Love Notes on Spoonflower

It was not in me ear you whispered but into my heart; 

It was not my lips you kissed but my soul.

-- Judy Garland

Love Notes by ArtsyCanvasGirl on Spoonflower

A secret little artist lies within in me

wanting to burst out into the world

saying look at me!  

Look what I can create!

Whimsy

Beauty

Romance

Kindness

Gentleness

Compassion

LOVE!

Wishing everyone a lovely day!

xoxox

Kathy

So Romantic!

I just love how my latest project turned out!  Sometimes I just squeal with delight and my heart fills with such joy when a project turns out so wonderful.  I just gotta say, what a lovely portrait of this romantic couple AND to embellish it with one of my most favorite love poems of all times!!! I Carry Your Heart by E.E. Cummings!

I Carry Your Heart

Wishing everyone a most romantic day!

Kathy xoxox!

Under the Sea (One-Yard Wonders Contest)

Spoonflower has partnered with Storey Publishing to hold a nautically inspired fabric design contest. Rebecca Yaker, one of the authors of the One-Yard Wonders series, is providing a downloadable pattern for a t-shirt. To enter the contest, download her file, add your own design to the pattern, then upload the pattern with your design on it to Spoonflower. The winner will have her or his design featured in the newest in Storey’s bestselling One-Yard Wonders series: the upcoming 101 Little One-Yard Wonders!  I love these books!

One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Projects

Fabric-by-Fabric One-Yard Wonders

 Here is my Under the Sea Design

Little Miss Darling - Under the Sea

Front side of Tee

Back side of Tee

What do you think of my design? Vote for me on Spoonflower and come join the fun!

Have a wonderful day!

xoxox - Kathy

My latest musings

Art Print on Minted.com

Watercolor

Photo taken in Sorrento, Italy: Art Print available on Society6

Fabric Design on Spoonflower

Sweet little shell I met on Juno Beach - Art Print on Society6

Stationary on Minted.com

Love and Blessings,
Kathy

xoxox

ArtsyCanvasGirl Designs on Minted.com 2012 Holiday Challenge

I am so excited to participate in this year's Holiday Challenge on Minted.com.  My passion is graphic design and art so when I found Minted.com I was thrilled to find an outlet for my passion.  Here are six of my favorite designs that I submitted in this year's challenge.

Source: minted.com via Kathy on Pinterest

The competition is huge because there are soooo many talented designers in the Minted community.  If you like any of my designs, please vote.  To make it easy, just click on the individual design image, it will take you to the site to vote for that specific design.  Also, I encourage you to check out Minted.com.  It really does have some fantastic cards, journals and artwork!


Warmest wishes!
Kathy

Trusting your Own Inner Nature

Identity

Accolades can usher in

great trouble for your body.

Censure can herald misery.

Why can favor and disfavor

both be harmful?

Because both accolades and censure,

when filtered through self ego,

always place us in jeopardy.

But when the universe becomes your self,

when you love the world as yourself,

all reality becomes your haven,

reinventing you as your own heaven.

Only then, will you transcend tense

to fully be here now.

Only then, no harm

will the universe proffer

nor you to her,

for you will be

not you but she

and both - the universal Great Integrity.

Verse 13 of the Tao Te Ching

The Tao Te Ching: Translation, Commentary and Introduction by Ralph Alan Dale

Jane Hardy Miller Book Signing Event

Have you heard of Jane Hardy Miller?  She is a wonderfully talented quilter/author who has written several books on the art of French Braid Quilts.  She will be doing a book signing event at the JoAnn store in Pembroke Pines, Florida, this Saturday, February 25 from 11 am - 1 pm.  A collection of her gorgeous quilts will be on display.  Jane will briefly talk about her quilts.  If you are local to South Florida, please join us!  As part of this event, one lucky winner will receive a tote full of goodies from C&T Publishing!

Love and blessings!

Kathy

Strike up some FUN!

Sometimes I feel like the bowling party invitation queen!  One of the most memorable birthday parties I ever threw was a bowling party for my son when he was six years old.  I can still remember how much fun it was and the huge smile on his face when we packed up the van and went home.  Years later, my sister decided to throw a bowling party for my nephew and called me asking if I could come up with something cute for a party invitation with a bowling theme.  She couldn't believe how hard it was to find something really cute.  So feeling inspired and out of great love for my adorable little nephew, I came up with this:

Retro-Style Bowling Party Invitation

Everyone loved it!  She got lots of wonderful compliments and so I placed it in my Etsy shop for fun.  It has become my best seller!  I have sold this invitation over and over.  The best part is that I feel like a part of a new bowling party celebration every time I modify it for a new birthday celebration.  Each time I create a new personalized invitation with all the details, I open up my file directory and see all the little faces I've added to the bowling party invitation and it fills my heart with joy!

Since the original design, I have created a couple of other styles (prompted by moms who are not so much into the retro look).

Modern-style Bowling Party Invitation

So, this week I received a new challenge. I was given a couple of photos and asked to use one of the photos to create the modern style bowling invitation.  I was surprised because only one photo had a little smiling face. All the other photos were shots of the same little guy bowling (with his back facing in each photo).  I wasn't sure quite what to do... and then it came to me.

I really love how it turned out!  I think the mom was too! Oh, and by the way, for the little girl who loves to bowl (after all, girls just wanna have fun too!)... this one is for you!

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" Bowling Party Invitation

Love and blessings!

Kathy

Fairy Tale Romance

Save the Date Challenge at Minted.com

untitled: the first-ever minted art print challenge at Minted.com

Cityscape Challenge at Spoonflower.com

untitled: the first-ever minted art print challenge at Minted.com

I've been busy working on designs for Minted.com and Spoonflower.com.  Feel free to vote for any of my designs by clicking the link in the captions above.

Love and blessings,
Kathy

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