Mehndi Monday

Check out this sleeve that I did recently. I love some of the little details, and I think the fingers are my favorite. I have been doing a lot of hands lately, hoepfully now that things are warming up I can tag some feet soon too.

Happy Mehndi Monday.

Mehndi Monday

I have been enjoying doing so many projects this spring. The weather is so lovely in the pacific northwest, it has made everything feel fresh and new. It is the perfect time of year to be sporting some henna.

Have a great Monday All.

Captured Moments

Haven't had one of these in a while, but with spring budding and so many colorful things going on, I have had some good 'moments' lately.

Just a peak into our very first garden! Good times.

Have a great weekend All.

This segment inspired by

soulemama.com

Hey Look We Made A Table!

We have been living without a kitchen table for a looooong time, and I really felt like we needed one. Duh! I must have looked for almost a year in local shops, online + craigslist, and just couldn't find the combination of things I was looking for. Finally I was committed to Do It Myself. I found these plans (having no clue how to choose) and with A LOT of help from the hubby, dove right in.

Basically everything about this project was new to me. From the tools, cutting the wood, to finally staining. I had small experiences with a lot of these things, but had never done anything at such a large scale.

I am so pleased with how everything turned out. The table is awesome and I love the stain. We decided to make the table 1 inch taller than the plan specifications, which I am so glad we did. It has been a great height for cooking, making dough, and as a work station. The only problem is finding chairs that are the right height! SO next is a bench to match.

The plans were so easy to follow, and the whole experience has been super rewarding. Now that I have the confidence of this project under my belt, I cannot wait to knock out about a million more (ideas that is, not tables lol).

Mehndi Monday

Happy Mehndi Monday Everyone.

This was a fun, simple + quick henna application.

The hands stain really fast and get a rich rust color when dried.

Have a great day All.

Emerge

I love painting people + faces. 

I was kind of intimidated by painting anything other than abstraction for a long time. But the human figure is actually really fun, if you have a reference. 

I love to just let the paint flow + just see what I end up with. And that is how I started working in the beginning, spontaneous, colorful, but admittedly hit or miss. But as I have painted more over the years, I find using a picture or really anything as a reference to be much more rewarding.
I would say this work is somewhere in between. I did use a photo for the face, but then kinda just had fun with some swills for the rest. 

Thanks for checking out my work + have a great day.

Self Portrait or Simply a Selfie

I read this great write up here and it got me thinking...What IS the difference between a "self portrait" and all these "selfies"?

It seems everywhere you look online you can find a girl looking in a mirror, or with her arm extended, making a duck face. Although the duck thing probably warrants a post unto itself, for now I am more interested in distinguishing between classic portraiture, and the now commonplace selfie.

 From what I can gather, the distinction can be made between convenience and artistic intent. Selfies are intended to capture something quick. Spontaneous. What you are wearing. What you are eating. Who you are with (the group selfie). Often taken with our smartphones and uploaded instantly to social media, these photos often document our life in a more "as it is" .

Whereas self portraits generally focus more on composition, lighting, or conveying an emotion. Maybe not always as "honest" as a selfie, self portraits ask us to go deeper and express a vulnerability that is often lacking in a quick snapshot.

Either fast or meticulous, posed or captured, we have the ability to document ourselves as never before. And there is value in both. Giving the masses a camera in their hands at. all. times. IS generating some silly things, but also beautiful and artistic expression.