Sweet Peas and Butter Beans

Welcome! Come on in and meet me. 

Welcome! My name is Cindy Collis and you are about to get to know me, which is very exciting. I live in the Kern Mountains of beautiful, Southern California. I am married, with two little girls, 2 cats and 5 fish. We are hoping at one point to add a golden retriever to out menagerie, but for now we will have to wait.  I'm happy to say that we live in one of the few places outside LA that still offers adventure and a small town with the company of close neighbors.  We moved from the hustle and bustle a little over 2 years ago and I cannot say that I have missed it.  I am finally the owner of a MacBook pro, a new Etsy site, and now this, a blog, which I have been planning on starting for quite a while. I'm proud to say I have begun.

Up until last August I worked as a Stage Manager and Talent Supervisor for many years, mostly in theme parks.  I have worked for Six Flags and Disney, as well as for smaller independent productions, and in Las Vegas. It was a demanding world in which I thrived and enjoyed.  With the birth of my children, I found I needed to shift focus and do something that was not only fulfilling but gave me the time I needed to devote to them.  My little girls are truly amazing and they are the inspiration behind my work. I have a passion for painting and have found that I am an artist.  I suppose all people were born to do something, and each individual has talents for which there isn't quite and explanation.  I am very grateful for the talent I have been given.  It makes me feel fulfilled and gives me a chance to exercise my creative brain daily. 

As I said, I have just started my Etsy shop which I have named Sweet Peas and Butter Beans, the nicknames I have for my girls. I started painting things for my kids, friends and family about 4 years ago and after being told numerous times, "You should sell you work", I decided to give it a whirl on the good old Facebook.  After a year full of orders, I decided to expand my horizons and take to Etsy where handmade is totally chic. I'm just starting out and learning the ropes but I'm confident I will be Etsy literate in no time.

The most popular of items I sell are hand painted letters, and I've done quite a few this year.  I will paint just about any theme you request and I'm always up for the latest challenge.  In addition to letters, I paints signs, height charts, furniture, door hangers, step stools, and just about any plain old thing that could use some sprucing up.  Today, I painted a bedroom, I'm quite versatile indeed.  My shop, while still under construction, is open for business so go to sweetpeasbutterbeans.etsy.com and check it out! I'm working on a flicker account, which should be up and running soon, where all of my work will be posted for your viewing pleasure. 

Until next time, cheers! Thanks for stopping by!