In case you missed it on my Instagram, I just added a few 5x7 and 8x10 prints to the shop! These are two of them but so far there are a total of 4 different flowers. The series I've been working on is based on the Victorian tradition that every flower has a meaning. In that era, flowers were often chosen very carefully when given to others. I think there's something so very beautiful about that idea- it becomes more than a thoughtful gift of flowers and turns into something extremely specific and meaningful! I'll hopefully be making more as time goes on but to start I've focused on these four:

Lilac- meaning "joy of youth"
Goldenrod- meaning "encouragement"
Lavender- meaning "devotion"
Morning Glory- meaning "affection"

Send them to someone special or keep them as a reminder to yourself, but I hope that these bring some sort of heartfelt message to those that receive them. I'm also developing some other flower themed products from these same paintings which will be added to the shop in the coming weeks. 

Now onto more designing for me before a busy weekend of 1 year old birthday and wedding celebrations! What does your weekend entail? 

p.s. did you notice the slight change in my site logo? I'd love feedback on it!

I'm just going to dive right into feelings and say that I've been going through some emotional waves today in regards to my value and what I'm creating. One of my downfalls is to get so caught up in analyzing numbers and practical things that I forget to just put the work in and create. And then it becomes a blame game on myself, the voice of not being good enough as I compare my work to others... A horrible game to play, I know. 

But then there are days, such as the day I got these recipe cards printed. When I received them from the printers, I felt so ecstatic that they turned out exactly as I wanted! I felt proud of the work that  I had done. I need to remember moments like those as I keep on putting the work in and let that motivate me rather than the opposing voices in my head that want to tell me I'm worthless. 

When I think of mother's day, I can't help but hear the thoughts of a thousand moms who may have had those same thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, as their job is so often a thankless job. Why not remind your mother of her worthful-ness this year? Send her something pretty. Something to remind her that she is valued, loved and appreciated for how much work she puts in without personal reward. There are some items in my shop perfect for that, such as:

recipe cards - for all those homestyle meals she spent hours making to nourish you. 

art prints - so she can be reminded of your love every time she walks by. 

greeting cards - because a note of encouragement will always make mom's day. 

But no matter how you do it, remember to love on your mom this mother's day (and any other day of the year) because she is worth it.  

I've been a bit of a busybody this week, but feel that I have nothing to show for it! So far, it's been a lot of behind the scenes work and I've been struggling to find things to share. And sometimes when I have nothing to share, it can feel like I'm not accomplishing anything... anyone else have those same feelings??

But despite that, I did find one little tidbit to share with you today. Although you may have seen this painting on my home page, my instagram and this previous blog post, I don't think I ever announced it's entrance into my etsy shop in this space! So here's the official announcement: You can now find this painting for sale in my shop! I'm selling the prints in the usual 8x10 inch size, but also offering a smaller 5x7 inch print. Perfect for that gallery wall you've been meaning to put up ;). 

But wait! There's more. If you really love this piece but are just not feeling like the funds are there to purchase a print right now, you could win this 5x7 inch print for FREE! I will be taking part in a loop giveaway on instagram starting at 12pm PDT. If you enter, you'll have the chance to win this print and 15 other amazing prizes from makers around the world! Head on over to my instagram profile and follow the instructions on the contest post to enter. Good luck!