Ran Away

Being an adult is awesome.

I can run away whenever I want. 

 I can throw belongings into a bag, 

I can pack up food, matches and dishes into a bag.

I can roll up my bed and pillows, and yes.. shove those into a bag.

I can leave and not tell anyone where I'm going.

Or I can invite my best friends with me.

I can change my location at just about any time. 

It's pretty sweet.

Last week I did just that. 

I ran away. 

(pssst he's picking me flowers!)

We stayed up late telling scary stories around the campfire.

Stories about how we want our life to be.

How we are going to make ends meet.

Possibilities, opportunities, risks, and bravery. 

How Sterling wants me to stay home and paint.

How I want to be able to pay for things... and 

how I want to work from home.

Painting, illustrating, blogging, and even knitting. 

You know, REAL scary stories. 

The next day we packed up and went back. 

Because you can't run away for too long. 

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Celestial Happenings

My newest painting "Celestial Happenings" is now available for sale. 

I created this piece over a long period of time. 

I started painting the background before Sterling and I even started dating, 

and decided to finish the painting just in time for yesterday's full moon.

This is one of my favorite paintings I think.

It's different than a lot of what I've done, but there is so much put into it,

and I'm in love with the final piece.

It reminds me of laying out under the stars..
You might not actually SEE all those stars from where you are..
but something about seeing more stars than normal opens up a whole new world.
Because you know they are there.
 You know that beyond yourself,
beyond the trees you see, the clouds, the stars ...
there are worlds, and universes living just like we are.
It makes you feel pretty small and lovely doesn't it?

Now how could I possibly tie this last bit into that deep blog post?
I'm not sure if there is any graceful way of announcing a sale...
but that's okay.. because
I decided to do a flash Back To School Sale!

This one is in both my shops..
and it's 25% off everything!
Which means, this new print, and the painting are included in the sale.
That's right... I'm letting my originals go for 25% off right now.

The sale lasts until FRIDAY.
So it's gonna be a quick one.



If you've been looking for a hat or a scarf to complete your back to school outfit, now is the time!


Or, if you have been looking for some paintings, or art for your apartment walls.. now is also the time.

Enter the code FLASH25 for 25% off anything in both stores.
Today through Friday.


And I've had some people asking,
"Is it possible to get the "Celestial Happenings" painting as a necklace?"
Yes! Yes it is.

Just purchase one of the pendants, and leave me a note in message to seller saying you would like Celestial Happenings as a necklace.

I'm thinking I'll make myself one too!

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Blindsided, In A Bind, With Eyes Wide Open

I love the title of this post..
I have been blindsided, and I'm in a bit of a bind, but my eyes are wide open. In a bind, but I am not blind... 

I received some news a few days ago. My roommate has decided to move out in two weeks. Though I'm happy for her, I'm a bit stressed and bugged. I'm a little bugged because of the such short notice. When I was thinking of moving, I gave five months notice and felt incredibly bad but didn't end up leaving. In the end I get a two weeks notice to figure things out.

Two weeks notice is what you give to a job you don't like. So I'm feeling a bit betrayed, and stressed and it really isn't helping the mental health problems I've got going on lately.

Especially when it comes out of no where.

So in two weeks, my bills will double. I'll be needing new furniture, and probably going through quite a bit of mental pain..
Yesterday in the midst of my stress I stumbled upon this: 

I am the new woman. I am a born fighter. You can bend me sometimes for your selfish motives but you can never break me because I am invincible. I am not jealous of any one because I am very confident about my own capabilities. I believe that there is nothing in this world which I cannot accomplish because nothing can stop me from being an achiever in any field I want to master. I will not allow anyone to manipulate me or belittle my soul with deceitful conduct. I will not allow anyone to define or change me because I am free spirited and I have my own unique personality. I know how to fight back and survive on my own terms. If I am shattered I come back even stronger because I am determined to be a survivor and not a victim. Each day the challenges of life deepen the conviction in my soul and make me more determined to achieve my goals .. Aarti Khurana

These words echoed in my mind. They were just the words my soul needed to read. The perfect combination of our 26 letter alphabet, and at the perfect time too.

While I will be going through pain, I will also be healing, accepting change and letting go. Trusting in the universe that things will work out the way they need to be, and accepting that people leave your life for reasons. 

What does this mean ultimately? 
It means that I'm a tough girl, and I always will be a tough girl no matter what. Even when I'm left blindsided by someone I've trusted. 

It means that I'm a survivor, and a fighter. 
It also means that I will be working on my art and shop more to help make ends meet. 
It means this starving artist is about to get a bit skinnier. 
It means there is an anger fueled fire inside of me that will come out through my work. (Hopefully..)
It means that I'll be posting new art weekly and reminding you guys about it often.

So, if there has been something you've had your eye on in my shop, now would be a great time for your support. 

(Insert winky face)

In fact I even set up a store wide sale. Enter the code JUSTCAUSE30 at check out for 30% off anything in the store. 

If you are interested in a custom painting I will honor the sale too. Email me if interested. 

As always, it's your support and love that keeps me going, feeds my creativity, my passion and as well as my belly. Thank you. 

Bound

I'm having a bit of a frustrating day today. I'm frustrated with bills, and when my printer doesn't work, and why my bank account just won't stay full and as soon as I get some money in, bills come out of no where.. and then the printer jams, then runs out of ink as soon as it works. Then there is no gas in the car to get the ink, and by dinner time, I've forgotten to defrost the food to cook. And the house is a mess, and my mind is a mess and I'm wondering how much of this is actually worth it. Maybe I'd like to just crawl under the covers for a while and wish I could just disappear because this is just getting too hard. And I would love to nap for a long long time, but I'm just too busy even for that.  I'm working way too hard to be this stressed and poor.  I know that I'm not alone in this, but I am feeling like a one woman show and I'm so so tired.  

These thoughts are making my mind clouded and my heart very heavy.

And quite honestly, I'm feeling very bound..

tied up, limited, trapped. 

Bound

Acrylic on Canvas

8"x10"x.5" 

$125.00 

I guess I'm just feeling very low lately.

 Maybe it's all catching up to me, or it's that time of the month, or the moon..

 Or a combination of all of that. 

But, I do know, this is all natural. 

It's a natural part of growing.

 I know I'm not the only one who ever feels this way, 

and I know it certainly won't last. I know I'm way too stubborn to give up. 

But, the funny thing with the word bound, is that it has two meanings. 

Sure one meaning is to be limited and tied... 

But here is the definition I like best. 

bound  (bound)

intr.v. bound·ed, bound·ing, bounds

1. To leap forward or upward; spring.

2. To progress by forward leaps or springs.

3. To bounce; rebound.

n.

1. A leap; a jump.

2. A rebound; a bounce.

So, I'm working on changing my perception.. from being binded and feeling 

I will break from the ties that bind me, and I will bound forth. 

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.

Aristotle Onassis

Back In Business

Finally! 

I finally bugged Etsy enough to reopen my shop. 

That is a feeling of relief. 

I'm trying to be a full time artist here, and not having a shop makes that pretty difficult.

I've listed my two newest paintings in the shop now.

Listing here

And here.

But, I am in the process of getting my own shopping website.
So I won't have to rely on Etsy, or other third party websites to sell my work.
I started building it yesterday, and...
oh boy.
It's going to take a while.
Here are a few sneaks of the website.

I am not too sure when the launch date will be.
So, until then... I'm back up on Etsy! 
And to celebrate, I've got a 30% off code on everything in the shop.
Enter JUSTCAUSE30 for 30% off.