Crafts

Last Wednesday night a few bloggers had a mini get-together here in Austin, Texas! It was so fun!!

We all met up at a place called Painting With A Twist.

Basically, they walk you through how to paint a picture. Our night was “Painting Peacocks!”

L to R: Me, Jamie, I suck and can’t remember her name, Dana, and Jessica.

Jamie from C.R.A.F.T. planned the evening by hosting a giveaway for a free ticket, and I happily tagged along (and paid full price).

I’m sure there are painting classes like this one in your town, you might have to google it.

Here we all are just getting started…

Jamie and I…

Is Jamie gorgeous or what?!?! I’ve known Jamie for about a year and a half and am SO SAD because she just moved to Florida. Boo hoo.

Here’s Dana painting away…

And one more of Jamie taking a quick break.

Here’s my finished Peacock. Not really sure how I feel about him.

I don’t want to get rid of him because I made him! But I don’t think this will have a prominent spot over our fireplace either! Maybe the laundry room… Or my closet.

One of the instructors painted the most epic painting of all time.

I just had to get a picture.

Bob Ross is to Artists what Napoleon Dynamite is to Geeks. Two words:

Cult. Classic.

And one more time, all of us showing off our new paintings.

If you have the opportunity to ever go to a place like this, it was SO FUN!

Even the most artistically challenged person can paint by following along with the instructor. They really simplify the process and make it easy.

Thanks Jamie for having such a fun going-away night!

I had the craziest thing happen to me.

Do you remember the “Start Being Awesome” artwork I made back in October?

This artwork is hands-down my favorite piece I’ve ever created. I am twitterpated.

And apparently you guys are too! Now here’s where the crazy story comes in…

I received a comment on the “Start Being Awesome” artwork post asking if I would be interested in making a 2nd one and selling it.

I emailed her back and told her that I would, but they were lots of work, so I would probably want to charge her too much. Oh, and she’d need to pay shipping too, and this sign is solid wood and huge, so that would probably be a lot too. I figured that is where the conversation would end.

She replied and offered me $175 plus all shipping costs if I would still make her one. She just wanted it in yellow, not gray.

Um, $175? DEAL!

Now the story gets even crazier…

I asked her to send me her shipping address so I could get a quote for the shipping charges.

SHE LIVES 4 MILES FROM MY HOUSE.

Is that wild or what?

And the craziest part of all? She had no clue I live in Austin, much less Texas. In fact, she said she had never even read my blog, but found my art on Pinterest.

We seriously have mutual friends. It is the weirdest online story ever.

After I stopped laughing from this wild story, I got to work on her art. Do you want to see it?

Now don’t get me wrong, I adore my gray sign. But I think I might like the yellow one even more.

What made it all worth it (besides the $175!) was to see her reaction when I dropped it off at her house. She might have jumped up and down and squealed out loud. THAT made it all worth it!

I LOVE that someone loves my art as much as I do. I love that I can make someone else so happy with something I’ve created. It is the best feeling.

And now I have another surprise!

I had just enough wood to create two additional signs (one for my client and one extra). The first sign I’ve already sold to the lady mentioned above, but the 2nd one is up for grabs!

It’s actually only half-finished. I stopped before I painted the yellow paint, so I can actually paint it whatever color you’d prefer (the letters will be white, but the main color is optional).

If I have a huge interest in the sign (or any other custom artwork) I will be more than happy to make anything commissioned. Just let me know.

So, if you want a custom, hand-painted “Start Being Awesome” artwork sign, either leave a comment and I’ll email you, or send me an email.

Also, I want to thank each of you for always being so supportive of my blog and me. You are awesome!

Fine Print: I will quote you a shipping price once I receive your address. I will ship anywhere worldwide, but please be aware shipping outside the USA will be pretty expensive. Payments will be accepted through Paypal only. I accept USD only. All artwork is custom made and there will be differences from one piece to the next. No two pieces of artwork are the exact same.

Do you have a little girl in your life totally obsessed with
American Girl Dolls?

My almost-8-year-old thinks American Girl is the bees knees. The price of these dolls is definitely NOT the bees knees though. They start at about $105 for the basic “My American Girl Doll“.

We tried to satisfy her thirst by getting her an Our Generation Doll from Target, which runs about $30:

But she’s too smart for us. She tried to act grateful, but she just really wanted the “real” one and not the one she and her friends have dubbed “My Generic-an Girl”.

Her birthday was the following June, so we told her she could have the doll plus a few basic accessories (like ear piercing of the doll and an outfit) in lieu of a big party. Surprisingly she agreed. On her birthday we drove 3 hours to Dallas so that she could pick out her doll and accessories in person at their huge store. A few hours later and $150 poorer, we left the store, and she’s been smitten with “Isabella” ever since.

Accessories for the doll are outrageously priced though, and we have flat-out refused to drop $70 for a bed, $35 for a shirt, or a whopping $350 for a storage closet.

Kinsey has been surprisingly ecstatic about the “My Generic-an Doll” accessories from Target though, so for Christmas she received a much lower priced $50 storage closet and a $35 jeep.

You can also purchase a plastic bed from Target for about $50, but I found an even cheaper and sturdier bed that has been a huge hit with her and her friends.

This bed hales from IKEA, and is called the “Duktig” bed.

For a whopping twenty bucks, it is solid wood, comes with all the bedding, and fits the 18″ American Girl Doll perfectly.

(Can’t you just tell how much Kinsey adores her Isabella? She is such a little Mother Hen.)

It comes with easy directions and assembles in less than 15 min or so.

The raw wood leaves much to be desired though.

For a couple additional bucks I spray primed the bed…

…and then gave it several coats of Krylon Watermelon in glossy finish.

The results are a bed worthy of the American Girl (or any other baby doll!).

Kinsey’s happy because it’s pink, and I’m happy that I spent about $25 total instead of $70.

The only problem with all these American Girl accessories is that her room is running out of space for her little doll city she’s creating. Now I just need to come up with some type of permanent storage solution for her fleet of furniture.

So tell me, are the little ladies in your life totally obsessed with these dolls, or is it just in my little corner of Austin, Texas where we’re going bankrupt on overpriced dolls with amazing hair?