GYPO: Get Your Paint On!

We are launching our on-line painting class tonight at midnight!!

I'm excited and nervous that everything goes with out a hitch... sort of like the first day of school for me!!

{Composition by Victoria. Painting on left by me + right by Lisa. Photo by Stef}

Our get your paint on classes start next Monday January 31st and runs through March 4th! Registration will only be open a couple days into the class– through Wednesday, February 2.

You can sign up right here and find your inner artist!

Get Your Paint On: A Five Week Painting Class

with Lisa Congdon and Mati McDonough

January 31 to March 4, 2011

Wahoo!!
Mati

Fearless Women

Isn't that the best subject line ever?!

This post is twofold: One to announce our new art studio and business-- Teahouse Studio!!!

{deliriously happy here}

Stefanie, Tiffany and I officially signed the lease and popped open a bottle of champagne to our new endeavor that has been in our dreams for a long time! We are over the moon excited to build a community for artists, women and tea + champagne drinkers alike. hee.

Here's a link to our beautiful new studio space-- there's a bakery, yoga and lush green grass for picnicking. I can't believe my new studiomates made a website, facebook page and twitter site all in an afternoon!

The second part of this post, is to spread the word about this amazing organization and dreaming big retreat NEXT weekend! Tiffany emailed me earlier this week to let me know about an upcoming retreat put on by the Fearless Women Network (I so wanna join!) that is all about creating space and energy behind your dreams.

As an artist and small business owner, people often say to me, "You're so lucky! I wish I could work for myself and live my dream!" To which I say, you can!

But it's hard. It's hard to take that first step. So many people out there, women especially, don't always allow themselves the space and the courage to find out what they really want to do.

Having a plan is the first step in finding your way.

And that's where this Ideation Retreat comes in. You get to join 15 women on a 2-day discovery session in the beautiful Marin Headlands that includes full creative freedom, yoga, hiking, laughing, talking and a really safe space to let your dreams emerge.

Can I say that again: a really safe space to let your dreams emerge.

The retreat is being held January 29-30 and you can go here for more information and here to register. Be sure to enter the code ReadyToCreate (because you are after all!) to get 25% off the registration fee!! It's a super deal already, but getting the whole two days (meals & lodging included) for only $318 is really a steal. It's a steal and investment. In your future.

Are you ready to make that leap ladies?

xoxox
Mati

part 2

a few more friends sent me photos of my work after yesterday's blog post! thank you!

baby ben's room with my old school monkeys, giraffe and elephant trio (love the striped wall):

amanda's inspiration line with my believe print:

tracy's after with my violet feather power block...

super inspired by her before and de-cluttering process!

ohh ahhh

I love, love, love when people send me photos of where my art ends up! It's the best feeling in the world to see it! Please feel free to keep sending them: matimcd(at)hotmail(dot)com

Here are some recent snaps:

Stylin' Justina's corner with my feather power print in ochre.....

Foxy Susannah's corner with my original Fox & Hen painting....

Gazing Viggo's room with the "Before You Go" print....

Cutie Will's room with a triptych of a lion, sun and kitty as custom mounted art to wood gallery blocks....



Yay for art! Thank you so much to everyone who bought art during my newsletter sale!

xoxox
Mati

it's true

a corner of my studio captured by my friend stef, who having just peeked, i saw she has some wildly beautiful photos and poems happening on her blog right now.

xoxo

mati

Dream Lab with Mondo Beyondo & Brene Brown

I'm writing this quickly all fuzzy with an ear ache... because I truly believe this class is going to be incredible and potentially life changing, actually most likely it will change your life for the better.

Both Mondo Beyondo and Brene have absolutely changed mine. I took the first class of MB over a year ago and so many of my big fat scary dreams have come true with doing the dream work.

Brene's book "The Gifts of Imperfection" is a must read.

Listen to her Ted talk too, so good....

It starts tomorrow! Sign up for the class with me! Click on Dream Lab 2011!!!!

nourishment

photo credit

after much thought, i finally decided on my "word of the year"= nourishment! last year (well mid-year really) i chose abundance and i feel it really happened in every aspect of my life, including dress size unfortunately;)

i feel sick for the 3rd time with a cold this winter, which makes me stop and think about what lesson am i learning? well first to slow down and take measures to boost my health... which led me to nourishment of my mind, body and soul.

v nourish [ˈnariʃ, (American ) ˈnə:-]

to cause or help to grow, become healthy etc.

adj nourishing

giving the body what is necessary for health and growth

an alphabetized (bc i'm funny like that) list of what nourishes me that i want to bring into 2011...

*acceptance

*accountability

*art

*clean

*cozy

*ease

*friendships

*gardening

*gratitude

*green

photo credit

*health

*letter writing

*love

*order

*quality

*reading

*rest

Paola Navone's summer refuge on the Greek island of Serifos (a feature in Elle Decoration, August 2010 via Poppytalk

*running

*self-care

*smoothies

*soaking

photo credit

*soup

*sun

*support

*yoga

xxoxo

mati rose

ps- what are your words of the year if you have one?

pps- all these photos are from my pinterest! love!