Whimsy 365: Day 83

Today is my 49th birthday! This sketch is kinda how I feel. I am racing for the new year! I have so many amazing things planned for my business and personal life! I will share a little with you here.

Business

Self-representing my art in licensing as of Jan 21, 2016

Going to the Atlanta gift mart after being away for a few years

My first coloring book will be published

My first e-course will be available the end of March

Taking Gather Dream Create to new heights in 2016!

Hiring my first virtual assistant to edit videos for me 🙂

Personal

Our daughter, Briahnna, is getting married in May!

Our youngest, Ryan, is graduating in June!

Our house will be paid off in November!

I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. God is Good! Counting my blessings every day! Loving my family and friend with all my heart!! Excited to help and serve others in 2016!

Blessings,

Teresa

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Sisters Painting

My sweet friend that I met back in middle school asked me if I could create a painting for her as a Christmas gift for her niece, Tara. It was less than two weeks before Christmas and at that point I hadn’t even gotten my shopping done! I told her as long as it doesn’t have to arrive at her house before Christmas, I was pretty sure I could pull it off.

The painting is a representation of Tara’s three beautiful daughters, Victoria, Chloe and Marley. The hair and eye color match the girls but otherwise the angels are created in my style.

Here’s the crazy part – Kristin lives in Tennessee and I live in Michigan….her niece, Tara, and her daughters also lives in Michigan but will be at Kristin’s house for Christmas. Kristin really wanted to be with Tara when she opened the painting so I had to ship it to Tennessee and then they’ll ship it back to Tara’s house in Michigan. (a well-traveled painting for sure)

Below you can see my painting process. I had hoped to video tape the entire process but I was having major technical difficulties with my GoPro and didn’t have any time to waste trying to figure out the problem.

Hope you enjoy!

Just getting started!

I always start with the faces.

Once I get the faces almost done, I start filling in color everywhere else.

I really wasn’t sure if I was going to paint the background in a light or dark color.

The dresses….

I decided to paint a red background…not as a final color but so that it will show through when I sand. You’ll see….

Adding detail to the dresses. And notice the middle angel’s nose and lips from the last photo…I reworked them and now she has a bit of a smile.

I put a watery light yellow wash over the flower dress to tone the pattern down a bit. Lightened the background again.

After the painting was almost complete, I felt the background was too boring. I have never used the Sharpie white oil painting pens but thought I would give them a try. I LOVE them! I drew flowers on the lower half of the painting to add more interest.

Close up before antiquing.

After I sanded (see the red showing through?), crackled and varnished. I added gold shimmery paint to the halos for a special touch.

Close up after antiquing.

Chloe (teenager)

Victoria, the oldest sister.

Marley, the youngest

Another closeup

Detail of Chloe’s dress. I didn’t plan this floral pattern. I just started painting flowers. The best surprises happen that way!

Now for the BEST part! Below is a video of Kristin and her niece, Tara, opening the painting. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the process of creating “Sisters” acrylic painting. I had so much fun painting it and I am thrilled beyond words it has a loving home.

Blessings,

Teresa

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Whimsy 365: Day 82

December 30, 2015

Whimsy 365: Day 82

Are you an early bird or night owl? I’ve always been a morning gal. I tried to come over to the “dark side” so I was more in tune with my hubby’s schedule but it just wasn’t natural for me.

So that’s the inspiration for Rise and Shine sketch. I am up with the chickens!

Blessings,

Teresa

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Whimsy 365: Day 81

December 29, 2015

Whimsy 365: Day 81

Happy Tuesday! I am tired today. We had an ice storm yesterday into last night. We didn’t get it as bad as they predicted, Thank God. They said up to 1/2″ of ice..which is so damaging and I was afraid we’d lose power. However, I’m guessing the ice we did get was crackling and falling off the trees because our dogs kept barking every hour or so! Argh. I really needed a good nights sleep, too, as I am still fighting off this sinus crud.

Even more funny is that I didn’t think my friend, Renee, would come over to workout because of the ice so I didn’t get up and text her to postpone our workout til later in the day, so here she comes at 6am to workout! I flew out of bed, put on my workout clothes and off we went to the basement to do PiYo. Usually I have 1/2 hour or so to wake up before working out…now I know why I do that! lol

I’ll sleep good tonight for sure…….

Blessings,

Teresa

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Whimsy 365: Day 80

December 28, 2015

Whimsy 365: Day 80

I enjoyed yesterday’s sketch so much I tried it again. At first I had the word “home” in the heart but changed it to “cherish yours”. I was inspired by Fr Roy’s homily at mass on Christmas day about how God gave us the Holy Family as a role model for all families. Just stop and think about that for a minute or two. If all families had the faith, love and respect that the Holy Family had, our country, our world would be an amazing place. It’d be like heaven on earth!

Cherish your family. Love them. Respect them. Be kind to them. Support them. Pray with them.

Blessings,

Teresa

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Whimsy 365: Day 79

December 27, 2015

Whimsy 365: Day 79

I had no idea what to sketch this morning. I wanted to do something different. So I started with the star and just built it out from there. I didn’t have a plan. I really like how it turned out! So I guess it’s called “intuitive sketching” ??

Blessings,

Teresa

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Whimsy 365: Day 78

December 26, 2015

Whimsy 365: day 78

We didn’t get home last night until 1am and I didn’t think to set my alarm. I woke up at 8:15 and flew out of bed! I needed to be at Mom’s house by 9am to help cook breakfast! It was a bit stressful getting ready but I got there just after 9 and we enjoyed our time together cooking before everyone else arrived.

Another wonderful day surrounded by family. My heart is re-charged and I am feeling so blessed!

Today’s sketch is 2-part:

We create our lives. What we think about, what we believe is our reality. We are where we are in life because of our choices. I am a firm believer in this. So be careful and mindful of your thoughts. YOU are in control of your thoughts and beliefs.
Guidance & partnership with God. God has a plan for us and we can only be truly happy, satisfied and successful if we work in partnership with our creator. So, yes, we create our lives and when I say “we” I mean us and God. Through prayer and a close relationship with God, the plan will be revealed to us. Doors will open, we will meet the right people, circumstances will occur that move you the right direction. Trust in Him.

So what I am saying is start with prayer. Ask for guidance. Ask for confidence. Ask for a partnership with God. But you must also keep positive. Have faith. Think good positive thoughts. Allow yourself time for prayer. Allow yourself time for visualizing the future you desire. Meditate in a state of gratitude.

Start today creating your life. The life you were intended to live.

Blessings,

Teresa

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Whimsy 365: Day 77

December 25, 2015

Whimsy 365: Day 77

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

It’s finally here! I woke up early to stuff the stockings and bring out the Santa gifts 🙂 Then made coffee and now just chillin’ and waiting for the house to come alive.

We are attending 1130 mass today. Afterwards we will open gifts with our boys then off to Kevin’s brother’s home to celebrate. I am so very blessed to have not only married the man of my dreams but that he has such an amazing family! No drama at all! There will be approximately 50 of us there and I can guarantee everyone will have a great time.

Enjoy the day with your families and don’t forget to say happy birthday to Jesus, our Savior. Today is the day God gave us the Holy Family to model our families after. In order for our society to a kind & loving society we have to have kind, loving and prayerful families. I believe this whole-heartedly. #cherishyours

Blessings,

Teresa

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Whimsy 365: Day 76

December 24, 2015

Whim

©Teresa Kogut

Whimsy 365: Day 76

Merry Christmas Eve! What a strange year it is. Usually we head to Mom’s early for a wonderful Christmas breakfast but since she and I are still ill, we postponed it until the day after Christmas.

Sooooo…..today I am in the studio working on a commissioned painting for my girlfriend that lives in Tennessee. The painting is for her niece for Christmas. It is a painting of three angels. Each represents one of her daughters. The angels hair and eye color match the angels.

It’s coming along better than I had hoped!! So excited to show it to you all and even more excited for them to have the painting. My friend said she’d video tape her niece opening the box so hopefully I can share it here.

I am sure many of you are enjoying your families today. God Bless!

Blessings,

Teresa

PS- Today’s sketch was inspired by our boys when they were little and would go visit Santa. I sure miss having little ones around for Christmas.

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