The Cabin - CAPTURED!

 

Where has the summer gone? Somehow July is almost over! These pictures were taken over the Forth of July up north near Itasca State Park and at my in-laws cabin. Such a beautiful place. With only 3 short months of summer I treasure every weekend I get to sneak away to Duluth or the north woods - thought I would share with you a few of my favorites! 

Fishing on the lake as the sunset, doesn't get any better!

There is beauty everywhere... even the old Evinrude, and boat with moss growing on the side is perfect to me!


























I typically wake up early before anyone else... go on walks, take pictures, paint and finding stunning little masterpieces like this one! WOW!

The call of the loon is just so beautiful, growing up going camping this sound is like the most soothing sound to my ears - magic I tell ya! The colors on these birds are just stunning! I took a million photos of loons - I think I know what my next painting will be!

 Where do you go to get inspired this time of year?

Adventures on the Gunflint!

My 2 loves and I had the chance to escape to the edge of Minnesota, the Gunflint Trail which borders Canada. Each trip... we fall more and more in love. Each trip we contemplate buying land, a little cottage in woods were we could escape to! It breaks your heart to leave, it's just so beautiful. It's magical, there's no other way to describe it! I'm excited... we actually book a fall trip before leaving so that made we feel a little better about leaving! The well is overflowing with inspiration from this trip!

This picture below was taken from inside our cabin. Although you don't really need to be inside your cabin as you can see they will eat right out of your hand! The resort has corn and black sunflower seed for you to feed the deer, so cool! By the end of the trip buddy was  used to them just coming right up to the window! 

The trails even in winter offer beauty and surprises! Birds, deer, squirrels, eagles, and lots of fresh prints in the white snow from rabbits, foxes and we even got to see a fresh kill (a big bloody spot along the river where some animal just had lunch!! We think an eagle or fox) We were expecting the trip to be a muddy one, but it was a winter wonderland. This year spring just won't come! We actually drove up in a blizzard. It snowed every day we were there except the for one day were we had aqua blue skies!

Loving this moment I captured of my 2 loves! Both love to go to the V E R Y edge of of the trial, the edge of the mountain, and sit to look over... I'm the cautious one! 

On our way home we stopped at one of our favorite beaches... it was a beautiful day and we picked tons of rocks and tried to soak up as much of Lake Superior as we could!

While on our rock picking excursion I captured this shot. We were each just in our own worlds... and I looked up to see where they were and this just made me smile.
Filling the inspiration well!

And of course I had to share this one... I got a few of these shots where Buddy is just LEAPING in the air!
Pure Joy.
Pure Happiness.
He was getting energy out... and loving all the fresh powder up there... he was SO HAPPY!
The Gunflint Lodge is a dog's dream resort really!
If you ever have a chance to head that far north, the resort is a treat and completely geared towards tree-huggers!

It's April 22nd - Earth Day and it's snowing tonight... they think 3-6 inches overnight here! 

Up north the snow was so beautiful... but now that I'm back to reality in the city... I'd like spring to come!
Nat

Winter at the cabin

We had a weekend away and although it was a very short weekend, the views were inspiring and revitalizing. I think nature has a way of doing that. I'm not sure how you could look be surrounded by this kind of beauty and not relax a little more and have that beauty seep into your spirit and soul.

We visited Itasca State Park, where we drove around and explored... saw about 20 deer. We went right at sunset so it was perfect.We took the snowmobile for a couple of rides, cooked and just relaxed...winter at our cabin is winter camping! No water and outhouse!

I hope some of these shots will inspire some new paintings!

How do you you stay inspired in the winter?

Buddy watching his dad take off on the snowmobile!

One of grandpa's 
MANY bird houses!

Get outside even in the winter!

You never know what beautiful things out in nature you might find!

Nat

Instagram Takes Over

My year so far has been amazing... 
I CAN NOT believe I haven't had blogged ONE TIME!
So Bad! I think my followers (if I have any left) think I fell off the face of the planet!

I LOVE, LOVE, photography and I really feel like Instagram has changed my blogging habits. I got a smart phone at the end of last year and it's not really convenient to blog on a phone and I typically just don't pull out my computer at night! I miss this space though! It's not going anywhere!
I'm back! I'm back!


So since I was too busy Instagraming....I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite Instagram pics that I've taken this year!! 

We opened the year with relaxation, family, and lots of snuggling up by the fire. We bought a load of firewood which  was something we have wanted to so since we owned our house. I just love it. It's romantic, and soothing, relaxing.

Here's my best friend... keeping me company on the bed (so bad I know) He typically doesn't even like to jump up on the bed anymore he's 7 now! I can't believe we've had him for 3 years now this February!

The best dog I've ever had!
Nick name: Sweet Sweet

In the winter we send a lot of time at the dog park! It's happy hour for the dogs and the people. 
 I can walk of my work day and, get some fresh air AND get some nature in, while buddy gets a ton of exercise! It's a win win for us both!

This was a spontaneous big one for us! We bought a new car. It's green, and it's a little mini SUV thing, and I love it. It's my first ever brand new car!

Room for dogs, future kids and all my art supplies! I'm happy.

My moms friend got sick with the flu so
I by chance got invited to Priscilla at the Orpheum Theatre. 

So funny! Beautiful costumes!
SO INSPIRING! 

My husband and I went to Ike's for breakfast in downtown Minneapolis.
One of my goals for 2013 is to try lots of new restaurants!
YEA!
Most amazing Bloody Mary Ever!
Delish!

One night my mom and spontaneously stopped at the Eastman Nature Center and saw this big guy from the glass windows inside the Nature Center!

My paintings are up for 3 months at the local Dunn Brothers in Maple Grove!
I am over the moon phyced and excited!!
I am in charge of a new program at the Maple Grove At Center called The Business of Art... this program gets art into local businesses!!

Another amazing
sunset at the 
dog park!

My word for the year is CREATE. Even though I'm an artist and graphic designer my goal is make time to do something CREATIVE every day! Maybe it's sketching, blogging, painting. Something creative!

I painted a canvas Valentine's Day banner!





Working on lots of new canvases!

Ice fishing with my dad on Bass Lake!

Capturing the beauty on Bass Lake...
While we were out on the lake it snowed a couple of beautiful white fluffy inches!
This really inspired me!

Adding Luscious layers to my canvases!

Really loving this canvas! 
So dreamy!

What's your favorite thing to Instagram!?!?

Oh ya... did I mention you can follow me on Instagram at: Cre8tiveQueenNat

Sweet Sunday - Happy New Year!

  Sweet Sunday! This Sunday is extra sweet because there are 2 more days to the weekend! Whoohoo! The holidays have come and gone, and although they were fun they were also a little crazy. We threw a huge party and I just didn't get to baking and candy making. I barely bought all the presents, so to be honest I am sort of happy they are over - 6 events in 4 days was enough for me.
  I am looking forward to creating some new canvases I bought with Christmas money, and a fresh start. I miss my art. I worked on this sweet little piece this month but didn't actually get them printed in time for Christmas so I am going to use some for Thank-you cards. I think I'll work on planning out 2013, creating a vision board and my goals!

 

I'm celebrating Sweet Sunday over at Diana's blog...but I just went to create the link and realized it's supposed to be Sweet Saturday! Ahhhh, I can only laugh! I'm sort of screwed up on days... anyone else? Diana is a favorite illustrator/blogger of mine since I started blogging!

Hope your Sunday is super sweet! (and hope your Saturday was too!)

Happy New Year,

Nat

 

December Bliss List!

I've missed the blank blog canvas page... where I can let my thoughts flow... I can contemplate.. and write... dream... and share.
I thought I could dive back in with the Bliss List, because at this time of year, when we spend time with our friends and family I get all gushy, mushy and sentimental.

I have entered the world of smart phones! FINALLY! And I JUST LOVE Istagram. I try to capture gratitude moments every day.
Here are some of the recent moments I've captured with my phone! I've been thoroughly enjoying the Christmas season so far! We're a week away and I do have a lot of shopping to do but my heart is full and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

I am thankful for my dog buddy bear this week I had a scare that he might have cancer (but we're all good he is healthy!), our pets have such an impact on our lives. WOW!
I am thankful for my sweet husband. This past week we have had so much fun! The big pic on the bottom right was a date night, we went ice skating and a romantic dinner. Another night we drank wine, listened to music, watched tv & talked.
And last night we drove around our neighborhood and looked at lights...this is such a big deal for us - we don't get do do this very often with our work schedules. 

I'm really looking forward to Christmas with my family, I feel blessed I have a family to celebrate with.
I can't imagine it any other way and this year I am kicking off the big holiday weekend hosting a big party for my hubby's side of the family!
   

 

I'm blissed out, so happy so blessed! Bliss Blessed!
Thank you for stopping by... hope you have a blissful weekend,
Nat 

 

Update From the Art Room

Here's one of my latest paintings I'm working on. As you can sort of see in the pic I have a picture sitting on my table that i was looking at for reference. It's a sweet picture of some moss I took in Ely... it can actually be found on this post!
The process of painting is a p r o c e s s! Sometimes it comes so easily sometimes it takes work, take patience, takes practice.
I'm not 100% happy with this piece yet... I just keep working it and re-working it adding more and more layer. They are all so individual, telling a story of my days, my life. I recently read something... it related our life's being like a puzzle and sometimes you have that piece that doesn't quite work... that one that seems like it won't fit. But it takes putting together that entire puzzle to figure out WHERE that last piece fits!
That's kind of how I feel about the "moss" painting. 

In other news
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
This is my new easel

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omg, omg, omg!

I feel so blessed to have this beauty! My husband bought this for me for my Birthday/Wedding Anniversary present back in July but it just made it home because I had to get a truck to get the thing home from Duluth. The cool thing is, an artist friend made it too! Best presents ever!

Really need to go buy some big canvases now!

Captured these while painting...

love the drips!































OHHHHH and did I mention I'm on Instagram now!
I am so flipping excited!

Follow me at: Cre8tiveQueenNat

Much love,
Nat