a growing golden family session

IMG_5104-29 I absolutely love being able to document all the milestones of a young family. This is my bestie Nicole (who frequently appears on here!), and we found the most beautiful golden light to capture her growing family. Her little girl is experiencing her last months as the only child before her baby sister arrives this winter.

These colors and the cuteness of toddlerhood just make me have all the heart-eyes!

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I can't wait to meet baby Rory in a few months!

xo, Michelle

Follow me @maryandluna on your favorite social media: InstagramTwitterFacebook. See my art in my Etsy shop or on maryandluna.com

if you’re interested in a session with me for you and/or your kids in Orange County, CA, visit my website or email me! maryandluna@gmail.com

Apparently it's November already.

It feels like this year has gone by so much faster than any year before it. I feel like I'm constantly playing catch up. I had my 2nd art show!

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I participated in the monthly Santa Ana Art Walk on November 2nd. I did the September one too, and it was a great experience. This month was much different. Last time, so many friends came and bought things, it was busy the whole time. This time, I was less busy and got to talk to a lot of the other artists around me. While I didn't sell much, a few people really loved my work and hopefully will visit my Etsy shop. I figure it's still a good thing for me to get out there and have my work seen.

The artist next to me has been doing art professionally for a long time, and she was talking to me about how if you get discouraged, you just have to remember that everyday your work is being seen. By the people who have bought from you, by the people who see it in their homes, and by the people who are seeing it online, whether you hear about it or not. You just have to keep doing it. That was so helpful and encouraging to me.

 

Family pumpkin painting:

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My parents, sisters, and I started a new tradition a few years ago of painting/carving pumpkins together. One year we did a Harry  Potter theme. This year we did a Big Bang Theory theme but we painted them as minions from Despicable Me. (We're big fans of both). My character is Penny on the far right. Kelly's is Howard, Lisa's is Raj, Mom's is Sheldon, Dad's is Leonard, and then my dad & I made the carved atom logo pumpkin.

I also painted this lovely literary quote by Andrea Gibson onto a huge white pumpkin:

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Now I'm onto my next tasks! I have a custom painting in the works, I'm doing a holiday boutique at my dad & sister's office later this month, and I've got a whole bunch of administrative tasks to catch up on! I lost a couple days being sick, so I'm trying to get going again!

xo, Michelle

 

Fall is about letting go.

photo_tag I cut out these words from the leaves I collected and pressed. It was a simple truth that flowed from my hands.

I watch how effortlessly trees let go of their leaves, and I wish I could do that so gracefully. Letting go is so hard. Letting go of unrealistic expectations, perfectionism, the way things used to be. It’s all a constant work in progress. But I’m realizing how much lighter I feel when I decide to let go of heavy things. Life gets a little bit easier that way.

I've been thinking about this lately, but this post came from my decision to cut about 6 inches of my hair today. It’s a small and silly thing to be so influenced by, but I’ve had my hair really long for 5 years: the 5 most turbulent years of my life so far, the first 5 years of my adulthood. I needed a change, and it’s amazing how much lighter I feel. I grew very attached to my long, wavy hair, but I need something different for a while now. It’s like a new start. So I’m letting it go, and I’m letting go of some of the deeper things that are heavy. The things that make me hesitate to keep going and keep creating. I need to let those things go.

I hope you can let go too.

xo, Michelle

a title-less post, I guess.

This is all I have to share today because my brain is full of details for current & upcoming projects. My favorite season is becoming the busiest season! Here's a quote from one of my favorite books (+ a photo of me in the mountains at one of my favorite childhood spots about a week ago). This quote helps me when I try to understand absolutely everything. Now I'm off to sketch & design new pieces! pic&quote_forblog10.15.13

xo, Michelle

Find me on Facebook & Instagram (@maryandluna) | view my Etsy shop

Happy October 1st! + new Autumn-themed piece for sale!

I'm so excited Fall is here! It doesn't quite feel like it here in Southern California, but I'm feeling hints of it here and there- like the much cooler nights and having to wear an actual sweatshirt sometimes. The air just feels different. One of my jobs is picking up a little girl from preschool, so those school days make it feel even more like fall is here. To celebrate all the beauty of this season, I've created a new piece! I wrote about when I fell in love with Portland, Oregon in the fall, and then painted a little girl enjoying the colorful, fallen leaves on top of the writing. It's all about the wonder and idyllic qualities of Autumn, an ode to how beautiful it is. It's perfect for someone who loves fall, childhood, and perhaps the Pacific Northwest.

This print is now available for sale! It's listed at a special price of $18, so don't miss that deal- it won't last long! It's available on either white or brown paper, each giving the painting a different vibe.

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You can order it from my Etsy shop. Happy Fall!!!

PS. Here's some of the inspiration for this piece. These photos are from my Portland trip last year:

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