Kaden

So I have been painting, SURPRISE - I wanted to do a little painting for my nephew Kaden, who is about 15 months old. His room is done in navy, dark red and beige and in typical boy fashion: sports. His dad, my brother in law, is the only other sports lover in the family, so I appreciate this about him very, very much. We are few in number so we need to stick together and anything I can do to help Kaden along is fine with me. I decided to do his Christmas painting on an 8 x 8 canvas and modify my sports theme to suit their favorite sports. It allowed me to stretch my painting legs so to speak because I am working on a very large canvas (another Christmas present) that is different from anything I have ever done before - which is terribly scary and fun. So without further ado -Kaden:

Thanks!

McCartney's Watchful Princess

I am really excited to show you my latest painting.  It is for a little girl, McCartney, who is 2 1/2 years old.  I was contacted by Mike, whom I went to high school with and reconnected on Facebook.  I seriously love Facebook.  He said that he and his wife wanted to do something unique and special for McCartney since they don't get to see her as often as they would like. I am all about unique and special! He checked out my Completely Art page and mentioned he liked this painting (now that I am looking at it I am horrified at the photograph and may need Ryan to bring it home from the office so I can have Leslie take a crack at it with her new lens). After thinking about it for a bit, I thought that while replicating that painting wouldn't be difficult, it was a bit mature for a two year old.  Since I am a fan of trying to make something that will last, I thought why not add a bit of something to make it more age appropriate and beyond.  So I decided it would be neat to have a tower and princess leaning on her balcony looking out into the waters and at the moon.  Maybe she is a night owl, maybe she has insomnia, maybe she's waiting for her prince to return, whichever the interpretation - I am very happy with the result.  What I am happiest about is the reaction I received when I delivered the painting to Mike's house this afternoon.  I have to say I am always nervous to ship out my paintings, I just don't know what the recipient will think.  Art is so subjective and you never know what people envision in their minds vs. what they actually receive. So when I delivered the painting today, I am please to say that they were really happy with the finished work.  What I think I love the best is the look on their faces, like, "you really did that?" Perhaps I don't look like a "typical" artist, whatever the case, I am pleased as peas that they liked it and I can't wait to hear what McCartney thinks. 

Thanks again Mike and Lee Ann for letting me create this fun piece. I really had fun with it and I am so glad that you like it.  Thanks again for letting Penny and I crash your house - your family is wonderful!  So much fun!  I look forward to seeing you again soon and maybe even working on something for you!  Thanks!

Lindy

So my dear friend Heather, or Hea as we like to call her contacted me EONS ago to do a custom 8 x 10 canvas piece for her friend who just had a baby.  Well this was all in the midst of my Seattle trip, Meredith's table, getting ready for the Relay and my Indy Star blog starting up, and to top it off in the middle of baseball season.  To say that I bit off more than I could chew was the understatement of the year.  So much for under promise and over deliver - thank goodness Hea is a thoughtful and understanding friend.  A lesser person would have fired me!  Anyhoo - she didn't and thank goodness because I had a lot of fun making Lindy's canvas.  I love doing custom pieces, I love getting basic information and translating it.  For Lindy, being born and to be raised in Kentucky, her room is Thoroughbreds, navy and white ticking stripes and batten berg lace.  A dainty country girls dream!  So I pulled that together and came up with:

Lindy's horse ranch

Neigh!

Notice the "L" on the horse blanket - yep, did that on purpose!

So cute! Here's what Heather had to say:

Annie, 

I had to email to tell you know that I absolutely LOVE the lindy portrait.  Better yet, Susan LOVED it.  You are a remarkable, amazing artist and I am so proud of you!!  It was PERFECT!!!  I loved the different horses, the hay bale and silo -- simply wonderful!  I can't thank you enough for your beautiful work and your time.  I am so glad to be your friend.  :)

Thanks, my sweet friend.
Love, Hea

Meredith's Table, Finally!

I want to thank you for your patience.  It's been quite a while since I've posted Penny Pickles stuff.  I've been busy working on some things, but they've taken longer than I would have hoped, I took a vacation, busy with end of school and baseball starting up, yada, yada, yada...

So I am more than happy to present to you Meredith's table and chairs that I finally finished.  Meredith is my wonderful and talented friend Leslie's, daughter.  She is quite the adorable character and it was fun to do something just for her.  It was cool too because Leslie gave me total creative freedom to do what I wanted - so I thought a bit about Miss Merdi and recalled some of the elements of my previous work that Leslie seemed to like the best. The outcome was simply adorable.  I am pleased as peas that Merdi loved her table, as did Leslie.  It was the least I could do after all the wonderful photographs she's done for me of my artwork and my family. Not to mention my incessant questions on photography once I bought my own big girl camera.

Well I'll shut up now, Leslie did a beautiful job photographing this little set.  It was a bit trickier than usual to paint it.  When I paint on canvas, I can usually get through one part and then go back and either do another layer or start to do details.  With wood things don't dry quite so fast, so after smearing several flowers, I figured I needed to muster up my patience and wait for the layers to dry.  So it wasn't really more labor, just more drying time.  Then it's the poly layer to protect the design from what kids will throw at it, which takes a day or two - unless you want your kid high on fumes.  So without further ado- 

I couldn't resist this one, I stole it from Leslie's blog - one of the first things that Merdi did was set up a tea party for her and her pink unicorn.  So sweet - even if the unicorn is freaking me out a bit.  

Thanks again for your patience, I have more Penny Pickles to share.  Next week is Lindy's horses!

Also I my new Indy Star blog releases on Monday, so check it out if you get a chance - I will be sending out a email link, let me know if you want to be included.  Thanks!

hello conner...

Well I certainly did my best impression of Andy Rooney yesterday didn't I?

I am happy to report that Rooney is gone and Annie, er Penny Pickles is back!  I delivered a nursery piece that I had been working on for an old high school friend, Tanya.  It turns out Tanya (who found me on Facebook) lives in Noblesville about 10 minutes away from my house (such a small world).  It also turns out that Tanya is expecting her second son, Conner, in four weeks.  She contacted me about a month ago to do a tile spread spelling out her newest son's name.  What was so nice about this project was that I could go to her house, see the room, the type of furniture and bedding she was going to use, the other art pieces she was considering and sit and talk with her and her husband about what they were looking for.  I don't usually get that opportunity, so it was a welcomed chance.  That and I was able to hand deliver the painting, so no panicking about whether I wrapped it well enough or whether it shipped okay.  Plus I get to see my clients reaction in person, which is worth it's weight in gold!

Their bedding is pretty simple and quite handsome, yellow, light blue and chocolate brown, I copied the bedding a bit, modifying it slightly and changing the blue tone a bit to work with some of the other pieces they intended for the room.  I also really like the double matte look with these longer canvas', it really frames the final piece.  The result was adorable and it looked great up against the cocoa colored walls in the nursery.  Once they finish the nursery I will hopefully get a few pics sent my way to see how it all comes together. 

I present:  -CONNER-

secretly wishing i had a wide angle lens

Thank you so much Wilhite family for having me over, and allowing me to work on this great piece for your nursery.  I just know when baby Conner comes home he is going to have a very, very special room of his very own.  It was my pleasure to work on this for you! Thanks again!

Next up: Merdi's table and Penny's easter dress.  I scored at the fabric store today and found some fantastic fabric to add to the fabric I already had - I just can't wait to start and from the looks of it, I'll get a one day turn around on Saturday!  Ahh!

lots to do, lots to do

Gabriella

I was approached by a very good old friend, Caryn, to do a nursery piece for her cousin's new baby girl, Gabriella. A bit of background on us, Caryn and I met after I had Jon and she had her son Noah, who is a week older than Jon.  We met at a breast feeding support group and after a few weeks of talking we found out that we lived a few blocks apart in the same neighborhood - she and several others became my "booby buddies, " that made that first year of motherhood so much more bearable and fun!  Since then, we've had more kids, we've moved and our babies are now first graders, but we've kept in touch.  Of course if any of you have school aged children, you realize how challenging it is to get together for "play dates." That being said, we've been able to see or talk a few times a year and it is one of those friendships where time doesn't seem to matter.  

When Caryn asked me to meet up for coffee and discuss her cousin's piece, I looked forward to both catching up and brainstorming.  I was thrilled - I know, I'm always thrilled, but really I just love the fact that I get to do so many custom pieces. What was so fun was that Caryn gave me a basic idea of what she wanted, but really let me run with my own ideas.  I always surprise myself because at first it's all blank, and then I just can't stop the ideas - it all comes together almost instantly.  I liken it to anything else, the more you do or stretch your creative "muscles" the better you get or the easier it comes to you.  Anyway - Caryn wanted flowers, she wanted something that would go nicely over a crib or changing table, and the room had chocolate brown and pink in it and espresso stained furniture.  I decided with this piece to step away from my Gerber daisies and do a flower similar to a dogwood blossom.  I used a variety of pinks, peaches and yellows with my trademark "dots" - as Jon calls them and added some fun chocolate brown polka dots and super colorful butterflies.  The result was adorable!  What I love best about this piece is that it embodies what I try to achieve with all my paintings - something that will transition from nursery to toddler to child.  This piece with no doubt go beautifully in Gabriella's nursery, but I can see this canvas still being relevant when she is 7 or 8.  I'll stop going on and just share these pictures!

Happy

Little

Butterflies!

Thank you Caryn for allowing me to do this beautiful canvas for your cousin.  It was a true treat and I am so happy with how it turned out and so flattered that you liked it as much as you did.  I am so excited to hear about how it looks in Gabriella's nursery.  Thanks again!

Gimme a "M", gimme a "A", gimme a "C"

Finally some Penny Pickles art!  Not that you mind seeing my angels, but lets be honest - its the painting that brings you back...right?

It was rhetorical so you don't have to answer that!  

I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by a previous client, Steph that wanted me to make something for her newest nephew.  She wanted something with sports, but wondered if we could tweak my current sports theme - just not to pigeonhole this little fella into one sport or another. I have been wanting to do a theme like this - I just haven't had the time.  I am so glad that Steph asked - because it was a lot of fun to do.

So for little Maclain, we did "MAC", since that is his planned nickname - they asked for soccer, football and basketball, with a medium blue background.  I am so happy with the outcome:

Thanks again Steph!  I mean I am always excited to work on things for my clients, it means a lot when they come back and ask me to do paintings for gifts, when they do it a third time - I am just touched and humbled.  I appreciate your business more than you know!  It's good on a girls ego, it is!  (Sorry we've just watched ALL six Star Wars movies in order here at the Page house so a bit of Yoda-ease is coming out, it is!

Thanks again and next up Gabrielle!

A-I-N-S-L-E-Y

An order had been submitted about a month ago for a seven tile spread that would match a nursery valance. I was thrilled because first I have wanted to work on a large canvas spread - 7 letters makes up a pretty substantial piece of wall art and second the bedding was just absolutely adorable!  Abstract with swirls and flowers and shapes - just beautiful.  I jumped at the chance and wanted to share with you one of my very favorite pieces I have done to this point.  

When Sarah, my client, contacted me and attached an image of the valance in the room and told me that the room was painted pink, I immediate had ideas on how to matte and hang this piece.  Normally, I would matte these pieces on white matte board.  I do this for a few reasons - first off the white usually pops of any colored wall and second it holds all the tiles even so that you don't have to make a zillion holes or use a laser level to get the plumb.  I thought with this spread though that it would be really beautiful to double matte it using both white and chocolate brown matte board and attaching pink polka dot ribbon - the piece can be hung from the ribbon - but I also added holes to the back of the matte board for a more secure hang, not to mention keeping the matte board and canvas' from warping.  It turned out better than I could have hoped.

I lucked out when I asked, Leslie, my photographer, to do an "action" shot and her daughter's bedroom just happens to be pink!! Perfect!

S-L close up

Bottom view

I received a nice note from Sarah and Matt regarding their painting (and for the record the box was HUGE!):

Hi Ann,

 

We received the painting yesterday and you were right the box was huge:)  We love the painting. It awesome to be able to display her name in a unquie and beauitful way. It matches her room perfectly! It is so much better than just putting wood letters up on the wall it it will last a lifetime. You did a beauiful job on the painting and provided excellect customer service. Thanks so much.

Matt and Sarah Hall

Thank you so much to the Hall's for allowing me to work on something so special for your daughter - it was so much fun to do!  It was absolutely my pleasure!!!! Enjoy!

I still have a birthday post and another girlfriend to cover, so stay tuned, I'm not done yet!  Also, I've tweeked the website a bit, added stuff mostly, check it out and enjoy!

Thanks!

"A" flower patch for Amelia

Over the summer I had the privilege of working on a 24 x 24" canvas that was modeled after my flowers are de'vine theme, but added some touches from the Penelope bedding line from Pottery Barn Kids.  It turned out fantastic, so much so, that I had an additional order for that same painting came through right before Christmas. 

Since I am a supporter of things handmade and unique items - while the flower alignment and some of those touches from the first painting I did are similar, I changed the background, some of the colors and the leaves - I wanted to make sure that while my new client was happy with the art piece I was doing, my original client still felt like she had a unique piece of art for her daughter's room. I am pleased to say that I think I accomplished that task.  

My new order was from another mom at preschool who I happened to connect with on Facebook.  I post all my paintings in an album there - so she was able to see what I've done.  Melissa has three gorgeous girls, Maddie, who is Jon's age and they were in Kindergarten together,  Ella, who is Drew's age and they go to the same preschool and have lunch bunch together and Amelia, who is about a year younger than Penny.  Amelia has that same Penelope bedding from PBKids and Melissa wanted something to hang above her crib in her room.  I am pleased to share with you little Miss Amelia's painting:

Pretty Little Hot Pink Bird

Nestled in the flowers

I love working with gerber daisies for a number of reasons.  First off I love the flower they are such cheerful little plants, always seeming to smile.  Second, they are fantastic petals to paint.  The repetition, the shape, everything is just a pleasure to work with - so you will see more of them soon!

Melissa was very excited to get her painting and she was very happy with the outcome - I just know it looks great hanging above Amelia's bed.  Thanks again for trusting me to do something for your beautiful baby girl!

There is more to come!  I have several more paintings to post over the next week or so and I have a beautiful piece that I am just about done with to share in the weeks ahead.  Take care and Thanks!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Tis the season - so I have been working on a bunch of Christmas presents, for me, for others, and well some I can show and some I can't. Which is frustrating!!!  I am going to share this little one, even though it is yet to be sent out. I am fairly confident that with vague background information that this painting will not be "discovered" by the potential recipient.  That being said...

I'd like to introduce my newest theme - "Going on a bear hunt":

"b's" woods

THE BEAR

Rabbits, rabbits, lots o' rabbits

My father in law tells a mean version of "going on a bear hunt, " he really gets into it, leading the group of kids (and sometimes newly initiated family members...but I digress) in running, slooshing, sneaking through the woods to and away from the bear!  My own father began telling stories to Jon about a bear that liked to eat every one's pancakes.  Jon had a slight addiction to pancakes a few years back, but I am happy to say with intervention we have been able to get that under control and branch out his breakfast options to eggs, waffles and pop tarts.  In my dad's story the bear would sneak in your house and eat all your pancakes, or in another version he would knock on your door and demand all your pancakes.  So seeing that kids love things with bears, I thought I would do my own version of the woods and pay tribute to the bear.  It is a perfect theme for a room with no real theme.  If you know me, my children don't have "themed" rooms, they have simple colorful walls, bedding and such, so that as they get older I'm not replacing comforters and lamps and things with their current obsession.  It has worked so far, but we'll see.  Now please don't think I am against themed rooms, that isn't the case at all - but I like to try to create themes that will work in most any room at most any stage of a child's life.  I think this is one of those themes.  I mean who doesn't love a friendly bear, some adorable rabbits and a wise old owl?  I am looking forward to hearing what the recipient thinks of this little fella.  I am very happy with how it all turned out!

Only two weeks away until Christmas!  I can hardly believe it!  I hope you all have a great day and thanks!

let's hear it for the boys....

Yes, I have returned after having fallen off the face of the Internet.  We went for a long visit to the in-laws in Tennessee.  It was interesting not checking email, facebook, web page statistics, etc.  It was freeing, really and with all honesty I didn't miss being "connected" every second of every day.  We are back though, it is nice to be home.  We got in late last night and this morning we got up and went to get our tree from Dull's Tree Farm, where we have been going to since Jon was a baby.  After the Colt's game, we need to pick up Cyd from his doggie hotel and commence decorating and grocery shopping (ugh).  

In the mean time I am so happy to be able to share these canvas' with you.  One of my contest winners, Steph, was kind enough to order two canvas' for her nephews for Christmas.  They were 6 x 6 canvas' with simple wooden frames.  The first was my Vroom, Vroom, Whoosh theme - that Steph specifically asked to focus on trains.  

"G" transportation

I decided to give "G" an sleek express train instead of a freight or steam engine.

The whoosh in Vroom, Vroom, Whoosh

The second canvas I did was my Dino-rific theme.  Every time I do this theme, I have a few dinosaurs that I like to include, raptors and barosaurus, and certain scenery, volcanoes (which were Jon's idea in the first place).  I do like though, to try out new dinosaurs and I am especially happy with my triceratops and pterodactyl.  Yes,I am very pleased with how this canvas turned out.  

"T" in Dino-land

"T" is for triceratops!

Uh-oh - it's going to blow -good thing I'm in water!

I love reviews - of course they've always been good, so I am fortunate - but I love them nonetheless.  Here is Steph's comments on the paintings she's received:

The paintings arrived!!! Oh and they are great! I can't WAIT to give them away at Christmas this year.  I am only disappointed that "G" and his parents won't be traveling since they are expecting a new baby in January and want to stay close to home, so we won't see their reaction in person.  

I'm so impressed with the way the colors on the dino-rific tile will go AWESOME with my nephew's room, even though we didn't know the room colors ahead of time! It's amazing and I love love love the little dino details. The teeth on the one in the water and the dots. The dots are always my favorite little touch!

The train on G's tile is perfect too.  I love the helicopter-- I don't think I'd notice the landing pad before and it's such a great touch! amazing!

Thanks so much again!!! The paintings are so great!!!! I love checking the blog and seeing all the other things you are doing too-- it's especially awesome to have the photos of the little details although having my own and having seen the two others in person, seeing photos does NOT do these paintings justice!!!

Thank YOU Steph - I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to have a repeat customer.  I really enjoyed working on these canvas' and like I said before it is always fun to tweak and change my existing themes.  I can't wait to hear how your family likes them, please drop me a note and let me know!  

I have a few more pieces to share in the days to come - I have a few busy weeks ahead of finishing up my own Christmas presents and doing a large piece for a new client.  I hope every one's holiday was a good one - take care and thanks!

garden girls...

My girlfriend Angie put in a request to have me do two paintings for her girls for Christmas. I was so excited to do these, because Angie's family lives on a farm and her girls are two of the sweetest little farm hands you'd ever lay your eyes on.  Maddie, is my son Jon's age and Avie is a few months older than Drew.  So I've known these girls since they were babies. Angie had requested my flowers are de'vine theme, but wanted to add a bit of the great outdoors to it.  Specifically adding some butterflies and roly poly bugs, which are the girls favorites.  Her girls aren't afraid of dirt, but definitely have a girlie side.  It is always so much fun to customize themes that I have, especially when I know the children I am painting for.

Who doesn't love a lady bug picnic?  I have to admit, Betsy had this song on her website and I was just starting this painting at the same time.  I thought - hey I can have a lady bug picnic!  So this is mine.  And yes they are eating watermelon and chicken legs.

Acrobatic roly poly bugs!

Thanks again to Angie for ordering these fun little pieces!  I can't wait to hear how the girls like them after Christmas!  I am leaving for Tennessee this weekend - have a wonderful holiday and once again...

Thanks!