Where Does Your Road Lead?

As I created this piece of photographic art to print on canvas and also mail out for Mail Art 365 at IUOMA, I thought; “Isn’t it odd how predictable change is even when one has well thought out plans?”

My cute little mini-me will turn three in a few weeks. One thing that has been set in stone between my husband and I is the importance of providing her with the best possible format of learning as possible. She has been in Montessori School since the age of eighteen months and it’s been an incredible experience. When we relocated from Austin to central Florida for a terrific career opportunity, we struggled with finding a good school. We were able to move to a beautiful vacation property at the beach in Palm Coast for the sole reason of finding a local Montessori School for her. It didn’t take long to figure out that the school was not at even close to being a true, traditional Montessori school. (A class of little boys and girls wearing nothing but underpants and tops in the classroom, not potty-trained? Unsanitary and degrading to say the least. That was just the tip of the ice burg).

So I asked myself, where is this road leading us next? [Read more...]

Everything you see is lovely if…

Title: “Everything you see is lovely if love is what you choose to see.”

It’s amazing how something as easily forgotten as a dead leaf on the ground can be so easily disregarded. Look around. There’s beauty everywhere, even in a leaf.

Several years back when I lived in Malibu, I met a songwriter, Dean Grakal with whom I shared a few interesting conversations with about our life experiences. One of them was after I had been at the barn riding my Warmblood, “Blind Faith.” It was this perfect, sunny Southern California day and the view was crystal clear as far as I could see out over the ocean. After my ride, I spoke with Dean and told him about how everything I could see was so clear, as though the world was standing still and it was as perfect of a moment as anyone could possibly experience.

So the next time I saw Dean, he pulled out his tattered, worn notebook and said to me; “Everything you see is lovely if love is what you choose to see.” That was what he got from what I explained as that epiphany/perfect moment. At the time, he was working with Ringo Starr on an upcoming album. He incorporated those words into a song that went on to be one of Ringo’s albums.

The skinny of this story goes back to the dead leaf, dried up on a sidewalk. If you feel and see love, it’s what you will see all around you. I have to thank Dean for summing that up for me. It can be applied to so many things on a daily basis… like this beautiful leaf! That’s why I love creating art from something so easily looked over as the leaf or the second-hand shoes that I created a canvas piece from a few days back!

1700 Stock Images for only 14$

Which Way Do I Go Creatively?

"Which Way Do I Go?" Vintage Art

Created from an old book page, textures and magazine tear outs to express my current thoughts on which way to go in my creative life. I’ve got my greeting card biz buzzing along online but I am so fond of creating photographic design elements and vintage art. I have over 200 new designs completed already just since the new year. Although there’s so many directions to go, I am leaning towards a new online store rather than just use them in my own photographic art. Letting other people create their own artsy photographic art sounds really appealing to me right now.

This piece was inspired by the Mail Art 365 and Creative Every Day 2012 challenges that I’m happily involved with! Sending this one out in the mail today!

New Year Siesta

Wow, 2011 has already flew by and here we go into a brand new, refreshing year. What has your year meant to you? Has it been fulfilling? Relaxing? Busy? Whatever it’s been to you, there’s a new year right around the corner just waiting to be all that you hope for it to be.

2011 for me was the year of exploration and creation. New homes, new state, new memories, change and growth. It was filled with so much newness that I don’t know how I’d top it! I made new friendships that warmed my heart and created more artwork than I’d ever done before. My design business was formed in the last quarter and my daughter became an independent little toddler with her very own thoughts and the sweetest heart.

In all this change came a chance to sit back and reflect on what’s most important. Life just moves so quickly and each moment offers a chance to make a memory. I’ve decided to take some time with my little girl and best friend (cousin) while my husband is away and travel, explore this gorgeous state of Florida and have an abundance of “kick-back” girlfriend talks over coffee for a few weeks.

In fairness and respect for my friends and readers, I will admit that I’m working through some things, but nothing more than many of us are challenged by in our adult lives. A little R&R, great friends and a chance to dive into new works of art is part of the remedy. Thank you for standing by me and for all the kind emails, tweets, letters and comments you’ve reached out to me with. I’ll be back in a few weeks with a fresh perspective and hopefully a whole new line of artwork.

I’ll still be tweeting… how could I EVER quit tweeting?! I’d die! I’ll also be checking mail both online and through my post office.

I wish each of you the very sweetest and prosperous new year. May people treat you with fondness, respect and joy!

Much love,

Terry-Anne

Every Little Girl Is A Princess

I looooove my little mini me more than life itself. She tests me sometimes and caught onto my “sass,” but at the end of the day, she’s a part of me and I love her, love her, love her!

Sophia is two years and ten months now. Wow, where did the time go? Now I see why everyone says; “Cherish every moment.”

BLICK ART MATERIALS: Save up to 68% on Select Items through December 17th!

I Love You This Big Watercolor & Video

I took 30 seconds to dab some watercolors onto an index card {closest thing in reach at that very moment} added some water drops and a piece of word art after hearing Scotty McCreery’s video that’s playing below. Isn’t he a cutie patootie?! [Read more...]

New Montessori Greeting Card Line

Spritually Elevated Child - Maria Montessori

As many of you know, my sweet little girl started her Montessori learning at eighteen months in Austin. She attended the North Austin Montessori School (“NAMS”) where she thrived on the learning method and loving environment in which she was surrounded with.

Sadly, we had to leave her school to relocate to Florida after four months into the program for her daddy’s aviation career. After all this time, [Read more...]

Welcome to My Beachy Home

Around My House

I thought I’d open up my home and show you all the cute and beachy decor in my home.

How we ended up here in Palm Coast in the first place is a pretty cool story.
I’m going to blog about it in the next few days. It’s about a lady named Martha
and the ocean waves that were calling our names!

Almost all the decor in my house was here when we moved in. Basically, we leased
a vacation home to temporarily enjoy life by the beach. for awhile. We moved to
Florida from Austin, TX.

It’s so fun in my home! The only thing more beachy than my home is the beach itself!