Bust a Gut at I Heart Faces!

Happy Cyber Monday! I decided to participate in I Heart Faces' Bust a Gut photo challenge...what a great way to start the week...with laughter! Meet my sweet little niece and nephew, Aarika and Jakob.  Aren't they adorable!

Go check out all the laughter today at I Heart Faces!

For more inspiration, visit Traci Michelle's blog,Ordinary Inspirations - Capturing Beauty.

Love and blessings.
Kathy
xoxox

She loves Minnie Mouse

My friend's photo

Meet Campbell.  Isn't she adorable with those sweet little pigtails?  People often ask what does ArtsyCanvasGirl Designs do?  My reply? I transform sweet little cherished photos into personalized heirloom that are enjoyed for years to come.  I am curious, which version is your favorite?

Love and gratitude,
Kathy
xoxox

Sea Shells by the Sea Shore

Photo courtesy of Vikki Dinh Photography

What a perfect way to send warmth to our love ones during this holiday season...just love these little shell ornaments! :)  Warmest wishes to everyone!

Love and blessings,
Kathy
xoxox

Photos courtesy of Chrissie Marie Photography

Here are another couple of holiday photo cards.  I woke up this morning thinking I wish for myself and the world lots of Love, Blessings and Prosperity.  What a wonderful wish for all!

Love and blessings,
Kathy
xoxox

So many words, such little time...

Photo courtesy of Chrissie Marie Photography

Just can't believe it's NOVEMBER!!! Had fun creating this little holiday card...

Love and blessings,

Kathy

xoxox

Love Family Cheer

Photo courtesy of Santini Photography

Inspired by the gifts we receive each day...Family, Love and Cheer.  Wishing you the warmest wishes this holiday season!

Love and blessings,
Kathy
xoxox

Miracles

"It could happen!" is my favorite quote from Angels in the Outfield an old movie I've watched literally a million times because it was my son's favorite movie when he was about five years old.  He turned 22 just last week.  Time really does fly by.  Anyway, I really do believe in miracles and I believe they happen everyday all around us.  I started working on holiday cards.  So here is my first holiday card of this season. May the miracle of the season fill your heart with warmth and love.

Love and blessings,
Kathy
xoxox

Be your song and rock on!

I've been on hiatus. In May I went to Japan to visit my mom and family.  It was not a planned trip.  There is nothing more aching than to hear the news - "you need to come."  My mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer in January.  Of course, these things always happen at the most inopportune moments. I had just started a new job that I was {and still am} excited about but there had been a lot of transition in personnel {basically me running a one-man show} and I was inundated with work. And now to drop everything for basically about two weeks to go to Japan to see my dying mother...  Financially, this couldn't have come at a worse time {I have been struggling to make ends meet ever since I lost my "corporate" gig in 2008}.  But I went.  I went for so many reasons.  It was a trip of a life time.  Vacation time? No.  But meaningful family time? {yes}  Just doing everyday things with my sister and mom.  My mother lived a traditional (maybe old-fashion) japanese lifestyle.  I'm really not sure...{me being born and raised in the US} but it was interesting.  She lived in a tiny little house with tatami flooring and the rice paper doors that slide.  No shoes in the house simply because it would destroy the flooring. The days were simple.  We would wake up in the morning after sleeping on what seemed to be luxurious piles of softness...each night we would pull out these beautiful futon sets to sleep on {it really was kind of like a slumber party} but it was a way of life for my mom. So we would have to rollup the futons and put them away.  The japanese really understand form and function.  Everything has a place and purpose. Then we would fix a simple breakfast, do some laundry {laundry machine is outside and there is no dryer so everything must be hung to dry - requires weather management skills}.  Watching movies in the afternoon or venturing to the local market in walking distance.  What a blast to shop in a little tiny market using pictures to guide you {since I barely can say a japanese phrase never mind read it --- hiragana, katakana, kanji -- I know the terms but that's about it}.  It took my sister and I two hours to do a simple bit of grocery shopping.  We returned to an upset mother worried that we got lost. {What took you so long? my mother exclaimed with the most serious and stern look -- my sister and I laughed so hard -- some things never change}.  We saw the most interesting things at the market and then of course we had our grocery list.  The trip felt more like a scavenger hunt than grocery shopping.  Some afternoons were spent at the doctor's.  I must say that language translation is the toughest when speaking in medical terms.  The patient young doctor really spent extra time with us and I felt so grateful that my mother was receiving such wonderful care.  One afternoon, one of my aunts stopped by and brought us the most wonderful lunch.  She owns a sushi restaurant and she had her chef prepare it -- amazingly fresh and beautiful and delicious. We did get out a little bit.  We visited some beautiful gardens with my cousin in Japan, went to the local mall and had a wonderful dinner with my mother's family -- my mother's three sisters, their daughters and the daughter's children.  It was a feast with lots of laughter and picture taking {I think there may have been more cameras than people in the room -- hmmmm -- this must be where I get my love of photography}.  Anyhow, it was a wonderful visit.  On June 26, my mother passed away.  I've been very sad...there are absolutely no words that can truly describe loss.  But I've kept my mojo on in spite of it all.  Doing my best with my 'day' job, still creating beautiful canvases at client requests and recently did my first photo shoot for a marketing package I am creating for a client who is a singer/songwriter. I had so much fun! I took some fun shots of his guitar to use in his marketing design.  Fell in love with a particular shot of his guitar and creatively played with the image.  As I was playing this quote popped into my head...I thought it was perfect.  "Be your song and rock on!"  I always tell my children to do the things that make your heart sing.  Life is short make it count!

Love and gratitude,

Kathy
xoxo

Happy Father's Day

Wishing every family a wonderful Father's Day! May we all celebrate the wonderful men our lives.  I felt blessed to be asked to create a special canvas to be given as a father's day gift.  What a wonderful family heirloom!  This beautiful portrait was taken by Vikki Dinh Photography.

Photo courtesy of Vikki Dinh Photography

Love and gratitude,
Kathy

xoxox

Textured Tuesday: Tea Time

Happy Texture Tuesday! I love this week's challenge to include a tea or coffee cup in our image.  Sunday morning, I was just itching to take some photos and play with the light streaming into my very white kitchen.  I have a collection of depression glass that I truly love.  Some pieces date back to the early 1910s.  I went through an obsession period of collecting back in the mid 90's.  One of my most favorite patterns is Pink Miss America. I pulled out a little saucer and teacup along with some other pretty things I have hanging around.  You see only a little bit of the saucer and teacup in the first photo.  I overlaid on of my most favorite Kim Klassen textures: Warmly Vintage.  I love the swirls in this texture.  It did just what it's called -- made this soft-lit photo take on a warmly vintage feel.

Kim Klassen texture: Warmly Vintage

I took this photo as a tribute to my mother.  The little card nestled under the saucer is a beautiful card I received from her years ago.  Everything japanese just oozes with creativity.  I love not only the colors, but the texture and the symbols.  So pretty!  By the way, my mother is very ill so I will be going to Japan this week to spend time with her.  I'm so excited to see her and the rest of my family in Japan...I just wish it was under better circumstances.  Please put her in your hearts and prayers.

Two layers of Kim Klassen's texture, SweetTreat (lighten blend mode @ 20%; screen blend mode @ 15%)

Here she is... Miss America in all her glory.  Just love the pretty pink glass and diamond-cut texture.

Kim Klassen's textures: SweetTart (3 layers - Hue @ 100%; Soft Light @ 45%; Screen @ 38%) and Love (Multiply @ 18%)

Can't wait to see what everyone else has been up to...

Wishing everyone much joy and love today and everyday!

Love and gratitude,

Kathy

MommyB Knows Best Birthday Bash - Artsy Canvas Girl Giveaway

Happy Monday!  Starting the week off with a giveaway!

I have partnered up with Jennifer over at MommyB Knows Best.  She will be introducing you to some great party ideas every day for the month of May as part of her Month of May Birthday Bash. In honor of the first day of the Birthday Bash, Artsy Canvas Girl (that's me) would like to give one lucky MommyB Knows Best reader a portrait (12×12 or 11×14 format) professionally printed with a choice of glossy, lustre or metallic finish mounted on mat board ready to frame. (retail value $49.95).  To enter, head on over to MommyB Knows Best for all the details.

Inspiration photo

Recently, I befriended Jennifer at MommyB Knows Best via twitter -- a really fun and great way to meet the most interesting people.  Jennifer is doing a birthday party for her youngest daughter who is turning one and asked if I could help with a photo banner.  What a darling idea!  Her inspiration came from this photo...

Jennifer had decided on a party theme -- a cute little owl theme done in chocolate brown, hot pink and polka dots!  Kudos to Rachel at HET Designs.

Design by Rachel at HET Designs

Next, Jennifer sent me a dozen or more photos of her darling daughter (photos taken through the first year -- all so very sweet).  I went to work creating some frame designs that would compliment her party theme.  Then I began editing her photos to make them look festive and nostalgic.  Here are a few of my favorites!  We completed 12 in all.  I had these printed as 5x5 photo cards that can be whole-punched and linked together with ribbon.  Here are a few of the before and after results...

5x5 photo cards used for birthday party photo banner.

MommyB Knows Best is a family friendly website that features fun tips and tricks for parents, fresh segments you won't see on other websites, honest in-depth product reviews, and great giveaways.

   

Jennifer, I really enjoyed working with you on this project.  Hope the birthday bash was a blast! xoxo

Good luck everyone!

Love and gratitude!

Kathy

Graduation Time

It's that time of year again.  Graduations always make me feel inspired. A celebration of an accomplishment and the excitement of starting something new emits an emotion of hope and dreams.  I've been busy making "beach-themed" graduation announcements from photos.  They really turned out pretty nice...Here are some 'before' and 'after' transformations.  Have I said I really, really love photoshop?

Client's Photo

Graduation Announcement Sample #1

Client's Photo

Graduation Announcement Sample #2

Client's Photo

Graduation Announcement

After working on these photos, I am so ready for some beach time!  Wishing everyone a beautiful sunshiny day!

Love and gratitude,
Kathy

Happy Texture Tuesday!

Did a couple of versions of the most beautiful and romantic city -- Serrenissima! I was lucky enough to visit back in 2005.  I'm disappointed because I was still learning how to use my new DSLR when I went on this trip.  So most of my photos were set to a low resolution setting because I wanted to fit as many photos on to my digital card -- what was I thinking?  Oh well, I guess I will just have to visit once again.  Hopefully, one day soon I will return and have the most romantic trip ever!

Which version do you like best? Can't wait to see all the great textured photos today!

Wishing everyone much joy and love today and everyday!

Love and gratitude,

Kathy

Textured Tuesday

Happy Textured Tuesday!

Recipe:

1. Duplicate layer set to multiply at 100% opacity
2. Kim Klassen texture: Sweet Treat set to multiply at 98% opacity
3. Kim Klassen texture - Silence set to luminosity at 71% opacity
4. Adjustment Level - set to color burn at 100% opacity
5. Created layer with brush strokes around edge of photo

Wishing everyone an amazing day!

Love and gratitude,
Kathy

Letter Fashionista

I love typography...not sure why.  Just have always have.  I see them as art.  I have always loved drawing letters...doodling.  I would write characters and words a zillion times in a zillion different styles.  Just doodling.  There is something interesting in how one can express a word in a certain style that creates it own special meaning.  I've always been attracted to books and academia style.

Letter Fashionista

Have you discovered Spoonflower?  Such a cool and fun site!  Any design you create can be printed onto fabric.  So cool!  It means you have total freedom to create anything!  Even the fabric you choose to use!  The potential is endless.  Spoonflower also creates a great environment to share.  You can view other people's design and make comments and send messages.  So it's a totally social and inspiring site.  They also have contests each week.  This week's contest is "Alphabet."  Take a peek at all the great designs!  If you like my design, I would love your vote!

Wishing you a beautiful day!

Love and gratitude,
Kathy
xoxo

Textured Tuesday

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Worked on a few pieces this week...I liked the scratchy texture and the color palette of this one.  But my favorite one I posted yesterday to wish everyone a happy Monday. Let me know what you think...

Thank you Kim for another Texture Tuesday!

Wishing everyone an amazing day!

Love and gratitude,
Kathy

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone an amazing day! Take a peek at my new etsy store Sweet Little Prints.  I've been busy enjoying tapping into my archives of photos and creating some beautiful art. More to come...

Love and gratitude!
Kathy xoxo

Textured Tuesday - WarmSun Texture

Happy Texture Tuesday!  Oh happy day!  I loved working on this photo because the subjects are so cute!  You just got to love, love, love man's best friend!  May I present to you Michael and Sonny.  Aren't they darling?

SOOC courtesy of KAW! Studios 

Take a look at what others did with the rusty nostalgic beauty of Kim's WarmSun texture!



Wishing everyone an amazing day!

Love and gratitude,
Kathy

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a beautiful day!

xoxo

Kathy