Instagram Crush – Phillippa Stanton

Hello my lovely readers!

I know it’s been a little while since I’ve shared some yummy art or photography to enjoy but I’m here to make up for it with a delicious sampling of work from the incredibly talented Instagram icon and Synesthetic Artist – Phillippa Stanton.Wondering what a Synesthetic Artist is? Here’s how it is described on her website:

“Being Synesthetic means that Philippa can see sound, taste and smell in shape, colour and texture, allowing her to create unique portraits of people’s voices, food and drink.”

So cool right? I can see this gift reflected in her photography for sure.

Her photography and short videos make my heart pitter patter and I often let out an audible sigh. Her gorgeous shots embody stunning color, interiors of her fairytale cottage (in Brighton, England of course), delightful styling and her adorable siamese kitty. Her images make you want to step inside her world and stay…forever.

You must watch the precious videos she creates. They are magical moments of stillness and beauty.

Like this one…

Ok…I’ll stop gushing. Just enjoy these and go visit her feed on Instagram.

{All images via Phillipa Stanton}

Aren’t they just beautiful? So poetic in the way she arranges each item, each petal and always a steaming cup of tea! She truly shows us how beauty exists all around us. In our belongings, our family table, out our window – we only need to take the time to see it.

Now, go take a minute for yourself. Breath in the beauty in your life. You deserve it.

I hope you enjoyed.

With love and gratitude,

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Art to Adore: Maria Pace-Wynters

Hi there!

How is everyone!? Been uber busy around here with family visitors, summer camps and filming for my latest online Art classes!

However, amongst the chaos I try to make time to be quiet and still, so I can reflect on how this amazing life is unfolding. (I’m trying to learn how to meditate – not easy for me!)

One of the other things I absolutely love to do to unwind is to peruse Pinterest and Instagram for new art to love on. My latest ART crush is on the work of the amazingly talented, mixed media artist – Maria Pace-Wynters.

Gah!! Her work is just drop dead gorgeous. Vibrant colors, lyrical line work and angelic faces! Here have a look…

See what I mean!? Her work literally makes me gasp! These stunning shots are from her Instagram feed. I highly recommend you check it out so you can witness the beauty of these creations!

She also has a lovely Etsy shop! I just HAD to acquire a few of her prints!

Okay lovelies…gotta get back to work! Hope you enjoyed looking at these! So very inspiring!

Much love to you all.

xo,

{all images via Maria Pace-Wynters}

Instagram Spotlight : Susan Tuttle

Hello there! Hope your 2014 is off to a good start.

I wanted to share some beautiful Instagram work by Susan Tuttle. This lovely lady is one talented iPhoneographer. Her photos are both enchanting and haunting, emoting a seductive, mysterious quality. So gorgeous.

Enjoy…

{@susantuttle}

Have a happy Friday.

xo,

Ivy

Art Journaling : Brené Brown Class

Hi there! How’s life? Things have been going well here and I’ve been diligently working on my Brené Brown art journal homework from the Oprah life class. Following along with the book has been truly life changing. The messages within have been resonating deeply with me as I become aware of my own issues with perfection, shame and self-worth – pretty heavy, I know. BUT so inspiring and refreshing at the same time!

I’ve had several “ah-ha” moments that made me smile while other pages brought on the tears. One huge epiphany I experienced, was when I realized the cause of my recent creativity block. It wasn’t because my creative juices ran dry or I ran out of inspiration…it was because I was focusing on attaining approval rather than just being authentic. I wasn’t creating for me. I was creating for others and seeking praise. All of sudden, the likes on Facebook didn’t make me feel good anymore, the hearts on Instagram didn’t mean anything. I felt numb. So I stopped making art. Joy was replaced with doubt.  Understanding why this happened has brought me great clarity.

Working in my very first art journal has renewed my creativity and given me the chance to further digest the information in the book. I had promised to share some of the pages with you…so here they are…

I thought that the first assignment was very appropriate. That scary first white page was dedicated to giving yourself permission.

Next, we had to take pictures of ourselves with our “Pledge” written on our hand – “I’m imperfect and I’m ENOUGH!” Love that.

The class went on to explore the word – COURAGE and it’s original meaning: to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart. Then we listed the people in our lives that we trust and share our story with. We placed this list in the center of our heart. I wrote the word “Thank You” on my list to remind myself to be eternally grateful to these special people.

Then we were assigned to find a photo that captures our “true self” and write about who we see, what makes this person light up and how we need to treat her. Loved how this exercise made me feel.

This last collage kinda just happened…the inside of the journal cover needed some art! :)

As I mentioned, I’ve never art journaled before and I’m really loving it! I’m getting a little braver with my materials and exploring new ways to blend words and images.

Have you ever kept an art journal? If you do, I would love to hear how you like to use it.

Hope your week is full of inspiration.

xo,

Ivy

A Creative Weekend away…

Hello there! How is life treating you this week? Besides a pesky summer cold, I’m doing quite well and I’m so thankful that last weekend I got to get away with a dear friend for a creative retreat! We stayed at the sweetest cottage in the quaint Oregon beach town of Manzanita. Here are some shots via my Instagram…

This cottage doesn’t get any cuter right? It is the perfect place for a beach getaway.

The vintage kitchen is adorable with layered personal touches and unique collections.

Mornings (sans kids) were blissfully quiet and peaceful – sipping coffee, reading magazines and writing in my journal. Here is Katie enjoying a fav cooking mag.

After we had substantial amounts of coffee we would move outside into the “garage” which is really an amazing outbuilding that my friend Candace converted into a charming dining hall. Strung with lights and adorned with artwork, old wine bottles and other beautiful objects it feels like a beachy treasure trove. The energy in this space is fantastic and you can tell many wonderful evenings have been spent at the long farmhouse table. We were immediately inspired.

It didn’t take long for us to spread out and get right into a creative zone…

After a little bit of art journaling and playing with my watercolors…

I began a small mixed media piece…

Almost done…

And finished!

It was an amazing weekend and I was sad to leave. As much as I missed my family, having some precious time to focus on art was such a gift. Katie and I agreed to do it again soon! Thank you, Candace for letting us stay at your magical home!

Do you have a favorite place to get away and create?

xo,

Ivy

Room service at Dawn

Hi there! Happy Friday! Wanted to share a few more Instagram snapshots from my Sydney trip.

One of my favorite mornings there we ordered a room service breakfast, promptly delivered at 6 am. Jetlag didn’t really slow us down, it just had us going to bed early and waking up with the birds – which – actually turned out to be a gift. Watching the sunrise over Sydney harbor is quite breathtaking and enjoying a hot cup of tea in the snuggly hotel robe wasn’t too shabby either…

I have a thing for itty bitty jars – especially when they say “Made in Australia”.

What a magical way to start the day. I felt so grateful for this sweet indulgence.

Have a gorgeous weekend!

xo,

Ivy