Pick Your Favorite Modern Sugarluxe Art Print | Holiday Gift Giveaways

Have you heard the news?  It’s our LAST day of the Pick Your Favorite Art Print Holiday Giveaway! 

If you follow Sugarluxe on Facebook or Twitter, you’ve likely seen that all December long, we’ve been giving away great gifts.  It’s just my way of saying THANK YOU for all the years of support and friendship.

For me, nothing feels better than playing Santa.  It warms my heart to be able to reach out, give FREE goodies and show you how much I appreciate your business.

The drawing of the WINNING name will take place right before midnight tonight – December, 18th, 2011.  So, if you have yet to participate, you still have just a bit of time left.

Entering is super easy, too.

Simply comment, like, share, RETWEET, place on Pinterest, blog about it, or do what you can to spread the word. 

In the face of so many businesses who have not survived, all of the overseas outsourcing, and the competition posed by big box stores, your help in talking about Sugarluxe with your friends and family goes a long way in supporting a business with manufacturing in the USA, a female owned and operated company, further job creation, and our economy.

I just can’t say it enough, it means everything to hear your feedback, make your orders, and read your comments.  It helps me grow, both as an artist and business woman, and for that, I try very hard to exceed your expectations at every turn.

So let’s get to it:

PICK YOUR PRINT -

I want someone to win a SIGNED SUGARLUXE ART PRINT right before Christmas!  The best part is – you get to choose your favorite!

Head on over to the Sugarluxe Archival Art Print Gallery to make your selection.

Vacation’s All I Ever Wanted…Well, That, AND to Meet Oprah

BEACH HEAVEN  

Summer is almost over. But I never stop day dreaming about tropical vacations.  Sunshine and swaying palm trees provide me peace of mind.  

But beneath the vibrant surface in this latest piece, lies something so sorrowful.  It was made with ten million tears.  

Coming into creation at a point that I now, only half jokingly, refer to as my Blue Period; this beautiful bikini clad girl sips an ice cold martini along side her favorite one-legged pink flamingo…incredibly saddened by the fact that she’s even ALLOWED to drink that martini.  

Sure, she can still rock a grass skirt as well as girls half her age…but she’d much rather be round in the belly, craving more pickles, avoiding alcohol like the plague, and waiting impatiently to welcome her very first baby.  

But she is not.  

That baby is in beach heaven right now looking down on his mama and waiting excitedly for the day they get to build big sandcastles together in the sky.  

PARADISE LOST  

Despite working like a maniac (my coping mechanism) – I had to take a break from this blog.   

It’s so personal and even still, a bit gut wrenching to actually talk about my miscarriage.  But I’ve worked my way through it.   

As an added bonus, I took my first (albeit mini) vacation since my honeymoon 7 years ago.  With the help of so many wonderful friends and fans (literally from around the world) – I came out of this situation filled with hope and ready to try again.  I am so grateful for you.  For all those who took the time to pray for me, write to me, share your stories, lend an ear, and let me cry – THANK YOU!   

True.  Time helps to heal wounds.  But getting to say THANK YOU to those who helped you through tough times also gives a sense of closure.  I always say that gratitude is the very cornerstone of leading a blessed life. 

The way I see it…it’s not that anyone is free from bad things happening or that some people’s lives are more charmed, it’s really in how we view our lives.  How fortunate we feel for what we have.  How much we make out of what we have left, not how much we’ve had taken away.  

Yet, I still have an old gaping wound.  Plenty of time has passed.  But I never got the chance to show my appreciation to the person who helped me survive another tragic moment in my life.  

And since I had my mini vacay this month, it gave me some time to think.  Think about this person I need to thank.  A man I’ve never met before.   

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT  

Remember when I told you about that time years ago, when I was struck by that hit and run driver?  Well…most people don’t know that in addition to being thrown over a hundred yards into oncoming traffic in the middle of a busy downtown intersection, the driver who hit me also ripped my leg apart.  Have I said ripped apart before?  What I mean by saying ripped APART…is ripped OFF.   

Pulled my leg off of my body.  Not a clean cut, mind you;  torn the way some people tear the wings off a piping hot, roasted chicken.  

And I laid in the street, dying.  Bleeding to death.  Losing so much blood, I can only vaguely remember looking into the driver’s eyes, before he climbed back into his white pick up truck and drove away.  

“STOP!”  I screamed.  Or did I?  Was it only in my head?  Could anyone hear me?   

So much noise and confusion.  I didn’t know what was happening.  The painful burning sensation was exacerbated by this man kneeling over top of me.  He yelled, “We’re losing her!” Who was he?  What was he doing to my leg?   

Later, much later, I learned he was a Capital Metro Bus Driver.  He stopped his city bus.  Rushed to my side, and without a moment of hesitation, took off his tie to use as a tourniquet to stop the blood loss.   

Of course, I didn’t realize any of this until the doctors shared it with me as they were wheeling me into the OR.  The plastic surgeon mentioned in passing that the folks on the scene were also smart and quick enough to find and put my foot on ice.  FOOT – ON – ICE.    

The surgeon was a specialist - called in to reattach my foot to the hundreds of dangling ligaments, nerve endings, and tendons.   

Stunned, I had no idea. But certainly the pain was the most excruciating thing I’ve ever experienced.  If you’ve never had a limb severed, let me save you the trouble.  It sucks.  Don’t do it.

I had two transfusions that evening.  But if it weren’t for the nimble, selfless act of that AMAZING bus driver…I would not be here today.  He saved my life!  

And- I am so thankful for it.  So thankful for him.  Who was he?  What was his name?  

O, LET THIS BE THE YEAR  

It’s no secret that meeting Oprah is a DREAM of mine.  

Whether you’ve known me 15+ years or only just met me…you’ve likely heard me talk about my shero, Oprah.  Yeah, yeah – I mingle with celebrities, young and old, dated a few, and worked with many.  

  

Gratuitous pic, I know…but it’s still one of my favs (and surprisingly nowhere on this blog, so there!)  

But none of these experiences will compare to the day I get to meet my girl, O.  (wonder if she hates me calling her O?)  

Plus, you know I’m a positive thinker…so who knows…maybe 2010 won’t be such a bust after all.  

Because here’s the deal:  

I’ve gone completely mad.  Today, I wrote to Oprah.  Like millions have done before me, it may not sound like a big deal.  But for me, it’s huge.   

For years, I’ve had well-meaning friends say I should be on the Oprah show, that I should share my story (I’ve always thought in my head - um, who cares about my story?).   

And then when Sugarluxe arrived on the scene, customers would write me saying that Oprah should feature my work (I’ve always thought in my head - um, why would Oprah care about my work?).    

Then when I went to Washington D.C. and fought to get a bill passed, and as one of three people testifying before the Senate in order to impact millions of people suffering exclusion from appropriate health care coverage, lobbyists on Capitol Hill said I should spread the word on Oprah (and I’ve always been like – um, okay, could you have please have the Senator make a call to Oprah and get me on the show?)  

But the point is, I’ve never proactively made a move to get on the Oprah Show.  When it comes to being in the spotlight, I feel conspicuously nervous.  I’m not a spotlight kind of girl.  

So, when a friend of mine sent me a link this morning telling me that the Oprah Show is looking for people with incredible life saving stories, I suddenly felt a rush of hope, excitement, delight and determination.  

What I realized is this:  

I’ve always imagined meeting Oprah at a shindig, not being a guest on her show.  But when the opportunity presented itself to talk about how my life was SAVED and forever changed because of the selfless act of another human being – our mystery bus driver – I finally knew this was the time to reach out.  I’m the fortunate recipient of the most incredible kind of kindness and that is something I’m VERY comfortable being vocal about.  

So, I wrote in.  Immediately.  

Plus, the contact form is limited to 2000 characters, so I was quick and to the point.  Can you believe it?  Me?  Quick and to the point?   

I have always very much wanted to find this man.  I want to know who he is, I’d love to meet him.  Hug him.  And most importantly THANK HIM for saving my life.  I cry just thinking about it.  I’ve dreamt of that moment my entire adult life.  I need this more than anything.  Well, that.  And a baby.  But that’s not a job for Oprah.  Or is it?  Hmmmm?  

No.  Anyway…  

I must, I tell you, absolutely MUST try to share this story on Oprah and give this man the attention, adulation, and appreciation he so whole-heartedly deserves.  I think the producers could find him, how could they not?  I’ve had no luck, but surely The O Team can do it?!  

And that, my friends, is where you come in.  

LET’S BAND TOGETHER  

I know you’re busy.  You have lives, kids (lucky) or 584 other things happening at once.  Do you really have time to help me out?  Probably not.  But I’m going to ask anyway.  

More importantly, I want to make it worth your while because it will be hard to do it without you.   

Here’s what I think could help:  

Write in and briefly TELL Oprah why you’d like to see this story on her show.  

Maybe my work has inspired you?  Have we been lifelong friends?  Did I give you your first job?  Have I ever made a difference in your life (hopefully)? Do you think my situation is worthy of being shared on national TV?  Whatever the reason, I am reaching out to all my creative, smart friends to ask for your help by writing to Oprah’s producers.  

For this exact casting call, you write here.   

To reach the producers direct, you could write here.  

If we band together, anything is possible.

Are you in?  Will you do it?  What do ya say?

The Facebook Quiz | Find Out: Which Sugarluxe Girl Are You?

Quite seriously? I’ve been dying to make and take this quiz for years.  Sometimes technology just has to catch up with the vision.

Before completing my undergrad degree in Psychology, I began considering what I’d like to study next (yes, I’m one of those nerdy types who loves to learn!)

Luckily, one day, bolting  across campus to gather information on both the LSAT and requirements for secondary teaching certification, I ran into one of my former professors.  He told me a little bit about his research in the Ed. Psych Department.

He was overseeing a Graduate Program with a specialty in Cognition.  After hearing just a brief description, I knew it was what I wanted to do next. 

 LEARNING and COGNITION
“Educational Psychologists who concentrate their work in these areas try to better understand the factors that influence performance and how to affect positive change.”  Quoting this description from the department itself, you can probably see how this became part of the foundation upon which I would eventually build the Sugarluxe Brand. 

Having spent two years prior to graduation helping to conduct research with another professor in the area of Abnormal Psychology, I was really looking to switch gears.  It was my last year of undergrad that most greatly impacted my direction.  I was assigned to work at a hospital about an hour and a half south of town.  I reported to the psychiatric wing once a week.  We were doing a study on schizophrenia.  I was the only female research assistant (and barely 20 years old) on an all-male patient ward.  I remember the overwhelming feeling of apprehension the first time I walked through those double doors.

ART + PSYCHOLOGY
But after acclimating to the unrelenting cat calls, it was a weirdly rewarding and life altering experience.  Namely because of one patient.

I don’t even know if this man knew I was there.  I sat next to him.  I observed him.  I tried having countless conversations with him.  But he never responded to me.  He wasn’t catatonic, he was just a bit delusional and suffering from severe hallucinations.  The deal was…he would draw the entire time.  He was quite an amazing artist and when he finished each sketch, he would talk to it as if his drawing had come to life.

Despite having a fairly profound disturbance, I found him to be fascinating and inspirational.  In fact, he affected me so deeply, I realized, I wasn’t cut out for that kind of work.  I was afraid I would never be able (and never want) to desensitize myself.

Instead of focusing on what was wrong with him, I wanted to figure out what was right. 

What had happened to this man?  Who were the people he portrayed in his art?  What motivated him to draw?  Was he always compelled to create?  How did it help him to cope with life?  Could we use his talents to facilitate treatment?

CRAZY IDEAS
Back then, I would have never dreamed that I would get to live my life doing what I do. 

In all honesty, I think I was a little scared that people might think I was delusional for thinking I could be an artist.  Or that I could build a company with very little money, based on artwork that had never been seen by anyone, with no connections in the art world, no formal art training and with the intent to spread a message of hope and optimism, especially at a time when that was so clearly against the status quo. 

Maybe THAT’S crazy?!

Just as I imagine it must have somehow helped my patient, creating art has helped me to cope with pain, confusion, and frustration.  The fact that I’ve chosen not to depict those feelings as part of the artwork itself, and merely as part of the therapeutic process it provides, doesn’t make it any less profound.  There’s far more there for those who look below the surface.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
That’s why I’ve anxiously awaited the opportunity to implement a Sugarluxe Girl profile quiz. Even though there are probably thousands of quizzes on Facebook now, this one actually does have years of thought, understanding and analysis behind it.  Its influence is a product of my work itself.  The personalities that are infused into the art are drawn from the very people who continue to inspire each and every piece I make.

Part of my mission has always been to comprehend the complexity of the positive characteristics that make up our personalities and how those attributes contribute to our sense of self.  The way that I’ve tried to do that is by simplifying those wonderful traits into something visually iconic.

FUN on FACEBOOK
Does that sound too lofty and idealistic for a simple Facebook Application?  I hope not.  It takes less than 5 minutes and it’s also FUN!

I have a blast meeting up with friends/fans on Facebook.  I love seeing what you’re up to, learning about your families, looking at photos and watching the massive amounts of support that people provide one another there. 

Plus, I’d bet people agree – I’m actually a lot more light-hearted than I probably sound here.  This blog is like my diary and facebook is more reflective of my daily life. I guess it just depends on where I am at any given moment.

But that’s really my whole point.  Like the pictures that I paint, we have so many layers, don’t we?

I hope you like the first Sugarluxe Girl quiz.  More importantly, I hope you will share it with friends because the profiles, although definitely fun, are also meant to reinforce how wonderful you are – to me – and to all those who know you. 

The results I’ve seen, seem to be pretty spot on.  What do you think?  Which Sugarluxe Girl Are YOU?

 

—————————————————————  GET MOTIVATED —————————————————————

Our True Potential?

I greatly appreciate your help in this mission:  To understand our most positive personality traits, how they affect our outlook on life and by acknowledging and owning those characteristics, we can identify, and hopefully, bring out the best in others, too.

This is one way, TOGETHER, we help people discover that confidence and kindness are essential building blocks of a better life. 

7 Steps on How You Can Help:

1.  If you haven’t already done so, START by joining us on the Sugarluxe Facebook Page.

2.  Paste this link to your profile - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugarluxe/85019116599

3.  Next, be sure to take the Facebook Quiz - Which Sugarluxe Girl Are You?

4.  Post or even re-publish your results to your profile and invite your friends to participate too.

5.  Leave a comment here on this Sugarluxe Blog post and share the results of your quiz.

6.  Write your Facebook App Review on the Sugarluxe Quiz Application Page.

7.  Discuss ideas with other creative, compassionate, kind, charismatic Sugarluxe Friends!

Sugarluxe in Home of Pop Star Celebrity Miley Cyrus | InStyle Magazine

You have 269 new messages:

Message 1: Karen Scott

“Is Fabulous in the dressing room of Miley Cyrus? It’s in her house. Have you seen InStyle Magazine? Why don’t you tell me this stuff? I had to find out from someone who came and asked me. I’m your best friend – I’m supposed to know these things. Call me back.  Nevermind, you won’t even get this message…”

Thank God Karen and I have been best friends for 10+ years and she forgives me for my failure to give her information first before it becomes public knowledge.

Not to mention, I rarely listen to voicemail messages (that’s just one of those things my friends, business colleagues, interns, other artists and my own family) have come to accept about me. I NO likey the phone.

But here’s the truth about magazine and celebrity stuff…

Sure, I usually know about magazine coverage, with big national publications like InStyle, they typically put an issue to bed many months before it hits the stands. But check this out — the ONE time I talked about Sugarluxe being in a certain magazine…it didn’t happen. The ONE freakin’ time.

So, my rule of thumb since that incident is this — mum’s the word.

What works about this approach is:

• I love to surprise others.
• There’s so much fun in your friends and fans discovering it for themselves and messaging you to let you know all about it.
• Little doers are better than big talkers.

Here’s my other guideline:

Celebrities do not make Sugarluxe, however, Sugarluxe does make art for celebrities.

What do I mean?

Let’s take Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Tom Cruise for starters. If you’ve completely associated your brand or business with a certain celebrity and they turn out to be a complete nutbag (which seems to be a matter of when and not if) what does that do to what you’ve created? Where do you go from there?

I’m not really into tying my name to somebody else who I can’t control.

Unless:

I really like them and they’ve been a good friend to me (John Corbett)

They are sexy, dirty hot (Tommy Lee)

I think they’re the sweetest mega-rich couple I’ve ever met (Gregg & Jeff Foxworthy)

Or, I meet Oprah. Which I haven’t. But I will. Soon.

So – yes, it’s super cool to see my work hanging in the spot Miley Cyrus calls “one of her favorite rooms in the house”. And, I have four nieces under the age of 11 – so I admit that I’ve watched my share of Hannah Montana episodes (and really liked them).

But to me, I get far more pumped about someone who writes me a special note saying that they love my work, or they send me a picture of a Sugarluxe piece that they bought, or they tell me that I’ve inspired them in some way.

It may not seem like much compared to all the fancy famous stuff, but that’s what means the most to me!

If you’d like to order an Artist’s Proof piece just like this original painting, you can find it here – Sugarluxe Fabulous Art.