happiness WARM puppy

 Finished a painting of my Olivia & Rose.  Titled:  Happiness is a warm puppy. (charles shultz)

 Isabelle and Ben call this carrying the Princess.

 Ben riding his bike!

 Ben falling off of his bike :)

A Random Deer.
The pups do not like the deer nor the turkey.  They bark bark bark at them.   They all stare at each other in a frozen stance for a while and then all animals go about their business as if they never noticed each other.  I love when the puppies are tired and lay on each other. So cute - got to get a pic.  I guess that makes up for that fact that we are going through a lot of papertowels these days.  Ben has a loose tooth. His first one!  We had taco salad for dinner.  My hands smell like onion.  Today, I stood out in the autumn wind and the bright sun, and I breathed in the earth and I was at peace.  I thanked the lord for my many gifts. I think we will all hit the hay early tonight, we are getting so worn and tired these days, on the verge of colds.  Tomorrow we need to get up early for dog training.  Can't wait to jump into bed tonight -  I started reading a book that I find very interesting:  Rin Tin Tin.  :)  Well, Ben wants me to go set his alarm clock, so I suppose I must go as there are other things to attend to as well.  Happy Weekend.

Hold your HorSes.

 Just wanted to share some recent paintings.  I had the wonderful opportunity to create Horse themed paintings for two little girls turning 9.  12x12 stretched canvas - acrylic paint

This painting was a special gift for a special friend of Isabelle's and her mom just happens to be my special friend......so we are all SpEcIaL. hehe.  Caroline loves art, reading, cats, etc ..so I tried to incorporate all that wonderful jazz into the concept of her painting.  :)

Art Day in the (red) Hood

 Something I truly have a fond interest in is:  Fairy Tales.  These enchanting, mysterious stories leave so much to the imagination and create magical worlds of endless possibilities (kids are currently having sword fights with their cereal spoons around me, so I currently apologize for thoughts and words that may not connect, but honestly this is how my brain functions most of the time...well unless they are at school or sleeping).  So anyWho, I have been wanting to create a red riding hood painting for a while.  I gathered some different ideas and incorporated my own and wolah.  I really am happy with how this painting turned out.  There is some unknown as we look deep into the woods.  The wolf...is he howling at the moon?  Is he looking at the moon...is he looking at little red?  Where do his legs end and start...or are those trees?   What is hood thinking?  Is she frozen in fear?  Is she intrigued?  Has she made it to her grandmothers house or on her way home or has she just begun her journey?  What's in her basket? Does she know how to bake?   Does she have a scones recipe she can share with me?  What about that bird?  I made the bird all white at first...but it felt "right" to add some red.  Is it a simple of hope?  Is it a messenger?  A guardian angel?  Just a spectator?  Who knows what takes place in the woods...

 Below is a fairy or Gnome house rock that I have started to paint (not finished yet).  It's hard to paint on a rock.  (get it, hard? I know...).

 Below are my children, so excited that I announced it was once again:  ART DAY.   Once in awhile, I get brave and I plan a day for us to get creative and messy.  Yes, I had to wash paint off of the floor and wall...but for the most part it was a good productive project day.  The kids kept saying how much fun it was, so I think well worth it in the end.  (despite Olivia dipping her hands in a whole paint tray when noone was looking).

 Below:  We even incorporated Ice Cream Cones into this special day.  (well, really what choice did I have?  At the denist office, they got free coupons for being good patients...)

So, who knows what today will bring?  We slept very late.  Although everything is wet from the storms, it looks like the sun is peaking through.  I already saw a hummingbird this a.m. even though I have no food in the feeder.  It came anyway.  Isabelle has a playdate scheduled for today.  So Ben and I may do more art before I clean it up.  Laundry is piled to the ceiling and I don't care.  I think I will make vegetable pizza again today (made it the other day and it was a big hit).  I enjoyed the movie:  The Kings Speech.  I am liking the show:  Master Chef and I always enjoy Kitchen Nightmares.  When I can't sleep, I watch these shows.  Why is it when I really want to find a magazine, I am in a magazine mood, that I cannot find any?  Better get my broom out, Olivia is done with her breakfast.  Isabelle is listening to Taylor Swift and making friendship bracelets...Ben is looking for something else to paint.  I must get this circus act together.  Have a beautiful day!

Paint - tastic!

Here are some recent paintings I have been working on: The fairy one is from the previous post. The frog one is acrylic on an 8x10 flat canvas. The bird (tufted titmouse) is on a 2x2 stretched canvas. These are all for sale if anyone is interested or if you would like something special made, just let me know. I do anything from Angels to Elvis to a piece of stale fruit. :)

This painting was so fun to create. It was a gift for a very special girl who I just adore. It is acrylic on 9x13 stretched canvas.

I was so happy with how this project turned out! My client wanted this as a birthday present for her niece who Loves dogs. Acrylic 12x12 stretched canvas.

This bird painting is my current favorite and is also for sale. It is acrylic on 9x13 stretched canvas.

Up before the Rooster

Here is a fun painting I finally got to finish (started it months ago, put it away...brought it out again...hehe). It is probably hard to see from the picture, but there is glitter on her wings. I love how this little fairy turned out. It is a 8x10 - flat canvas (verses stretched canvas), acrylic.

Here is our bathroom after it was ripped apart. It has been a busy and cold week, so new drywall is up, but taping and painting still needs to happen, then tiling floor and shower and wall and installation of fixtures...and more plumbing...so we still have a ways to go.

It's always nice to see a Woody wiz past you on a remote control car. boys. Speaking of Woody, whom Ben drags around everywhere with him, drops him in the slush, hangs him from the shopping cart, sleeps with him...etc... well, he just got a new bedding set. Aunt Mary is here for the weekend and Ben talked her into making custom blankets and pillows for Woody and Buzz. They are sleeping very comfortably in this freezing weather.

Isabelle and Ben love to listen to the book that Grandma recorded for them as a Christmas Present. The story is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, it is a recordable Hallmark book in which my mom reads the story to the kids. It is awesome and they love it!

Sure, don't let this adorable, sweet , calm little peaceful baby fool you. This little girl, kept me up half the night, I have no clue why and forced me to be up by 6a.m. (on a Saturday mind you!). I had to get up, I had no choice. She has been a pistol all morning (yes, I can say pistol cuz shes my little puddle duck). So anyway, let's just say, I would have seen the sun rise if it ever came out this a.m. I've had one cup of coffee and I guess it is just not enough. Good news is this should mostly be a non requirement day at home. It's snowing again and freezing, but we plan just to be at home and take the day as it comes. Have a few fun surprises (activities) planned for the kids today. I am hoping to get a few personal things done, but my expectations are not set super high. This weekend I plan on reading the book: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. Only problem with this plan is that I really need to concentrate in quiet, to grasp and understand this subject...and I have a feeling it will be slightly loud here today. Wishing you a WaRm and BeAutiFul Saturday :).

A few more Paintings.

I love how this little owl turned out. :) (sorry I am in an owl mood lately...well always).

I saw this idea online and fell in love with it, so tried a hand at my own version.

This painting is for Isabelle since she has been asking me for one.

This painting is for Ben since Isabelle got one, he also required one.

The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. C. G. Jung

Owl Pocket Painting.

I found these mini little canvas's on mini little easels at Michaels. I love this size painting, it is so adorable, it's like you could totally put it in your pocket and whip it out at anytime. Or Hey, throw some ART in your purse and pull it out and set it up anywhere you are. Dining at a boring restaurant that has little decor or atmosphere? Whip out a pocket painting and surround yourself with loveliness. (no I am not tired, in fact I think I might have had too much coffee...)