Here's a full version of the art party that was in the KINFOLK magazine. I'd like to call it Charcoal & Cheese, charcoal being one of my favorite things in this world and cheese being one of Landon's favorite things, two happy campers = one awesome party. We first started out with cheese, thinly sliced meats [my absolute fav.], garlic-y baguettes, salty olives and two types of rich grape juices.

After our stomachs were happy, we got our hands on the charcoal. I had planned themes for each series we drew so that we all weren't just sitting there staring blank at each other saying, "what should I draw?" Some of the series that we drew were: our own version of a tree, the progression of a cat catching a fish and then eating the fish, and portraits of each other without lifting up our piece of charcoal [the technical term being Contour Drawing.]

We all had our own styles and it was fun and funny to see what each other came up with. I practically laughed the whole time watching Landon and his intense drawing face. I could literally see the wheels turning in that head of his... I loved it and definitely want to do this again! I even have some of Landon's charcoals framed and hung up on our wall, yay for art parties!

Today is my drawing day. I slept in through my first & only class [I'm graduating in 10 days, so it's alright] and now I plan to do the 5 charcoal

portraits I should of had done months ago. It's been so hard to find the time with school, graduating, med. school, immigration papers,

etc etc etc. But today I'm determined to get them done! And I thought I'd share why I'm so determined... because of this playlist I made

this morning. When I'm getting ready to be in the same chair all day long in front of the computer with charcoal in my hands, good

music is what keeps me going.

+ my.ART!

so here is an update on all of my art!

remember how i said i recently finished up a family portrait?!

I'm so happy to share these with you!

Colleen, is a photographer herself and took these amazing photos of the portraits all framed

and hung up in her house. they seriously are the most stylish little family ever and were so so fun to draw!

i also had a customer ask about sketching out ballerina poses... and let me tell you how i WISH so badly i was in ballet, i even took a college course here... but with my bad bones and not so healthy body it didn't allow me to keep going. so i really enjoyed doing these.

here are just a few of my quick minute sketches...

and about my fashionista ladies....

i added some more flare to them with COLOR! i'm excited to find time to do more of these ladies, it's the most relaxing thing for me and i wish i could just do these all day...

sadly school will be starting up soon and that may not happen as soon as i would like.

so please let me introduce you to

FRANCIS.........................................&..................................CECILA

and lastly and MOST importantly...

Ashlee of Where My Heart Resides asked about a month ago if I would be willing to do a giveaway for her 2 year anniversary of blogging....

and of course i said yes! why not!?!

so she is having 3 fabulous giveaways at her blog,

right now she has two up and one happens to be mine!!!

I'm giving away 1 FREE Charcoal CUSTOM Portrait of anything YOUR CHOICE!!

your lover, your pet, your friend, or even yourself!!

GO TO HER BLOG NOW AND ENTER IN THE FREE GIVEAWAY! :)

+ color.

a ton of chaotic colors just exploded on my paper.

i'm not really sure how they did.

but they did.

all i know is that she helped

and that my beautiful box of NUPASTELS that my mother bought me 5 years ago finally got used.

they were displayed so perfectly that i could never let myself touch them, but today felt different.

hence THE COLOR.

PS- my blog will be going through changes this week, so don't be surprised if nothing stays the same for the next couple days!

+ landon's.art.

tonight i am proud to present what my husband has been working on lately...

CERAMICS!!!!

so i took the same class he is in now, Ceramics I, and picking up the wheel & throwing clay was

not easy for me at all, I'm more of a hand-building more detailed and organic shape kinda gal.

well the first time landon threw clay, he had no trouble- quickly caught on and i think he found

his little niche... as it is SO very obvious in the photos.

it's barely midterms and he already has a collection to fill up our shelves. i am in love with

every single piece he brings home and so proud of him.

i'm going to draw up some bowls and pots i want and have some custom work done...

he doesn't know that yet,

but i need some pretty fruit bowls and vases for spring flowers coming up. :)

yay i'm excited!

i had a little photo shoot with the pots today. check them out.

check out the beautiful red inside the vase, love it!

landon actually brought this home with a flower in it for me, so cute.

sheen & shine

so landon has been working lately on a big project for his ceramics class.

they are supposed to recreate something ancient [over 100 years old].

we found this awesome urn and fell in love with it quickly.

landon threw the pot and lid for it and brought it home to hand-build everything else.

and if hand-building is involved...

i obviously would be involved too :)

so we've been working on it together this weekend and it's been such a fun little activity for us.

we have a few more details and engravings to add in tonight and we are all set and done!

i can't wait to have this fired, glazed, and displayed in our home... not as a urn as an art piece :)

my little [buff] proud landon. :)

i'm so happy that he found a creative outlet for himself.

we say that when we are old and rich we will have a wheel & kiln for ourselves to play and create fun things on. i guess we will have to wait and see...

until then, landon will keep creating at school and i will keep taking photos of his creations

and display them in our home :)

PS. we just found out our wedding was featured on the Fabulously Wed blog.

go take a look!

+ early.morning.

it's 2:30AM in the morning... and i'm drawing.

well maybe i'm blogging right now, but i need a breather.

i found these photos i took awhile ago and they seemed appropriate for the post.

i find to draw the best in the early mornings,

not a sound in the house,

and not a sound outside.

it's the only way i don't get distracted.

i'm finishing up one portrait and got one more to go...

[what's kinda funny for me, landon told me he is going to try to get up EARLY to study for his

test, and i told him i was going to stay up LATE to finish up my work. i go to bed when he

wakes up. that's normal right?!]

here is my tool box full of my tools.

a bit messy, but that's how i work, and why i love charcoal the best!

you can always find my black finger prints all over our white keyboard,

desk, fridge handle, and landon's face. oops! :/

i think landon's gotten used to it all and doesn't mind messy fingerprints everywhere,

and plus if anything i'm preparing him for children right?!

and today i said a bittersweet goodbye to Louise & Sandra.

Louise was my absolute favorite and was actually framed on my wall.

i decided to put her up on Etsy and she sold!

and it's no surprise with those good-looks and attitude.

it's kind of silly, but i was telling landon these are like my babies.

i create them,

i name them,

and i'm proud of them.

like your own children right?

well i sent them off on their way,

hope they make me proud.

Louise----------------------------------------------------------Sandra

and this past week i received a pleasant little email from one of my customers all the way over

in Australia! She recently redid her room, which looks fabulous and i must say i'm dying for

that pretty chandelier. Well the two portraits i drew of them are hanging right above their bed

and i love it! thanks so much Kelly for your business, it was so fun to get to know you.

to see more photos from her blog click here.

AND LASTLY

here is a simplified playlist of the one i've been listening to for the past few days.

landon has them memorized practically and as we were building with clay tonight he was singing along and caught me off guard. so funny.

all girl singers= more energy and better drawing for me.

i need that girl power sometimes, ya know what i mean?

so i thought i would share a few of my favorites:

within this next week i will hopefully- FINALLY update my shop. i've been on a slacking-too busy run for awhile so it's time to get back on track. hopefully i will order some more paper for new fancy books, paint some more purses, and create more of my babies. :) stay tuned!