20 Years Ago Today

I am sharing this post as a reminder to myself (and anyone else that might need to hear it) that dreaming big and not being afraid to go for it can lead to some pretty amazing adventures.

Today marks the 20 year anniversary of that time this mural (and my friend & business partner, Zoë, and I) were on the Oprah show after a whirlwind trip to Racine Wisconsin (and Chicago!) to paint a surprise mural for one of Oprah’s angels, Julia Burney (now Witherspoon).

In April 2001, our mural and decorative painting business was still just a fledgling company... I was a young, wide-eyed dreamer who was only a few months away from getting married. When Zoë and I saw Julia’s inspiring (and close to our hearts) story, I had no doubts about what I wanted to to. I wanted to volunteer to paint a mural for her new reading center, so I immediately emailed Oprah... No second guessing, no hesitation, no questioning whether or not it was a crazy idea.

Looking back, there is a lot that I can learn from my younger self. So, to celebrate this special day, I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that I knew then (without even realizing it!!), but need a reminder of now:

1. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. So, you might as well PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.

2. POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS, if you...

3. DREAM BIG, WORK HARD, and GO FOR IT!

4. It’s okay to be nervous... Feel the fear, but DO IT ANYWAY! And, finally...

5. FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD.

If you’re interested in reading more about my time on Oprah, you can find the whole story on my website HERE.

I would love to hear about what big dreams YOU are dreaming today!

(Please share them with me in the comments!)

My Very First Video Tutorial!

I am so excited!!!

I am a BIG believer that creating art doesn't have to cost a lot of money.  I believe in saving money where you can, so that you can splurge where you want.  I am also a huge fan of sharing ideas.  (I have even created some written tutorials in the past.)

Today, I am so happy to share my very first video tutorial that combines my belief in saving money, and my love of sharing ideas... How to create a professional looking wrapped gallery canvas using things you probably already have laying around the house!  

I've shared the video over at the Willowing blog and I really hope you'll check it out... Who knows, maybe you'll end up saving so much money on canvases that you'll finally be able to get the supplies you've been wanting to indulge in, or sign up for the class you've been dreaming about taking...  Either way, I hope you enjoy!

Random Thoughts On A Thursday

Tyler's note

I found this little message yesterday on a scrap sheet of paper... I love nine year old wisdom.

My heart sings every time I receive an email about my "Take What You Need" poster... It is so fun for me to hear about where in the world they end up! (If you'd like to download and/or print it, click here for a high-res. pdf version.)

I am trying to take some of my own advice and be kinder to myself.

One of the ways I've been trying to banish the negativity gremlins and self-doubt monsters from my studio is by listening to audio books that promote positive thinking while I paint.  (As a bonus, I have found that I am more productive when I do.)

I am a big fan of Kind bars... And not just because I love the name (although, I think that's pretty great too)!

I watched the movie "Wild", and now I'm thinking about reading the book.  Usually I read the book before I watch the movie, so that I can create my own images in my head... Do you read the book or watch the movie first?

A collaboration with Tyler.

It is supposed to snow this weekend.

I'm not ready for winter.

Seeing my "Tea and Cake with Gracie" interview is like a ray of sunshine on a chilly day...

I'm so excited to be offering a free art tutorial, a free downloadable print, and giving away the ORIGINAL Frida painting (in the photo above) to one lucky Willowing reader!  To read the interview and enter the Giveaway, please click here.

Guess Who's The Featured Artist At The Paint Party Friday Blog...

Me!

EVA and I are currently waiting for more Paint Party Friday Featured Artist Submissions (*Hint*Hint*), so this week the partyers over at the PPF Blog are stuck with me.  

(Don't feel too bad - they were warned!  Ha!)

If you're interested in the interview, you can read it here.

(And if you're a PPFer - Please Please Please send in an interview... We really want to hear YOUR story!)

p.s.  It's "Blogtoberfest" and I'm posting everyday...  

Please be sure to come back tomorrow!

AEDM: Day 7

Click on image to view larger.

I'd like to start this post by thanking Tracey and Molly for giving me the "Tell Me About Yourself" award...  Thank you both so much - I am very honored that you thought of me!

The first part of this award is to share 7 things about myself that you might not already know.  Well, since I have been wanting to play along with Andrea's interview I thought I would answer those questions... It is actually 10 things, so I hope you don't mind!  

(I really admired the creative way Molly shared information about herself, and I fell in love with Karen's artsy answers to Amy's interview questions.  So, since I was feeling inspired, I created a page in my sketchbook that answers Andrea's questions.  You can click on the image at the top of this post to see my answers, or you can just read them below.)

1. What should you be doing right now instead of sitting on the computer?

Cleaning my studio!  (See question 2!)

2. What's the messiest area of your house?  and dare you to show us...

My studio.  If I don't clean it soon, the next time I venture in there I will most likely not come out!  Pictures?  I'll have to dig my camera out first!  Ha!

3. 5 simple things that make you happy right now, above and beyond the obvious like your family and your health...

squeezy bear hugs

perfectly ripe avocadoes

smiles from strangers

great big belly laughs

an extra hour of sleep

4. When did you last cry?

By the time you read this, I will probably have already cried again!  Ha!  I cry a lot... I cry when I am happy, sad, scared, angry... You get the picture, I'm sure.  The only thing I do more than cry?  Laugh!  I laugh 

a lot!

5. Favorite book...

Impossible.  Seriously.  I loooove books... all kinds of books!

I could never choose a favorite.

6. How many pets...

I have 2 cats - Mona and Lisa.

7. 2 Goals... one huge and unrealistic one, and one achievable one...

I believe in dreaming big and I have been very fortunate to see seemingly unrealistic dreams become achievable ones!

My current goals involve art, kindness, and book ideas...

(I know it might seem like an elusive answer, but I am superstitious and I am scared of jinxing myself!)

8. 5 things in your purse besides money and a cell phone...

I don't carry a purse - I like to keep things in my pockets.  Sometimes I carry a great big bag with my sketchbook, art supplies, and camera, though.

9. The emotion or feeling you hate the most...

Jealousy and the feeling of inadequacy that often accompanies it.

"Comparison is the thief of joy!"

-Dwight Edwards

10. If you could have 50 pounds of anything except money or gold what would you want?

I'd be very curious to see what 50 pounds of feathers would look like, but what I'd really love to have is 50 pounds of paint, or canvas, or pencils... 50 pounds of art supplies is as good as gold, as far as I'm concerned!

The second part of this award is to give it to 15 great blogs.  Well, the truth is I read a lot of great blogs and I'd love to know more about all of them!  So, if you're reading this and you'd like to play along please grab the award and leave your link in the comments so I can learn more about you!  If you've already accepted this award from someone else, I'd love it if you would leave your link in the comments too!  (It's not necessary to answer these specific questions, but if you'd like to you can find them here.)

The Post In Which I Tell You More Than You Ever Wanted To Know...

About Me!

Amy over at butterscape recently set out on a quest to interview all of the readers of her blog.  Well, since I'm a reader of her blog and I think it's a nifty idea, here is my interview:

1. what is your name and stuff?  and any other good information.  like bank account details.

My name is Kristin, but everyone in my family calls me Honey.  (If you want to know why, you can read about it here.)

I live in Buffalo, New York with my husband (Bob), son (Tyler), and 2 cats (Mona and Lisa).

(I think I'll leave off my bank account information... Unless of course, you are part of a "Nigerian family of wealth" who is looking for an "overseas partner" to "transfer a large sum of money" to.  Then please feel free to send me an email!  Ha!)

2. what is super hot about you?  <--- don't you Dare skip this one.  answer it.

My moustache.

(Just look at the pic at the top of this post if you don't believe me!)

3. don't lie or cheat: what is under your couch right now?

A playing card and a sock.

4. when was the last time you shaved your legs?

Yesterday.

5. what did you have for breakfast?

A handful of cashews, a cherry cake doughnut, and water.

(Healthy, right?!?)

6.  if you could choose a new name, what would you name yourself?

My mom wanted to name me Sunshine - I always thought that would have been cool.

7. have you ever had plastic surgery?

No.  But... I have had a plastic surgeon put stitches in my face twice.  The first time was when I accidentally got hit in the fivehead (my head is much too large to be a forehead) with a golf club while playing mini golf with friends my senior year in high school.  The second time was after a freak rollerblading accident shortly before my wedding.  (In addition to messing up my chin, I knocked my front teeth out!)  

I am very, very accident prone.

8. are you afraid of the dark?

No.  Not really.  Well... maybe sometimes.

9. are you a hermit?

I am a seasonal hermit.  Winters aren't fun where I live (at least I don't think so), so I tend to stay inside... a lot.

Hmmm... Maybe that's just hibernation...

10. why do you blog?

The connections.  I have discovered an amazing community of creative folks who continually inspire me (and I have made some wonderful friends as a result).

The end.

Okay, your turn - grab the questions from Amy's post and have some fun... I'd love to read your answers too!

Do What You Love!

I am very happy to say that I am "sharing my story" over at the Do What You Love for Life blog!

If you are interested in learning more about my creative journey, you can read about it here.

I hope today finds you doing all sorts of things that you love!

Here Is...

I feel like there has been quite a bit going on behind the scenes in my little part of the (blog)world, so I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of the things I've been up to.

I was interviewed by Helen from Scarlet Designs as part of her "Blogs From Around the World" series.  (You can read it here.)

I receive many questions about my art, and this past week I received an email with specific questions about the painting techniques I used in my One World One Heart painting and also in the Bohemian Butterflies painting.  After I wrote back, I thought it might be useful to post my answer here too (just in case anyone else was wondering).

Here is the question:

I'm curious about your materials and technique for overpainting the bright backgrounds you paint. What type of paint do you use? How do you cover the background so completely? I've done some background/overpainting like that but never got the background covered as nicely as you! I'm using acrylics. I'm wondering if I'm using the wrong kind of paint or just not enough.

Here is my answer:

The truth is that I use whatever paint I have lying around - I generally use artists acrylics for underpainting, details, etc.  For the overpainting in the paintings you're talking about I actually used latex house paints - it's great for opaque coverage (and I always have lots - before I had Tyler I was the co-owner of a mural/decorative painting company).  I mix my own colors using white latex (usually satin finish) with the basics - red, yellow, blue, brown, black.  Sometimes to achieve a really intense color you have to rely on artists grade paints... it all depends what I'm mixing.

As far as technique, for the heart painting I used an expired plastic gift card to apply the overpaint (kind of like a trowel)... first a deep blue (I think that was actually some craft paint I had lying around - premixed), then I put on a layer of turquoise latex house paint, then a layer of light green house paint - I let a little of each previous layer peek through.  For the butterflies, I used a brayer for the overpainting - I actually used some saran wrap to dab on the colors, then used the brayer while it was still wet to blend it.

(I love receiving emails and I'm happy to answer any questions I can, so feel free to email me anytime!)

And, speaking of painting, I think Eva and I have kept you in suspense long enough...

On Friday March 18th, Eva and I will be launching Paint Party Friday!  I think it's going to be a lot of fun and I hope you'll join us!  (You can read more about it here.)

Since I'm still on the topic of painting, I would be remiss if I didn't mention...

The amazing wood mounted print I just received in the mail from the very talented Lori Diane!  I have loved this painting of hers from the moment I saw it and I was lucky enough to win a print of it during OWOH!  If you would like a piece of her gorgeous artwork for your very own, be sure to visit her etsy shop.

Thank you so much Lori (Bob and I know exactly where we are going to hang it)!

I would like to finish today's post with some gratitude by giving a shout out to some great etsy treasuries and a big thank you to each of their creators:

sleepyhollowfolkart

LittleFishSupplies

MissBettysAttic

sharethebeauty

Lincikas

I'm so happy to be a part of these fun treasuries - thank you for including me!