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!

Tiny Angels

I am so excited to share these paintings with you!!!!!

I was contacted a few weeks ago by a wonderful woman named Robyn.  Robyn is expecting a little girl soon and wanted me to do a nursery piece for her daughter's room.  

The nursery piece was pretty straight forward, stripes and dots, I will tell you though, it was one of my toughest paintings.  Which seems ridiculous - but when working with straight lines and perfect circles, plus trying to give it a three dimensional look - well lets just say I had a bit of a temper tantrum and started over - but am so happy with the final result!

Rowyn's Nursery Piece

In addition to that, she wanted me to create a tribute piece to also hang in the nursery in honor of her twin daughters.  You see these two precious souls were born very premature, Robyn and her husband Keith lost Abigail after 6 weeks and Ameilia three weeks later.  I was so touched to be asked to do such an important piece for them.  One of Robyn's friends had written a beautiful poem for them referring to the girls as Tiny Angels.  Robyn wanted me to use this poem as a muse for my painting so that she could hang them up side by side.  I had to digest the poem and the idea of doing this painting for a few days, but was struck with the vision of a antique pram with two tiny angels helping guide to this bright white light, which represents heaven.  In the poem it talks about how these angels are so small there couldn't possibly be wings tiny enough to fit them, so they use balloons to help.  Robyn had asked if I would experiment with a bit of sparkle to add a bit of glow to the balloons, angel wings and heaven. Here is how it all turned out:

Tiny Angels

The Pram

Angel

Here is what Robyn had to say about her paintings:

Annie,
 
I just got the paintings, and they are absolutely perfect. You did such a fabulous job, I can't thank you enough. 
 
The "R" painting matched the bedding perfectly. I don't really think you know how exact the colors match, my husband and I were amazed. We are going to hang the R today, after we run to Home Depot for hanging materials. I will take a picture and send to you once we get it situated. It was exactly what I wanted.
 
The Tiny Angels is beautiful, it made me cry. This week has been a rough week for us, Wednesday was the anniversary of Ameilia's passing, so the painting came at a perfect time. This painting will get hung a little later, I am now going to get the poem printed on a different piece of paper that matches the painting a little better. The spot has already been picked out for this piece. The Angels have so much detail in the hair and wings, and I love the pram. I absolutely can't wait to show this to my family and especially my friend who wrote the poem. Everyone will love it. 
 
Thank you so much for these precious paintings, I will keep them forever! You clearly put your heart into every piece you do, and it's obvious. These two pieces are so special to me already, and I just know Rowyn is going to love them in her room. God has blessed you with a wonderful talent, and I appreciate it!
 
                                                                   Thank you,
                                                                    Robyn and Keith 

Robyn and Keith, I am touched beyond words to have been asked to do this painting for you.  I thank you for this opportunity and have been so moved by your experience.  I pray for a safe delivery of a very healthy baby and know that she will have extra "angels" looking out for her throughout life.  Thank you again!!!

Thanks for checking in and enjoy this weekend!

what'cha been up to?

It has been quite a few days since I've last post.  Let me fill you in on what I've been up to.  First off, my dad came down to celebrate my birthday early.  As some of you may or may not know, my birthday is next Friday and my sister in law's birthday is on Saturday, my dad's was last Saturday.  So we decided to have a birthday party for the three of us.  Dad came down, Ryan, Dad and I went out to dinner (sans kids) and then Saturday enjoyed Jon's football game (he scored a touch down and was grabbing flags left and right). After the game we came back here and had a big lunch and lots of dessert.  

So here it is Sunday - what have I been doing a la Penny Pickles?  Well, I finished my cousin's large logo sign and Drew's baseball vignette.  I am almost done with another nursery piece and have started a piece that will be auctioned off at my online friend Amy's blog.  All the proceeds of the auction will go to the IJM (International Justice Mission).  I am very excited for this piece.  I also have another piece that I will be starting this weekend that I am so honored to be asked to do.  

I don't have any pictures for now, so my writings and ramblings will have to suffice.  I hope everyone is enjoying this glorious weekend, and take care!

Thanks!

in the jungle the mighty jungle....

I was contacted a bit ago by a lovely woman named Liz.  She had a request to do a canvas for a friend (lucky friend!) who was about to deliver her first. She photographed the bedding from the nursery and wanted me to use that as my inspiration and add the baby's name and birthday. We then discussed fonts and here's how it turned out:

The nursery bedding

My version!

Here is what Liz had to say about her painting:

The final product is WONDERFUL!  I'm very happy with how it turned out.  Thank you for your efforts to match the nursery...you did an excellent job.  I am certain that the new mommy and daddy will be thrilled when they see this new addition to their son's bedroom. Working with you was a delight. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

My favorite - the curious Mr. Hippo

Just hangin' with Mr. Monkey

This bedding was absolutely adorable and I loved its simplicity and the opportunity to add my own flare to it.  I was a bit nervous, since I had never done text like this, but I hope you'll agree it turned out great.  Thank you Liz for hiring me to do this for you and your friend.  It was a joy to work with you!

I haven't forgotten about the contest! I have chosen my winners and will be announcing them first thing tomorrow morning!  More about that later - for now - it's a jungle out there!

Thanks!