for Nie....

As many of you know, Stephanie & Christian Nielson, of the NieNie Dialogues were in a plane crash a little over a week ago. They are trauma patients in a hospital in AZ, and with over 80% of Nies body burned, and more than 30% of Christian burned, they are in for a good fight...not to mention incredibly costly medical bills, house payments, rehabilitations, and who knows what else. Over at DesignMom, a few days ago, she announced that Thursday was NieNie Day, and encouraged bloggers all over the world to donate something to be auctioned off, or to bid for the cause. The least i can do is create something someone might want.

To find out what I'm auctioning off head on over to little shop of shavs, and to find out what everyone else on the internet is auctioning...check out Design mom

jk

Remember how i quit anthropologie? Well...change of plans. Looks like i will have this discount for a while afterall.

Everyone likes a good deal.

last night i ventured into Anthropologie, to use my discount one last time. I left with some stuffed animals (one for baby Max who i will see in a few days!, and one for my sisters unborn-its a blue rhino megan, hope thats a good choice) a few mugs and these lovely pajama pants. I have forever wanted some of these pajama pants because the wide legs, smocked waist and pockets just look so comfortable. So i got these. They were orginally 48 dollars and i got them for 16. I feel great about that.

Sweet Sixteen

You know those ridiculous parties they show on MTV? Well i went to one on Saturday night for one very lovely lady. Shannon "Spike" Laidlaw. The theme was the 20's and i was SHOCKED at how many kids were there dressed as gangsters and flappers. I mean, we are talking highschool kids who are way to cool for this stuff. I was impressed.first we obviously got Ivy ready for the party and in her costume. She was doing the charlseton by the end of the night like a pro.testing out the props against the cityscape that Larry made. That is one thing those 16 yr olds were too cool for. We were told to get them excited about pictures. Well, they werent SO EXCITED.Happy Birthday Spike-arooni.
This was my creative genius. The birthday girl with her tommy gun.Sisters.Friends.

Cleaning out the Brain

- This weekend I went with my sister and Rissa to dinner and to see The House Bunny. Ok, so this movie is HILARIOUS. My friend Glade was an extra in it, and was in quite a few scenes so that was exciting, but even without spotting Glade on the big screen, i was practically crying at how funny it was. And i know my mom is probably rolling her eyes cause she thinks its filthy, and i guess it was filthy, if you get offended by a girl hanging out with a bunch of weirdos wearing a bra covered in rhinestones. MAN I WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN. Whose with me?this is me with the movie star himself. About 3-4 years ago. Disclaimer, we are still friends, this is just the only picture i have of just me and glade.

-The laidlaws threw Spike a sweet 16 party. The theme was the "Rip Roarin' 20s" and Linsey and i took a few pictures in boas and feather headbands with a tommy gun, and as soon as she sends them to me i will promptly post them.
-I did this painting. I know it looks like he has a wagging tongue like a dog, but its because the lady who ordered it was very specific and wanted his tongue showing. SO STRANGE.-I am currently downloading 10 cds worth of songs from Greys Anatomy. I love this little russian website. I got all these songs for a total of like 12 bucks or something ridiculous.
-Speaking of music, it was brought to my attention that one of my new favorite songs is on the home page of Jcrew today with a darling little video. GO WATCH IT. (the song is "sunny sunday" by Leona Naess)
-I no longer work at Anthropologie. Which is great. I just dont need a second job (or 3rd job, now with the way this painting thing is going), and i was never getting scheduled, and no i wont really miss the discount. Being around all that stuff all the time made me start to think it was all ugly and made like crap.
-There were like 420 something comments in the giveaway that was over at Tutus and Turtles, and im sad that no one i knew won. Maybe this lady who did win wont ever contact me??? cross your fingers.
-Speaking of giveaways, there is another giveaway for a painting of mine, that starts on Monday, Sept 1st, over at this blog.
-I started reading Breaking Dawn just to put a nail in the coffin that is the twilight series and its TOTALLY weird and i dont really understand how grown women are so in love with these childish books. And im sorry if im offending everyone i know, but really. I would say more but i know i will be beheaded by those who havent read it.
-I was thinking last night about how i sleep in a wind storm. The AC is on, the cieling fan, Another fan across the room pointed at my face, and then one more at my feet. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? If i had a headboard i would have one of those clip on fans i used to have as a kid pointing straight at my face, like 6 inches away.
-My favorite music this week is Ingrid Michaelson and Missy Higgins.

The End.

Who wants to go to boston?

to visit these guys, with me?

Painting Giveaway

Hi friends,

The blog Tutus & Turtles have featured my paintings a couple of times now and for their 1 year blog birthday they are doing all these really cute giveaways, and one of my paintings is included in todays giveaway! Hurry over and make a comment so you can win! Even if you dont want one, you should still enter (because if you dont want it, i wont have to do a free painting), and if you do want it-it will be a lot funner for me to paint someone that i already know...

You should also go back to yesterdays giveaways and the day before, you can enter them all!

Good luck,
Shauna

Bellagio

so excited and hoping for "im proud to be an american" we got "viva las vegas" instead. booo

lindsey is the skinniest girl i know
dead in the face.

for katie rose

Yes the conversation bubble is coming out of my mouth. Yes i look drunk. Yes i am wearing a Von Dutch hat. Get over it, it was like 4 years ago. They were cool then.

Happy Birthday KR!

The world would be way less annoying without you in it.

who do you wish would go away?

We Went Bowling

and this is the only picture i have that proves we were bowling....Sorry Nate, your head is cut off.

You're a millionaire and you hang out at the RIo?? Real classy.

ok i dont expect ANY of you to know who this d-bag is, except for Lyndsay, but i saw him on Saturday night in the Rio casino, and let me tell you...you think he looks young for 30? See him in real life, and you will notice hes about 5'5 and 100 lbs, the guy looks NO OLDER than maybe 14. Im not even kidding.

(hes a real estate agent on bravo's show "million dollar listing" and hes the most annoying person to watch)

We've got a big problem.

Alright, so he(or she) who shall not be named, i making the afternoon in our office unenjoyable.How do you tell someone "you aren't allowed to use the bathroom"? I need ideas. I mean, we are dying. Someone said "it smells like sh*t on a stove" And really it does. Like i can taste it in my mouth and NO CAN of febreeze can fix this. We cant open the doors because its 115 degrees outside, and we dont want to open the bathroom door because well, it reeks. Looks like Trudi isnt doing her friday chore of cleaning the bathroom.

I mean it smelled before he-who-shall-not-be-named, even EMERGED from the bathroom. We are talking underneath the doors and down the halls and its stagnant and not moving....SOMEONE HELP.

I'm a connector.

Here is something you may not know about me.

I am a Connector. I connect people. I discovered this a few years back when I was reading the book "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. I learned that one of the things i am good at, is connecting others.

If you are a close friend of mine, you have no doubt, been set up on a date that was probably pretty successful...gained a good friend or two (or 10) through me. I am told a lot "You know everyone!" And while that is a stretch, I do probably know more people than you.

The only reason i am writing this blog is because i did a painting for my friends Jen and Peter, and i wanted to share it with you without just putting up another painting. I know you are all getting so bored with them, but they are my little babies and i just want to share them!

Anyway, Peters family moved to Folsom and into my ward when i was a freshman in Highschool. Peter is a year older than me, and somewhere in this beginning period of our friendship, my sister started driving he and his brother Tom, to seminary everyday. Peter and i were good friends all through highschool, we would go to the gym together, swim at his house, i watched him try to learn to wakeboard, and went to pretty much all of his football and basketball games. When he left on his mission i sent him packages, and we have stayed friends over the years.

When i was in Provo i connected more of my friends to Peter. We would go to his house to sit in his hot tub, and play loaded questions (thanks pete, its still a big favorite amongst us all). We would frequent Provo Towne Center to see movie after movie...somewhere along the way i met Jen. We were in the RS Presidency together, and became pretty quick friends. We would hang out (being that we were nieghbors), and over a few weeks (maybe it was months), i decided she should meet Peter. They would get along, i was pretty sure.
Anyway, that was like, 4 years ago or something...K maybe not that long, but pretty close. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of dating...Peter asked Jen to marry him and they were recently married in the Salt Lake Temple.


not to be forgotten....i'm also responsible for this family. YOURE WELCOME GUYS.

Esther, Lindsay & Olivia

When i first started painting, my old roommate and friend, Lindsay ordered a few...and i haven't been able to share it because they were a gift for two of her friends from highschool, who are also former roommates of mine.

So after a few weeks i can now present to you, part of the LBG crew (is that what its called?? am i right?)Esther, Lindsay, Olivia


Hope you liked them! (ps lindsay, what a great gift....)

Weekend Summary

--So i have this HUMONGOUS canker sore in my mouth. It is so big and puffy that its getting in the way of me talking. Which is really fun.
here is a really flattering picture of myself. I have baby teeth i guess.

--So this weekend i went home to Folsom for Cortney Normans wedding, and to visit with friends and family. I love Folsom. Its the best place in the world. I am just glad that EVERYONE doesn't know that yet so its still relatively calm and uncrowded (my mom would say otherwise. Shes called it crowded for the last 15 years).

While at home i got a steal of a deal on a Jessica Simpson extensions set, bought it too light for my new hair color, but oh well. It gave us a LOT of laughs. I think i started getting an asthma attack when we put it on Cosette and Maddox, but then Scott, Kaisas husband put it on and he was so nasty...just wait for the pictures...you will die.

I got two paintings done while visiting with friends on friday, I'm very efficient. I also got my hair done and bought a new dress, and ate at la bou.
Kaisa always has the cutest clothes and she always (NOT ALWAYS, but sometimes) gets them at walmart. So i ventured over there with my mom on saturday after lunch #2 at La Bou, and bought myself a dress (12.50, steal!) and later went back for a pair of skinny jeans for 20 bucks. Not bad WalMart, Not bad. I also did Cortneys hair for her wedding, which was a treat. She was such a pretty bride and i was obsessed with her dress. disclaimer, not the same hairstyle for the reception, we had it up, but i wanted to show you how pretty of a bride she is.

I should also note that my nephew Jack came along for the ride to hang out with my mom. He thought he was pretty cool that he was going on vacation without his mom, and that he was a big boy. yeah jack, you're real big in your booster seat and your naps!....this is what he looked like most of the time.

All in all, good trip. Wish i lived there (not enough to actually move back though)

Am i the only one...

Who DOESN'T love the Olympics? Ok that came out wrong. Its not that i don't like the Olympics, i think they're fine. But the facebook status updates, the blogging of the opening ceremonies, the constant "I AM LOVING THESE OLYMPICS" proclamations...they are making me feel very unpatriotic because i do not have these same feelings.

Don't get me wrong, i will probably watch (and enjoy) some gymnastics, some intense swimming, and maybe some diving...but other than that I'm just not really interested.

Am i alone in this?

Chiggers

Hailey is seriously a lunatic... Here is our current gchat conversation.

me: hahaha

i am looking for bookcase on craigslist and look what i just fond

found

"comfortable couch and loveseat free for the taking. needs covers as the ex room mates slashed it when they moved out! we are moving out of state and can not take it with us. 589-6997."

Hailey: are you serious?
i bet a million chiggers live in that mo fo

me: so gross

what is a chigger?

Hailey: look it up

ewwww

i just searched pics on google and now i need to barf

and am itchy

UUUGGGHHHHH

BARF

BARF

BARF

me: AHAHAHAHAH

Hailey: i am on the verge of dry heaving

seriously

me: oh my gosh

OMG

so am i

SO GROSS

my feet are itching

Hailey: k lets not think about it anymore

it's plaguing my thoughts

and my throat is tightening

Mia AND George

How cute are these two siblings? OH MY GOSH I WANT TO EAT THEM.

Pals

After weeks of waiting for a picture from brian (i told him i would kill him if he didnt hurry, i guess he knew my threats were empty), he finally emailed them to me. This ones my favorite.adam, matt, me richard and brian
they were in town for coldplay from provo

Mia

I'm trying to use my painting blog for my paintings, but this one is just so cute i just have to share it. Dont you want to just eat her?
the before can be seen at littleshopofshavs.blogspot.com

Cleaning out the brain.

-On Friday i decided i couldnt live without the Thai Chicken Pizza from CPK, for lunch, so i trekked over to town square to pick one up (it was gross and soggy and im never getting it again), and decided to head on into the Body Shop to grab some shower gel. I left with more than shower gel. And now i am obsessed with the Lip Butter.
-Something you may, or may not, know about me, I love anything Grapefruit. So naturally i bought the grapefruit lip butter. So good.
-The Salt Lake band, Good Morning Maxfield, were guests at my house this weekend. Turns out my roommate Jackie's cousin, the drummer, was also a friend of mine from Highschool. It was fun to have them over and go to their show and stay up till 3-4 in the morning(that part wasnt fun).
-I'm still getting orders on paintings, but its slowed down....come on people, order some!
-I am driving home again this weekend, to do a friends hair for her wedding. I'm really excited to go back to Folsom. I wish Las Vegas was Folsom.
-I'm selling my bike to Kelsey when i'm home. Im glad Penny Joy is going to a good home, but its going to be rough giving her up.
-Mainly i have been listening to the acoustic version of "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz, everywhere i go.
-As much as i hate all things Twilight, im kind of excited to read this Breaking Dawn book just to finish the series.
-I am currently reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" and "Like Water for Chocolate." Neither of these books are long, but i have been reading them both for like 3 weeks now and barely even dented them. I am busy.
-Maybe i bought some of those baby Ben and Jerrys, and maybe i ate two yesterday???

series SOMEWHAT complete

Hank
GraceMax

Max has been so cute, everytime i have seen it he says "shauna, uh...have you done my painting yet?" He no longer has to feel left out.

Now we just need a picture of baby Abe, no longer Eli, and we will be set to finish.

I really do love painting kids, or just portraits in general. All through highschool i used to constantly do portraits while everyone else did landscapes and still lifes, I dont know what it is about them that i love. Anyway, way funner to paint then couples (not that they arent fun). Im rambling.

Ben & Jerry's infant baby.

I love miniature things. Little kids, little baby shoes, dollhouses, travel sized deoderants....the list goes on. I love minis. (although im not really into midgets, sorry)

So you can only imagine the joy and glee i had when i opened our freezer last night at 12:30 to get my ice for my nightly night cap of ice water and found the teensiest cartons of Ben & Jerrys.i took these pictures next to ordinary objects in my kitchen so you could see the size of these little teeny babies. Aren't they so cute? I dont even really LOVE ice cream but i think if i ever see these, i will buy them.

How come no one told me that they make these?