Coffee Date!

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It’s been a long time since I had a coffee date with ya’ll! First I want to share recent Etsy Shop work! This is a family crest which I so love and adore because it’s so personal. I feel like it’s almost as good as family photos (but not quite as good 😉 ) because of the legacy it leaves. I worked with my client to incorporate all the important life/family things into their crest: the state tree of West Virginia (where they were married), the year they were married, the mountains of Kentucky (where they now live), a cross and a shield that is based off of their family Bible verse, and ocean waves for their favorite place to vacation. I created this with pen and watercolors and it was really fun for me to make!

I’ve been re-growing my nails out since the beginning of September, mostly because I really missed doing fun designs on them! These days I’m sticking with the less time-consuming design of polka dots, but I plan on getting more creative once my photo season winds down. Look out for fun Christmas designs! 🙂

NEWS! I started a YouTube channel on a whim! (Like most of my creative endeavors, this has the possibility to be either short, medium or long term.) Obviously you know I love making art and listening to good music, so I decided to combine the two and do some live-painting to my favorite songs. The idea came to me as I was trying to fall asleep one night and the next morning I had to try it! First I set up my paints and my camera, and then I turn on a GREAT song and paint what I feel and hear! Live! In real time! So basically these are short, abstract watercolor sessions (with me singing along in the background, but I try to keep that to a minimum 😉 ) Here’s the result from my latest:

In other non-artsy news, Nate and I booked a weekend trip to DC in a couple weeks! I’m so excited! We went once before, the summer of 2013, and had SO much fun, so I am really excited to make some new memories. I’m wondering if you have any must-see places (or more importantly, must-eat-at restaurants) you’d recommend?? Please share!!

Practice Makes Better

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Any creative knows that practice makes better (not perfect, though!) Creatives produce our best work when we are consistent, disciplined and diligent about practicing. Even if we’ve been ‘in it’ – in the industry or making that type of art – for a long time, if we forget to make intentional time for practice, we’ll just stay regular, instead of becoming better and more refined.

For the last few days I’ve made it a point to do at least one doodle or watercolor per day. I’m excited to A) get better at my craft and B) have a really rad collection of random little doodles at the end of the month. After many months of making pretty things for other people, it feels good to make stuff just to make stuff! To create what comes to my mind! It never happens unless I am purposeful about it, so that is what I am up to this month!

Also! I recently watched this talk about the creative process that inspired me, so give it a watch if you have 10 minutes. (It’s particularly about songwriting, but it is applicable to all artists!)

Introducing the Peace Love Line!

- Stephanie Leave a comment

So far in my Letters from Rita and shop owner journey, I’ve only offered custom lettering prints. I’ve done this for a couple reasons, like wanting each print to be unique and because I love it, but partly because I was scared to venture into the world of lots-of-prints-at-once. That means you have to find a printer and actually think about production numbers and not to mention have design / concept ideas to make a cohesive line!

Earlier in the summer I was talking to one of my maker friends, who mixes custom orders with ready-made items in her Etsy shop. I asked her what she thought about my shop being purely custom, and she was honest with me. She said that she loves my work, but wouldn’t know what quote or lyrics to have ask me to letter. If I had a bunch of ready-made prints for her to choose from, it would be easier!

PeaceLoveLine_3

I took that perspective to heart. Even before that conversation I had been experimenting with potentially coming up with a line of prints. But ever SINCE that conversation, I’ve been working really hard at it: not just thinking about it, but DOING it. And I’m SO happy to announce that starting TODAY I finally have a real, live, pretty line of prints! I’m calling it the Peace Love Line. We’ve got peace, love and a lot of creative options (think peonies and mint chocolate chip). The lettering is simple and clean and printed as 5x7s in shiny gold foil!! (Yes, it all started when I was eating mint chocolate chip ice cream 🙂 )

You can now purchase your very own #PeaceLoveLine print in my Etsy Shop!

Thanks so much for being excited with me!

Coffee Date | July Mornings

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Hey blog readers! I’ve been struggling between really wanting to blog for the sake of blogging (and not only for business), BUT not knowing which blog I should choose to do this on. I even toyed with the idea of starting a whole new blog. But I like this blog a lot and want to stay here! I don’t think this piece of my internet needs to solely be a lettering and art, so I want to share more of my regular life and random things and inspiration! So keep this URL in your blog list. Because I’m gonna be a real blogger again 🙂

~*~

Onto our coffee date! This picture is actually from a couple mornings ago, but I do have iced coffee next to me right now. P.S. Got the mug at Target! Anyways, Nate and I were up in New Hampshire for the first part of this week, relaxing by the lake, seeing friends, and reading our Bibles a lot. On this morning I was reading Colossians. I remember because the verses I read were very relevant to something going on in my friend’s life and I texted her the verse Colossians 1:11 “We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy.”

Another big part of our NH week is for catching up with our good friends and all their kiddos (the CUTEST kiddos, mind you). Whenever we see each other it’s like we never even missed a beat. I love that! When you’ve been friends for 10 years, I guess it’s bound to happen.

Nate and I took our new kayaks out on the lake for a couple rides. One of the rides being a sunrise one! We got up at 5 am to catch this beauty of a view. It was chilly outside that early, and reminded me of fall. But I promise I won’t talk too much about my favorite season until at least September 1st. Gosh, I love lakes. And sunrises. ~~And fall.~~ oops 😉

I watercolored a quick little piece while sitting on the beach one morning and I used the lake water! It was a little gritty, I think I got some sand in my water cup. But I like how this painting of the lake is made with water FROM the lake! I got that idea from my great grandfather who used to paint covered bridges using the water below. Coolest idea, right!

Welp, we’re off to the Cape for a couple nights of camping with our friends. Have a great weekend! ~S

P.S. Sorry, I’m kind of rusty at this blog-for-fun thing. It might take a few posts for me to get back to normal.

Acrylic Paintings with Hand-Lettering on Canvas

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I’m so excited to announce that I an now offering CUSTOM acrylic paintings!!! I love painting (I was one college painting class shy of enough credits for a minor!) and I obviously love lettering, so this is a perfect combo of the two! I am so excited!

I honestly wasn’t sure if this product was going to work out. At first, the paint was too dark, and the gold lettering seemed to get lost. Then I didn’t think they fit the LFR brand… And honestly, I didn’t love them at first. But I worked really hard to make them awesome, and these custom canvas products are now a reality for you and your home!!

Each painting is 8×10 and hand-lettered in GOLD ink, with a custom quote of your choice. The gold looks so great in regular lighting, but comes ALIVE in the sunshine. It’s sparkly and beautiful. The paint color options are what they are because, in order for the gold to show up, the paint needs to be on the lighter side of the spectrum. I hand-paint and hand-letter each canvas individually, which means they will be uniquely different and special to you! You can order yours HERE!

The ordering process is similar to a custom print; just message me after you purchase the listing with the quote of your choice. Right in the listing you can pick the color and brushstroke style!

Thank you all for being on this journey with me! I am so excited to see the quotes and words you choose to put on canvas. I promise these paintings will be a great, colorful, lovely addition to your home. <3

Stephanie

(other art in the wall gallery by JordanneMarie and H.Nichols)

Stephanie Rita

creative life in New England

letters from rita

Coffee Date!

Practice Makes Better

Introducing the Peace Love Line!

Coffee Date | July Mornings

Acrylic Paintings with Hand-Lettering on Canvas