Success!

 (photo courtesy of Levi Bethune)

Our Love Stories art show opening was a huge success! It was a packed house the whole night. A lot of love in one small space : )  The music was great. The coffee was delicious. The company was beautiful. The art was very well received! We couldn't have been happier about it.

My sister, btw, has a new EP out. It is awesome. And she is currently selling it to raise money for her upcoming medical missions trip to South Africa. So do yourself and South Africans a favor and download it!

The whole process was sweet -- late nights of creating art together, the lack of sleep, the abundance of coffee, the mountains of laundry that accumulated during the final week push to get ready for the show, getting to see so many good friends. It was all good. I'm very grateful.

(The happy artists! Jason, me, Daniel)

I'm working hard to fulfill print orders and get all the new art up in my Etsy shop and Society 6 shop.

Cincinnati locals can stop into Fort Thomas Coffee to see the art in person through the rest of the month!

Check back soon for more!

Arian : )

Hard at Work!

We've been spending most of our weekends and evenings creating more art for next week's show (whoa, NEXT week!)


I never mind an excuse to make lots of trips to my favorite little downtown art store


I'm having a lot of fun with the materials I've chosen for this show--masonite, acrylic, felt,


and lettering from my new label maker.





And the guys are slaving away at their Cintiqs making beautiful things with digital paints and pens.





The little boys are working on their pieces for the show too! A whole family affair!


Better get back to work!

Arian : )

In progress...

We're hard at work on our first family art show!



Sickness has tried its best to hold us down but we're pushing forward, stealing every moment we can to work on our projects!



We set up two desks in the living room for Daniel and Jason to create their digital magic.




And I've taken over the dining room table with tubes if paint and scraps of felt.








There's a LOT left to do but we are loving doing it!




If you're local or feel like making a road trip, then come on by!
Arian : )

Crocheted Collar

I've been trying to fit in a little crocheting every day. It's good for the soul.


I crocheted this pretty little collar out of sparkly grey yarn in just over a day during Christmas break.
You can find the free pattern here.



I looove crafting for other people but it's also preeeetty fun to make something for yourself once in awhile.

Arian : )

A New Year

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions but this year I have three January resolutions.


Number one is to start the day with something fun. I have a theory that all the chores will get done no matter what, I'll just be happier doing them. That, or at the end of the month our house will be a steaming pile of dirty laundry and dirty dishes. Either way, a good time will be had.


Number two is no white flour or white sugar for the month of January. We're using this time to experiment with things like brown rice pizza crust and scones made with coconut flour and honey.



Number three is no Pinterest or blog reading for the month of January. Shocking, I know.


I was starting to feel like I was suffering from sensory overload. I need to make my world a little smaller and a little quieter. If I want to be making more art, I need to clear some space in my head and my day. I need time to start putting some of those good Pinterest ideas into action!


I've only been doing this for a week, but already it's been fruitful. More patience. Better ideas. Deeper conversations.


And more art.



Another plan I came up with to make space for art was to give everyone in our household their own unique set of dishes that they wash themselves by hand. Less dirty dishes for me to wash means more time for art! This set is mine, obviously.
I hope your new year is off to a good start!

9 Years Today

Nine years ago we came home from Japan for a 2-week whirlwind of Christmas, wedding, honeymoon, New Years, back to Japan. Our first apartment in Japan was smaller than a single hotel room where we shared a twin bed and cooked meals on a single burner stove.
Thanks for nine crazy, sweet, hard, beautiful, adventurous years and 3 handsome sons, Daniel : ) You are a very, very, VERY good husband.

Love.
Arian : )

Print Sale!

The folks at Relevant Magazine are running an after Christmas sale in their online store and you can get a good number of my prints for $12+shipping.

Hope your Christmas was wonderful! We are hanging out in our new pajamas well past noon, sipping coffee and enjoying time with family! It's a good day : )

Arian