Category Archives: the gallery

the gallery {amy whitehouse paintings}

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this post is my braggity-braggy post about my mother-in-law’s fabulous art.  not that i am taking any bragging credit for her art…but i sure can brag about the fact that our house is home to many of her lovely pieces!  we are so honored and blessed to have such beautiful and original works of art in our home.  doesn’t nice art just make you feel all cultured and fancy?  you know that feeling that you get when you are wandering around a museum or gallery…you feel kinda posh and smarter for just being in the presence of such genius.  even if you know absolutely nothing about the complexities or history of art, you can still absorb it enjoy the beauty.

well, we get to live in a gallery of sorts.  our walls happily display some very nice pieces.  and, sometimes when we are over at the whitehouse home just having dinner, we get to go shopping for fresh pieces in amy’s studio.  so cool.  she is always creating something new and allowing herself to be inspired by her environment and the creativity of others.  i love that she responds to God’s creation in such lovely ways.

unfortunately for you, her studio isn’t open for free take-out like it is for us {smiley face} BUT amy has recently taken a few of her vibrant and signature pieces and turned them into gorgeous print reproductions!  now, amy whitehouse creations are accessible for everyone!  if you are looking for something pretty to brighten up your walls…may i suggest that you pick up one of these beauties instead of just buying something mass-produced or generic.  i was able to watch her sign and number each one of these limited editions.  and they are just waiting to be snatched up and given a new home.

sunflower

favorite sunflower

trees

palms at sunset

flowers

sunflower in vase

…

want to see more?

http://amywhitehousepaintings.blogspot.com/

want to make one of these your own?

amy.whitehouse@me.com

a guest post from amy

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today’s guest blogger is amy whitehouse.  she is not just an exceptional artist, she is also mother to my sweet hubby and now, “mom mom” to miss elinor.  i am honored to feature her work on this blog again and let her share some creative inspiration with you.  ben and i are blessed to have many amy whitehouse originals coloring the walls of our home.  if you wnt to be inspired or pick up a new little something to add to your own art collection, check out her site and blog…
thank you amy!
…
For any plein aire painters, you may enjoy the story behind this painting.
My friend Maryann and I had planned to paint together
at an old adobe home site where an acquaintance lives.
We each packed our art supplies, snacks, coffee;
we met early morning as planned, ready to go!
I unpacked my paints, my easel, my turp can, my palette,
and…oh no! where are my brushes?
Yep, forgot the brushes.  However I did have a couple of paper towels,
found a stick on the ground and went to work.
The result is today’s posting
…
If interested in purchasing this painting please contact me at
For a portfolio look at my artwork please visit
For my art thoughts and creative posts check out my blog

the gallery

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this gallery is dedicated to the fall/winter 2012 collection of chinti and parker

i am thinking that a great post-baby gift would be this entire collection.

any takers?  hint. hint. 

is it just me or are these separates practically perfect in every way?  what fun it would be to walk into my closet on a cool, crisp day and mix-and-match these quirky and coordinated classics.  seriously,  i would like all of it.  they are ideal pieces for effortless style.

and i am pretty sure that miss elinor deserves to be held by a mama that is dressed in these super amazing clothes…just sayin’.

dark and dreamy

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this room is pretty much close to perfect in my book.  those dark walls.  that supple leather.  that rich wood.  that velvet couch.  the marble fireplace.  that crown molding.  the animal skin rug.  if the picture didn’t cut off mid-room, i’m sure you would see exquisite curtains and grand bookcases.  and do you see those black and white floors in the background?  that makes me think that the rest of the house isn’t too shabby.

i can only hope that this home is somewhere on the outskirts of london.  with green countryside surrounding.  lovely.

hubby, i’m ready when you are!

inspiration for baby girl’s room

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i have been window and web shopping for inspiration and items for our little girl’s room.  recently, i picked up a few odds and ends that will be featured on the walls of her room and i am continuing the collecting of perfect pieces.  a mix of old and new.  vintage classics with handmade mementos and chic accents.  i want her room to be cozy and stylish and cute.  ripe with vibrant colors and fodder for the imagination.  splashes of color and plenty of fun.  a dreamy and cool room for a little girl with plenty of whimsy…and none of that stereotypical girl nursery stuff.  unique, modern, and eclectic with a dash of the old-fashioned.

here are some of my favorite images that have inspired the design board for baby girl:

love that green hue with black and white accents.

green + yellow.  a must.

the contrast of the bright green with pops of pink against the natural brown with crisp white.

pink and yellow with cool gray.

the classically chic gold accents with modern prints.

bright and cheery.

color!  with the playful hint of the circus.

…

images via pinterest

on beyond zebra!

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ever since i snagged this striped little cutie as a springtime wardrobe staple, i have had stripes on the brain.  prison stripes, zebra stripes, pinstripes.

oh how i am currently loving this look.  and this look, it reminds me of this little book…

on beyond zebra, by dr. suess

{excerpts}

my alphabet starts with this letter called yuzz.  it’s the letter i use to spell yuzz-a-ma-tuzz.  you’ll be sort of surprised what there is to be found once you go beyond z and start poking around!  so, on beyond zebra! explore! like columbus! discover new letters! like wum is for wumbus, my high-spouting whale who lives high on a hill and who never comes down ‘till it’s time to refill. so, on beyond z! it’s high time you were shown that you really don’t know all there is to be known.  if you stay home with zebra, you’re stuck in a rut. but on beyond zebra, you’re anything but!  when you go beyond zebra, who knows…? there’s no telling what wonderful things you might find yourself spelling!  so you see! there’s no end to the things you might know, depending how far beyond zebra you go! i led him around and I tried hard to show there are things beyond z that most people don’t know.  i took him past zebra as far as i could. and i think, perhaps, maybe i did him some good…

with that book in mind, i invite you to see how yuzz-a-ma-tuzzy these striped looks can be!  now go beyond zebra!  add more stripes to your life!  have fun with the patterns.  add color to life.  go beyond zebra!  put some zazz in your step.  giving your closet and home just a little more pep.

the gallery

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lynn dooley marek

this talented artist is my childhood best friend’s mom.  she is eccentric and stunning and oh-so-chic.  visiting her fantastic little abode back home in canada is one of my favorite things to do.  there is art everywhere – every wall is covered. classical music delicately wafts.  the smell of antiques and books saturates the air with a slight, playful hint of the aroma of espresso.  it is like being transported to a little nook in europe.  time seems to move slower.  food seems to taste better.  life is relished.  it is a place where everything is viewed as food for the imagination.  the marek family is an artsy bunch indeed [an artist + an english prof + a photographer/videographer + an actress and crafter].  what a cool life.  they are fun to be around.  everything has an extra splash of flair.  conversation is always lively.  entertainment is assured.

lynn is heavily influenced by her experiences in europe and her artwork is simply divine.  read more about her life and style on her site http://www.lynndoolymarek.com/

enjoy!

hubby and i were given this fabulous piece as a wedding gift.  ahhh, wedding.

the gallery

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this gallery is dedicated to the fashion art that is jcrew.

i just adore everything jcrew.  for me, wearable art is the best kind of art.  why just put it on your walls when you can layer it, drape it, tuck it, belt it, accessorize it, and work it.  and jcrew knows how to mix classics [i love me some tweed, houndstooth, and a good tailored blazer] with a tasteful and interesting dollop of fresh fashion [bright colors, vibrant patterns, runway accents, and quirky details]. 

i will take one of each, please. 

the gallery

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this is dedicated to gallery russia.  one of our favorite galleries in scottsdale.  we are fortunate enough to own a painting from this place [see below] and it makes our reading nook look oh-so-swanky.

ooh-la-la!

our latest obsession is this remarkable nude by dmitri podobedov.  spectacular.

the gallery

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as you might have noticed from pictures of our home, we are old-fashioned at heart.  we decorate with leather-bound, gold-embossed books, musical do-dads, and art.  i married into a very artistic and musical family.  [the whitehouses, as a bunch, are quite superb: artists, pianists, cellists, violinists, singers, dancers, and even the occasional plucking and strumming of the mandolin]  our home is filled with sounds of classical music and our walls are filled with incredible artwork from artists that we are blessed to be related to and friends with.  this fanciful world of music and art has long been fascinating to me.  i have always gazed and wondered from afar.  what an interesting and refined existence, i observed.

now that i am a whitehouse, i get to observe it all up close.  i don’t really participate in it much but i can sit back and drink it all in.  and, i like to think that i add a bit of effervescence with my own little quirks and giftings.  i’m sure they get a kick out of the girl who can’t read music and was raised on lionel richie.  the ridley family is a little bit like the cosby family.  lots of life lessons and laughter and jazz.  and yes, obnoxious sweaters included.  it was a pretty great way to grow up, but it is fun to be a part of this brave new world [hope you caught the nerdy music reference]

hubby and I are so blessed to have an artist in the family.  my mom-in-law is a gifted artist.  that means that our walls are never bare.  each and every space has been given a special piece of art to display.  [how posh are we?]

take a look at just a few of her pieces of art:

if you want to see more, check out her blog:  http://amywhitehousepaintings.blogspot.com/

if you are interesting in purchasing her pieces OR if you are in the phoenix, az area and are looking for private art lessons [or piano lessons, for that matter.  that's right.  she does it all] just send her an email at amy.whitehouse@me.com