Back to School

Summer is almost over and a new year of school is just around the corner! What better way to stand apart from "the crowd" than by carrying your own, personalized pencil case and lunch box?




Plastic is a medium I've never painted on before. This was tricky because the surface is slippery and paint doesn't stick to it very well. After a lot of trial and error, I finally found a technique that worked well. A primer was applied first, followed by acrylic paint and a waterproof sealant, which I'm hoping will help things stay in tact with all the travels these cases will do throughout a typical school day.

If you have any school supplies you would like me to help you personalize for your big school year, please send me an email. Don't forget, 20% of my profits will go to help The Townsend Family adopt a child!

E is for Ellie

I adore babies! I really do. My 3 "babies" are getting older and more independent, which is very nice. So, I'm done having little babies of my own. But, I do love sharing the excitement with my friends as they have babies. Part of sharing that joy is getting to create something special to give them. That's part of why I have a lot of fun creating art for little ones. My neighbor, Mama Y, gave birth to her second child last week--a daughter. She named her Ellie. I have wanted to paint her a gift for several weeks now, but haven't decided what she might like. About a week before The Big Day, Mama Y was talking about how she really wanted to buy something cute to hang on the nursery door, but hadn't had time to find anything. For awhile, I have wanted to try making one of those cute burlap door hangers, so this was a perfect opportunity to make one! Here's what I came up with:

2 burlap "E's" were carefully cut out, painted, joined together, stuffed, and then coated with a waterproof sealer. Wire was strategically placed in between the 2 "E's" and curled at the ends. Recently, I found a roll of vintage lace at an antique store, so I used some of it to make a big, puffy bow. This finishing touch is especially fitting for a Southern baby girl!

This was such a fun project! I might even make a burlap letter for my front door. I'd definitely love to do more projects like this, so please contact me if I can make one for you. They would make great wedding/baby gifts! Don't forget, 20% of Ka Soul Studio profits will go to The Townsend Adoption Fund until August 31st.

Rise and Shine for Adoption!

You heard it here first, Folks! I've decided to start selling my artwork in the Little Rock area. This is something I've wanted to do for awhile, but haven't quite known how to do it right. I still may not get it right, just in case you are wondering. But, art is my passion and I will always be creating it on a regular basis. I might as well make a little money. And also share some of that money. Which brings me to the 2nd part of my announcement...

20% of my profits through August 31st will go to help The Townsend Family go from a family of 3 to a family of 4! As a mom of 3, I know what a gift parenthood is. I am also a daughter to two, loving parents who have been more supportive than I could ever ask for--definitely more than I deserve. Sadly, there are millions of children who do not have that blessing, for one reason or another. So, let's help bring one of these children into a home filled with love, laughter, and grace. Amy, Robert, and Layla are really excited about how God will use them through this process.

Without further ado, let me show you one of my first business venture creations! This canvas was painted for The P Family, who also happens to be very passionate about adoption. So much so, that they adopted a sweet baby daughter to join their family of 4! Here is what I painted for them:

Mrs. P sent a photo of a poster she had seen that she loved and wanted to see if I could do something similar for her daughters' room. She wanted something large, so I suggested an 18X24 canvas. I used acrylic paint and mixed most of my own colors. The poster picture was pretty, but, being the crazy rebel that I am, I had to change a few things. The original font was changed a bit. The words rise, shine, and glory were outlined with silver dots. Also, I thought it was important to highlight the word God a little more than the poster did. Swirls were painted behind the letters of the word to give a "cloudy sunrise" effect. The bold colors of all of the letters really pop off the white background. The family had it framed with a beautiful glossy black frame. Wow! What a fun way to wake up and start the day!

What can I create for you? If you would like to have personalized artwork made for you AND contribute to a great cause, please send me an email at: kasoulstudio@gmail.com.

Teacher Gifts

"Be careful to leave your sons well
instructed rather than rich,
for the hopes of the instructed are better
than the wealth of the ignorant." -Epictetus

My husband and I are very wealthy! You might believe otherwise if you look at our house, our cars, or our clothes. But we have more than most people could only dream of.

We have 3 happy and healthy children. Their little bodies and minds are the most precious things in the world to us. We do our best to help them make good choices in the food they eat, the friends they make, and in the way they spend their time. A large part of that is how they are educated.

This past year, they have had 3 wonderful school teachers! We could not be more pleased with these women who have sacrificed so, so much to care for my "babies!" To show my appeciation, I painted them each a canvas that might brighten up their home or classroom.

Jack's teacher is having a baby boy this summer, so I painted her a canvas with an "h," the initial of his first name. Moriah's teacher loves smiley faces, so her canvas has this painted on it, "You're never fully dressed without a [wide smile painted across the bottom]." Molly's teacher loves the color hot pink and she also loves zebra stripes. I painted a large zebra-striped "S" outlined in hot pink. These were 11x14 canvases painted with acrylic paint.

These ladies deserve much more than painted canvases, but I do hope they will look fondly at those paintings for years to come and know that they are an answer to prayer. God bless teachers!