Creativity is Calling
Cut + Paste | Watch the Brand New Promo
All around my studio I have bowls of torn abstract lines and forms, cut up vintage fabrics, papers with my marks, odds and ends of vintage trinkets and ephemera and then another full of stitched vintage French linen scraps. Often as I am creating, I will pull these bowls around me to see if any of these treasures will find their way into my current work. One day as I was sorting through these bowls, I started to create just …
Petite Limited Edition Stitched Faces Art Kit
We are thrilled to offer you a petite version of our original Stitched Faces Art Kit. This set is VERY limited and we will not be offering any more of these art kits after they sell out. You can purchase the Petite Stitched Faces Limited Edit Art Kit HERE. We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. …
Making a Scene with Stephanie Lee | Early Registration JUST Opened!
We are honored to announce that Stephanie Lee is back with a mini course and this time it is all about creating portable painted murals. Stephanie is always pushing herself and those around her to try new things and to have fresh eyes within their own work. This course will take your creative ideas to the next level and extends the invitation to create in a whole new way. Early registration is open for Making a Scene with Stephanie Lee. …
Creating Art While You Travel | Free Video
One of the most art changing habits that I have established over the years is creating and using a portable art studio. Just enough supplies to make sure I can create anywhere. Daily creating is a choice and even though I may not always have the time to work on a large piece of art, I can always find time to connect with my creativity. Watch my free video and put together your own portable art studio!
An Artist in Bellagio, Italy | My Top Tips
Welcome to An Artist In series. In this series a different artist, that is intimate in different parts of the world, will share their insider tips for where to eat, stay, see the best art, sketch the best views, rest at their favorite cafes and more. You will be able to go out and adventure here in the US and abroad and feel like your best friend shared the best kept secrets about an area and you can explore with …
Registration Open | Stitched Faces with Jeanne Oliver
One of my earliest memories of my Grandma Jeanne was of her gathered with our family and stitching. She would be working on her needlepoint with her basket of threads next to her and conversation going on all around her. Over the years I found my own style and creating while stitching. It has become one of the few arts that I can do while on a plane, sitting among others and while much is going on around me. It allows me …
May Beauty Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it on a busy alley in Italy listening to different languages as they come towards me and then fade away up and down the stairs, just being still with a good book and a cappuccino, knowing what time it is with the ringing of the church bells, the smell of jasmine in the air, and unlimited …
Stitched Faces | Early Registration Ending!
One of my earliest memories of my Grandma Jeanne was of her gathered with our family and stitching. She would be working on her needlepoint with her basket of threads next to her and conversation going on all around her. Over the years I found my own style and creating while stitching. It has become one of the few arts that I can do while on a plane, sitting among others and while much is going on around me. It allows me …
Cut + Paste | Instant Access
All around my studio I have bowls of torn abstract lines and forms, cut up vintage fabrics, papers with my marks, odds and ends of vintage trinkets and ephemera and then another full of stitched vintage French linen scraps. Often as I am creating, I will pull these bowls around me to see if any of these treasures will find their way into my current work. One day as I was sorting through these bowls, I started to create just …
LAST DAY | 40% Off One Online Course
This is my birthday month and on May 5th I turn 51! I love birthdays! I love making it extra special for those I love and I will squeeze out all of the goodness I can when it comes to me too. I have been known to keep it going for as long as I can and I am not ashamed! LAST DAY to come celebrate with me and get ONE course that you have been looking at for …
Only Two Days Left | 40% Off One Online Course
This is my birthday month and on May 5th I turn 51! I love birthdays! I love making it extra special for those I love and I will squeeze out all of the goodness I can when it comes to me too. I have been known to keep it going for as long as I can and I am not ashamed! For the next TWO DAYS come celebrate with me and get ONE course that you have been looking …
The Jeanne Oliver Podcast Episode Seventy | Living Abundantly Creative with a Diversified Business with Jana Roach
In this episode Jeanne is talking with shop owner, market creator, furniture designer and beautiful artist in so many ways, Jana Roach. If you have ever felt like the “just follow one thing” in your business doesn’t work for you…THIS podcast will feel like a breath of fresh air. Jana and her husband follow many different creative and business paths and it works well for them together and individually. Jana Roach is a creative business owner, …
May Course Special | Foraged and Found with Auria Bohn
This month we offered another free art lesson and it was for Ink Making at Home from the course Foraged and Found with Auria Bohn. For the month of May you can get Foraged and Found with Auria Bohn at 50% off with the code FORAGED50 at checkout. Have you ever looked at a flower or plant in your neighbourhood and wondered what kind of color could be extracted from its bright petals? Or marvelled at …
Only Three Days Left | 40% Off One Online Course
This is my birthday month and on May 5th I turn 51! I love birthdays! I love making it extra special for those I love and I will squeeze out all of the goodness I can when it comes to me too. I have been known to keep it going for as long as I can and I am not ashamed! For the next THREE DAYS come celebrate with me and get ONE course that you have been looking …
Free Art Video | Making Ink at Home with Auria Bohn
Learn how to create gorgeous pigmented inks from natural elements all around you. Join Auria Bohn in this free video and learn how to make your own natural inks from sources like cabbage, copper and cherries. Making your own inks is a great way to discover new possibilities for other colors in your work. Come and get your free art lesson HERE. The video lesson is free but you still need to be logged into your account on …
Travel Musts Shopping Guide
I have wanted to travel since I was a little girl. I would call up the airlines and ask them how much to fly from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angles, California (or a million other places). I am so sorry to every single person that spent all of that time on the phone with me as I was dreaming up where to go and how I would pay for it! Creating adventures for myself and our family is still …
Stitched Faces Limited Edition Art Kit
We are THRILLED to offer a limited edition art kit for Stitched Faces! We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. To purchase click HERE. Each kit will include: *Custom JO Vintage French Linen Embroidery Tool Wrap (perfect for your scissors, threads, pins etc.) 5 1/2″ x 8″ closed and 8″ x 14 1/2″ open. Four different sized …
Brand New Pastel Sets in the Shop!
We have just listed three brand new pastel sets from Wallace Seymour! Come and look at all sets! The first set is the Earth Color Set. The second set is Green Earth Color Set. The third set is Red Earth Color Set.
Poetry of Place | Join the Free Zoom
Poetry of Place LIVE Zoom with Daune Pitman, Lissa Whitlock, Chris Willard, Tim Willard and me! We’d love for you to join us for a fun discussion about curating places of beauty….or just be entertained by the banter! Tuesday, April 25 3:00 ET Here’s the link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88196891312?pwd=dHVJSmRHQ0NNUTBLVk9oSmxCY01vUT09 I found my creativity again years ago through home and family. Over and over again home has been the safe place to express beauty, make art, teach our children, gather others, build a …
Stitched Faces with Jeanne Oliver | Registration Open
One of my earliest memories of my Grandma Jeanne was of her gathered with our family and stitching. She would be working on her needlepoint with her basket of threads next to her and conversation going on all around her. Over the years I found my own style and creating while stitching. It has become one of the few arts that I can do while on a plane, sitting among others and while much is going on around me. It allows me …
The Jeanne Oliver Podcast Episode Sixty Nine | The Kitchen Table Creative Club with Jennifer Rizzo
In this episode Jeanne is talking with artist, shop owner, author and coach Jennifer Rizzo. So often as you are building a business you may not know where to go for answers or who to ask for help. Most businesses start in the basement, garage and of course the kitchen table. Join Jennifer as she shares a bit about what she has learned along the way when it comes to growing your business, common questions, imposter syndrome and …
April Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it with my hands wrapped around a hot cup of coffee and my feet to the warm earth, a text from a childhood friend, holding hands with Kelly all over NYC, hearing the deep laughter from a friend, little moments throughout the day where I am reminded of the deep hope in Jesus, upcoming travel and …
Cut + Paste | A Live Zoom Art Workshop
All around my studio I have bowls of torn abstract lines and forms, cut up vintage fabrics, papers with my marks, odds and ends of vintage trinkets and ephemera and then another full of stitched vintage French linen scraps. Often as I am creating, I will pull these bowls around me to see if any of these treasures will find their way into my current work. One day as I was sorting through these bowls, I started to create just …
Free Art Video | Paint for Change with Stephanie Lee
Using simple tools and magazine pages you can transform your surface and create gorgeous works of art. Whether you are creating substrates for abstract work, journaling pages or more, you will be inspired to try Stephanie Lee’s techniques. Go grab some magazine pages and a few colors of paint and let’s get started. You will never look at magazine pages the same again. Come and get your free art lesson HERE. The video lesson is free but you …
The Art of Gathering | Two Spots Open!
We are about to close registration for this live business and lifestyle workshop that is all about teaching you how we have created beautiful, intentional and profitable workshops for years! Live events have transformed our business! Two spots are open for this June workshop. Over the past 14 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike …
The Art of Gathering | A Live Business Workshop
Over the past 14 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around in …
Live Workshops Here in the United States | Fall 2021
The live workshops here at our home, land and studio ended a few months ago, so I have rounded up a list of live workshops here in the United States if you are deeply desiring creating with others. There is so much magic in coming together in community! If you are able to gather with others I hope you will find a workshop that is perfect for you! *Please note that we asked our community for live workshops …
An Artist in Florence | With Melissa McArdle
In 2018 I knew that 2019 was going to be the last year I led overseas art workshops for the foreseeable future. As much as I loved gathering, teaching and traveling it was the most deep knowing that it was time and I had complete peace about my decision. Then 2020 changed all of our worlds and I was not only grateful that I didn’t have scheduled trips to cancel but it also was a reminder how much I had …
The Art of Gathering | Instant Access
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around in …
The Art of Gathering | Creating Live Workshops
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around in …
French Picnic Baskets | Shopping Guide
Thank you for the beautiful response to the French Picnic Basket video! I loved all of the comments, emails and private messages about the video and also your memories of being at one of our live workshops and enjoying the picnic yourself. Knowing how much beauty means to you always inspires me to never be ashamed that I love things a certain way and it is one of the ways I show how much I care about you …
Start Where You Are With What You Have | The Art of Gathering
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
Make the Ordinary Beautiful | Watch the Video
Join me in this next video where I talk about little ways to bring beauty to the ordinary in a live workshop. I am loving hearing from you in the comments and all of your excitement and feedback about our previous videos about our French Picnic Baskets and our Live Workshop Checklists. Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been …
Live Workshop Checklists | Video + Ebook
Have you ever been to a restaurant and the ambiance was perfection, the candle on the table was flickering, the music was just right, the waiter suggested the best bottle of wine and the food was so good that you savored each bite? Have you ever then gone back to that same restaurant expectant of a special evening and everything from start to finish felt off and as if you had stepped into a different space than your previous …
Live Workshop Schedule 2021 | Get on the waitlist and be the first to register!
We are excited to announce our live workshop schedule for this year. If you have attended our workshops in the past you will notice that we are offering less of them but I promise you that each one will still be filled with intention. This summer we will offer one art, one home and one business workshop and registration will open next week. We have had so many inquiries about the live workshops that we want to do something special …
Sketchbook Revival Online Workshop 2021 | A Free Workshop and I am an Instructor
Imagine waking up every day brimming with ideas, excitement and confidence to open up your sketchbook and start creating, no matter what. The 4th annual Sketchbook Revival Online Workshop is about to start, and it’s all about making this vision a reality. | Click HERE to join | | Click HERE to join | Consider it your invitation to sharpen your pencils, wipe off your palettes, pull out your sketchbooks, and get ready for a fresh start …
The Thriving Christian Artist Conference | I am a speaker!
I am excited to tell you that I will be one of the speakers for The Thriving Christian Artist Conference this March 5-6, 2021. This is usually a live event but Matt Tommey is making this available as an incredible virtual event! I will be talking about defining your success, what that looks like, how to walk it out and how to make sure that you are using your gifts to not only have a thriving business but a …
Can you Really Thrive as an Artist Right Now?
All over the world, artists have been affected by this global pandemic. Some are thriving, many are struggling but most every Christian artist is asking: what is God saying, what does all this mean for me now and how do I move forward in strength during this next season? Thankfully, God is always speaking and desires that we prosper in every season. If you’ve been wanting to know how you can prosper as an artist during this …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Get Spoiled!
Get spoiled! Natural light filled studio, diving into your creativity for 2-3 days, being fed beautiful foods and being taken care of so you can just make, learning from some of your favorite artists and giving yourself the gift of creative immersion. This is the gift you give yourself when you come to the JO Studio for a live workshop! Let this summer be the summer that you get spoiled! We are so excited to announce our full …
Happy New Year | Let’s Build Together!
I would just like to encourage you this first day of 2020 to claim whatever “land” you have and to “build” upon it. Whatever you currently have is enough! So often we are in a hurry for what is next that we can forget that where we lay out head right now has potential and promise. If you have an apartment, rent a room in a home, townhome, small home, live in suburbia, or have 100 acres. Name it, honor …
Our Whole 2020 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land almost four years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2020 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. Our schedule …
A Brand New Facebook Creative Community | It Will Be More Beautiful With YOU!
We just created one place on Facebook for you to share your work from any class or what you are working on yourself, travel, favorite exhibits from around the world, the best live workshop you just attended, the book you are reading you HAVE to share or an article that you know other creatives will want to read too! We hope this a place where all things creative get shared! Come on over and join our Facebook Creative …
My Journey In Morocco | The Sahara Part One
You can read part one, two, three, four, five and six. It was now time to pack up and say goodbye to Aistisfoul. Hadn’t we just arrived and unpacked all of our clothes and organized our art supplies? How was it already time to go? We were about to head deep into the desert and it would be the adventure to the rest we had just experienced. We were told to only pack a few …
My Journey In Morocco | Aitisfoul
You can read part one, two, three, four and five. I am such a homebody so when we arrived at Aitisfoul I could feel my whole mind and body let out a huge exhale. Home. We were home for the next week. |The patio off our room| As we went to bed that first night we could hear the rain hitting the windows and rooftop and it was the most dreamy way to drift to sleep …
My Journey In Morocco | Traveling Into The Desert Part Two
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four Waking up to farmland, green fields and distant palm trees. Each day of travel was truly a visual feast. Each mile out of Marrakech was bringing us closer and closer to our resting place that would be Aitisfoul. As we were making our way to Aitisfoul (the home and Kasbah of Kamal and Michelle) we stopped at a vintage rug market. One thing that is hard to get used to …
My Journey in Morocco | Traveling Into The Desert Part One
Part One, Part Two, Part Three When I signed up for this adventure I signed up and paid and then just sat back. To be honest I didn’t do more than glance at the itinerary or any of the details. I know Michelle and I trusted her and part of what I was looking forward to was participating in this trip without having to work out all of the details. I trusted her eye, her taste and how she …
My Journey In Morocco | Marrakech Part III
You can read Part One HERE. You can read Part Two HERE. The first full day in a new city usually is full of too much to take in and when you are as far away from home as Africa it means new languages, smells, sounds, textures, colors, social norms, clothing, and even worship. I had a hard time keeping up with the group that first day because I kept on noticing the little things. The tiles, the light against …
Create + Thrive Audio Summit | Get Your Free Ticket!
I am excited to share that I am teaching along with 6 other phenomenal speakers who are talking about how to share knowledge and build your community, effectively teach in different styles, and host a variety of retreats and gatherings! The doors are opening, to a FREE audio event that you’re not going to want to miss! The Create and Thrive Audio Summit is produced and hosted by mixed media artist Roben-Marie Smith. It’s a unique combination of a summit …
The Creative Side Hustle | 10 Places to Sell From Etsy to Art Markets
I get asked all of the time how I started our business. I started on ETSY and markets! Everything has grown from there! That is why I am so excited to share this! If you have a beautiful idea but you don’t know where to offer it I hope you will check this out! My good friend, Andrea Garvey, has just released her Creative Side Hustle course, “10 places to sell from Etsy to Art Markets”. She will guide …
Heading to Round Top, Texas | My Favorites
I have been enjoying the spring and fall antiques shows in Round Top, Texas for the past five years. This show has been going on for fifty years so I am definitely a newbie! I have also been blessed to have book signings, teach a live art workshop and also speak at The Gathering in Round Top. I have so many sweet memories with family and friends and I hope to continue going year after year. Each time I …
An Artist Studio | With Jeanne Oliver
As a creative, one of my favorite things in the world is to step into the creative space of another. I love when an artist shares their space, how they use it, a peek into their favorite tools and even what they are currently working on. I hope you will join me for the brand new An Artist Studio series! I will kick off the series and then each month a different artist will welcome us into their …
The Jeanne Oliver Podcast Episode Forty Two | Motherhood and Creativity with Miriam Schulman
In this episode, Jeanne is talking with artist, author, and mentor Miriam Schulman. Her podcast, The Inspiration Place, is on the top 1% of all podcasts globally and is listened to in over 40 countries. In this episode, Miriam talks about the positive impact that motherhood has had on her as a woman, an artist and business owner. Miriam Schulman is an artist, author and founder of The Inspiration Place and The Artists Incubator Coaching Program where she helps artists …
One-On-One Consulting | Sessions Open For 2022
One-on-one business consults is one of my favorite ways to connect with business owners! I have watched businesses be transformed during this time together. Whether you want to meet face-to-face or live on zoom we have options for both. I know what it is like to just need another opinion, to brainstorm new ideas or to have someone with experience help make a plan to move forward with confidence. I understand how it feels to be in the trenches of …
The Art of Gathering | A Live Business Workshop
Over the past 14 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around in …
Live Workshops Here in the United States | Fall 2021
The live workshops here at our home, land and studio ended a few months ago, so I have rounded up a list of live workshops here in the United States if you are deeply desiring creating with others. There is so much magic in coming together in community! If you are able to gather with others I hope you will find a workshop that is perfect for you! *Please note that we asked our community for live workshops …
Meet Our Sponsors | Creatively Made Business
I live in a creative world that has predominately been created, supported and sustained by women. I am constantly reminded how much of a powerful impact we have when we work with one another. It has been through these collaborations with other women that I have not only found my way in this creative business but have been able to thrive because of their support system. I always remind people that in life and business…we cannot do it alone. …
An Artist in Florence | With Melissa McArdle
In 2018 I knew that 2019 was going to be the last year I led overseas art workshops for the foreseeable future. As much as I loved gathering, teaching and traveling it was the most deep knowing that it was time and I had complete peace about my decision. Then 2020 changed all of our worlds and I was not only grateful that I didn’t have scheduled trips to cancel but it also was a reminder how much I had …
The Art of Gathering | Instant Access
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around in …
The Atelier with Marian Parsons | Registration Open
The eye of the creative is one of the most beautiful gifts to ourselves and others. I have been an admirer and now a friend of Marian Parsons (Miss Mustard Seed) for many years. Whether she is designing a home, refurnishing furniture or painting a landscape…how she SEES the world and then shares it is one of her most beautiful gifts. I am so honored to share with you that Marian has created her first online art course for our …
The Art of Gathering | Creating Live Workshops
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around in …
Come to our LAST live Creatively Made Business Workshop | A Few Spots Left!
Gathering other small business owners together to create community, clarify their message and leave with a plan has been one of the highlights of my life. The women, the businesses, the dreams, the struggles, the connections and how they left ON FIRE! I have watched them each show up in their businesses in powerful ways since the workshops and registration is now open for the last live Creatively Made Business workshop. Will you join us? Registration is now open and …
Proof of Life | Journal Entry No. 04
Proof of Life Journal Entry No. 04 Welcome to the Proof of Life journal entry series. Writing more in general, and specifically with you, is something I hope to continue throughout the year. Like many of you, life has become clearer over the past year and there are many things I have dropped along the way that I deeply desire to pick back up. In turn, there are things I never want to pick up again. From the very beginning, …
The Roundup | Beauty Found on the Internet this Week!
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sweet change of season happening here in Colorado, the smell of the plants at the nursery this time of year when everyone is beyond ready to play in the garden, the piano being played in our home, an unexpected gift from a friend and even beauty found on the internet given by …
Creativity Calling | The Lovely Life with Trina McNeilly
I was recently interviewed by my friend Trina McNeilly (author of the amazing book LaLa Lovely) for her podcast The Lovely Life and the podcast episode was just released! Episode Notes In this week’s episode of the Lovely Life, Trina hangs out with Jeanne Oliver- painter, podcaster and creative connoisseur. Jeanne shares her journey through discovering her creativity and finding ways to share that with other people. She has created an online platform that provides …
French Picnic Baskets | Shopping Guide
Thank you for the beautiful response to the French Picnic Basket video! I loved all of the comments, emails and private messages about the video and also your memories of being at one of our live workshops and enjoying the picnic yourself. Knowing how much beauty means to you always inspires me to never be ashamed that I love things a certain way and it is one of the ways I show how much I care about you …
Start Where You Are With What You Have | The Art of Gathering
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
To Make | A Macramé Workshop begins on Friday!
Simple tools and supplies that turn into something extraordinary is really the sweetest gift of being a maker. Seeing what can be instead of what is! As we have built this network it has always been my dream to bring in artists of all kinds. This year I am so excited for the new kinds of art, lifestyle and business workshops that we will have the joy of offering. Offering more in the fiber arts is a dream come true. …
Make the Ordinary Beautiful | Watch the Video
Join me in this next video where I talk about little ways to bring beauty to the ordinary in a live workshop. I am loving hearing from you in the comments and all of your excitement and feedback about our previous videos about our French Picnic Baskets and our Live Workshop Checklists. Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been …
Live Workshop Checklists | Video + Ebook
Have you ever been to a restaurant and the ambiance was perfection, the candle on the table was flickering, the music was just right, the waiter suggested the best bottle of wine and the food was so good that you savored each bite? Have you ever then gone back to that same restaurant expectant of a special evening and everything from start to finish felt off and as if you had stepped into a different space than your previous …
The Jeanne Oliver Podcast Episode Thirty Eight | Leading your Team with Kristina Pfeil
In this episode Jeanne is talking with human resources expert Kristina M. Pfeil. They are talking about hiring, firing, leading well, how to recover from mistakes and how to encourage your team. Whether you lead a team of one or 100 you will walk away with new ideas how to lead with more confidence. Kristina M. Pfeil, MBA is a 30-year HR professional based in Seattle, Washington. While she makes a living in the business world, …
Who Is Interested in a Fall Live Art Workshop?
We have the unexpected opportunity to host a September Field Notes | Flora and Fauna live workshop here at our studio, home and land. We held this workshop for the first time a few weeks ago and the response was so beautiful that we would love to offer another one. Create your own field notebook, cyanotype prints, botanical ink sketches, plein air painting, natural dying, nature walks, pigment and brush making, stitching, and more. We are currently looking to see …
Foraging in the Fall | Favorite Vessels For Displaying Your Finds
| Photo and styling by Diane Reeves | “Golden you are, October. Golden sovereigns on your trees. Golden guineas on your floor, golden coins of leaves that fall for us to scuffle through.” Elsa Beskow Colorado is golden and I can’t get enough of it’s beauty Foraging in nature to celebrate the change of the season is part of my rhythm. It grounds me. Some of my favorite foraging finds over the years include tumbleweeds, dried grass, …
Top Ten For Making a Home Unique and Cozy
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
Get Spoiled!
Get spoiled! Natural light filled studio, diving into your creativity for 2-3 days, being fed beautiful foods and being taken care of so you can just make, learning from some of your favorite artists and giving yourself the gift of creative immersion. This is the gift you give yourself when you come to the JO Studio for a live workshop! Let this summer be the summer that you get spoiled! We are so excited to announce our full …
Semi-Annual 50% Off Sale | Art + Lifestyle Online Workshops
We only do this twice a year and this will not happen again until Summer! For the next 48 hours we are having our Semi Annual 50% off Online Class Sale! USE CODE: JO50 This is the perfect time to stock up on all of those online classes that you have been dreaming about taking. We have so many courses that are on sale for the first time! Our creative network has some of the most incredible artists around …
Happy New Year | Let’s Build Together!
I would just like to encourage you this first day of 2020 to claim whatever “land” you have and to “build” upon it. Whatever you currently have is enough! So often we are in a hurry for what is next that we can forget that where we lay out head right now has potential and promise. If you have an apartment, rent a room in a home, townhome, small home, live in suburbia, or have 100 acres. Name it, honor …
Ten Things That Defined This Decade In My Life + Business
1. All of the things that made me weird growing up are now the things that make our life and business. I was the kid making up plays, gathering the neighbors, writing poetry under a tree (no one needs to read those), writing songs, designing clothing and randomly calling the airlines to see how much it would cost to fly to California. Being a creative kid in a small rural town can be hard. Sports were king and …
Our Whole 2020 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land almost four years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2020 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. Our schedule …
Wrapping Up Your Gifts | French Linen, Feathers, Moroccan Bells and Pine
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. This year I am wrapping gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I used in our latest Holiday …
Shop Our Home | Favorites From Our Holiday Home Tour!
We loved sharing our home dressed up for Christmas and your feedback is always the sweetest. We always get so many questions about our home, how we decorate and how to create a home that looks modern but feels cozy at the same time. I think creating home is a gradual and beautiful process but I think there are some key elements that bring that cozy and modern feeling together. We have gathered some of our favorite things from …
2019 Holiday Housewalk
I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Jen Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk almost as long as I have been blogging. It is the sweetest honor to be asked again to share our home along with so many incredible design and DIY bloggers! I am an artist, business owner and homeschool mom so I am usually capturing our home with my phone. I dusted off the real camera for this post and I can’t wait to check out …
Guest Basket | Your Guests Will Feel Loved On!
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community and authentic relationship and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are …
12th Year In Business Anniversary Sale! | 40% Off One Course!
Twelve years ago I had a one, five and seven year old and once they were in bed each night I would create until the early hours in the morning. I look back now on those nights and know that those hours to myself to create and finding time no matter the exhaustion the next day was what brought my creativity back to life. It all started with home, gathering, making handmade journals, and altered letters and frames. The …
Our Whole 2019 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land three years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2019 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. You will create …
The First Live Workshop of 2019 | Stephanie Ackerman
Join Stephanie Ackerman in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on April 5-6, 2019 for a two-day art workshop! Our studio is light-filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and the space to connect with your ideas and creativity. When you arrive on Friday morning you will be welcomed with mimosas as we find our places and meet …
Stephanie Lee Metalsmith Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join Stephanie Lee in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on November 2-3, 2018 for a two-day art workshop. Our studio is light-filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and filled with inspiration. When you arrive on Friday morning you will be welcomed with mimosas and a light snack as we find our places and meet each other. Most of …
Because You Asked!
Because you asked we really tried! I am now teaching THREE live workshops this year in my studio. We have released all of them so you know exactly what I am teaching over the whole year. I hope by releasing them all that it helps you know which one is for you! I would love to create with you in my studio. Giving yourself the time to gather and create with others is an art changing gift. ***We are happy …
Pieces of Me Portrait Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join me in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on October 19-20, 2018 for a two-day art workshop. Our studio is light-filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and dreaming. When you arrive on Friday …
Abstract + Urban Landscapes LIVE Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
View PostI Do Things Scared All of The Time | Building a Creatively Made Business
When you are building your business you KNOW you don’t know anything. Everyone else around you KNOWS you don’t know things and you are figuring things out. Then, as you start to have success and gain traction there can be a perception that you now know more, aren’t scared anymore or that you have great instincts or a million other guesses about you, your business and your success. I am scared so many times in our day to day …
Kate Thompson Expressive Portraits | Jeanne Oliver Studio 2018
View PostTime to Gather + Rest
One of the sweetest creative gifts I have given myself is to honor my gifts with practice and also the times I have gathered with other creatives and honed my skills, took the time away and made my creativity a priority. I often don’t realize how fast we are moving or how much we are pushing each day until I schedule breaks, creating and time with friends. I would love to invite you to the last two workshops in our …
Stephanie Lee Encaustic Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join Stephanie Lee in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on November 10-11, 2017 for a two day art workshop. Our studio is light filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and dreaming. …
We Are Opening Up a Second Weekend | Live WILD AWAKENING Workshop In Our Studio!
We have just opened up a second weekend to our sold out workshop Wild Awakening! Join me in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on October 6-7, 2017 for a two day art workshop. Our studio is light filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that …
Wendy Brightbill Live Still Life Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join Wendy Brightbill in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on October 20-21, 2017 for a two day art workshop. Our studio is light filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and dreaming. When you …
Free Printable Gift Tags + Christmas Poster
Thank you for another incredible year creating and journeying together! I can’t wait to grow together as artists and individuals in 2023! It is such an honor to stand beside you and create this creative life together. We have created a small gift below of gift tags and a poster that perfectly proclaims how my heart feels about the gift of Christ. Please download your free tags and print and share with those you love. Merry Christmas! To download …
Beauty Chaser Christmas Playlist
I usually don’t start listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving but I probably should because it is FULL OF HOPE! I love a lot of the older Christmas music but this year I wanted to put a playlist together for you (and us) that hopefully feels peaceful and you are able to listen throughout the day when you want to be immersed in hope too. Click on the image below or click HERE to get the playlist.
Gift Guide for the Beauty Chasers | Christmas 2021
We are all beauty chasers in one way or another. My friend Timothy Willard often says that, “Beauty Defies Despair”. Do we have our eyes open to that beauty? The beauty that is all around in people, nature, circumstances, love, forgiveness, faith, gathering, the work of our hands, the sound of laughter, the comfort of touch, the gifts of others and a million other moments of beauty that defy despair? We are a small business, I love to purchase …
Paint Splattered Gift Wrapping
Today I wanted to share another gift wrapping idea. This won’t come as a surprise to you but I threw some paint on mine:-) I got the boxes, ribbons, bells and animal ornaments from Target and then with three different paintbrush sizes I splattered white craft paint onto the packages. I think wrapping for our family is almost as much fun as finding the gift. Whatever is easy, affordable and fun is the perfect way to wrap all of …
Christmas Stove Top Potpourri
With simple ingredients (that you most likely already have on hand) you can create an easy and amazing smelling stove top potpourri. Try adding sage, thyme, coriander or other herbs and spices that you love too. Don’t save this idea just for the holidays. Change the scents throughout the year.
Last Days for Holiday Delivery
We have loved wrapping up so many special artisan products from our shop for you! Just a reminder that tomorrow night (December 8th @ 10pm MT) is the last day we can guarantee Christmas delivery. Each item will come beautifully wrapped and ready to give (or keep for yourself). Give the gift of creativity! Give my book, The Painted Art Journal! Shop all of our gallery wrapped canvases HERE Shop our artist supplies + necessities HERE …
Holiday Housewalk 2020 | The Foraged Home
I don’t know where your heart is right now with preparing for the holidays. Does it feel too much, like a burden, are you excited, did you decorate weeks ago, is this time of the year bringing you joy and excitement for a new year? Are you somewhere in-between? Almost our whole family got sick with Covid last month and even though our symptoms were mild it took us weeks to feel back to normal. I was worried that …
Hot Toddy Kits | Easy Gift Giving
We are surrounded by some pretty incredible neighbors but with all of the acreage between our homes, you have to go out of your way to connect and to see one another. That is probably why we are all out here and I would guess that most of us out here like having that privacy. Can you say introverts unite? Each year we put together these hot toddy kits and our neighbors LOVE them! This has now become a …
Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. I love to wrap gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use other vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium-sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I use throughout the year. 1. I …
Holiday Shopping Guide 2020 | Support Small Businesses
I have watched with awe and pure respect as so many small business owners have worked harder than ever this year to save, sustain or grow their businesses. Each birthday gift I purchase, teacher we want to thank, or Christmas gift I wrap each year…it is with great intention to try to support another small business in the process. This year this simple act is more important than ever before! I do not want to see a world without the …
Home For The Holidays | Get Your Free Course
One of our most popular online courses is Creatively Made Home | Home for the Holidays. This three-part course is all about the heart of home and how to make the holidays all about the people you love. During this time of year, we usually offer Home For The Holidays at a discount but this year is so different and home means more than ever so… This year we want to give it away for FREE over the next …
Semi-Annual 50% Off Sale | Art + Lifestyle Online Workshops
We only do this twice a year and this will not happen again until Summer! For the next 48 hours we are having our Semi Annual 50% off Online Class Sale! USE CODE: JO50 This is the perfect time to stock up on all of those online classes that you have been dreaming about taking. We have so many courses that are on sale for the first time! Our creative network has some of the most incredible artists around …
Ten Things That Defined This Decade In My Life + Business
1. All of the things that made me weird growing up are now the things that make our life and business. I was the kid making up plays, gathering the neighbors, writing poetry under a tree (no one needs to read those), writing songs, designing clothing and randomly calling the airlines to see how much it would cost to fly to California. Being a creative kid in a small rural town can be hard. Sports were king and …
Gifts For Artists | Give The Gift of Creativity
I love looking for gifts for people I love throughout the year and it is the most fun to share some of our favorite things that we use in our day to day life. I love being surrounded by things that are beautiful and useful. I believe the two can go together and I have gathered some really wonderful gift ideas to give your favorite creative. 1. I don’t know the volume of clothes I have destroyed over …
Hot Toddy Kits | What We Give Our Neighbors at Christmas
We are surrounded by some pretty incredible neighbors but with all of the acreage between our homes, you have to go out of your way to connect and to see one another. That is probably why we are all out here and I would guess that most of us out here like having that privacy. Can you say introverts unite? I also think we are so lucky to have six incredible families that surround us that we get to …
Free Printable Christmas Poster + Gift Tags
Thank you for another incredible year creating and journeying together! 2020 has so much goodness promised already and I can’t wait to grow together as artists and individuals. It is such an honor to stand beside you and create this creative life together. Thank you! We have created a small gift below of gift tags and a poster that perfectly proclaims how my heart feels about the gift of Christ. Please download your free tags and print and share with …
Wrapping Up Your Gifts | French Linen, Feathers, Moroccan Bells and Pine
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. This year I am wrapping gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I used in our latest Holiday …
Shop Our Home | Favorites From Our Holiday Home Tour!
We loved sharing our home dressed up for Christmas and your feedback is always the sweetest. We always get so many questions about our home, how we decorate and how to create a home that looks modern but feels cozy at the same time. I think creating home is a gradual and beautiful process but I think there are some key elements that bring that cozy and modern feeling together. We have gathered some of our favorite things from …
2019 Holiday Housewalk
I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Jen Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk almost as long as I have been blogging. It is the sweetest honor to be asked again to share our home along with so many incredible design and DIY bloggers! I am an artist, business owner and homeschool mom so I am usually capturing our home with my phone. I dusted off the real camera for this post and I can’t wait to check out …
All Home Online Courses On Sale | Just In Time For The Holidays
Thanksgiving is almost here and for many this is the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season. The day after Thanksgiving we go as a family to get our tree and each year the decorations get simpler and the meaning of the holiday becomes more known. We open our home more than every before and we are learning that gathering others is one of the sweetest ways to love others around us. We would like to offer you 40% off …
Guest Basket | Your Guests Will Feel Loved On!
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community and authentic relationship and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are …
Holiday Housewalk | 2018
Thank you Jen Rizzo for inviting me year after year to be included with some of the most talented men and women I know in your gorgeous holiday housewalk. Thank you for allowing this artist that loves home so much to hang out with all of these design and DIY bloggers that make creating home an art. Guys, I have been a part of Jen’s housewalk since the beginning! That means this is my eighth year! So crazy and fun …
Gift Giving Guide | 2018
Each year I love sharing some of the products that I am loving in my own life and I believe in supporting other small business owners and giving these products as gifts too! This is why it is so important to small business owners like me that when you love our products you share with your friends and family. You sharing is the best thing you can do to bless us. Here are some of the products and small business …
JO Gift Cards and Store Credit Now Available!
If you have not finished your Christmas shopping I PROMISE you will love what we just finished creating! Have I told you how much we love our new site and all we can offer you now? We just finished adding digital gift certificates and store credit to the shop. The store credit can be added right to your account on jeanneoliver.com and you can even email gift cards to your friends and family to use on our site. …
Free Printable Tags + Poster
Thank you for another incredible year creating and journeying together! 2018 has so much goodness promised already and I can’t wait to grow together as artists and individuals. It is such an honor to stand beside you and create this creative life together. Thank you! We have created a small gift below of gift tags and a poster that perfectly proclaims how my heart feels about the gift of Christ. Please download your free tags and print and share with …
Foraging in the Fall | Favorite Vessels For Displaying Your Finds
| Photo and styling by Diane Reeves | “Golden you are, October. Golden sovereigns on your trees. Golden guineas on your floor, golden coins of leaves that fall for us to scuffle through.” Elsa Beskow Colorado is golden and I can’t get enough of it’s beauty Foraging in nature to celebrate the change of the season is part of my rhythm. It grounds me. Some of my favorite foraging finds over the years include tumbleweeds, dried grass, …
Top Ten For Making a Home Unique and Cozy
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
Get Spoiled!
Get spoiled! Natural light filled studio, diving into your creativity for 2-3 days, being fed beautiful foods and being taken care of so you can just make, learning from some of your favorite artists and giving yourself the gift of creative immersion. This is the gift you give yourself when you come to the JO Studio for a live workshop! Let this summer be the summer that you get spoiled! We are so excited to announce our full …
Semi-Annual 50% Off Sale | Art + Lifestyle Online Workshops
We only do this twice a year and this will not happen again until Summer! For the next 48 hours we are having our Semi Annual 50% off Online Class Sale! USE CODE: JO50 This is the perfect time to stock up on all of those online classes that you have been dreaming about taking. We have so many courses that are on sale for the first time! Our creative network has some of the most incredible artists around …
Happy New Year | Let’s Build Together!
I would just like to encourage you this first day of 2020 to claim whatever “land” you have and to “build” upon it. Whatever you currently have is enough! So often we are in a hurry for what is next that we can forget that where we lay out head right now has potential and promise. If you have an apartment, rent a room in a home, townhome, small home, live in suburbia, or have 100 acres. Name it, honor …
Ten Things That Defined This Decade In My Life + Business
1. All of the things that made me weird growing up are now the things that make our life and business. I was the kid making up plays, gathering the neighbors, writing poetry under a tree (no one needs to read those), writing songs, designing clothing and randomly calling the airlines to see how much it would cost to fly to California. Being a creative kid in a small rural town can be hard. Sports were king and …
Our Whole 2020 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land almost four years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2020 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. Our schedule …
Wrapping Up Your Gifts | French Linen, Feathers, Moroccan Bells and Pine
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. This year I am wrapping gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I used in our latest Holiday …
Shop Our Home | Favorites From Our Holiday Home Tour!
We loved sharing our home dressed up for Christmas and your feedback is always the sweetest. We always get so many questions about our home, how we decorate and how to create a home that looks modern but feels cozy at the same time. I think creating home is a gradual and beautiful process but I think there are some key elements that bring that cozy and modern feeling together. We have gathered some of our favorite things from …
2019 Holiday Housewalk
I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Jen Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk almost as long as I have been blogging. It is the sweetest honor to be asked again to share our home along with so many incredible design and DIY bloggers! I am an artist, business owner and homeschool mom so I am usually capturing our home with my phone. I dusted off the real camera for this post and I can’t wait to check out …
Our Whole 2019 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land three years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2019 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. You will create …
Stephanie Lee Metalsmith Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join Stephanie Lee in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on November 2-3, 2018 for a two-day art workshop. Our studio is light-filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and filled with inspiration. When you arrive on Friday morning you will be welcomed with mimosas and a light snack as we find our places and meet each other. Most of …
Let’s Talk Business at The Market | The Market Beautiful Denver
One of my favorite things in the world is talking business! I love everything about it from the beginning stages, finding your niche, leveraging what makes you unique, the customer engagement and building community, the new ideas and deciding what to do next, watching something you grow from nothing…becoming something better than you imagined. This doesn’t always happen though. It takes more work than anyone knows but also knowledge and skills to really build a strong and successful business. There is …
Because You Asked!
Because you asked we really tried! I am now teaching THREE live workshops this year in my studio. We have released all of them so you know exactly what I am teaching over the whole year. I hope by releasing them all that it helps you know which one is for you! I would love to create with you in my studio. Giving yourself the time to gather and create with others is an art changing gift. ***We are happy …
Pieces of Me Portrait Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join me in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on October 19-20, 2018 for a two-day art workshop. Our studio is light-filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and dreaming. When you arrive on Friday …
Abstract + Urban Landscapes LIVE Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
View PostI Do Things Scared All of The Time | Building a Creatively Made Business
When you are building your business you KNOW you don’t know anything. Everyone else around you KNOWS you don’t know things and you are figuring things out. Then, as you start to have success and gain traction there can be a perception that you now know more, aren’t scared anymore or that you have great instincts or a million other guesses about you, your business and your success. I am scared so many times in our day to day …
Kate Thompson Expressive Portraits | Jeanne Oliver Studio 2018
View PostTime to Gather + Rest
One of the sweetest creative gifts I have given myself is to honor my gifts with practice and also the times I have gathered with other creatives and honed my skills, took the time away and made my creativity a priority. I often don’t realize how fast we are moving or how much we are pushing each day until I schedule breaks, creating and time with friends. I would love to invite you to the last two workshops in our …
Stephanie Lee Encaustic Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join Stephanie Lee in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on November 10-11, 2017 for a two day art workshop. Our studio is light filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and dreaming. …
Being a Tourist in Denver | Top Spots on My Birthday
I am a birthday girl and try to squeeze every last bit out of it on that day. When people say they don’t really care about their bday’s I do not relate to those people. At all. One day all about me and what I want to do and everyone smiles the whole day while they do my things? Perfection. If I am being completely honest I believe it is more like birthWEEK. If I am really lucky I start …
We Are Opening Up a Second Weekend | Live WILD AWAKENING Workshop In Our Studio!
We have just opened up a second weekend to our sold out workshop Wild Awakening! Join me in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on October 6-7, 2017 for a two day art workshop. Our studio is light filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that …
Wendy Brightbill Live Still Life Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join Wendy Brightbill in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on October 20-21, 2017 for a two day art workshop. Our studio is light filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and dreaming. When you …
For All Your Colorado Girls | I Am Teaching At The Vintage Whites Market
For all of you that have been asking for more local Colorado art classes I am excited to share this! I will be teaching at the Vintage Whites Market on April 1, 2017. $110 includes admission to The Vintage Whites Market, a three hour workshop and all supplies included. I can’t wait to create with you! You may transfer your registration to another person but this workshop is non-refundable. You can register below…
Our First Workshop In Our Studios For 2017 | Be Present Workshop With Jeanne Oliver
***THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT*** Please email us at contact@jeanneoliverdesigns.com if you would like to be placed on a wait list if there are any cancellations. Join me in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on May 26-27, 2017 for a two day art workshop. Our studio is light filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and …
How To Make Birthdays Special For Children During Sheltering In Place
I love birthdays! One whole day to love on just one person. One day that allows you to give a person a glimpse into how much their life means to you! It is almost 22 years ago that our birthday tradition began. It was my birthday during our first year of marriage and my day started off with a stack of envelopes. Keep in mind that we barely had any money in those years but what followed made me …
Early Registration Price Ends Today {Studying Under the Masters for Kids!}
***TODAY is the last day to get the early registration price of $38 for this THREE WEEK online course for kids*** Whether your kids are in school full time or you homeschool your children…THIS online course will be a beautiful source of creating and learning! For children, art isn’t about rules and critiques. Art for kids is about expression and creating and fun! Creating art with kids is like opening the most fantastic Pandora ’s Box of possibilities. You never …
Creatively Made Kids {upcycled bows}
We have a new video available in our free series Creatively Made Kids! Our daughter Madolyn loves to share crafts, recipes etc. with other kids on our creative network. We look forward to growing this aspect of our site and we welcome your children to come on over and to get creative with us. This month Maddy is sharing how to make upcycled bows! To watch the video you just need to be registered at jeanneoliver.ning.com (registering is free). Once …
Let The Creating Begin
Do you remember as a child how you could draw, write, paint, make up plays etc. for hours and never run out of ideas? I used to write. I would write poetry or short stories. I was always thinking up the next story line. I don’t think I could come up with many ideas today. It is the truth……if you don’t use it you lose it! I am a big fan of Courtney Walsh, her book Scrapbooking Your Faith and …
The Roundup |Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sound of the fountain as I am pulling weeds in the garden, the kids wanting to tell me about their day, an orange and pink sunset, the horses neighing across the road and even beauty found on the internet given by complete strangers. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the …
The Art of Gathering | Creating Live Workshops
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around in …
Proof of Life | Journal Entry No. 04
Proof of Life Journal Entry No. 04 Welcome to the Proof of Life journal entry series. Writing more in general, and specifically with you, is something I hope to continue throughout the year. Like many of you, life has become clearer over the past year and there are many things I have dropped along the way that I deeply desire to pick back up. In turn, there are things I never want to pick up again. From the very beginning, …
Creativity Calling | The Lovely Life with Trina McNeilly
I was recently interviewed by my friend Trina McNeilly (author of the amazing book LaLa Lovely) for her podcast The Lovely Life and the podcast episode was just released! Episode Notes In this week’s episode of the Lovely Life, Trina hangs out with Jeanne Oliver- painter, podcaster and creative connoisseur. Jeanne shares her journey through discovering her creativity and finding ways to share that with other people. She has created an online platform that provides …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
Push Past The Ugly | Beauty is Around the Corner
*Originally published early in our business but such a good reminder I wanted to share again* One of the hardest things is pushing past the ugly. When we are doing something new or something out of our comfort zone there is often the ugly/hard that accompanies it. I am the biggest cheerleader of my children to practice, try again and push beyond…it can be harder when it comes to me. Have you ever had a hard patch …
Proof of Life | Journal Entry No. 02
Proof of Life Journal Entry No. 02 Welcome to the Proof of Life journal entry series. Writing more in general, and specifically with you, is something I hope to continue throughout the year. Like many of you, life has become clearer over the past year and there are many things I have dropped along the way that I deeply desire to pick back up. In turn, there are things I never want to pick up again. From the very beginning, …
Rhythms + Rituals | A New FREE Series
As we make our way closer to 2021 we want to offer a simple way to gather others that want to start the New Year with intention. With the division of this past year, financial uncertainty for many, and the reality of so many unknowns, I know that this time instead of feeling hopeful for the new year and what’s to come may feel more like the in-between. The waiting period. There were so many unexpected moments in my own …
When Art Saved During the Pandemic
What started as being an impulse to give away one whole course on our site ended up being four whole courses every other week until now during the quarantine. Over that time we were able to give away over $650,000 in course content and we still can’t believe that number! After each course given away we heard story after story of how art was saving people from depression, loneliness, lack of money, direction and so much more. Your …
Ten Things That Defined This Decade In My Life + Business
1. All of the things that made me weird growing up are now the things that make our life and business. I was the kid making up plays, gathering the neighbors, writing poetry under a tree (no one needs to read those), writing songs, designing clothing and randomly calling the airlines to see how much it would cost to fly to California. Being a creative kid in a small rural town can be hard. Sports were king and …
Our Whole 2020 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land almost four years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2020 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. Our schedule …
A Brand New Facebook Creative Community | It Will Be More Beautiful With YOU!
We just created one place on Facebook for you to share your work from any class or what you are working on yourself, travel, favorite exhibits from around the world, the best live workshop you just attended, the book you are reading you HAVE to share or an article that you know other creatives will want to read too! We hope this a place where all things creative get shared! Come on over and join our Facebook Creative …
City Farmhouse | California and Montauk Collection (swoon)
It is not often that you have an up-close and intimate look at the journey of a person, business and brand. We often watch things from afar and wonder what brought them to a place or we stand in awe of what they have accomplished without knowing the backstory. Thirteen years ago I lived in the same neighborhood as Jen O’Brien of City Farmhouse. This is the time when blogging was huge and we were both getting our feet wet …
Creatively Made Business | Stop JUST Dreaming
We can have long lists of dreams and maybe even a bucket list. What I have found to be true is that me just dreaming about something has never led to the actual doing and experiencing. If I want to learn something, go somewhere, spend time with someone… I have to make a PLAN OF ACTION. There have been more times than I can count that I had no idea how I was going to make …
Registration Closes Tomorrow! | Live Business Workshop Palm Springs
Everything your business needs is everything you have always been! It took me most of my life to let that truth sink in and your business is the same way! Your business needs your gifts, your passions and your story to be set apart! If you are ready to take your business and dreams to the next level then I hope you will join me this coming January for my next live business workshop in Palm Springs, CA! (for those that …
Where to Sleep, Eat, and Shop In Round Top, Texas
This fall I was in Round Top, Texas during antiques week to teach an art class, speak at an event and for two book signings. I have wanted to come to antiques week for years and with the beautiful invitations from Tara Royer Steele and Holly Kuhn I was eagerly packing my bags and leaving room for vintage treasures. I had so many questions about where we shopped, ate and stayed that I wanted to do a fun post sharing …
May We Unravel and Grow Together | Happy New Year
I have felt more quiet and reflective lately and at first, it was because I didn’t think I had anything to say. Quiet in words, actions, and even creativity. We have just come through one of the largest business projects to date, finishing my first book and transitioning our home and business to have Kelly working full-time with me. We have also had a very strange year of things outside of our family and it has left us tired …
Creativity Takes Courage | The Grow Hope Foundation
For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series Creativity Takes Courage. Our creative network offers free videos, new online courses and interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past three years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity Takes Courage. …
Creativity Takes Courage | Janet Hill
For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series Creativity Takes Courage. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past three years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network …
Creativity Takes Courage | Interview with Shannan Martin About Her New Book FALLING FREE
For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past three years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity Takes …
Last Day For The Early Registration Price {Making Art Sing}
One of the most popular classes on our creative network last year was Julie Johnson’s Scribble Art! Julie is a born teacher and she provides rich content full of technique, inspiration and encouragement. Today is the LAST day for the early registration price of her follow up to Scribble Art… Making Art Sing | Values, Shapes and Lines This is a one week course that will compliment and expand on her very popular online course Scribble Art! You do not …
Where Do I Begin? {if I love decorating, diy, cooking and homemaking}
There are so many awesome online courses out there and sometimes it can be hard to know which one to choose! I know that your time and money is so important and that is why I wanted to make finding the RIGHT online course easier for you. The first step we did was create an online digital catalog that would allow you to look at most of our courses all at once and in a beautiful format. The …
Creativity Takes Courage {Bre Doucette of Rooms For Rent}
For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity Takes …
Extra Special Retreats Coming…
I love to travel, explore new parts of the world, try new foods, take in the local culture, take my time in an art museum and find the perfect place to create. Creating art and traveling has helped me to grow as an artist in ways I could have never imaged. Recently, one of my students was talking to a group of women and shared about my workshops. Her words made their way back to me and she later wrote …
Cut + Paste | Watch the Brand New Promo
All around my studio I have bowls of torn abstract lines and forms, cut up vintage fabrics, papers with my marks, odds and ends of vintage trinkets and ephemera and then another full of stitched vintage French linen scraps. Often as I am creating, I will pull these bowls around me to see if any of these treasures will find their way into my current work. One day as I was sorting through these bowls, I started to create just …
Petite Limited Edition Stitched Faces Art Kit
We are thrilled to offer you a petite version of our original Stitched Faces Art Kit. This set is VERY limited and we will not be offering any more of these art kits after they sell out. You can purchase the Petite Stitched Faces Limited Edit Art Kit HERE. We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. …
Making a Scene with Stephanie Lee | Early Registration JUST Opened!
We are honored to announce that Stephanie Lee is back with a mini course and this time it is all about creating portable painted murals. Stephanie is always pushing herself and those around her to try new things and to have fresh eyes within their own work. This course will take your creative ideas to the next level and extends the invitation to create in a whole new way. Early registration is open for Making a Scene with Stephanie Lee. …
Registration Open | Stitched Faces with Jeanne Oliver
One of my earliest memories of my Grandma Jeanne was of her gathered with our family and stitching. She would be working on her needlepoint with her basket of threads next to her and conversation going on all around her. Over the years I found my own style and creating while stitching. It has become one of the few arts that I can do while on a plane, sitting among others and while much is going on around me. It allows me …
Stitched Faces | Early Registration Ending!
One of my earliest memories of my Grandma Jeanne was of her gathered with our family and stitching. She would be working on her needlepoint with her basket of threads next to her and conversation going on all around her. Over the years I found my own style and creating while stitching. It has become one of the few arts that I can do while on a plane, sitting among others and while much is going on around me. It allows me …
Cut + Paste | Instant Access
All around my studio I have bowls of torn abstract lines and forms, cut up vintage fabrics, papers with my marks, odds and ends of vintage trinkets and ephemera and then another full of stitched vintage French linen scraps. Often as I am creating, I will pull these bowls around me to see if any of these treasures will find their way into my current work. One day as I was sorting through these bowls, I started to create just …
LAST DAY | 40% Off One Online Course
This is my birthday month and on May 5th I turn 51! I love birthdays! I love making it extra special for those I love and I will squeeze out all of the goodness I can when it comes to me too. I have been known to keep it going for as long as I can and I am not ashamed! LAST DAY to come celebrate with me and get ONE course that you have been looking at for …
Only Two Days Left | 40% Off One Online Course
This is my birthday month and on May 5th I turn 51! I love birthdays! I love making it extra special for those I love and I will squeeze out all of the goodness I can when it comes to me too. I have been known to keep it going for as long as I can and I am not ashamed! For the next TWO DAYS come celebrate with me and get ONE course that you have been looking …
May Course Special | Foraged and Found with Auria Bohn
This month we offered another free art lesson and it was for Ink Making at Home from the course Foraged and Found with Auria Bohn. For the month of May you can get Foraged and Found with Auria Bohn at 50% off with the code FORAGED50 at checkout. Have you ever looked at a flower or plant in your neighbourhood and wondered what kind of color could be extracted from its bright petals? Or marvelled at …
Only Three Days Left | 40% Off One Online Course
This is my birthday month and on May 5th I turn 51! I love birthdays! I love making it extra special for those I love and I will squeeze out all of the goodness I can when it comes to me too. I have been known to keep it going for as long as I can and I am not ashamed! For the next THREE DAYS come celebrate with me and get ONE course that you have been looking …
Free Art Video | Making Ink at Home with Auria Bohn
Learn how to create gorgeous pigmented inks from natural elements all around you. Join Auria Bohn in this free video and learn how to make your own natural inks from sources like cabbage, copper and cherries. Making your own inks is a great way to discover new possibilities for other colors in your work. Come and get your free art lesson HERE. The video lesson is free but you still need to be logged into your account on …
Annual Birthday Sale | 40% Off One Online Course
This is my birthday month and on May 5th I turn 51! I love birthdays! I love making it extra special for those I love and I will squeeze out all of the goodness I can when it comes to me too. I have been known to keep it going for as long as I can and I am not ashamed! Come celebrate with me and get ONE course that you have been looking at for 40% off! Stitched Faces …
Stitched Faces Limited Edition Art Kit
We are THRILLED to offer a limited edition art kit for Stitched Faces! We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. To purchase click HERE. Each kit will include: *Custom JO Vintage French Linen Embroidery Tool Wrap (perfect for your scissors, threads, pins etc.) 5 1/2″ x 8″ closed and 8″ x 14 1/2″ open. Four different sized …
Stitched Faces with Jeanne Oliver | Registration Open
One of my earliest memories of my Grandma Jeanne was of her gathered with our family and stitching. She would be working on her needlepoint with her basket of threads next to her and conversation going on all around her. Over the years I found my own style and creating while stitching. It has become one of the few arts that I can do while on a plane, sitting among others and while much is going on around me. It allows me …
Cut + Paste | A Live Zoom Art Workshop
All around my studio I have bowls of torn abstract lines and forms, cut up vintage fabrics, papers with my marks, odds and ends of vintage trinkets and ephemera and then another full of stitched vintage French linen scraps. Often as I am creating, I will pull these bowls around me to see if any of these treasures will find their way into my current work. One day as I was sorting through these bowls, I started to create just …
Free Art Video | Paint for Change with Stephanie Lee
Using simple tools and magazine pages you can transform your surface and create gorgeous works of art. Whether you are creating substrates for abstract work, journaling pages or more, you will be inspired to try Stephanie Lee’s techniques. Go grab some magazine pages and a few colors of paint and let’s get started. You will never look at magazine pages the same again. Come and get your free art lesson HERE. The video lesson is free but you …
3 More Days! | Capturing The In-Between a Live Zoom Art Workshop
I have found that the best moments are often those moments in the in between. Little amounts of time where I can be present if I choose. It is in those moments that a book slowly gets read over a month, I capture my thoughts through writing, I have the face to face conversations, I sit with my face to the sun and my feet in the grass, I truly listen to an album, I spend a few moments in …
The Free 2023 Sketchbook Revival | Instant Access Tomorrow!
If you would like to tap into some of that creative energy for yourself, here’s some exciting news. The 6th annual Sketchbook Revival Online Workshop is happening really soon. Already it’s helped tens of thousands of participants feel more creatively empowered to fill up their sketchbook pages, have fun experimenting with their art supplies and develop meaningful creative practices that become an important part of their every day. So whether you’re new to the idea of a creative practice, …
Poetry of Place | Instant Access March 31!
I found my creativity again years ago through home and family. Over and over again home has been the safe place to express beauty, make art, teach our children, gather others, build a business and dream of what is next. I know first hand the power of home and the place of beauty it can be for yourself and others and I am honored to share that I am a guest teacher in Poetry of Place. If you want …
The FREE 2023 Sketchbook Revival | Registration is Open!
If you would like to tap into some of that creative energy for yourself, here’s some exciting news. The 6th annual Sketchbook Revival Online Workshop is happening really soon. Already it’s helped tens of thousands of participants feel more creatively empowered to fill up their sketchbook pages, have fun experimenting with their art supplies and develop meaningful creative practices that become an important part of their every day. So whether you’re new to the idea of a creative practice, …
Our First Ever Live Zoom Art Workshop | Capturing the In-Between with Jeanne Oliver
I have found that the best moments are often those moments in the in between. Little amounts of time where I can be present if I choose. It is in those moments that a book slowly gets read over a month, I capture my thoughts through writing, I have the face to face conversations, I sit with my face to the sun and my feet in the grass, I truly listen to an album, I spend a few moments in …
Free Art Video | Hats in Art History with Roselyn Pratt
This is a free art video with Roselyn Pratt taken from her course Ten Days of Art and includes one lesson video with 24 minutes of content. Join Roselyn as she shares the process of studying and learning from artists we love. Leonardo da Vinci said, ‘He who can copy, can do.’ Following the theme of hats, Roselyn will demonstrate quick and simple methods to sketch from works by Hogarth, Fergusson, Magritte, Manet and Hals. Learn to transform colorful works by …
Poetry of Place | Brand New Online Course Early Registration Open!
Poetry of Place – the unique, distinctive, cherished aspects of a place where stories, art, memories, beliefs, and histories are woven into a tapestry of great beauty. Your home should mirror who you are and the stories you carry. It is sacred space. It is the stories of our days, nights, celebrations, and everyday journeys. Stories that bring us joy and lead us to reminisce. A poem that doesn’t need to be recited, because it is seen and felt. …
Hat Tricks with Lucy Farmer | Instant Access
When you first meet Lucy Farmer you are drawn in by her joy, deep kindness and ability to connect with everyone around her and then you can’t help but notice her incredible style! Head to toe Lucy lives and dresses creatively! When I found out that the incredible hats she wears are created by her I HAD to ask her to share with all of you. Go grab all of those ribbons, embroidery thread, vintage elements and a wood burner …
Pure Pigment with Anne Gee | Instant Access
Registration is open for Pure Pigment | A Pastel Workshop with Anne Gee. This is our FIRST online course ALL about pastels! When I saw the work of Anne Gee I knew that she would be the perfect instructor to make pastels come alive in your own work! This MINI course will take you step-by-step how to use pastels, think outside the box with them, and create gorgeous art inspired by the world around you. You now can not get …
Poetry of Place | Brand New Online Course Early Registration Open!
Poetry of Place – the unique, distinctive, cherished aspects of a place where stories, art, memories, beliefs, and histories are woven into a tapestry of great beauty. Your home should mirror who you are and the stories you carry. It is sacred space. It is the stories of our days, nights, celebrations, and everyday journeys. Stories that bring us joy and lead us to reminisce. A poem that doesn’t need to be recited, because it is seen and felt. …
Beach Cottage Chronicles | Alexis Garrett Featured
For those of you that have been here for awhile you will have heard about my friend and cherished friendship with Alexis Garrett. We met over 13 years ago on a trip to France. I have always teased that she was the most precious treasure I brought back from that adventure. We have traveled the world together ever since, spent time with each other’s family, I laugh harder with her than anyone in the world, create art together, each …
June Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it in weeding the garden, bare feet to the ground with a cup of coffee in hand, the beauty of a workshop and the women sprinkled all over our land, reading a book with words that drip with intention, a day of doing absolutely nothing, random texts that speak life over me, incorporating something from our …
Gift Guide for the Beauty Chasers | Christmas 2021
We are all beauty chasers in one way or another. My friend Timothy Willard often says that, “Beauty Defies Despair”. Do we have our eyes open to that beauty? The beauty that is all around in people, nature, circumstances, love, forgiveness, faith, gathering, the work of our hands, the sound of laughter, the comfort of touch, the gifts of others and a million other moments of beauty that defy despair? We are a small business, I love to purchase …
The November Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like digging for vintage treasures with dear friends, foraging in the woods, building the first fire of the season in the studio, and the beauty of paint-covered hands. Sometimes you will even find beauty on the internet. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the internet this past month and I wanted to …
The Roundup |Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sound of the fountain as I am pulling weeds in the garden, the kids wanting to tell me about their day, an orange and pink sunset, the horses neighing across the road and even beauty found on the internet given by complete strangers. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the …
The Roundup | Beauty Found on the Internet this Week!
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sweet change of season happening here in Colorado, the smell of the plants at the nursery this time of year when everyone is beyond ready to play in the garden, the piano being played in our home, an unexpected gift from a friend and even beauty found on the internet given by …
French Picnic Baskets | Shopping Guide
Thank you for the beautiful response to the French Picnic Basket video! I loved all of the comments, emails and private messages about the video and also your memories of being at one of our live workshops and enjoying the picnic yourself. Knowing how much beauty means to you always inspires me to never be ashamed that I love things a certain way and it is one of the ways I show how much I care about you …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
Make the Ordinary Beautiful | Watch the Video
Join me in this next video where I talk about little ways to bring beauty to the ordinary in a live workshop. I am loving hearing from you in the comments and all of your excitement and feedback about our previous videos about our French Picnic Baskets and our Live Workshop Checklists. Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been …
Create Your Own French Picnic Baskets | Video + Ebook
Gathering others is one of the sweetest gifts. So, whether your heart is to bless your family, celebrate a friend’s birthday or incorporate more intention in your own workshops I hope our French Picnic Baskets become part of how you love on others. Download our FREE French Picnic Baskets Ebook HERE. Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have …
A Moment of Quiet
| Matches | Notepad | Mug | Sage | Blanket | “It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready” said Sarah Kay, poet and teller of the hard truth of the cold end of the year. Do you feel that? Like time is running out before you’ve had time to check the time? I’ve found that during this season, finding time for myself, time to breath, is maybe more important than ever. But I’ve also found that carving …
Guest Baskets | Loving on those that stay with you
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community, authentic relationship, and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are staying. …
Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. I love to wrap gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use other vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium-sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I use throughout the year. 1. I …
The Leave of Absence | A Late Fall Cocktail
This fall cocktail was created by our team member Diane Reeves! Here is a recipe for a slightly citrus-y and a little cider-y drink to help you have a mini escape, a “leave of absence”. We all have cause for a little furlough in our schedules, the need for a moment of calm, and I find the mixing of a cocktail to be a perfect little respite. And for the Fall season, the flavors in this drink emulate …
The Christmas Collective | Get Your Free Ticket
Since everyone is putting up their Christmas trees early we might as well get our hearts ready too! Melissa AuClair has created a FREE holiday series with so much inspiration and encouragement for this time! It begins today! I am so honored to be included and to share a little bit about how we decorate for Christmas but more about the power of opening up our homes to others. It may look way different this year but that is just …
Butternut Squash + Sausage Soup | With a Video Tutorial
I love having friends over and casually and comfortably entertaining. The biggest thing that I have learned over the years is to cook things that I love to cook and things that I have cooked so many times that I am not stressed with my guests. So, make a fun cocktail for your guests and enjoy cooking for your friends and family and keep the focus on them and having a great time. Today, I wanted to share one of …
Shop The Look | Late Summer Gathering
Last week I shared my late summer gathering post inspired by friend Courtney’s brand new book, Inspired Gatherings. Everything used in the photos was pulled from our cabinets and foraged on our land but I have been collecting pieces for years. One of the most common questions I get is regarding where I find some of the staples I share in my entertaining or home posts. When possible I love to share my favorite shops and also suggestions for …
Late Summer Gathering | Inspired by Nature
In a world where gathering may look a little differently and definitely a little smaller, it is still one of the things our hearts and lives need the most. We are made for each other, community and connection and we are now being given a new opportunity to figure out new ways to use our gifts to bless those around us. When many things have come to a halt there are still graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, first days of school, milestones …
Fall Tablescapes Past and Present
I love that I have had the opportunity to be a part of many home tours over the years because our real holidays do not get documented. When you have company over, you are rotating what goes in the oven and you are talking with your favorite people and there is little time for picture taking. I do love preparing for the gathering though. It is a part of my creativity and simple tablescapes are so fun to do. …
The Front Porch | A Late Summer Cocktail
An unexpected gift of this season, spending more time at home, has been getting to meet more of our neighbors. One such new-to-us neighbor spent last summer farming in Europe, and whenever she feels a nostalgic pull back to that most significant of times in her life, St. Germaine liqueur takes her there in her memories. She introduced us to this floral liqueur in a refreshing drink she made for cocktail hour on our little front porch in downtown …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Come and Get Your Free Course | Art of Home
We have members from all over the world and like never before we see each other and can relate on a whole new level. I wish it wouldn’t have taken this pandemic but I am thankful for all of the ways I am seeing people reach out, encourage, give what they can and to spread joy. While we are all spending more time at home on lockdown we wanted to make sure you have some creating to do. Each week …
How To Make Birthdays Special For Children During Sheltering In Place
I love birthdays! One whole day to love on just one person. One day that allows you to give a person a glimpse into how much their life means to you! It is almost 22 years ago that our birthday tradition began. It was my birthday during our first year of marriage and my day started off with a stack of envelopes. Keep in mind that we barely had any money in those years but what followed made me …
Our Whole 2020 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land almost four years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2020 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. Our schedule …
Beach Cottage Chronicles | Alexis Garrett Featured
For those of you that have been here for awhile you will have heard about my friend and cherished friendship with Alexis Garrett. We met over 13 years ago on a trip to France. I have always teased that she was the most precious treasure I brought back from that adventure. We have traveled the world together ever since, spent time with each other’s family, I laugh harder with her than anyone in the world, create art together, each …
June Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it in weeding the garden, bare feet to the ground with a cup of coffee in hand, the beauty of a workshop and the women sprinkled all over our land, reading a book with words that drip with intention, a day of doing absolutely nothing, random texts that speak life over me, incorporating something from our …
The November Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like digging for vintage treasures with dear friends, foraging in the woods, building the first fire of the season in the studio, and the beauty of paint-covered hands. Sometimes you will even find beauty on the internet. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the internet this past month and I wanted to …
Push Past The Ugly | Beauty is Around the Corner
*Originally published early in our business but such a good reminder I wanted to share again* One of the hardest things is pushing past the ugly. When we are doing something new or something out of our comfort zone there is often the ugly/hard that accompanies it. I am the biggest cheerleader of my children to practice, try again and push beyond…it can be harder when it comes to me. Have you ever had a hard patch …
A Moment of Quiet
| Matches | Notepad | Mug | Sage | Blanket | “It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready” said Sarah Kay, poet and teller of the hard truth of the cold end of the year. Do you feel that? Like time is running out before you’ve had time to check the time? I’ve found that during this season, finding time for myself, time to breath, is maybe more important than ever. But I’ve also found that carving …
Guest Baskets | Loving on those that stay with you
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community, authentic relationship, and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are staying. …
Fig + Prosciutto Pizza
Figs are in season and you can find them at many of the markets here in Colorado. I love that with the change of seasons comes the change in flavors we can add in our cooking. Around 4:30 each afternoon I remember that we like to eat dinner! Maybe you are the same way. No? Just me? Well, maybe you are better prepared than I usually am but this one is so easy you can still …
Top 6 Technology and Social Media Tips | For Creating Balance in Home and Business
When you are a stay at home mom, homeschooler and entrepreneur with a home office… your worlds start to collide. There are days that without everything right here at home I know I wouldn’t be able to do all that we get accomplished. Then there are the days when everything coming at me can be a little too much. The most frequently asked questions that I receive are about how I get so much done, how our family works …
Top Ten For Making a Home Unique and Cozy
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
Fall Tablescapes Past and Present
I love that I have had the opportunity to be a part of many home tours over the years because our real holidays do not get documented. When you have company over, you are rotating what goes in the oven and you are talking with your favorite people and there is little time for picture taking. I do love preparing for the gathering though. It is a part of my creativity and simple tablescapes are so fun to do. …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Come and Get Your Free Course | Art of Home
We have members from all over the world and like never before we see each other and can relate on a whole new level. I wish it wouldn’t have taken this pandemic but I am thankful for all of the ways I am seeing people reach out, encourage, give what they can and to spread joy. While we are all spending more time at home on lockdown we wanted to make sure you have some creating to do. Each week …
How To Make Birthdays Special For Children During Sheltering In Place
I love birthdays! One whole day to love on just one person. One day that allows you to give a person a glimpse into how much their life means to you! It is almost 22 years ago that our birthday tradition began. It was my birthday during our first year of marriage and my day started off with a stack of envelopes. Keep in mind that we barely had any money in those years but what followed made me …
Happy New Year | Let’s Build Together!
I would just like to encourage you this first day of 2020 to claim whatever “land” you have and to “build” upon it. Whatever you currently have is enough! So often we are in a hurry for what is next that we can forget that where we lay out head right now has potential and promise. If you have an apartment, rent a room in a home, townhome, small home, live in suburbia, or have 100 acres. Name it, honor …
Ten Things That Defined This Decade In My Life + Business
1. All of the things that made me weird growing up are now the things that make our life and business. I was the kid making up plays, gathering the neighbors, writing poetry under a tree (no one needs to read those), writing songs, designing clothing and randomly calling the airlines to see how much it would cost to fly to California. Being a creative kid in a small rural town can be hard. Sports were king and …
Shop Our Home | Favorites From Our Holiday Home Tour!
We loved sharing our home dressed up for Christmas and your feedback is always the sweetest. We always get so many questions about our home, how we decorate and how to create a home that looks modern but feels cozy at the same time. I think creating home is a gradual and beautiful process but I think there are some key elements that bring that cozy and modern feeling together. We have gathered some of our favorite things from …
2019 Holiday Housewalk
I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Jen Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk almost as long as I have been blogging. It is the sweetest honor to be asked again to share our home along with so many incredible design and DIY bloggers! I am an artist, business owner and homeschool mom so I am usually capturing our home with my phone. I dusted off the real camera for this post and I can’t wait to check out …
All Home Online Courses On Sale | Just In Time For The Holidays
Thanksgiving is almost here and for many this is the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season. The day after Thanksgiving we go as a family to get our tree and each year the decorations get simpler and the meaning of the holiday becomes more known. We open our home more than every before and we are learning that gathering others is one of the sweetest ways to love others around us. We would like to offer you 40% off …
Guest Basket | Your Guests Will Feel Loved On!
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community and authentic relationship and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are …
12th Year In Business Anniversary Sale! | 40% Off One Course!
Twelve years ago I had a one, five and seven year old and once they were in bed each night I would create until the early hours in the morning. I look back now on those nights and know that those hours to myself to create and finding time no matter the exhaustion the next day was what brought my creativity back to life. It all started with home, gathering, making handmade journals, and altered letters and frames. The …
Holiday Housewalk | 2018
Thank you Jen Rizzo for inviting me year after year to be included with some of the most talented men and women I know in your gorgeous holiday housewalk. Thank you for allowing this artist that loves home so much to hang out with all of these design and DIY bloggers that make creating home an art. Guys, I have been a part of Jen’s housewalk since the beginning! That means this is my eighth year! So crazy and fun …
Gift Giving Guide | 2018
Each year I love sharing some of the products that I am loving in my own life and I believe in supporting other small business owners and giving these products as gifts too! This is why it is so important to small business owners like me that when you love our products you share with your friends and family. You sharing is the best thing you can do to bless us. Here are some of the products and small business …
My Health Scare, A Video and Where We Go From Here
While we were coming home from a teaching, speaking, book-signing trip in Round Top, Texas, my left eye went black/blind and I had only a small sliver of vision left as we were leaving Amarillo. Kelly and the kids were with me and Kelly was driving. I had been feeling extremely run down at this point in our two-week trip and we were all eager to get home. Instead of home, we turned around and headed to the emergency room in …
Walking Decisions Out and Overcoming Fear | Part Two
You can read part one HERE. We had decided by that first night to take the gift of our new home, land, and studio and see if we could make a go at it without a net. We made this decision in early May and there was no net as of August 1, 2017. As the days of no net quickly approached I could feel the stress, anxiety, and pressure slowly creeping towards me. It wasn’t full and overpowering but …
How We Celebrate Birthdays Around Here
I love birthdays! One whole day to love on just one person. One day that allows you to give a person a glimpse into how much their life means to you! It is almost 19 years ago that our birthday tradition began. It was my birthday during our first year of marriage and my day started off with a stack of envelopes. Keep in mind that we barely had any money in those years but what followed made me feel …
My Favorites if You are Heading to Round Top, Texas
I have been enjoying the spring and fall antiques shows in Round Top, Texas for the past six years. This show has been going on for fifty years so I am definitely a newbie! I have also been blessed to have book signings, teach a live art workshop and also speak at The Gathering in Round Top. I have so many sweet memories with family and friends and I hope to continue going year after year. Each time I …
The November Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like digging for vintage treasures with dear friends, foraging in the woods, building the first fire of the season in the studio, and the beauty of paint-covered hands. Sometimes you will even find beauty on the internet. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the internet this past month and I wanted to …
Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. I love to wrap gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use other vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium-sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I use throughout the year. 1. I …
Top Ten For Making a Home Unique and Cozy
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
The Front Porch | A Late Summer Cocktail
An unexpected gift of this season, spending more time at home, has been getting to meet more of our neighbors. One such new-to-us neighbor spent last summer farming in Europe, and whenever she feels a nostalgic pull back to that most significant of times in her life, St. Germaine liqueur takes her there in her memories. She introduced us to this floral liqueur in a refreshing drink she made for cocktail hour on our little front porch in downtown …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Wrapping Up Your Gifts | French Linen, Feathers, Moroccan Bells and Pine
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. This year I am wrapping gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I used in our latest Holiday …
Shop Our Home | Favorites From Our Holiday Home Tour!
We loved sharing our home dressed up for Christmas and your feedback is always the sweetest. We always get so many questions about our home, how we decorate and how to create a home that looks modern but feels cozy at the same time. I think creating home is a gradual and beautiful process but I think there are some key elements that bring that cozy and modern feeling together. We have gathered some of our favorite things from …
My Journey In Morocco | Marrakech Part III
You can read Part One HERE. You can read Part Two HERE. The first full day in a new city usually is full of too much to take in and when you are as far away from home as Africa it means new languages, smells, sounds, textures, colors, social norms, clothing, and even worship. I had a hard time keeping up with the group that first day because I kept on noticing the little things. The tiles, the light against …
Where to Sleep, Eat, and Shop In Round Top, Texas
This fall I was in Round Top, Texas during antiques week to teach an art class, speak at an event and for two book signings. I have wanted to come to antiques week for years and with the beautiful invitations from Tara Royer Steele and Holly Kuhn I was eagerly packing my bags and leaving room for vintage treasures. I had so many questions about where we shopped, ate and stayed that I wanted to do a fun post sharing …
One Day Art Workshop in Round Top, Texas | Registration Open
The official launch date of my new book, The Painted Art Journal, was July 4th and we have been celebrating ever since. It has been the most amazing experience to see how you are connecting with the book and the impact it is having on your own story within your art! Your take on the projects is so inspiring! We are so excited to announce that we have some of the sweetest friends in Round Top, Texas and they have asked …
Let’s Talk Business at The Market | The Market Beautiful Denver
One of my favorite things in the world is talking business! I love everything about it from the beginning stages, finding your niche, leveraging what makes you unique, the customer engagement and building community, the new ideas and deciding what to do next, watching something you grow from nothing…becoming something better than you imagined. This doesn’t always happen though. It takes more work than anyone knows but also knowledge and skills to really build a strong and successful business. There is …
One-Day Art Workshop In Franklin, TN | Registration Open
***THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT*** The official launch date of my new book, The Painted Art Journal, is July 4th and because we were going to already be in Nashville and Franklin, TN at this time we decided to celebrate at our home away from home! We have been shown such overwhelming kindness in Tennessee and we are excited and humbled to tell you that Kim Leggett of City Farmhouse will be hosting my one-day art workshop on June 29th …
An Artist In France | Art and Words from the Living Studio Along the Seine Artists
The Living Studio workshops were created because there was a void in the art workshop world. The Living Studio would be about exploring a new place and creating art everywhere we went. When we had scheduled classes they would be shorter to give you the techniques to get back to the museums, the cafes, the gardens and to have your sketchbook with you the whole time. I knew this style of workshop would not be for everyone but for …
The Everyday Artist {some of our favorite supplies}
When I create I only want to be surrounded by my most trusted and favorite tools and only the tools that help me to express myself. Too many supplies can get in the way, distract and even help you procrastinate (like any of us need any help with that one). Each time we offer you a new supply it is because it is tried and true in my own studio. I wouldn’t offer you anything less. I wanted to share …
Last Days To Get $1000 off!
******The ship has offered us $1000 off until the end of April! If you have been on the fence about coming on The Living Studio Along the Seine I wanted to give you a reminder about the discount. The retreat is filling up and I want you to get this discount if you are wanting to join us (the price is already reflected on the prices below). The price will go up on May 1st!. If you have ANY questions …
Creativity Takes Courage {Cat Bude}
*** For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity …
Just Dreaming About It Won’t Get You There
In the new year there can be long lists of dreams for the year and maybe even a yearly bucket list. What I have found to be true is that me just dreaming about something has never led to the actual doing and experiencing. If I want to learn something, go somewhere, spend time with someone… I have to make a PLAN OF ACTION. There have been more times than I can count that I had no idea how I …
Flea Market Finds Decorating Blog Hop
Welcome to everyone coming from Kim’s gorgeous blog! I am so glad you are here and I hope you enjoy your visit. My friend Jen had the fun idea of getting a bunch of bloggers together, having us send flea market finds to each other and we had to alter or decorate with them. I love vintage architectural salvage and old bits and pieces. I was thrilled to use this small collection of vintage door knobs in the blog hop. …
Flea Market Countdown
I live in Colorado. This means that all my wonderful flea market shopping stops for the winter. No garage sales. No flea markets. We don’t even have a great Goodwill. So….I have been EXTREMELY anxious for one of my favorite flea markets..A Paris Street Market… to start back up on May 1. 15 more days. Yes…I counted! I love waking up early, grabbing a coffee, eating the most wonderful breakfast burrito and shopping with my friends. I am also looking …
The Paris Street Market
It was an early, cold and drizzly morning…..and I was in HEAVEN!!! Flea market season has officially begun. I went with two of my sweet friends and neighbors. I didn't take a lot of pictures because my hands were FULL! My favorite purchase of the day was some vintage linens to use on my aprons and awesome vintage paper items. I am always a sucker for vintage papers. I paid a little more than usual but they were worth it. …
The Country Living Fair
Day 1-The Set Up Kasey, Beth and I all arrived at our hotel after midnight. We stayed up too late (caffeine and talking). We had an early morning getting to our set up location for the fair. The weather was clear and hot, but perfect for getting everything unloaded. We worked all day and right when we had our tent PERFECT we were told that rain was expected that night and the following day. PANIC…..our tent was water resistant …
The November Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like digging for vintage treasures with dear friends, foraging in the woods, building the first fire of the season in the studio, and the beauty of paint-covered hands. Sometimes you will even find beauty on the internet. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the internet this past month and I wanted to …
Create Your Own French Picnic Baskets | Video + Ebook
Gathering others is one of the sweetest gifts. So, whether your heart is to bless your family, celebrate a friend’s birthday or incorporate more intention in your own workshops I hope our French Picnic Baskets become part of how you love on others. Download our FREE French Picnic Baskets Ebook HERE. Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have …
Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. I love to wrap gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use other vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium-sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I use throughout the year. 1. I …
The Front Porch | A Late Summer Cocktail
An unexpected gift of this season, spending more time at home, has been getting to meet more of our neighbors. One such new-to-us neighbor spent last summer farming in Europe, and whenever she feels a nostalgic pull back to that most significant of times in her life, St. Germaine liqueur takes her there in her memories. She introduced us to this floral liqueur in a refreshing drink she made for cocktail hour on our little front porch in downtown …
Shop Our Home | Favorites From Our Holiday Home Tour!
We loved sharing our home dressed up for Christmas and your feedback is always the sweetest. We always get so many questions about our home, how we decorate and how to create a home that looks modern but feels cozy at the same time. I think creating home is a gradual and beautiful process but I think there are some key elements that bring that cozy and modern feeling together. We have gathered some of our favorite things from …
Gift Giving Guide | 2018
Each year I love sharing some of the products that I am loving in my own life and I believe in supporting other small business owners and giving these products as gifts too! This is why it is so important to small business owners like me that when you love our products you share with your friends and family. You sharing is the best thing you can do to bless us. Here are some of the products and small business …
Simple French Tablescape | Seasons of Home Holiday Series
One of my favorite places to travel and get inspired is France. The art, museums, cafes, history, architecture, food and the linens…oh, how I love those handwoven French linens. Whenever I travel to France I try to bring home a piece of art, something to use in the kitchen and I try to find new or vintage linens. It is my way of bringing home the beauty of France in a way that my whole family can enjoy. It is …
An Artist In France | Art and Words from the Living Studio Along the Seine Artists
The Living Studio workshops were created because there was a void in the art workshop world. The Living Studio would be about exploring a new place and creating art everywhere we went. When we had scheduled classes they would be shorter to give you the techniques to get back to the museums, the cafes, the gardens and to have your sketchbook with you the whole time. I knew this style of workshop would not be for everyone but for …
France | Where Beauty Is The Function
Jet lag is still my sidekick as I try to settle back into day-to-day life after France. These extra days of adjusting are also good for my heart and mind as I process once again the beautiful opportunity of travel. As I download photos, unpack my suitcase, wash too many loads of laundry, unwrap French treasures, and put away art supplies I am given the gift of remembering, honoring and reflecting on this time away. I …
If Adventure, Creating and Travel Speak To You {I have something for you}
Sometimes we get to be wild explorers and travel far away, other times we can connect with other creatives not far from home and at other times we have the joy of hunkering down right where we live and creating among our day to day life. Each one of these are life giving and creative building travels. I love that my travels have allowed me to build beautiful new friendships, sketch among stained glass windows and old wooden pews, sip …
The Everyday Artist {some of our favorite supplies}
When I create I only want to be surrounded by my most trusted and favorite tools and only the tools that help me to express myself. Too many supplies can get in the way, distract and even help you procrastinate (like any of us need any help with that one). Each time we offer you a new supply it is because it is tried and true in my own studio. I wouldn’t offer you anything less. I wanted to share …
Last Days To Get $1000 off!
******The ship has offered us $1000 off until the end of April! If you have been on the fence about coming on The Living Studio Along the Seine I wanted to give you a reminder about the discount. The retreat is filling up and I want you to get this discount if you are wanting to join us (the price is already reflected on the prices below). The price will go up on May 1st!. If you have ANY questions …
The Living Studio Along the Seine River Cruise
Ever since I have been a little girl I have been a lover of history, architecture, art and I have ALWAYS known…I would travel. I am greatly driven by my desire to learn, explore and to discover more of this world. My family makes choices all of the time that will make it possible for us to travel more and to have less of other things. We want to collect adventures and memories and not just things. I have an …
Creativity Takes Courage {Cat Bude}
*** For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity …
Just Dreaming About It Won’t Get You There
In the new year there can be long lists of dreams for the year and maybe even a yearly bucket list. What I have found to be true is that me just dreaming about something has never led to the actual doing and experiencing. If I want to learn something, go somewhere, spend time with someone… I have to make a PLAN OF ACTION. There have been more times than I can count that I had no idea how I …
Back from France {Giveaway Winners Announced}
This is my first day back home after being in France for the past two weeks. I feel like I am coming out of a France fog. It is really hard to believe what I just go to experience and that so many people that I love helped make it possible. My mom drove from Illinois to watch our children for the week my husband was with me and my sister helped with the business. I am currently starting to …
Did I Just Go To Europe?
Isn't this amazing? Heather Bullard could not have chosen a more beautiful location for her Parisian Soiree than The Mission Inn. The architectural detail was phenomenal. You truly felt like you were in Europe. There was a wedding going on in the chapel while we were there. After the ceremony the couple walked out of the chapel to a beautiful fountain in the courtyard. What a blessed couple to start their marriage in such a romantic location. I …
The Living Studio Friday Prompt
We are back with The Living Studio Friday Prompt! Family life mixed in with moving and working on our new studio has been beautiful, busy, tiring, stressful and exciting. We are thrilled to have our art prompts back a few times a month to hopefully inspire and encourage your creativity! To see all of our previous posts please type “Living Studio Prompts” in the search bar and enjoy the previous prompts. *** Welcome to the Living Studio Friday Prompt! Each …
The Living Studio Friday Prompt
Welcome to the Living Studio Friday Prompt! Each Friday you will get an art quote and a printable prompt that hopefully will get you motivated to get your supplies out over the weekend and throughout the week. We will share supply links, inspiring artist stories and art that goes along with the prompt. I am only able to teach at 1-2 Living Studio retreats a year and not everyone is able to join me for an in person workshop. I …
The Living Studio Friday Prompt
Welcome to the first Living Studio Friday Prompt of 2016! Each Friday you will get an art quote and a printable prompt that hopefully will get you motivated to get your supplies out over the weekend and throughout the week. We will share supply links, inspiring artist stories and art that goes along with the prompt. I am only able to teach at 1-2 Living Studio retreats a year and not everyone is able to join me for an in …
The Living Studio Friday Prompt
We have so many fun and amazing things planned for the Living Studio but one thing we wanted to start ASAP was a weekly Friday prompt. Each Friday you will get an art quote and a printable prompt that hopefully will get you motivated to get your supplies out over the weekend and throughout the week. We will share supply links, inspiring artist stories and art that goes along with the prompt. I am only able to teach at 1-2 …
The Living Studio Friday Prompt
We have so many fun and amazing things planned for the Living Studio but one thing we wanted to start ASAP was a weekly Friday prompt. Each Friday you will get an art quote and a printable prompt that hopefully will get you motivated to get your supplies out over the weekend and throughout the week. We will share supply links, inspiring artist stories and art that goes along with the prompt. I am only able to teach at 1-2 …
LAST HOURS 40% Off One Course | Back To School Sale
This year has not been predictable so we want to be unpredictable too! For the next 24 hours we are having our first ever back to school sale! Take 40% off one online course* and use code: CREATIVE We know school looks different this year and we hope this sale allows you to connect with your creativity, find rest among the chaos, connect with a child or grandchild and to remember how healing art …
Our Homeschool Curriculum | 2018-2019 School Year
This week is our official start of the school year! This is also the first year without Jack a part of our year, planning and day to day life. There were a few changes we made this year to our curriculum and daily schedule and I am very excited about this breath of fresh air into our school year. This is our 13th year of homeschooling (not including kindergarten) and I am a big believer in using what works, …
What I Have Learned Homeschooling | This Stuff Is For All Of Us
This year marks our 13th year of officially homeschooling and as I reflect back over this journey I am in awe and humbled by what has been invested, how our family has been impacted and how I have changed as a mom and wife. A few weeks ago I was talking with Kelly about all of the things I have learned about our home, family, children and myself over these years homeschooling. The biggest being myself. Whether your kids are …
The Big Picture Free Video | Honoring your gifts, finding balance and living a creative life that you love
Being a wife, mom, friend, business owner, household manager, school juggler and creative are some of the hats I wear. I know you are the same and probably more. I also know that if I am not intentional with my marriage, children, schooling, business, creative time etc. than I miss out on opportunities of being present in each of these areas. I am not saying it is easy but it is very much worth it. Being intentional and seeing the …
High School {are you kidding me?}
I never (and I mean I NEVER) had any intention of ever teaching my children in high school. When we started in kindergarten I was just taking it year by year and to be honest…I am shocked that 10 years later that we are still doing school together. At the end of last school year Jack was asking a lot more about high school and for the first time really showing interest in doing something besides homeschooling. After nine …
Top 6 Social Media Tips For Creating Balance {For Home and Business}
(These photos have nothing to do with the post but what fun is a post without photos? I thought you would understand.) When you are a stay at home mom, homeschooler and entrepreneur with a home office… your worlds start to collide. There are days that without everything right here at home I know I wouldn’t be able to do all that we get accomplished. Then there are the days when everything coming at me can be a little too …
Learning Well | An Essentials Course To Homeschooling
I am beyond proud to announce that registration has just opened for Learning Well | An Essentials Course To Homeschooling! Few things are as close to my heart and my day to day life as homeschooling. Alicia Hutchinson will be leading you in this one week online course! This one week course is $46. The course will begin on April 27, 2015 and you will have LIFETIME ACCESS* to the videos! All of the videos are pre-recorded so you can …
Ramblings on a Wednesday Afternoon
I hope you are all having a great day. We spent the day at the creek doing school with my sister and her children. It is one of our favorite back to school activities that we do each year. There is something so peaceful and magical about the grassy hills, creek, huge trees and an empty park. We almost had the whole play to ourselves. Today I just wanted to ramble a bit (if you have ever met me in …
You Ask {I Spill}
I am finishing up week four of The Journey of Letting Go. I have loved spending my days creating and having a studio overflowing with art! {I will have originals in the shop soon} I haven’t done a “You Ask {I Spill} post in awhile and thought it would be a fun post in the midst of the craziness of finishing up the course. ****** *How do you have such awesome hair? This is probably a joke but I will …
My Favorite Things 2012 {Homeschool Favs}
Today I will share my Homeschool Favorites of 2012 You can also see my Business Favorites, Creative Favorites, Home Favorite and Beauty Favorites. If there was ever something in our lives that I never went looking for, didn’t plan to do and could have never pictured myself doing..homeschooling is it! If there was something that has blessed our lives immensely…homeschooling is it! I started because I had a 5 year old that was reading beautifully and my teacher friends recommended …
End of Week Ramblings
I wanted to give you all a few quick updates about where you can find us lately. We are so excited that you can now get iphone skins, covers, wrapped canvases of my art etc. at Society 6! I hope you pop on over and see the really fun and beautiful new items we get to offer you. We are also featured this month in the Fall 2012 issue of Folk Magazine! Two articles in fact! They did such a …
You Ask {I Spill}
I haven’t answered any of your questions on the blog for awhile. I asked for questions on our Facebook Business Page this week. Here are some of your questions and my answers. Keep your questions coming:-) Heather asked How do you handle blatant knock offs of your work? And, how do you feel about others selling your packaging as their own? (For instance, I went to a local antique mall and noticed several burlap bags with a 5 stamped on …
What Has Been Worth The Time {What Has Been Worth The Money}
Tonight Kelly and I had a sitter so we could get some Christmas shopping done. We have been so busy with the shop that this was the first opportunity we had to pick a few special things out for the children. I love blessing our kids with things that they will love and use. Over the years we have gotten so much better about quality over quantity. Those first years were so crazy, scary overload. Poor kid…..he didn’t know what …
All Kinds of Good Stuff Going Around
To say it has been busy around here would be an understatement. Good things are happening though. We are back at school and loving it. I think we are finally back into the swing of it and the kids know the drill. The new collection will go into production next week:-) and that brings a whole bunch of excitement all its own! We will then be working on photos, jewelry, vintage items, new surprises…..so many new surprises!!! I hope the …
Lovin’ Right Now {How About You}
I always love those weeks when you notice some of the little things that make you happy as your days go by. Sometimes they aren’t really the big things…but they bring you joy just the same. We are in our second week of school and I am thankful for the routine and so are they. I love cuddling up with Benjamin and hearing him read. We did that…together. I will cherish that my whole life. I have been listening to …
What Does a Schoolroom Look Like {Would You Recognize One If You Saw One?}
Growing up I went to the public school through fifth grade, private school through 11th grade and then finished high school in the public school. I also grew up in a small town of 3,000 and for many years I went to the local school. When I went to the private school a bus pulled up in front of our house, before the sun was up, every weekday morning. The hour long bus ride was usuallly a time for sleeping …
If You Have Been Wondering {Go Ahead And Ask}
Once or twice a year I love to have a question/answer series on my blog. Usually whatever you are wondering..so is someone else. I get a lot of emails asking me about business and family stuff so I am assuming that others may have the same questions. This is an easier and faster way for me to respond. So…if you have a question for me….let it rip. Seriously, it can be about anything. Anything you want to know about me …
Product Highlights {of our school year}
I often get emails from readers wondering what curriculum etc. we use for school. Over the years I have come to really enjoy putting our curriculum together…where as when we started (6 years ago) I bought an all inclusive curriculum. I love the freedom that putting my own curriculum together gives and I truly believe I am picking the best in each subject for my children. There has been wonderful games, books, videos etc that we use each year that …
Art Across The Alphabet
I wanted to share with you a book that I have loved and enjoyed with all three of my children. It is fun for the kids and easy for me to put the projects together. When each of my children have been around three years old we have worked our way through the book Art Across The Alphabet. You can find the white letters at Lakeshore Learning or probably any teacher store. If you have the time you can also …
Gift Guide for the Beauty Chasers | Christmas 2021
We are all beauty chasers in one way or another. My friend Timothy Willard often says that, “Beauty Defies Despair”. Do we have our eyes open to that beauty? The beauty that is all around in people, nature, circumstances, love, forgiveness, faith, gathering, the work of our hands, the sound of laughter, the comfort of touch, the gifts of others and a million other moments of beauty that defy despair? We are a small business, I love to purchase …
The November Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like digging for vintage treasures with dear friends, foraging in the woods, building the first fire of the season in the studio, and the beauty of paint-covered hands. Sometimes you will even find beauty on the internet. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the internet this past month and I wanted to …
Start Where You Are With What You Have | The Art of Gathering
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
The Leave of Absence | A Late Fall Cocktail
This fall cocktail was created by our team member Diane Reeves! Here is a recipe for a slightly citrus-y and a little cider-y drink to help you have a mini escape, a “leave of absence”. We all have cause for a little furlough in our schedules, the need for a moment of calm, and I find the mixing of a cocktail to be a perfect little respite. And for the Fall season, the flavors in this drink emulate …
Butternut Squash + Sausage Soup | With a Video Tutorial
I love having friends over and casually and comfortably entertaining. The biggest thing that I have learned over the years is to cook things that I love to cook and things that I have cooked so many times that I am not stressed with my guests. So, make a fun cocktail for your guests and enjoy cooking for your friends and family and keep the focus on them and having a great time. Today, I wanted to share one of …
Fig + Prosciutto Pizza
Figs are in season and you can find them at many of the markets here in Colorado. I love that with the change of seasons comes the change in flavors we can add in our cooking. Around 4:30 each afternoon I remember that we like to eat dinner! Maybe you are the same way. No? Just me? Well, maybe you are better prepared than I usually am but this one is so easy you can still …
Shop The Look | Late Summer Gathering
Last week I shared my late summer gathering post inspired by friend Courtney’s brand new book, Inspired Gatherings. Everything used in the photos was pulled from our cabinets and foraged on our land but I have been collecting pieces for years. One of the most common questions I get is regarding where I find some of the staples I share in my entertaining or home posts. When possible I love to share my favorite shops and also suggestions for …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Come and Get Your Free Course | Art of Home
We have members from all over the world and like never before we see each other and can relate on a whole new level. I wish it wouldn’t have taken this pandemic but I am thankful for all of the ways I am seeing people reach out, encourage, give what they can and to spread joy. While we are all spending more time at home on lockdown we wanted to make sure you have some creating to do. Each week …
2019 Holiday Housewalk
I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Jen Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk almost as long as I have been blogging. It is the sweetest honor to be asked again to share our home along with so many incredible design and DIY bloggers! I am an artist, business owner and homeschool mom so I am usually capturing our home with my phone. I dusted off the real camera for this post and I can’t wait to check out …
All Home Online Courses On Sale | Just In Time For The Holidays
Thanksgiving is almost here and for many this is the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season. The day after Thanksgiving we go as a family to get our tree and each year the decorations get simpler and the meaning of the holiday becomes more known. We open our home more than every before and we are learning that gathering others is one of the sweetest ways to love others around us. We would like to offer you 40% off …
Guest Basket | Your Guests Will Feel Loved On!
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community and authentic relationship and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are …
Our Whole 2019 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land three years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2019 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. You will create …
Simple French Tablescape | Seasons of Home Holiday Series
One of my favorite places to travel and get inspired is France. The art, museums, cafes, history, architecture, food and the linens…oh, how I love those handwoven French linens. Whenever I travel to France I try to bring home a piece of art, something to use in the kitchen and I try to find new or vintage linens. It is my way of bringing home the beauty of France in a way that my whole family can enjoy. It is …
Modern + Cozy Christmas Kitchen | Seasons of Home Holiday Decor Series
The older I get the more I just go more with the flow and I don’t stick to rules (and most of the time the rules I created for myself). Even a few years ago I made sure we didn’t decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving. I felt like it wasn’t honoring of Thanksgiving (like Thanksgiving was all upset about it or something). Instead, I am just diving into cozy and we will enjoy it even longer. We are still present …
All Home Online Workshops 40% Off | To Celebrate The Holiday Season!
Home, gathering and family is central to who I am and how I want to live this creative life. Some of my favorite online courses that I have ever created have been based around home and how to create a space that is all about the people you love and not about the perfection. We are heading into the holiday season where we all want to create authentic moments with our friends and families. We all desire for the ones …
Fall Favorite | Pumpkin Pancakes with Apple Cider Syrup
View PostFall Kitchen Tour 2017 and Recipe | Fig + Prosciutto Pizza
The neighborhood pool closed yesterday so I guess fall is around the corner! Thank you for joining me for the Seasons of Home Holiday Series hosted and created by Kristen Whitby of Ella Claire. Come back each week over the next few months and get peeks into our home dressed up for Fall and Christmas. Our hope is that this series will be glimpses into our homes during the holidays as we will be sharing inspiration for simple cozy spaces. …
It’s The Weekend! | Strawberry Basil Whiskey Smash
It’s finally the weekend and it finally feels like spring here in Colorado! Time for some tastes of spring and time to relax. Thank you for joining us for the series It’s The Weekend!
Mother’s Day Gift Guide
I kind of love Mother’s Day. I have another reason to remind my mom how much I love her and how much she did for us. Pretty much we are half way decent people because she was a rockstar…stuff like that. I also get to get treated like a queen myself for one magical day! Finding gifts for people I love is one of my favorite things and I have a drawer in my bedroom with little treasures I find …
Modern Farmhouse Christmas Home Tour
We truly wait until after Thanksgiving to pull out our decorations for Christmas (and we are still pulling them out). We will be adding to our home over the next week but today is a great start! We are all so excited to celebrate the birth of Christ, to get ready for a new year, to intentionally choose how to spend the season and to gather for our favorite traditions. This is our first Christmas in our new home and …
Our Christmas Home Tour from 2015
***THIS POST IS OUR HOLIDAY HOME TOUR FROM 2015** Please come back tomorrow for our Christmas Home Tour for 2016 *** How do you say goodbye to a home and bring in the holidays for the last time at an address? The past few weeks have brought such a storm of mixed emotions and now the reality that we are moving from the only home our children have known. We love it pretty simple around here for the holidays and …
Our Past and Present Fall Tablescapes | A Fun Look Back
I love that I have had the opportunity to be a part of many home tours over the years because our real holidays do not get documented. When you have company over, you are rotating what goes in the oven and you are talking with your favorite people and there is little time for picture taking. I do love preparing for the gathering though. It is a part of my creativity and simple tablescapes are so fun to do. I …
Pumpkin Pancakes and Apple Cider Syrup | Our kids LOVE these
I am pretty much addicted to anything pumpkin so when fall comes around we turn to some of our pumpkin favorites. Pumpkin pancakes with apple cider syrup is a fall staple for as long as I can remember. THIS is the recipe that the kids ask for on special occasions and especially during the fall. We made ours gluten free but tweak it anyway you want to make it your own. We hope you love them as much as we …
Stitched Faces Limited Edition Art Kit
We are THRILLED to offer a limited edition art kit for Stitched Faces! We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. To purchase click HERE. Each kit will include: *Custom JO Vintage French Linen Embroidery Tool Wrap (perfect for your scissors, threads, pins etc.) 5 1/2″ x 8″ closed and 8″ x 14 1/2″ open. Four different sized …
Brand New Pastel Sets in the Shop!
We have just listed three brand new pastel sets from Wallace Seymour! Come and look at all sets! The first set is the Earth Color Set. The second set is Green Earth Color Set. The third set is Red Earth Color Set.
What is Inspiring Me Lately | What I am Reading, Listening to, Watching, Learning etc.
I wanted to share more of what I am reading, watching, listening to and learning etc. There is so much beauty all around us and we have to be intentional to make sure that what we consume (watch, read, listen to, learn) feeds us in beautiful ways. BUT the other message I know to be equally true is about not just being a consumer of all the beauty. Sit in the quiet. Be a maker of the beauty just for …
What is Inspiring Me Lately | What I am Reading, Listening to, Watching etc.
What is Inspiring Me Lately I wanted to share more of what I am reading, watching, listening to and learning etc. There is so much beauty all around us and we have to be intentional to make sure that what we consume (watch, read, listen to, learn) feeds us in beautiful ways. BUT the other message I know to be equally true is about not just being a consumer of all the beauty. Sit in the quiet. Be a maker …
Renaissance + Revival | I Am a Guest Author in the New Book Saturate!
Almost a year ago I was listening to a podcast that was talking about current events and politics in general. I had not been writing anything down while listening but some of the last few words talked about a great awakening and a new renaissance. I grabbed my journal and quickly wrote down those words and also wrote ART and underlined it. Those words resonated with me so much but the podcast in which I was listening to it almost …
Create + Thrive Audio Summit | Get Your Free Ticket!
I am excited to share that I am teaching along with 6 other phenomenal speakers who are talking about how to share knowledge and build your community, effectively teach in different styles, and host a variety of retreats and gatherings! The doors are opening, to a FREE audio event that you’re not going to want to miss! The Create and Thrive Audio Summit is produced and hosted by mixed media artist Roben-Marie Smith. It’s a unique combination of a summit …
January Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it washing extra linen remembering the sweet ones that were in our home just hours before, the way the air feels on an early morning walk with Kelly, the emptiness of our home after the holidays have been packed away, an extra five minutes of reading in the morning while still in bed and when a …
The Holiday Shop | We Can’t Wait To Wrap These Up For You!
Thank you for the honor of curating this collection for you! It has always been important to us to offer artisan products that are unique, beautiful to use and add to your creative process. We even have some brand new art supplies and all of our artisan supplies have been re-stocked! We look forward to wrapping up these artisan goods for you or a friend. Don’t forget that we also have gift certificates that are good for live workshops, our …
Inspiration is Everywhere | What I am Reading,Watching, Listening to, Learning and What Encourages Play!
I know we just had the November Round-Up but I wanted to share more of what I am reading, watching, listening to and learning etc. There is so much beauty all around us and we have to be choosy to make sure that what we consume (watch, read, listen to, learn) feeds us in beautiful ways. BUT the other message I am writing about is about not just being a consumer of all the beauty. Sit in the quiet. Be …
Registration Open | 2023 Live Art + Business Workshops!
We are beyond excited to announce our 2023 live workshops here at our home, land and studio! I was smiling the whole time we were creating all of the images. This year you will see almost all brand new workshops and some with content I have never offered before live. I am also offering two really special faith based (Christian) workshops and one is in collaboration with Jessi Green! Thank you to each one of you that makes coming to …
Diane Reeves New Gallery Show | Your Family is So Big
Many of you love our team member Diane Reeves from either coming to a live workshop here at our studio, taking her online course Line and Form or watching her An Artist Studio video. We wanted to share the beautiful news that Diane has a brand new body of work that she will be sharing at Surface Gallery beginning this Friday night. If you are near Colorado Springs you must take the time to see her brilliant new work and …
Beach Cottage Chronicles | Alexis Garrett Featured
For those of you that have been here for awhile you will have heard about my friend and cherished friendship with Alexis Garrett. We met over 13 years ago on a trip to France. I have always teased that she was the most precious treasure I brought back from that adventure. We have traveled the world together ever since, spent time with each other’s family, I laugh harder with her than anyone in the world, create art together, each …
Who Is Interested in a Fall Live Art Workshop?
We have the unexpected opportunity to host a September Field Notes | Flora and Fauna live workshop here at our studio, home and land. We held this workshop for the first time a few weeks ago and the response was so beautiful that we would love to offer another one. Create your own field notebook, cyanotype prints, botanical ink sketches, plein air painting, natural dying, nature walks, pigment and brush making, stitching, and more. We are currently looking to see …
I am Featured | Art Supplies by Uppercase
It was the biggest joy when I first received the invitation from Janine Vangool of Uppercase Magazine to be in her next Encyclopedia of Inspiration (if you know you KNOW). They are so beautifully and intentionally created and FULL of inspiration. This newest edition is all about ART SUPPLIES and I am beyond honored to be shared in these pages along with so many I adore and work with like @greenleafblue @la_maison_du_pastel @leslierottnerart @mystele1 @naturalearthpaint @peerlesswatercolors @pegandawl @robenmarie …
June Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it in weeding the garden, bare feet to the ground with a cup of coffee in hand, the beauty of a workshop and the women sprinkled all over our land, reading a book with words that drip with intention, a day of doing absolutely nothing, random texts that speak life over me, incorporating something from our …
Artist Sandi Hester Shares Using Our Pigment Cigars | FUN Video!
I know that so many of you LOVE Sandi Hester! She is so talented and she just shared about my ancient drawing materials, cigar pigments and how she uses the on her popular YouTube Channel. This video is pure joy!
The Beauty Chaser Collection | Shop Now
Beauty matters. My whole life I have been a beauty chaser and have often been made fun of because of it. I still pursued it, gathered it, and had my eyes and heart open to it. Being a beauty chaser is more about the heart than the eyes. Have a heart to truly see the beauty that is right in front of you. It is all around. I promise. There are days it is harder to find but that should …
April Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it in funny texts, my office being put back together after a year, little peeks of spring, being in the passenger seat as Ben drives, laughing with Maddy, watching Jack share his compositions with the world, long talks with a good friend, sun on my face and sunset with Kelly and a great glass of wine. …
Back in Stock | Natural Drawing Pigments
We love working with artisans to bring you gorgeous products that enrich your art. life and home. We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Wallace Seymour to offer you natural drawing pigments sourced from all over Europe. This is a product that I personally wanted to use myself in my own work and after much searching I realized they were not available here in the US. We wanted to change that! We just restocked the pigments you loved the …
Heading to Round Top, Texas | My Favorites
I have been enjoying the spring and fall antiques shows in Round Top, Texas for the past five years. This show has been going on for fifty years so I am definitely a newbie! I have also been blessed to have book signings, teach a live art workshop and also speak at The Gathering in Round Top. I have so many sweet memories with family and friends and I hope to continue going year after year. Each time I …
Natural Drawing Pigments | Now in the Shop!
We love working with artisans to bring you gorgeous products that enrich your art. life and home. We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Wallace Seymour to offer you natural drawing pigments sourced from all over Europe. This is a product that I personally wanted to use myself in my own work and after much searching I realized they were not available here in the US. We wanted to change that! We have stocked their whole collection and we …
March Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it snuggled up watching a movie with my kids, watching our daughter come home from college just to go to the Daddy Daughter Ball where she is the oldest daughter there, when the mountains turn payne’s grey as the sun sets, early morning walks with Kelly, watching our oldest and seeing how wise he has become, …
An Artist Studio | With Jeanne Oliver
As a creative, one of my favorite things in the world is to step into the creative space of another. I love when an artist shares their space, how they use it, a peek into their favorite tools and even what they are currently working on. I hope you will join me for the brand new An Artist Studio series! I will kick off the series and then each month a different artist will welcome us into their …
January Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it putting away all of the Christmas decorations, helping the big kids get back to college, putting the studio in order, a second cup of coffee, the joy of reading the last page of a book, and drives down roads I have never been before. Sometimes I even find beauty on the internet. I found so …
Transitions | Our daughter is heading to college
I like schedules, planning, knowing what is coming, and pretty much pretending that I am in control which I know deep down I am not at all. I don’t like change and transitions are hard for me. When there are lots of changes I feel it like a small storm under the surface and I try to slowly navigate the emotions but sometimes I push them aside to deal with another day because…well, they are hard. Sometimes even the most …
The Roundup | Beauty Found on the Internet this Week!
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sweet change of season happening here in Colorado, the smell of the plants at the nursery this time of year when everyone is beyond ready to play in the garden, the piano being played in our home, an unexpected gift from a friend and even beauty found on the internet given by …
A Moment of Quiet
| Matches | Notepad | Mug | Sage | Blanket | “It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready” said Sarah Kay, poet and teller of the hard truth of the cold end of the year. Do you feel that? Like time is running out before you’ve had time to check the time? I’ve found that during this season, finding time for myself, time to breath, is maybe more important than ever. But I’ve also found that carving …
Rhythms + Rituals | A New FREE Series
As we make our way closer to 2021 we want to offer a simple way to gather others that want to start the New Year with intention. With the division of this past year, financial uncertainty for many, and the reality of so many unknowns, I know that this time instead of feeling hopeful for the new year and what’s to come may feel more like the in-between. The waiting period. There were so many unexpected moments in my own …
Guest Baskets | Loving on those that stay with you
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community, authentic relationship, and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are staying. …
Top Ten For Making a Home Unique and Cozy
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
When Art Saved During the Pandemic
What started as being an impulse to give away one whole course on our site ended up being four whole courses every other week until now during the quarantine. Over that time we were able to give away over $650,000 in course content and we still can’t believe that number! After each course given away we heard story after story of how art was saving people from depression, loneliness, lack of money, direction and so much more. Your …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Come and Get Your Free Course | Art of Home
We have members from all over the world and like never before we see each other and can relate on a whole new level. I wish it wouldn’t have taken this pandemic but I am thankful for all of the ways I am seeing people reach out, encourage, give what they can and to spread joy. While we are all spending more time at home on lockdown we wanted to make sure you have some creating to do. Each week …
How To Make Birthdays Special For Children During Sheltering In Place
I love birthdays! One whole day to love on just one person. One day that allows you to give a person a glimpse into how much their life means to you! It is almost 22 years ago that our birthday tradition began. It was my birthday during our first year of marriage and my day started off with a stack of envelopes. Keep in mind that we barely had any money in those years but what followed made me …
Meet Our Newest Member of Team JO | Diane Reeves
We have the most incredible men and women that are a part of Team JO! They do so much behind and in front of the scenes to serve our customers and to support me. All that we put out into the world would not be possible without these incredible and talented team members. The newest member of our team is Diane Reeves and you will see her whenever you come to a live workshop at our home and studio, she …
Happy New Year | Let’s Build Together!
I would just like to encourage you this first day of 2020 to claim whatever “land” you have and to “build” upon it. Whatever you currently have is enough! So often we are in a hurry for what is next that we can forget that where we lay out head right now has potential and promise. If you have an apartment, rent a room in a home, townhome, small home, live in suburbia, or have 100 acres. Name it, honor …
Ten Things That Defined This Decade In My Life + Business
1. All of the things that made me weird growing up are now the things that make our life and business. I was the kid making up plays, gathering the neighbors, writing poetry under a tree (no one needs to read those), writing songs, designing clothing and randomly calling the airlines to see how much it would cost to fly to California. Being a creative kid in a small rural town can be hard. Sports were king and …
2019 Holiday Housewalk
I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Jen Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk almost as long as I have been blogging. It is the sweetest honor to be asked again to share our home along with so many incredible design and DIY bloggers! I am an artist, business owner and homeschool mom so I am usually capturing our home with my phone. I dusted off the real camera for this post and I can’t wait to check out …
All Home Online Courses On Sale | Just In Time For The Holidays
Thanksgiving is almost here and for many this is the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season. The day after Thanksgiving we go as a family to get our tree and each year the decorations get simpler and the meaning of the holiday becomes more known. We open our home more than every before and we are learning that gathering others is one of the sweetest ways to love others around us. We would like to offer you 40% off …
Guest Basket | Your Guests Will Feel Loved On!
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community and authentic relationship and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are …
12th Year In Business Anniversary Sale! | 40% Off One Course!
Twelve years ago I had a one, five and seven year old and once they were in bed each night I would create until the early hours in the morning. I look back now on those nights and know that those hours to myself to create and finding time no matter the exhaustion the next day was what brought my creativity back to life. It all started with home, gathering, making handmade journals, and altered letters and frames. The …
My Journey In Morocco | Marrakech Part III
You can read Part One HERE. You can read Part Two HERE. The first full day in a new city usually is full of too much to take in and when you are as far away from home as Africa it means new languages, smells, sounds, textures, colors, social norms, clothing, and even worship. I had a hard time keeping up with the group that first day because I kept on noticing the little things. The tiles, the light against …
My Journey In Morocco | Marrakech Part I
Last summer as we were getting out of the car to head to our town pool I had an email come into my inbox telling me that registration had just opened for my friend Michelle Fletcher’s first big workshop in Morocco. I have been friends with Michelle for many years now. Through art and business, our hearts have been tied together. She made some huge life changes within the past three years and I had been so inspired by her …
Where to Sleep, Eat, and Shop In Round Top, Texas
This fall I was in Round Top, Texas during antiques week to teach an art class, speak at an event and for two book signings. I have wanted to come to antiques week for years and with the beautiful invitations from Tara Royer Steele and Holly Kuhn I was eagerly packing my bags and leaving room for vintage treasures. I had so many questions about where we shopped, ate and stayed that I wanted to do a fun post sharing …
Holiday Housewalk | 2018
Thank you Jen Rizzo for inviting me year after year to be included with some of the most talented men and women I know in your gorgeous holiday housewalk. Thank you for allowing this artist that loves home so much to hang out with all of these design and DIY bloggers that make creating home an art. Guys, I have been a part of Jen’s housewalk since the beginning! That means this is my eighth year! So crazy and fun …
Gift Giving Guide | 2018
Each year I love sharing some of the products that I am loving in my own life and I believe in supporting other small business owners and giving these products as gifts too! This is why it is so important to small business owners like me that when you love our products you share with your friends and family. You sharing is the best thing you can do to bless us. Here are some of the products and small business …
My Health Scare, A Video and Where We Go From Here
While we were coming home from a teaching, speaking, book-signing trip in Round Top, Texas, my left eye went black/blind and I had only a small sliver of vision left as we were leaving Amarillo. Kelly and the kids were with me and Kelly was driving. I had been feeling extremely run down at this point in our two-week trip and we were all eager to get home. Instead of home, we turned around and headed to the emergency room in …
20th Anniversary Sale | 40% Off One Online Course
It was a Friday night in Washington, DC in February of 1998. I had worked late and I was supposed to meet up with friends in a local brewery. I saw Kelly come in with a group of people and I instantly said to my friends, “Check out my future husband”. We went on our first date the next week, we were engaged four months later and married 8 months after meeting. It has been hard and beautiful and broken and lifegiving. I had no idea how hard …
The Fall Art Garden | Seasons Of Home Porch Tour
Welcome to the Seasons of Home porch tour hosted by Kristen Whitby of Ella Claire. We have more land than porch so we are mixing the two and we are so glad you are here! When we were first looking at our home it was in the middle of winter and the land was covered in snow. Of the seven acres only a small side garden was fenced in but with its stone raised garden beds, trees and two gates …
Being a Tourist in Denver | Top Spots on My Birthday
I am a birthday girl and try to squeeze every last bit out of it on that day. When people say they don’t really care about their bday’s I do not relate to those people. At all. One day all about me and what I want to do and everyone smiles the whole day while they do my things? Perfection. If I am being completely honest I believe it is more like birthWEEK. If I am really lucky I start …
It’s The Weekend! | Strawberry Basil Whiskey Smash
It’s finally the weekend and it finally feels like spring here in Colorado! Time for some tastes of spring and time to relax. Thank you for joining us for the series It’s The Weekend!
It’s The Weekend | Concrete Planter
I’m gonna be honest – working with concrete intimidates me! But with all the concrete home items trending, I was determined to figure out a way to imitate the concrete look without having to dive into figuring out real concrete. The result? A super clean, cheap alternative to the expensive concrete planters you see in Target and West Elm! What you’ll need: Plastic planter w/ detachable drip tray Paint brush Grey paint (I used a Behr paint sample in “Anonymous”) …
It’s The Weekend | Mid Century Plant Stand
I don’t know about you, but this time of year I get a little crazy about having plants around the house. They add so much life to a space and they can be so much fun to watch grow! Lately, I’ve been trying to figure out how to display my plants in a way that keeps everything from looking cluttered. The result (drum roll please): DIY Mid Century Plant Stands! I was able to get everything at Lowes for only …
It’s The Weekend! | Strawberry Basil Whiskey Smash
It’s finally the weekend and instead of getting outside and enjoying the balmy spring Colorado weather, we’re bracing ourselves for the year’s biggest snow storm. But that doesn’t mean we can’t bring spring inside with a perfectly sweet & super yummy cocktail! Whether you’re sunbathing outside or hiding from the snow inside, enjoy a fresh taste of spring! Jen Thank you for joining us for the new series It’s The Weekend! This series will be hosted by Jeanne Oliver and …
Weekend Update {print sale}
I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! It is incredible here….60 degrees with snow coming in a few days (can you believe that temp difference?). Kelly took Jack and Madolyn for a BMX ride and Ben is playing outside with the neighborhood big kids. He feels so big right now because they came to the door to play with HIM. I wanted to let you all know that I am putting everything in my shop {mainly only prints …
Weekend Plans
I am excited to fly to California, spend time with my friend Kasey and take part in a fun and girly day. I know I will be inspired by amazingly talented and creative women. I can't wait to show you the pictures and share the stories. I also have more new goodies that I will be adding to my site next week. See you after the weekend.
Poetry of Place | Brand New Online Course Early Registration Open!
Poetry of Place – the unique, distinctive, cherished aspects of a place where stories, art, memories, beliefs, and histories are woven into a tapestry of great beauty. Your home should mirror who you are and the stories you carry. It is sacred space. It is the stories of our days, nights, celebrations, and everyday journeys. Stories that bring us joy and lead us to reminisce. A poem that doesn’t need to be recited, because it is seen and felt. …
My Top Ten Tips For Creating a Cozy and Authentic Home
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
Magnolia Branches | January Refresh
Once the house is clear of Christmas and spring in Colorado is still months away…there is this in-between of seasons. This is the time when I like to organize, still honor winter with textures and layers throughout the home, candles, pine branches from our land and each late January I splurge on Magnolia branches! They really do feel like a splurge but they are this sweet reminder that spring is coming (in about four months in Colorado) and …
A Moment of Quiet
| Matches | Notepad | Mug | Sage | Blanket | “It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready” said Sarah Kay, poet and teller of the hard truth of the cold end of the year. Do you feel that? Like time is running out before you’ve had time to check the time? I’ve found that during this season, finding time for myself, time to breath, is maybe more important than ever. But I’ve also found that carving …
Christmas Stove Top Potpourri
With simple ingredients (that you most likely already have on hand) you can create an easy and amazing smelling stove top potpourri. Try adding sage, thyme, coriander or other herbs and spices that you love too. Don’t save this idea just for the holidays. Change the scents throughout the year.
Guest Baskets | Loving on those that stay with you
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community, authentic relationship, and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are staying. …
Butternut Squash + Sausage Soup | With a Video Tutorial
I love having friends over and casually and comfortably entertaining. The biggest thing that I have learned over the years is to cook things that I love to cook and things that I have cooked so many times that I am not stressed with my guests. So, make a fun cocktail for your guests and enjoy cooking for your friends and family and keep the focus on them and having a great time. Today, I wanted to share one of …
Foraging in the Fall | Favorite Vessels For Displaying Your Finds
| Photo and styling by Diane Reeves | “Golden you are, October. Golden sovereigns on your trees. Golden guineas on your floor, golden coins of leaves that fall for us to scuffle through.” Elsa Beskow Colorado is golden and I can’t get enough of it’s beauty Foraging in nature to celebrate the change of the season is part of my rhythm. It grounds me. Some of my favorite foraging finds over the years include tumbleweeds, dried grass, …
Creating Intention in Your Home Office
| Blackwing pencils | Ash Candle | Pottery | Big Idea Book | Most of us are working from home more than we have in the past. For others maybe you have always worked from home (like us) but you are noticing that your working space does not have the care put into it that you pour into other areas of your home. I am definitely impacted by my surroundings and when my space feels cluttered, haphazard …
Shop The Look | Late Summer Gathering
Last week I shared my late summer gathering post inspired by friend Courtney’s brand new book, Inspired Gatherings. Everything used in the photos was pulled from our cabinets and foraged on our land but I have been collecting pieces for years. One of the most common questions I get is regarding where I find some of the staples I share in my entertaining or home posts. When possible I love to share my favorite shops and also suggestions for …
Top Ten For Making a Home Unique and Cozy
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
Framed Gallery Wrapped Prints | Jeanne Oliver Art for your Home
We have been wanting to take our gallery wrapped prints and make them even more special (and instantly ready to hang) by having them custom framed with poplar wood. We wanted to make art not only more affordable with the prints but to have the attention to detail with the framing that would make you so proud to hang these prints in your homes, studios and offices. For the first time we are offering large prints too that are to …
How To Paint Your Own Mural Wall | Speed Up Video and Sources
As we were getting ready to film our online business workshop, Creatively Made Business, we wanted the backdrop of the course to feel special and very unique to the course. We hired artist Mollie Garre to design the image that we would use to project, trace and then paint. We had our designer Jen Wagner then mockup the wall using photoshop with the wood wall showing, painted white or black. This was so helpful because it allowed me to visualize …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Come and Get Your Free Course | Art of Home
We have members from all over the world and like never before we see each other and can relate on a whole new level. I wish it wouldn’t have taken this pandemic but I am thankful for all of the ways I am seeing people reach out, encourage, give what they can and to spread joy. While we are all spending more time at home on lockdown we wanted to make sure you have some creating to do. Each week …
Happy New Year | Let’s Build Together!
I would just like to encourage you this first day of 2020 to claim whatever “land” you have and to “build” upon it. Whatever you currently have is enough! So often we are in a hurry for what is next that we can forget that where we lay out head right now has potential and promise. If you have an apartment, rent a room in a home, townhome, small home, live in suburbia, or have 100 acres. Name it, honor …
Shop Our Home | Favorites From Our Holiday Home Tour!
We loved sharing our home dressed up for Christmas and your feedback is always the sweetest. We always get so many questions about our home, how we decorate and how to create a home that looks modern but feels cozy at the same time. I think creating home is a gradual and beautiful process but I think there are some key elements that bring that cozy and modern feeling together. We have gathered some of our favorite things from …
2019 Holiday Housewalk
I have been fortunate enough to be a part of Jen Rizzo’s Holiday Housewalk almost as long as I have been blogging. It is the sweetest honor to be asked again to share our home along with so many incredible design and DIY bloggers! I am an artist, business owner and homeschool mom so I am usually capturing our home with my phone. I dusted off the real camera for this post and I can’t wait to check out …
All Home Online Courses On Sale | Just In Time For The Holidays
Thanksgiving is almost here and for many this is the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season. The day after Thanksgiving we go as a family to get our tree and each year the decorations get simpler and the meaning of the holiday becomes more known. We open our home more than every before and we are learning that gathering others is one of the sweetest ways to love others around us. We would like to offer you 40% off …
Guest Basket | Your Guests Will Feel Loved On!
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community and authentic relationship and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are …
Holiday Housewalk | 2018
Thank you Jen Rizzo for inviting me year after year to be included with some of the most talented men and women I know in your gorgeous holiday housewalk. Thank you for allowing this artist that loves home so much to hang out with all of these design and DIY bloggers that make creating home an art. Guys, I have been a part of Jen’s housewalk since the beginning! That means this is my eighth year! So crazy and fun …
Gift Giving Guide | 2018
Each year I love sharing some of the products that I am loving in my own life and I believe in supporting other small business owners and giving these products as gifts too! This is why it is so important to small business owners like me that when you love our products you share with your friends and family. You sharing is the best thing you can do to bless us. Here are some of the products and small business …
The Fall Art Garden | Seasons Of Home Porch Tour
Welcome to the Seasons of Home porch tour hosted by Kristen Whitby of Ella Claire. We have more land than porch so we are mixing the two and we are so glad you are here! When we were first looking at our home it was in the middle of winter and the land was covered in snow. Of the seven acres only a small side garden was fenced in but with its stone raised garden beds, trees and two gates …
Fall Kitchen 2018 | Seasons of Home Tour
I have been a part of this amazing group of women, bloggers, designers, and entrepreneurs for many years now. I can think back to all the years of the collaborations, inspiration, encouragement and more that we receive from one another because we are a part of a community. Gathering together not only brings home tours and fun posts but it also allows our communities to expand and grow deeper roots. Whatever role you find yourself in your life I have …
Walking Decisions Out and Overcoming Fear | Part Two
You can read part one HERE. We had decided by that first night to take the gift of our new home, land, and studio and see if we could make a go at it without a net. We made this decision in early May and there was no net as of August 1, 2017. As the days of no net quickly approached I could feel the stress, anxiety, and pressure slowly creeping towards me. It wasn’t full and overpowering but …
An Artist in Florence | With Melissa McArdle
In 2018 I knew that 2019 was going to be the last year I led overseas art workshops for the foreseeable future. As much as I loved gathering, teaching and traveling it was the most deep knowing that it was time and I had complete peace about my decision. Then 2020 changed all of our worlds and I was not only grateful that I didn’t have scheduled trips to cancel but it also was a reminder how much I had …
Fall Tablescape | Into the Woods We Go
This post is sponsored by AllModern Fall begs for gathering and I think the most beautiful and inviting spaces can be created outside. We have been having the most fun creating cozy spaces and “rooms” throughout our land and today I am sharing our newest space for the Farmhouse Holiday Series hosted by Ella Claire. I wish I could take you along on all of the trails that we have created off of this space and throughout all of our …
If Adventure, Creating and Travel Speak To You {I have something for you}
Sometimes we get to be wild explorers and travel far away, other times we can connect with other creatives not far from home and at other times we have the joy of hunkering down right where we live and creating among our day to day life. Each one of these are life giving and creative building travels. I love that my travels have allowed me to build beautiful new friendships, sketch among stained glass windows and old wooden pews, sip …
A Sold Out Workshop on a Sold Out Ship {one spot just opened}
******ONE spot just opened for this sold out art workshop on this sold out ship****** Ever since I have been a little girl I have been a lover of history, architecture, art and I have ALWAYS known…I would travel. I am greatly driven by my desire to learn, explore and to discover more of this world. My family makes choices all of the time that will make it possible for us to travel more and to have less of other …
Photography 101: Through The Artist’s Eye Begins on Monday!
Nothing has defined our business and brand as much as finding my own style through photography. This has been a gift that has not only grown our business but allowed me to capture my family and the day to day. Photography 101: Through the Artist’s Eye with Cynthia Shaffer begins on Monday, April 25th! The registration price for this one week course (4+ hours of content) is $46.00. This course will begin on April 25, 2016, all content will be …
The Living Studio Along the Seine River Cruise
Ever since I have been a little girl I have been a lover of history, architecture, art and I have ALWAYS known…I would travel. I am greatly driven by my desire to learn, explore and to discover more of this world. My family makes choices all of the time that will make it possible for us to travel more and to have less of other things. We want to collect adventures and memories and not just things. I have an …
Is The World Your Studio? {a glimpse into Savannah}
A few years ago when I came up with the concept behind The Living Studio I had hopes of traveling with women, connecting with different cities and creating outside the studio. My heart’s desire was to encourage women to get out of their comfort zone and to implement daily practicing. I wanted us to become those we had maybe admired for years in the parks, museums, cafes. To become those that were creating whenever the opportunity arose. As of this …
Creativity Takes Courage {Cat Bude}
*** For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity …
Just Dreaming About It Won’t Get You There
In the new year there can be long lists of dreams for the year and maybe even a yearly bucket list. What I have found to be true is that me just dreaming about something has never led to the actual doing and experiencing. If I want to learn something, go somewhere, spend time with someone… I have to make a PLAN OF ACTION. There have been more times than I can count that I had no idea how I …
The Living Studio Normandy, France {registration is open}
My heart behind The Living Studio is that we will all learn to explore and create wherever we live. I hope to inspire people to step out of the comfort of their studios and out into the world and boldly create based upon the beauty all around them. This unique retreat combines my love of travel and creating and connecting with other women. I don’t know how many times over the years I had walked past a person sketching in …
Italy {Bellagio and Off To Florence}
I have loved looking through my Italy Instagram photos for these posts. I didn’t pick up my camera very often and I have to admit that using mainly my phone made me enjoy the moments more. I want to make a book with all of the Italy Instagram photos and I will let you know what company I go with (and how it turns out). We are now on days 5, 6, 7 and 8. You can read about the …
Flashback Friday {Inspired: What Katie Ate}
{Originally posted on January 31, 2011} About a month ago my friend Kim shared a website with me that I had never seen. What Katie Ate is a foodie blog by Katie Quinn Davies. From the moment I saw it I was mesmerized. In fact, I wanted to live in the blog and perhaps roll around naked in a few of the recipes. I do not regulary photograph food…but the way she stages and photographs will inspire you no matter …
Living Beyond Happiness {Reaching For The Joy}
{image found HERE} I hear it all of the time… You deserve to be happy I deserve to be happy If I only had xyz… I would be happy It is not that happy is a bad word. I just know that there is more! {image found HERE} You are surrounded by it every day. Surrounded by this idea that happy belongs to you and it you aren’t living it every second than you are doing something wrong or …
Easy Instagram Tips {filters and so much more}
I love my Canon 5D Mark ii. I really do. I have been cheating on it for awhile now though and I am not ashamed. I use the inferior camera on my iphone everyday and I use Instagram to document our days. It is not just the ease of Instagram that has me hooked but all the awesome apps that you can purchase to instantly change your photos. That whole instant thing is pretty fun and convenient. I thought before …
Up Close and Personal {The Sophie}
When we have a brand new bag that we are launching I like to give you a closer look at the bag. I hope this is the next best thing to you being here at our studio. Today I want to give you a closer look at the Sophie Leather Messenger Bag. Here are some of the sweet highlights of this gorgeous handmade bag. The Sophie * made from soft buffalo leather * closes with a substantial rounded flap * …
Are You The Winner? {Come and Find Out}
Thank you for everyone that has been loving on our new Vintage Collection! Thank you for telling your friends and family. {vintage yellow dress} Thank you for sharing it through Facebook, Twitter and your blogs. Thank you for all your pins on Pinterest. We are a small business that has the honor of constantly growing because of YOU! {Lucy Ruffle Tote} We have been crazy busy over here lovingly wrapping up hundreds of orders. Packages are being shipped all over …
Old Glory Antique Show {and time with the Fancy Farmgirl}
(all of the photos were taken by my phone in tons of sunlight..sorry) I live in Colorado as most of you know. We are known for our beautiful mountains, incredible weather, occasional wildfires, Tebowing and hiking. Not known for amazing shows. When my friends in the PNW are all heading out to the Farm Chicks show I am just a tad jealous. When my midwest friends all pile into a car to shop at the Country Living Fair I mope …
You Can’t Do Everything {I can attest to this}
{image is mine} I love this quote. Today is proves very much true. I sometimes can be delusional that I can juggle a million things. The truth is I can’t. When I try I usually prove that all I accomplish is to do everything half way. When you really put yourself into something everything else falls to the wayside….at least for me. Today we just launched our new course. My office is a disaster, the laundry could be climbed, …
Lover Of Words
As we are putting the final touches on the new course I wanted to share some of the quotes that we will be sharing. I love including words in my art and it is so fun to put these together for the courses. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Enjoy your weekend. And for those of you ready to grow your business or learn how to start…..I will see you on Monday afternoon.
Positive Gossip
This past January I went to Alt with Kimberly, Mel and Estelle. I wrote about the weekend HERE. The last night of the conference we were all relaxing, talking and having a few drinks before we all went our separate ways the next morning. Around the table with me was Kim, Mel, Estelle, Beefy, Melissa, Courtney and Melissa (I wonder what the popular name was 30 something years ago..hmmmm). Towards the end of the night Kim suggested that we play …
Finding The Lovely {Week One}
My friend, Kimberly Taylor, and I were looking for a fun way to document the lovely things in our lives for the month of February. Since it is the month of love and and we do LOVE taking photos….this is the idea we came up with. We wanted to be intentional about looking around us everyday and finding the little things that bring great joy and are just plain ol’…LOVELY! We wanted it to also be easy. We didn’t want …
Old Roads {and making room for the new ones}
Dinner was on the table at the farm and my children were nowhere to be found. My brother obligingly set off to find them. I also went out to check on their progress of pulling themselves away from the freedom and wonder of the farm….to obey. All three of them were running down the country lane. I rushed back into the house to grab my camera and quickly capture them, the setting sun, the light on the golden cornstalks. It …
Top Ten List {Dream Girls 2}
{Top Ten List} 1. Beef Bourguignon tastes the best when you are sitting around a table with a dear friend 2. When I heard the theme was hillbilly…I didn’t really have any concept of hillbilly! 3. That being hit on at the Yella Beak by a woman is fine with me at this point in my life. 4. Brainstorming with creative women helps me to come home more inspired and focused than before. 5. 40 women should not solder without …
All Four Love {Loved Deeply}
Good morning! I hope you have been taking some photos this week. {previous post HERE explains the whole thing} I have to admit that my photo taking was not too impressive this week with the snow storm and all. I am hoping to get outside over the next three weeks and not only take photos inside my home:-) Even though this week was {loved deeply} there are obviously many people missing from these photos. {here are three that make my …
All Four Love
I love to take photographs and you will usually see me lugging a camera around with me wherever I go. My friend Courtney and I thought it would be fun to take photos with a purpose for the month of February. A way to show all the beauty around us through the lens. We named it All Four Love…for the four Fridays that we will be posting the photos. To make it even more fun we wanted to invite all …
Petite Limited Edition Stitched Faces Art Kit
We are thrilled to offer you a petite version of our original Stitched Faces Art Kit. This set is VERY limited and we will not be offering any more of these art kits after they sell out. You can purchase the Petite Stitched Faces Limited Edit Art Kit HERE. We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. …
Stitched Faces Limited Edition Art Kit
We are THRILLED to offer a limited edition art kit for Stitched Faces! We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. To purchase click HERE. Each kit will include: *Custom JO Vintage French Linen Embroidery Tool Wrap (perfect for your scissors, threads, pins etc.) 5 1/2″ x 8″ closed and 8″ x 14 1/2″ open. Four different sized …
Brand New Pastel Sets in the Shop!
We have just listed three brand new pastel sets from Wallace Seymour! Come and look at all sets! The first set is the Earth Color Set. The second set is Green Earth Color Set. The third set is Red Earth Color Set.
Artburst Studios | A Brand New Way to Buy Art
I am thrilled to share that there is a new and beautiful way to buy art! I think this is brilliant and so needed! It’s been a year in the making, and you’re going to love it! Artburst Studios, a unique online art show experience, has come to life under the thoughtful planning of artists Jennifer Steck, Jennifer Yoswa, and Rebecca Berman. It was designed with love and care to serve and celebrate artists and art lovers. …
Instant Gifts to Give or Get!
If you are still looking for a creative gift to give a friend OR if people in your life are asking you for gift ideas, I wanted to share some beautiful offerings that are instant access or will begin in 2023. You can print out the image or receipt, wrap it up and it will be the creative gift that brings beauty to whomever it is given.
Holiday Shopping Guide | Last Week for Christmas Delivery
Our shop is full and ready to ship. Above you will find some of our best sellers and customer favorites | My book The Painted Art Journal, custom made pigment cigars from Europe, handmade leather journals, vintage mineral watercolor sets, I am a Maker Banner, Natural Liquid Inks from Europe, custom made wooden bead bracelets, Boxed Oil Paint Sets from Europe, and Drawing Blocks from Europe. You can shop our full collection HERE. We look forward to wrapping up these …
The Holiday Shop | We Can’t Wait To Wrap These Up For You!
Thank you for the honor of curating this collection for you! It has always been important to us to offer artisan products that are unique, beautiful to use and add to your creative process. We even have some brand new art supplies and all of our artisan supplies have been re-stocked! We look forward to wrapping up these artisan goods for you or a friend. Don’t forget that we also have gift certificates that are good for live workshops, our …
Brand New Watercolor, Tempura, Oil and Pigment Sets in the Shop!
We have slowly been adding to our stock of European art supplies from Wallace Seymour. We are the US distributor and we have been so honored to offer you the ancient drawing blocks and custom made pigment cigars. Your response to them has been incredible. I am excited to announce that I have curated eight vintage mineral watercolor sets based upon some of my favorite travel locations. We are now also offering pigment, oil, and tempura sets! The quality is …
I am Featured | Art Supplies by Uppercase
It was the biggest joy when I first received the invitation from Janine Vangool of Uppercase Magazine to be in her next Encyclopedia of Inspiration (if you know you KNOW). They are so beautifully and intentionally created and FULL of inspiration. This newest edition is all about ART SUPPLIES and I am beyond honored to be shared in these pages along with so many I adore and work with like @greenleafblue @la_maison_du_pastel @leslierottnerart @mystele1 @naturalearthpaint @peerlesswatercolors @pegandawl @robenmarie …
June Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it in weeding the garden, bare feet to the ground with a cup of coffee in hand, the beauty of a workshop and the women sprinkled all over our land, reading a book with words that drip with intention, a day of doing absolutely nothing, random texts that speak life over me, incorporating something from our …
Artist Sandi Hester Shares Using Our Pigment Cigars | FUN Video!
I know that so many of you LOVE Sandi Hester! She is so talented and she just shared about my ancient drawing materials, cigar pigments and how she uses the on her popular YouTube Channel. This video is pure joy!
The Beauty Chaser Collection | Shop Now
Beauty matters. My whole life I have been a beauty chaser and have often been made fun of because of it. I still pursued it, gathered it, and had my eyes and heart open to it. Being a beauty chaser is more about the heart than the eyes. Have a heart to truly see the beauty that is right in front of you. It is all around. I promise. There are days it is harder to find but that should …
Back in Stock | Natural Drawing Pigments
We love working with artisans to bring you gorgeous products that enrich your art. life and home. We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Wallace Seymour to offer you natural drawing pigments sourced from all over Europe. This is a product that I personally wanted to use myself in my own work and after much searching I realized they were not available here in the US. We wanted to change that! We just restocked the pigments you loved the …
The Roundup |Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sound of the fountain as I am pulling weeds in the garden, the kids wanting to tell me about their day, an orange and pink sunset, the horses neighing across the road and even beauty found on the internet given by complete strangers. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the …
Proof of Life | Journal Entry No. 04
Proof of Life Journal Entry No. 04 Welcome to the Proof of Life journal entry series. Writing more in general, and specifically with you, is something I hope to continue throughout the year. Like many of you, life has become clearer over the past year and there are many things I have dropped along the way that I deeply desire to pick back up. In turn, there are things I never want to pick up again. From the very beginning, …
The Roundup | Beauty Found on the Internet this Week!
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sweet change of season happening here in Colorado, the smell of the plants at the nursery this time of year when everyone is beyond ready to play in the garden, the piano being played in our home, an unexpected gift from a friend and even beauty found on the internet given by …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
Push Past The Ugly | Beauty is Around the Corner
*Originally published early in our business but such a good reminder I wanted to share again* One of the hardest things is pushing past the ugly. When we are doing something new or something out of our comfort zone there is often the ugly/hard that accompanies it. I am the biggest cheerleader of my children to practice, try again and push beyond…it can be harder when it comes to me. Have you ever had a hard patch …
Three More Stencil Idea Videos
Have you wanted to create portraits in your work or art journals? Have you wanted the process to feel easy, fun and even relaxing? Maybe you just want some new inspiration and some new lines to get you started? I am so excited to tell you about my brand new stencils from Stencil Girl Products and how this new tool can say YES to each of the questions above. Last year I was approached by Mary Beth Shaw of Stencil …
Be Your Own Santa!
It can be so easy to shop for those we have the same in common with but sometimes there are others that we love so much but shopping for them is just plain hard. You want to do something nice for someone you care about but you also want to give them something they will LOVE and USE! If you have a creative in your life (or someone that WANTS to learn to create) give them a JO …
Last Days for Holiday Delivery
We have loved wrapping up so many special artisan products from our shop for you! Just a reminder that tomorrow night (December 8th @ 10pm MT) is the last day we can guarantee Christmas delivery. Each item will come beautifully wrapped and ready to give (or keep for yourself). Give the gift of creativity! Give my book, The Painted Art Journal! Shop all of our gallery wrapped canvases HERE Shop our artist supplies + necessities HERE …
Holiday Shopping Guide 2020 | Support Small Businesses
I have watched with awe and pure respect as so many small business owners have worked harder than ever this year to save, sustain or grow their businesses. Each birthday gift I purchase, teacher we want to thank, or Christmas gift I wrap each year…it is with great intention to try to support another small business in the process. This year this simple act is more important than ever before! I do not want to see a world without the …
Are You Believing Any of These 7 Business Myths?
There’s a new way to run your business! Mindset and limiting beliefs can have a huge impact on your life and business. If you want to create a life and business that thrives then it is time to let go of mindsets that are holding you back. Have you been believing any of these 7 business myths? These are the top myths that I have had, I hear from business consultants and live business …
Are You Losing Sales? | Get my 7 time-proven tips to boost your sales!
Are you sharing your work on Instagram, Facebook, your blog and even Pinterest and not seeing any engagement? Do you have a beautiful product, service or experience that you KNOW will impact others and make their lives better? Do you just not know how to get the word out and how to help others see what you already believe about what you have to offer? I have created a free guide to get you started and to help you have …
Petite Limited Edition Stitched Faces Art Kit
We are thrilled to offer you a petite version of our original Stitched Faces Art Kit. This set is VERY limited and we will not be offering any more of these art kits after they sell out. You can purchase the Petite Stitched Faces Limited Edit Art Kit HERE. We have thoughtfully and intentionally curated a kit that would match the uniqueness of the online workshop. You do not need this kit to participate in the course. …
What is Inspiring Me Lately | What I am Reading, Listening to, Watching etc.
What is Inspiring Me Lately I wanted to share more of what I am reading, watching, listening to and learning etc. There is so much beauty all around us and we have to be intentional to make sure that what we consume (watch, read, listen to, learn) feeds us in beautiful ways. BUT the other message I know to be equally true is about not just being a consumer of all the beauty. Sit in the quiet. Be a maker …
Instant Gifts to Give or Get!
If you are still looking for a creative gift to give a friend OR if people in your life are asking you for gift ideas, I wanted to share some beautiful offerings that are instant access or will begin in 2023. You can print out the image or receipt, wrap it up and it will be the creative gift that brings beauty to whomever it is given.
The Holiday Shop | We Can’t Wait To Wrap These Up For You!
Thank you for the honor of curating this collection for you! It has always been important to us to offer artisan products that are unique, beautiful to use and add to your creative process. We even have some brand new art supplies and all of our artisan supplies have been re-stocked! We look forward to wrapping up these artisan goods for you or a friend. Don’t forget that we also have gift certificates that are good for live workshops, our …
October Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it having coffee with Jack in the side garden, watching the leaves fall and dance in the wind, the smell of fall in the air, getting to hug our girl, getting to cuddle with our youngest, NYC with Kelly and the joy of moving Jack to Nashville. Sometimes I even find beauty on the internet. I …
I am Featured | Art Supplies by Uppercase
It was the biggest joy when I first received the invitation from Janine Vangool of Uppercase Magazine to be in her next Encyclopedia of Inspiration (if you know you KNOW). They are so beautifully and intentionally created and FULL of inspiration. This newest edition is all about ART SUPPLIES and I am beyond honored to be shared in these pages along with so many I adore and work with like @greenleafblue @la_maison_du_pastel @leslierottnerart @mystele1 @naturalearthpaint @peerlesswatercolors @pegandawl @robenmarie …
June Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it in weeding the garden, bare feet to the ground with a cup of coffee in hand, the beauty of a workshop and the women sprinkled all over our land, reading a book with words that drip with intention, a day of doing absolutely nothing, random texts that speak life over me, incorporating something from our …
March Round-Up | Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is all around me if I have my eyes open to it. Sometimes I find it snuggled up watching a movie with my kids, watching our daughter come home from college just to go to the Daddy Daughter Ball where she is the oldest daughter there, when the mountains turn payne’s grey as the sun sets, early morning walks with Kelly, watching our oldest and seeing how wise he has become, …
My Top Ten Tips For Creating a Cozy and Authentic Home
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
Gift Guide for the Beauty Chasers | Christmas 2021
We are all beauty chasers in one way or another. My friend Timothy Willard often says that, “Beauty Defies Despair”. Do we have our eyes open to that beauty? The beauty that is all around in people, nature, circumstances, love, forgiveness, faith, gathering, the work of our hands, the sound of laughter, the comfort of touch, the gifts of others and a million other moments of beauty that defy despair? We are a small business, I love to purchase …
The Roundup |Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sound of the fountain as I am pulling weeds in the garden, the kids wanting to tell me about their day, an orange and pink sunset, the horses neighing across the road and even beauty found on the internet given by complete strangers. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the …
An Artist in Florence | With Melissa McArdle
In 2018 I knew that 2019 was going to be the last year I led overseas art workshops for the foreseeable future. As much as I loved gathering, teaching and traveling it was the most deep knowing that it was time and I had complete peace about my decision. Then 2020 changed all of our worlds and I was not only grateful that I didn’t have scheduled trips to cancel but it also was a reminder how much I had …
Proof of Life | Journal Entry No. 04
Proof of Life Journal Entry No. 04 Welcome to the Proof of Life journal entry series. Writing more in general, and specifically with you, is something I hope to continue throughout the year. Like many of you, life has become clearer over the past year and there are many things I have dropped along the way that I deeply desire to pick back up. In turn, there are things I never want to pick up again. From the very beginning, …
The Roundup | Beauty Found on the Internet this Week!
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sweet change of season happening here in Colorado, the smell of the plants at the nursery this time of year when everyone is beyond ready to play in the garden, the piano being played in our home, an unexpected gift from a friend and even beauty found on the internet given by …
Start Where You Are With What You Have | The Art of Gathering
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
Instant Access | Gathered Inspiration Boards with Jeanne Oliver
I am a gatherer. I gather vintage papers, photographs, leftover bits of my own work, words from magazines, color palettes that inspire, foraged finds and composition ideas wherever I can find them. I often use these gathered pieces in my new works but first they often find themselves layered on my studio wall. With simple artist’s tape I begin layering all of the little bits of beauty that I have found. This is how I document ideas, new classes, the …
My Brand New Stencils Are Here | Come Watch the Technique Video
Have you wanted to create portraits in your work or art journals? Have you wanted the process to feel easy, fun and even relaxing? Maybe you just want some new inspiration and some new lines to get you started? I am so excited to tell you about my brand new stencils from Stencil Girl Products and how this new tool can say YES to each of the questions above. Last year I was approached by Mary Beth Shaw of Stencil …
A Moment of Quiet
| Matches | Notepad | Mug | Sage | Blanket | “It is December, and nobody asked if I was ready” said Sarah Kay, poet and teller of the hard truth of the cold end of the year. Do you feel that? Like time is running out before you’ve had time to check the time? I’ve found that during this season, finding time for myself, time to breath, is maybe more important than ever. But I’ve also found that carving …
Guest Baskets | Loving on those that stay with you
Opening our doors and loving on those in our lives is such a sweet gift. The more I gather the more I learn how important it is and that so many just want to be invited. Invited into community, authentic relationship, and the joy that comes from that. The holidays are right around the corner and one thing we do in our home for company is to place a guest basket in the room where they are staying. …
Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. I love to wrap gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use other vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium-sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I use throughout the year. 1. I …
Shop The Look | Late Summer Gathering
Last week I shared my late summer gathering post inspired by friend Courtney’s brand new book, Inspired Gatherings. Everything used in the photos was pulled from our cabinets and foraged on our land but I have been collecting pieces for years. One of the most common questions I get is regarding where I find some of the staples I share in my entertaining or home posts. When possible I love to share my favorite shops and also suggestions for …
Late Summer Gathering | Inspired by Nature
In a world where gathering may look a little differently and definitely a little smaller, it is still one of the things our hearts and lives need the most. We are made for each other, community and connection and we are now being given a new opportunity to figure out new ways to use our gifts to bless those around us. When many things have come to a halt there are still graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, first days of school, milestones …
Top Ten For Making a Home Unique and Cozy
I believe spaces should be used well, beauty should not be saved just for company and home should reflect the hearts that live there and not just the trends we see around us. I am not a designer but putting home together has been my heart for as long as I can remember. Once I became a wife and mother I had to make a choice to either have my perfect space or create a space that was perfect …
Framed Gallery Wrapped Prints | Jeanne Oliver Art for your Home
We have been wanting to take our gallery wrapped prints and make them even more special (and instantly ready to hang) by having them custom framed with poplar wood. We wanted to make art not only more affordable with the prints but to have the attention to detail with the framing that would make you so proud to hang these prints in your homes, studios and offices. For the first time we are offering large prints too that are to …
Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping
Wrapping up gifts for those that I love is half of the fun of giving. I love to wrap gifts in vintage French linens but you could also use yardage of any fabric you have on hand or use other vintage linens. Vintage napkins are very generous in size and will be large enough for most small to medium-sized gifts. I wanted to share my sources for the gift wrap materials I use throughout the year. 1. I …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
The Living Studio Along the Seine River Cruise
Ever since I have been a little girl I have been a lover of history, architecture, art and I have ALWAYS known…I would travel. I am greatly driven by my desire to learn, explore and to discover more of this world. My family makes choices all of the time that will make it possible for us to travel more and to have less of other things. We want to collect adventures and memories and not just things. I have an …
Creativity Takes Courage {Cat Bude}
*** For those of you that are new to the blog I want to tell you a little bit about the free series. My creative network offers free videos, new online courses, live “chats” and now interviews with courageous lovelies from around the world. Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite creative women and business owners. You can see the talented list of interviewees over on my creative network under Creativity …
Just Dreaming About It Won’t Get You There
In the new year there can be long lists of dreams for the year and maybe even a yearly bucket list. What I have found to be true is that me just dreaming about something has never led to the actual doing and experiencing. If I want to learn something, go somewhere, spend time with someone… I have to make a PLAN OF ACTION. There have been more times than I can count that I had no idea how I …
What is Inspiring Me Lately | What I am Reading, Listening to, Watching etc.
What is Inspiring Me Lately I wanted to share more of what I am reading, watching, listening to and learning etc. There is so much beauty all around us and we have to be intentional to make sure that what we consume (watch, read, listen to, learn) feeds us in beautiful ways. BUT the other message I know to be equally true is about not just being a consumer of all the beauty. Sit in the quiet. Be a maker …
The Holiday Shop | We Can’t Wait To Wrap These Up For You!
Thank you for the honor of curating this collection for you! It has always been important to us to offer artisan products that are unique, beautiful to use and add to your creative process. We even have some brand new art supplies and all of our artisan supplies have been re-stocked! We look forward to wrapping up these artisan goods for you or a friend. Don’t forget that we also have gift certificates that are good for live workshops, our …
The Roundup |Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sound of the fountain as I am pulling weeds in the garden, the kids wanting to tell me about their day, an orange and pink sunset, the horses neighing across the road and even beauty found on the internet given by complete strangers. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the …
Proof of Life | Journal Entry No. 04
Proof of Life Journal Entry No. 04 Welcome to the Proof of Life journal entry series. Writing more in general, and specifically with you, is something I hope to continue throughout the year. Like many of you, life has become clearer over the past year and there are many things I have dropped along the way that I deeply desire to pick back up. In turn, there are things I never want to pick up again. From the very beginning, …
The Roundup | Beauty Found on the Internet this Week!
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sweet change of season happening here in Colorado, the smell of the plants at the nursery this time of year when everyone is beyond ready to play in the garden, the piano being played in our home, an unexpected gift from a friend and even beauty found on the internet given by …
A Free Art Video | Value Mapping with Debbie Miller
Value Mapping with Debbie Miller A New Free Art Video Join Debbie in this free lesson from her first course on the Jeanne Oliver Creative Network. If you love teacups and coffee mugs, love the idea of art as storytelling, and feel inspired when you let yourself reflect on the sacredness of ordinary things, then this painting course is for you. I hope you have the best time this weekend creating!
Start Where You Are With What You Have | The Art of Gathering
Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been leading a group making art along the Seine, taking a bike ride through the vineyards of Austria, baking croissants in Paris or opening the doors to our own home, land and studio…gathering has been at the heart of our business and life. We started workshops very simply in local shops and by moving furniture around …
How We Started Live Workshops | The Art of Gathering
This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. I never want you to look at where we are now with our business, art or live workshop etc. and not see where we started. I am the biggest believer in starting where we are with what we have! I KNOW that has been the “secret” to growing my gifts, art, and business and it the “secret” to growing yours! This post was originally shared on May 29, 2013. …
Make the Ordinary Beautiful | Watch the Video
Join me in this next video where I talk about little ways to bring beauty to the ordinary in a live workshop. I am loving hearing from you in the comments and all of your excitement and feedback about our previous videos about our French Picnic Baskets and our Live Workshop Checklists. Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been …
My Current Watercolor Palettes | Get the names and links
A few weeks ago in the JO Creative Community (I would love to have you join the free FB group)I shared the art supplies currently on my cart. The stars of the show were my two watercolor palettes that are a custom combination of half pans from Ocean Paper and Wildthorne. I had so many requests wanting to know exactly what colors were in the palettes that I made a short video and then labeled each color for you. …
Be Your Own Santa!
It can be so easy to shop for those we have the same in common with but sometimes there are others that we love so much but shopping for them is just plain hard. You want to do something nice for someone you care about but you also want to give them something they will LOVE and USE! If you have a creative in your life (or someone that WANTS to learn to create) give them a JO …
New Free Art Video | Travel Journal Supplies with Lorraine Bell
We have just added another free video to our creative network! Today we have released Travel Journal Supplies with Lorraine Bell. This free video is taken from Lorraine’s course An Illustrated Journey. This free video gives you a taste of the course, An Illustrated Journey, and we hope you will join us for the full class! This video is free but you still need to be logged into your account on jeanneoliver.com to access the video. If you have …
A Video of What is Inside our Entertaining Cabinets and Favorite Sources!
Last weekend I finally got around to cleaning out our laundry room and organizing our entertaining cabinets. That room had been a dumping ground since Christmas and with workshops (hopefully) starting back up again late June I knew it was time to tackle it. It was fun to share the process in IG stories over the weekend and after it was organized I made a quick video below answering some of the MANY questions that came during my clean out. …
Our Whole 2020 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land almost four years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2020 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. Our schedule …
A Brand New Facebook Creative Community | It Will Be More Beautiful With YOU!
We just created one place on Facebook for you to share your work from any class or what you are working on yourself, travel, favorite exhibits from around the world, the best live workshop you just attended, the book you are reading you HAVE to share or an article that you know other creatives will want to read too! We hope this a place where all things creative get shared! Come on over and join our Facebook Creative …
12th Year In Business Anniversary Sale! | 40% Off One Course!
Twelve years ago I had a one, five and seven year old and once they were in bed each night I would create until the early hours in the morning. I look back now on those nights and know that those hours to myself to create and finding time no matter the exhaustion the next day was what brought my creativity back to life. It all started with home, gathering, making handmade journals, and altered letters and frames. The …
Our Whole 2019 Live Studio Workshop Schedule | Just Announced!
When we bought this home and land three years ago it was for the gathering of creatives and non-creatives alike. We knew it was to be a gathering place and it has fulfilled that desire and promise over and over again. We are so excited to announce our full 2019 studio schedule. For many our studio workshops are a yearly journey and maybe you have been waiting for the right event to make your own trip here. You will create …
Leaps of dreams and finances are hard. I know.
Leaps of dreams and finances are hard. I know. I remember years ago the first time I talked to Kelly about taking a creative trip to France just for me. I remember reading the details and crying because it seemed so wonderful and inspiring and SO WHAT MY HEART NEEDED. Kelly told me that he didn’t know where we would find the money to go but that I had to go. He could see how much this trip was calling …
Our One Year Milestone and Walking Through Storms | Part One
Last year on May 4, 2017, I was just wrapping up an all-day workshop in my studio with local teenagers. The teachers and students had just walked onto the bus when I started to walk back down our gravel driveway as I saw Kelly approaching me. He let me know that he had just received some shocking news and my first response (in total me style) was, “Does it have anything to do with money”? I don’t like …
Stephanie Lee Metalsmith Workshop | Jeanne Oliver Studio
Join Stephanie Lee in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado on November 2-3, 2018 for a two-day art workshop. Our studio is light-filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land and studio brings you rest and filled with inspiration. When you arrive on Friday morning you will be welcomed with mimosas and a light snack as we find our places and meet each other. Most of …
Amsterdam, You Were A Dream
It has been a month since I returned home from The Living Studio | Amsterdam and Beyond. This exploring, creating, adventuring and connecting has been one of the sweetest parts of our business. As a child that dreamed of travel, being an actress, singer, artist, writer, fashion designer, interior decorator, and archeologist (I liked a lot of things growing up:-) I feel like I get to live out so many parts of who I am and the things I …
Join The Last Living Studio Art Workshop Abroad | Prague to Budapest
Being a creative person can mean your heart and mind is all over the place with all of the beautiful things you can do, the art you can make and the places you can travel. I started The Living Studio art workshops as a way to join travel and creating in a way that was authentic to me and shared it with others that also wanted to wake up to the beauty all around them. These overseas trips were a …
Funky Faces With Sara Burch | Live At The Jeanne Oliver Studios
Join Sara Burch for a three-day art workshop in our studio in beautiful Castle Rock, Colorado! Our studio is light-filled and surrounded by wooded property that lends itself to exploring, creating and relaxing. You will have opportunities during the workshop to also make your way through some of our wooded paths and find a spot to create. It is our heart’s desire that your time on our land, home and studio brings you rest and creative freedom. Funky …
The Living Studio Danube 2019 | Prague to Budapest
Ever since I have been a little girl I have been a lover of history, architecture, art and I have ALWAYS known…I would travel. I am greatly driven by my desire to learn, explore and to discover more of this world. My family makes choices all of the time that will make it possible for us to travel more and to have less of other things. We want to collect adventures and memories. For all of you lovers of adventure, …
One-Day Art Workshop In Franklin, TN | Registration Open
***THIS WORKSHOP IS SOLD OUT*** The official launch date of my new book, The Painted Art Journal, is July 4th and because we were going to already be in Nashville and Franklin, TN at this time we decided to celebrate at our home away from home! We have been shown such overwhelming kindness in Tennessee and we are excited and humbled to tell you that Kim Leggett of City Farmhouse will be hosting my one-day art workshop on June 29th …
Creating Art While You Travel | Free Video
One of the most art changing habits that I have established over the years is creating and using a portable art studio. Just enough supplies to make sure I can create anywhere. Daily creating is a choice and even though I may not always have the time to work on a large piece of art, I can always find time to connect with my creativity. Watch my free video and put together your own portable art studio!
An Artist in Bellagio, Italy | My Top Tips
Welcome to An Artist In series. In this series a different artist, that is intimate in different parts of the world, will share their insider tips for where to eat, stay, see the best art, sketch the best views, rest at their favorite cafes and more. You will be able to go out and adventure here in the US and abroad and feel like your best friend shared the best kept secrets about an area and you can explore with …
Travel Musts Shopping Guide
I have wanted to travel since I was a little girl. I would call up the airlines and ask them how much to fly from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angles, California (or a million other places). I am so sorry to every single person that spent all of that time on the phone with me as I was dreaming up where to go and how I would pay for it! Creating adventures for myself and our family is still …
Autumn in New York City | Retreat with The Cottage Table Experience
For our 24th wedding anniversary celebration Kelly and I signed up for The Cottage Table Experience NYC retreat. We came in a few days early so we could get acclimated and mostly to see the incredible Victory Boyd in an intimate concert. Day one was yummy tapas, walking all day long and loving it, MOMA, and ending the day with the concert. It was a beautiful day one but wait until you see all we did and all the beauty …
I Am Teaching In Italy NEXT Fall | Get On The First To Know List
I have been (impatiently) keeping a beautiful secret. I am so giddy excited to share that I have been invited by Daune of The Cottage Table Experience to teach along side Stephanie Lee next fall in Tuscany. Registration will not open until next month but Daune has opened a First to Know list and if you are on this list you will get registration information before anyone else! I am really excited to be back teaching live overseas workshops …
My Favorite Moments | The Cottage Table Experience Italy Retreat
I have often found that while traveling it can be hard to process beauty, significance of moments, the impact that the journey is having on me, the relationships, what I will choose to bring home in the way of gardening, food, decorating, lifestyle etc. I am a processor but most often after the trip. It will steep in me for days, weeks, months and sometimes years. Travel has impacted how I entertain, make art, use beauty in my day …
The Cottage Table Experience | Italy Workshop Registration Is Open!
We are back from our family trip to Italy celebrating Jack’s college graduation and my 50th birthday! It was absolutely beautiful in so many ways and I will be sharing more in the weeks ahead. The first 9 days of our trip was just as a family and then the next 7 days I joined friends for Daune and Keith Pitman’s The Cottage Table Experience. I was receiving so many messages asking whose retreat I was on etc. and if …
Heading to Round Top, Texas | My Favorites
I have been enjoying the spring and fall antiques shows in Round Top, Texas for the past five years. This show has been going on for fifty years so I am definitely a newbie! I have also been blessed to have book signings, teach a live art workshop and also speak at The Gathering in Round Top. I have so many sweet memories with family and friends and I hope to continue going year after year. Each time I …
The Roundup |Free Beauty Found on the Internet
I am constantly in awe of the beauty that is there if you have your eyes open to it. Sometimes it will be the little things like the sound of the fountain as I am pulling weeds in the garden, the kids wanting to tell me about their day, an orange and pink sunset, the horses neighing across the road and even beauty found on the internet given by complete strangers. I found so many beautiful little treasures on the …
An Artist in Florence | With Melissa McArdle
In 2018 I knew that 2019 was going to be the last year I led overseas art workshops for the foreseeable future. As much as I loved gathering, teaching and traveling it was the most deep knowing that it was time and I had complete peace about my decision. Then 2020 changed all of our worlds and I was not only grateful that I didn’t have scheduled trips to cancel but it also was a reminder how much I had …
Make the Ordinary Beautiful | Watch the Video
Join me in this next video where I talk about little ways to bring beauty to the ordinary in a live workshop. I am loving hearing from you in the comments and all of your excitement and feedback about our previous videos about our French Picnic Baskets and our Live Workshop Checklists. Over the past 13 + years we have gathered others through live workshops here in the United States and abroad. Whether we have been …
New Free Art Video | Travel Journal Supplies with Lorraine Bell
We have just added another free video to our creative network! Today we have released Travel Journal Supplies with Lorraine Bell. This free video is taken from Lorraine’s course An Illustrated Journey. This free video gives you a taste of the course, An Illustrated Journey, and we hope you will join us for the full class! This video is free but you still need to be logged into your account on jeanneoliver.com to access the video. If you have …
I Feel Pretty Oh, So Pretty | Barely There Skincare and Beauty Products
I recently heard someone say we are not all in the same boat but we are all in the same storm! This is such a perfect way to describe what we are all walking through. We run an online business and much of what I do to connect with customers and collaborations is also online. That means during this time I may not be leaving the house much but I still need to get dressed, feel good about how I …