Snips, and Snails & Puppy Dog Tails.....

This piece was a true labor of love. As I said in an earlier post, my dear friend "J" and her husband just welcomed a new addition into their home this month, I had wanted to do something for the baby's nursery.......and chose to base it off of the bedding. With the deep colors & such a clear theme, it was a fun piece to do. Never mind that it is also going to some amazing friends...I hope that they enjoy it as well----------------Welcome to the World Baby Alex!












Love & Cupcakes Everyone-----My husband will actually be HOME this weekend....shocker I know, so I will be out having some much needed family time with ALL of my boys! Have a great weekend ya'll!


Lo

FINISHED....for now :)

The beginning of my Holiday pieces.....


I have been collecting Snowmen for several years.....a collection that started rather reluctantly I might add.


First I was given a Snowman for decoration...then the boys picked out cute Snowmen ornaments.....and well, downhill it went until it turned into a big ball of Snowman love :)


This one is one I had in my sketchbook for a few weeks now & I decided it was time to bring him to *life*.......and what would one of MY snowmen be without a cupcake to offer??



A 16x20 wrapped canvas, painted with acrylics, sparkle and a little bit of magic*


















This was also a idea in my sketchbook that I am pleased to have finished. A trio of 5x7 canvas boards to prop up for decoration or hang.

The first set being for the more Traditional, and the 2nd for people like myself & my Sister-in-Crime, Jess.























My new addition to my otherwise red/black/white "Fat Chef" kitchen......as you can imagine it matches marvelously :)


Will hopefully learn to take my advice by reading this each day.








A 5x5 wooden square painted with acrylics (what else?), and about 3 coats of high-gloss varnish for a shiny hard finish.














This I had actually seen elsewhere on shirts, etc.......but when I came across this perfect 16in round canvas, well, I knew that it was time that the Hostess cupcake paid a visit to MY kitchen :)


Painted with acrylics and a high-gloss varnish, I even tried to see how it would look wrapped in cellophane....(you know, like the REAL thing).....


Let's just say that didn't go so well! I am planning sometime soon to take my friend Rosa up on her idea to paint another......that way it can have a pair like it should :)










Of COURSE it belongs between an ice cream & spoon painting.........what else would you expect my kitchen area to look like?















SOOOOOO, that is it for now, but my wheels are still turning I can assure you. If there is something YOU would like to order for someone for the holidays (or yourself.....:) Just send me a message and we can get started.



Love & Cupcakes Everyone...and TGIF!
Lo

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like.......

......though it may be 75 degrees and sunny here in Southern California, visions of Christmas trees and snowmen are already dancing through my head :) If you didn't know, before we lived out here we were residents of New England for 3 years (Maine to be exact).....therefore I REALLY got to see what all the fuss was when it came to having a "White Christmas".




While a "White" Christmas may not be on the nearest horizon, I have already started to get into the swing of things and have been working on several Christmas & Winter pieces. My husband was not here for the holidays last year, so I guess I am just trying to get a jump on things to make this one A*M*A*Z*I*N*G.....




I have these pieces finished minus the coats of varnish so pictures will be up shortly. Also, a piece I have done for a dear friend and her newborn son. This couple consist of two of the most amazing people and I could not be more thrilled that they have now added a beautiful new son. (Hey Alex!)




So hold tight, grab a cozy blanket, get snuggled in by the fire (for those LUCKY ones who have a fireplace...), and get ready........here comes Winter!



Love & Cupcakes,
Lo

Cupcakes & Autobots....what a fun combination :)

So, this week I finished up a very wide variety of projects lol

First up -------> This is a painting I finished for my husband. He always has complained that I don't "paint him anything"......he better be lucky that I didn't make a whole SLEW of cupcakes for his office!


He has just finished up the majority of a course that has been his toughest yet, I wanted him to know I was proud of him & that we as a family (me & my boys) support him.












The final 2 paintings are each done on 8x10 canvas boards:

One is the Autobots logo from the movie "Transformers", it is a gift for my son, as his 5th party (being celebrated today!) is Transformer themed.


The 2nd is another one of my "Monogram Cupcakes", done for a close friend to give to her cupcake :)

November Warmer & Scent of the Month!

Available starting November 1st, (along with all the new Holiday Warmers!)------pre-order your today!

Sun, Sand & Wedding Wishes...

So this painting has been a true labor of love. It was commissioned by a very dear friend of mine, as a wedding present for a couple close to her getting married.

The couple preferred neutral colors, but were getting married in Mexico. I was also given their kid's names & the wedding date to incorporate into hte painting. Other than that I was basically let loose & told to do what I thought would look best :) One of my favorite requests ever!


This is a 16x20 inch wrapped canvas, textured for both sand & water, painted using acrylics & sealed with a high-gloss varnish.


I hope their wedding is amazing, and I am so honored that I was asked to make this for them......with proper care it should last for years to come!



Love & Cupcakes!
Lo

NEW art :) Orange is for Carrot......

So, as you have read prior here on my blog, my oldest has started Kindergarten this year, and this is what has come of his inspiration :) These are 2 matching 18x24 in canvas & painted using acrylics. This song is to introduce all of the colors, and here are the lyrics:

Orange is for Carrot,
Yellow is for Pear,
Purple is for Plum...
and Brown is for Bear.

Green is the Grass,
Blue is the Sky,
and Black is a Witch's Hat...
and Red is Cherry Pie!


This is a picture of the custom crayons I made to use as favors for Ethan's birthday party. They were made of previously used crayons broken up & then melted down into new shapes. I thought they turned out great & it has opened up a whole avenue of other cute ideas (and shapes) that can be re-purposed.

Love & Cupcakes!
Lo

Exciting News :)

That's right! Scentsy has just unveiled their new Holiday Collection--------available to view on my website (www.scentsy.com/laurenbowen) on October 15th, these warmers will be available to PURCHASE starting November 1st.

The upside? You have time to *save* to get all of your favorites....as well as get a jump on your holiday shopping!

The downside? They are available for purchase on November 1st WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! You will have to get these ASAP, as last year they were sold out within a week!



*******Also------as you all know I have not has a LARGE amount of time to paint lately.......well the girls and I all sat down for a painting session today & I have gotten SO MUCH done! As it stand I have 3 projects about half way done, and FOUR that will be finished tomorrow :) As always, when I finish I will post pictures. Hard to believe it, but my soon-to-be 5 year old was the inspiration for one of the largest projects I have done thus far......and is turning out to be one of my favs!


Good night everyone-----12 hours of almost solid painting and I still feel hyped up.....but would like to at least have *some* energy to finish things up tomorrow LOL----until then

Love & Cupcakes,
Lo

Cupcake Love

So while I have been super busy these last few weeks...that does NOT mean I haven't been painting! :) This is one I actually had started a little while back & finally got around to finishing. As one person pointed out to me, "hey, that cupcake isn't perfect on both sides!".......

nope! You get a gold star for noticing! lol I actually drew out the cupcake & then used the drawing as a reverse stencil. Could I have made it identical on both sides? Sure.....but when in real life have you ever seen a perfectly symmetrical cupcake?

Though speaking of desserts, here on Camp Pendleton I HAVE seen some amazing cupcakes & cookies from an extremely talented woman named Yazmin, you can find her & her goodies at:

http://www.yazminscreations.com/

*****My work looks beautiful....but hers you can eat! ::laugh::

For those of you wondering what I am up to next...I have several things up my sleeve getting ready for the holidays! Snowmen will be a recurring theme as I happen to collect them. Also icy blues/whites & silvers...........my home is quite divided at Christmas-time. Most of my home is a traditional red/green & gold (last year my tree was red/blue & gold and had a yellow ribbon for a topper as my husband was deployed..........this year he is home so it will be very special)------but getting into my kitchen and dining area......well, then you get into the are of Blue & white and snowflakes. What probably helped this obsession was our 3 years spent in New England while my husband was on Recruiting Duty. It also spurred my love of the Fall with the visable sweeping into Fall with leaves changing and brisk weather.

I am starting to now begin work on holiday orders, so if there is something that YOU would like to have made for a loved one (or yourself...:) Please let me know. I haven't updated my Etsy shop that recently because of how busy things have been, but I am still taking & working on custom orders!

With that being said, I hope everyone is enjoying the walk into Fall........this is my first Fall actually spent here in California and I have to say that, though there are no leaves changing colors, the weather actually reminds me of Georgia here lately. In the mornings it is in the 50s-60s, but by the time I go to pick my son up from school I have already changed into something short-sleeved. Also, I hear that in California you DO get the Fall colors......though instead of yellows, ambers, and golds on the trees it generally come sin the form of *FIRE*..........Our fire season has started, so just say a little prayer that they won't be as bad as in years past.

Will be updating with Scentsy news soon as well, I have just recieved the sneak peek into Scentsy's CHRISTMAS COLLECTION! That's right, 6 new warmers and 4 new plug-ins just in time for the holidays. So if you are a fan of Holly, Snowflakes, Snowmen, Santas or Angels.....well you are in luck. That collection should be available to view online at my site on Oct 15th (if I don't sneak it on here earlier :) And will be available for purchase on November 1st. There is one major difference with these though......they will be WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

www.Scentsy.com/laurenbowen

SO............, stop on by the site (it has had a COMPLETE makeover as of October 1st) ... and if you see something you love PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE contact me here or on my Scentsy site so that I can pre-order yours. Last year the Holiday warmers were sold-out within a week.....................likewise our super cute Jack O'lantern warmer is sold out now & is back-ordered through the end of November (so if you missed it I'm sorry!!) If you "have to have" our fall warmer "Plymouth", you need to let me know or go on my site and get yours ordered----------------getting into the holiday seaso nthings are picking up and they are running out!

***Scentsy is now available in CANADA as of October 1st!

Love & Cupcakes Everyone!

Lo