Toilet Room

House Tour - Front Room

It's been almost a year since we moved into this cute little house (cool story about why we live here), and I still haven't posted any pictures. I keep thinking I will once I'm "done" decorating but I'm never done. There is always something I want to change or add or move around. 

So...here it is. Always a work in progress. The front room:

-The view from the kitchen. Love that floor -

 - An antique that made it's way across the sea with immigrants. I painted it aqua and I'm just in love with it. It's my favorite piece of furniture-

-My art and photography books, and monster posters that we'll frame eventually-

 -Engagement picture, Disney Family Fun magazine article Mae and I were in, family history photos, a lamp that needs some kind of shade.-

 -The kitchen has a small room built off of it that is supposed to be a dining area. It is so awkwardly shaped that our table didn't fit in there, so we chow here and I made the nook my art studio-

 -A photograph I took of my daughter and a drawing I did of my husband, daughter and I.

I need to draw a new one with Sawyer-

 -My sock monkey made for me by my sister and a rad "Lord of the Rings" video disc. Remember those?-

 -The time out chair-

-My grandmothers hutch and a chair I painted in high school. It's an old Wendys chair. -

 -He's not excited that you're about to put your ass on his face.-

 -On top is a Madame Alexander doll my mom passed down to Mae, a chess set from China, my Mickey Mouse ears, and my bridal picture.-

 -I love everything in my hutch. My house has to be filled with things that has a history and sentimental value. I'm a sucker for anything with a story-

 -Vintage cameras, postcards from family, and a Geisha fan. I love Geishas!-

 -Vintage Mark Twain books, reading picture cards, and vintage Yahtzee and Scrabble-

 -My mom and I while she was going through one of her many rounds of chemo-

-Vintage Disney books and Tom Sawyer. An interesting fact about this book: A few years after I had Mae, I just knew that our next kid would be a boy. I also knew that I wanted to name him Ender or Sawyer. I came across this book in a shop and had to buy it. A few years later I got pregnant, it was a boy, and we named him Sawyer. I love having a book with my husbands and my sons name on it.-

-Random knick knacks and an owl candle. It makes the hutch smell so good-

-Crafts that Tom and Mae made at free art museum day-

 -Vintage Mickey Mouse doll, and of course, one of the greatest gifts I've ever received "Little Ballerina"-

-Whale salt shaker. You know how I feel about whales...-

 -Acquire! A tradition in my husband family. Okay, obsession, actually-

 -This is a door. It opens and closes.-

 -A couple of our Disneyland posters. We get one every time we go-

Well, there you have it, folks! This is by far my favorite room in the whole house. 

*back to house tour*

Some peeps and a house

Does anyone read blogs anymore?
Anywhoodles, here are some of my illustrations lately:

Portraits:

The house my grandma grew up in. 

I am really working hard at getting better and improving my skills. Every time I finish a piece I always see a flaw that I didn't notice before. (Example...notice the portrait of the dude..his eyes are a little wonky). I am learning to not be so hard on myself, realizing that noticing the flaws in my work will only teach me valuable lessons and encourage me to work harder. During the drawing process I've found it's imperative to step away from my work for awhile and take a break, and when I go back to work I can see it with fresh eyes and notice flaws I wouldn't have seen otherwise. Also, looking at it upside down and sideways helps. 

I start a life drawing class aka "draw naked people"class on Tuesday. I'm really excited to get out of the house and into a studio. 3 hours of just drawing, no interruptions. WOO!

P.S. If you are interested in a drawing, 8X10's are $60. Email me thecheekywhale@gmail.com

old door with a new purpose

My friend was getting rid of this old (half) door, so I stole it from her recycling bin. 

Okay, I asked. I'm no thief. 

We needed some front entryway storage, so I got creative.

Eventually I'll paint it and hang it on the wall, put a little bench under... but that is for another day.

I also have the bottom half of the door. I have no clue what I'm going to do with it.