Little Lovelies and a Giveaway!

 I've lately been on a balloon craze (as if you couldn't tell), and after seeing the armies of crimson heart balloons at the grocery store-accompanied by Pearly's continual request for "just one"-I bring you my new set of Valentine beauties, all of which are now in the shop:

Cutie-Pie Prints

a "loverly" stationary set of 10 notecards

And, sweetest of all the sweets, my SweetHeart Badge set featuring the Circus Troupe:

I'm particularly fond of the packaging.  It doubles as a valentine, ready for gifting!

And now, my favorite part of today's post...

a SweetHeart Giveaway!

it includes the following:

*one print of your choice from the three 8x10 Cutie-Pie prints

*a set of 10 Loverly notecards and envelopes

*set of 3 SweetHeart badges

Here's how to enter:

you only have to do three things...

1. follow this blog,

2. blog, twitter, or facebook about this giveaway (or even just tell your friends),

and

3. post ONE comment below saying which print you'd choose if you won.

That's all there is to it.

I'll announce the winner on Valentine's Day!

Here's to chocolate and flowers! 

Welcome the newbies...

There's a boatload of new folk at Trafalgar's Square, so let's begin the introductions!



This first group is from the CIRCUS TROUPE, a band of performing cuddle bugs.
Here's Wellington...you can tell he's well loved.


 
And this is Oliver, he's a winner.

And Esmerelda, the beauty.

And, my favorite of all (don't tell the others), Trot.  He can tie a beautiful bow tie.



Let's give them a hand, they live for applause.  :)


In keeping with the circus theme, I've created this happy trio:

 I wish I could find a green umbrella...

And, the much requested "Trot, the Star Flyer" print is now available in the shop!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so tomorrow I'll be showcasing some new lovelies, as well as a SweetHeart giveaway.

Hugs and Kisses!

XOXOXOX 

Well, it's about time...

Hi all!

I am sooo sorry about this hugemoungous lapse on the blog, but we've been up to our ear lobes in all sorts of exciting stuff...

First off, I have to show you our new home!

That's right, we finally moved out of our teeny, tiny, grubby, grimy apartment into a real house.  No more midnight treks across bleak parking lots (and no moochy neighbors stealing our parking space), no drafty stairwells with flights and flights of stairs to climb in the pouring rain, no doors slamming below us, or cigarette smoke drifting down on us from upper balconies.  No kitchen in the front room, no neighbor's dog's messes on our welcome mat, no drama from the same-landing neighbor's knife fights, nope, nope, nope.

And what's even better, this home comes with a yard, lots and lots of yard!

Even Pearly's sidewalk people like it here:

We are so in love with the yard (and most especially, the porch), it doesn't matter that there's only one bathroom and bedroom for the four of us, that the kitchen cupboards smell like an antique store, or that the laundry room is out in the garage...


So, that being said, what with Gwynnie's birthday, our car completely breaking down, Christmas, New Year's, the move, and our newly arrived flu bugs, things have been a leeetle bit crazy this past month. 
Thanks so much for being patient and hanging with the slow posts.  Part of my New Year's resolution is to keep this baby updated at least twice a week.  :)

(as a side note, I've got lots of Valentine's goodies to post over the next few days, and another giveaway, as well as armfuls of new prints, so stay tuned) 

Cheers!

The Winner...

And the winner is....

Rachel from "Tiny Pink"

Yippee!!

(please contact me via email with your address and I'll have the prints sent to you right away)  :)

 Thank you so much to all of you for your lovely comments and kind words.   I'm having a lot of fun with these giveaways, so I think I will be holding at least a couple each month from here on out.

Happy Cocoa Days!

                           

7 Originals and a New Print

I'm happy to say there are more original paintings available in the shop, and while in the process of making these, I've fallen in love with a few more characters.

This little lady, for example, was based off my little girl, Gwynnie.  I love the blissfully happy expression, and the way the woodland colored balloons set off her pretty grey frock.

 After three years of illustrating, I'm finally expanding my animal collection to include giraffes.  These little fellows are inspired by the very lovely Sophie.

Another Gwynnie-Girl, this time dressed up in sugar and spice (and everything nice).

Love these colors! 

Star Balloons anyone?

And last but not least, BabyMine is now available in the shop as an 8x10 and 5x7 print! 

Originals and Another Giveaway

Well, it took a little longer than I thought (thanks to a barage of sniffles and coughles that kept circulating through the clan), but the first handful of paintings from my 100 original blitz is finally available in the shop.         

                               

I have a tendency to get really attached to my originals, even if most of the time they end up stashed in watercolor paper pads in the closet, so this 100 painting blitz thing is part of my heroic attempt to overcome my hoarder urges.

And now for the giveaway.

Just in time for Christmas, these two 8x10 prints of wintry little gatherings are ready to bring some jolly-cheer to your pad.  The giveaway closes Friday, December 17th, and the winner will be selected through random.org.  Oh, and just to verify, anyone in the whole, wide world can enter (international shipping is no problem).  :)

Here's how to enter:

1. Follow the blog
2. Blog, twitter, or sky write about this giveaway. 
3. Leave a comment below (one comment per follower)
4. Drink hot cocoa. 


Ok, so you don't have to drink hot cocoa to win the prints, but you need to at least think about drinking hot cocoa.  With lots of marshmallows.  And dollops of whipped cream.

Pretty Little Ladies

Isn't this a great idea for a Christmas art project? I love everything about them, their cardboard wings, the ribbon dress, and the tiny painted shoes.  I can't wait to make some with my girls.

images via here