Product Foreshadowing...

Coming soon... delicious silk adornments for your melon!

Little Friends and New Designs!

So this little friend got stuck in my studio yesterday.

And then his little friend got stuck in my studio today.

I don't know how, as I have been keeping my window shut due to the ridiculous amount of flies that are out the last couple of weeks.  But I'm glad they did, as it has caused me to stop what I'm doing and appreciate the little moment of beauty before going paparazzi on them and then opening the window to free them.  

Perhaps this pattern will progress and I'll find a little baby deer in my living room one morning.  As pasty as I'm getting living in England, I could easily be mistaken for Snow White at this point I'm sure.

Meanwhile, I put a delicious new design in the shop today! 

Purple Geometric Scarf Handpainted on Silk Habotai

Skip on over to the Etsy shop and check it out! Woohoo!

Painting Retreat in the South of France!

"Finally" by Christine Sutherland

Greetings lovelies!  My amazing and talented friend and mentor Christine Sutherland is hosting an incredible Painting Workshop in the South of France September 1-7, 2014.  I'm telling you now because its going to fill up quickly and you need to get on board!  See brochure below for details!

"Around and About" by Christine Sutherland

"Dance for Me Lily" by Christine Sutherland

"Plumeria Blues" by Christine Sutherland

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either of us, or post in the comments below! 

Bring in the Fall!

I love the smell of pumpkin, the sound of wood crackling on the fire, the crunch of leaves under my feet, the crisp, cool air, the smell of wood smoke, the gorgeous changing leaves, and everything else delicious that comes with autumn.  Today, with my wood-wicked pumpkin candle crackling and the cool air flowing through my studio, I felt that oh-so-welcome feeling of fall rolling in.  

I also love the days I get to spend the whoooooole day in the studio.  I got two more maxi skirt prototypes done and am feeling much better about the potential of that line of art!  I also got a couple new designs going, one on the super-soft fabric that will be delicious for fall, and another on silk that I'm going to be offering in various colors and patterns.  

Cuddly smooth poppy field in a storm

Geometric style

Keep an eye out for the new designs to be available in the shop over at www.loveartwilltravel.etsy.com! Also, don't forget about the Back to School Sale in the shop as well!  Just use the coupon code NERDYNERD through September 20th for 20% off all orders!

What do YOU love about fall?  Post your comments below!

I Heart Seattle

Back

Front

 I have been fantasizing about making this pillow for some time.  And I finally had time to this weekend! It turned out just like I imagined.  Joy!  Want me to make you one too? Click here :)

Time Management! How I Calm the Chaos.

**Originally posted August 13, 2013**

Let's talk about time management!  I'm an organizational freakshow (as recognized by others as well as myself).  I can't imagine not being this way - all the time that would be wasted!  Gah!  

Anyway, being anally organized and a diligent multi-tasker has helped me accomplish a multitude of things in a short span of time.  I refer to life in general as well as my day-to-day schedule.  And it has been absolutely vital in getting a business off the ground!  

So I thought I might share a few of the basic things that help me maximize the hours in the day and allow me to go to bed feeling like I made significant progress.

1.  Get Enough Sleep!  
This may sound strange to list first, but it is all-important.  If you are sleep deprived, your productivity suffers, your creativity suffers, it all suffers.

Plus it is generally unhealthy and adds to stress, which leads to a billion other health issues.  Some people require less than others.  Some require more.  Mine is 8-9.  Some people run off of 5-6.  I did that in college.  No more. So figure out what your sleep requirement is (when you tend to wake up naturally) and get it.

Your body and mind will thank you.

2.  Lists Are Your Friend!
If you don't like lists, think they are nerdy or for forgetful people only...please revisit the idea.  You can make lists for everything.  Long-term goals, short-term goals, running ideas, the sequence of events that need to happen before said goal can be reached, what you need to accomplish tomorrow or this week, what can wait until next month, etc.  The list goes on!  

It is a gratifying feeling to check things off your list.  It is solid, tangible proof that you are making progress and getting that much closer to your goal.  Proof that you are getting shit done.

3.  (Smart) Multitask
What I mean by 'smart' multitasking is, don't do as much crap as possible at the same time just because you can, i.e. reading/applying makeup/shaving your legs while driving.  

Pair up the things that make sense together in order to maximize your time.

For example:
I will save things that I need to listen to (seminars, panel discussions, audio workshops, etc.) for when I am working on something that requires my visual attention but not my full concentration (ironing, gessoing canvas, hemming, big color washes, doing dishes, etc.).  

I save things that I need to watch (tutorials, presentations, etc.) for when I am sitting down eating. 

I keep multiple projects going at once, and work on them in stages.  This way I can always be moving forward with one of them, while the others are drying or setting or doing whatever it is they need to be doing.  

It can sound maddening, but it keeps everything flowing throughout the day and I don't feel like my time is being wasted by menial tasks (like dishes).

4.  Prioritize.
Here I don't mean just in order of deadline.  That is obvious.  I'm talking about life in general.  That is why I mentioned sleep first.  Your health is of utmost importance.  

If you are not taking care of yourself, you will not be living to your fullest potential, nor will you be creating to your fullest potential.  Or doing anything to your fullest potential.  

So put the best food possible in your body, move and strengthen that body, and sufficiently rest that body.  Easy peasy.

Now that you are taken care of, make sure those around you are taken care of as well.  

For me, this means dividing my daily tasks into "In Studio" and "Out of Studio" tasks.  

While my hubby is at work, I do all of my "In Studio" tasks.  Painting, packaging, sewing, constructing, rinsing, setting... all things production-related.  

Once my hubby gets home and we have cooked and eaten a tasty dinner together, I plop down next to him on the couch and set to work on all my "Out of Studio" tasks.  Writing, emailing, responding, blogging, marketing, promoting, posting, researching, photo editing...all things promotion and development-related.  

I also make sure to stop and take a nice cuddle break with my furry four-legged babies a couple times throughout the day. Very important :) 

So here's what a typical day of mine looks like:

8:00-8:30 - Out of bed
Quick scan of email to check for anything urgent or new orders while eating fruit or drinking a smoothie.
Workout. Shower. Eat again.

In Studio by 9:30-9:45, snack on nuts, jerky or fruit throughout.
Work til hubby gets home for lunch at 11:30, break for lunch.

12:30 - Back in studio, snack at about 2:30 or 3:00, back in studio.

4:30-5:00 - Hubby home, prep for dinner, eat.

5:30-6:00 - Begin "Out of Studio" tasks, work until 10:00-11:00 pm, then to bed.

Repeat.  

Weekends are a bit more lax of course, and other tasks and situations are inserted as necessary and desired.  

If its sunny out, I will frolic in it.  

If a friend calls, I will stop and reconnect.  

If someone stops by, I have a visit over tea.  

If my dog eats too much grass and barfs on the floor, I stop and clean it up.

And so on.  

Obviously, this schedule will not suit everyone.  But it all comes back to the time management.  You are in control of your time, so make the most of it.  

If you have a dream and a set of goals, you are the only person that can get you there.  

Take care of yourself, organize your thoughts and goals, multitask well and prioritize in all areas of your life.  

Whatever you are hoping to achieve, it is in your power to make it happen. 

What are your best time management tips? Tell me in the comments below!

A Day at the Beach!

**Originally posted August 11, 2013**

Today we woke up and the hubby decided we needed to go on an adventure to the beach to take advantage of the little sun we have left for the year here in England.  So we packed a little backpack and headed off to Felixstowe, a lovely little beach town an hour away.  There also happened to be a carnival going on this weekend, which made for lots of extra people and cars.  We also discovered that dogs aren't allowed on the beach May-September, much to our dismay, since England is normally a very dog-friendly place.  So we just walked allll the way down to the edge of town until dogs were allowed on the beach and posted up on our little blanket, had some snacks, and enjoyed the sun and sounds of the waves.  It was nice because there were hardly any people down the beach that far, too.  Above is Scarlet, my typically un-photogenic beagle-lab-whippet baby, enjoying her day as well.  

England has some really lovely seaside towns that we need to take advantage of more often.  We forget that we are only an hour away from all of them!  For an early dinner, we stopped at a cafe with outside seating and had some fish and chips.  Turns out its like an entire fish with just as many chips.  Enormous.  We had haddock rather than cod, which is the norm, but the haddock is slightly sweeter and more flavorful than cod and I liked it better :) Top that off with a glass of Carlsberg the size of my arm, and I was ready for a nap.


Hooray for sun!

Contest Winner!

**Originally posted August 11, 2013**

So last month I decided to launch a little contest to engage my Facebook audience.  I asked for submissions of design ideas so that I could choose a winner based on which design I thought I could turn into the coolest scarf.  

The July winner was Anika Huth, whose design idea was "A big tree with a woman's body incorporated into the trunk of it. With a huge full moon in the background with colors of a really intense sunrise or sunset and out of the branches and leaves there are splatter marks like you messed up but you didn't because there are birds flying away from the branches and coming out of it which actually shows that the birds were the design to begin with... like the birds were all sitting in the tree making the tree and once they all started flying away there would be no tree at all!"  

Phew!  It sounded right up my alley, so this was the one I chose!  Here's how it turned out:  

Thank you Anika for providing the inspiration, and congratulations on winning the July contest!  You can all head on over to my Facebook page here and get your ideas ready for the next month's contest!

I'm also working on a little personal project to commemorate our trip to and my love for Norway this week! Everywhere we went, I collected little maps and guides and whatnot to cut up and use in it.  Once I got home and did the cutting, I glued them all down, taped off the area that will stay white, and then knifed a layer of crackle paste over random areas.  Once the paste dries, I'll be putting down several layers of thin colored glaze to create a very textured mixed media piece in the color scheme of the Norwegian flag :) 

Here it is with the paste drying.  In a couple days, the glazing begins! I'm pretty pumped about it.

Norwegian Fjord Trip!

**Originally posted August 6, 2013**

So I'm a super pasty Norwegian.  Both my Grampas are 100% Norwegian.  I have tapes that my Gram recorded when I was little of my Papa and I singing songs in Norwegian.  We have this fabulous weekend in my hometown called Nordicfest and my Papa and I would frolic around eating lefse and Vikings on a stick (a delicious ball of meat dipped in soft yet crispy batter and fried on a stick. Amazeballs.)  Basically, the Norwegian fjords have been calling my name since birth. Literally.

So when we found out that we were moving to England, this was the first trip on my list. Our cruise left out of Copenhagen, and made stops in Germany, Geiranger, Flam, Bergen and Oslo.  

In Copenhagen, the public transportation is very confusing.  We've never had problems in any other European City navigating the transport, but here, the terms metro/train/s-train are all interchangeable yet all go to different places.  We quickly ended up on a train in the middle of nowhere and I promptly descended into panic attack mode.  It's one of the few things that can still cause my heart rate to spike :/

Anywhoo, cruises are pretty awesome.  Amazing food is available at multiple locations at all hours of the day.  You get to dress up just for dinner.  Pools, saunas, balconies, spas, cigar rooms, pianists, cellists, violinists, you name it.  It's like Vegas on a boat.

The first stop was the furthest north, and the one I was looking most forward to, Geirangerfjord.  This is what I woke up to that first morning.  

I cried like a little bitch.  The epicness was overwhelming.  And the epicness continued, every inch of the way.  It's indescribable, really.  The size scale was incredible.  Endless waterfalls, endless greenery, majestic views and surroundings on all sides.

In Geiranger, we went kayaking.  And paddled right into a pod of porpoises.  JUMPING ALL AROUND US.  I nearly peed.  We were hoping they would come close enough to touch, but that fantasy never came to fruition.

Next was Flam, where the steepest train in the world resides, as well as the most badass Norse brewery EVER.  The beer was incredibly expensive (as is everything in Norway), and incredibly strong. And delicious.  The entire brewery was essentially carved out of a tree. It was rad.  We had a lovely hike through the hills and village as well.

Bergen is famous for its colorful fishing wharf.  This is where we got officially punched in the face by the strength of the Norwegian Krone.  1 banana = $10.  1 container of strawberries = $20.  1 salmon sandwich = $30.  1 pair of tights = $75.  1 pair of soft fuzzy earmuffs = $80.  MADNESS.  Thank god for the ship's endless buffet or we may have starved to death.

And then on to Oslo.  After Bergen, we were scared to even leave the ship for fear of going broke.  But we did of course, and Oslo has a beautiful harbor.  We even met two lovely art students who had just graduated from Italy and scored two kick ass oil paintings for our collection!

Back in Copenhagen, we were hot and sweaty and exhausted.  The Generator hostel in Copenhagen is immaculate.  Seriously the nicest, most well-designed hostel we've ever stayed in.  The food was delicious, the Carlsberg was cold, and the terrace was covered in squishy pillows.  It is also in a great location, right next to the Castle grounds and the Botanical Gardens (I love botanical gardens if you haven't noticed.)  So we took a lovely stroll through the gardens and grounds, went back to the hostel and had a tasty dinner and passed out.  

It was amazing in every sense of the word, but after 8 days, we were definitely ready to get home and cuddle with our furry babies!

Next trip on the docket is Garmisch, Germany and Edinburgh, Scotland!

So very grateful.

Note: To see ALL 366 pictures (madness) from this epic beautyfest, click HERE.

My Preciousssss....

**Originally Posted July 26, 2013**

So Thursday I went into London with a couple of friends for the SAA Expo. It was my first time at any such event, and it was effing awesome.  There were live demos, mini workshops, artist lectures, and racks and racks of delicious supplies.  As you can see, I got pretty excited.  

Check out that fat Filbert...oh man I'm going to fling some saucy pigment with that bad boy mmmmm!  

I also was introduced to some materials that were new to me, which is always fantastical. 

Vibrant inks in the form of blocks, which also work on silk. WHAT?! Mine. Experimentations to come.  

A new line of acrylics that can be 'brought back to life' after drying with a simple mist of alcohol? OMFG! Mine also.  

Watercolor paper postcards (get ready for some rad mail, Gpa!), little brushes with a water reserve (I'll paint when and where I WANT!), Yupo Paper (a new one for me as well, amazing textural effects), a new airtight pallette, a few rad technique brushes, some new heavy modeling paste (mmmm texture), and some very smooth pressed watercolor cards that will be playing a large role in an upcoming collaboration with the one and only Kalyn Caballero of Sally + Jean, Ink!  

As much as I would love to dive into playing with all my new precioussssesssesss... we are off on our delicious cruise to the Norwegian Fjords in the morn!  It has been a crazy week, and it always feels more chaotic building up to a long trip.  But man the hubby and I both need the r&r, and like I said, I have been dreaming of seeing the Fjords since I was but a wee one.  Be prepared for a bombardment of beautiful photos and possibly a video of awesomeness when I return!

It's Almost August?

**Originally posted July 18, 2013**

Where has July gone? The last couple of weeks have been crazy! These poppy pillows have been particularly popular (holy p's). My new delicious easel came and I haven't even had time to open the box and put it together yet... I just pet it everytime I run by as silk hangs from my every limb.  I received a massive order from Kew Gardens this week out of nowhere (YAY!) and a new wholesale order from a lovely little boutique in NYC (more details as this develops!) - on top of the usual stream of custom orders, so I've been painting like a mad woman so I can get everything shipped off before we leave on our delicious vacation next week!  In 9 days, I'll be frolicking around and paddling a kayak through THIS:

I'll be ugly-crying. A lot.  I have been dreaming about this trip for most of my life, and it is really happening.  I seriously may just crap my pants. Or scream out loud, as I hit my knees and descend into more ugly-crying.  I have apologized to my husband in advance for having to deal with my ridiculousness.  But I don't care! I'm going to hang over the railing of the ship squealing like the happiest little piggie in the world and breathe in the most epic air surrounded by countless epic waterfalls and taking in one of the most breathtaking sights the natural world has to offer.  All the while wishing that my two perfectly wonderful and amazing Norwegian grampas were witnessing the majesty alongside me.

Did I mention it's going to be EPIC?

Sewing Success!

**Originally posted July 11, 2013**

So I found a photo filter that depicts how I view my new sewing machine. So many stitches, so many feet, so many rad things that I have no clue how to even make happen yet.  Look at it, glowing with wonder and amazingness... holding so many beautiful projects to come...(insert choir music here).

I have been studying tutorials, reading instructions, watching videos and whatever else I can find. 

Today I finally nutted up and sat down to actually sew something with it.  My fear comes from knowing that if I screw something up I'm going to be quickly frustrated.  And that my silk is delicate and expensive so I want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I start really crafting the new pieces for my shop - the delicious maxi skirts and curtain panels!  

A few months ago I accidentally ordered some of my pillow covers 'open' rather than 'closed'.  Meaning that they are not already sewn up so that they can be stretched on the frame in a single layer to make the painting process run more smoothly.  I ended up liking them more, and it is much more efficient to be able to paint both sides at once rather than to have to flip and re-stretch them.  But I've been hoarding them due to the sewing fear.  So that is what I sewed today, and they came out beautifully!

Mom and Gram would be so proud :*)

After that, I tackled a maxi dress that I bought without trying on that ended up being too short when I got it home.  So I wanted to basically chop out the middle and make a skirt out of it that retained the top edge.  I strategized for awhile, developed a plan, and went for it.  And it worked!  So pumped.  It was a day of winning :)

I Can't Take It Anymore...

**Originally posted July 10, 2013**

So this is the easel I have been using for the past... let's see... 10 years?  It's missing a screw or two, wobbles like hell, and is totally not meant to hold the massive canvases I like to paint on. To increase the stability, I bring it down as low as possible and sit on the floor to paint. Today, as my legs were falling asleep and I was gently wielding my palette knife to a canvas that was swaying back and forth like a hammock, I decided no more! So I went ahead and ordered this delicious creature:

Oh yes.  This magnificent piece of badassery can easily hold canvases up to 87 inches, has full tilt capability - even so far as to lay flat like a table.  And note the wheels. Oh yes, my friends.  In 3-8 days, this beautiful thing will be arriving at my door, and I will be squealing like a little piggie.  Let the paint flinging commence!

Paint Meets Poetry

**Originally posted July 5, 2013**

So a few weeks ago, I was approached about doing a kind of custom order that I haven't yet done.  This magnificent customer wrote this beautiful poem, and wanted it placed onto a print of mine as a gift to a friend of hers.  Absolutely, I said.  What a fantastic freaking idea :)

I think it turned out just delicious. 

So Many Ideas...So Little Time

**Originally posted July 3, 2013**

So this is what it looks like in the fields of England right now.  Amaze-balls.  I didn't take this picture - it's hard to get a good shot when you're trotting around on a horse - but you get the gist.  I never knew that I loved poppies so much until I moved here.  I want to paint poppies on everything right now.  In fact, as soon as I am not working on an order (thank you wonderful customers for keeping me so busy!), I'm going to paint a deliciously soft scarf for myself, with a field of poppies spanning across the length.  I'm pumped. 

This weekend, my hubby and I are participating in a real-life version of Mario Kart at the local Go-Kart track.  It's going to be rad.  We even got the helmet cam.  I'm Boo. He's Yoshi.  Stay tuned for some hilarious shots, and perhaps even a video if I can figure out how to edit one for blogging purposes.  Wish me luck!

Dog Shaming

**Originally posted July 1, 2013**

I finally got to bust her today. Good times.

Sunrise

**Originally posted June 30, 2013**

This was a super fun custom piece that I was able to joyously deliver last week.  She requested a leafless tree, sunrise colors and lots of red. Happy to oblige! Prints of this piece will be available in my Etsy shop very soon!

The Joy of Teaching

**Originally posted June 30, 2013**

I got to spend my Saturday in this lovely garden teaching a small and casual painting workshop.  It was freaking fabulous.  

Bridges

**Originally posted June 25, 2013**

I'm still having a hard time believing each evening that I don't have to get up the next morning and go anywhere but my delicious studio.  It's been massively productive and exciting in there the last couple of days, lemme tell ya. 

The painting above is one that I did a couple of months ago as a going away present for a co-worker and close friend and her husband.  They are preparing to move to Charleston, and I'm super sad about it.  I wish we had more time together.  This is the pattern of military life, however.  You meet kindred spirits, become close to those rare few people that you can forge a true connection with, and in 1-3 years, one of you gets assigned to the next location.  Which is a fabulous never-ending adventure of course, but bittersweet nonetheless.  Hooray for living in the future and Facebook and all that jazz...it doesn't compare to face-to-face adventures and conversations, but it helps :)  Anyway, my friend purchased the supplies and told me to 'go crazy'.  So I did.  It was super fun.  And they freaking loved it, and so do I.  I originally painted it vertically, but when I gave it to them we turned it sideways and they said it reminded them of a bridge in Charleston.  So The Bridge it is.  With all the texture and metallics in the piece, this photo isn't the greatest depiction.  It is much more fantastical in person I promise :) 

Livin' the Dream

**Originally posted on June 23, 2013**

Tomorrow will be the first Monday of my fantasy career...the career that is no longer a fantasy.  Tomorrow my schedule will be exactly what I want it to be, and nothing I don't.  Tomorrow I will officially be living the dream.  To make a living doing what I truly love to do.  (Cue cheesy music here: "It's a new dawn, it's a new day...") 

My schedule will look something like this: 

- Awake with a big fat smile 

- Eat a tasty piece of fruit

- Take my wonderful husband to work

- Have a super sweaty and gratifying workout

- Shower and make a tasty brekkie with a spot o' tea

- Check emails, shop site, website, FB, messages, etc.

- Skip my happy ass to my studio and fling paint with abundance and joy. For hours. And hours. And...hours.

- A bit of product photography, lunch, yoga, sewing, stretching, snacks and squealing with joy...

- Prepare a delicious and nutritious dinner.

- Blogging, marketing, promoting, researching, ordering and packaging.

- Go to bed looking forward to waking up the next day and doing it all over again. And again. And again. FOR-EV-ER. 

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Case of the Mondays? Not this girl :)  

Tulips and Failure

**Originally posted on June 22, 2013**

So I've already failed in my attempt to post daily...boo.  Perhaps I will change the idea to 'post as often as possible'.  Part of the trouble is that I take most of my pictures throughout the day with my iPad and I can only edit my site from my laptop.  Yes, I know, I can just email them to myself.  I already feel busier than I did with that pesky day job.  This is a good thing of course!

So I was hoping to post a progress picture of the magically delicious Amsterdam scarf I am working on, but my customer loves surprises and I promised I wouldn't post any previews to spoil it :) So I conceded to posting one my inspiration shots instead.  I love Amsterdam with all my heart, and was so excited to get this custom order!  Once she sees it, I will post the deliciousness. 

Such a Rough Life...

**Originally posted on June 20, 2013**

Today's picture is of my little princess taking a little siesta in the sun that is so rare in these parts.  I know it's only the second day and I'm already posting pictures of my dogs. I couldn't help it! I mean look at that angelic face.  You would never think she could eat two entire Christmas stockings and a leather watch band in less than an hour...