Beautiful Bathrooms!

Everybody has one...that toilet that you have to jiggle the handle or hold it down just a bit longer than normal!

Everyone also needs a little reminder every  now and then...wash, brush, scrub, and flush!

Even princesses!

Just a quick reminder about holiday orders - they all need to be in by December 5th to guarantee Christmas delivery!  Email me your details to brandie_bc1@yahoo.com as soon as possible.  I look forward to painting for you!  

Recently...

Things are always busy for everyone, but it seems like things have been busier than usual.  School is crazy.  Lauren has started playing basketball, dances, and was in a pageant.  She didn't win anything, but she is gorgeous inside and out.  I love this picture of her!  Carter's basketball games and practices are keeping us on the road, too.

My mother had rotator cuff surgery.  She did really well and is recovering.  All four of us in the Mansfield house have had some kind of sickness.  Carter is just getting over the flu right now.  With some of my home time, I took on a project that had been sitting in my garage for a while.  This is my paint chest that was just plain wood.  I bought the little dresser for $45.  It was a different color of wood.

I painted them both cream, distressed them with sandpaper, and used a light brown wax.  I also replaced the brass drawer pull on the dresser with some colorful porcelain ones from World Market.  It not sits in my office and holds all of my art supplies.  I love it!

I've gotten most of my previous orders completed so I can focus on getting all of those Christmas ornament canvases started.  If you ordered one, they will all be finished and delivered by December 18 as promised.

If you are still wanting to place a Christmas order of any type, please get them in by December 5.  Thanks so much!!

Custom Ornament Canvas Ordering

I shared a sneak peek for the Millers on facebook and I've had lots of interest in this canvas.  It is really pretty and makes the perfect gift!  I've decided to open it up for orders this holiday season.

It's got a sage green background with a black and white dotted border.  The trim is a beautiful red glitter.  The ornaments will be in a combination of the featured patterns based on how many ornaments you need.  All canvases are topped with a red stain ribbon.

I took one with me to Pumpkinfest, and it sold to the Boatfield family.  Here's their personalization!

If you would like to order a canvas (or two or three!) for your family, here's the details...

• Orders must be placed by November 20.  They will all be shipped or delivered on or by December 18.  If you need it before that date, please let me know when ordering.
• The colors and design is as pictured.  The only thing that changes is the number of ornaments.  More than four and the pattern just repeats.
• I only take orders by email - brandie_bc1@yahoo.com.
• The size and price guide is listed below.  This price includes delivery for local orders.  Please add $5.00 for each canvas ordered that needs to be shipped.

1-3 ornaments - 11x14 - $30

4-6 ornaments - 12x16 - $40

6-8 ornaments - 16x20 - $50

More than 8?  Just email me with your information for a price quote!

 

Names, Names, Names...

Lots and lots of names...here are some of my favorites from the Christmas gift giving season!  This one was a gift ordered by Kayla Young.  She wanted the maroon lettering on a khaki background.  Clean and simple...can't go wrong!

I really like this family version that shipped out to Renee Lively.  She requested to have the family members' first names added across the bottom. I just love that polka dot ribbon!

I have done this design before and it is definitely a favorite.  The tone on tone swirls in the background are so pretty.  The name is in large cream letters with a chocolate brown date over the top.  This is perfect for those of you who like a little texture in your background.  It has also been distressed and topped off with burlap ribbon for a vintage look.

For a more classic look, this fancy khaki H is on a cream background.  The name and date is over the whole thing in navy blue.  I usually do this in black or chocolate brown, but I am loving the navy!

Thank you all so much for all of your orders this Christmas season.  I hope you all loved giving your artwork as much as I enjoyed painting it.

Here's to a wonderful 2013!

End of the Year Lists

My favorite thing about this time of the year is all of the lists.  My stocking was full of magazines with the top ten movies of the year, books of the year, and (my most favorite of all) best and worst dressed.  Yes, Santa knows that I love a good list!  I decided that my final post of the year should be a couple of lists.  Here's a list pf my top ten favorite canvases from the wonderful year that was 2012...

10.  K, L, and Y monograms - this made the list because I think they are so pretty together and a true complete set.  There is a lot of detail work (and dots!) in each one.  Also, the mom was so sweet and has ordered so many pretty pieces for these girls' rooms!

9. Merry Christmas from the Blacks -  this made the list because it marked a challenge overcame for me.  Getting dots, stripes, and a Santa all on the same canvas was no small feat.

8. The Meredith Prayer - this made the list because I sort of tear up every time I paint it.  I've painted it lots of times since, but this is the original.  All of the things a kid needs are right here.

7. The Bathroom Set - this made the list because it is a classic.  I don't know how many bathroom sets I've painted over the years and I know there's too many dots to count.  This one particular set was my favorite of the year because of the color combination...all of my favorites!

6. I Love You Forever - this made the list because it is an experiment that turned out beautifully.  I tried the scalloped edges and dots in varying sizes for the first time.  It turned out just like I had it pictured in my head and, trust me, that doesn't always happen!

5. Teacher's Canvases - this made the list because this is probably what I paint the most.  I also happen to love honoring teachers and creating special gifts for them.  I chose these two to represent teacher canvases because that owl and that worm in the apple are just so bright and happy.  I know the kids like to see them coming down the hall!  

4. Mary Claire - this one made the list just because I love it.  Plain and simple.  I love everything about it from the colors and the font to the stripes and little rosebuds.  Love it.

3. The New Wedding Design - this one made the list because it is the new hit of the year.  This design first showed up with the Avett Brothers song lyrics pictures above with a wedding name and date below.  It quickly look off into lots of other wedding songs and then to special Bible verses.  

2. The Pooh Quote - this made the list because it never gets old.  I've painted this super sweet Christopher Robin quote so many times and in so many different ways it's not even funny.  I even shipped one to Australia!  This one was chosen out of all of the others because it is so different.  It was meant to match the little girl's bedding and just turned out perfectly.  I love it when that happens!

1. Austie - this made the list because of the unusual color combination and challenging pattern combinations.  It moved up the list because I love "The Help" and Audrey Hepburn quotes.  It topped the list because the whole entire set works so well together.  So pretty!

Okay, that was my top ten.  Here's the top ten looked at posts by viewers like you!

10.  For A Special Aunt

9.  End of the School Year

8.  Brown Sugar Body Scrub

7.  Show Us Your Life - Favorite Beauty Products

6.  Show Us Your Life - Christmas Cards

5.  Kenny Chesney

4.  Show Us Your Life - Front Porches/Patios

3.  I Love You Forever

2.  Orange County Choppers

1.  Christopher Robin

Was you favorite on there?

Christmas 2012

We had such a nice Christmas.  Thankfully, ours are all spread out so we never really feel like we have to rush from place to place.  We got more than we needed and everything we asked for - pretty nice.  More importantly, we spent time with family in warm houses with lots of food.  This is my aunt Carol who lost her husband, Hugh, this year.  I am so glad that she was able to come up from Alabama and spend the holidays with us.

Christmas Eve is always spent at my grandmother's house.  To me, Granny P is the queen of Christmas.  There are five children, thirteen grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren.  Plus, there are spouses and boyfriends and girlfriends.  She makes sure every single person gets a gift!

We have an early Christmas with Mike's sister, Michelle, so they can be home in Franklin for Christmas.  It is always a nice way to sort of kick things off.  Here's the kids with their cousins - they are all growing up so fast!

It was the year of the headband!

It was also the first year that this guy didn't ask for some kind of toy.  It was all video games, gift cards, and clothes.  I never thought he would ask for clothes for Christmas!

Little bit got exactly what she asked for, a new dollhouse!

I don't know who was more excited, me or her!  I had a dollhouse growing up and loved that thing.  I can still remember the names of my family members!  Christmas morning at our house started a little later, was a little quieter, and moved a little slower than years past.

The kids didn't want a picture with Santa this year.  They opted to posed beside the cool polar bear display at Opry Mills instead.  Another sign that they are growing up!

We all spent the day after Christmas in our pajamas - sort of cleaning up and sort of playing around.  I think there may have been a nap or two involved!  Whew!

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve and the Mansfield house is smelling pretty good!  I am taking a break from making a cranberry salad, sausage balls, and banana caramel pie - yum!   We are all excited about the holiday and all of the magic that it brings.  

I painted custom artwork for the kids' teachers this year as gifts.  I really don't do that every year because sometimes I just don't have the time.  I started early this year!  I love this snowman and woman couple for Mrs. Tena Self.

Carter's basketball coach, Miss Kim, is a huge Alabama fan.  I did this one in the crimson red with her in mind.  She loved it!

Our principal, instructional coordinator, and guidance counselor all got these glittery little signs for their front doors.

I had a couple of teacher canvases ordered recently as well.  This one shipped out a couple of weeks ago and was an etsy order.  This little 5x5 size is so cute and I love those bright dots!

Look at all of the pretty highlighting on this one...

Mrs. Stephanie at Bobby Ray Elementary here in town ordered this one for herself.  She was very specific about wanting the black and white damask with the aqua.  She also requested very simple printing for her name because she teaches younger children who are learning to read.

The timer is going off...back to the kitchen!

Merry Christmas!

 

Show Us Your Life - Christmas Cards

It's Christmas card day at Kelly's Korner!  I love giving and getting Christmas cards and can't wait to go look at all of yours.  I shared this little side table with my new ruffled burlap runner before.  It had a canvas picture of my son above it.  I finally found a way to hang all of my cards so everyone can see them.

I used clear double sided tape to attach a small strip of burlap ribbon from window frame to window frame.  This is the area right in between our kitchen and den so we get to enjoy them.  I found these really cute tiny clothespins for half price at Michael's.

Here's our card this year!  I love it with all of our smiling faces and that big strip of polka dots.

The very talented Dawn Winton took our portraits in late summer.  These were all taken in a local park.  I wanted us to coordinate but not be too matchy.

Look at my sweet girl!  She looks so pretty and grown up.

Speaking of grown up!  Baby boy looks like a little man.  Yikes!

Show Us Your Life - Christmas Decorations

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner today to share our Christmas decorations.  This is our first Christmas in our new house and I've had so much fun!  As I was unpacking all of our older decorations, I realized how dated some of them were and just how many of them I really no longer use.  I had a big clean out and purchased some new items!

Here's our main tree in the living room.  I replaced our silver garland with some wide natural burlap ribbon from Ballard Designs.  I also replaced our blue and silver snowman tree skirt with a red burlap ruffle one from this etsy shop.  They had tons of beautiful stuff at a very reasonable price!

I've wrapped all of my presents in the same lime paper this year - one version in diamonds and one version in damask.  I used red grosgrain ribbon taped down flat with pretty gift tags.  I like that I can stack them on top of each other without worrying about squishing the bow!

We used to have Disney stockings and my kids have just outgrown them.  I ordered the classic burlap stockings that come with a burlap wrapped initial from this etsy shop.  This shop owner was so sweet and easy to work with!  My dad brought me some real poinsettias!

I have a large collection of Department 56 Snow Village houses that were handed down to me from my mom.  I don't put all of them out but I did a special display on our mantle.  My husband loves baseball, so I put our stadiums and a few specials houses out.  There is also a natural burlap garland in the background.

There's my art studio Snow Village house on top of our secretary desk in the entry hall.  This super cute joy banner came from this etsy shop.  It is so well made and I just love it!

This candy themed tree was always displayed in my kitchen at the old house.  In our new house, I had to put it in my office.  The window faces the main road so at least the pretty lights show!  This is where I always put my bagged presents that don't really match my wrapping theme!

Finally, I kept the knick knacks to a minimum this year.  I just rearranged some pictures that I usually have scattered around the house in one display with my Christmas penguin family.  My natural burlap ruffle runner fits this little side table perfectly.  Yes, that's my basket of exercise stuff just in case the mood hits!

Thanks so much for visiting today!  Happy Holidays!