It's Really Happening

The day has come and this has been gently placed in our Georgia red clay soil:

Billy and I fell in love with this neighborhood 16 years ago.  Newly engaged and looking for an Atlanta suburb to live we found this little slice of heaven.  It was a sparkly new neighborhood.  Carefully we walked all the lots, chose the perfect pie shaped piece of property and quickly decided on the Portand B floor plan with added sunroom (my art studio now).  I think it took about 4 months to build the house we've now raised 2 children, 4 cats, one silly dog, 2 dwarf hamsters, one lizard and one turtle in.  It has been a dreamy little cottage.   Many laughs, many tears, many nights walking the halls with gasy babies and tender ears, many sleepovers, many dreams discussed and built in these walls.  I get a tiny bit emotion about leaving.  The house is tiny.  It is.  But it doesn't really bother me as much as it seems to others.  We use every square inch and then some.  I personally think a giant house with "pretty rooms" is a total waste of money. 

For 15 years now I've passed a house just like the one below.  Dreamed of what it looks like inside.  What it would be like to move.  And then it happened.  It's a wonderful story really.  And if we sell our house and get to move, I'll share the whole story.  For now I can't quit staring out the window at the sign in my yard.  My tummy is swirling with anticipation.  Fear I suppose too.  That we won't get to move.  Billy and I have already decided that should it not work, we are staying put and buying a lake house instead a few years down the road.  So I suppose either way it's all good.



The Statement Necklaces

Since childhood I've ALWAYS loved jewelry.  Not the fancy diamondy stuff either.  Costume pieces that make a statement.  I remember rummaging my Grandmother Sissy's jewelry box and being so mesmerized by the combination of colors and beads.  They had the coolest jewelry back then.  If you were to watch my outfits for one week you'd literally see 7 different jewelry looks.  My clothes, well recently in cleaning them out realized that I am a solid person....literally I wear jeans and some solid top daily.  I've decided this is because wearing patterns would certainly clash with the statement jewelry.  Yep.   

So, onto the jewelry making.  I guess my obsession with jewelry has crossed into making my own pieces to wear.  I love trying new techniques.....love.  For sometime I've wanted to continue the thread of my paintings into more wearable pieces.  I have a printing technique that can literally take my paintings and transfer the images onto tiny porcelain pieces.  Unfortunately the company has decided to discontinue most of the blanks I use, and I am down to the last handful of the pendants.  sigh.  Like I said though, I'm always on the hunt for a new idea to get the creative juices into overdrive.  So I pulled out Stephanie Lee's book one more time.  My past attempts at her techniques have failed.  This time I bought all the right materials and tools and with more than enough determination finished a few pieces.  And yes, I'm a widdle excited about the potential here!!!

This past weekend was my show in Birmingham.  With two opening receptions there had to be two statement necklaces.  Oh yes there did.  All the components of the pendants were hand cut and soldered together.  Even the little birdie I cut from a piece of sheet metal!  And yes, I hand wired the beads together.  I've got a nice little system for putting the bead chain together.  I love the way the metal and the beads compliment each other.

Last but not least, the pieces were texture hammered and stamped with sentiments. 

I've also made the main portions for a flower and a nest pendant.  Just like my paintings.  I hope to have some uploaded soon into Etsy.  I'll be sure to keep you posted!!  Hope you've had a creative week!

Coming Home.....The Show

Hey GUYS!!!!  I'm BACK.  I had to take a day to absorb all that happened this weekend.  Because it...was...amazing!!  Seriously.  We drove in from Atlanta Friday afternoon and got to the gallery around 4pm.  It was ALL ready, all set, and all so beautiful together!!  I know, I painted them so I am a little biased.  But to walk in and see the work I'd poured my heart and soul into for 6 weeks weeks straight finally on the walls and not the piled up in the garage,well it was a teary moment.  Actually I had many teary moments.  Let's see one was when I realized I'd received flowers from 4 different people (awwww), once when I walked in on Saturday and found Atlanta peeps standing in the gallery to surprise me (soooo cool) and last, that first glimpse into the room.  At that moment was an overwhelming sense of proudness.  A feeling that tingled all over my body that finally, I'd made it.  I've made history with my sweet paintings of birds, trucks and bikes.  Wow.

The gallery is in an old house Vero has renovated. My work filled the walls of the front left room.  The opening was 5-9PM Friday night at 1-6PM on Saturday.  So many friends and family members came  despite the horrible weather!  In fact, many of my friends from childhood have never seen my work in person.  Seeing as how I was the singing dancing chick in High School, the paintings are a new thing for them.  I liked seeing their expressions and hearing their comments.  Warmed my heart so!  Even parents of high school friends came to support me, and BUY!    Many of my parents friends came to support the show, and BUY as well!  We like that word, Vero and I.  :)

Flowers from BFF Aimee. 

Saturday I demonstrated my texture technique.  Those around were very intrigued, with many questions.  I actually got a little nervous....and I don't ever get nervous even when singing in front of hundreds!  The painting turned out adorable....look for it later in the week.  Hint:  there will be a give away!!!

I literally have 100's of pictures from the weekend.  Many with family and friends that attended.  I'll attempt to get those onto Facebook later this week.  Right now though, my Dad is here at the house and we are finishing up tons of projects around the house to get it on the market by the end of the week.  So I guess I should head on now.  Paint is calling me...and trim. 



JOY

This is absolutely the best word to describe today.  Seriously.  JOY.  No one can take it away, nope.  Because it's already been imprinted onto the day.  Today we leave for Alabama.  To the show.  THE show.  The one I've anticipated for months.  The one that I prepared for once and didn't get to have.  The one that snuck up on me and made me paint for dear life non stop.  The one that has tested friendships.  The one that has revealed true friendships.  The one that I can say is my "First Solo Show".  The only time ever that I can say that.  And it gives me so much JOY to share it with the gallery that believed in me first.  That gave me the first, "OK, we'll try your work out and see how it goes".  It's funny how life takes you down different paths.  I wouldn't trade any of it.  Nope. 

Yep.  Today is a joyous day.  Thanks for hanging in there with me the past 10 days.  Man they flew by, right?  So wish me luck....and lots of sales!  Here I go..................

Tandum Bike Fun

I've never ridden on a tandem bike.  But think I might.  Especially one that is pulling hearts as big as the ones I've attached!!

Following Your Heart

These words just spilled onto the canvas the day I painted this.  And how true are they.  We so often lead with our brain.....going through the motions of what it tells us we should do.  I have so many crazy emotions swimming in my head right now.  From the show opening, teaching, deadlines for shows applications, trying to get our house ready to sell, etc.  I am IN OVERDRIVE.  Seriously.  It's at times like this where I tend to back away from everyone and get in the mode.  The "I don't need anyone" mode.  Nope.  Not me.  But in actuality, I do.  I need to be nurtured right now.  I need to be called and checked in on.  I need "happies" on my front door wishing me good luck!  I need the help packing.  I need to know you are there behind me when I am at my craziest.   So I THANK YOU all for the calls, the good lucks, the well wishes, the offers to help.  You have no idea how much it makes my heart want to explode with gratitude.  I am getting better at accepting these tokens.   At this moment I am the luckiest gal in the world.  Because ALL of my little wishes are coming true in one big happy filled March.  Yep.  Giant puffy heart moments.  xo  Jenni

This Is Where Their Story Began

Another old church from the back roads of Alabama.  I love the way this church sits upon four brick piled corners.  And although Billy and were married in a church significantly larger than this, behind the doors the story begins the same.  Two people in love and a preacher surrounded family and friends who love them.  The happy couple leaves the church with a pocket full of dreams and the anticipation of years to come.  Billy and I, as we've been packing our house to sell, have actually begun to talk about "when we retire".  15 years ago we started our story in a church, then filled the pages of many chapters in our little house.  I absolutely can not wait to start the final chapters in the new home.  Seriously.  Can not wait.