inspiration | pink & red

So what if it looks like Valentine's Day - red & pink look great together! If people say that blue & black and black & brown is no longer a crime, I think one of my favorite color combinations needs to be added to that list as well.

image source found {here}

when the sun goes down

I got home yesterday and sat in my kitchen for about an hour with my laptop, sending emails and getting caught up on things I had put on the back burner. After I was done, I shut my laptop and got super melancholy about the end of summer being just around the corner.

But there are always things to make me happy again - like how beautiful {and familiar} did the plant our windowsill look at sunset yesterday? Or the delicious macarons my sister brought back from her trip to NYC - SOOO good.

blog | The Cubicle Refugee

{How great is this Frieda pattern?}

One of my favorite blogs is {Cubicle Refugee}. What a perfect name for what this blog entails. Cool finds, pictures, things, and images curated and organized by color. You will get lost for hours on this website.

{A washed out version of Lichenstein}

Finding images that are original - haven't been pinned or "tumbler'd" a million times - is a difficult task. My goal is to always find the new and the interesting and try to stay away from the things I've seen everywhere (the outfit with the boots & infinity scarf, the nail art, the crayons melting on the canvas). While I appreciate all of these ideas, I love finding the undiscovered.

obsession with cowboy boots

I have an abnormal obsession with my super-beaten-down, falling-apart, so-not-Michigan-friendly, cowboy boots.

Do you think I could wear these to an upcoming wedding? Eh, I'm not too sure!

inspiration | book covers

The pieces I've been working have been kind of under wraps. I want to keep the final product a surprise until the art fair I'm doing in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (Sept 8th and 9th).

However, I wanted to share with you a bit of inspiration for a piece that I'm working on!  When I finish a great book, I talk about it for weeks. A well-written, thought-provoking book tends to leave a major impression on me, and I wanted to find a cool way to express that through one of my paintings. I decided to take some of my favorites and use the book covers in a collage-style type painting,

I can't wait to share the results! 

image source: : {The BFG}, {Clockwork Orange}, {The Murder}, {1984}

fall boot love

1. {Frye Harness Boots}

2. {Tory Burch Amanda Riding Boots}

3. {Hunter Rain Boots}

I am well aware that it's too early to be discussing boots, but when your list is as extensive (and pricey) as mine - August is a good time to start thinking about and saving for the fall wardrobe.

These three boots are on my "Absolutely MUST HAVE" list. Gah! Now I just have to stop wasting money on frivolous things like gas and food and focus on the more important things.

pattern of the day

Today's pattern is brought to you from a lining of a book I found yesterday while browsing at Barnes & Noble.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

blue morning

Don't worry - I'm not sad. I'm just feeling all the blue happening in the picture I snapped yesterday (see below).

I had the day off and it was just what I needed. I don't know when it happened, but I've turned into a never-stop-and-smell-the-roses type gal. A day off in the middle of week is something I'm definitely going to do again this fall.

With all the work I have coming in, it's nice to take a day and not touch a paintbrush. Instead I got caught up on a book that's been sitting on my nightstand all summer and enjoyed an entire pot of french press coffee at {my favorite coffee shop} However, after that amount of caffeine, I was about to drive myself to the ER.

two things i love

Bold and simple images are two things that are inspiring me today. I'm loving that sweatshirt from Urban Outfitters - so cute!

the mean reds

Painting all weekend is not good for manicures. I was so excited to use my new silver Essie nailpolish, only to find 24 hours later that it was ruined with speckles of paint. I used it as an excuse to use my new bright red-orange nailpolish. Turning lemons into lemonade, people.

places to go | Black Star Farms & Winery

Last week at this time, I was heading up to Northern Michigan for a weekend of relaxing, fun and of course, wine-tasting.

{Black Star Farms} is a favorite spot of mine. It's worth taking the time to visit, (even if it's just to drive by). We stopped in and tasted some delicious wines, and I went home with a bottle of white.

(Thank god my pick, 2011 Arcturos Sur Lie Chardonnay, is available online for purchase because the bottle is already half gone!)

sketching style

Whitney Port is one of my favorite people. Her style is so courageous. This was an image I couldn't help but sketch out yesterday.

{image source}

poll | Art Fair Artwork

Making decisions on what to paint and how to paint is always hard. As you have seen from this blog I find inspiration everywhere and it's always a challenge to narrow it down. Editing is a difficult process and I would love your help!

Below are four categories that I always try to keep in mind when I think about the audience I want to attract with certain pieces: Guy's, Girl's, Kid's, and Abstract. Leave a comment indicating the category and your choice with which image you would love to see turned into a painting (One or Two).

Thank you so much! And who knows, maybe you'll see your choices turn into a painting!

{for the Guys}

{for the Girls}

(for the Kids}

{Abstract}

weekend review

The best thing about this past weekend was just being able to take a breather. I inherited a virtual workaholic-type work ethic from my dad which is great for productivity, but bad for relaxation.

It was nice to sit around on the beach with my family and my boyfriend, enjoy each others' company and soak up the sun and colors that surrounded us.

Now, back to the daily grind. Wahoo.

out of town | Northern Michigan

As I have mentioned before, I'm really lucky to live in such a beautiful state. And finally I have found a weekend to enjoy it amidst my super busy schedule. I'm going "Up North" (as we call it here in Michigan) for the weekend and I couldn't be more excited!

Have a beautiful weekend, and I'll see ya back here on Tuesday!

fresh blue and aqua

This a paint sample I'm sending all the way to Idaho! I'm so excited to start working on this project. There's nothing I love more than beautiful aquas, grey'ish blues, and fresh greens in one swirling color palette.

Kate Spade Polka Dot Karolina Shoe

The sole purpose of this post is to tell you to freak out about these {Kate Spade Karolinas} as much as I did when I saw them yesterday. Break open that piggy bank, because your fall wardrobe will get a major upgrade if you toss these in your closet!