2016 Business Resolutions

I can't say I was too sad to see 2015 go. I had started out in January like most people, excited about the prospects of a clean slate.  I wrote resolutions. Promised myself things would finally change. Well, change they certainly did, but not in the way I had intended them to. God had a different plan. Personally, my world was turned upside down. My life was significantly altered and all those "resolutions" I had penned in a small notebook at the beginning of the year, seemed far away, and almost childish.

But I'm glad to say, with Gods relentless help, I came through the other side and am now excited for the prospects of a year planned by God. That's the difference-it's how I approach it.

I know that God is in control and I'm going wherever he leads, BUT i also know it's important for me to take an active approach to my life as well, getting up and getting moving.  So, that's the direction I am headed in, onward & upward.  Just moving forward one step at a time and allowing God to direct my path.

That said, one of my steps forward is every Sunday i join my husband, (or soon to be husband on February 22, we are getting remarried after being divorced 14 years, lol, go figure, those are those "God has another plan" things I was talking about) in an "intentional work session". We go to Starbucks, grab a coffee (i get Hot chocolate) and we set up shop.  We work strictly on our businesses.  Coordinating schedules for the week, writing up estimates, writing this blog even.  Talk about dreams, goals and visions for what the plans are for the upcoming week, month, year and how we are moving forward business wise.  It started as a fluke but has now grown into a really rich time.  A time of focus and forward thinking.

So it is with that intension that I want to share the items I have done during the week.  If I have some creative ideas I want to share them.  As I keep moving forward with this, so does my business.  It puts things into perspective but also lets me see how far I have progressed.

Here we go.....

These are a couple items I finished this week:

I also painted and submitted two paintings that have since been approved and moved to our PaintNite library for purchase.  Magnificent Magnolia & Midnight Memories are the newest addition to my growing work in acrylics on canvas.

Come paint with me some night if you are in the Syracuse area! Go to Paintnite.com to find an event, use coupon code MARYM20 for $20 off and be prepared to relax and have fun!

I look forward to spending some time with you every week. Sharing some ideas I have percolating, projects I'd love feedback on and taking my business to the next level.  I am excited!

Please follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or here!

happy creating!

Mary

And A Bookcase Makes Six

A couple weeks ago I showed you a bedroom set that I had done for a customer who wanted "Indy" style elephants, certain quotes & an infinity symbol on everything.  You can see that post here so take a peek.

So, today I bring you the last piece of this set, the bookcase.  Like the other pieces it had to have an Indy feel, as well as match the other pieces (obviously, lol).

 I started with a base coat on the sides with Chinaberry from Benjamin Moore.  I had marked off the squares I was going to paint white first, with my new favorite tape from Frog: Delicate Surface.  It really is great because it doesn't pull the paint ,even if it's freshly dry.

After I pulled the squares off I taped off the outer edges. I know to some it may seem like I'm doing this backwards, like I should have fully painted everything first and then just squared of the areas that would be painted white??? BUT, I didn't? Not sure why, but roll with me here...

Then I taped off for the stripes.  I use one stripe as a marker, so that the stripes are even.

When the stripes are laid out I use this little trick to help with "bleeding".  I paint along the edges with the base color.

 I needed to pick a color that coordinated with it, so I rubbed a couple colors on a card to see how the other chosen pinks worked with the Chinaberry.  When nothing really tickled my fancy I went to the bored. 

 Now, before you judge me, you must know, I have A LOT of paint, and in order to keep things organized I've developed this color chart.  Then I have a shelf with every color family on it that coordinates with the chart.  Okay, can you say OCD? A little, but when I need a quick color, I don't want to go diving into the paint closet, I want a quick look, hence the color chart.

I went to the pinks and chose Dinner Party.  A sort of Maroony, brickish color, a deeper contrast to the Chinaberry.  After the stripes were set I got to painting the other sections and this was the final product.

Now I am on to my next project.  Can you figure out what we are going to build?

And last Friday I had some surgery and I was told to have bed rest for at least a week (Man, was that a hard thing!  Not gonna lie, I snuck down to the studio a couple days to paint, but don't tell my doctor).  Well on bed rest, besides pinning my heart out on Pinterest (I just hit 10,000 followers! Yeah me!) I have been doing a lot of crazy reading!  Here are a few books I loved:

I'm going to start making some paper masks and have been devouring books on paper mache.

Have you been reading anything good lately that's creatively inspiring you lately?  Please come over to my FaceBook Page and share!  I'm a big reader and LOVE a good book!

Elephants with an Indy Twist

 Alexandria wrote me at 3:00 am one day/night/somewhere in between?  I thought, hmmm...this lady is a night owl, my kinda girl! She had found me on Etsy and wanted to commission me to design a bedroom set for her daughter. "HOLAR!" I said, snapping my fingers!  "What fun!" She wanted to coordinate it with the little girls bedspread, which I thought was even cooler!  I mean for real, look at those elephants.   They are, as my 16 year old would say, "Mad Cool!" 

As we corresponded back and forth, I learned that Alex wasn't really a night owl-she was serving in the military in Afghanistan and could only use a computer at specific times. She would be returning home mid August to finally be reunited with her beautiful daughter and wanted to create a space for her daughter to come home to.  As a mom of 5, I gotta tell ya folks, my heart almost melted right out of my chest!  I can't imagine being separated from my children for LONG stretches of time like that, (although some days I need to go away for a couple hours, trust me, I'm not a saint). Plus, she's helping to defend our country in one of the craziest places on planet Earth. 

You freakin' go girl!

After much debate she decided to go with the above pieces (she wanted 2 side tables that matched, but I'm only showing one). Her instructions were pretty simple; She wanted everything to coordinate, have elephants to match the bedding and give it a nice Indy feel. Plus, she wanted her daughter's name-ON EVERYTHING, as well as an infinity symbol and the message "I love you to infinity!" Something she would always say to her daughter. before hanging up the phone.  

Okay, I'm getting the sniffles again, how about you? 

First up the stool was the stool.

a jewelry box

Next we had the side tables.

Then the mirror.  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE painting the mirror legs.  They always turn out pretty funky, I must say.

I love how this looks like there's a cherry on top...

  Ever notice how hard it is to take a decent picture of a mirror! If you have any suggestions on how to do that I would love to hear them, because it has been very difficult for me, especially with the free standing mirrors.  Please share your ideas with me over on my Facebook Page!

Well, I hope that Alexandria will be happy with her new bedroom-set! It's fun, bright and sprinkled with a little bit of Indy:D

My next project is a desk...that matches this bedspread! Pretty wild right!

 Have a great weekend! I'm headed out to The New York State Fair (for the 3rd time, don't judge me)!  But while I'm gone I want y'all to get busy creating! 

Let your imaginations run wild! I always do!