Father's Day Fun

Hi, y'all!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Father's Day- I know my family did. My dad and I got to go watch his alma mater, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, play their first ever game in the College World Series. If you're not a sports fan, just know that this is a huge deal. Also, you should rethink your life choices. 

On the Bkrafty side, I had a busy week completing these spirited coolers for some awesome dads. First up, we have a University of Texas cooler - right up my alley. 

I wanted to make sure there were some unique elements on this cooler. Having done a few Texas themed coolers in my day, I love making them unique and special so that whoever receives it knows that they have something truly special. Wendy, a Texas gal herself, collaborated ideas with me and sent me ideas for her husband's Father's Day cooler, which was really fun for me. I got a great sense of what to design, and I was really happy with the way it turned out.

Let's have a look!

On the front, we have the famous words from our old coach, Mack Brown: "Come early. Be loud. Stay late. Wear orange." I've been trying out this new font (not an official font, just one of my own) and am really loving the way it looks on coolers. The letters can be crunched and stretched to fit perfectly around whatever space, and I thought - what better to be in the middle than Bevo? I have to admit, this version of Bevo. Look how happy he looks!

Because the front and top have a lot of detail, I thought the sides should be sharp and clean, especially with "The Eyes of Texas" wrapping around the top of the cooler. 

And last but not least, the back. No Texas cooler is complete without the state of Texas or the Texas flag. That's my motto! 

Not only did I get to make a University of Texas themed cooler for Father's Day, but I also was asked to paint one for a dad who loves the Kansas City Chiefs. 

My favorite side of the cooler is definitely the front. I experimented with a lot of new fonts and styles, and the colors really popped against the red background. It's always fun to learn new traditions from different teams, and I researched a lot about the Chiefs and what some of their famous staples that should be incorporated in this spirited subway art styled side.

On the top, I painted the Chiefs logo with a butter yellow background. The arrowhead is outlined in black, then metallic gold around the black. The top is also complete with two red stripes to bring a little inspiration from the Chiefs' uniforms.

I loved the look of the metallic gold on the back and decided to use a spray paint to add an airbrush look. The gold wasn't getting enough love on the cooler yet, so I was really excited when I found a chrome finish metallic gold color that I could use. I thought it gave it an element of toughness (and coolness.)

Happy Father's Day!

College Themed Gifts

Hey y'all!

So I was having a little trouble transferring my pictures from my phone into my iPhoto, so that's why I haven't blogged this week! I've been busy with a lot of custom orders and a few new listings on my Etsy page...so excited! There's a link to my Etsy shop on the left hand side of my blog in case you want to check them out. I've been posting a lot of my projects on my Instagram, too, so be sure to follow me for a little daily inspiration! 

I know a lot of high school seniors have been hearing back from colleges lately and deciding where they want to go, so I thought I would post a few of my college themed canvases I have been doing lately. I have a few custom orders with personalized touches, but I can't post them yet because they're Christmas presents. If you know someone who is going to college next year, these are some of my most popular picks!

Still my most popular canvas, the Texas Forever canvas with the Texas flag is perfect for any proud Texan. 

Another picture of a Texas Forever order.

This design was for Hannah E., a Texas girl heading off to school at Arkansas. You can take the girl out of Texas, but you can't take the Texas out of the girl.

My paisley canvases are some of my favorites to do because each canvas is different, like a snowflake! Everything is completely freehanded, and one of a kind. School colors or even the colors of a room are often requested for these!



More UT canvases!

 I love doing the Texas A&M tradition canvases! There are many more of these on my Instagram account, so check them out!

Last summer I had so many lovely girls who ordered canvases from me who were about to start their first year at Arkansas! I loved getting to know more about the school's traditions and being able to master doing that razorback; woo pig sooie!

Oklahoma Sooner canvas; love this quote!

Another fun Oklahoma Sooner tradition canvas!

Oklahoma State Cowboy canvas avaliable on my Etsy shop: OSU COWBOY CANVAS BY BKRAFTY

Last but definitely not least- the Sam Houston State University tradition canvas!

If you see anything you'd like to order, head over to my Etsy shop and see if there is a listing up of a design you'd like. If not, send me a message and we can build a custom order!!

More posts coming soon! XO

Black Friday "Texas Forever" Giveaway

Calling all Instagrammers: Bkrafty is doing it's first giveaway, and you can win! Go to @bkraftydesigns on Instagram for more details. Contest ends tomorrow!

The Lone Star State

Happy Monday, y'all! I have been getting a lot of requests for texas flag canvases lately! Whether they have "Texas Forever", a name, or a monogram, the flag design looks great with anything. Below you'll see just three examples of variations I have done with the Texas flag design recently. 

I have also seen a few other people who sell canvases trying to copy my design (and when I say this, I mean my script and everything), so I just wanted to let everyone know that this is the place to find the original Texas Forever canvas! I know pictures circulate on Pinterest, but if you're looking for that design, this is the best place to be!

texas flag canvas by bethany kelm with freehand  "texas forever" script

texas flag canvas by bkrafty designs with freehand personalized name

texas flag canvas by bkrafty designs with freehand monogram

Don't forget to follow @bkraftydesigns on Instagram and favorite my shop on Etsy!

You ain't met my Texas yet

Happy Wednesday, y'all! After a pretty hectic week of school filled with tests, projects, work, a cooler and canvases, I thought I would finally post these canvases. After I did the first "Texas Forever" canvas for Kelli, I got emails asking if I could do more. The answer is YES. I love the Texas flag, and I would love to paint more of them! In fact, here is another one that I did this past week!

If you're wanting a more personal design, I did this canvas for Jenna! She wanted to give her grand big a cute graduation gift, and she messaged me about a custom canvas design. I have actually done a few before for graduation gifts, so I have been hoping to do more again this year.

Last but not least, I have this canvas that was also ordered as a gift from Katie! I am always excited about painting UT themed canvases. I also painted one for two roomies: Brianna and Erin. Their canvas includes both of their names, but it has the same design as the one below. I'll post that one soon! I hope y'all love the way they turned out. Hook 'em!

Have a great week! More canvases and coolers to come soon :)

Clear eyes. Full hearts.

Before I start, I'm doing this on my phone so the pictures won't be up until I get back to my laptop! Alright, it's no surprise that I am in love with my state. I just can't help it. I mean, Texas is a really awesome place to be! Luckily I'm not alone in this, and I got some orders from some of my fellow proud Texans. 

If you've never seen the show (or even the movie) Friday Night Lights, you're missing out. Whether you're into football or not, although after this show you will love football..trust me, you need to watch it. I promise you that you will fall in love with Coach Taylor, his awesome wife Tammy, the stories and relationships, and last but DEFINITELY not least, Tim Riggins. His famous line "Texas Forever" has inspired probably like thousands of hashtags, facebook albums, and tshirts...and it also inspired this canvas!

Before school started my dad surprised me and took my to the Dillon Panther field house. It's right outside of Austin! I almost passed out when I realized where we were. Anyway, here's a picture of the field house! I wanted to go on the field but the gate was locked and they had barbed wire around the face so I decided I better not test my luck. Hope y'all enjoy the pictures! Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose.