The holiday season is upon us, and it's time to spread joy and show our loved ones just how much we care. If you have an artist in your life, finding the perfect gift that nurtures their creativity and fuels their passion can be a wonderful way to celebrate their artistic journey. To help you, I've curated the ultimate holiday gift list for the artist in your life. From practical tools to inspiring resources, these gifts are sure to unleash their creative potential.
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Recently, I attempted to create a REEL for Instagram (never has there been a truer statement written- aren't we all just attempting to make reels) and after 3 days of trying to piece together what "A day in the life" looks like for me, I gave up. It's impossible. Having two children under 3, my attention cannot be bothered with taking snippet videos ALL DAY LONG. I can't. So instead, I decided to write my day down!
5:30 am- get dressed in the dark, stumble into the kitchen for my coffee and make the trek downstairs to workout (totally dependent on how we slept the night before). Shower post workout, morning routine with a load of laundry and sip on coffee #2 while babies still sleep while watching the news. 7:30 am Everyone is up and I am the master of making lunches and breakfast at the same time while reheating my coffee on repeat for the next hour before giving up. Sammy shovels his food in his mouth while watching his favorite programming (Ms. Rachel- IYKYK) while I chase Emma around trying to get her to take a bite of the breakfast SHE picked out. Then the battle royal commences, the fight over what Emma will wear. If it isn't a dress, Minnie Mouse, rainbow or some sort of combination of those things, SHE IS NOT HAVING IT. We just have a penciled in tantrum right here every day. Then it's time to head out the door and drop the kids off at the local church PreK. 10am After the mad dash out the door to drop Emma off at preschool at our local church, it's time to get to work. I make yet another coffee (hey- no judgement from you. These kids are tiring) and I head down stairs to my studio. I say hi to Bella who hangs out in there most days (studio cats are the best) to stay away from the noise and turn on either my favorite Spotify playlist which is a carefully curated list of indie/alternative bands circa 2008 or pop on a Harry Potter audio book and get to painting. On the days that the kids are both at the church, I try to get a 3 hours of uninterrupted time in the studio. Around 11:30, I'll break for a meal and make my favorite breakfast of plain full fat Greek yogurt topped with fruit and a healthy squeeze of honey, then its back in the studio. 1:00 pm Dash out the door still covered in paint to pick up Emma and Sammy and its tablets for the win on the way home so we do not pass out and ruin naps or have meltdowns! By 2:15, both kids are asleep and it's either more time in the studio administrative tasks (update website listings, send email to subscribers list, plan posts for the week, work on the blog one reads, you get the idea). 4:00 pm Both babies are up and now it’s time to prep dinner, get everyone a snack, and fluff that laundry I've forgotten about. The next two hours are a whirlwind of playing in the kitchen, tea parties, baby doll diaper changes and messes up on messes. 6:00 pm Daddy gets home and it’s time for all of us to sit down for dinner, talk about our favorite part of the day and try to get a toddler to eat something other than a piece of cheese. The struggle is real with that one. Jeremy and I clean up the kitchen and get these babies ready for the bath. I finally get to fold the clothes in a a blur of singing. splashing and pajamas followed by story reading with Emma and rocking until both of these babies are asleep! 7:30 pm It's mommy's turn for bath, bottle, bedtime... literally. Time to settle in and have a glass of wine and watch Netflix or Hulu with Jeremy. We have been on an adult cartoon kick for the last couple months or we will watch reruns of the Office. Sometimes it will be a really wild night and we watch TikTok together shamelessly. This is what it is to be married. Before bed, its showers, night time skin care and I make sure the house has been reset, toys put away and the layer of crumbs on the floor gone. 10:00 pm Off to bed for me before this baby wakes me up in four hours! Then we get to do it all over again. This year, my little family was blessed with the opportunity of taking a 2 week summer vacation! We hadn't been able to do this since I was pregnant with Emma so two kids under 3 years old made this a true ADVENTURE full of new experiences and new stresses! Our first stop was St. Augustine, a truly magical place, immersed in history and so much nostalgia for me as this was our vacation destination growing up. As the kids affectionately call it, our time in the "Blue House" was filled with countless days by the pool, a spectacular personal fireworks show by Uncle Matt, and delightful escapades exploring the ice cream shops in downtown St. Augustine. If you were o ask our daughter, Emma, a highlight for her was catching a glimpse of a REAL LIFE pirate ship sailing in the bay. This would probably be tied with strolling through the Alligator Farm. After bidding farewell to St. Augustine, we headed to Ormond Beach to join my husband's family. The laid-back atmosphere provided a much-needed change of pace. Days in Ormond Beach were divided between relaxing beneath the family tent on the beach and the refreshing waters of the pool. The children splashed in a homemade pool and built sandcastles while the adults enjoyed the warm sunshine with no shortage of chilled beverages. To escape the summer heat, we alternated going to the pool where Emma learned to swim like a professional in her Puddle Jumper and jumped into the deep end with no fear. I hope she always meets challenges with so much bravery. Although the vacation was at times stressful and far from restful, the opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones was truly priceless. As I reflect on our summer adventure and how despite the stress of having young babies, managing nap times and navigating play the the beach, I am reminded that the joy and love shared with family is truly priceless, leaving us with a treasure trove of memories that will endure for a lifetime. xoxo, Lindsey
When it comes to showcasing your new artwork, finding the right frame can make all the difference. One question I always get when someone purchases a paper piece of mine is, "Lindsey, how do you usually frame these?" I am an advocate for affordable art and ie. affordable framing. Although art is a luxury good, it should also be attainable and while we would all love to be able to afford the highest quality frame from our local frame shop, sometimes it just isn't in the budget (yet). Thankfully, there are several affordable options available at popular retailers such as IKEA, Target, Amazon, Walmart, and even thrift stores. These are guaranteed to have a lot of different styles that will not break the bank.
Commissioning artwork for your home can be intimidating, but there is no reason for it to be. Imagine meeting with someone who WANTS to give you the perfect addition to your home, who WANTS this work to be cherished and loved for years to come and will tailor the artwork (within reason and the artists style/vision) to your wants and needs. That is 100% what a commission is. Instead of purchasing ready made artwork, it is something created with your personal space and style in mind. Pretty cool, right!
The commission process begins with expressing interest through an email or my Contact form (HERE). Sometimes I will get a direct message on social media but honestly, unless I know the person or the inquiry comes through my website, it is usually slimey and I do not accept the work. Therefore, it is better to contact me through a more professional avenue. After you express interest, I will schedule a time to chat via phone or Zoom. We will talk about canvas size (FYI all commissions must be 18x24 or larger), colors, your overall vision and timeline. I want all commissions to work PERFECTLY with your space so it is encouraged that you send any vision boards, previous work of mine that you were drawn to, paint colors or large scale fabrics within the room and inspiration photos you are using to dream up your vision. Once you are ready to begin, a 50% deposit is required before painting begins and will be done via a personal listing in my shop. Turn around time is generally between 6-8 weeks depending on the season and when the deposit is received. Certain times of the year are busier for me, personally due to having kids at home so I generally have periods where commission slots are open and closed. Once painting begins, I will send you periodic progress pictures as I go. We will then work closely to make adjustments (color additions or omissions, details, drips, markings, etc.) as needed. You may request an additional video call to see more detail. I generally allow 2 rework sessions. When the painting is complete and agreed upon, meaning it meets both YOUR vision and MY artistic alignment, the remaining 50% of the deposit is due. Once received, I will arrange delivery or shipment to your home. You may also choose to pick up locally from my home studio if you wish. Shipping costs are included in the commission quote. All paintings over 18x24 will be removed from the stretcher bars and rolled for shipping ease. You may then have the canvas restretched at your local craft store or framer. From then, you get to enjoy and live with your artwork. I love to see where my artwork lives so send ALL of the pictures after it is installed in your home! See, not too scary! |
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