Blog moved

Hello! 

This blog has moved and will no longer be updated.

Please visit the new blog at http://nikkimdesign.blogspot.com/

Be sure to bookmark that address so you can keep up to date with new content.

Thanks! See  you there! :)

WIP

It has been a while. A little something that I have been working on. There is a story behind the drawing. I will post more about it when it is finished. Feedback/critique welcome.

Love Story

These paintings were created for the 2013 Home & Garden Show White Room Challenge. They are available for purchase here.

Man and Dog painting Custom

Custom painting of Man and His Dog 16"x40" 

I have had quite a few requests for this painting and Woman and Her Dog. I guess I should finish the series. :)

Rewind: Year in Review 2012

My oh my, another year has passed. Big changes happened in 2012, most of them completely unexpected but exciting nonetheless. Some of the BIG life events that took place...

nikkiMdesign partnered with the Buffalo Design Collaborative

My baby started Kindergarten

We sold our home in the city and bought a farm in the country

My husband changed jobs

My father suffered a heart attack

I became a grandma

I have been putting off reviewing last years goals. Why? Because I know that I did not reach most of them, but I'm okay with it now. I tried my best and that is all I can do.  :) 

So...let's REWIND!

2012 Goals:

1 Work with my partner to establish Nest Interiors as the go to showroom.

Accomplished with slight changes.

I established nikkiMdesign as a full-time interior design and commission artwork business. nikkiMdesign partnered with the Buffalo Design Collaborative bringing nikkimdesign into the commercial design market. I created an online presence with the launch of my new website and social networks, as well as working with White Orchard Home Furnishings to provide educational design seminars to consumers. I have networked with new associations and brought my artwork and crafts to local markets. I am quite satisfied with the results of this goal. 

2. Triple sales through my Etsy shop.

Not accomplished.

I only doubled my sales with Etsy, however, I sold prints through society6 nikkimdesign shop and doubled my work doing commission paintings. So although I didn't specifically reach the goal as it was written, I did expand my brand. :) 

3. Read 14 novels this year.

Almost accomplished. 

I read 10 novels.

4. Learn/create urban/street art. Large scale.

Not accomplished.

Unfortunaetly, I did not find the time to work toward this goal. I think it is a good one to move to this year though. 

5. End of year goal weight...115 lbs.

Not accomplished.

I really hate this goal. It is cliche and I just can't seem to care enough to pursue it seriously. I need to rethink this one. Part of me would like to shave off about 10 lbs. and the other part of me thinks I look just fine! Meh.

6. Finish refinishing the hallway staircase.

Accomplished! And then we sold our house! :-P

Hmmm. I guess I didn't do as bad as I thought.

I would love to know...

Do you set goals or resolutions? How was your year? 

♥♥♥

Dawn: A New Day

We have all had those days; the lonely one, the "I can't believe I just did that" one, the annoying one. We have all felt the heaviness that comes with terrible news, a weight that cripples and suffocates. Those moments that stop time. We have all experienced the darkness that creeps into our comfortable world and makes us feel as though we will never be whole again. 

And then, there is the Dawn; a flicker of hope, promise of new possibility, the light of a new day.

Thank you to everybody that left me a critique. I took into consideration all of your feedback and I am very pleased with the final painting. I wish you could see the original because the photos do not show the depth and vibrancy of color. 

Memory Lane

I was searching for a specific picture tonight which took me on a mini-adventure of time travel through photographs. I thought I would share a few with you.

Seven months pregnant with my third child. I remember when I received this photograph how poetic I thought it was that it captured my present, my past (the stretchmarks from my two previous pregnancies), and my future.

My grandmother. I miss her. EVERYDAY. She was one of the most beautiful people, both inside and out.  I wish I had asked her more questions about her life while she was here. Things like her favorite color, her desires and dreams, her favorite animal...

Yes, I did play the guitar once. And seriously, I could totally rock out Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. 

My gorgeous baby girl. I still can't believe she is going to be a mama. :) 

My handsome son. Honestly, where does the time go?