My Chloe Flower

Retro Cool Bird

2010-03-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

I am working on several new pieces for spring. I am really inspired by the fresh greens I see all around outside! These fresh, colors are popping up in my art lately. Chevron Bird is an example of this. The canvas is a soft, butter yellow and the greens in the leaves and and the bird are great. I wish my photos conveyed colors and textures better! What I really love about this piece though, is the patterned paper the bird is cut from. It has this cool, retro feeling and, I am sure that if I went back through my grade school class photos, I could find some kid wearing a sweater or velour shirt that looks just like it!

Black and White Bird

2010-03-01T16:23:00.001-08:00

What is more classic than black and white? Here's a simple color scheme with a stand out bird that would look fabulous in any room! Black and White Bird a bit of a departure for me because I tend to gravitate towards color, but the patterns, textures and the striking bold black paper here are irresistable.

Birds in Threes

2010-02-25T12:42:00.000-08:00

I love this new series of three 16x16 inch birdie pieces. The patterns in the background of these papers are modern and cool and the colors are so fresh. Flowers and leaves are just starting to spring up around here and that great, new green color reminds me of these birds and leaves. Individually, they are fun but they are really best all together. I can picture them in a kitchen or any bedroom. So fun!

More Birdies

2010-02-17T09:40:00.001-08:00

I've used this paper many times before, but I just love it. The pattern is intricate and the colors are so rich. The oranges, reds and silvers in Birdies on Silver are so pretty. I especially love the combination of the colors with a pretty grey or silver. I used shimmery silver metallic paint on this piece. I love the metallic paints. I just wish the photos did them justice!

Love Birds

2010-02-09T11:04:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is coming up so it seemed right to make some love birds. I love these new papers that I found. Great colors in muted reds, blues and golds.

Two Birds on Spa Blue has such a fresh and elegant feeling. The pattern on the background paper looks like fabulous old wall paper to me. I just completed several new pieces and posted 12 new ones on http://www.mychloeflower.com/. I am inspired by these colors and papers, but also I am getting ready for a fun event this Friday. I will be one of the artisans selling at Naked City Taphouse. They are having a "brewtique" where beer and shopping can come together. Even my husband is looking forward to this show! Come out, have fun and find a Valentine's Day gift for your sweetie!

Feeling like a Caged Bird? Here's a Couple of Sweet Ones!

2010-01-26T12:18:00.000-08:00

I have made many little birdies, but none have been in cages. Something about these caged birds seem so delicate and fragile to me. This piece also has some color combinations that I just love. The painted canvas is green tea, the bird and the berries are a orange/red and the cage is a vibrant blue. Love them all together. Caged Bird on White and Caged Bird on Book Page are two other variations on this one. Back to the studio for now. New pieces coming soon!

Birdies for Babies

2010-01-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

I did take a bit of time off for the holidays, but it wasn't long at all before I was working on several custom pieces. I love doing custom work and when it is for a baby's nursery, it is especially fun. This is the bedding that my friend is using in her baby girl's nursery. She brought me a couple of canvases to make some pieces to coordinate. First of all, it has birdies on it, so I loved it from the start. Secondly, it is just so light, bright and sweet. I was able to match the colors in the bedding with the papers in the pieces. I even found the cutest green paper with white polka dots to make all of the leaves on the trees. I love the way these turned out!

Moon Birdies

2009-12-07T10:41:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of my favorite new birdies. Grey Moon Birdies are two sweet little birds gazing at a soft moon together. I love these. I think I will hang them in my own room for now just so I can look at them often. Something about them is so serene and sweet. I love this grey background with the bold black birds. The birds have delicate little writing and details in red and green. I also made this in shades of blue. One already sold, but Blue Moon Birdies is a brighter, lighter version. Love them both!

Birds on Book Pages

2009-12-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

This is part of my latest series of birds. I just finished four of these little pieces. I started out with a page from a couple of my favorite books: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and Treasure Island. Then I added different paints and textures. This made for a great background for a birdie in a tree. To finish it off, I tore feathery pieces of a deep blue paper to create blossoms for my tree. Here it is! Blue Bird on Books. If you like this, you should take a moment to check out Red Bird on Books, Grey Bird on Books and Green Bird on Books. I love the way they turned out!

I feel like I have been living in my studio lately. I have been so busy with orders and getting ready for holiday shows. I love being busy and I love making art. All I need to do is figure out how to fit in some Christmas shopping very soon!

My Holiday Table

2009-11-30T14:11:00.001-08:00

Hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I love having a big holiday meal with friends and family. I also love setting a pretty holiday table. This year, for Thanksgiving dinner, I made these ornaments with everybody's name and used them as place cards and special souvenirs to take home. It is always nice to have seating arrangements planned out to avoid unnecessary confusion, and this little token added just little something special to our celebration!

Little Owl

2009-11-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been incredibly busy! There have been holiday shows, with more still to come. I've been in my studio making so many new pieces! It has been busy, but fun and inspiring at the same time. Someone at a show a couple of weeks ago asked if I made any owls. I didn't have any, but always looking for new ideas and new inspirations, I made my first Little Owl. It is, as my youngest daughter would say, super cute. It would be adorable in a child's bedroom. Or, as I was inspired by the owl on my kids' shower curtain, maybe in a bathroom! It is a great example of taking an idea and trying something new. I love it.

As I said, I have been busy in the studio. In fact, I recently posted 36 new items to mychloeflower.com. I have never posted so many new pieces at one time. Take a look at some of my new favorites: Field of Black and White, The Forest, and, Aloha Birdie. As I mentioned, there are 36 new pieces, so check them out! I will also be making more in the next few weeks. It is the perfect time to do some holiday shopping for a unique, handmade gift that is truly special. It is not too late for special orders either. Plenty of time to get those delivered in time for the holidays!

Trimming the Tree

2009-11-12T10:55:00.001-08:00

Christmas is everywhere! All of the stores have put away their Halloween pumpkins and have decked the halls with holiday cheer. I admit, that I have been inspired. I was a vendor at a holiday bazaar last weekend and that was all I needed to fully embrace the holiday spirit! I made these little ornaments and love the way that they turned out. Christmas birdies with glass glitter wings! Makes me smile! They were a big hit and I am back in the studio making more for the shows still to come. Maybe I need a second tree in my own house this year filled with birdies!

Coffee Break

2009-10-26T08:19:00.001-07:00

Many of the pieces I make are the result of custom requests. I love doing custom work. It is great to try new things. I've done many custom trees, flowers, birds and nursery pieces. Once in awhile, I have a request to try something really different. Recently, I had the great opportunity to make desert landscapes for a friend of mine who lives in Tucson. So much fun working with an entirely different color scheme and different plants and trees! My latest request was for some coffee themed pieces. Now, I love coffee, so I was excited to give it a try. I love the results! Favorite Orange Mug and Favorite Blue Mug are so fun and would be a perfect addition to a kitchen or office! I've also been using alot of metallic paints lately. I am loving all the different shimmery hues. Coffee on Copper shows off one of my favorite new metallic paints. So much fun to try something new!

Pinecone Tree

2009-10-13T09:37:00.001-07:00

One of my newest pieces, Pinecone Tree, makes me feel so warm and cozy. It is especially nice to gaze at as I sit here blogging during a cold, and very windy storm! Fall is definitely here and this piece has all of the best in autumnal colors. Great texture, really fun patterns and cozy colors! Gotta love it.

I am getting ready for a couple of shows next month, so there are many, many new pieces in the works. Will be posting some of my favorites soon. Happy fall!

Bewitching Halloween Trio

2009-10-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! I love this time of the year! I have all of my own Halloween decorations out and it seems that I can never have enough! I was inspired to create these Halloween pieces- best together - celebrating everything I love about Halloween- witches, spooky fun, and, of course, a bit of sparkly glamour! Don't settle for the same old decorations from the discount store- add something special and unique to make a great Halloween statement! Bewitching Halloween Trio is fun and fabulous!

Happy Birthday Joanne!

2009-09-18T09:22:00.001-07:00

Another veggie/fruit piece! I made this beet for a friend's birthday. I love this paper that has little beets on it. It's just perfect for a little piece in a kitchen. I found a great little stand to go along with it so that it can sit on the counter. Hopefully, it will bring smiles while Joanne is cooking one of her fabulous dishes! Happy Birthday, Joanne!

Field of Orange Flowers

2009-09-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

I love the colors and patterns of these flowers. At first, I thought it might be too much pattern, but once it came together, I just loved the way it all worked together. I guess sometimes more is more! The patterns and layering here make the texture of Fields of Orange Flowers amazing. It makes you want to just reach out and touch it! This piece reminds me of some of my earlier fields of flowers pieces. Each time I revisit an older piece, I think they just get better and better. The colors here, much more muted and warm, also remind me that autumn is on it's way in. It is a cozy but elegant feel. Loving it!

By the Lake

2009-08-20T11:57:00.000-07:00

We've been spending a lot of time down by the lake this summer. There is something about sitting by the water and watching the ducks, the birds and even the bats at sunset that is so relaxing. As we get ready to head down to the lake a few more times during these last few weeks of summer, I thought that I would share one of my newest pieces. It is inspired by the lake and, although the trees at my lake don't look quite as whimsical and colorful as these, the fresh, fun feeling of this piece is the same. By the Lake uses more Amy Butler patterns and the apple green paint that I can't seem to get enough of lately. This is a fun piece that would add life to just about any room!

An Old Favorite Made New

2009-08-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

I decided to revisit a past design of mine.

Bird on Pink Circles and Bird on Blue Circles are often asked about. They sold long ago and although I am always happy to remake any of my pieces, or work on a custom piece inspired by my work, I still recieve inquires about these ones in particular. Bird on Green Circles and Bird on Bright Blue Circles are updated, improved versions of these past pieces. I love how these turned out. Bird on Green Circles is constructed using Amy Butler's paper design. Her designs are so bold and graphic. I love them. Bird on Bright Blue Circles uses my current favorite color combination. I love bright, aqua blue and deep red together. I have used this combination in my own home. These colors bring life to any room!

Although the weather has been a bit cloudy and rainy here, it has encouraged me to spend more time creating art. I have a few more pieces that I am working on and I can't wait to share them. Despite the productivity that cloudy weather brings, I do hope that the sun and heat will return soon. Summer always seems to fly by!

And a Lamp to Match...

2009-08-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

I wish that I had taken a "before" picture of this lamp. It was very dark, brown and boring. I felt that it needed some color and some personality if it was going to stay in my studio! I've never applied my collage art to a lampshade before, but I love the way this turned out! I spray painted the base and then, as I do, I sketched, cut and glued until I had a lampshade that was a little more me. The colors, papers and general design was inspired by one of my latest, favorite pieces, Garden Tree. I am always excited to find something new to work on, and this was definitely different. I may have to look around the house and see if anything else needs my attention!

In between coats of paint, I was also working on a couple of new pieces. They are a nice mix of some of my past works but use new papers. I love finding new paper that inspires me! I will post the new pieces very soon!

On the Farm

2009-07-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

I do a lot of custom pieces and among the most popular are pieces for a new baby's nursery. It is always fun to work on something special that will look just right in that new baby's room. This last one I completed is called, Down on the Farm. I think it turned out really well! Mom and baby Max are pleased as well. If you are decorating in a farm theme, know someone who is, or have an idea for something special that will match your nursery's decor, just let me know! These are so fun to do and I am always looking for new ideas!

And more trees!

2009-07-23T21:54:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to get enough of trees! This latest tree is one of my favorites! Garden Tree is one of my most exciting pieces! It is a great combination of my trees, my leaves, my patterned papers and my new fondness for using book pages as additional texture and interest. On top of all of that, I just love the colors here. I think the blue is called "spa blue" and the greens are rich and wonderful. These patterned papers are some of the most fabulous of my latest finds! The other new pieces are pretty great. I can't believe that I have never done a daisy piece. I love daisies. So much so that my one and only tattoo (on my toe) is of a daisy. I am very very happy with my simple, sweet daisy. Of course, I am always happy to revisit my birdies, and Coral Birdie is the newest addition to my little art nest. (am I taking this metaphor too far??) And, finally, although my husband does not appreciate my odes to fruit, I couldn't help but make Half a Pear. I was inspired and I think it turned out fabulously. It would be such a cute addition to a kitchen or any corner that needs a little bit of fresh, crisp inspiration!

As always, I am always happy when I have a chance to create! Next to spending time with the family, nothing makes me happier than settling into my tiny studio, plugging in the ipod, and digging into my paper drawer. It is even better when my kids settle in next to me and paint, cut and glue just like mom. I think there are some budding artists in the family!

Trees, trees, trees!

2009-07-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

Usually it is birds or flowers. Maybe an occasional tree or tree branch for the bird to sit on. For whatever reason, trees have captured my attention as of late. Maybe it is because every morning I wake up and gaze at the forest of trees outside of my window. This may be the only thing that has ever postponed my first cup of coffee! For whatever reason, my last few pieces have been all about the trees. I am experimenting with different shapes of trees. Who knew that they all weren't those perfect circles that we made in elementary school! There are a couple of new ones that I especially like: Three Little Trees and Fruit Trees.

Although enjoying a carefree summer with all four kids at home has proved to be busier than expected, I am excited to squeeze in some more work in between the biking, slip 'n slides, dog walks, constant request for snacks and other fun summer activities!

Birdie on a Branch

2009-06-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

I think this one was inspired by the little mama bird and her baby that I have been feeding every day. It is finally feeling like summer and every morning, I step outside with my coffee and offer this bird some bread. It's wonderful how simple things that excited you as a child can still make you smile as you grow older! I had better get to work on a picture of that baby bird!

Garden in Gold

2009-05-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I made an all paper collage. This one is made of one of my favorite blue textured papers. The flowers are made of fun, modern patterned papers that I have been anxious to use in a piece. I tried something new with this this one. I outlined each flower, stem and the entire canvas with gold. It is subtle, but when the light catches it just right is a pretty cool effect. This Garden with Gold is fun and cheery and reminds me that spring is here. Bring on the flowers!