February Love...Giraffes

Not sure what it is about them, but giraffes are my favorite animal and I hope to travel to Africa someday to be close to them in person.  There is a resort called Giraffe Manor where the giraffes roam the property and according to the website, they even poke their heads in the building to say hello.

above photos:  Giraffe Manor website

I'll be honest, I do worry that it will be hard to accomplish financially, but I truly think it will be an amazing experience connecting with these beautiful and peaceful creatures.  Maybe this needs to be a "formal" goal in which I make a serious plan to get there by a certain date instead of assuming it won't happen!

© Jill's Dream Artwork

I've also used giraffes as a few of my painting subjects and one is actually licensed with the company Oopsy Daisy Art for Kids which is a huge honor.  Her name is "Bright Eyes" and the original is hanging in the bedroom of a sweet girl named Haley who also adores giraffes.

Lastly I have to share this goofy-looking little baby giraffe that puts a smile on my face anytime I see her.

photo source:  http://www.omgsocute.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Baby-Giraffeased.jpg

Isn't she sweet?  What would you name her if you could?

February Love...Water

My intention to share things I love this month will help me stay grateful and positive through the rest of cold and dark February (I hope).  Today I'm sharing my love of the water, the sound, the feel of swimming in it.  I am drawn to it, especially that crystal clear water of the Caribbean Sea in Jamaica.  Which is actually very funny because growing up I was deathly afraid of drowning.  I still can only hold my breath for a few seconds without panicking.

Somehow as I got older and visited Mexico and Jamaica I became magnetized by it.  When we booked our trips I told the travel agent "it has to have that really clear water."  I know there are other people out there who feel that same pull of the water, a lake, an ocean, maybe even just a soothing soak in the tub.  My fountain in the backyard relaxes me and brings sweet birdies in to take a sip or a quick bath.

A warm summer afternoon captured last year on Instagram with my babbling fountain.

One of my original paintings with water, for a sweet girl; I love to include water in my paintings because it is so soothing and dreamy to me.

Lunch during Spring Break last year in Lake Havasu, Arizona.  Sitting by the water with the breeze blowing, enjoying a cocktail was heaven.  Life is just more carefree by the water.

Enjoying the feel of the water on my feet on Okauchee Lake while sitting on a friend's pier.

Our family trip to Mexico with my in-laws about five years ago...I love this shot of Shane and Bella enjoying the shore.

One of my favorite shots I took while on a glass-bottom boat ride in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

The amazing, amazing view from our balcony in Jamaica--wow.  Seriously wow.

One more peek between some trees on the shore of the Caribbean Sea.  Can you guess why I am so entranced by the water?

I'll admit one of my deepest dreams is to live on the water someday.  I tell my husband I want to retire in a little cottage by the sea in Jamaica with a hammock swinging between two palm trees.  It's got to happen someday, right?  It has to.

I hope these pictures brought some peace, beauty and calm to you as it did for me reliving their memories.

February Love...Flowers

This month's blogging theme for me is "love."  I know it's cliche, but it fits and I always need a pick-me-up in February, the time of year that sort of drags for me--less sun, cold, you know, yucky Wisconsin weather.  Hopefully some of the things I love will cheer you up just by reading about them or seeing photos of them too!

Today, something I don't see much of this time of year are fresh flowers.  I love growing them, cutting them for vases and photographing them.  When I found Instagram and got my iphone last year I was in heaven!

Here are a few, well quite a few, of the flowers I took pics of last spring and summer.  I hope they bring some color and sunshine to your day!

Sweet tulip, one of my favorite flowers.

 Cheerful yellow dahlias.

I love how these pink dahlias turned out with the sun at their backs.  

Another pink dahlia--I love this close up of the back--typically wouldn't think to take a picture of the back of a flower, but I love this shot so much.

I hope you enjoyed seeing a burst of color and cheer with these sweet flowers.  

February...Month of Love

Because I'm not a fan of winter, especially the stretch after Christmas until spring, I decided to cheer myself up (and maybe even you) I'd focus on things I love for the month of February.  So my plan is to share my "loves" for any blogposts I write this month.  If exceptions arise, of course, I'm flexible!

When I think of what I love the most, I'll admit it's my daughter Isabella.  She truly has changed me as a person and I love the joy and laughter she brings to my life.

I chose this picture because it's the most recent one of us together--on my recent birthday and I edited  it through Picmonkey.com and was able to put a sweet heart overlay on top of us.  

Even though she's only 11, she truly is already compassionate and such a cheerleader for me and my artwork.  When I'm upset or worried about something, she will come and put her hand on my back and tell me it's okay.  I hope this continues when she's officially a teen girl!  

What about you...do you have that one special person you love so much, whether friend or family member?  The one that makes your heart swell?

Love Can Make You Fly

My last post talked about re-joining the Artist Trading Card group that I have been absent from for a while.  I finished my four sweet cards that day and I really really love them, so I thought I'd share the final pieces.  Not sure how well you can see the quote, but it says:  "Love is how you earn your wings" by Karen Goldman.  I love the image of this because to me it means that once you truly love, you feel like you can fly, like you can do anything--whether it's the love of a spouse or a child.

Painting whimsical and cute birds along with words and quotes are a few of my favorite things to create.  I am personally inspired by words and phrases so I love to include them on my art--hopefully inspiring those around me as well when they see my creations.

Because I so enjoyed painting these, I also think it will be fitting to make all of my February blogposts about things I love, whether they are books, people, events or activities.  So stop by next week to read about all the things I love.  The dark, cold days of winter typically get me down, so I figure how can I be in a funk when I'm writing about things that are special to me, right?  

Love is in the Air...ATCs

I know it's still January, but I'm home recovering from the stomach flu and decided I could work a bit on my February ATCs in which the theme is love (of course, right?).  I haven't painted in a few days since I've been feeling miserable, but little doses today may speed the recovery, right?  Since the cards are tiny, I can work in tiny increments.

Here's a shot of the cards I did last year...

I've actually dropped by the wayside in participating in my ATC group for the past few months...November and December were busy so I sort of pushed this group aside.  Well, I feel a bit better after the holidays and I'm participating again in February, the month of love.  Since there is really no pressure to create to sell these little cards, they really are fun to make, especially since they are for my sweet and encouraging creative friends.  I see these as a little gift to them and the ones I get from them, I see as a gift to me.  A win-win situation, right:  creating a heartfelt gift and receiving a heartfelt gift!

This month I decided to use the quote "Love is how you earn your wings" by Karen Goldman on each of my trading cards.  I've only got the background painted so far, but I'm planning on painting a sweet little birdie on each one. Here's a little peek so far.

 I think it's a fitting quote because we met through a course that showed us how to use our wings to make "our creative businesses soar."   I must say, starting up again with this is really making me happy...I need to remember how much fun these really are to create!

I'm on a Mission

When I hear the words "mission statement" I typically get a vision of a group of people sitting in a conference room hearing from the higher ups what the vision of their company is and what they must do to get there.  I never thought that I--as a person, and as an artist--"need" a mission statement as well.  My eyes were opened to realize if I want a certain kind of life and to practice a certain kind of living, I do need a mission to stay on track and not just let life happen to me.  When I get discouraged or get off track, it's good to have my vision in front of me (figuratively speaking) to make sure I'm doing things that align with this vision of my present and my future.

Through the artwork I create and in daily life I aim to:

• bring joy to people through color, vibrance and uplifting images and words
• encourage and inspire girls and women to believe in themselves
• show that dreams matter and ARE important
• help you show those you love that you are blessed and thankful to have them in your life
• show girls and women that they are stronger than they think
• let girls know that it's okay to be different, to be unique - being true to yourself is of utmost importance if you're going to live a truly joyful, fulfilling life

I hope that through my actions and my creations, this vision shows and I hope that it reaches others.  Thanks for supporting me and my vision.