☆ Commissioned Piece [Friday Art]

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Week 27: July 2014 

A while ago, I mentioned that I was working on a project, and that I was really excited to have been asked to work on this project.

I was asked to make a few cute cards to send out with a campaign that Schwarzkopf were sending out to ten bloggers.

Once I saw their profiles, I decided to personalise the cards even more and give the girls on the cards similar features and colours to their profiles.

And although my first inclination was to say I couldn't do it - in the time frame given, instead of saying no, I said let me look at it.

So I started to play around with ideas.

And I realised I could do this + in the time frame given.

And they were so well received + such fun to do.

But if I had gone with my first instinct - if I had said no, I would have missed out massively.

Some times you need to check in with your intuition - is your intuition telling you no? Or is it your fear. This time for me it was fear, fear I wasn't good enough, brave enough, worthy enough.

Sometimes, I think you need to ignore your gut.

What do you think? Do you ever check in when your intuition is saying no? What if your intuition was protecting you from the thing that you want most but are afraid to grab?

I would love it if you shared your stories...

Oh + happy 4th of July weekend to all my American friends x

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☆ Water Lily [Friday Art]

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Happy 2014! I wish that all your big dreams, your hearts desires, become realities.

Do you do goals + resolutions? It has become a ritual for me to spend a couple of days thinking about what I want the next year to look like, what big dreams I want to achieve.

I have found that if I don't do this ritual, my mind is a mess, I have no direction, I am adrift. 

I hate that lost + overwhelmed feeling.

I won't bore you with my dreams for 2014. I mean, while there is some value in sharing them, a sense of accountability I guess, I am not sure they are all that interesting to any one else.

But what I do want to share with you is one of the two commissions I was working on before Christmas.

Not for my kids this time! This was a painting for a client's daughters birthday. I loved working on this one, my client wanted very specific elements in the painting, full of personal meaning for her family. And I was so honoured that they chose me to paint this for their daughter.

So I hope you all enjoyed the holiday season, I am taking a bit of time off, I need to catch up with Lifebook 2013, before I start 2014, a blog update, and a shop to reorganise. I also want to spend some time with Bean before she starts big school!

I should be popping in a little, here and there, but no set schedule!

Do you have a ritual you do at New Years? I would love to hear about your rituals below.

[LINKING TO PAINT PARTY FRIDAY]

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☆ The Third Very Special Commission [Friday Art]

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope that you have enjoyed your holidays + that santa was as generous at your house as it was at ours.

I thought that I would share with you the last of my very specials commissions. (You can see no. 1 here + no. 2 here)

Seeing the girls faces when they opened their painting was so cool. I loved seeing their expressions + amazement.

Nothing Better.

And worth every moment spent in the studio creating them!

Seeing the girls open these was my very favourite Christmas memory…

So I hope you enjoy the rest of your holidays. I am going to spend the next week with family, so I will see you in the new year!

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☆ The Pink + Purple Fairies [New Commission]

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A good friend of mine asked me to create some fairies for her two nieces.

I loved making these - even though I find blonde hair harder to paint than my usual dark haired pieces, I actually enjoyed the challenge of this one.

And I love that they are on their way to two little girls who will adore them!

I got to use my twinkling H20's again - they both have an amazing shimmer!

And I love even though are are very similar in pose they both have their very own personalities!

I love doing these + I am so often humbled by the faith in me by my clients. (Thanks guys!!)

By the way - have you had a chance to check out this months give away? It is open to absolutely everyone + it takes seconds to enter. I hope you'll join in!

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☆ Contemplation [Commission Piece]

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I've been a bit absent from 'Listen to the Squeak' the last few weeks, but I have been busy with a couple of commission pieces.

Even typing that line, I feel a little smile inside - I couldn't have thought in my wildest dreams, that three years ago, I would be painting commissions, let alone being paid for it!

Anyway, I have been incredibly lucky + have some awesome clients, who have made the whole process so much easier!

This painting is called 'Contemplation' and I loved the way she turned out. I am not sure if she is contemplating some thing heavy duty, or whether to have ice cream for dinner.

I will let you decide +  I would love to know what you think she's contemplating.

Have an awesome week

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☆ Wild [Commissioned Piece Finished]

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I have been a little quiet this week - no wee beastie news yet but I have been holed up in my studio. 

Remember that commissioned piece I was working on? 

Well I have finished + have had final approval, so I thought I would finish the final painting here.

Wild [commission piece sold]

I loved painting this one, although the strawberry blonde hair gave me a few head aches. I don't really paint blonde haired girls, and now I know why!

Strawberry blonde is not just yellow, or brown or flesh, or white. It is all of these, as well as some olive and red, and black, and pink. And yes I googled it!

At one stage I didn't ever think it would come together, I just kept layering + layering, but in the end I am really happy about it. And so is my friend, which is the main thing isn't it!

I am also very excited this week cause, I sold two other paintings this week:

Bird Song

You are Amazing. Always

Both of which are on their way to their new homes. Thank you so much Kyles + Sam - I hope you enjoy them.

I also wanted to extend a warm welcome my new readers + thank you to those who have been with me from the very first. I never really pay much attention to how many people have joined me in celebrating living the life I have always dreamed, but I my friend pointed out that there are well over 100 people. Thanks guys x 

I hope you have a great weekend, I have a last minute sewing projects + cookies on my agenda + yes, I know, I really should have started these in July not the weekend before Christmas!

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☆ COMMISSION PIECE [A Work In Progress]

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After the hectic pre-Christmas + pre- Beastie, get together with my family last weekend, I jumped into working on this commission.

One of my fabulous friends, asked me to paint one of my girls for her sister-in-law for Christmas, and after finally catching up last week, and talking about my designs, I sat down to start. (Apparently there is only three weeks left till xmas... who knew right? And holy crap that means only 4 weeks until our wee beasties eta - eeek!)

So here are a few work in progress shots,

There is still some more to do, but I am so happy with the progress of this painting. It is (so far!) behaving!

So what are you in the middle of this week? Do you have anything interesting on your work desk? Can you see your work desk - cause mine is like a bomb hit it, I still haven't cleaned up after AEDM!) I would love to hear your stories.

AND DON'T FORGET, the last give away for 2012 is up now! Click here to enter

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