GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

Thanks to each of you for entering the giveaway for a BABY CARD on this post!

I loved reading your comments about your precious favorites of precious babies!

Let's all be winners :) I will be in contact with each of you shortly to get your color choice and shipping information. THANKS AGAIN!

Summer PHOTO-DUMP

I've been having a wonderful summer! While I don't get the "working at a public school" benefit of summers off  like teachers do... I am very happy with my 10 hour workdays and Fridays off. Every weekend holds oppurtunity for extra adventure with that extra day and I've been enjoying them!

My camera is loaded with photos of fun summertime happenings. I like to have photos on my blog since I don't keep a real photoalbum or scrapbook. Since I don't have time to write a detailed post about each adventure... I hope this "photo-dump" is okay with you...

Sailing ADVENTURES...






i want a boat hammock!

Sewing, cocktails and girl time with my cousins, aunt and mother-in-law...






Paddleboarding and beach fun...




Zoo...

New in Shop... Baby Cards! + a giveaway

It seems like everyone around me is having a baby! I love always knowing about a little baby on the way to pray about and excitedly anticipate meeting soon.

With so many babies also means lots of showers and gifts and congratulations so I thought it was time I illustrate a baby card. They're available for purchase in the shop now!

To win a single card of your color choice... comment below on your most favorite thing about babies! Enteries will close Monday (8/6) night and the winner will be randomly selected and announced Tuesday (8/7)!

My favorite thing about babies is making eye contact with them and enjoying whatever their reaction is... smiles, coos, crying, interest. Simple little interactions like that are my favorite!

 

if I could sing...

I have a wretched singing voice... it's tragic really. I love singing and I love playing guitar.. yet I can't let anyone hear me. I'm too embarassed.

If I could make a magic wish to sing like anyone I wanted.. I'd pick Brandi Carlile's voice. She's terrific. I'd sure love to hear her live someday!

I had a very sleep deprived and somewhat stressful week. My eye started twitching the other day and it's driving me bananas! I hope a long weekend of relaxation and doing as I please will do me and my body well!

Meanwhile.. let's hear an awesome tune from the coolest... Brandi Carlile.

Inspiration: Flowers, Plants and Trees

I had the Independence Day week off of work and enjoyed every second of it. Kell's parents were intown to visit and we had a wonderful time, as always. I got to take Karen to Leu Gardens.. a place in Orlando that I love but don't get to visit very often. It's so beutiful there.. and lucky us.. it was free admission that day! It was unbearably hot so we just made it a quick trip.. but we both got to see a bunch of beautiful things that we've never seen before.. and I got to take a few photos.

I've always loved looking at flowers and they tend to catch my eye anywhere.. I think even the weedy flowers are beautiful. Since I've started painting more.. I've noticed myself having an even keener interest in the flowers now.. if I have a camera on me.. I'll take a photograph. If I dont.. I'll usually look at it a while and try to remember it. I guess I'm grasping for inspiration and new subjects because I don't like to paint the same ones over and over.

Here are some lovely flowers, plants and trees from Leu Gardens that I took a special liking to... maybe some of them will pop up in an illustration soon!

What is something that catches your eye or inspires you on a regular basis??

new in the shop

I gave a sneak peek of the boat series last week...
 
Now they're all ready to be seen and sold!
 
There's also a new Kitty print in the shop and I'm now working on an assorted dog and bug set. I'm having so much fun painting all of these! 
 
Head on over now... YOURS TRULY PAPERIE and if you'd like to make a purchase.. enter this coupon at checkout for free shipping! FREESHIP2 (coupon good until July 17th).
 

did you hear? have you seen?

I have some exciting news!

My little bitty papergoods company has been doing well :) I've recently been mentioned in the business blogs of two ladies that I admire very much, am grateful for and have been so priviledged to work alongside..

 Check out both of the features pictured above here (at Bliss and Tell) and here (at Finding Home).

The first is Reni from Bliss and Tell Branding Company.


She is a gem to work with.. so pleasant, talented and professional. Being new at this.. I was quite clueless of the business and ins and outs of custom illustration.. I am so thankful to her for providing guidance and encouragement and goldmines of wisdom and tips... when most might have taken advantage of me or dismissed me altogether.. she saw an opportunity to be helpfully honest! She's THAT nice. I am very grateful to her for finding me and taking a chance on a new artist like myself. I'm so thrilled that she and her clients are pleased with their final products of my illustrations and I am hopeful for many good things to come of our partenership and collaborations.

Be sure to check out Reni's website, portfolio and blog... she does a heck of a job creating clean and bright and lovely web pages that I could look at all day. My experiences working with her as an artist have been wonderful.. she is very friendly, open-minded and talented. If you or someone you know has a business that could benefit from some focused branding strategy and web design, Reni is your gal!

The second is from Laura at Finding Home.

Reni (above) designed her website and took a chance on me to produce the illustrations. Well apparently Laura loved what I was able to create for her! Check out her website/blog here.. she is a very talented Interior Decorator. Doesn't she have great style? That she is delighted with her illustration pleases and flatters me so ! For her exciting site launch she asked me if I'd like to contribute a giveaway item.. and of course I said absolutely! Go to the post and enter in the giveaway if you are interested... it is open until July 17th!

I certainly can't quit my day job yet... but I am so excited for how this little business of mine is blossoming and thriving. I am having a lot of fun! Thank you for all of the kind words and support along the way... it means so much.