JDRF Gala Painting Progress

So very grateful I have all but one of the paintings sketched out. What's that you say? You see an extra mermaid sketch in there? Yep it's true. As soon as all the paintings are done for JDRF I'll be adding the extra mermaid to the shop. Also hoping to add some other fun paintings too.

Worked on these little gals last night but didn't get as far as I wanted. Sleep sounded just a little too good. I was exhausted. Today however I'm ready to rock the casbah. Well I was ready to do that until I looked up all the possible meanings. Haahaa. I am however ready to bust a move on these paintings tonight. Hum? Maybe I need to get a little more sleep than I thought, I'm making wayyyy to many old skool references right now. Off to make some homemade pizza and then start the night routine. I'll post an update tomorrow on the mermaids. 

Don't forget to enter the Springtime giveaway! Just go to the little bird to the side of my blog and leave a comment in the giveaway post for your chance to win over $100 of handmade goodness from 4 different artists. Winner will be picked Saturday evening!

Spring to Finish & JDRF Art Update

The first three paintings for the big JDRF Gala. I am also putting these three paintings toward the Spring to finish event that's going on over at Tall Grass Prairie Studios. Tonight I will be working on the three mermaid paintings. I've already sketched & prepped all the rest of the canvases. Now my goal is to finish as many as I can before Thursday. Not just for Spring to Finish, but so I can take the paintings to Molly & the girls to be packaged up for the auction. Once I'm done with all the paintings I can get started on paintings to fill the shop. Oh, that and finding a dress for the big night! Whoot! Whoot!

I have oh so many fun things to post about very soon.

Don't forget to enter the Spring giveaway! Just leave a comment in the post below. There are just four days left. Be sure to drop on by all the girls lovely shops & their blogs to say hi. The winner will be picked on Saturday evening. 

Artfulife's First Ever Springtime Giveaway!

I am so excited to present my very First Ever Springtime Giveaway! 

HAS ENDED!

I say "my" but really it consists of myself and 3 other very talented and lovely artist, crafters & creative women from all over the country. All of us wives, some of us mothers, many of us have never met in person before, but all connected by a love of art. What a wonderful benefit of the blogging community to surround yourself with others who inspire and encourage. I feel very blessed to call each and every one of these bloggers a friend. So join me, if you will, to celebrate Springtime & creativity in this very fun and awesome giveaway. 

You have a chance to win all 4 items!

Hi. Hi. I'm Tamara Brink (tams). The artist behind the blog TaMs! I'm an elementary art teacher by day and a painter, doodler & designer by night. I graduated from the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design & live in Denver Colorado with my amazing husband (Vito) & my Dynamite dog (Cassius). I love taking photos, running, baking,spending time with my husband & eating hot dogs with ketchup. Yum!

I have always loved creating. I grew up in Idaho watching my mom sew, craft & bake & she taught me how to use my hands to create *magiC*. I really love the process of dreaming up designs & transferring them to paper, canvas, fabric, & wood. I started my etsy shop about a year ago & sell digital prints of my drawings. Soon I will be opening a *NeW* shop with screen printed fabrics, housewares, & even baby clothes. I have a blog that I update regularly with fun pictures & projects I'm working on. So drop on by and say hEllO!

#1:: Two prints of your choice from TaMs Etsy shop

Hey there from Reno Nevada! My name is Claire and I am a wife, mother to three beautiful children, & creative genius behind Mt. Rose 431 Shop. I love to knit beautiful things whenever I am able.

#2:: Cutie Pie cupcake hand knitted by Claire

Bonjour! I's 2009 & I can feel the winds of change....much like the character, Vivian Rocher in Chocolate. To live simply is something I am striving for more than ever this new year. My husband, three children, & I have all been learning to enjoy life's little pleasures...the sound of rain as it hits the elephant ears in the garden, the glorious smells of lemons, fresh sheets on the bed, sketching & coloring as a family, reading chapter books aloud at night, & discovering what truly matters. Art Nest is a place to celebrate everyday beauty, hard work, living creatively, artistic achievements, & remembering to live simply. Visit my Etsy store here!

#3:: Darling Pincushion ring

The last of the items to be given away is an original by Me! Summer, of Artfulife. In case this is your first time visiting,  I am a wife to one sweetheart, a mother to 3 sweetiepies, & an artist. I created Artfulife as a way to share the my attempt of living a life filled with beauty & creativity.

#4:: Little Miss Redbird original painting on wooden plaque

How can I win All 4 of these handcrafted items? 

All you have to do to enter this fun giveaway is to leave a comment & link back to to this post. A winner will be chosen by random number generator on May 2nd. If you want to add the button at the top of this post to the side of your blog please feel free! We all hope that you will spread the news of this super giveaway with all of your friends and family & Happy Spring!

Yep!

Yes it's past 3 AM. Umhuh, I'm heading to bed. Yep, the two paintings above are almost done. For sure, I'll be taking a nap tomorrow.

One Down......15 More to go!

I thought I would give you a little sneak peak at the first of the JDRF paintings. I am almost finished with it. I am adding scrap booking paper to the sides and back. I also want to try a technique I have seen some of my favorite artists use. I am going to attempt some glazing with a little paint added after the fact. Jenn of Noodle & Lou is one of these artists who uses this technique. Jenn, thanks for inspiring me to try something new. This is also the first of many projects I am hoping to finish up for Spring to Finish. 

The past two days were spent taking care of sick little ones. It involved a weekend of random barfs (I won't go into detail). So I spent a lot of time snuggling up sick kiddo's and watching my sweetie build my little dream space (he is so amazing). Tonight I was invited to come to a local quilters group. I really enjoyed meeting all the nice ladies of the group. There was so much talent there, I know I will learn so much from them. I look forward to the next meeting. Every month they give a challenge. The challenge for the next meeting, is to make a fabric bowl. I can't wait to learn how.

*I hope you will all come back this Thursday for a super fun Spring giveaway! There are some super yummy items that will be given away to a very lucky winner.