Annual Beach Trip

So, every year we travel the 9 hours it takes to get to the beach....our kids LOVE it and look forward to this trip for months!!! This year we went to Seaside, FL...an absolutely lovely and slow paced place. If you've never been you are truly missing out! After a crazy car ride, where I almost lost my religion several times and made many serious threats, we finally made it. With 4 kids you never know what you're going to get on a vacation...most of the time I need to come home and recover from my vacation after the fact! sigh. Well, this year was pretty good. The 'baby' is now two years old and doesn't try to eat sand anymore soooo we've got that going for us. :) All in all it was a great time and we can't wait until next year! -Katie

River Arts Fest and a Horse Show!

Ok, sooooo I'm the worst blogger in the world. Yep!! Well, when you have a lot of business (which I'm so thankful for) and you have 4 kids (which I am also very thankful for) things like blogging slip through the cracks! Let's back up to October. River Arts Fest, held in downtown Memphis, occupied the last weekend of October (and most of my spare time that month while I prepared). Thousands of people took to South Main that weekend. Folks from all over and local Memphians of course...I even met a family who'd never seen cotton fields before!!! Crazy!! Well, I made lots of contacts and sold a good amount of art that weekend. Lots of people watching and lots of artsy folks everywhere. However, while I was busy selling art my oldest was busy winning ribbons at her annual riding show. I'm so proud of her....she LOVES riding horses and it truly is her passion. HATE to have missed it!!! Til next time...Katie

July

We had an awesome 4th of July! We went to the lake (Pickwick to be exact) and hung out with my sister's family. They have a boat and the cousins spent the whole day together out on the water! We definitely had a blast! The fireworks at Pickwick are amazing and there's nothing like a front row seat while floating on the water! I got tons of inspiration and my wheels are turning in my head faster than my hands can paint. Here are some pics from the day. See y'all soon!

I lost count....

after 15 or so. That's how many paintings I've done in the last week and a half. And I'm not even close to being finished. Between commissioned pieces and keeping my stores stocked I've been one busy momma. I also just found out that I was chosen for the juried show, River Arts Fest, here in Memphis in late October. To add to the excitement I also found out that I was chosen to be the FEATURED ARTIST for the annual St. Georges Fine Art Show in November. I'm so very thrilled about this. I will keep you posted as they get closer. Now I will go because I have to go paint....see y'all soon! Katie -here's some birdies to brighten your day :)

School's Out and I'm Crazy!

Hello blogosphere....did y'all hear that school is out for summer? Every year right before the last day I am excited and can't wait to 'sleep in' and not have homework to help with, etc. Then....a few days in and I'm wishing desperately that August was already here! It doesn't seem to matter how many activities I line up or how much FUN I plan for my kids to have, we inevitably get whiny and unhappy and honestly quite bored. I LOVE my kids desperately BUT sometimes I need a break too! Well, I'm going to try very hard to make the most of it and settle in to the idea of summer a little more optimistically. God grant me GRACE. Here are some pics of what we've been up to so far. (Painting is supposed to fit into my schedule at some point too....I'll let you know as soon as that happens:)HA! -Katie

Double Decker Arts Festival

I had the honor of participating in the Double Decker Festival in Oxford this weekend and it was a BLAST! I met soooo many wonderful people from all over and sold quite a few pieces of art! It was originally supposed to rain ALL DAY and thunderstorm but we prayed and prayed and prayed and low and behold it DIDN'T rain AT ALL!!! I couldn't believe it! Boy were we happy! My mom and sister came with me on the trip and my hubby stayed home with the kids. My new friend, Bradley Gordon, (see his AWESOME art at www.bradleysgordon.com) loaned me his tent to use during the festival....what a blessing. Everyone there was extremely friendly and hospitable. I was exhausted (and still am) but it was worth it. Here are some pics from our fun in Oxford!! -Katie

Parallels

WOW...I'm always amazed at how God talks to me through experiences with my kids. There are sooooo many similarities between their relationship with me and my relationship with God! Every. Single. Day I try to guide my kids in one direction (the right direction) and they inevitably decide that we need to do it their way (which is the wrong way, of course). If they could just see that even though it doesn't make sense to them (what I'm asking them to do)it will all work out the way it's supposed to!!! What is wrong with them?? Well, is that NOT how we are with God?? Every day He guides me in the ways I should go and I keep believing that I have a better way!! What is wrong with ME?? It truly is humbling because I am just a grumbling, whining little girl who wants it my way...{stomp foot here}. Thank you God that I do not get MY way because I would be in a world of trouble. I can't see past my face and yet He sees all of eternity. Thank you God for teaching me these lessons through my kids...even if it makes me want to pull my hair out :):) -Katie

Look Familiar?

I was just looking back through my pics from our beach trip last October. I saw the pic that inspired one of my pieces of art for my art show at Palladio and thought I'd post it again.....I love to show where I get my inspiration!!! This is from The Shops of Ruskin in Seaside. The painting is entitled "Walking Through Ruskin" and is available at Palladio in midtown Memphis. See y'all later! -Katie

My Birthday and Pierced Ears!

March was a bit of a whirlwind as it seems it was gone as soon as it started. My birthday was in the middle of the month (and on Spring Break might I add....It's always been over spring break which is either fun or a bummer bc all of my friends are out of town). Well, this year I travelled alone with all four kids to my parents' house down in Mississippi for 4 days! My husband is a pilot and is in upgrade training at work so I'm alone a lot these days :) We decided to make the most of it with trips to the park and a 'surprise' birthday party thrown by my kids at my parents' house. It was cute. They get so into it...love them. My hubby took me out for the night when we got back in town...I always love date nights with him! My oldest (and only girl) got her ears pierced while we were in MS! She was very, very, very nervous about it....to the point that I really thought she was going to back out. Well, she went through with it and has been extremely happy about her decision. It's a strange thing seeing your kids grow.....literally before your eyes. I'm so proud of her though and love seeing her experience new things and hit milestones! Love you Baby Girl!

Slacker!!

Ok, I admit, I've totally failed at blogging lately! BUT it's because I've been SOOOOOO busy!! Thanks to all my awesome customers and followers that I might never meet for buying my art! Here's a glimpse at the art show opening at Palladio at the beginning of this month. It was so much fun and I've already had a great response to the show. The theme is "Wandering the South". It shows places and moments from my past to present day all over the south. I LOVE the south and LOVE putting it on canvas! Now to work on pieces for all of my stores and Double Decker in Oxford coming up at the end of April! See y'all soon! -KT