out of town.. for a few days.. AND guess what? THIS time I am leaving my laptop at home on PURPOSE. no work will be done on this trip!!  I'm going to make sure my kids know it is ALL about them! Im truly going to be PRESENT. But I will be back here tuesday (or wednesday.. you never know with me lol) to show you another sneak peek of this workshop!!) and next week I also have a fun Behind the Art post for you as well.
OH HEY!! one more thing! so many of you wanted the exclusive SHe ARt Faber Castell Pen Setsthat we offered a couple of weeks ago that match my New She Art Line with Pink Paislee..

they sold out super fast.. but guess what? THEY ARE BACK IN STOCK!! yeah!! and we have also brought back in stock KasierCrafts Doily Rubons and a bunch more of my favorite KasierCraft Rubons! So check out the Scarlet Lime Shop for that!

anyhow.. ENJOY your friday... ENJOY your Easter weekend!! Make it ALL about family this weekend.. BE PRESENT!!! :)
Happy Friday!

 

 

 

Plan B

okay.. last week didn't go quite as I had planned it.. wanted to do a post on Donna's amazing event.. but that will happen later next week.

Yesterday launched a really big workshop for me.. with Junelle Jacobson and i have to say this class. wow. well besides it being one of the biggest classes we have done (content wise there are i believe over 25videos in week one ALONE lol).. it also has been one of the most inspiring for me because just like you I am learning. So last week was crazy busy making sure everything was perfect and ready for that class.. plus catching up.. getting back to over 1400 emails.. ordering hundreds of products that were out of stock for the store... ordering kit club  products, kitting kit club products.. two magazine articles to be written.. doing licencing stuff.. you name it.. it's all on back order if you will and trying to be 'restocked" in my normal daily life. That doesn't include just being a mom.. my religious obligations, being a wife.. doing housework. Catching up on the everyday of normal mom life. I tell you I am spent. I am sure my friends think I am dead for sure! lol..

Anyhow.. a couple of weeks ago a friend of mine sent me this quote she saw posted on facebook. My life has took an unexpected turn over the last month.. and not just in the way of me "working" and deciding what is most important to me.. or my health..  but some other pretty big life struggles... personal life struggles have come into my life. Things I truly thought I would never be going through and yet.. here I am. And it seemed like just not ONE thing happened but a bunch of things all at once. Constantly changing my reality and my perception of what normal is and would should be for me.  I was seriously starting to feel down.. starting to do the "why me".. or "poor me" and how can I go on!!?? lol

and this quote just seriously.. kicked my butt back into reality and what I truly believe.. and that is EVERYTHING happens for a reason and is to build character and in the end makes us stronger and better and more compassionate. So i want to share this simple quote with you today.. and leave you with this thought.. that no matter what.. there is always good in the bad... always a way to look up.. always a way to have the glass half full instead of half empty.. we just need to decide which person we are going to be.

Here is the quote..

*********************

Plan B

Life is all about how you handle Plan B.

Plan A is always my first choice. You know, the one where everything works out to be happily every after. But more often than not, I find myself dealing with the upside-down, inside-out version.  Where nothing goes as it should. It's the point that the real test of my character comes in..

Do I sink, or do I swim?  do I wallow in self pity and play the victim, or simply shift gears and make the best of my situation?  The choice is all mine...

life is all about how you handle Plan B.

(Suzy Toronto)

 

Think about your plan b and how to make the BEST of your situation.. I am challenging you.. and Myself to as well. I know I will be better, stronger and happier for it.

happy Tuesdsay!

one week... discovering a new way of art

wow.. i can't even begin to tell you how crazy and wonderful and crazy North Carolina was! I had all these grand plans to blog and return emails and facebook and all sorts of things while I was gone and holy heck that just didn't happen! lol

many many things transpired while I was there.. I met some wonderful beautiful people and created some really wonderful friendships that will last a lifetime! The days were long.. teaching and being with these wonderful ladies from 9 am until 9 pm.. each day was wonderful but also found it extremely exhausting on my body. MOST of which I think had to with the crazy weather that was going on there. Holy cow. I was in so much pain while I was there. Like non stop and hard hard pain. It was hard also being alone for 10 days. Away from my kids, my family and so far away from my closest friends. Have to admit it was a really hard 10 days.. but also some of the most rewarding 10 days I have ever experienced. I can't even being to express how much I loved teaching in that format. Really being able to share my love of art, my love of life and myself and who I am to 20 women each week. Getting to spend 4 days with them.. and ONLY them and just getting to know them and their lives and their loves as well. seriously i wish I could teach that way all of the time. It is truly a very unique and cool experience. and reminds me why I love teaching and sharing my art so much.

so things here at home while I was gone were a little crazy and I think sometimes just when you think you have life under control it just gives you another log for the fire.. one of those logs came in the form of a huge loss for us and our family. Our little dog max..

 

poops as I called him.. was hit by a car the friday night before I came home and was killed. My kids didn't know it at that time, as the women who hit him brought him to the door and when my husband saw his little crushed body, just wrapped him up and jumped into the car and took him to the vet. Max is allie's dog.. we gave him to her for her 12th birthday but really he was all of ours. We all loved him so much. So after my husband called me and said he didn't make it.. I asked him to let me call the kids on facetime on our phones and tell them face to face about max. It was a very very hard phone call. I could tell they thought I was calling for some exciting reason and when I told them the news.. with HUGE tears in my eyes and rolling down my cheeks.. the tears and cries and bawls and whales that followed from them just crushed me to the core. I wanted so badly to be in the room with them and hold them. Allie just rocked and cried back and forth and little noah just cried hysterically for at least an hour. It was a very very hard moment as a parent to be so far away from your kids.. and I had already been gone for over a week.. and had missed them so terribly.. that it was just one more thing that made my heart ache for them and for home. Our family will miss max. We had a small funeral for him sunday when I got home.

Ben made him a casket and we all said our goodbyes and put our love notes in his casket with him. We started to let each child put a shovel of dirt in the grave and little noah cried out.. wait! i wanted to write a love note on his casket like we did grandpa. So ben helped him down into the hole and he pulled out this giant sharpie he had.. and wrote  "we love you" on the box.

We all just stood there and cried. It was an awesome healing moment and bonding experience.  Then someone said "not grandpa has someone to keep him company.. little maxie"

So yeah.. North carolina was so much fun. So many awesome memories had there. During the couple of days I had off I was able to take a road trip with friends and made some awesome memories with that too. So many funny stories and moments that will forever be in my heart from those 10 days. But honestly have to say.. some of the hardest 10 days of my life.

I came home with a new found resolution to DO WHAT MATTERS MOST. that is my motto.. has been forever.. but I think sometimes we let things start to get into the way of our intentions.. and while some things are good.. we need to choose the things that are best. Right now my family is my best and also I have to admit.. I decided over the last 10 days that teaching.. and mainly ONLINE teaching is my love. I LOVE sharing my heart and love others sharing their heart with me. It truly fills my soul. I have had a lot of other great opportunities come over the last year as well, with liscneing and tv shows and other things.. but I decided while I was in NC that while all of those are awesome and fun and the chance of a lifetime. if I don't focus on what TRULY brings me happiness.. which is sharing on my blog, connecting with other women.. sharing my art.. my process.. helping others find themselves through life and art. if I don't DO that and I endup filling my days up with too many other things.. I will find myself once again unhappy with what I am doing in my life.  HUGE lesson learned over the last 10 days. Excited to move forward into my new resolution of putting my family and my art first.

Which brings me to the title of this blog post.. one week.

So I haven't actually blogged about this very much. I think only once or twice.. but in a week I have my first BIG workshop of the year.. starting.. and it's with the VERY talented Junelle Jacobson called the Art of Wild Abandonment.

 

 Her and I talked on the phone yesterday just going over some of the videos and things we have been editing and i have to tell you.

 HER SOUL is in this class. wow. when I started watching the video that had been edited and in its final stage of being loaded to the classroom.. I was in AWE. IN AWE of what this women puts out there.

She doesn't do this for fame.. or money or praise or recognizstion.. she creates becauase it's a passion she has inside of her.. it's a way to express herself and her life and her love of God and all things good.

 I spent the entire morning today watching videos of her week one and I just cried. I truly cried. I think I kept saying over and over.. this girl just blows my mind.. she freaking rocks. She makes me want to be a better artist and share more of myself with others. Her process is so different than mine in that she truly looks around her and sketches life in all forms and then paints life in all forms

I don't. I sersiouly sit down and with no other thought I just paint. There is no rhyme or reason.. and I thought I would NEVER have an interest in sketching or learning a process where I "journal" my life through drawings and then turning them into paintings and pieces of mixed media.. but after watching her and listening to her and her process..

I seriously went out and bought a simple sketchbook and a pencil. not a fancy one either.. just a simple number 2 pencil to sit and just sketch my thoughts. NOT WRITE MY THOUGHTS.. SKETCH THEM. wow a healing experience it is. Life for me right now is so full of crazy moments and my heart is so fragile right now.. and I have to be honest and say this class has not come at a more perfect time for ME. Crazy to think that.. because it wasn't planned that way.. but I am right in the middle of some of the hardest times of my life and this class is giving me huge direction and healing from it. 

 Anyhow.. just had to share with you how much I am excited about this class.. so many of you area joining me.. and have already signed up.. and I can not WAIT to have you join me. wow.. SO excited for this!!!
If you want to learn more about this class with Junelle (and me.. I am actually doing it to.. you will see my process of what Junelle teaches.. and hopefully not laugh through it!! lol) but I would love to have you join me too!

You can learn more about it HERE.. TRULY hope you join me.

plus junelle does a fun q and a on her blog here about it too!

This week.. hopefully thursday? I am going to do a huge long blog post about North Carolina and these wonderful beautiful women I met. Can't wait to share them with you!!

Hope you have a wonderful tuesday!

Meet my new artsy friends.. Paisley Studios..

so as I mentioned last week.. I got to do a wonderful all day makeover with Robert Jones.. but through the process I also met some seriously awesome and creative people. I have said this before and many times probably.. but I believe we are truly all creative people. We have been given that quality and it's up to us to decide what how to develop it and find what we love to do. I think weather it's in makeup, hair.. jewelry.. quilting, photography, scrapbooking, mixed media.. (the list could go on and on).. we are all creative people.

Well two of those wonderful girls I met that day were not only so dang cool, down to earth and seriously funny.. (not to mention stylish from head to toe).. but they are extremely talented photographers as well.  Kayla and Heather of Paisley Studio. They have a studio in Blackfoot which is a small town near where I live.. and it's the coolest place ever. It's in the downtown part of Blackfoot.. old town. So you know it's cool.  They have created an out of the box experience when it comes to having your photos taken.

They offer not only family,

 individual,

(um hello seriously love this one)

pets..

Couples..

 

wedding..

 

 and you name it photography. .

but they also offer an in house styling team that will do you hair and makeup for you and your family for your photography event. AND they are adding soon someone to do facials and all that fun jazz!  So you can come in and get the whole shebang.. and then have fabulous photos taken as well. They also travel as well to neighboring states.. but I can tell you they would be well worth the drive to get them done (plus you can come visit me too! Lol)

anyhow.. I am just in love with their creativity and how much love and passion they have for THEIR art. To take a person.. or persons and be able to capture what's in their hearts.. their mind.. or in their soul. WHo they are.. that takes some serious skill and a creative eye. These two women certainly have it. I can't share with you yet the before and afters of that day.. but I wanted to share with you a couple of pictures they took of me during the process that TOTALLY captured the moment and feelings i was having.. and when I saw them I was like.. oh my heck.. these girls ARE GOOD! lol.. because now I can look back at those photos and remember those feelings and thoughts I was having because they were sensitive enough and creative enough to capture them on film.

 

okay maybe this a a peek. but seriously that look on my face.. I know TOTALLY geeky.. but seriously I was so happy and overwhelmed.. love that they caught that on film.

 

there are a lot more.. I will share through the next few weeks.. but that's enough for now! lol

so anyhow.. if you are ever in the area and want a truly magical experience.. I would say treat yourself to stopping by their studio.. Paisley Studios..   You can follow them on their blog as well! the space is so dang cool too. It is my dream space for an art studio! lol

I am like.. um can i just move in and put my art studio here?  they of course said heck yes.. (even though I know they were like.. um no lol)

just love those two girls! new friends for life for sure! Love you Heather and Kayla!

I just wanted to say to all of you though too.. that creativity comes in all shapes and sizes and forms. Even when Allison was doing my hair or when Robert was doing my makeup, I was in awe of their expertise and knowledge and LOVE of what they do. They create art.. in different ways.. but they do. Crazy and I always tell my students.. to always explore EVERY creative thing that comes into their mind.. because they might find a brand new love and a new way of expression themselves. anyhow..

thanks for letting me share this post.

Happy Creating and Happy Monday!

 

 

 

Little wonders...

how was everyone's valentines day? Mine was spectacular.. I had the all day makeover with Robert Jonesand Allison Price from the Austin Kade Acadmeny.. and all those wonderful people! Talk about an experience! wow!! (here are a just few peeks of that day)..

me and Allison Price (she is the one who colored and cut my hair).. it was at her Salon..Austin Kade Academny where they entire thing too place.

here is all the beautiful make up that Robert Uses on his models.. that was seriously so fun to be made up..

here is me and Robert.. right after he finished my makeup.. but before I finished my hair (he put extensions in it and styled it for the big reveal.)

Me after them putting me in my outfit and Robert putting on the finishing touches (actually just redoing my lips again.. I kept licking my lipgloss off.. it tasted good! lol)

 I was there all day long and they just pampered me from head to toe.. I got my nails done, had a pedicure, they bought clothes and jewelry for me..  and then my family and friends were there at 6:00 to see the final reveal! I have to admit.. it was fun to get my nails painted! It's a wonder how beautiful they look when they are actually filed and not chipped and have color on them! lol

but I told them it might not last long.. and I was right.. I was in the studio painting yesterday and doing videos for the blog and the February Mixed media kit.. and this is what they ended up looking like after I got done.. and this is AFTER I scrubbed and washed my hands..

 

So funny. It was a ton of fun though and a great experience! I can't wait to share with more about it! I met so many wonderful people.. the photographers were AMAZING and I can't wait to share with you all about them and their story, and then of course Allison and Bart and Robert.. and even the camera man.. I will be posting little bits and pieces of it over the next couple of weeks.. and of course the final video that they will be doing on it :) can't wait!

Another fun thing I was doing in the studio this week was creating my project for the Gilded Valentines workshop!  Here is a little peak at what I did..

 

It's a canvas that has deminsonal hearts on them.. and I teach a lot of fun new techniques! SOOO if you haven't signed up for this workshop yet.. you still can!  Come join us! the link is posted below!

Gilded Valentines Workshop.

So on a more serious note.. I know I mentioned monday about last week being a rather hard week for me.. and a close friend had given me this song a while back and yesterday while I was working in the studio.. it came up on my Ipod Playlist..

it's called Little Wonders by Rob Thomas

i wrote the lyrics out because they just truly spoke to me in so many ways and on so many levels.. I have also posted the music video to it below..  

let it go,
let it roll right off your shoulder
don't you know
the hardest part is over
let it in,
let your clarity define you
in the end
we will only just remember how it feels

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

let it slide,
let your troubles fall behind you
let it shine
until you feel it all around you
and i don't mind
if it's me you need to turn to
we?ll get by,
it's the heart that really matters in the end

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

all of my regret
will wash away some how
but i can not forget
the way i feel right now

in these small hours
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away but these small hours
these small hours, still remain,
still remain
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away
but these small hours
these little wonders still remain

 

I really love this song because there are so many moments in our lives that might seem hard or even  moments in our lives that are the most magical and wonderful moments of our lives.. but either way.. I believe both are meant to be in our lives and small wonderful miracles that help us grow and mold us into the person we are. It's also those small moments of love and truth and clarity that we can hold onto that help us get through the hard times we have and things to hold onto. This song has so many different meanings for me right now. I truly love it... and just wanted to share it with you.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thursday!

it's gonna be a good week!!

hey friends.. last week was very sparse sorry about that. Crazy busy getting ready to leave for puerto rico this week!!
So first off.. This week I have some exciting news to share!!!! it's not going to be today.. well maybe ill share just a tiny bit.. but I have two fun things I have been DYING to share with you all.. that finally I can announce!!
okay.. so maybe I will share a little bit of one.. as some of you may know I have been working with Unity Stamp Co. on a new stamp line.. and It is officially done and in production and SHIPPING to me later THIS WEEK!! It will also be debuting at CHA for other stores to carry as well! I CAN NOT WAIT! I think we did a total of 2 she art girl stamps, 8 texture design stamps and one packaged stamp set that has 5 or 6 different doodled borders! I seriously can not wait to have them in the store!!

I will be posting sneak peeks of those throughout the week and then when the officially arrive this week.. I will post them when i return next tuesday! And we will have a big fun giveaway and sale and everything. wahoo!  The other news is.. I have a line of papers.. mixed media embellishments, masks, rubons and tissue paper.. coming out next week at CHA too!! and will be announcing who that is and show you peaks of that this week as well! I seriously can not WAIT! I have already played with the products and made fun canvases with them and I already want more!! lol can not wait!

So this week is exciting! AND another bit of exciting news.. my dear friend Margie..just debuted over the weekend her new online Spark workshop for Valentines.. called

Love love love. And it starts TODAY!!

its a week long workshop.. 3 days of projects.. featuring fun valentines projects .. totally Margie and TOTALLY Spark style as well! She is teaching home decor, garland, gift ideas and homemade valentines.. and I can't wait!

It's starts today! and she did a video on it.. so check  her blog for more info and get signed up!!

anyhow.. know this is a short post for today.. but tomorrow I will be posting the video using this month's mixed media kit!! Showing you how to use that stamp carving set you got and to make 5 handmade tags using it AND some cool techniques using paints and matt medium! So check back tomorrow for that! We will have extra carving pads available in the store tomorrow too. I know the kits only comes with one.. so in-case you want to make more stamps once you learn how!

anyhow.. have a wonderful monday!! see you tomorrow for some artsy fun!

happy monday!