by Amy | Sep 29, 2014 | Blog, Crafts, The Art of Art, The Art of Design, The Art of Projects
You know how something just keep getting shoved to the end of your to-do list? If not, props to you. Maybe we can chat sometime and you can tell me how to quit doing that.
But I digress.
Something that has been pushed to the end of the line over and over again, is getting my shop up and running. I’ve had the photos in a folder on my desktop for months. I’ve had the products to be sold sitting in the cloffice since June. But every time I thought about reviving my Etsy shop and updating my PayPal account, I felt like gagging…then I’d simply walk away from the computer, or take a stroll through Pinterest instead.
But after my weeks in South Dakota and Indiana, I came back revived and refocused. Ready tackle, promote and grow the blog and business. {The amazing feedback from the Bridesmaid Thank You Cards, also gave me a pretty good push.} I can now proudly say that:
The Amy Allender: The Art of Living Etsy shop is now open for business!
So, now, you can shop products I’ve created in my home “sweat shop” or designed. You can access the shop from my navigation bar here at the website, or by visiting my Etsy shop. Soon I’ll be adding more invitation designs as digital downloads, and new items as the holiday season approaches, so be on the look out for those.
And now that the PayPal account has been revived as well, I’m hoping to add a “pay online” feature for photo clients…so no more check writing at the time of your session. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’ll let you know when that goes live.
In the mean time, enjoy the shop. Favorite the shop. Share with your friends. Buy some gifts. You know, that kind of thing. I love you all. Thank you so much for encouraging me and being so amazing. If you have an Etsy shop, let me know by leaving a comment {I think I got that bug fixed too}. I’d love to check you out. Here are some items to get you started:
[shop_featured_listings]
by Amy | Sep 26, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Art
Remember in August when I told you about that awful, just awful auto-correct? Also, before we move further, look how cute my cat is. She’s precious.
You know, the one that said, “I have a Canadian all dressed up with no place to go.” If you missed it, read that post here.
After complete silence for nearly a month, I realized that the street festival that I was originally asked to take my Community Canvas {read here if you don’t know what that is} to sort of got moved to Saturday, September 27th. I say it sort of got moved because it’s technically not the exact same event. That was the Festival on Main…which never happened. Now it’s part of the Fall Block Party. Pretty much the same thing, only it’s held on 1st Street instead of Main. {For those of you local to Practically Canada, go here for details.}
So, anyway, after weeks of hearing nothing back…and discovering that it kind of had been rescheduled, I decided to reach out to the victim of my sloppy texting and ask if I could bring the canvas down. Mostly, because it’s huge and in my dining room, and I have no desire to finish it by myself.
To my pleasant surprise, she was happy to hear from me and said they were thinking of getting in touch and asking me to come with the canvas.
Phew!
What a relief. I triple read my reply and told her I’d be there.
Next week I’ll show you the {hopefully} finish product…barring another sudden rain storm that cancels us again. But tonight I just wanted to tell you the conclusion of the text tale. And, to peer pressure you in to coming to see me tomorrow downtown. I’ll be setting up around 11am and planning to stay until it’s finished, probably around 1:30pm. If you are in the area, whether we have met or not, I’d love for you to come paint with me. It’s as easy as filling in the lines, just like a coloring book.
If nothing else, you can say you saw the well dressed Canadian in person.
Amy
PS–For one more laugh I’ve decided to add in the photo of the conversation we had last month….
by Amy | Sep 22, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Art, The Art of Design
I love ideas. I just think ideas are the cat’s meow. So I’m always excited when a friend comes to me with an idea that I can help with. I’m count myself blessed to have a quirky little skill set that can make lots of artistic/crafty/designy ideas come to life.
So when my friend Kait came to me with an idea for some adorable bridesmaid thank you cards I was chomping at the bit to make her vision a reality.
Before we go further, let’s meet Kait. I don’t know how I’ve lucked into such cool friends. I mean, look at her. She gets football, she’s a nurse and she loves Mumford and Sons. She’s awesome. {This photo is stunning. Yes, I know. But I did not take it. It’s from the talents of Briana Moore Photography. If you are in the Boston-ish area and need photography…you should totally check her out!}
She’d seen something similar, but wanted a look that was a little more custom and a little more wallet-friendly. {And what is more wallet-friendly than a girlfriend willing to be paid in chai-tea lattes? It’s my pleasure.} What she had seen was a paper-doll-ish card that could be customized to look like her own bridesmaids. Blonde, brunette, dress color, flower color, skin color…you get it. Here’s the finished product. They fold on the elbow and have an adorable shape. Cute, yes?
If you follow me on Instagram {I’m @theartoflivingproject} you just might have seen this image floating around a while back when I was in the design stage of these gems.
The process was so fun. I started with sketches, then picked my favorites. Added some fine-tip Sharpie {a must for almost all my hand rendered designs} and finally digitized them by using my handy-dandy scanner. Once on screen I digitally colored them. I love the effect of the hand drawing with the digital color. Ahhh, the sweetness of 21st century art.
Her wedding has come and gone, so I figured it would be safe to share these with the world now. I haven’t heard if they were a hit or not…I hope they were. I think they are adorable and wish that I had thought of this when I was getting married. But alas…that was years ago, when I used actual notebooks instead of Pinterest and my best ideas came from a tangible copy of Martha Stewart Weddings. *sigh* But alas, I’m thrilled to be able help friends realize their Pinterest dreams and spread the wealth of my artistic skillz. {Yes, the kind with a “z” at the end.}
And, just in case any of you are wondering…I really am planning to resurrect my Etsy shop–or open a shop page here on the website. Once that happens {current opening date is set for the end of this month} these will be listed, so you and all your marrying friends can have some for yourselves.
Have I told you how awesome you are lately? Seriously. Thanks for reading and liking and supporting. I love you guys.
Amy
by Amy | Sep 10, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Art, The Art of Design
A friend of mine is getting married. So when she asked if I could create her invitation suite, I was set on making something super special that would be just what she wanted. My wedding gift to the happy couple. Chalkboardy, woodsy, quirky and fun. That pretty much sums up Courtney, Mark and their wedding theme. Aren’t they precious? {In a way-cool kind of way?}
{BTW…this amazing photograph is from SMC Photography. You should a)like her page on FB to show some love…and b)check her out for photography need if you live in or near America’s best region. Michiana. Obviously.}
They’ve been mailed and received by now, so I figured it was safe to show the you all the finished product. I really love them. It’s a chalkboard wedding invitation suite!
Courtney has a stamp in the same font as the YES and NO on the response card. So the real deal has those word stamped on in gold ink. Gold ink! {I’m telling you Courty is super cool.}
The biggest challenge was making this map. Because I’m on par with Buster from Arrested Development when it comes to cartography. But thanks to the magic of Google Maps and a little digital tracing…I think people will at least be able to find the place.
And if they can’t find the way…then they’ll just have to pull up Google Maps on their own. So….
Anyway, all this to say, there is going to be one fabulous wedding once November rolls around. And I couldn’t be more thrilled for such a sweet, way-fun couple to be starting their life together. Marriage is amazing when you seal the deal with the right person…and the wedding is just the beginning.
by Amy | Aug 28, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Art
After I posted the first Community Canvas I did for Minot’s Arts in the Park program I got a lot of positive feedback. Enough people took notice that I was contacted by someone involved with the Festival on Main, an annual end of summer street festival. She asked if I’d like to do a canvas that would be on display for a while the morning of the festival that kids and families could paint on.
Yes, please!
So I made a canvas. This canvas to be exact. It’s “downtown” themed and inspired by the actually buildings on Minot’s Main Street. I like it a lot.
Then the weather turned and I heard that the festival was cancelled. To confirm I texted my contact to be sure. This is how that came out.
Nothing like an awkward auto-correct to a person you don’t really know. Especially when it’s someone you would like to think you are professional and responsible…a person appropriate for public events.
So awkward. And the worst part is, I sent this when I was at a birthday party, so I wasn’t really paying full attention. I didn’t realize what I’d said until the next day. The. Next. Day. I wrote back saying that I meant “canvas” not “Canadian.” She hasn’t responded.
Why would I have a Canadian all dressed up? Darn my will to be witty. Just a little witty. Very little.
The moral of the story? Read your texts.
xo
Amy
by Amy | Aug 16, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Art, The Art of Living
Through the summer Minot holds Arts in the Park every Thursday and Sunday evening. A few months ago, I was blindsided when I got a call from the Minot Area Council of the Arts contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in being a featured artist.
Arts in the Park works like this. A band plays in the band shell, people come and listen, and an artist stands off to the side. You can do anything you’d like to as the artist, they just encourage it to be something interactive or a demonstration. Like most things, my art is pretty diverse. I had no idea what they wanted me to do, but they were clear that I could do anything I wanted.
So I did what I usually do in a situation like this. I try to think what I would want to see if I was just attending. This is what I came up with.
It’s a community canvas. I drew a black outline of a design {inspired by sunflowers, so perfect for this time of year.} Then I put a dot of color in every space, denoting what it should be filled with. People are welcome to come and fill in as much or as little as they want. And when it’s all filled we are left with a lovely piece of art that many hands had a part in creating.
And people loved it!
Which was so flattering, since I tend to think that my arty stuff is only stuff that my mom would like. Better yet, a woman from the arts council asked if she could buy it. {Say what??!} But wait–there’s more. Minot has an “Arts in the Schools” program that sends local artists in to schools to teach art to kids…and they asked if I’d be interested in being involved. {Duh!} Nothing is super official, but it’s still nice to be considered.
Here’s a progression of the canvas throughout the night.
What I’m getting at is that is was a great night. A night much needed as this fell right around the time of the “Unstuck” post. It was an up that I was in need of. Arts in the Park is done for the season, but if you live in Minot, you should keep a pulse on the cool things the arts council is doing. These folks are working hard to infuse our community with art, culture and fun activities, which I think is something we are all in favor of.
xo
Amy
by Amy | Aug 13, 2014 | Blog, The Art of Art, The Art of the Moment
Let me start by saying–IT’S NOT ME. Really, truly, honestly…this post isn’t about me.
Recently I had the fine privilege of shooting a pregnancy announcement. When we sat down to brainstorm how they wanted to break the big news, we decided that a custom chalkboard background would be just perfect. So, Derek moved the panels inside and I went to work drawing up what just might be the best background I’ve ever created. Which is why I couldn’t resist showing it to you.
Making this chalkboard wall was one of my best decisions ever. I just love drawing big, giant word art up there.
The photos, however will be kept secret until their friends and family have found out. So until then, I guess you all will just have to speculate.
Amy
by Amy | Jul 25, 2014 | Blog, Crafts, The Art of Art, The Art of Gathering, The Art of Projects
I have something very exciting to tell you about. It’s exciting for me, but mostly it’ll be exciting for the Practically Canadian followers out there.
A couple new services have been tacked on to my services menu. And they are way fun.
Starting now. Right now, The Art of Living Project is offering crafty classes for you and all your friends. Now, what on earth could that mean? Let me tell you.
I think lots of us can agree that crafting is super fun and awesome….and it only gets more awesome if you craft with friends. And it gets even better if you don’t have to spend time gathering supplies or finding a tutorial. And even more amazing if there was no Pinterest rage involved, because someone is there to help you complete a project that actually turns out the way it should and not on one of those “nailed-it” boards.
That’s where my crafty classes come in. Right now I have 15 projects available to choose from–everything from Pottery Barn knock offs to wreaths-a-plenty. Lots of others are on the way too. Projects on the horizon include DIY mercury glass, all kinds of paper flowers, burlap runners, glass painting, lamp wiring! So keep your eyes peeled and watch for new project postings.
You pick a class, I get the supplies, you have fun, you end up with something awesome and a new skill.
The best part about this type of class is that you will leave with the understanding of how to create something. For example, I offer a class that focuses on all kinds of burlap flowers. You’ll leave with some cool stuff and the know-how to do it again…the next time you want to embellish a wreath, or package, you’ll be able to whip up a flower and brag to your friends. It’s the whole teach-a-man-to-fish philosophy. I’m really into that.
Not only is it a way fun way to spend an afternoon or evening, it’s a great way to learn something new, create unique gifts and become a DIY master. After all…why should I be hoarding all the skills?
Oh…and if you and your cronies have found something that you are just dying to make…or have failed on before but would like to try again, all you have to do is get in touch with me and I’ll be happy to come up with a tutorial, gather supplies and plan a custom party just for you.
So, yeah. I’m pretty excited. And you should be too. Because this just might turn out to be your new favorite Practically Canadian pass-time.
Amy
PS–I’m also working on an artillery of painting party designs. Right now there is just one lonely painting in the gallery, but more are on the way!
