Looking Back, Looking Forward, and Looking Up

Well we've almost made it through another year.  One filled with joy, sadness, and unexpected gifts.

In January of last year I never could have imagined that I would launch an art website, partner with a dear friend to create artwork, and another great friend to showcase her artwork.

I also didn't realize that my dream to be back in France would come true so soon, and that I would spend time with the man I love in the city of love!

These are all blessings that I'm so very grateful for, and I sometimes pinch myself that good fortune has smiled so graciously upon me and my family in 2012.

For 2013, I have no set plans, no resolutions, but plenty of dreams.  I dream that I will be able to travel again to shores unknown and visit more beautiful places that make me look upward and expand my horizons.

I dream that my family and friends will continue to be blessed with good health, happiness, and the joys that living a full life can bring.  And I wish these things for all of you too!

And speaking of dreams, I have been so sick...still...that I almost forgot to tell you that some of our artwork was featured in the Fab Finds section of the current issue of Romantic Country Magazine!  This special piece is one that we created specifically for the magazine and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it for Fifi!  Thank you Fifi for this wonderful opportunity!!!  There was a bit of a glitch and the website listed beneath the pic was incorrect, but you can find this artwork and lots of others on our website at Low Tide High Style.

Like a Kid in a Candy Store

I've been so busy with chiropractor appointments and working on my website that I haven't really had time to create much lately.  Creating is my happy place, the space where I find quiet solitude and joy, so I've missed being there.

But today I decided I would combine a little work with some play and work on a few images.  The top image is from a candy store in France.  It was housed in a beautiful old building with elaborate plaster work.  I can only imagine how the lucky French children who visit there must feel when they leave the store with their yummy, and equally beautifully packaged sweets.

The second image is a piece that MB and I collaborated on, and it will be for sale on the website which will be up early next week...fingers crossed!  

While working on both pictures I felt like a kid in a candy store.  There is nothing quite like doing what you love and having fun while doing it. 

On a side note, I found out today that I might, and emphasis on the might, be going back to France sometime soon.  I wonder if I'll be able to find my own version of a candy store...Ladurée

anyone?!

For A Good Cause

There are a lot of things I hate about social media, but the one thing I do love is that outlets like FB, Twitter, and blogs sometime allow us the ability to stick together, or reach out and help someone we've never even met.  We see that time and time again in the blog world, where we bolster one another in times of joy, sorrow, and especially need.  So it was no surprise when I visited Cindy at Fat Cow Studio and saw a post about one of her FB friends who is in need.

Now I don't know Cindy's friend Amy from Junk Love & Co., but I really don't need to.  The important thing is that Amy's father in law and son were in a terrible accident and her son is in a PICU (pediatric intensive care unit) in Vegas.  Scary times as you can imagine for any parent.  And as you can also imagine, the bills will be mounting.

Being the clever and industrious community that we are through our blogs and FB, another friend of Amy and her family jumped in to action and has organized an online FB auction to try and raise funds to help this family out in their time of need.

Her name is Barbara, and she is known as the Shabby Cowgirl .  Through her efforts, she has gathered a whole host of great auction items that will be up for grabs today between 12 pm PST until 7 pm PST.

I've donated a 12 x 12 wrapped canvas to the auction.  You can pick the artwork, one of the ones you see featured in this post, one from my last post, or anything from my website HERE. 

The choice is yours, but no matter what you pick, the money will be for a good cause and that always makes buying something even more fun.  And please spread the word, the more we can get this out there the more money we can raise for this family!

My thoughts go out to Amy and her family, and I wish both her father in law and her sweet son a very speedy recovery from their accident!

To preview the items and place your bids, click HERE.   Remember the auction is today only starting at 12:00 noon PST until 7:00 pm PST...so don't wait!   

           

Change

It was great hearing from so many of you that I'm not the only one who is tearing apart my house and going through change.  In fact painting and closet cleaning are not the only changes that have been going on around here.

When I went to purchase the domain name "Bay Studios" a few days ago, I realized it was already spoken for, so that meant that Mary Beth and I needed to come up with a new name.  After sending a few ideas her way, we both agreed on Ebb Tide Studios.

I like it, and since both she and I live on the water, it seemed fitting to have a water related name.  So from here on out we will be known as Ebb Tide Studios.  For now we won't have our own website, but we're hoping that will change sometime in the next year.  We would love to offer up different goods with our artwork on them, like guest towels, dishes, and fabric, but that's a ways down the road.

We are super excited though, and we've been plugging away on some artwork for autumn.  Both of these images will be for sale as wrapped canvases very soon so we would love to have your feedback on them.  

We wanted to capture the essence of Fall, and with this second one we were really going for a vintage feel.  I wanted to create something that had an old oilcloth feel, so I even added the golden checkerboard background reminiscent of tablecloths from the 40s and 50s.

Along with the new artwork, we've made some good progress on the house stuff.  The guest room closet is now neat as a pin...well as neat as it will every be, and the black cabinet in the living room has a brand new look that I'll share with you very soon.

We have bags of stuff to drop off at the donation shop tomorrow, and one of my dear friends is taking a black and cream toile bedding set off of my hands, so we are moving in the right direction.

And I would like to give a special shout out to my friend Papa Jim.  You may recall that he had surgery awhile ago and has had a very long road back to recovery.  Today is his birthday, and I know both he and his family are happy to have him home and to be celebrating his special day together.  

Change can be a very good thing sometimes!  I hope you are each having a lovely weekend and that whatever changes you have on the horizon are for the better!

If you would be interested in either of the images above as a wrapped 12 x 12 wrapped canvas (other sizes are also available), you can email me at kgwhouse@gmail.com for pricing and more info!