etsy

Golden Angel

/ Jodi / 45 Comments
Golden Angel Watercolor 11x14 140lb Cold Press

Golden Angel Watercolor 11×14 140lb Cold Press

Golden Angel

I recently read an adorable quote that stuck in my head, made me smile, and has me thinking about angels.

The question is not
“Will you find your wings?”

It’s “What are you going to wear
with all of those magnificent feathers?”

Curly Girl Designs

You know – we all have wings…  Some are flashier than others… Some are easily seen…  some are tucked in and hidden.

Let’s wear them magnificently?

I haven’t had much time for painting lately, but I was really in the mood the other evening.  I really felt like I needed to.  So I decided to try something different, and this angel evolved.  I think I will be doing more.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

This painting is available at McKinneyX2Designs and Berry Vine Gifts – original, prints, and greeting cards.

Watercolors used: Daniel Smith Quinacridone Gold, Raw Sienna, Lunar Black, and a splash of Cadmium Red. (Because every painting should have at least a hint of something red!  Right Joyce?)

Cyber Monday at McKinneyX2Designs

/ Jodi / 33 Comments
McKinneyX2Designs at Mars Holiday Craft Show 2017

McKinneyX2Designs at Mars Holiday Craft Show 2017

Cyber Monday at McKinneyX2Designs.

It’s Cyber Monday!  The most popular day for online holiday shopping.  Cyber Monday follows Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.  So many shopping terms!

‘Tis the season!

Will you be cyber shopping today?

Well, my daughter-in-law, Colleen and I thought we would get in on the action too by offering a 10% discount on anything available in our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy Shop as our little holiday gift to you!

Use Promo Code “Cyber10” when placing your order to assure the discount!

Will you be cyber shopping today?

Happy Shopping!

McKinneyX2Designs at Mars Holiday Craft Show 2017

McKinneyX2Designs at Mars Holiday Craft Show 2017

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

P.S.  Speaking of Daughters-in-law and specials, my DIL Liz offers FREE 15-minute Nutritionist Phone Consultations to those local to the Mars/Pittsburgh area who are interested in learning about healthy decisions for eating well.  Her areas of expertise include:  digestive health complaints including SIBO, IBS, IBD (Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s), and GERD, Autoimmune conditions, Natural Hormone Balance, and General Health and Weight Management.  Check out Nourish & Flourish for more details.

A Sprinkle of Christmas

/ Jodi / 94 Comments
Winter Wonderland Christmas Tree Watercolor 10x13

Winter Wonderland Christmas Tree Watercolor 10×13

A Winter Wonderland Christmas Tree.

Because every week needs
a little sprinkle of Christmas.

 

I am having so much fun creating some holiday art.

You see, our little McKinneyX2Designs business is participating in the
Mars Holiday Craft Show that is only one month away!

It is one of the biggest holiday craft shows in the area
with hundreds of crafters and artisans selling their
handmade items in both the Mars Middle School and Mars High School
with a shuttle bus that transports shoppers between both venues.

We will be at the Mars High School on Saturday, November 18th
from 10-4 with Colleen’s beautiful rustic pallet signs and decor
and some of my watercolor art.

If you can’t make it to this fun event, you can always visit our ETSY shop
or stop by Berry Vine Gifts in Bradfordwoods, PA.

Wherever you find us,
we will be sprinkling a little bit of Christmas!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Classic Red Truck with Christmas Tree

/ Jodi / 52 Comments
Classic Red Truck with Christmas Tree Watercolor - 11x14 - 140lb Fabriano Artistico

Classic Red Truck with Christmas Tree Watercolor – 11×14 – 140lb Fabriano Artistico

Classic Red Truck with Christmas Tree.

Is anybody else starting to think about Christmas?

When my boys were young, I loved getting ready for the Christmas holiday.  I would often start playing Christmas music in October… much to Hubby’s dismay.

We prepared letters to Santa, and I shopped and put carts full of toys on “lay-away” months ahead of winter.

My best friend and I went to craft shows and stores and bought santas and snowmen and other holiday decorations, as well as things to make decorations – often while pushing strollers and carrying diaper bags.

I would prepare for “Sammy” the elf to make his arrival at our house and plan out his adventures each night when the boys went to bed to surprise them in the morning.

I created homemade Christmas cards for the boys to color (and later they drew them) to send to friends and family.

I stocked up on sugar and flour and baking supplies when they were on sale and collected festive tins to make hundreds of cookies and dozens of sweet breads and nut rolls to share with friends and neighbors.

As the boys got older, the excitement of Christmas dimmed a bit.  We still enjoyed it, but the excitement leading up to it was not the same as when they were young and the magic existed.

But now….. I’m a grandma!  And that just makes me absolutely giddy for Christmas again!

And since my daughter-in-law, Colleen, and I have created our McKinneyX2Designs Etsy shop and have started also selling our art at a local gift shop, Berry Vine Gifts, it is so fun to get excited about preparing for Christmas again.  And it seems there are others like me out there, because holiday cards and paintings have already sold!

So I’m having fun creating Christmas and holiday art… like this classic red truck with a Christmas tree.  Doesn’t it just make you so nostalgic about Christmas?

So even though we are still experiencing 80 degree Autumn days, I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.  It’s so fun to dream!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Getting Cozy

/ Jodi / 63 Comments

Getting Cozy.

Getting out the pumpkins.
Getting out the candles.

Getting ready for colorful leaves
Getting ready for crackling fires.

Getting ready for flannels and hoodies.
Getting ready for fleece.

Getting ready for pumpkin lattes.
Getting ready for baked apple everything.

Getting ready for simmering soups.
Getting ready for thick, hearty stews.

Getting ready for Fall.
Getting cozy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Get Cozy

 

Parrot of Blue Part Deux

/ Jodi / 41 Comments
Blue Parrot Watercolor 11x13 140lb Saunders Waterford Cold Press

Blue Parrot Watercolor 11×13 140lb Saunders Waterford Cold Press

Parrot of Blue Part Deux.

Does this guy look familiar?

You may recall him as the handsome guy who posed for me at the National Aviary on our recent visit this past weekend.

He was just too irresistible for me not to have some fun with.

And I happened to finally hit it right and remember this month that it is our “official unofficial” Draw a Bird Day – which a group of bloggers celebrates every month on the 8th.

Seems it is a bit of a bird week for me this week at thecreativelifeinbetween.

This cutie is going with us to the Lake Latonka Fall Festival tomorrow, where he’ll be for sale as an original, prints or cards, along with loads of others you’ve seen here and that are in our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY Shop, as well as a wide variety of fall, holiday, kitchen, and farmhouse-design signs created by my daughter-in-law Colleen from reclaimed pallet wood.  My son, Jake, even got in on the action with some amazing artwork too that will knock your socks off!  He also built us a landing page website (mx2d.com), where you can access our ETSY shop, Facebook page, and Instagram.

If you are anywhere near Mercer, PA tomorrow, come find us at the McKinneyX2Designs booth outside the red barn.  We are having a drawing for a gift card to our ETSY shop and are doing some “show specials!” We’ll be there from 9am – 4pm.  Hoping for good weather and fun times!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  This Parrot of Blue Part Deux Watercolor was done with Daniel Smith Cerulean and Prussian Blues, Cadmium Yellow and Orange, and M. Graham’s Neutral Tint, as well as a bit of Dr. ph Martin’s Bleedproof White.

 

Broken

/ Jodi / 45 Comments
"Broken" - Abstract Watercolor 11x14 140lb Saunders Waterford Cold Press

“Broken” – Abstract Watercolor 11×14 140lb Saunders Waterford Cold Press

The broken
will always
be able
to love harder
than most.

Once you have been
in the dark,
you learn
to appreciate
everything
that shines.

–Zachry K. Douglas

Embrace
the brokenness
and let
your light
shine.

Cheers & Hugs
Jodi

"Broken" - Abstract Watercolor 11x14 Matted and Framed

“Broken” – Abstract Watercolor 11×14 Matted and Framed

 

Late Summer Dreaming

/ Jodi / 45 Comments
"Late Summer Dreams" Abstract Floral Watercolor - 11x14

“Late Summer Dreams” Abstract Floral Watercolor – 11×14

Late Summer Dreaming.

Laying in the warm grass,
looking up at the clouds floating by,
listening to the cicadas sing.

Cool misty morning walks,
hot afternoon ceiling fans swirling,
earlier and earlier sunsets for bright star gazing.

Plump ruby red tomatoes fresh off the vine,
bushels of zucchini for spiraling and shredding and slicing,
roasted sweet corn, and fuzz covered juicy ripe peaches.

Late summer dreaming
inspired layers of transparent watercolor glaze
in varying combinations of Prussian blue, Azo yellow, and Quinacridone rose.

Wishing you sweet late summer dreams.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Blue Wisteria Vine Watercolor

/ Jodi / 37 Comments
Blue Wisteria Vine Watercolor 11x14 Artistico Cold Press

Blue Wisteria Vine Watercolor 11×14 Artistico Cold Press

“Lose yourself
In the things
you love
for that is where
you will find
yourself too.”

-Fiona Childs

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

In the Pink – In a Blink

/ Jodi / 57 Comments
In the Pink - Abstract Flower Watercolor 8x10 140lb Cold Press

In the Pink – Abstract Flower Watercolor 8×10 140lb Cold Press

In the Pink – In a Blink.

I stare at my computer most all day for work.
Much of the rest of the time, I am looking at my iPhone.

We all need to give our eyes and minds and bodies a break.

When I have a half hour, I often take a walk.

When I just need to step away to regroup for five minutes,
I’ve been challenging myself to do a quick painting in under five minutes.

I just step away.  Breathe.  And try something new.
My art room is on a different floor from my home office, so I just step away a bit and escape for a few minutes.  Art supplies always at the ready.

I might just try a different color paint than I typically use, a different style of painting, or a different size brush than I usually use.  Anything just to clear my mind and regroup.  I often come back to a task that was challenging me with a whole new perspective.

I have some scraps of failed paintings in a box that I can paint on the back of for practice, so I usually use those.  Like I did for this one.

I typically just leave it sit and dry and walk away, go back to work, and then look at it later to see if anything emerges.

This one surprised me, and I kinda love it.

What do you do when you have five minutes and need to regroup?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Daniel Smith Watercolors used:  Raw Sienna, Perylene Violet, Permanent Rose, Cadmium Orange, Olive Green.  Brush Used:  Isabey #4 Cat’s Tongue Oval Wash.