ecourses, dreams, and portland oregon

we are moving back to portland. i haven't mentioned it here yet, but it's been hugely in the forefront of my life for many many weeks. we bid on a house and we lost the bid a few weeks ago (so sad!) and we've been on the search for another home ever since. it's quite the process and involves a lot of driving to and from portland. and of course, dreaming dreaming dreaming.

we love seattle and i'm so glad to have moved here a year ago but neither of us can seem to get portland out of our bones and so, we've given in. finally, we are returning home to the city that stole our hearts years ago, to the city where our dreams were realized, where our love was realized, where so many of our memories live, and where we want to grow old. please send us lots of good house hunting juju. we are looking for an old historic home (+ studio) with lots of character and built-ins and charm and open spaces. we. are. so. excited.

so, in between crazy januaries, and lots of traveling to/from portland, and working on upcoming projects, and shop updates, and moving plans (packing is about to begin, friends), my brain is on overload. as with any big life changes (and man, have we had quite a few in the last few years), it's an exciting time with open road possibilities but it's also a lot of stress management while we transform whispers of dreams into real life living. it's amazing to me that we can simply wake up one day and decide upon a dream and then before you know it, you're taking steps toward that dream. and before you know it, you are living that dream. i seriously love this part of living.

(speaking of dreams, this new favorite painting is titled "dreamer" - matted prints available here)

i know many of you are waiting for one of my ecourses to begin. me too! i've got the e-courses site beautifully designed and ready to go. content has been written and edited and refined and edited again. i'm insanely excited - it's been a ton of hard work. BUT with travel coming up later this month, and a somewhat last minute move now scheduled for march, the ecourses are on hold. i need to be sure that i've got a good amt of time scheduled each day of the courses to dedicate to you, so please hang tight. i'm hoping to launch in april.

in the meantime, i wanted to suggest some other artist friends who are offering online courses in hopes that you might find something you'd like.

1. alisa burke - lots of color and experimentation offered in her online classes!

2. traci bautista - it's creativity unleashed with lots of classes to choose from.

3. mary ann moss - lots of fun unconventional stencil classes

4. misty mawn - she's offering a portrait class at the moment. look for more classes coming soon.

i'm sure there are many many more painting ecourses out there - these are just a handful that i know about. thanks so much for your patience + understanding. ecourses are definitely coming....just need for things to settle in a bit so i can be 100% present for them :)

Sponsor Spotlight: Beth Quinn Designs

Jewelry artist Beth Quinn is "a mom of two wonderful little boys, married to my best friend, and an artist who loves to create anything from paper, fabric , wood ,paint and metal." Influenced by her late father's metal working and her grandmother's creativity, her jewelry is "full of her love for the old , worn and shiny ... she loves to combine texture to create jewelry that can be loved and cherished for years to come." Please head over to Beth's website where you can find her shop and her blog!

thank you...

this photo was taken by tracey clark last summer just after i cut off my hair. i'm growing it out, which by the way, is a pain in the rear. but i love this photo for the "simply an inspired life" words written behind me (words + script by mary anne radmacher).

thank you so much for being a part of this inspired life, for helping myriam, and haiti, and for all the kindness. the randomly chosen winner of the large painting is cathi! cathi, get in touch with me and i'll get your painting out to you! thanks again to everyone who donated - myriam is off to a good start in her fundraising efforts and will continue to take donations through february. feel free to spread the word. thank you, thank you!

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i facebooked this but i also wanted to mention it here.....next week i'm doing a blog post that will highlight photos of paintings/journal pages/etc from YOU that were inspired by my book, Taking Flight. every week i receive emails from you about the book - some of you send photos of your creations, and some of you share pieces of your creative journey and aha moments. although i can't respond to every email, i truly LOVE getting these emails and feel connected to each and every person that takes the time to send a bit of kindness. it means so much and i very much want to support you! so, from time to time, i'm planning to post a blog post showcasing your work that was inspired by Taking Flight. if you're interested in having your work considered for these posts, please send photos or links to my email which is kellyraeroberts[at]gmail[dot]com. if chosen, i'll post a photo of whatever it is that you send me and i'll link it back to your blog/website (if you have one). i'm planning to do a series of these posts so i should be able to include quite a few of you over the course of the next couple of months. seriously, i'm so excited to share your pieces!

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in other news, i'm starting to drag a little bit. not sure if i'm coming down with something or just recovering from a hectic january, but boy am i tired. i'm taking it easy over here with lots of rest, hot baths, and tv while i try and recover. lately, i've been addicted to newly discovered hgtv and the suze orman show. hilarious, right?

more soon. thanks again for everything. i love this community.

Sponsor Spotlight: Amy Komar

Artist Amy Komar writes, "A common thread in all of my paintings is a close investigation of the natural world. I strive to convey both the simple beauty and the delicacy found in repeating patterns present in nature. Living as we do in a highly technological world, motivated by the continual resolve to “get it done” and to “multi-task,” these details can be easily overlooked and forgotten as the urban consumes the rural. I want my paintings to offer a moment's pause -- to prompt stillness and reflection -- by offering a visual counterpoint to our fast-paced life, reminding us as a viewer of the sacredness of the natural world and our need to live in communion with it." Please head over to Amy's website + blog to learn more about her!

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(Do you have a website, blog, or project that you'd like to promote? Please contact me to learn more about sponsorship opportunities at kellyraeroberts[at]gmail[dot]com)

calling all hearts - original painting giveaway

i'm giving away a recent and large painting today - details below. i've been thinking about how i would write this blog post....because i've been worried about our collective compassion burnout. because every time we turn on the news, our hearts take in the devastation but it's impossible to give something each and every time we face the direction of need. because many of us have already given what we could give.

but i also know the stories of who we are and what we're capable of are deeply seen when our hearts are given a chance to unfold, to reach out, to ask and to receive. even when we're tired. even when we've moved on. even when we've already given.

i need your help.

meet myriam. she's one of my dear friends. she has this way of pulling you back to yourself -sort of like an external heart compass. she sends you emails quoting your very own words from years ago in an effort to remind you of who you truly are. she sends love poems to your inbox just when your heart was about to give up. she sings loud crazy songs into your voicemail and insists that you pick up the phone and connect. and she even sends actual clothes (yes, people, clothes - sweet, adorable hand-me-downs) that she knows you'll look great in (she's got amazing style). i mean, who does that?

photo by tracey clark

this past year, i've watched her declare love as her saving grace, and compassion as her road map as she unearths her haitian heritage. we all have a story and it's been an inspiring to witness myriam discover what makes hers uniquely beautiful.

when the earthquake happened, we were all anxious as we waited to hear from myriam. is her family ok? has she been able to make contact? as the days went on, myriam did hear word from her family in haiti. she wrote:

My uncle Victor and Tante Mado both separately support two schools in Haiti, both have been demolished, many dead.. My uncle is housing as many children from the school as he can, all are disconnected from their own families. The shortage of water and food is chaotic and the trauma experienced is only just beginning to be understood.

My Tante Mado has 52 school girls without homes, living at the remains of their school. Another aunt, continues to wait for communication with her sister whom she was on the phone with when the quake started. It's very confusing what the best help is right now as it seems nothing is enough. Communication is so difficult, we are getting reports of deaths without any real confirmations. My heart just aches and aches, while my head spins with thoughts of how to empower myself and use all of my resources.

In speaking with family, funding is the most vital. Some are thinking beyond the disaster recovery to rebuilding homes, schools and churches.

photo by tracey clark

myriam has made a courageous goal to raise a lot of money to help her family and the children of haiti. it's where her own story began as a child - in haiti - and i deeply want to support her returning to the beginning of that story with eons of compassion and real ways to affect healing and change. you can read all about her specific plans right here.

this is where i believe we can turn our collective compassion burnout into collective power. i really do. if we all donate just $5 (or even $10) then we can help one amazing woman help many many beautiful souls in her homeland.

here's what you can do:
1. please donate to myriam's chip-in fund (it will direct you to donate via paypal). ANY amt will do. if we all donate $5, $10, $20, we can make a huge impact. i really believe this.
2. after you've donated, please come back here and leave a comment. please only leave a comment if you have donated.
3. i am giving one commenter (domestic or international) a large original painting titled "it all matters":

thank you, thank you, thank you..........this means the world.

finally....

you guys, bear with me. lots of news and photos to share....we've got over 15 brand new wall canvases available and i'm dying to spill, spill, spill.

(i'm so excited!)

NEW 6X6 WALL CANVASES!

i'm so thrilled to announce that these lovely pieces are now available (in the shop!) as high quality wall canvases - they're gallery style with thicker sides which truly make them look like original paintings. each canvas is 6x6 and look great when paired together (and they look great with the older 6x6s in the collection, too!).

here are a couple faves inside an old frame (love) - and here's another example of one of them inside a different frame. i loved creating these pieces many months ago and i'm so glad they're finally making their way to lovely homes. each canvas will arrive signed by me. they are $16 each. available here!

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NEW 12X12 (NEW SIZE!) WALL CANVASES!!

this photo shows a couple new 6x6's, a 12x12, and 16x16 - the girlie cut out is not available yet, but soon! we love the new 12x12 size and we love their affordability, too. they're also gallery style with the thicker sides. quality is amazing, making each piece look like an original painting. we've got several favorite images now available in 12x12 wall canvases:

the one on the left reads "lovely life" and the one on the right reads "grace." both available in an affordable 12x12 wall canvases.

"she learned to cup possibility in her hands" and "wholehearted"

now available as 12x12 wall canvases! woohoooo!

these are a couple of my faves. both available in 12x12 canvas. the first one reads "spirit living" - as in having faith, living inspired, living in awareness of spirit. and the one on the right reads "kissed on both cheeks" because every girl wants to be kissed with joy.

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NEW 16x16 WALL CANVASES!

and finally, we've added two more large 16x16 canvases to the collection:

the top two are the new ones. the first one reads "faith" while the second one has many affirmations listed. the bottom two are also 16x16 wall canvases - i think these four look great paired together. each arrives signed by me!

so, there you have it. that's 17 brand new wall canvases. whew!

here a couple more images of items collected together:

(ps - yep, those are notebooks. and yep, they're up in the shop, too)

dream big, dream big, dream big.

thanks for hanging with me for this long and photo filled post.

head on over the shop for more details, and more photos.

get em' while you can. quantities are limited :)

thank you (so much)!

glue guns rock

every once in awhile john and i will sketch out some crafty projects together. this is one of those collaborations. i seriously love it when john and i create together - it's one of my all time favorite things to do. inspired by this bookshelf he made for me a couple of years ago, this favorite photo frame, and some recent paintings i've been creating (like this one), we came up with an idea to patchwork a painting with salvage wood and other bits.

we gathered up some ephemera (the above is an old doorknob plate that i repurposed from this previous crafty project) and wood pieces and then john laid out the patchwork design and i got started on glueing, and embellishing. this is the part where i say that i dug out my old neglected glue gun and promptly fell back in love with it.

it was SO much fun. we used old game pieces, watch pieces, wrapping paper and on an on.

i'd highly encourage you guys to collaborate with your partners, your friends, your family. my mom and i collaborated on many projects a few years ago and i'll always remember that autumn by all the things we made together - lots of assemblages (before i discovered paint).

speaking of my mom, my favorite part of this piece is the vintage handle my mom sent me years ago that's been waiting and waiting (inside the junk drawer) to be used. i seriously love it.

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this one is about 14x14 inches. we got so inspired, we quickly made another one which is about 9 x 12. here it is:

using the same process, john laid out the wood and i went to work on gluing, collaging with wrapping paper, and embellishing with bit and pieces of ephemera.

nothing makes me happier than patchwork. and old bits and pieces. and color. and old pieces of slavage tin. and lace. and buttons. and....

faith. i wanted faith and courage to be represented in this one. this is a print, by the way, that i used in the middle (available here in the shop, if you're interested).

so, there you have it. that's what i've been up to with the help of john and my glue gun. i could make these all day long.....hope you guys are having a great weekend! more coming up soon...

Sponsor Spotlight: Fredbean's Nook

Emma, the lovely talent behind Fredbean's Nook, says, "Creating beautiful, timeless jewelry is my passion, and I cherish that warm feeling that envelops me when I realize there are those in many parts of the world who treasure and enjoy wearing their Fredbean’s Nook creations. Much of my inspiration comes from being surrounded by the sea, nature and the overall quaintness of seaside living on picturesque Aquidneck Island , where I make my home with my husband, 2 children, 1 dog, 2 cats, 1 hamster, and a little bunny named Molly. You can learn more about Emma and her offerings on her blog and in her etsy shop.

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(Do you have a website, blog, or project that you'd like to promote? Please contact me to learn more about sponsorship opportunities at kellyraeroberts[at]gmail[dot]com)

a little wacky

(more hearts for you)

it's been such a strange couple of days. i've been trying to finish up what seems like many new paintings but instead of getting them done, i keep tinkering away on each of them - a little here, a little there. this isn't my usual (i usually work on one painting at a time, and quickly) but i'm trying to go with it, see what this new wave has to offer, though i wish my painter self could hurry it up a bit as i'm up against a deadline :)

there are big things happening over here both in biz life and personal life but it's all in that middle ground phase and it's killing me not to spill the beans here in celebration. instead, i'm in the center of it all, living it all through to the end, counting my blessings, and feeling thankful. i will share all the beans when it's all official!

my heart continues to stand in the direction of haiti. and i hope soon, here on this blog, we'll all be able to send a little love and support to a dear family currently in haiti doing their best to survive. stay tuned...

inspiration + gratitude

(a tiny heart rock found yesterday with john at alki beach)

inspiring me lately:

melody ross' brave stories of living through the fire only to find her wildest dreams (and miracles) on the other side.

this ny times article about an artist's career finally taking off at the age of 94 (wow!).

pam garrison's framed box of hearts. love this so much.

so, you think you're crafty?

sabrina ward harrison's etsy shop.

these funky chairs from edge home. totally loving the whimsy.

everything from rebe... clothes and bags! oh my, heaven.

all the sweet things in julie's etsy shop. been scooping up some of her vintage goodies for painting embellishments...

the pioneer woman - be prepared to get lost for an hour or two over on her site. hilarious and just good stuff.

the idea that as long as we are true to who we are, then there is room for all of us. i really believe this. wholeheartedly.

(heart shaped glass found on the beach yesterday)

gratitude surrounds:

for good solid sleep. like a baby.

for cooking from cooking light cookbooks. today it was taco pie. yum.

this amazing review of Taking Flight from billie's craft room (thanks, billie)

for dreams coming down the pipeline. i think 2010 is going to one fat amazing year.

for fleece stretchy pants.

for love. always love. it always wins.

New Sponsor Spotlight: Curly Girl Design

Please welcome new sponsor, Curly Girl Design. Leigh's delightfully quirky work has been in the making for the better part of her thiry-ish years. Curly Girl Design is inspired by incredible friends and family and provides environment friendly products for all to enjoy! Doodle your heart out and spill the beans to your best buds with cards, journals, and pencil sets (because who doesn't need a set of polka-dot doodling accessories, really?!) And that's not all! Take a peek at the Curly Girl Design shop for even more goodies!

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(Do you have a website, blog, or project that you'd like to promote? Please contact me to learn more about sponsorship opportunities at kellyraeroberts[at]gmail[dot]com)

introducing versatile art plaques!

you guys, i'm smitten. i just adore these brand spankin' new goodies we've added to the online shop. we're calling them versatile art plaques because they're well, versatile! here's a peek:

totally love them collected together. each comes with its own easel. and each arrives signed by me. but wait, they also look great grouped together on a wall:

they arrive ready to hang, too! pretty nifty, eh? they've been printed on canvas and then mounted to the plaque. here, i grouped them together inside one of my old frames and i looovvveee how it looks!

we've got 8 different designs....here are a few of my faves:

it reads, "brave in all things."

it reads, "blessed."

let it go.

surrender your fear.

liberate your doubts.

unleash your intuition.

take a risk.

it reads, "journey far."

it reads, "gratitude surrounds her."

all are available now in the shop! quantities are limited, but i've ordered quite a few. hoping you guys dig these as much as i do :)

in other news, i'm home from texas. really glad to be home and settle in. john and i are headed out to alki beach to search for sea glass, and soak in some sunshine (sunny in seattle today).

thank you, over and over, for your support. i'm the luckiest girl on the planet.

texas love

(i brought my cowgirl boots with me)

i'm smitten with texas. i'm here in dallas where the southern sweet talk is rampant, where the women where cowgirl boots with bling, where personalities are huge and warm. where, in my eavesdropping, every other sentence is bless her heart. though i've barely been here 24 hours, my accent has already started to mimic the people around me - something that is hilarious yet feels oddly just right.

when i was in highschool, i used to think i'd one day live in texas. i had texas bumper stickers in my room, t-shirts, the whole nine yards. so, it's fun to be here and get reacquainted with all things texas. the people are just so warm....nobody is a stranger to the other, it seems.

the signing went well today - still feels like a dream, all of this. the showrooms, the product displays, strangers wanting to meet me, their stories, all the buzz. i'm just insanely grateful peeps are relating to my work, my heart. there is so much connection inside every moment of these days for me, but, i'm also ready to get home and get back into a routine. i've missed rainy seattle and the quiet.

and bikram yoga starts this week for me. it's been a year or longer since i've been to bikram. wish me luck - hoping to make it through the first session without having to leave. also hoping it can help me get back into my clothes that i miss so much and that i've outgrown these last couple of months. 15 pounds, peeps. 15 pounds.

a signing

it's a whirlwind over here....

for those of you who may be attending the dallas gift show this weekend, i'm doing a signing in the DEMDACO showroom on saturday from 1-3pm. i'll be signing new canvases and would love to meet you!

these are a couple of the images captured last weekend at the atlanta signing. it was my first product signing - wasn't sure what to expect, but it was such fun. and can i just say how delightful it is that total strangers can be incredibly kind and nice? i'm a sucker for warm kindness. thank you, jonathan for the photos!

more soon!

Sponsor Spotlight: Color Incorporated

ColorInc is a full-service digital lab that handles color management, retouching and printing options. Their online shop offers a range of products for your digital photos (or high res files of your artwork), including prints, greeting cards, and gallery wrapped canvases. In this previous giveaway post, I shared how I used their services to create a gorgeous gallery wrapped canvas with one of my images (a high res file of a painting). Head on over to their website for all the details on their products. Also, use promocode "krr09" to receive 25 free 4x6 prints!

haiti

i just found out what happened in haiti - i've been out of the loop and unplugged to the news until ten minutes ago. it feels so strange to have blogged about all the goodness in my life earlier today when at that same moment, thousands of people were suffering the unspeakable, the indescribable.

i'm saying a prayer, lighting a candle, and wishing for a million moments of humanity.

the red cross is taking donations and has pledged 1 million to relief efforts. you can send a $10 donation to the red cross by texting "haiti" to 90999. head on over to their website for all the details on how you can help. these are the moments when we can really show, collectively + globally, who we are.

atlanta gift show, part two

i hope you guys don't mind my geeking out and sharing photos of the window displays from the atlanta show. they're not the best photos (window glares everywhere), but you'll get the idea. i fell in love with how the set designers displayed my work - they captured my aesthetic/whimsy perfectly and i couldn't have been happier.

they even used the same white chair i use in my studio. loved all the details, like the hat boxes and birdie cage on top. not sure if you can see it, but there's even a vintage paper cutter on the desk! loooovvveee the ribbon across the top - i'll share close-ups of that ribbon soon. and i just love how they collected all the bits and pieces of the various new products and grouped them together. totally digging the large vintage red trunk on the left.

here's a closer look at the inside of the trunk. i might use this idea next year for christmas - putting a tree inside a trunk (tree trunk :)

here's a shot taken behind the window. you can see a bit more of the details like the old fan and sneak peeks of the new product. i just love that old metal green desk/shelf thingamajig. love it.

this is another display over on the holiday side of the showrooms. it's pretty whimsical which makes my heart happy. totally digging how they decorated the dress form with a garland tutu and riboon - another idea i might have to do next christmas in my home! you can't see if very well in this photo, but to the left is a stack of vintage suitcases holding many of the large decorative art girlies (photos of those soon, too).

there you have it - crazy, eh? i'm pinching myself, and trying hard to capture all of it. this feels like a once in a lifetime moment and i want to make sure i don't miss a thing. huge, huge gratitude all around.

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in other news, i'm working hard over here, trying to catch up from being gone for 10 days while not over doing it. i also received 17 (!) large boxes of product that i'm working on getting uploaded to the shop - stay tuned!

Sponsor Spotlight: Your Courageous Life

Kate, the life coach behind Your Courageous Life asks, "What does living BIG look like for you? What would it be like to be supported on your courageous journey? Living halfway won't get any of us a discount at the end. Join me and other courageous souls as we learn together in e-courses like The Courageous Year, share wisdom, tap into creative inspiration, connect over art and good food at Courageous Living retreats, and explore what it looks like to live 100% fully alive." Visit Your Courageous Life for more details.

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(Do you have a website, blog, or project that you'd like to promote? Please contact me to learn more about sponsorship opportunities at kellyraeroberts[at]gmail[dot]com)