Chalkboard Process

I'm gearing up for another exciting weekend at Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market. There you'll find me selling all my paper goods and original hand lettered chalk boards designed to make your home happy and pretty. A question I often get asked is if these chalk boards are stenciled or free handed and how it is I create these pieces so I thought I'd share a bit here about my process. 

The process for me starts by finding the right frame. I search high and low for good quality frames that have a uniqueness about them, whether its a small detail in the carvings, or the color of the wood, or an odd shape you wouldn't normally see. The fun part about this is the repurposing of these frames and making something seemingly ugly turn into something beautiful. 

Once I have a pile of frames to start working with, its a little bit of labor and love to get these to a quality thats no longer an eye sore. A lot of taking them a part, sanding out the flaws, giving them fresh coats of paint then sanding them down again to give them the rustic elegant feel I'm going for. I also like to stick to a color scheme so its appealing as you look at everything as a whole. Too many off colors can be kind of distracting in my opinion. So for this spring market I went for a lot of the neautral soft colors to go with the feel of the season. 

Next, is the sizing and cutting of the actual chalkboards all done by my amazing husband, thankfully! I get these mostly from home good stores or sometimes cut raw wood and paint black chalk paint on top. 

Since I was in jr. high I've loved to collect quotes. I kept a quote book all throughout college and still have piles of paper and notes on my phone of quotes that have inspired me. When the frames are done and the chalk boards are in, this is where the most fun happens for me! And to answer the much asked question from above, all of my work is free handed, no stencils whatsoever. 

Most of the time I start with paper and pencil sketching out ideas and designing a few quotes to see how I want to lay it out. Other times, I'll pick up a frame and just go for it by sketching it out with chalk first, playing with different lettering and ideas.

After I lay it all out on the chalk board and like the design, I use Posca chalk paint pens (my favorite) to draw everything on permanently. The paint from these pens flows really well, giving a rich opaque quality that I love. Once the piece is finished up I spray each piece with a clear matte varnish to seal everything in. 

So there you have it. Each piece is thoughtfully hand made from start to finish, created to last and bring beauty to your home. I love that I get to call this my job and that there are people out there that are being touched by and loving my work. 

If you're in town this weekend be sure to come by Westworld of Scottsdale and find me at booth 129 to grab one of these for yourself!

Girls Room

Trying to figure out how we are going to fit four little ones in one small room is no easy task. Ever since our youngest, Sage, turned 6 months old she's been trying to climb out of her bassinet and now that she's 8 months I think its about time we transition her to the crib. I tried to put this project off long enough because it not only meant rearranging the girl's whole room around, but also that the twins wouldn't be confined in a crib anymore-- EEK!! But I knew it would come sooner or later, and so here we are. I've been searching high and low on pinterest on ways to make 4 beds work in a room and still keep it a functional and playful space. So in the process of still figuring it out I decided to document how their room has been for the last year. Its fun to keep "before pictures" to look back on once we're finished, but of course I get a little sentimental as I realize this means they're all growing up!

When we bought our house a little over two years ago I was pregnant with the twins at the time. We didn't know if they were going to be boys or girls so when I decided to paint their room I wanted to keep it neutral, cute and playful. I knew they would be sharing a room with their older sister so I didn't want to go too girly or too boyish either way- which is why I chose to paint the stripes and polka dots. We live in a tiny 1100 sqft. house so finding spaces for the girls to play can be crazy at times. As I redo a room the most important thing to me is to make it functional as well as pretty! So with their room this is an even bigger challenge since I'm working with a small space. But I'm determined to make it work. 

I think its important to give my kids an area that feels like its "theirs", that can make them feel safe and free to be a kid. I think the home is so much more than a place we live, its where we do life the most, where we see each other at our worst and our best. Its where we make memories, and learn to love people other than ourself. Its where we go through seasons together, good and bad, and figure out how to become better because of them. Its where we can learn to trust and share who we are with each other. It can be a place that can either build up or tear down and my biggest hope and prayer is that our home is always one that is uplifting and grace filled-even through the mess. Of course, its in my blood to make things pretty and create, but making our home aesthetically pleasing isn't just what its about for me. I believe its about making it a place that our kids and all who enter in will feel safe, loved, and known here. Its where we are living our story and building a foundation of who are kids are and will be.  As we build our home and what it will look like I want it to be a reflection of our heart and our love for one another and the beauty I hope to bring out in our family. Of course there will always be messes to be cleaned up and it won't always look "magazine worthy", but then again thats just how life really is, isn't it!?

Junk in the Trunk

The last couple months have been non stop with art projects and its been a roller coaster of emotions for me! I'm so excited to be a vendor at the upcoming Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market and I can't wait to see what the weekend will bring. While I've been working hard on making things for the market I've also had many custom projects on my plate too and I've been so so thankful for it all. But to be completely honest, with every exciting moment I've had recently, a handful of insecurities have come with it. I feel like every piece of my heart and emotions go into creating things that come into my head. I have huge dreams and visions, and often get scared of what the reality will be if I actually make them happen. The market in May will be the biggest one I've ever been a part of so its equally exciting and overwhelming for me. Many thoughts have entered in about if what I'm making is good enough, if it will sell, if people will like it or not. I hate that these thoughts come to me. I hate that they rob people of achieving dreams and being who they were created to be. 

A few years back I probably would've let those thoughts stop me from trying or putting myself out there. But I came to realize (through the never ending encouragement and support from my husband) that creating and making and drawing and painting is what I was created for. This is the very nature God instilled in me and to not be that, to not grow into that more, would be robbing myself and others from what he would want to do in me through this part of me. 

So I'm doing it, one step at a time, trying to knock down the insecurities that scream in my face along the way. And I'm more excited and confidant and nervous than ever. And I couldn't do it without you too. So thank you for following along the journey. Thank you for your comments. Thank you for dreaming and being excited with me in this. 

I decided to show you some sneak peeks of what will be for sale at my booth (#136) for Junk in the Trunk. Along with these original hand lettered chalkboards, I'll also have new art prints and greeting cards for you. If you've never been the this market before its a MUST and I'm not just saying that because I'm a vendor there. I guarantee you'll find something unique and beautiful just for you along with having a blast just walking around, eating good food, and listening to sweet music. The event is one you don't want to miss. Grab some early bird tickets now and I'll look forward to seeing you there!

Home Sweet Home

Have you ever heard of Airbnb? Instead of booking your next vacation stay at an expensive hotel, they offer ways to find cheaper lodging inside the homes of locals. A perfect way to save money and make new friends as you travel! My in laws house is one of the places you can book your stay the next time you find yourself in the Phoenix area. A while ago they redid their guest bedroom with the thought of welcoming world travelers in mind. So my mother-in-law asked me to paint something they could hang in this lovely place of stay. We researched quotes all over. She wanted people to feel like their time spent there was welcoming and relaxing, a time others could rest and simply be in the moment of the day. Which is exactly what you should do while traveling, right!? With that in mind we landed on this Winnie the Pooh quote. Simple and sweet, yet also means so much. It's so hard in our world today to take the time to just be here today. I am constantly thinking of tasks I need to get done and deadlines I need to finish things by. I loved painting this. It reminded and still reminds me as I look at it, to take each day one moment at a time, letting today just be. I think that as I create a habit of doing that I will find myself enjoying the day and the things that come with it much much more. Funny how it works like that, huh! I think the painting did give the perfect touch to the room, for decorating purposes, of course. But with or without it hanging there, I can assure you that the minute you walk into this home pictured above, you will experience nothing but the most loving, relaxing, and restful time. And that is solely because of the people who live there and who have created the environment that comes with all the other pretty things. I'm pretty sure I waaay lucked out when I married into this family and ya, I'll brag about that.