Tattoo Time!

Hey guys! I'm back on this super duper rainy day with a behind the scenes look at my latest tattoo!

The incredibly talented and hilarious Amanda Pepper from Cheap Trx gave me exactly what I designed/wanted - yay!

Amanda is also an awesome painter and baker - check out her website here! And if you're in the St. Louis area, go get a tattoo from her!

My best friend Courtney came with me for moral support and took some pics! Thanks Court!

I was immediately comforted/amused by the random cats that adorned her work space.

She also touched up my birdies for me and fixed the bird that looked like a pterodactyl. : )

I'm really excited to always have this scripture on me wherever I go..forever..

you can't go wrong with God's word!

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

- Romans 8:38-39 ESV

Nothing can separate us.

Courtney and I finished up our day with some delicious gelato.

Salty chocolate caramel! yum!

Shop Update!

Just wanted to post a quick post before bed to let everyone know that I updated the shop with three pairs of earrings! Yipee!!

The Most Beautiful Flower earrings:

Burgundy Polka Dot Bow earrings:

And last but not least.. 

The Prettiest Flower earrings!

Hooray! Go check em out! 

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DOD // Easter Dress

Hello! Hope you all had a most wonderful Easter! Christ is risen! What an incredible truth, no?

Adam and I spent Easter weekend house-sitting for the rents. It was pretty great having so much room (and such a big kitchen!) to laze around in. Very relaxing and just what was needed!

On Easter day we went off to church and then ate dinner with my folks. Here's what I wore:

Hot pink lips!

Dress - Target // Orange Cardigan - Target // Black Art Deco Tights - Target // Aqua Bow - Japan // Vintage Beaded Purse - thrifted // Black Belt - Salvation Army, Black Flats - Goodwill.

Oh yes! And I rocked my new tattoo:

It says: "Nothing Can Separate Us. Romans 8:38-39."

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39 ESV

More pics to come! Done by the incredibly talented (and totally awesome) Amanda Pepper!

I'm off to buy groceries!

Free Easter Coloring Page!

Hello! Happy Tuesday!

I'm back with a free coloring page just in time for Easter! Hooray! You are free to save this image and print it off for personal use only. Just click on the image. : )

Things I am excited about this week:

1. New Glee episode tonight! Though I don't get to watch it until tomorrow (because we don't have a tv). I'm excited to see Gwenyth Paltrow's character to leave so Will and Emma can get together! yipee!

2.  New Tattoo on Thursday! By none other than the amazing Amanda Pepper!! So excited to finally meet her and get the design I've been thinking and dreaming about for so long! Her work is magnificent!

3. Zumba! It's nothing new to me, but I've just recently started going faithfully 3 times each week and am totally falling in love with it. It's such an amazing workout!

I'm off to work on some commissions before my Zumba class!

Everyone have a great Tuesday!

Sunday Sketchbook!

Hooray! It's Sunday sketchbook time!

(pretend like you don't see the tiny rip in the paper on the side...oops!)

I drew this tonight at Starbucks with my very best friend Courtney. I love her oodles and you should too!

I doodled while I drank my second (shh! Don't tell the hubby) iced soy latte (yum!), and she worked hard on her sociology homework. 

It's been a very full and crazy weekend - lots of working and lots of doodling. I'm thinking of having another solo art show in late summer/early fall and also thinking of going back to school. Scary!

New prints are coming soon to the shop! And jewelry! Woot woot!

Everyone have a great Sunday night!

What I do on Weekends.

I know I mentioned briefly before that I teach private art lessons... and have done so for almost 2 years.

I wanted to share with you all a little bit about the studio and the story behind it (including how the heck I got a teaching job).

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(the last picture we ever took together..2 weeks before she passed away)

My grandma June was an extraordinary person. On top of being a loving woman of God she was an incredible artist and an even more incredible teacher.

She taught locally for 40 years.

She never turned a student down - blind, deaf, disabled - it didn't matter.

She was an angel. And she went to meet Jesus on March 7th, 2009. 

When she passed, no one could think of closing the door on the incredible school she had created. Though it had gone from building to building, over the years it became a structure all it's own - one made up of passionate people who all shared a love and admiration for the person who had inspired them to do what they loved most - create beautiful art!

Myself and another fellow student (Danny Elchert) decided to take over the teaching job - we teach children ages 6+ and it's always an adventure!

I feel like a proud momma when I see them turn out such incredible work!

Here are some examples from students during my lessons on value:

Above is my little brother, being amazing.

And here it is finished!

Yes, this is a japanese bento!

Just recently we moved the studio to the back of my parents' business (an art gallery and custom framing shop). It's a beautiful space with nice high ceilings and great lighting. This is also a BIG deal because it was always a dream of my grandma's to merge the two together.

(Above: some of my grandma's old teaching charts)

It means a lot to me that I can carry on my grandma's legacy... I like to think she would have been happy we kept it going. 

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In other news, here is a toad I've been working on (slowly but surely). I'm planning on going back to school in the fall and am working on some portfolio pieces. 

I hope they like toads!