Happy Halloween! What's everyone dressing as this year? This year I'm going as everyone's favorite fire-wielding, Pringles crunching, devil-may-care Ghostbuster-the one, the only, Jillian Holtzmann! I may be lacking in the epic blond locks, but I promise you the sass is all there, folks!

That scene where she's dancing around to DeBarge with the fire...let's just say they probably got the idea for that hilarious scene from my own life in the kitchen. Consequently, I'm not allowed to cook in our house anymore. So I set a handful of paper towels on fire. Who cares! I had it under control!

I rarely purchase a pre-made Halloween costume, preferring to wear everyday items in an unexpected combination to make my costume each year. My closet was a bit lacking in the one-piece denim department, so I raided my roommate Kerri's closet to get all the materials I needed for this awesome ensemble!

I had originally planned on wearing a black leather jacket and burgundy fingerless gloves for an authentic Holtzy look, but it's going to be hot as fire out there this year. In fact, it's gonna be the hottest Halloween in about 66 years in Jonesboro! Yikes! The jacket will stay in my closet for now.

In the spirit of this heat wave, I topped a comfy olive green tee and Kerri's overalls with an old work shirt of my dad's that I frequently wear on messy painting adventures. This thing's got printer's ink, fake blood, acrylic paint, oil paint, glitter glue, car primer and spray mount among other materials all worked throughout the fabric. Kerri said I wasn't allowed to get paint splatters all over her overalls, (spoilsport!) so this is a good way for me to get the messy spray paint look of Holtzy's overalls without trashing my roomie's clothes! You're welcome, Kerri! Also, I'm not going to burn up as I'm roaming the streets looking for ghosts...I mean, candy.

And check out those stripey socks, dude! They are sooooo comfy. I picked up a 5 pack of these bad boys from H&M, and future Brittney from about 4 weeks into next winter is already congratulating current Brittney on her warm foot coverings...even though she's melting in this heat wave.

Happy Halloween! Remember, "safety lights are for dudes!"

This weekend, I packed up my markers and drawing paper, went back to my hometown for the Marvell Main Street Festival, and set up my illustration studio right in the middle of the action.

I drew many custom portraits while I was out there. Family members, friends and neighbors all showed up to see just how my pen would picture them! I started out sketching a rough layout with pencil before moving on to the ink details.

I was so happy to finish a drawing and reveal it after a few quick strokes of my pen!

In addition to drawing custom portraits, I also had a number of my more popular illustrations available as prints. I had loads of fun this weekend, Marvell! Thanks for making this hometown girl feel so appreciated and a little like a local celebrity!

Fun and Worth Mentioning:
My friend Lindsey of Have Clothes Will Travel recently featured me as her monthly Featured Fashionista! Read more about my outfit at the left and find out more about my artistic and fashion style on Have Clothes Will Travel! Just click here to check it out!

It's beginning to look a lot like autumn---pumpkins in every store! My new boots look really swell. I bought a new coat as well...a woolly one that wouldn't mind some snow!

Okay, I'll stop with my song! You get the point! I love fall! The changing colors of the leaves, the crispness in the air, layers upon layers of sweaters and flannels,  the smell of bonfires and warming spices...I love it all! Fall is simply my most favorite time of year!

Some of you may love pumpkin spice lattes and football. Others of you may be all about the holidays of this season, counting down until Halloween and then Thanksgiving. My most favorite fall thing is decorating my front porch, and by decorating, I mean covering every square inch with colorful mums, gnarly gourds and pumpkins of all sizes! And oh, how I love pumpkins!

I went to the grocery store the other day on a mission. My sister needed me to run into the store to grab a few things to make dinner, so she told me to not get distracted by the pumpkins while I was in there. She knows the effect pumpkins have on me, so she told me in her teacher voice, "Just go in there and get what we need. Don't stop for the pumpkins. Don't even look at them. Don't get distracted. Come right back. Do that, and I'll let you get pumpkins later on this weekend!"

I tried to be good, but those pumpkins get me every time. I walked into the store, bought the groceries, and I was just about in the crosswalk in front of the store when it happened. I saw a flash of the most beautiful fall colors, and I whipped around. Surely Courtney won't see. I pulled out my phone and snapped a quick photo:

She saw. "What'd I tell you?!" she yelled from the window of the car. "You got distracted! No pumpkins for you!"

Maybe no pumpkins for me that weekend, but I did get some pumpkins and mums later on! There's no keeping an autumn loving gal away from her precious pumpkins!

What's your favorite thing about fall?

This past weekend, I time-traveled to the 1800s. Just south of Jonesboro, Arkansas is a recreated nineteenth century town called the Parker Homestead. Every October, the Parker family opens the Homestead to the public to showcase their collection of restored buildings and artifacts from long ago as part of the Parker Homestead Pioneer Festival. All throughout the year, the Homestead hosts school groups, weddings and events, but it's during this harvest festival that the Homestead really comes alive.

There are countless old tractors, from Farmalls to John Deere, surrounding the Homestead. Chickens roam freely among the festival goers, sometimes even running into the cabins for a quick look around. (I'm absolutely terrified of birds, but these fluffy babies didn't scare me one bit as they pecked at the ground for spilled corn!) Speaking of corn, visitors can even try their hand at milling corn and pick up a bag of freshly ground cornmeal to take home! Wagon rides, volunteers in period clothing, sideshow illusionists, and the smell of bubbling sorghum and popping kettle corn all add to the experience.

Here are some of the awesome sights I saw:

If you'd like to go back in time to the "good ol' days," check out the Parker Homestead Festival this Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., or Sunday, October 16 from noon-5 p.m. Admission is $7 per person, and children 6 and younger get in free.

Outfit details: Livy Lu "Arkansas Native" tee-shirt and Thread Supply flannel (both from The Refinery), Old Navy jeans, Minnetonka moccasins, Modcloth "Since You Been Hexagon" earrings in rose gold

Freebie Fun Fact: Arkansas is the diamond state. Crater of Diamonds State Park, located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas is home to the world's only diamond-bearing site accessible to the public. Arkansas is also the first place outside South Africa where diamonds were found at their original volcanic source! Isn't that fancy?

Welcome to my blog, where I'll show you what inspires my art! First up...FASHION!

I've always loved fashion...almost as much as I love art! I remember as a little girl, I'd fill my sketchbooks with all these wild and crazy outfits I could only dream of wearing. Dresses with 30 rows of ruffles... skirts made of rainbows and glitter... shoes with butterflies on the toes... bows as big as my head... my imagination went on and on!

Now, my outfits inspire my drawings. Fashion is art in itself, after all!

Check out this fun dress from Modcloth. I just love the bright blocks of color, and the way it makes me feel like a retro superstar! I paired it with my trusty cat eye sunglasses, Noonday Collection jewelry and a color-blocked tote that echoes the design of the dress.

In fact, I love this dress so much that when it went live on Modcloth, I had to draw myself in it before I ordered it. This is how I envisioned myself styling it before it even arrived on my doorstep! Apart from the lack of black knee high boots, (writes "black-knee-high-suede boots" on wishlist) I think I've got the look down!

Something else I like to do is take photos of my art with whatever pieces inspire it. It's cool to see what all planning and elements go into a piece!

Until next time, stay colorful and inspired, my friends!

Outfit details: Mod Squad Goals A-Line Dress, Triple the Charm Bag in Cognac, On Second Trot Flat in Sunshine (all from Modcloth) Sea Stone Earrings and Golden Bough Necklace from Noonday Collection