I've done several custom invitation orders over the past 2 months.  A couple of them were inviting guests to the beach.  Man oh man working on those paintings had me longing for the beach! 

Well, guess what?  This weekend Robert and I are headed to the beach ourselves!  We're going to Orange Beach, AL with some friends.  Hope you have fun plans for the long weekend too!   

Just for good measure, here's one more invitation.  It's not beachy, but it is pretty dang cute.

This Saturday I'll be in Hernando, MS for the A'Fair.  The A'Fair is one of the first places I ever sold my artwork.

I missed it last year because Robert and I were in a wedding but I'm looking forward to returning this year. 

The A'Fair is always held on the square in downtown Hernando.  There'll be a 5k to start the morning followed by a day of arts and crafts, kids' activities, and live entertainment on the courthouse lawn.  Be sure to bring your lawn chair!  There will also be pets up for adoption from local rescue groups in case you're considering extending your family :) 

My talented photographer of a cousin, Mary, will be sharing a tent with me and I'm super excited about spending the day with her and tag-teaming this shindig!  She grew up in Hernando and a lot of the photos she'll have for sale on Saturday were taken in and around the area.  Check out her website simplysouthernphotos.com and drop by and see us on Saturday!

I hope you remember that Juvenile song "From her Mama."  Otherwise, right now you're probably thinking I have really bad grammar.  Or maybe you do remember that song and other Juvenile hits like "Back that Thang Up" and right now you're just thinking I have really bad taste in music.  That was from a long time ago, ok!

I do think I get some of my artistic talent from my mama.  She's really creative and crafty and I still remember her teaching me a few drawing tricks when I was a kid, like the 3-D box and the man with his nose over the fence.

She's definitely always been my biggest fan too.  Everything I've ever made my sweet mom has just absolutely gushed over, especially when I was a little kid.  She made me feel like I was Picasso. 

When I was in elementary school she turned our entire kitchen pantry and laundry room hallway into an art gallery, completely covered with drawings and paintings, floor to ceiling.  In high school she had some of my pieces from art class professionally framed and proudly hung in our house and at my dad's office.  When I brought her home lumpy vases and uneven mugs from my college pottery course she treated those monstrosities like priceless treasures.  The lady has simply adored

every

single

thing

I have ever made.  Must be some kind of mom super power because I know I'm not that good!  But it did give me confidence to hear her high praise.  And did give me pride to see my art hanging on the wall.  And it did give me reason to be a little less critical of my own work.  I mean hey, not all of my mugs from pottery class were one hundred percent completely awful.  In fact, I have one sitting on my desk as a pencil jar right now and it's not so bad.

So here's to you Moma!  And all moms everywhere who love and encourage their children. 

Robert and I closed on our very first home last week and we are beyond excited!  After years of apartment dwelling we cannot possibly be any happier to finally be homeowners!!  We bought a 1927 bungalow in midtown Memphis with an awesome front porch, 3 bedrooms, and a great backyard.  It's a bit of a fixer-upper but it's also very charming.  And hey, who doesn't love a good project, or two… or twenty, right?

Robert and I have done our fair share of moving so it feels great to know that this is the last time, at least for quite a while.  We've lived in 4 different places since we got married (5 if you count our new house). 

When we first got married we moved into a little rental house on College Hill Rd. in Oxford, MS.  Then we moved into an apartment (on the second floor mind you) so we could get a dog.  You're welcome Rusty.  Then last May after Robert finished his Ph.D.  at Ole Miss, we moved most of our stuff into storage and some our stuff (and ourselves) in with my parents.  Two months later we moved all our crap, I mean prized possessions, again into an apartment in Southaven, MS (on the THIRD floor this time). 

Finally, last Friday we moved one last time (hallelujah, can I say last again?!) and let me just tell you- moving out of a third story apartment is only slightly less annoying than moving in to one is.  And it's not just the physical moving of the stuff that's a pain in the keester.  It's the packing and the un-packing and the "where's my _____?" and "I can't find _____" that follows for days.  And weeks.  And sometimes even years until you finally give up and realize that whatever item you're looking for is gone, disappeared forever from this world through some black hole that opens up in the bottom of beat up cardboard boxes. 

We finished the last of the moving yesterday so things are a little, no a lot crazy right now.  I'm proud of myself for just having my computer set up, never mind the boxes I have to step over to get to it.  So in the spirit of home ownership here are a few homes I painted last year.  If you'd like a home rendering of your own house you can read about the details here.  If you'd like to do some un-packing for me, you can find directions to my house here.  Just kidding!

It felt great to be back in Oxford on Saturday.  I miss that place!  This time last year we were still living there.  In fact, we lived there for so long it feels kinda weird to not be living there.  Saturday was like going home.   

Even Rusty seemed more at ease than usual.  Then again, he's always pretty full of himself.

We saw lots of friends and people we knew.  Here's a few of my fans, I mean- friends. 

We stayed pretty busy all day so I didn't get to look around as much as I would have liked to.  I love looking at other people's artwork and I could have spent the whole day just wandering from tent to tent if I'd had the time.  I did manage to sneak away long enough to pop in a few booths though.  I guess even Robert felt inspired by all the great art around because at some point he created this little masterpiece... 

Not bad Robert, not bad. 

Thank you to everyone that came by my tent Saturday!  I truly appreciate every kind word and each individual sale.

I am so excited about Double Decker in Oxford this Saturday!  You'll be able to find me on South Lamar in booth #154, between the Rib Cage and Proud Larry's.  I've got lots of Ole Miss watercolors!

When I was little my dad planted trees in our front yard.  He took me and my brother and sister on these bicycle rides where we'd tie plastic sacks to the handle bars of our bikes and then scour the neighborhood for aluminum cans.  He had a compost pile and a garden in the backyard.  Littering was practically a sin, nature was to be respected, and water was not to be "wasted."  I'm sure he doesn't even realize it, but he was "green" way back before being green was cool.   

I guess some of that rubbed off on me because I'm sort of a stickler about recycling.  I'm pretty sure it drove my old roommate nuts, and I'm absolutely certain it drives Robert nuts.  It's a small thing, but it's something I feel good about.     

Cheers to Earth Day!

The food promises to be good on Saturday too!   Local restaurants will be serving up their deliciousness all day long in the "Taste of Starkville."  I'm sure Robert will meander over to the server relay race too like he usually does and then come back to give me the play by play, awww.

Other aspects you might be interested in are the morning 5K race, the children's area, the Writer's Village, Poetry Slam, and student art competition.

And did I mention this event is FREE?!!

Come see me and Robert!  We'll be on University Dr., 10 tents down from the Bulldog Deli on your RIGHT if you're walking towards campus.  Booth #189.

Last month I drove to Starkville to take some pictures for a new painting.  I went during State's spring break so the lack of cars on campus and around town was a big help!

I may be an Ole Miss girl but I wanted to do this up right for those who hold Starkville just as near and dear to their hearts as I do Oxford.   I spent a fair amount of time researching this painting, trying to pick out places that were easily recognizable, meaningful, and artistically pleasing.  Among my sources were a brother-in-law who graduated from State, a friend who recently  spent two years living in Starkville, and a handful of State fans who I had friendly (and informative!) conversations with at art festivals.

I ended up using mostly using the Ole Main District of downtown Starkville.  Included in the painting from there are State Theater, the clock, Mugshots, the Oktibbeha County Courthouse, and Hotel Chester.  All of these places have been there for quite some time, though some of their names may have changed throughout the years.  Hotel Chester is even on the National Register of Historic Places. 

From campus I included Davis Wade Stadium and the Junction.  No explanation needed there!  

I added the guy carrying the guitar case and flower to represent the legendary Johnny Cash.  After a 1965 performance on the MSU campus, he spent the night in Starkville's city jail.  He was either arrested for picking flowers on private property or for public drunkenness (I'm guessing it was probably a little of both!).  Either way, the experience made an impression on him and he later wrote a song about it called "Starkville City Jail." 

Last but certainly not least, I included a bulldog in the painting.  Because how could I not?!

You can purchase a print of the painting HERE, or pick one up from me at the Cotton District Arts Festival this weekend!  I'll be on University Drive, just down from the Bulldog Deli if you're walking toward campus.  More on the festival later this week!

One of my goals this year is to be more neat and organized.

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaa...

It's not going so well.

And that's just the stuff that's not on the floor. 

Or my desk. 

Or my other desk.

There's an arts & crafts festival coming up this weekend.  There's also one next weekend, and the weekend after that, and then two more in May.  I'm trying to stock up on stuff and finishing framing and printing and all kinds of other things.  But the more work I do the messier it gets.  And the messier it gets, the harder it is to do more work.  I spent a good half hour today looking for an ink cartridge.  I tore through all kinds of drawers and boxes until I finally gave up.  Then I noticed it sitting out in plain sight, only the fifty jillion other things in "plain sight" around it made it not so easy to spot.     

Oh well. 

At least I can still find my keyboard with relative ease.