Clara Nilles Canvas Print Giveaway!

You are going to be amazed at this artist and her beautiful work.  Clara is an animal artist from Maryland with so much talent.  This is straight from her bio on her website:

"Art is my passion.

Primarily self taught, I have been drawing and painting since I can remember.   After a long career in finance, I finally decided to pursue my biggest dream . . . . of becoming an artist.   My long-standing medium of choice has been acrylic and pastels, because of their extensive layering capabilities and intense vivid colors. 

Most of my paintings employ many layers in brilliant pure color.  I believe color is the universal language that brings a positive energy to people and communicates strong emotions and mood.   I also think that animals bring out the goodness and feelings of being with the earth.   It’s a combination that has timeless appeal for children and adults alike.

In my paintings, I strive to capture the engaging look or the lively spirit of the animal......something that we often overlook.   I make a conscious effort to create paintings with their own voice, emotion, and mood.   My paintings are frequently imaginative, slightly whimsical, but mostly fun.  I want people to feel positive, charmed, and connected, when viewing my works. "

She definitely does all of that in her work as you can see for yourselves:

 Jelly Bean Giraffes on Pineapple (8.25 x 10.5)

 Leopard Lovers on Lime (12 x 12)

Polar Bear Blush on Slate (12 x 12)

Clara has generously offered one of the three giclee prints pictured here to one lucky winner.  They are printed on high quality canvas and she will sign it herself.  How awesome is that?!

To enter the giveaway please visit her blog or website and tell me what other piece you love.

For extra entries:

Follow her blog (2 entries)

Share this giveaway on facebook/twitter/your blog (5 entries each)

Thanks so much Clara!

Art Week & Foxglove Tree Print Giveaway!

I have declared this week art week on the blog, and I have some fun posts and giveaways for you.

I am really excited about this first art giveaway today because it is one from my very talented sister.  She is an amazing artist, who graduated from BYU last year with a Bachelors in Art Education.  She has been drawing since I can remember and painting is one of her newer passions in art since going to BYU.  She just started an Etsy shop to sell some of her prints and called it The Foxglove Tree.  Here are some examples of what you can find in her shop:

Jamie has offered one lucky reader a print of choice from her shop!

To enter to win, visit her shop and tell me what your favorite print is.

For extra entries(leave a comment for each:)

Add her shop to your favorites on Etsy

Share this giveaway on facebook/twitter/your blog (5 entries each)

Favorite Things Friday: Last One????

I have noticed in the last couple of weeks that Favorite Things Friday has begun to dwindle... What do you think?  Should I keep it up or should we call it good?  For now and next week I will leave it up.  Maybe if all of you could post the button on your blogs and on your posts we can get it going again.  As always, I love to see what your favorite things are every week and all the creative things you come up with.  Here are a few of my faves from last week:

Some cool antique buttons from Still Parenting

A shabby chic picture ladder from The Polka-Dot Umbrella

A super cute toddler necklace from MiaMoo Designs

How to reupholster a couch from Condo Blues

A cute kids art gallery from House on Ashwell Lane

A Ruffled Zip Pouch from Just Sew Sassy

This gorgeous dresser redo from Momma Hen

PS:  Enter the 2 shoe giveaways on the top right on my blog while you still can! Winners will be drawn this weekend!!!

What I'm Loving This New Year

White and black.

Exposed beams on white ceilings and walls

These mother and baby photos - anyone in the Salt Lake City area want to be my models for a Mother's Day shoot?

Pretty silk blouses

Again, the wicker furniture and everything turquoise

Simple and organized desk areas...which reminds me I need to makeover my husband's desk.  Badly.

Some of these have inspired some new projects to work on to consume me in these long winter months...I will post if I ever get to them :)

Butterflies in the House

I told you last week that I would share some of my current projects.  Well, one of those was the butterflies we put on Allie's walls.

I received these cute butterflies from a giveaway.

I actually rearranged Allie's room quite a bit, and changed the decor from traditional/shabby chic to a more modern theme.  I will be posting the before and afters when I finish up a couple more projects.

All I used to glue these on the walls was this:

It was actually really easy and fun.  I stood on Allie's bed and had Allie hand me random butterflies.  I didn't have a plan or anything, just an idea of what I wanted to do...I just kinda went with it.

This silver picture frame will be stripped and stained with the same stain as the letter "A" is.

I used the butterflies I had left over around some of the pictures in her room. 

These 2 frames will have the horse pictures I took just for Allie's room.

Along with this 3rd one.

Allie's room before and after will be posted as soon as I can get these few projects finished!

This post was linked HERE

and here:

Some Links For Your Weekend

I need to make one of these posters.

I thought this was a cool post...(and not to brag or anything, but I can read the first sentences too)

My mom needs this. (via I Heart You)

A very pretty yellow wedding dress, yes yellow. (via Brooklyn Bride)

A very sweet picture here

I love these mini diaries.  Such a great idea.

Ready for summer yet?  I am.  Check out this super cute and cheap swimsuit.

Last but not least, I will be posting more pictures of Darren and Aly's Engagement Shoot on my Photography Blog this weekend, so be sure to go check those out!



P.S. Don't forget to get your free tutu tutorial video while they still last!

Mosaic Photography

I saw these on Lona de Anna's blog and had to share them.  Go check out her blog for the photographer's name and a couple more pictures.

This last one with the pink boxing gloves is my favorite...


I am doing some engagement pictures for one of my cousins next week and I was looking for some cool ideas.


I am going to go scout out some areas of downtown Salt Lake with Adrian so wish me luck!


Posted Here

"Creativity Before Consumption"

I just stumbled upon this designer on Design Sponge and I already love her! Her name is Emily Henson and she lives in LA in a 700 sq. foot bungalow. While she uses a little more color than I like, I really like her ideas and the way she designs...
Her motto is “creativity before consumption” – and it’s one she extends to her professional work with clients. She will find ways to use paint or reupholster before buying. And, when she has to shop, she goes to thrift stores and flea markets.


She painted this birdhouse tree (the birdhouses came from an old job at anthropologie.)
She painted her wood floors white...I love it.
To "disguise" the TV she hung artwork among it, some of which her children made :) I love that her house is kid-friendly and still beautiful.
I SO want to paint my door a bright color.

How cool does she sound?

One Project...

I really liked both of these:

photo from ish and chi

So I tried to copy them:

And this is the same idea, but different...

Are you sick of seeing these everywhere? I kinda like them; these are what I came up with in Photoshop.

I have a really nice, big gold frame I am going to hang over my kitchen table. Which do you like the most?

Posted Here

Sights of Winter

P.S. What do you think of my new signature?

Entered the berry picture on: