Kelly B. Rightsell's Blog

2009-04-21T16:08:00.000-04:00

This is what I say to my kids continuously! It's really what I want to DO myself.

2009-04-21T15:56:00.000-04:00

This is another beautiful work by my cousin, Melanie. She is so talented! I wish we could open a gallery together. I admire her ability to do portraits. I could never accomplish this!

2009-02-15T21:04:00.000-05:00

Christmas is long gone, but I couldn't resist! I have been working on alot of art with dogs lately and this is always my main inspiration! I can't believe how fast time is flying by. The last post I made was when our exchange student was here, and now my baby has gone to Mexico! He will be there for two weeks, the longest he's ever been away. He is living with the boy who stayed with us in Monterrey. I have never been to Mexico. He has been looking forward to this for so long. I hope he has a wonderful time, but I sure do miss him!!

2008-11-11T13:38:00.000-05:00

WOW! It's been busy around here! We just said good-bye to our exchange student from Mexico. He stayed with us for two weeks. He was such a nice boy and we all miss him already! What a great experience for our family. Our son will go stay with him in february for two weeks. We had a pumkin carving party at our house with 24 teen-agers and various other parties and functions to attend in a short two weeks. It's amazing how easily he fit into our family. Now all of a sudden it's november!! I'm excited, though. It's so beautiful here and we have lots of new things in the works! Stay tuned !

2008-09-15T23:19:00.000-04:00

I went to the beach for our annual girls trip this week end. What would we do without our girlfriends?? We watched FOUR weddings on the beach in one day! That has to be a record. Now it's back to reality, and LOADS of laundry. I did miss my family, but we had fun!

2008-09-15T22:59:00.000-04:00

I designed this for stationary, but it never came to pass. Again, I can paint an outfit I like easier than I can put one together! I would wear this. Would you? I have to admit that I went with a friend the other day on a teen-age outting. We snuck into "Forever 21" I felt silly and OLD. There were definitely women over 21 in there...but "Forever 41" ??? The price was RIGHT, though. $5.80 for a pair of cool sunglasses. $12.50 for a pair of skinny jeans!! You can't beat that! Check it out girls!

2008-09-06T13:21:00.000-04:00

Here's a nice bright painting for a dreary day. It's hurricane season and we're feeling it here. As you can see, I have my dog in my art once again. She pops up quite often. She will be 9 in October and I am realizing that she is getting on up there in dog years. I guess I am also, at 41!

2008-08-28T10:48:00.000-04:00

"Back to school" means "Back to Sketchbooks" for me. I carry them around in my car (the place I am from 2:30 until...everyday now) I can jot down ideas between carpools. I have stacks of these and they really come in handy. These are some ideas I have that I think would make cute fabric or wrapping paper...I have loads more with different subject matter.

2008-08-21T09:56:00.000-04:00

I can feel summer slipping away. No more trips to the beach, the pool, spur of the moment cook outs, and days of just doing nothing. I think my kids are ready to go back, but I'm not. It will be nice to be able to get some work done, but I do not look forward to the making lunches that no one eats, carpooling, scheduling everything, and the dredded HOMEWORK!!

2008-08-20T09:14:00.000-04:00

I have always been able to paint a room that I like much better than I can decorate one. If only it were that easy! I wish I could decorate my house to look like a Matisse painting....maybe I should! I do love painting interiors. Until I can make the time to work on my house and make it look the way I want, I'll have to keep painting my imaginary one!

2008-08-18T11:18:00.000-04:00

My son and I started this project earlier in the summer (yet another unfinished project!) It is made from a wire coat hanger bent into the body shape, crumpled newspaper and tape to form the shape, and plaster gauze to harden it. You can get it from a medical supply. I used to use it when I was teaching to make masks righton the children's faces. Stay tuned for the finished product!!

2008-08-18T10:38:00.000-04:00

This is our Mimi's Tea Party fabric , inspired by the tea parties my grandmother used to put on for my cousins and I. We would dress up, hats and all and have tea with china and silver. We thought we were princesses, and one prince. This fabric is now gone, but we are trying to find a new license to work with. I love designing fabric. I have used lots of my childhood memories as inspirations for my art. I use my own children's interests as well. My daughter's love of horses, my son's fly fishing, soccer and golf. Little boys make noise was inspired by my baby boy is just turned 7! I am so fortunate to do something I love every day.

2008-08-18T10:22:00.000-04:00

I love this kind of wallpaper. I have seen it framed as panels,but I want it all over my foyer. I want to paint it, but I know I would start it and not finish. (considering I started an underwater mural in my 13 year old son's room when he was 9 and it's still not finished. Has anyone ever seen this wallpaper anywhere??

2008-08-15T10:20:00.000-04:00

Out on the town! I was thinking of doing some of these watercolors for older girl's rooms. What do you think? I used to think about fashion illustration for a career. Now, in my everday outfit of workout clothes and tennis shoes, it doen't look like fashion is in my near future. I am headed for a short R&R time in the mountains. Have a great week end!

2008-08-15T09:44:00.000-04:00

My 13 year old son asked me if I was in a bad mood yesterday. I answered "YES, I am in a bad mood when I am cleaning." I have tried to keep a positive outlook when cleaning, but it is not always easy. I even put lots of my kids sweet artwork up on my laundry room walls in an attempt to make me happy when cleaning. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. A friend of mine says she dreams of having an "Alice" from the Brady Bunch. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone around to help all day?

2008-08-15T09:34:00.000-04:00

Life IS a circus! I am sad that school is starting back. My daughter is the only one who is ready. My boys would like to see summer never end. I'm with them. I dred the scedules, the homework, the lunch-making, THE CARPOOOLING!!! Oh well, all good things must come to an end. We have survived having two birthday parties in one week, yet again. This is something I've been playing around with...collage. It's fun to try something a little different.

2008-08-05T22:29:00.000-04:00

Tennis anyone? This is an example of the small bit of stationary we produced. We thought it would be so easy, but it wasn't. Stationary is another business...one that we don't know enough about. I would like to find someone to produce it for us or license it to. We have gotten a good response from the little bit we did, though. What do you think?

2008-08-05T22:17:00.000-04:00

I'm back from my family reunion. I don't get to see my side of the family very much anymore. I grew up with 8 first cousins that I was really close to. We went on trips in the summer to the beach and other places with our grandmother. One of my cousins is leaving with her family for Africa for two years to help with an orphanage. We were happy to see her before she left. It's so nice to get together for happy occasions. I really miss my south carolina family alot. My grandmother would be so proud to see us all together.

2008-07-13T08:56:00.000-04:00

Another work of art by my oldest. He painted this of my father-in-law's workshop. He doesn't like to paint much. I made him do this while his sister and cousins were painting still-lifes of garden flowers. My mother-in-law is also an artist. She has a fabulous garden that artist's come to paint. She also gives art lessons in her garden studio to children. It's a very enchanted place!

2008-07-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

My baby swam in our city swim meet and his relay team won a gold medal!! My husband is reliving his old glory days of swimming about right now. The summer swim season is over now. We're ready for a little more beach time and hitting the books for summer work. Summer is just too short! In a couple of weeks we'll be celebrating two birthdays and heading to a family reunion to send off my cousin and her family to Malawi. They will be helping with an orphanage there. My family doesn't get together enough. It's hard with so many people, but worth it when we make the time!

2008-07-08T18:20:00.001-04:00

I now have some original art on my site for sale! I feel the need to expand, design-wise, not waist size! We have 25 new gallery wrapped canvases as of today. The Atlanta Gift show has started, and my husband leaves tomorrow. I should go, too, but I will stay here with the kids. I hope the show is good. I hear that alot of retailers are not coming because of the economy. I hope there are alot of people there because alot of work goes into these shows on both sides.

2008-06-30T20:38:00.000-04:00

This is my attempt to capture my sweetie pies in their most precious place. I love to paint children, not portraits, though. One day I hope to do it every day. For now I will have to rely on lots of photos, and an occasional painting. The one of the boys was done at 4 a.m. Does anyone else suffer from sleep problems??

2008-06-30T09:12:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh! Back from a week at the beach! We had a wonderful week with the kids. We didn't do much...fishing, crabbing, swimming, and relaxing! There's nothing like doing nothing sometimes! Now I must go start with a week's worth of laundry!!!

2008-06-22T12:43:00.000-04:00

June is the wedding month! My cousin recently got married outside on the side of a mountain. It was beautiful! The dinner was in an old tobacco barn-very "martha-stewartish" They let a box of butterflies go at the end. It was lovely. I got to spend some one on one time with my girl....doesn't happen very often. Boy would I do some things differently if I had my wedding to do over again!!!

2008-06-22T12:16:00.000-04:00

CAMP! My sweetie just got back from her first time at camp! We really missed her alot! She had a great time. Camp is a little more posh now, then when I went. We're glad to have her back!

2008-06-22T12:13:00.000-04:00

Summer has officially started! We have 3 swimmers! (by force) Swim team is not the first choice at out house, but we suspect they secretly like it!

2008-06-13T08:39:00.000-04:00

2008-06-13T08:34:00.000-04:00

My first cousin is an artist. She does portraits (like this one) and much more. We are kind of like sisters. We are three months apart, grew up together, and both have three kids. She was on all of the trips in the green van with mimi, sketch book in hand also. We occasionally take art classes together, when we can get away. Our dream is to have a gallery together. Maybe one day!

2008-06-11T08:39:00.000-04:00

For all of you "preppy, passionate, pink-lovers" ...here is a piece for you! I am trying to create some art for older kids, as well as art that you can keep and put in other rooms. What do you think? I would keep this in a teen age girl's room, or even a sun room. I feel the need to expand. Please give me your opinions!!! p.s. there is a companion boy piece called Sam's corner on my site. This one is called "Ruthie's Place" for my cousin's Westie, "Ruthie".

Happy Birthday, Mimi

2008-06-11T08:18:00.002-04:00

June 7th was my grandmother, Mimi's birthday. She was a very special lady. Mimi was widowed at a young age, and raised three children while running the family business. She took all of us grandchildren on many summer adventures in her big green van. She gave each of us a small sketch book to record all of the great sights we saw. I still carry a small sketch book to this day to record my ideas and thoughts. Thanks Mimi, I love you, and miss you every day!

2008-06-02T23:10:00.000-04:00

My daughter's self portrait! She is talented! All my kids know that creativity is about the most positive trait they will get from me. Thank goodness their dad provides they math and science part.

our surtex booth

2008-06-02T11:05:00.000-04:00

children's museum auction

2008-06-02T11:02:00.000-04:00

2008-05-31T16:41:00.004-04:00

I love my dog! It's hard to believe she's almost nine years old. She is the perfect family pet. Always dressing up for all occasions, suffers through the nicks and dings three kids and friends can dish out, runs when you want to run, and lays around when you want her to lay around. The best thing is...she never complains . The only thing I would change about her is to be more of a watch dog. We are only protected if a group of cats broke into our house.

2008-04-30T15:55:00.004-04:00

ACE OF CAKES? I love to make fun birthday party cakes! With three kids, I've made quite a few. I'm nearing the "burned out" stage after 13 years of this, though. Why do we feel the need to go to this extreme? Do our kids really remember the color coordinated decor and party favors? I even designed invitations specific for each party! Are they going to remember this? Doubt it! Oh well, it's fun. Gives me a chance to use what I learned in sculpture class in college.

2008-04-23T19:14:00.002-04:00

This is the "Two-man team" of Kelly Rightsell Designs...We do it all. Create, design, produce, market, sell, pack, and ship bunnies and frogs all over the world!

2008-04-21T21:13:00.004-04:00

O.K. ...Here it goes...my entry into the Blog world. I am intimidated by all of the GREAT blogs out there, but so what, right? If my 10 year old can produce a power point presentation, I should be able to do this. I'm much more comfortable with a pencil or paintbrush, though. I've been attempting LOTS of new art lately. Faceless children, more contemporary-looking animals(if there is such a thing), more designy art, and plain old painting for the fun of it. I came across a painter over the week end that has me all excited! He uses fantastic color and beautiful compositions. He even teaches classes. The only problem is that he is in London. Oh well, thank goodness for the internet. Tomorrow I will try to learn how to post images.