Important Announcement - Shops Merging!

For the last two years, I have been managing two Etsy shops, two artistic businesses, and too much confusion. I've been struggling to fully embrace either shop name: Tangents or Watercolor Submarine, because I hate to let one of them go. I love the way 'Tangents' lets me feel like an artist and a math whiz with its dual meaning, but I also love the bright and wonderful imagery that 'Watercolor Submarine' conjures up in my mind. Juggling the two shops has finally pushed me to my limit, though, and I've made the decision to use 'Tangents' as my sole shop name (for now, I still have a soft spot for Watercolor Submarine...) You can now access this blog by typing TangentsArt.com into your search bar - woohoo!

Over the next couple of weeks I plan to merge all of my hand painted, original home decor inventory into one Etsy shop: TangentsbySHS.Etsy.com You will still be able to find splashy little whales, furry little foxes, and all things aquatic and woodland, they will just be in one convenient location!

I have also made the decision to discontinue my hand painted seashell jewelry line. The necklaces that are currently available at WatercolorSubmarine.Etsy.com will be the only necklaces offered for awhile. I'm not ruling out the possibility of a future seashell jewelry line, but, for now, my artistic muse is taking me in a different direction. I've really enjoyed the thrill of finding the perfect shell and painting a tiny scene on it, and I still have many lovely pieces available for the time being. Check 'em out before they're all gone: WatercolorSubmaine.Etsy.com

Fall Weather

The past couple of days We've been experiencing a chilly fall breeze in Randolph. The kind that sneaks up on you at the end of August and makes you think, "What happened to summer?" I'm already feeling a little nostalgic for swimsuits and flip flops, but I'm also looking forward to my favorite decorating holiday, Halloween!

I know it's still a little early for this sort of thing, but wearing my fall sweater the last couple of days really got me in the mood for creating some new Halloween decorations. I'm not at all into the gory, horrifying types of decor (I can only assume that they are used solely for shock value), but I absolutely adore the cute, little, spooky type of Halloween decoration! I've been dreaming about making a haunted house door hanger since the end of last fall, and so I've finally created this personalized piece for my own front door.

I'm particularly excited about the 'glowing' appearance of the windows in the spooky mansion. I'll hang my sign sometime around mid-September. It's so hard to wait, but I don't want to be the only silly soul on the block with Halloween decorations up before the end of summer!

If you'd like a spooky mansion sign for your front door as well, I am currently taking orders. Each sign is hand painted by me, and is $35.00 with personalization. You can order one from my Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/201175760/personalized-halloween-door-sign-spooky?ref=pr_shop. If you live in the Randolph or Omaha area or Nebraska, contact me through email: Kristi.r.schmit@gmail.com, and I may be able to work out a delivery option that will save you money on shipping!

Fall Cedar Slice Collection

My fall cedar slice collection is here! I've created three brand new original painting designs to celebrate the upcoming autumn season.

1. Black and Gold Faux Bois 'Spooky' Tree: I love the exaggerated wood grain look that a faux bois design offers, and adding gold metallic paint makes this tree very 'pretty' for something called 'spooky'

2. Metallic Pumpkins: thinking of fall always conjures up images of pumpkins and seasonal squash, I wanted to include a large white pumpkin as the focal point of this piece, because I'm really pushing this 'white after labor day' motif

3. Fall Foliage: my personal favorite new design features a sprig of dusty miller, an acorn, and a branch laden with fall berries. It's the perfect fall floral arrangement eternally preserved in a painting.

Each wall hanging features an original hand painted design on a cedar log slice (harvested from naturally fallen logs, so it's environmentally friendly). The natural colors of the wood and the rich cedar smell it gives off add a rustic and woodsy touch to these pieces. A sawtooth hanger is attached to each log slice for easy display.

You can snag these three as a set for $40 or individually for $15 a piece in my Etsy Shop: tangentsbyshs.etsy.com


All images and designs are copyright 2014 Kristi Schmit.

Hanging Office Organizers

Some of the latest wall hangings available in my Etsy shop are these functional office organizers. Each wall hanging features a happy little painting and several colorful clothespins for hanging photos, shopping lists, receipts or any other item that you'd like to have easily accessible. I currently have three different styles available: woodland toadstools, geometric mountains, and citrus fruit. The citrus fruit organizer would look particularly adorable hanging in your kitchen!

Special Order for a Mom

Last week, I made a special order log slice painting for the mom of my favorite nephews, my sister-in-law, Melissa. Corinne (my mother-in-law), received a magnet from Jason with the same phrase when he was little. She fell in love with the saying and wanted to share it with her daughter for her birthday. Of course, Melissa's youngest son, Trey, took all the credit for picking out the gift (1-year-olds are good at that kind of thing, am I right?)