gameboards

Here are some gameboards I've been working on. They are big - 24 x 24 - and come with nice, wooden checkers in a drawstring bag. They hang on the wall when you're not having fun with them and are $150.00 each.

this is why a painting-a-day will be hard for me

Okay. I think I'm finished with this one and ready to move on. There are still some things............I need to quit looking at it! I think these will make a nice, little snack right about now. Out of sight, out of mind.

mandarins

Oh, my goodness. What was I thinking choosing this busy background? Not a good idea for what is supposed to be a quick painting. By the time I got to the mandarins, I was ready to be done. But, they looked so pretty on this tea towel. And pretty always wins. Tomorrow's painting will be much simpler.

I just made a couple of little changes to the painting after looking at the photo. And since I don't know how to delete the first photo, you can compare and try to figure out what I changed. It won't be the last change - I've got to fix the "floating" one in the middle...

PS. I changed the title when I read the bag. I thought they were clementines.

paintings

I didn't think I would post these paintings - I am still at the beginning of this art journey. I am so happy to be on the path with Roxanne who is at the same place in life regarding art. We've both been busy at our art "jobs," but have been yearning to explore our talents in fine art, namely oil painting. It is encouraging and motivating to have someone to share thoughts and ideas with. So...here is what I've done so far. My only goal/hope right now is to get in a lot of painting time and discover my style and what God wants me to express. I've never been happier and had forgotten how important, no, necessary, this is to me.

This little landscape is the pasture before we built our house in it. I'm taking an art class from Paul Friske (thanks to my other art friend, Marianne) and you can see his influence (if you look very closely!). His work is incredible.

This is a good example of how I naturally paint, but don't want to - too stiff.

This was fun! I'm trying to imitate the style of one of my favorite painters, Carol Marine - deliberate brushstrokes. It is a stretch for me because I tend to blend, blend, blend. She does a small painting a day, and if I'm able, I will, too, and post them as they come along.

Do you think that maybe I like the color orange?

happy valentine's day

I am having the time of my life just painting/playing/creating whatever strikes my fancy in my little studio. What a joy and a blessing it has been this winter to be tucked in there with the heaters turned up full blast and my sunny windows looking out onto my little world. You'd think I'd have more to show for it, but not everything turns out great. That doesn't matter too much. The joy is in the doing.

I hope that you are doing what you love today or, at least, loving what you do.

Don't these roses look beautiful behind the seeded glass? I usually take pictures with the idea that I will paint a picture from them, but this one will be best as a photo. It would take a better artist than me to paint this glass.

Happy Tuesday to you and Happy Birthday to my sweet husband!

photo finish

I hope that everyone's Christmas was merry that you are looking forward to

a happy New Year. May you be blessed with all good things.

tagged

I've been tagged by Flower for this game.

Your supposed to do the following:

1. Open the 4th picture on your computer.

2. Post it on your blog.

3. Explain the picture.

4. Tag 4 others to do the same.

These are some of my best friends, Trudy, Beverly, Marion and JoCarol. The picture was taken about a year ago at JoCarol's house. We were celebrating Suzanne's birthday. I remember laughing 'til my face hurt.

I tag

To Fly...with Broken Wings

Molly B

Blessings and Baubles

Roxanne the Artist

Have fun with this!

ho ho ho

This ornament was my husband's when he was little. His mom gave all of his ornaments to us a few years ago. Between the two of us, we could decorate a whole tree with similar looking elves and Santas. They are so cute and bring back memories of fresh Christmas trees with big colored bulbs and lots of silver icicles. The blinking lights made a tinkling sound that you could only hear when sitting beside the tree in the dark and all alone. I loved that sound - and everything else about Christmas.

i can't believe it's december

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. Are you ready for Christmas? The two holidays seem awfully crowded together this year. Hardly time to linger at the table over the turkey. Oh, well, it's all fun and festive.

Enjoy your shopping, cooking, Christmas music, wrapping, the Reason...all the goings on of the season.

Happy Tuesday!

be thankful

Even in the midst of uncertainty and a dismal outlook, God is sovereign. "He has a plan, He is working that plan, and He is in control from start to finish. " - Chuck Swindoll

Have a happy, joy-filled, blessed Thanksgiving!

Give thanks!

(and turn off the news :)

18,000 words

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then here are 18,000 for you.

David and I took this trip to Maine to celebrate our 30th anniversary. Here is a glimpse into our perfect week...

The view of the harbor from our pretty cottage.

The Thompson House in Stonington, Maine.

It belongs to my mother's cousin, Becky (click on her name to see her wonderful artwork), and is so beautifully decorated with art and antiques.

The bridge that took us over to Little Deer Isle where Stonington is located.

Stonington, a picture-perfect seaside village.

All in a day's work for this lobster fisherman.

Our good friends, the Phelps, happened to be in Rockland, Maine at the same time we were in Stonington. We had plans to meet them for bike-riding in Acadia National Park, but ran into them in a little shop in Camden, completely by accident, a day early.

Acadia National Park.


Most of the antiques shops are in barns next to the owner's house. I found a little treasure in this one.

The colors are beyond description. This almost captures it.

We took lots of drives and saw colors like this around every turn...

...in our convertible, with the top down. I am in the passenger seat huddled up in my coat and scarf. It was cold!



Had a picnic lunch at this nice, sunny spot.

David was so patient and stopped every single time I wanted to take a picture. Which was often.

Lily's Cafe for lunch - 3 days in a row. It was THAT good!

We hiked through a moss-carpeted forest that opened up to this beautiful shore.

David got to go out on a lobster boat. Bob and his wife, Annette, were so kind to give him this thrill. I think it was his favorite part of the trip.

A toast to the last 30 years and 30 more!




Goodbye, for now...

i'm home...

...in body only. My heart and mind are still in MAINE! David and I spent an indescribably wonderful week there and I will have pictures posted soon.

Happy Tuesday!

i'm going on vacation...

I'll be gone for a little while, but I'll be back...with pictures!

Have a happy week!

(don't turn on the news)

i'm open...

I spent the entire day at my computer yesterday setting up my Etsy shop. This is something I've contemplated for two years, but never felt really sure how or what to do to get started or how complicated it would be to keep it open. There was no one I knew to ask until...I met Brandy at the Quaint Ladies Sale! She has an Etsy shop full of fabulous things (you need to check it out - there is a link from her blog) and has been so sweet, patient and encouraging as I muddled through. God sent her just in the nick of time! I was really ready to try it.

For those of you not familiar with Etsy, it is a website that sells all things handmade. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea and treat yourself to a shopping trip like no other. There are incredible artists making incredible things. It is so much fun to browse - but be warned - there are 170,000 shops so it could take awhile. Several cups of coffee or tea. Maybe lunch. But, no gas! Be sure to read the profiles of your favorites. It is nice getting to "know" the people who make the things you like.

Happy Thursday!!!

good morning

I stepped out onto my front porch this gorgeous October morning and was greeted by this pretty pink sunrise. I could only stay outside in my PJs for about 5 minutes - just long enough to say a prayer of thanks - too chilly. Just thought I'd share it. Can you hear the birds and smell my coffee? Happy Tuesday to you.

quaint goodness

We members of the Society for the Preservation of Quaint Old Homes held our first ever

Quaint Ladies MarketPlace. JoCarol, Molly and Roxanne have already blogged about it so I'm just filling in with some of the pretty things that caught my eye...

...Roxanne setting up...

...the view from the yard's upper level...

..."home" wherever it may be, is sweet to all of us...

...nature helped in every way to make our day perfect...

...see?...

...sisters Sarah and Carolyn, our quaint check-out ladies...

...a precious baby visitor, Janice M's granddaughter...

...the morning sun coming through this window took my breath away...

...Jana (who so generously shared her home for this event) and Amy...

...JoCarol at her table of goodies...

...can you hear it?...

...Roxanne and crew's handiwork...

...altogether, a perfectly delightful day...