Behind Bottled Sunshine

I’m Courtney Tyson. I’ve graduated from Messiah College with a degree in Art and teacher certification. I married Bryan, my college sweetheart and together we’ve transplanted  from the hillsides of Pennsylvania to the gorgeous shores of Connecticut. Coastal Living is a dream we’ve always shared (and a magazine that I love) and we are overjoyed that we are ‘home’.

In October we put an offer in on a quirky house, a contemporary styled home, nothing we ever would have imagined us choosing just 4 short months before, I always thought I was a shutters on the windows, big front porch kind of girl. Nevertheless we love it and have worked so hard to turn it from a pink/mauve/and more pink walled house and royal blue shag carpet left far behind in the 70s to a live-able, and love-able house that belongs in 2013.

It’s been a year (a year!) since we’ve married and we are really settling into life together. My creativity, which was killed in my first post-college job, woke up without the stress of that job, and I’m busy designing frames for all sorts of artwork in my 9-5 job, and designing our house, creating art work for our walls, and making art of my own to sell. Thankfully, that creativity is alive and kicking, and I don’t have enough time in the day to get it all done.

I love swimming at the beach in the summer, collecting seashells and items with charm, curling up by a fire in the winter, and traveling all year long. I’ve finally picked up my paintbrush again, and not just the roller for painting walls. I’ll explore everything from travel, decor, event planning, painting, fiber arts, work, marriage, cooking and trust me there will be a healthy dose of fun. I don’t claim to be an expert in anything but enjoy almost everything I do. Join me, my parenthesis (which I’ve almost managed to write this whole introductory bit without, that’s got to be a first) and my crazy amazing life as I expound upon the one thing I am an expert at, life as I know it.

Before I wrap up I should address what I mean by Bottled Sunshine. I guess it all started with my given name. My mom cared a lot about the meanings of names, and I’d like to think I am living up to mine. In a nutshell, my name means: a very special place that brightens one’s day. I can only hope that my smile sends cheer and hope and that I can be a light to others of hope, grace and faith in the Lord. I can think of nothing brighter than the Sun, which takes me back to a high-school nickname, and one that follows me today. Sunshine (it stems from the smile and ultra bubbly personality I had then.) and bottled, because I hope to never lose it.

xxoo,

Me