Goodbye 2011

Since this is the last post in 2011 I wanted to say "thank you" for being a part of my creative life all year long. I hope it has challenged you to see things differently, experience all of life's little treasures and to appreciate each and every day with great enthusiasm. I'm sad to see 2011 end but am so excited to have a new year to start fresh with bold possibilities. As you toast to the New Year, I hope you will take a few moments to reflect on the past and embrace all the miracles you have witnessed throughout its days. Goodbye 2011, it has been an adventure of great milestones!

Merry Christmas

Some Thesaurus words for "festive" - blithe, bouncy, carnival, cheery, festal, gala, gay, gleeful, happy, hearty, holiday, jovial, joyous, jubilant, lighthearted, merry, mirthful, snappy, upbeat, zippy.

After watching "the Grinch" last night starring Jim Carrey, my favorite word from above has to be jubilant. I hope you are finished shopping, and the wrapping is done, as we wait for family and friends to share this merry season with. Thankful and grateful for the time with each other, another year passes with memories to share. Be kind and safe and as I wish you well, Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Word - Festive

The word of the week is festive.

Its adjective meaning: of relating to or suitable for a feast or festival; joyful, gay.

We have cedars growing in the front of our property and happened upon them quite by accident. I was taking photos of an ornament tucked into the pines and looked over and here were all these beautiful powder blue berries amidst the snow. What a luscious sight to see and so unexpected. I took great joy in that treasured find and look to them yearly to see what else I can uncover that will give me inspiration.

So, as you are nearing the festivities with family and friends, I wanted to wish you a Happy Holiday and say Thank You for reading my daily blog.

Ice Cubes?

While walking with the puppies today I happened to look down and see this incredible sight. After a day of rain, the water droplets actually froze to the lambs ear making little ice crystals. I loved this and couldn't wait to share. As the day got warmer, the droplets started melting and eventually falling off the fuzzy leaves. I'm so glad I went in and got the camera when I did, aren't you?

What's Your Word?

My friend Cindy Rippe sent this site to me (link below) and what an inspiration it was. It asks you to think about a word to represent you for the upcoming year and then keep track of it and see how it fits. That got me thinking about this year and all the changes I went through. Really feeling like I couldn't paint anymore or design without a photograph, searching for my artistic career path, pondering about what I'm meant to do with my art, the constant chase of the muse, the feeling of being lost. So, with heavy thinking, taking several courses to inspire me and just asking questions out loud, the answers have come slowly but they have come, and I am so thankful for each and every one of them. Now this art piece is part of a journal I did in August and although I used it as a background element, I didn't realize the connection until now. So I am giving it the weight it needs by saying that "boomerang" is me, my 2011 definition. What's yours?

http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/choosing-your-word/

Word - Flair

The word for this week is flair.

Its noun meaning: ability to appreciate or make good use of something; bent; talent; a unique style.

The type is also from the Crate & Barrel catalog but it made me go in a totally different way with my art than that of the red inspiration below. I knew I wanted it to have an upscale elegance to it without being snobby or pretentious. The rubber stamp of the dress was perfect and I added the used dryer sheet to give it a rustic element yet stay cohesive with the design. The pearls were made with a pencil eraser one at a time giving it just the right shape without a lot of work. The time stencils are from the crafters workshop and I absolutely love them with this piece. I didn't want them to take away from the dress or the words so I blended them into the background as an ambiance to the piece. I love the entire canvas and know it will look perfect on the baby grand welcoming in the new year! What do you have planned for 2012?

Seeing Red

I received a holiday flyer from Crate & Barrel this week and was so inspired by the layout, colors and text, I used it for a couple of small canvases. I was fascinated by the red and all the different hues available in that color palette and wanted to explore it a little further. I added the stripes to the right and included a butterfly that has every red color name imaginable in it written inside. I added snowflakes for the upcoming holiday and included the small dots to mimic the ornament shapes. All in all, I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out. It will look great in the dining room cabinet surrounded by all the christmas items. What would you do with it?

Freedom to Fly

The last couple of weeks I have been chasing deadlines and let me tell you, they just don't give up and leave you alone. No matter where you are, what you are doing, their voices are in your ears. While taking photos for a colored pencil project the top of this bottle just made me stop and ponder about the freedom of my job as an artist. Beauty, intrigue and stillness are all part of what makes art great for me and this photos conveys that message. Although deadlines drive me crazy, it does usually translates to income and well, we all need that to survive. For the remainder of 2011, I'm free to just play, paint and create, can't really complain about that :D

12 Days of Christmas

Here's my version of the 12 days of Christmas all wrapped up into a colored pencil packet that is sure to please anyone of any age. It has my spin on each little gift and even now, looking at it, it makes a smile appear on my face. I hope you enjoy it!

For more information visit http://www.kellyhoernig.com/, SHOP for patterns.

Touch of Spring

The sun has been shining off and on today reminding me of a wonderful spring day. Although the autumn leaves are gone, the grass is still green and the bonfires have been going strong nightly. I hope it inspires us all through the grey days of winter bringing the promise of spring and all the fresh new color popping up around us. I thought it would be a nice touch to give us happy thoughts as we shop our Christmas lists for friends and family facing the crowds in every store. Winter has its magic too, don't forget the snowflakes, hot chocolate with marshmallows and evenings inside reading, playing games or crafting. I can't wait to see what's in store for us this season!