Handmade with Purpose UPDATE

To contact us Click HERE

Look what y'all have helped raise! $154.86!50% of each "Do Small Things with Great Love" print has been donated to the Red Cross.With sharing about Handmade with Purpose & having some crazy sales last week Pen & Paint has sold over 20 of these prints!Thank you so much for helping give to those in need through the Red Cross's Hurricane Sandy Relief efforts.Remember this will continue through December!

And don't forget about all the other shops giving back!

the Littlest Nativity

To contact us Click HERE
Last year I made this nativity.It actually ended up at Jami's house. I'm glad it did because she loves it so much.So this year after she bragged shared about it, I only thought it fair to recreate another one to give away.Yes, give. away.

Jami is encouraging others to take part in Advent.I agree. Do it.Also, go enter to win this little nativity.And yes, I may be selling some. Maybe. Stay tuned.

Indie Craft Fair

To contact us Click HERE

Who has her first real craft fair this weekend?THIS girl!
Pen & Paint will have a booth at the Indie South Fair in Athens, GA on Saturday, December 8th, from 11 AM - 6 PM.I'll be sharing a booth with Angie of Ike & Co!If you are in the area, or feel like taking a day trip up to Athens :)come get some handmade, holiday shopping done! I love connecting with URL friends in real life so be sure to find us and come say hi!

I've been painting
and printing 

and trying to figure out how to set up my table.

I am so excited and just a tad bit nervous.Wish Angie and me luck and let us know if you plan to stop by!

*Winter Printable is here*

To contact us Click HERE

I know winter isn't officially here yet, but the day after Thanksgiving we started decorating for Christmas right away. 

That means it was time to put away the Fall printable I made and get started on a Winter one. I asked on Instagram what were some of your favorite things about winter and used it to create this.

It's FREE for all of you and I hope you will enjoy it through the holiday season and into the New Year!
Download and Print HERE[I use scribd.com to share the PDF but I have been told if you don't have a Facebook account you can't access the printable. So you can save the file as a JPG HERE. Of course if you have any problems please contact me.]

I'm GUILTY are you?

To contact us Click HERE
I see something so cute in a handmade/online shop.
I have got to get it!
Add to cart. Purchase. Click, click, click.
I can't wait. It will be the perfect gift for so-and-so or myself ;)
A few days go by. No shipping notification.
Hmmmmm.
Why hasn't my order shipped?
I send a message to the shop owner. 
The shop owner has to point out to me that orders ship in ____ business days. AND it's all over their shop.
In the shop announcement.
In the item listings.
In the message to buyer once I placed my order.
The problem is I need it like tomorrow. The problem is I didn't read all the info so now I might not receive my order in time. 



You would think as a shop owner I'd remember to READ everything before placing my order. I get so excited sometimes I forget. I've been working really hard at doing it, but I still slip up. So now before I go send a message to a shop owner, I go back and look at all their information first.
As customers we HAVE to keep in mind that shop owners are not only selling goods.
They are people with lives outside of our screens.
Shop owners have to take care of their homes, cook, clean, take care of their families. Some have full time day jobs outside of their shops! Some of them do have assistants and staff, but I think for the most part, like with me, it's a one woman show here. From start to finish, I am doing it all. I create, manage orders, package, print labels, double check, take things to the post office and everything in between. And I also stay at home with two busy little boys. I am SO grateful that I am able to do both, but it also means I can't ship like Amazon or Walmart. Everything takes time. Most work gets done during nap time or after my boys have gone to bed. I recently had to increase my turnaround time  to 3-5 business days. I HATED doing it. I want everyone to have their order like right then, but I can't. And neither can most shop owners.

I share all this to encourage customers and shop owners alike.
Shop owners, be sure to have your shipping info ALL over the place. You can't say it enough.
If you are on Etsy take advantage of the shipping preferences we now have access to that gives us the option of letting the customers know it will ship in ____ business days. Put it in your shop announcement and each listing too. Put it in the message to buyer so once they make their purchase they see when they should expect their order to ship. Also, take advantage of the shipping notification system. It makes me super happy to click that button and know my customers get an email that their order has shipped. I know it sounds cheesy but seriously, I really love using it. It equals crossing something of my list. Oh, and keep in mind your customers are excited to receive their purchases so be sensitive to them. They are choosing to support you and that deserves good attention and responses, even if they aren't immediate.

Customers, read, read, read, read, read. Shop owners want HAPPY customers. The only way we can be sure you are happy is to keep you informed and provide what we commit to sell you. I hate reading directions and information. I am so bad about it. BUT as customers we have to. If we don't we will end up not being happy and that's just no good. Also, if you need something rushed or overnighted, check the shop's policies. Some shops offer that service but at an extra cost. Always ask first. It's not polite to place an order and say in the message to seller at checkout, "Ship this ASAP." I promise you, shop owners are shipping ASAP, and there is an order items are shipped. :) And most of all, remember we are all human and shop owners make mistakes.


I hope this was helpful and encouraging. I appreciate all of my customers and I sincerely want them to be happy with what they purchase. I appreciate other shop owners because they provide me with a chance to buy awesome handmade goods and other products and support their growing business.

Do you have questions as a customer or as a shop owner?
Ask. We are always learning and growing and it helps to know what thoughts or questions you have.

I'm GUILTY are you?

To contact us Click HERE
I see something so cute in a handmade/online shop.
I have got to get it!
Add to cart. Purchase. Click, click, click.
I can't wait. It will be the perfect gift for so-and-so or myself ;)
A few days go by. No shipping notification.
Hmmmmm.
Why hasn't my order shipped?
I send a message to the shop owner. 
The shop owner has to point out to me that orders ship in ____ business days. AND it's all over their shop.
In the shop announcement.
In the item listings.
In the message to buyer once I placed my order.
The problem is I need it like tomorrow. The problem is I didn't read all the info so now I might not receive my order in time. 



You would think as a shop owner I'd remember to READ everything before placing my order. I get so excited sometimes I forget. I've been working really hard at doing it, but I still slip up. So now before I go send a message to a shop owner, I go back and look at all their information first.
As customers we HAVE to keep in mind that shop owners are not only selling goods.
They are people with lives outside of our screens.
Shop owners have to take care of their homes, cook, clean, take care of their families. Some have full time day jobs outside of their shops! Some of them do have assistants and staff, but I think for the most part, like with me, it's a one woman show here. From start to finish, I am doing it all. I create, manage orders, package, print labels, double check, take things to the post office and everything in between. And I also stay at home with two busy little boys. I am SO grateful that I am able to do both, but it also means I can't ship like Amazon or Walmart. Everything takes time. Most work gets done during nap time or after my boys have gone to bed. I recently had to increase my turnaround time  to 3-5 business days. I HATED doing it. I want everyone to have their order like right then, but I can't. And neither can most shop owners.

I share all this to encourage customers and shop owners alike.
Shop owners, be sure to have your shipping info ALL over the place. You can't say it enough.
If you are on Etsy take advantage of the shipping preferences we now have access to that gives us the option of letting the customers know it will ship in ____ business days. Put it in your shop announcement and each listing too. Put it in the message to buyer so once they make their purchase they see when they should expect their order to ship. Also, take advantage of the shipping notification system. It makes me super happy to click that button and know my customers get an email that their order has shipped. I know it sounds cheesy but seriously, I really love using it. It equals crossing something of my list. Oh, and keep in mind your customers are excited to receive their purchases so be sensitive to them. They are choosing to support you and that deserves good attention and responses, even if they aren't immediate.

Customers, read, read, read, read, read. Shop owners want HAPPY customers. The only way we can be sure you are happy is to keep you informed and provide what we commit to sell you. I hate reading directions and information. I am so bad about it. BUT as customers we have to. If we don't we will end up not being happy and that's just no good. Also, if you need something rushed or overnighted, check the shop's policies. Some shops offer that service but at an extra cost. Always ask first. It's not polite to place an order and say in the message to seller at checkout, "Ship this ASAP." I promise you, shop owners are shipping ASAP, and there is an order items are shipped. :) And most of all, remember we are all human and shop owners make mistakes.


I hope this was helpful and encouraging. I appreciate all of my customers and I sincerely want them to be happy with what they purchase. I appreciate other shop owners because they provide me with a chance to buy awesome handmade goods and other products and support their growing business.

Do you have questions as a customer or as a shop owner?
Ask. We are always learning and growing and it helps to know what thoughts or questions you have.

My Sketch For Today GIVEAWAY

To contact us Click HERE

If you follow along on Instagram or Facebook you'll knowI like to create something I call "my sketch for today". It's fun to share things I am working on and get input from others on my drawings/paintings.From February (when I started drawing) to December I have done at least 127 drawings! It's neat to see how my style has developed and changed. You can view all of the ones I have done in 2012 HERE. 
Most of them are just me drawing in my many sketchbooks, but every once and a while I'll do something fun like draw on a cup like I did for the mug swap or a plate or like the platter (shown above).

I thought it would be exciting to give back to y'all who have helped encouraged my drawing and creating throughout this year. So I found some fun pens that are just for drawing on glass or ceramic surfaces, and I'm giving away some to 5 lucky winners. It's so much fun to create and to encourage each of you do make something pretty while you can!
Enter to win below. Good luck!Giveaway open from 12/27/12 to 12/30/12.Winners will be chosen randomly through rafflecopter and announced on 12/31/12. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This giveaway is not paid or sponsored by Pebeo. I purchased the pens and I am giving them away.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'm... Dreaming . . .

To contact us Click HERE


. . . of a white pinkish Christmas!
Okay, well, I do live in Texas and on the Gulf coast for that matter...so....that's pretty unlikely, right?
This is the last Photo Art Friday until January 2013, AND this weekwas the last Texture Tuesday until next year as well. What's a girl to do?
The prompt suggestion was to link up our best work, one that we would be proud todisplay on the cover of a coffee table book. Awww geez, that's too hard to pick and I have to say I might have a bit of a commitment problem...can't even use a hot glue gun on a craftproject, because you never know when you might want to take something apart and use it onsomething else....it's the frugal part of me I guess.
But, I was playing around with a photo I took last year at Christmas and really like how itturned out. These are Bald Cypress trees, that were not bald yet, and their texture was perfect in my post-processing for getting the look of snow I wanted.


"Walking in a Winter Wonderland"
As far as unlikely, it did snow the first year we moved here, during a Christmas choir concert.Yes, miracles do happen! ; )  And just in case you're wondering....it was white!
Enjoy your weekend! I have boxes of Christmas stuff waiting to be transformed into decorations.What about you?
Love, KimXO

 
  

Yes, I have been missing....

To contact us Click HERE


....but it's because I've been in action!
Lot's of action, but I have missed you all and I wanted to pop in and say a quick hello to all of you.
Hello!!
It seems that I'm just not as uber talented as I once was, juggling all the festivites of the seasonand keeping up with my weekly posts. 
This is what I've been up to...via my instagram photos....
I finally got our tree up, but that's all and trying not to stress that that is all! ;)

It's been fairly warm here, near 80 in fact, but a couple of days in between it got chilly enough to see steam come from my favorite Christmas mug. In fact yesterday it was 79, today I woke up to the 30's...it's Texas, what can I say! haha 

One morning, taking a break, I went to the front porch and lifted the back cushion to sit down and found this very, very cold lizard. She was more than happy to let me warm her up! And it made my day!!!

I did manage to go to the sunrise, once, then to the Starbucks where I had my best EVER Salted Caramel Mocha to date. I even had to go back up to tell her, and she said, "Seriously", with a huge smile!BUT... Starbucks only sent them a short supply of the salty goodness that gets sprinkled on top and only a few have some left. My Starbucks happiness is I'm afraid,  now going to be short lived! :(

While there at Starbucks, I sat down with my spiral notebooks and pink pencil and tried to finish something I started writing almost a year ago...I hope to share it with you in the new year! God has perfect timing, just saying!!


We drove in our pj's and looked at some Christmas lights, always my favorite!


Made some of my famous chocolate fudge.....

And then I added a layer of peanut butter fudge...yes it's awesome!!

Oh, I got a wild hair and decided to trim my standard poodle myself. I apparently didn't learn from the last time! And this, well this was only phase one, phase two happened outside. What can I say, but that my wild hair happened while I was inside, and thankfully I DO own a vacuum. Although when my daughter got home she said it looked like something bad happened on our street....it was a windy day.

I had another lizard siting (while in the middle of a project), this one between the window screen and the window. The winds that day were in the 20's to 30's and very gusty and I suppose she was protecting herself while sunning and I loved how the sun made her legs transparent. An instagram friend deemed me the "lizard lady" to which I happily accepted! 



And this is the project I was distracted from....it's taken over my entire kitchen table and there my dog waits for me to play with him.  Unfortunately for me creativity and mess go hand in hand....but I am having fun!If you saw my small studio space, you would know why I am now at the kitchen table....hmmm, a project for the new year!

So there ya have it, that's what I've been up to, what about you?I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season.
Merry Christmas, from my home (and blog) to yours!!
AND, I have one more thing....a facebook friend posted this video of a flashmob thatwill bring a smile to your face, and a warmth to your heart...I hope you enjoy it!!
Love to you,Kim XO

Festival of Lights . . .

To contact us Click HERE


I had been wanting to go to the festival of lights since Thanksgiving, butit just seemed that there was always something going on. Well, we finally made it this past weekend,us and about a million other people too!! ; )
And it was free . . . 
All you had to do was park in a parking lot, board a school bus, and they drove you there.Doesn't get any better than that.
I did take my tripod, but really was only able to use it for several shots, as there were just too manypeople. So, I improvised and played and had some fun!
It might have been more like a cattle drive! This was one of the many tunnels of lights we walked through.


A different view, minus all the people  . . . not sure how I got so lucky with that!


I did use my tripod for this one . . . can you see the silhouettes of all the people? I just loved the branchy reflections in the water on this one, something else I have been a bit obsessed with lately.


And another silhouette on the left....

This castle seemed to be quite the highlight, and although there was no way I was going to get them (my kids) to stand inside the castle, I managed to get just this one of them standing and looking on as a silhouette.


 Another reflection, with more silhouetted people.

Then I decided to have a little fun, in manual focus, zooming in, and out with my camera as I clicked.The fist one is just bokeh love, and the ones below it were done in manual focus creating bokeh first and then zooming either in or out while taking the photo.

And when I got home, I painted with the light from my tree with a slow shutter speed.






On this one I made a circle and then tried to fill it in, not too bad for painting blindly. 

I have been doing a little experimenting with painting with my lens during the day as well. It sure takes somepractice to make it look intentional and not accidental as there is a fine line between purposeful blur and I had no idea what I was doing. Between how fast and how much movement I can put into it to get the look I want. I'm linking in with Kat over at Kat Eye Studio and her December Exploring With a Camera: The Lights of Night...come on over and join us, there's still time.
See ya there -Love, KimXO

Monday's Measure: Hello, It's been a while!

To contact us Click HERE


This afternoon I snapped a few photos to say "hello" from my shadowy studio and to measure the joy found in a soft gray fog--joy found a bit more readily than usual today because my heart is noticeably cheered by the extra twinkle lights I've strung around the apartment.

The joy is doubled now this evening, as I type this retrospectively: that soft gray fog was the herald of fluffy white snowflakes! It's only a dusting, but it's the first one of the season and I know the girls will be thrilled when they see it in the morning...rather, make that when they see it tonight. Here they both come now, rubbing sleepy eyes.

Hugs from all of us here in snowy Hamburg. More again soon!
Love,
Sadee

I'm... Dreaming . . .

To contact us Click HERE


. . . of a white pinkish Christmas!
Okay, well, I do live in Texas and on the Gulf coast for that matter...so....that's pretty unlikely, right?
This is the last Photo Art Friday until January 2013, AND this weekwas the last Texture Tuesday until next year as well. What's a girl to do?
The prompt suggestion was to link up our best work, one that we would be proud todisplay on the cover of a coffee table book. Awww geez, that's too hard to pick and I have to say I might have a bit of a commitment problem...can't even use a hot glue gun on a craftproject, because you never know when you might want to take something apart and use it onsomething else....it's the frugal part of me I guess.
But, I was playing around with a photo I took last year at Christmas and really like how itturned out. These are Bald Cypress trees, that were not bald yet, and their texture was perfect in my post-processing for getting the look of snow I wanted.


"Walking in a Winter Wonderland"
As far as unlikely, it did snow the first year we moved here, during a Christmas choir concert.Yes, miracles do happen! ; )  And just in case you're wondering....it was white!
Enjoy your weekend! I have boxes of Christmas stuff waiting to be transformed into decorations.What about you?
Love, KimXO

 
  

Brain Picking's Picks

To contact us Click HERE

I came across this post a while ago and thought it would be just plain silly of me not to post a link to it here. It's Maria Popova's (aka Brain Pickings) list of the '11 Best Illustrated Children's and Picture books of 2011'
I have not yet watched the featured posted interview clip with Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer who created the awesome 'The Phantom Tollbooth' but I am sure PLANNIN ON IT! And so should you!

Hans Christian Andersen's Paper Cuttings

To contact us Click HERE





The other day I picked up a book titled "The Amazing Paper Cuttings of Hans Christian Andersen" and it totally blew my mind. I had never thought to research Andersen in detail up to now and I have to say that I think I am subconsciously savoring it until I resume my schooling. I have been giving 'doing my Masters in Children's Literature' quite a bit of thought in the past year and think that once time permits it, it might be an inevitability... However, when I saw this book I had to cheat a bit and immerse myself in the super magical world that was Andersen's life.

Growing up poor he really made his own luck by sticking his foot into all sorts of noble and elite doors, mastering his art of verbal and written storytelling and ...as I have now discovered... Paper Cuttings.
According to the book and it's sources, Andersen would perform his fabulous fairy tales to an enrapt audience whilst seemingly randomly cutting away at a piece of paper with a gigantic pair of scissors. At the end of the story he would unfold the paper to reveal all sorts of absolutely amazing and original works of art. They did not have to coincide with the story he was telling but did feature a steady repertoire of his established character favorites that inhabited his stories such as bakers, dancers, 4 armed - windmill type men, as well as more macabre images like men hanging on gallows, and Andersen's favorite and perhaps his symbol for himself, ... swans.

Andersen never made any drawn plans for these cuttings, they are so to say, spontaneous cutting, like you would create a drawing without prior planning. A doodle-cut so to speak. Because of this and because of their imagery they were quite different from the many other paper cuttings from this time. Paper cuttings in general were quite popular in the 1800's when Andersen was alive and many people would commission a paper cut like you'd commission a portrait so that one's image would be remembered for the next generation of one's family. Camera's were still new, very expensive and not commonly used until later.

Here is an excellent and super fun podcast on Andersen and his life by 'How Stuff Works' Podcast that my good friend Rebecca turned me onto, after having told her about my new discovery.

I am sure there will be at least one more entry on Andersen in the future here somewhere. I am quite fittingly enchanted by his own fairy tale.


Here are some sites on Andersen and his work.

one

two

And here is a small blog post on him by a very beautiful blog that I just discovered and one one the daddytypes blog here.