from the studio: a bouquet painting for Christmas

via courtney khail

Just looked up from painting and realized that it's already past 6p and I haven't said hello today! Time flies when you're having fun, right? Well that and the fact I have 90's hip hop playing kind of puts me in the "zone." (Speaking of, whatever happened to Lauren Hill?) Anyhow, back to the point. A little while ago my wonderful father in law emailed me about creating a painting of my mother in law's wedding bouquet, which of course I was ecstatic to do. Her bouquet has always reminded me of Christmas because of the lilies and deep greens and reds, so I agreed it would be a perfect Christmas present. After a few sketches and rough drafts, this is what evolved. What do you guys think?

A little bit about my in laws (who will celebrate another anniversary this January!)- They met in Germany at a wedding of a mutual friend. I believe my FIL actually came with another date, but once he saw my MIL he promptly ended the date. Of course, seeing as he was just stationed in Germany before heading to Vietnam, he wasn't exactly fluent in German. And by not fluent, I mean he had to ask someone to translate just to talk to her that night. (If I remember correctly, he learned by watching a lot of German T.V.) Regardless, after that night he just kept showing up at my MIL's childhood home, asking her parents if he could take her out on a date. Apparently it worked and the two were married shortly after in her hometown church. Oh, and in perfect German fashion they had a polka band. That's right, polka and beer. Sounds like a party to me!

color inspiration: royal and moss

ranunculus via here

such deep, beautiful colors. (Fun Fact: Did you know Julianne Moore only buys things for her home that are green, purple, white, black, or gray? Guessing she'd like this combination!)

color inspiration: moss and clay

found on the city sage, photograph via ofnationalgeographic from Feb 1976 issue of National Geographic

Straight out of nature, these colors instantly feel soothing and tranquil.

from the studio: invitation sneak peek

via courtney khail stationery and design

Thought I'd show you a preview to what I've been working on lately that I'm dying to share with you all. (It's based off of the infamous Beverly Hills hotel wallpaper!)

color inspiration: rainbow

via a subtle revelry

Something about summer time makes me want to turn everything rainbow colored. Rainbow sprinkles? Two spoonfuls please. Brightly colored popsicles? Only if they are unnaturally bright. A new striped beach blanket? Let's not focus on the fact I live in Denver. Bright new nail polish? Just painted my toes cherry red.

See what I mean? I just can't help it.

color inspiration: champagne, dusty rose and stormy seas

photo via f5,6

Although our home is very bright (I'm a white paint lover) I've always been drawn to the dark and stormy colors. You know, the deep plums, the wrought iron grays, the pipe smoke blacks- they always feel more soulful to me than cheerful yellows, hot pinks, etc. So when I saw this photograph, it took my breath away. It's dark without being overwhelming, has just enough glamour (thanks to the sequins and fabrics) and yet still feels playful because of the various party dresses. Maybe one day (when we have a house that we're allowed to paint all dark and mysterious) I'll try this in a bedroom or a powder room.

color inspiration: cranberry, spearmint, and cream

photograph via honeytree

I decided to do something different with my color inspiration today and hope you like it. Instead of trying to mesh different photos together like I've done in the past, I thought I'd give you all a glimpse at what goes on in my mind. Normally it only takes one photo to trigger a color palate in my mind and that's what I decided to share with you all today. This particular photograph I've had on my desktop for months (and months) because I was instantly drawn to the vibrant, playful colors. Pink and green together is definitely not a new concept, but here the combination looks subtle and fresh, as opposed to the loud and preppy connotation I'm used to.

So what do you think? Do you like this set up, or would you rather it go back to the way it was?

Color Inspiration: Tuscan Sunset

painting via mockingbird works, arrangement via oncewed, photo via tim will, doodles via me

I love the colors of this board- the burnt terra-cotta, the parchments, the olives, the golds. There is a sophisticated simplicity to them that reminds me of sun setting over an olive tree grove.

Color Inspiration: Seafoam and Turquoise

photograph via powder blue pics, eggs via martha stewart, cards via once wed

I've had this image in my inspiration folder for awhile- waiting until the perfect morning to share. Give that today's Super Tuesday and I'm about to go wait in long lines to vote, I decided today was the day for a calming, peaceful, and serene color palette. Hope you enjoy! (These colors always remind me of the early morning- just when the sun decides to peek through and brighten everything up.)

From the Studio: Wedding Certificate

copyright courtney khail stationery and design

I can't show the show the whole certificate (I promised my clients,) but I did want to show a close up of the hydrangea design I painted for them. They wanted to stick with greens and purples, so I had fun alternating between the two, combining colors, and letting the paint just kind of flow. I love when my clients give me a lot of freedom because amazing things can happen. Plus, I'm so type A that I refuse to let anything less than absolutely perfect leave the studio so it's kind of a win-win for all involved. Isn't this pretty, though? I really enjoy how vibrant and modern it became.

And I know you can't see them, but they wrote their own vows and the emotion behind them brought me to tears. There is something so amazing and humbling about being able to share in such a personal moment. There I was, inking in the words they were going to exchange before entering into marriage. The words that promised they would stand by each other, support each other, and love each other always. I couldn't help but feel so lucky to be able to be apart of that and so overjoyed that these two people found each other.

I'm also the person who has to hold back tears at weddings. I can't help it. The moment the couple looks at each other and starts vowing to be a team my eyes just fill up.

Color Inspiration: The lion the witch and the wardrobe

Northern Lights photo via here, illustration from The Lion , The Witch, and The Wardrobe movie via here Photograph by Emma Summerton and styled by Edward Enninful for W Magazine's Best in Class Shoot

I loved The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe growing up. C.S. Lewis had an amazing way with words and his descriptions of the landscapes and characters put my imagination into overdrive. In particular, I always had a slight fascination with the White Witch. A few years after reading the book, I remember seeing the play being disappointed in how she was portrayed. All white with frosty eye makeup? I know she was technically called the White Witch, but I felt like the all white ensemble made her look frozen, not cold. Or worse, like a snow princess which evokes a whole different feeling. Silvers, blues, emerald greens- those are the colors I associated with her- the colors of ice. So when I came across this photo in W a few days back I couldn't help but be reminded that this is what I thought the White Witch should look like. Stark and cold, but beautiful. Shimmery and glamourous, with red lips, extremely pale skin, and slicked back black hair. I know it wasn't the intended purpose of the shoot, but thank you W for finally getting the image right in my mind.