Hand painted Ornaments are now available!

Hand painted Christmas Ornaments | Atlanta artist Courtney Khail

That's right! my hand painted ornaments are back for another holiday season!

And while I'm a firm believer of not jumping over holidays, (poor Thanksgiving seems to sometimes get lost in the shuffle) I did want to make sure you all knew that the pre-order sale for my hand painted ornaments is now available at www.courtneykhail.com! (I made sure to wait until November though. I couldn't bring myself to send this to you on Halloween.)

This year, in addition to being able to pick your favorite colors, I'm also now offering ornaments in sets of 6 and 12. (But don't worry, you can still just buy a single ornament if you'd prefer!) My hand painted ornaments sold out within days last year, so don't wait too long or you may miss them.

And speaking of the holidays...

Holiday Commissions now open | Original watercolor and ink paintings by Atlanta artist Courtney Khail

My Holiday Commissions are open as well! With tons of sizes and prices available, you'll be sure to find the perfect one (as well as securing yourself the title of "best gift giver ever.")

Craving: Mothers Day Gift Guide (For the Chef)

 

Wednesday the guide was for the traveler, yesterday it was the gardener, but today's guide is for the mom who always has hors d'oeuvres set out when you visit, mails you clippings of her favorite chicken recipes, and gifted you your very first Le Creuset.

1. Punch up the fun factor in her kitchen with a bold watercolor 

2. Everyone needs a beautiful cutting board. This one, which mimics the lines of a lily pad, is sure to dress up any counter.

3. My mom actually has a lemon tree (or an olive tree, I forget) and loves it. Cooking with fruit from your own tree? Yes, please.

4. Written by the author of smittenkitchen.com, this cookbook is filled with straight forward, easy to follow, and delicious recipes that feel straight out of your grandmothers recipe box. 

5. Dishes suck. Make them suck less with fun dish towels

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Any big plans? Think we're going to try to soak up some sunshine and relax.

Craving: Mothers Day Gift Guide (for the gardener)

Mother's Day is just around the corner so I thought I'd put together a few gift guides based around three different paintings I've created. Yesterday was for the traveler, and today it's for the mom who always has fresh rosemary, sends you photos of  her first blooms, and goes to the nursery so often they know her by name.

1. Give her a watercolor of her favorite flowers- to last even after growing season is over!

2. Add a little extra color to her herbs with these beautiful ceramic markers

3. Because she can't keep using the kitchen scissors

4. Bring out her inner child (and let her spread the beauty) with fun seed bombs

5. A beautiful bright bag to remind her of her favorite hobby

Craving: Mothers Day Gift Guide (For the Traveler)

Mother's Day is just around the corner so I thought I'd put together a few gift guides based around three different paintings I've created. Up first is a guide for the woman who loves exploring, never says no to a trip, and knows her frequent flier number by heart.

1. A watercolor featuring one of her favorite places

2. Block Shop makes some of the most amazing scarves. Perfect for dressing up an outfit as well as keeping warm on a chilly flight.

3. Maybe it's just me, but every time I fly my skin gets so dry. This hand cream not only smells great, but is small enough to stash in her carry on.

4. Sometimes you only have a weekend to get away. This book is filled with ideas on where to go, things to see, and places to eat. Bonus, it's separated by region so it's really easy to find a getaway close by.

5. Between the fees and the lines, checking bags is a pain. Save your mom the hassle with a beautiful carry on bag.

6. Turn her Instagrams into fun magnets that will remind her of her travels every time she grabs the milk.

The perfect Valentine's Day gift- because these flowers don't die

via courtney khail

Still looking for that perfect Valentine's day gift? How about flowers? Even better, how about a one of a kind painting of flowers? That way you get the everlasting happiness of flowers without the tackiness of silk ones. (Apologies to any silk flower lovers out there- I just always associate them with a lot of dust and unnatural colors. Speaking of- there is someone who lives a little while away from our house that definitely put those fake really brightly colored bouquets in each one of their pots. The best part? The tags are still on them. It's amazing.)

And bonus points if you give a painting AND chocolate. I don't care if people think it's cheesy- if you show up with chocolate and flowers you win Valentine's day.

*Well that or a hat from the swap meet. That could win Valentine's Day too. (Oh Jay Z, I love you.)

craving: sorry I'm late T-Shirt

Sorry I'm Late shirt via Print Liberation

Because I am so that person. (Much to my husband's chagrin. He's one of those crazy "early=on time people...also known as courteous.)

craving: mociun multi stone cluster rings

mociun rings via unruly things and mociun

I stumbled across these beauties a few days back over on Unruly Things and have been thinking of them ever since. Aren't they gorgeous? Unique, sparkling circles of nature's jewels.

Custom Watercolor Paintings

For a while now, I've felt an urge to go back to my painting roots. I'm constantly surrounded by such beauty out here in Colorado and more often than not I'd catch my mind dreaming about various color combinations, compositions, and arrangements. My sketchbooks were filling up with ideas and sketches of paintings I wanted to create, but thanks to our already art filled walls and a lack of places to put anything else, those ideas stayed locked in my sketchbooks waiting on me to get my act together and start painting again. After a long talk with J. about how much I missed just painting for the sake of bringing joy to people's lives, he encouraged me to start it up again. Normally I would be terrified of starting something new (I'll be the first to admit to having anxieties about the unknown) but with this I felt a comfort and an excitement. It's as though deep down I knew this is something I really needed to do.

So that is EXACTLY what I'm doing now. I'll still be creating invitations and stationery (I still love doing it) but now I'm also offering custom watercolor paintings as well. When I started my company almost 4 years ago, my main mission statement was to bring one of a kind artwork to people and to keep it as reasonable as possible so people could actually afford it. For most of us, wandering into a gallery and buying what we like, just isn't realistic. With this new endeavor, I'm going to continue doing just that. If you've read my "Paintings" page on the site, you already know that I believe everyone should own at least one piece of original artwork. Artwork you love that instantly brings a smile to your face. And not just any piece of art, but one of a kind art that no one else has. And that is exactly what I create with my paintings. Completely custom, affordable pieces of art that you’ll want to hang up and show off.

It doesn't matter if it's a flower, an herb from your garden, a place, your favorite shoes- I want to create artwork that you'll cherish forever. (Okay, full disclosure- I'm not awesome at painting everything. Faces completely allude me. So rest assured if you happen to really want something that I just don't think I'll do a good job at, I promise I will tell you and we can come up with something I can rock, or I'll direct you to an artist who can help create what I can't.)

So how about it? You all in?

(Speaking of being in- because you all are amazing and have been so supportive of my work if you mention this post and order before 2013, you'll get 10% off any painting order you place. If you'd like to give it as a gift, I can also send a gift card your way.)

craving: Johanna Methusalemsdottir necklace

via Elle Magazine story by Nancy MacDonell

Maybe it's the whole scientific illustration background thing, but I am kind of in love with this necklace. Cast from a bone that covers the gills of the cod fish, there is something so delicate and beautiful about it's form. (That and the fact it's a little badass. I mean, it's a bone.)

Seen: courtney khail's custom paintings on design crush

via design crush

Kelly wrote a post about my new custom paintings (and one I made especially for her!) over on Design Crush this week. I'll tell you all more about the paintings soon, but first- Read the post here.

Craving: tea carafe (and votes)

anna blattert water carafe via post fossil

I have had this beautiful, glass carafe on my desktop for what feels like weeks- always meaning to share it and then getting side tracked. Well today is it's lucky day! I'm finally posting about it. Right off the back, it's beautiful colors pulled me in. Bright, but not over powering- unique, but still familiar. Then I noticed the basket thingy at the top and was intrigued. As someone who cuts up fruit and such to throw in water, it seemed perfect. No more fishing out soggy fruit slices, dried on tea leaves, or whatever else you enjoy soaking in your water! Of course, then I saw that it was around $300. Beautiful yes, but I have to be honest here. I'm kind of a klutz. I am constantly running into furniture that has been there for.ever. and drop things like it's my job. This would probably be in pieces within the first few weeks of me owning it. Add that to the fact that I could just wrap some herbs/fruit/whatever in cheesecloth and have roughly the same taste, and I just don't think I can justify the $300.

Of course if you are in the market for a $300 water carafe, I'd have to recommend this one on looks alone.

Also, please do not forget that voting is still going on for Martha Stewart's American Made Award!

I'm been absolutely blown away by y'alls support and cannot say thank you enough. If you have a moment (and haven't voted today) I'd love for you to click over, cast your vote, and then kindly bug your friends to do the same. Thank you!! You can follow this link to vote: http://americanmade.marthastewart.com/profiles/courtney-khail-3000