Cozy Little Cave

Portfolio

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 21:00:00 +0000

"Oscar" 12x12, acrylic on canvas

"Lucy" and "Ollie" 16x20, acrylic on canvas

"Otis" and "Otis & Daddy" 16x20, acrylic on canvas

"The Girls" 8x10 each, acrylic on canvas

"Cat in Crib" 20x16, acrylic on canvas

"Old Tie Dye" 20x16, acrylic on canvas

"Night Street Scene" 48x36, oil on canvas

"Kitt and the Pups" 48x36, oil on canvas

"Pears" 16x20, oil on canvas; "Three Vases" 20x16, oil on canvas

"The Ride" 24x18, oil on canvas

"Little Red" 20x16, oil on canvas

"After Bridgeman" 20x16

"Nude on Rock" 18x24, oil on canvas; "Sherbert" 18x24 oil on canvas

"Girl with Guitar" 18x24, oil on canvas; "Cubed Duck" 22x18, acrylic on paper

Anson Jones Elementary Murals

Bryan, Texas

Texas A&M University Dance Program, Hallway Murals

College Station, Texas

Custom Work

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Custom commissioned paintings make fabulous gifts and cheerful additions to any home- especially perfect for pets and kids! For custom acrylic portraits, prices are currently as follows, followed by the priority shipping and handling charge to the continental US:

8x10 - $65 + $10s/h
12x12 - $100 + $10s/h
16x20 - $180 + $15s/h
18x24 - $250 + $20s/h

*Add $15 per additional subject in the painting.
*Shipping outside of the continental US? Inquire for the cost!
*Turnaround time averages approximately 3 weeks, but a more accurate timeframe based on current availability will be given upon inquiry.
*Payment accepted via PayPal, due upon completion of the painting once a digital proof has been sent.

For more information on the process, questions about alternate sizes, or interest in commissioning a piece, please shoot me an email. In addition to paintings, I do also occasionally accept freelance graphic design projects- let me know what you're interested in!

Rex Update!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Wed, 21 May 2014 03:48:00 +0000

I can't believe the last time I shared a month pic was at 2 months! Time is flying by WAY too fast this go-round! Can you believe this chunk is 8 months old?

My Blue Door!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Fri, 09 May 2014 15:29:00 +0000

Finally, I have a blue door! It really helps brighten up the kitchen, which is the darkest room in the house as far as natural light goes. While I was at it, I ditched the spice rack (moved to the pantry), and finally got some Albers prints up! Not bad for a weekend facelift...

"Bear"

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 05 May 2014 14:44:00 +0000

Possibly the cutest little commission ever...

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 21:25:00 +0000

Blue Doors & My Dream Home

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:26:00 +0000

The other day I fell in love with this home over on Apartment Therapy. Absolutely gorgeous- my dream space! Of course, I'm drastically limited in recreating it by my house's architecture and (more importantly) budget. One aspect though, I'm seriously debating... that blue door. That gorgeous blue door! Painting a door a bold color is such a cheap, easy way to really make a space pop. I love our red back door in the kitchen, but I'm starting to seriously consider taking it a bright robin's egg blue. Or maybe even that boring white door to the garage in the basement...

all photos via Apartment Therapy

2 Months!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 18 Nov 2013 16:18:00 +0000

This little butterball is growing WAY too fast!

1 month!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 22:12:00 +0000

Okay, so he's actually more like 6 weeks old now, but I just realized I never posted Rex's 1 month photo! My mother got him this awesome dino stuffed animal we'll be using for scale in his photos, and I think I'm going to have a little more fun with these than I did with Pippa's...

From bump to baby!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 15:33:00 +0000

The Perfect Fall Wreath

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 22:11:00 +0000

Being up late every night has resulted in a lot of online window shopping lately. That paired with the recent influx of fall weather sent me searching for a new wreath for the front door. I still have this one I made a while back, but isn't this creation from CreativeHandsBoston stunning? I *love* it!!

How YOU doin'?

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 02:43:00 +0000

Rex Kroeger Carter

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 05:05:00 +0000

He is here, and he is perfect! Born on his great-grandpa's birthday... September 6th, 2013 at 5:11pm. Weighed 7lbs. 13oz. and measured 21" long just like his big sister. God is so, so good!

Pippa is the very proud big sister.

House Tour: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 03:35:00 +0000

With baby #2's imminent arrival, I'm unfortunately aware of how drastically our routine and home are about to change yet again. Just as I feel that things are finally put together, we're about to bring out the pack & plays, bouncers, and jumparoos yet again. I'll be trading decorative throws for boppy pillows and burp rags, and while it's completely worth it, it's likely to be a while before the house is back to feeling 'polished.' Considering all of that, I decided it was a good time to document. First up: the front exterior, main floor, and basement!

House Tour: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 03:48:00 +0000

Jumping up a couple flights of stairs from the basement, our upstairs holds our main bath and the three bedrooms; the backyard rounds it out!

Pippa's Painting Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 04:00:00 +0000

My little sprite is TWO, and we celebrated with a painting party! Was I crazy to invite a trove of toddlers over to paint while 36+ weeks pregnant? Perhaps. Was it full of chaos, fun, creativity, color, and joy? Yes! No regrets here- we all had a blast! Miraculously, we were able get everything all cleaned up pretty quickly by the end of the night. Today was spent relaxing in PJs, reading new books, and playing with new toys. We have such wonderful, generous, helpful friends- I cannot thank them all enough for making Pippa's party such a success! :) I hope they all had as much fun as I did!

My little 2 year old...

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 02:31:00 +0000

Today my little baby turned TWO years old! I cannot get over how much this spunky little sprite grows and learns every single day... or how much I absolutely love her to pieces! Happy 2nd Birthday Pippa!

Backyard Privacy Screen

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 16:29:00 +0000

Coming from Texas suburbs to quaint little Mt. Lebanon has one very noticeable difference in yards... privacy. Partly due to hills, partly due to restrictive rules, there are very few 6' stockade privacy fences around (and those that exist were grandfathered in years ago). I tend to be of the opinion that "good fences make good neighbors," so as soon as we were able, we fenced in the backyard. We already had a privacy fence blocking our neighbor's patio on one side, but the remaining side was difficult to handle due to a retaining wall & height difference. Our neighbors are building elsewhere now and plan to put their house on the market in the next few weeks, so if there was *ever* a time to do something, this is it.

I'm not going to lie... I love our neighbors, but I do not appreciate looking at this every time I step outside my door. Those pots used to have tomatoes in them... 3 years ago. So after much consideration of our options, Jesse begrudgingly pulled out the post-hole digger again, and a week later...

I *love* it! I do not consider it a complete 'after' though. Eventually, I'm sure we'll hang a decoration or two on it, and I plan to place some trough planters at the bottom with english ivy growing upward onto the screen. With a to-do list longer than I can manage and a baby coming in a month, it isn't exactly at the top of my list. In the mean time though, I'm just thrilled with it as-is!

Gummy Bear Night Light

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 19:18:00 +0000

In searching for a moveable, safe bedside light for Pippa's room, I stumbled across these Gummy Bear Night Lights. They are fabulous. The plastic is soft, they turn on when you squeeze the belly, there's a timer to not drain the batteries, and they're so cute even adults have to admit they're awesome. Pippa adores it, and I'm already considering getting a white one for middle-of-the-night feedings with the new baby...

Obviously, Pippa approves.

Upstairs Bathroom Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 23:03:00 +0000

I originally started updating our main upstairs bath back in January. Yes, it's shameful how long it took to finish the details- especially considering how small a project it was! Life with a toddler... oh well. A leaky spout diverter was the original cause for updating, and the changes we made (while not drastic) were worth all the effort! The "Home Depot Special" spout was replaced with a Hansgrohe E Spout with diverter- and I just love the simplicity of it. Something about this one seemed so much more elegant and simple than the others. The shower head was perhaps the best update- we now have a Hansgrohe Raindance S 150 AIR handheld shower head. Seriously people. Best shower head I've ever used. And the functionality of a handheld unit with a toddler and 2 dogs has been extremely helpful. I would *highly* recommend one of these to anyone re-doing a shower! I wanted to also update part 2 of the "Home Depot Special" in the control valve and trim (the part you use to control on/off and temperature). Alas! Jesse is not experienced enough in plumbing to replace a valve (which costs $$$ anyway), and the replacements that fit our current valve didn't blend well at all. Eh... no big deal.

Since I'm incapable of just doing what is necessary, we replaced the sconces on either side of the medicine cabinet; the chrome finish on them was deteriorating, so they always looked dirty or dingy. Shockingly, I found something I could afford on a huge lighting sale at Restoration Hardware! The Keller Sconce reminds me of a vintage barber shop or something... Beyond that it was just some new turquoise bamboo towels, accessories borrowed from elsewhere in the home, painting the medicine cabinet nook black, and some vintage Kohler ads to update the photo frames. All in all a pretty minimal update visually from what it was before, but I'm really happy with the 'final touches' that make it just a touch more elegant and functional!

Rex's Nursery Redo

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 20:50:00 +0000

Not too many changes from when Pippa occupied it, but that was the intention all along. The nursery was always one of my favorite rooms, so the redo was the result of switching out a few of the more feminine touches for something gender neutral or boyish. I really wanted to replace Sleeping Beauty with a classic Mon Oncle poster... but Jesse won out and got Star Wars instead of another dachshund item. It just so happened the only Star Wars poster that went with the room was from Italy when it first came out...

Happy Independence Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 03:57:00 +0000

Hope your day was filled with fun, family, friends, fireworks, and too many hot dogs!

Pippa's Big Girl Room

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I'm calling it "vintage toddler chic..."

We've added a bed rail & the little toot is now in her own big girl bed! Only on the 2nd night, but so far, so good. It took me a long time to really get a vision for the room- much more so than any others I've done in the house. I think it was the challenge of accommodating the wooden closet doors (which are gorgeous, but not something I'd normally choose myself) and really trying to limit new purchases. Regardless, it's finally done and I -and Pippa- love it! I'm particularly fond of the blending of family heirlooms (the quilt on the bed, runner behind the headboard, my old rocking horse...) with fun, modern touches (pint-sized Eames rocker, forest wall decal, 3Sprouts bins). The nursery officially belongs to the new baby now (not due until September), and I'll be updating on that as well since it's shifting a bit for a boy; the look is still pretty much the same though.

Pineapple Poster Beds!

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 01:06:00 +0000

Picked up these two beauties via Craigslist today! I went to check on the ad for just one and discovered they had 2! We know we'll eventually have 2 kiddos in our second bedroom, and I've never been a fan of bunk beds, so to find a matching set was a pleasant surprise! I love the pineapple poster style of these guys, and they're a nice lower profile- perfect for a pesky little toddler I know!

They'll serve as Pippa's big girl bed (and #2's when the time comes), but they need some TLC first. Lots of nicks & scratches, and one has a broken foot board. Previous owners "James and John" were clever enough to also leave their mark- carving their names into the headboards (also... "Go Jets"). I was originally going to paint them fire engine red, but now that they're cleaned up.... they look a lot better than they did at first. So I'm going to throw on a couple more coats of polish & see how they're looking. I might just lightly refinish the main, flat headboard portions.

We don't plan to move Pippa into her new room until Christmas, but she could technically figure out how to escape her crib sooner than then. If that happens, well, she'll be moving a bit sooner...

Gonna be a big sister...

noreply@blogger.com (Tess Carter) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 03:33:00 +0000