Ashley Warnock Photography

I had to share a few photos from our session with Ashley Warnock from early this summer.  Ashley is such a dear friend and talented doesn't begin to scratch the surface when talking about her.  AMAZING is what I like to call her.  Let me just show you a few pics from our shoot.  I love how she captures our little life.  Candid, real moments on a Saturday in May....

These two.

I love this because I know what G is saying...."Bruhder...are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  That's become his new phrase.  No idea where he came up with that one, but I love it!!

  She is not only a talented photographer but also an incredible organizer.  This is a whole separate business where she will take all of your pictures and organize them into one album.  You can do yearly albums or lump several years together for one album.  I gave her 6,000 (literally) photos from our life in 2012 and she combed through, edited and brought them together into one beautiful book.  Amazing!!!!  You need to get on her list, because I know she has one a mile long and get a session and an album made. I mean, well worth it people!!!  I would never have taken the time to go through that many photos but she will and loves it!!!  

Here are a few pics from our album....look how thick it is!!!!

These above pictures are all ones I took but Ashley doctored them up a little lot!  Go here to get her contact info.

Little Sleep Style

I have been so slack about pulling together a "big boy" room for my littlest.  He is 3.25 years old now and it's time I get rid of the sweet stripes on his walls and the baby framed prints.  He is such a rough and tumble boy and his room right now looks like a nursery still.  Poor baby.  I'm hanging onto to the baby years since he is my last.  

  

I thought I would pull together a little board of what I'm imagining for it.  He loves the beach and has absolutely no fear around water-slightly terrifying but I also want to embrace that for him.  I'm always a fan of blue, white and grey so those are basically the colors I am starting with but will of course throw in some orange and green.  

1-loving these beach/surfer photographs blown up and framed in the big white square frame(unknown source-found on Pinterest)

2-How freaking amazing is this chest from IKEA? Don't need, but l.o.v.e!!!!

3-BM Horizon Grey

4-another amazing IKEA find

5-abstract piece by his momma-Way Way Allen

6-curtain panels turned bedskirt from......wait for it...IKEA

7-All time favorite sheets from Serena and Lily

8-CB2 standing light-perfecto

9-bedskirt from Anthropologie similar to the look we're going for with the curtain panels above.

His room is so tiny I only have room for a single.  I have a really cool headboard for it that I'm thinking of painting but want to wait until the room is painted to see what I think.  It has an asian flare to it with a washy green glaze over it.  I promise to post about it once we get a little further in the process!  So, what do you think?  Do you like the direction his room is headed?  

The Graduate

This month has been nuts am I right?  We have been moving a million miles a minute and I feel like, as funny as it is to say, now that school is out, life is starting to slow down a little!  Last friday we had Little R's kindergarten graduation.  He has grown up so fast and into such a smart, sweet and independent little guy!  

A few shots in the yard before heading to school.  Baby bro is not happy about momma stuffing him into a too small outfit.  My days are numbered...

Little R and his two best "girlfriends" standing above,  waiting outside the church before the graduation program.

During the program....

and the little graduate...Round 1!

 On that note, we have decided to have him repeat kindergarten again next year but we have not brought ourselves to tell him yet.  I wanted him to get through "graduation" with all of his buddies before I dropped the bomb.  We know it's the best decision for him but I do know he will be upset about it.  I'm sure it will be short lived but I just hate the thought of making him upset or to feel not good enough!  Lucky for me, I know so many parents who have held their children back in kindergarten and they ALL  have told me it was the best decision they ever made!!! We know it is, 100% the right decision for us but it still does not make it any easier for me to tell him.  Have any of you "redshirted," as they now call it, your child?  It seems so much more common now than it was when I was coming along.  

Deets on the last few weeks

Did I mention we went to Vermont a few weeks back?  

Gorgeous but Brrrrrrr.....  

Little R has been begging for bunk beds basically his whole life so HAPPY 6th Birthday to him!!!  Happiest boys on the block!!!!

**Got to be honest, we have a little bribery situation going on at the moment.  You see, little bruder wants so desperately to sleep with big bruder in his new bunk bed.  Deal is, he can when he gets potty trained.  It's been a disaster.  I've waited too long and now I'm going to have to wait even longer.  Just this week, while on the phone with my mom (for 4 minutes), I kid you not, the child tee teed in the dog's water bowl-in the house, went back to bunk bed bruder's room and pooped on the rug, tee teed again on the rug and colored crayons ALL over this ladder he is climbing below.  In 4 minutes. AAAARRRRRRRRRRR CHILD!!!!!  He's back in diapers.  I can't deal.

Now that I've unloaded about my baby, I'll tell you what my first baby has been up too.  We have been working hard trying to find fun new ways to learn the "same old boring stuff."  Thank goodness Pinterest is in my life for this reason!!!  Little R has been counting and sorting cars, trucks, emergency vehicles and then writing down the number he comes up with.  His attention span is not long but I find doing a little everyday has helped so much whether it's 5 minutes here and there or 30 minutes at one time.  Making it fun is key!  Tell me if you have any tricks up your sleeve for your kindergartner?!!!  Writing in shaving cream on the kitchen counter is another fun activity.

Hosted a Rikshaw trunk show at my house with my bud Brook.  Had the most amazing turnout-thanks to all you gals who stopped by!!!  Such fun catching up!!  If you haven't stopped by their website, check it out for all your Spring/Summer essentials!!!  Blue waves camp shirt is on it's way to my house...

Working on a painting for Sidney's new shop, Eclectic.  If you are living anywhere near Charleston you must stop in this shop on your way out to the beach!  She has the best finds for your house in there!!!

I just love this composition for a game room.  Wood plamked ceiling, lights, paint colors.

  Good times had by all later that evening....

On the hunt...

for a new sofa

and possibly new bedside tables...

Keep in mind all the unbeatable sales going on locally here in Charleston!!!!  

GDC 20% off upholstery

Celadon 20% off upholstery

SOM 25% off upholstery

(South of Market)

Working on a little DIY for our shop Novel.  Big show coming up at Novel. next Thursday, March 21 with our girls from Pout in Columbia.  Hope you will stop by to see us!!

  Open 11-8pm that day

Hope to be checking in more regularly...where does the time go.....

Painting Unload

I thought it had been a while since I had shown y'all some of my paintings, so here ya go.  Since taking these pictures I have shipped a few to a store in Kentucky, Adele, and delivered a few to a local store in Mount Pleasant called Eclectic (you must go by if you have not already!!!!!  Located in the old Belvas).

This canvas below was a WIP but I never snapped a picture of it once complete.  You can see it in person at Eclectic if you are interested???

These next three pictures have been shipped out to Adele in Lexington, Ky.  I was sad to part with these but hope they will find new homes soon!

Have you seen my little wall o art in Novel.?  It's constantly changing but this what it looked like earlier in the week.

A little shelf rearranging at home.  Blue's my favorite color.  In case it wasn't clear.

Rut Roh...looks like MM (Mischief Mouse) has been caught red handed.  Little flower bed has no chance....

Naturally sweater was ruined. 

Why buy white?

Tuesday Food Day

But wait it's Thursday.  Whoops!  I have had a few requests to get better about my Tuesday Food Day posts so I am going to do my best.  The problem is I really cook the same thing over and over so that would get so boring to read!  Maybe now I will branch out because I have to report back here!  Anywho, this is what I made this week..

Spinach and Chive Linguini 

(Trader Joes-obsessed)

wilted spinach

basil

chopped tomatoes

roasted butternut squash

topped with Bulgarian Sheep Feta

lemon garlic EVOO S+P

and a side order of sauteed kale

(in chicken broth)

OBVIOUSLY I am so not a food stylist nor a photographer so this probably looks horrible but I promise it was delicious and relatively healthy.  Big R gave his approval too!

Now below is what I made out of the leftovers the following nightt...

Spinach and Chive Linguini over Arugula

roasted zucchini

roasted mushrooms

wilted spinach

basil

chopped tomatoes

Bulgarian Sheep Feta

lemon garlic EVOO S+P

This was more like a salad.  I LOVE arugula and it was so good with the linguini and roasted vegetables!  Y'all will have to give it a try and let me know what you think or what you would do differently.  I am into easy meals these days.  I have the two little crazies running underfoot at all times which makes any prep work difficult.  Love my boys!!

I know this is so wrong.  Balancing lighters between his toes.  He is obsessed with lighters.  Thank goodness he hasn't figured out how to light them because he carries them around everywhere!!!  

And big bro couldn't miss out on the attention so foot in mouth was his trick.

Keeping Up

I have been really bad about keeping up in general but mainly keeping up with documenting my work as I go.  I am such a immediate gratification type of girl, so once I finish something I package it, ship it  and take no pictures.  I'm trying to be better.  So I thought I would share with you a few things I have completed over the last two weeks. 

 Also, I feel the need to acknowledge that  my art may seem random since it ranges from children's pieces to more abstract work, but it's one of those things that has come full circle for me.  Abstract painting was my focus all along in college, but once I had Little R, I needed some paintings for his nursery so I started what is now Blue Chickadee.   I guess within the last year I got my hand back into abstract pieces and I'm SOOO  happy I did!!!  It is so much fun to feel so free!!  

I'll start with a few pieces I did for some nurseries...

14"X18"

9"x12"

Painting for children's rooms led to painting totes to use as diaper bags (then onto bubbles, bloomers and bibs).  These here are more for the momma but I also paint them for the kiddos with animal silhouettes like the paintings.

This is my favorite

and up close

And here are a few abstract pieces that have no been shipped-woohooo!!!!

 36"X36"

 

36"X36"

a few up close shots

Earlier this week my boys were dying to paint so we broke out the watercolors and went to town..

with no clothes on of course.

I peeked over Little R's shoulder and could not believe his piece!!!  Loving how free he was with his paint instead of trying to "make something" like he usually does.  This one is going to need a frame!

Both the boys work.  

I love that they like to paint as much as their momma!!!

BTW, Little R said this bottom piece is of the planets...I spy Saturn.