300th post! And a giveaway!

Hey everyone!

It's my 300th post!!!

As I was looking back over my blog stats, I saw that my most popular post was my paper cut tutorial!

So, as a thank you to all of you lovely blog readers, I would like to host a giveaway for my 300th post celebration. The rules are simple, just leave me a comment about why you follow my blog and a link to another blog you love -- I'll draw a name at random in a few days and the winner will receive a paper cut of their choice and a few secret goodies!

It's been a crazy 6 years of blogging and I cannot thank you all so much for all your support, advice, laughs, criticisms and feedback. The last few years have been challenging for me both with Riley and in my personal life, and knowing that I always had this place to go to (even if I wasn't blogging) to read about your adventures, live vicariously and get inspired was so important to me. The blogosphere can be a weird and wonderful place and I feel so very lucky to have a group of followers who make me feel like I have a team of people cheering me on at all times.

A big thank you to Pia's Parade for helping inspire this giveaway. Prairie's Mom was so elegantly patient with me while I worked on a few commissioned pieces that got sidelined when my life got a bit disrupted. I put the finishing touches on them and got them in the mail today!

Prairie in all her glory

Prairie's Mom had a cellphone photo of her on the cross ties that she really loved and I was able to make it work!

It's hard to tell by the photos but the paper behind the images is a cream-colored hand made paper with little tiny silver, shiny stars. I feel like it suits Prairie really well:)

2016 is looking very bright -- thanks for following us so far!

Winter is good for something

All this horrible weather has found me in serious hibernation mode. As a result, I was able to finally finish some paper cuts I had started months ago (to be fair, a lot of things happened in between me starting and finishing these). I am so happy they are complete and I think they turned out really well. I'm eager to start more and now that things are settled in my life, I have the focus and time to really devote to all my little art projects!

This one is mounted on lovely iridescent paper (it's hard to tell from my photo)

I love how this one turned out! What a cute face!

I am really fortunate right now to have such creative, inspiring people in my life. Even more that, I feel supported in my creative endeavors and I can feel that energy stirring within me again.

SPRING SALE!!!! My biggest and best sale EVER!!!!

Waking up to chirping birds and my dogwood tree blooming in front of my bedroom window has put me in a terrific mood. It feels like my winter blues are over and I finally finished another paper cut that I had trouble completing (it's hard for me to work when I'm not feeling inspired).

Here's the most recently finished piece:

PALOMINOS ARE REALLY TOUGH!

If you remember a few months ago I participated in a giveaway... this piece if for Amanda and Simba over at Chasing The Sun.

Last year, around this time I offered an incredible sale on my Etsy shop, but this year I've taken it up a notch!

Boo-yah!

Now's your chance to get a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork of your four-legged friend! Just enter coupon code SPRINGSALE50 at check out for 50% your entire order! This offer is only good Through May 31st, so don't wait!

You can find my shop here!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TraceALine

EDIT: I added a ton of new listings (I forgot they expire and people went to my shop only to see that everything was sold out!)

First papercut finished for 2014

As you probably remember, I was commissioned to make two paper cuts as prizes for a giveaway over on Aoife's blog. Today I finished the first one for L.Williams over at Viva Carlos. Secretly, I have been wanting to make one for her for a very long time. Hers in one of the few blogs that I have read from the very start (as in, I found out about hers and read it from the beginning to get the full story). I wept when she lost Carlos, because their bond was so tumultuous and connected, spiritual even, in all of it's ups and downs. When I threw my contest for my 200th post I was hoping she'd win (this is testimony to my honesty and that I didn't fix my contest!) so I was thrilled and honored when she won Aoife's giveaway.

I feel incredibly special to be a small part of people's lives and horses that I may never have the pleasure of knowing in real life. The blogosphere is a very magical place.

I love his lip!

A Very Special Christmas Themed Contest (re-post)

Aoife (another awesome Irish horse girl with an impossible name to spell or pronounce) is running a very fun Christmas themed contest on her blog. She wanted to have a giveaway for some of my paper cut work, so she's graciously commissioned me to make the prizes!

While she has asked people to promote my Etsy shop as a caveat of the contest, I did not ask her for promotion (but I will gladly take it). 

So if you like Christmas, and dressing up your pony, head on over to her blog to read more details about the giveaway. If you've ever wanted one of my paper cuts but didn't have the funds, this is a perfect way to win one!

**Not Riley**, but basically what I think he'd do if I put a Santa hat on him. This is probably one of the only times I will ever use a stock photos, apologies!

New Paper cuts!

I'm having a winter sale if anyone is interested!

Enter coupon code: WINTERISCOMING for 25% your entire order! http://www.etsy.com/shop/TraceALine

Here are my latest pieces:

Aimee + Cuna!!!!

Sam - a gift for someone who recently lost her horse

Winners!

Thank you to everyone that entered our humble contest. I feel honored to have so many great followers here and the sense of community I feel is immeasurable. I've laughed and cried along with all of you throughout the last 6 years. Thank you for helping us to get to 200 posts and here's to 200 more!

For what it's worth, everyone that entered sent the most thoughtful photos accompanied by fantastic bios that made it nearly impossible to pick a winner! I chose the two top prizes by a random number drawing (btw, if you gave me a shout out on you blog you got an extra number) and my assistant (not a horse person but an animal lover) chose the 5 runners up.

Without further ado...

Winner in the OTTB Category:

Kate + Lucy of The Adventures of Lucy, congrats! You are the lucky winner of an OTTB saddle pad and matching ear net, which I am sure Lucy with look incredibly smart in!

Winner in the non-OTTB group:

Kalin + Red of Cash's Steppin' Up, congrats! You are the lucky winner of your very own custom paper cut!

Finally, the runners up! Each runner up wins an Absorbine Try-Pak:

Stephanie and Pyxar (I don't think she has a blog)

Kari Kay and Piney at Good Time to Review

Lauren + Simon at She Moved to Texas

Tori + Penny at Filly's Best Friend

Sarah + Hemie at Eventing in Color

Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that entered and to all of my blog followers. You can't imagine how much it means to me to have your support (I literally have 2 real life horses friends) -- looking forward to sharing all of our futures ups and downs together.

*I'll be emailing the winners to claim their prizes:)

PAPER CUT!

Recently, I took on two commissioned paper cuts one of a horse and another of some pups. This particular commission has been a long time in the works (we first started chatting about this back in November I think) but I didn't get the official art work until April. Anyway, I started with the horse portrait because I assumed it would be harder, and while it was one of my trickiest ones to date, I LOVE how it turned out. Best of all? I made it from an Instagram photo -- that's right folks, you can send me your hipster-y, artsy photos and I can make you a beautiful paper cut from it!

Photo:

What a handsome pony! Apparently, he is a well-behaved stallion that gets blue ribbons everywhere he goes. I just love his owners gaze at him!

Paper cut:

It's almost finished. I say almost because there are little tweaks I will make (mostly highlights) and it will be mounted and matted for delivery. I'll photograph is again before shipping.

What do you guys think?

I have another commission underway, but I''d love to do more. I'll even barter for them (don't be shy).