Custom Wedding Quilt & Update

I've been working on this custom quilt for the past couple days. My customer had the guests at her wedding write messages to her on fabric squares to later have made into a quilt. Isn't that a cool idea? There were a total of 143 five inch squares and it made a lap size quilt. What a treasured item this will be.

 

With the customers permission I may turn this into a custom item in my Etsy shop.

 

Now for an update... I know it's been a while since I've posted and it has been much longer since I've posted a painting. I planned on having some time to paint before starting on my master's, but it hasn't happened. I start graduate school on Monday and the only thing I've painted the past couple months were some abstract watercolor cards. I truly miss painting, but the line up of custom quilt orders has been almost never ending. Once I complete this custom quilt I will be caught up.

 

I can only imagine that I will be ridiculously busy with school once it starts again, and I have no idea how much time I'll have for either painting or quilting. I do intend to at least set aside as hour or two a day for painting/quilting but school has to be my priority. I'm not sure how frequently I will be blogging, but I hope you'll all stick around! I've appreciated all your support and kind comments over the past couple years. :)

 

God bless.

Future Plans

I thought I would take this opportunity to share my plans for my art. I’m almost ashamed to admit that I haven’t painted in over 6 months (which resulted in my turning my studio into a study). I’m on a little break from school right now and have been trying to decide where I want to go with my painting and quilting. For the last 6 – 9 months I have been cranking out one custom rag quilt after another and I’ve finally reached the point of being completely burnt out. Because I haven’t painted in such a long time and have been spending all of my time making rag quilts I realized that I haven’t actually been expressing my creativity. I want my quilts to be more like works of art, and one-of-a-kind items. I still intend to do some rag quilts, but I want to make more time for creating unique items. Of course the same would be true for my paintings.

As some of you may know I’m starting my master’s program in a couple months and I can’t imagine I will have much time for painting or quilting once I begin. However, I am determined to make time for either, or both. After all, I am an artist and need a creative outlet. But school will be my main priority.

I had briefly thought that I wanted to be a full time artist and quilter and had dreams of opening up my own studio/shop but for some reason I didn’t feel content with that idea. I absolutely love spending my time painting and quilting but I believe I have more to offer. I not only dreamed of being an artist when I was young but also of becoming a therapist; however that seemed like an impossible dream. Now it’s a dream coming true and I couldn’t be happier.

I plan to continue blogging, so I hope you’ll stick around. :)

 

 



Break Time

I am so happy to say that my finals are finished and I'm officially on break! I get a whopping 4 weeks off! Usually it's only 2, so I'll take it. :) I'm very much looking forward to getting a lot of painting and quilting done.

The other night I cleaned my watercolor palette and loaded it with fresh paint. Something about squeezing out that fresh pigment got me really excited! Ha ha. Just love that color! I've already got a drawing ready and some plans for a painting "challenge" maybe. Details to come!

Have a nice afternoon!

Taking a Break

I've decided to give myself some permission to take a break from my art. I have been feeling quite overwhelmed lately by everything I've got going on and having a difficult time making time for my painting. I'm taking a full class load and this quarter is easily one of the busiest I've had in my 4 years in college. I'm also getting married in 4 weeks so I'm feeling some stress from that. Actually this school quarter ends the day before my wedding. I'm even thinking about beginning my yoga teacher training soon. So you can see why I'm feeling overwhelmed. It takes a great deal for me to get stressed and my yoga practice has helped me manage it, but it's still a lot.

My art is unfortunately my last priority right now and after the wedding and after this quarter is over I plan on jumping right back into it. And I may do some painting over the next few weeks but only if I have the time and I want to.

Have a great day!

Busy Busy

Hi everyone! I wish I had a new painting to share with you today, but I do have one in the works. I started a new watercolor painting yesterday of some beautiful peach roses. I'm sure I will finish that up within the next couple days.

Life has been rather hectic the past week or so. My Fiance has been working a few nights instead of days and that has my schedule all messed up. I've also been busy with new classes in school (I'm taking Intro. to Psychology, Corporate Business Structures and Litigation II this quarter). And I've been thinking a great deal about getting my teaching certificate so I can teach yoga. I can either begin the program this Fall or next Spring. I'd like to start this Fall, but I have a lot to to in order to prepare for it. So, it's been a balance of yoga, school, painting and my other daily responsibilities. On the upside, there is never a time where I don't have something to do and I'm never bored. :)

I just wanted to let you know what I've been doing and that I haven't disappeared. :) Have a great afternoon!

Prints and Other News

Well this is what I have been working on today. I'm planning another trip to the gallery tomorrow and I wanted to bring some new prints along. I purchased a swanky new printer a few months ago and I'm actually able to make my own Giclee prints now. The printer is great but it's still a hassle getting the images just right. Although it still beats troubling someone else to do it for me.

I'm afraid that I may not be posting too many new paintings over the next few weeks. I'm nearing the end of my current college classes so I have final projects and exams coming up. I'm also getting married in June so I'm beginning to make plans for that. I don't want to lose momentum with my paintings, but there is only so much time in the day. :)

A Break

I felt like bringing a little beauty to my blog today! It has been so cloudy and rainy this past week. Bring out the sunshine! Actually the sun made a brief appearance today, but that's it.

I wish I had a completed painting to share today, but I don't. I just completed my last final, and all my other homework. I've been working non-stop on this big research paper, and it feels so good to have it done!! It feels great to have everything done :). Now I have 4 whole weeks off! This is the biggest break that we get at my school. Normally we only have a week and a half off in between quarters, and that just isn't long enough! So, I am very happy that I can just focus on painting for a few weeks! How wonderful!

I have started my "heavymetal" painting which is from Day 4 of Creativity Boot Camp. I plan to work on it tomorrow, hopefully finish it, and get it posted. I may also post pictures of a project I've been working on..... :) Have a lovely evening!