Another Mustang :)

This was a commission I just finished for Christmas for someone I love painting cars! Especially the Mustang Fastbacks. Although this was probably the smallest complete car I've painted - on a 9x12 canvas! But I did it! I found the need to NOT abuse my brushes even greater here as I am notoriously bad at neglecting to properly care for my brushes.

The last week in pics

So it's been a VERY busy week... so this post is a "week" in pics.


1) Photographed a wedding

2) Set up a cool secret tent/fort with my niece and played with all the rudolph toys

3) Crocheted more earrings

4) Decorated my first gingerbread house at my Church Small Group Party

5) Made another beard had - this one with a little bill on the front

6) Finished up a commissioned portrait (no peeking on that)

7) Got in an order of fresh blank canvases :)

8) and painted more furniture

December 2nd

1) Worked on a portrait commission - no sneak peaks there though :)
2) Had mini turkey sandwiches for breakfast on the Paleo gluten free bread I made
3) Checked on our sick chick
4) Sported my new crochet earrings I made the night before
5) Crocheted one long, fingerless glove/arm-warmer while we watched a movie

December 1st

How can it be December 1st already?
Today was somehow a lot less productive - didn't get much of anything checked off my to do list.
1) chatted in forums about our sick chickens.. hoping to find an answer before we lose our sick Bantam
2) matted this little chicken painting I did which my hubby loved and wanted me to frame for him... it was destined for the trash in my opinion but I must say it looks a lot better after framing - he saw the potential :) I do not like to mat things though.. because a) it involves math. b) I have to crawl around on the floor. c) I make a mess. d) my mat cutter is so frustrating - can't get the guide to adjust or go back in the slot once it comes out so I did this one free hand. (cut away to me dreaming of a large studio with a standing height giant work table to stretch canvases, mat, measure and such.....someday)

My Day in Photos #2

Thought I would do the photo thing again today.


1) leftover turkey for lunch.. keeping it simple

2) my finished tree

3) made some gluten free Paleo Bread - will use this for some turkey sliders tomorrow :)

4) painted some furniture for someone - hope to do a few more later this week

5) found this bead weaving from collage which brought back the memory that I remember doing that at home.. very sick in bed one day..... and my old weaving bobbins and reed hook - maybe one day I'll have the space and time for a loom.. weaving is one of those things that is so incredibly time consuming for such a small result but I love knowing I created a piece of woven fabric - I still have all my weaving projects.

My Day In Photos

So I've obviously been absent from any type of blogging for awhile, Therefore I'm attempting to start back and just keeping it simple and doing a photo collage of my day.


1) tried to enlist my niece as a hat model for my crocheting projects... she was NOT having any part of it - I cropped out her cute little scowl.

2) busted out the Rudolph toys

3) do you know how long I've been looking for this hammer??? don't recall how this happened... or how this portion of it made it to the back of one of my drawers? (I was cleaning out drawers - should do that more often)

4) cooked a turkey

5) finished up this baby hat for a sweet little girl that will be arriving soon and took it to a baby shower :)

6) made a tree skirt out of this pretty fabric I got today - it's an odd shape but works for our tree, my sewing machine- which I just got back from repair- managed to break again so it is only "almost" hemmed and I was reminded very quickly during the process how sewing is just not my thing no matter how much I may want it to be. I didn't get my grandmothers green thumb or mad sewing skills... and I guess that fabric for the shower curtain project that's been waiting since March will wait longer.
7) worked on perfecting the sock bun - tried a wide cloth headband instead of a hair elastic so hopefully it won't leave the hump (and since I'm finishing this up the next morning I'll go ahead and say the bun still looks great after sleeping on it - curious to see how curls work this time)

Finally.. another painting!

So- I finally was able to finish a painting that I was happy with... although it took several layers and evolved as it went along. I started out with layers of blue and purple and green.. applied in a very Morris Louis style (just on a much smaller scale :) ). Then I kept adding layers of color until I had ruined it.. then went back with the ochres and whites to tone down the straight cadmium orange I had set it ablaze with to get a background I was happy with. The I painted the coneflower and grass silhouettes. This is I think only the 2nd triptych I've done but I really like it. As you know, I usually don't frame my pieces but this one I just felt needed a frame. So luckily - being the pack rat that I am - dug into my closet to find the wooden strips I had cut for some painting back in my college days and never did use - yes over 10 years later they do have a purpose! They were already painted black and I just had to cut them down to size and repaint the ends. I used a nail gun and just affixed the strips of wood directly onto the canvas. I was even able to use the scraps of the wood strips yesterday by stapling them together to create a base for my niece to do an art project with.

My niece's finished glass mosaic tile and seashell finished project using the frame scraps :)

Les Vacances Papillon

In my current randomness I'm doing, I created this. I had to start over on one of those absolute failures of an idea so I covered it up with a nice background of palette knife strokes of creams and greens. In an attempt to depart my failed idea which was very heavy in subject and emotion, I chose to do something more lighthearted and fun which was inspired by looking at some more decorative art a few weeks ago at someones home. I toyed with the idea of painting in some words but ultimately decided against it. I did however add in some music sheets (which I guess is a throwback to how I like to add maps to car paintings)

making more cards

Well I was really happy with the first set of cards I made by screen printing a design on cardstock and then overlaying vellum on top. I made a few more this morning. I tried to do couple more masculine ones in a fishing theme. The one with the fish is a sepia tone print of a watercolor fish I did on the hand painted note card. The fishing lures are a print of a drawing I made of the lures first. I had a few more bumps in the process with these but maybe I was just trying to rush.. or maybe it's just because I thought it was a Saturday before the alarm went off this morning!

Hand Drawn Cards

Yesterday evening I got the idea in my head to do some hand drawings on note cards. I started out drawing a couple of cars and then I painted a little watercolor bass fish. I thought these would make great Father's Day gifts because once you give the card you can mat it and frame it hang it on the wall... like a card and gift in one! I enjoyed painting the fish although it took me quite a bit longer to complete than I hoped but I promptly sold it (yay!) so I hope to do another one today. I also made some more cards today I'm excited about but I will share those later!

5x7 Sketch Painting

Today I painted in some sketches I did for a recent demonstration. They are small - just 5x7 - and I tried to not take it seriously and work quickly and just enjoy messing around with the paint. I had fun! I painted them on a piece of matboard...Now I just need to cut them out individually.

Church Painting

I just finished this commission for some sweet friends of their church. (which we also attend) It took me longer than expected and though I've painted a whole series of architecture in the past (well that was almost 9 years ago), I was reminded of the precision required to paint architectural details while at the same time needing to keep it colorful and full of life so as not to end up looking like an architectural rendering. A good challenge that I really enjoyed. Once again this piece is done in my medium of choice - acrylic on canvas and I used a little bit of palette knife work for some of the trees.

New Car Painting

I finally finished this car painting a couple of weeks ago. I started it months ago and struggled with making it feel right. I normally don't like putting detailed backgrounds in my paintings but it just seemed necessary for this one. So I put in a background from a photo I took on a trip to New Jersey. This is a 65 Mustang Fastback. I took several photos of it which I enjoyed doing and actually incorporated another view of it into a landscape painting I had started awhile ago. This one is my normal - acrylic on canvas - and is 20" tall by 30" wide.

Princess Purse

My niece is all about princesses right now. She can spot anything remotely princess and everything is related to a princess. So with her 3rd birthday coming up (and her princess party) I decided to make her a "princess purse." (Hopefully the addition of the hot pink tulle will make it apparent that it's "princess.")
I used a portion of an old dress for the black and white fabric and I had to use my husband's old sewing machine he found to use for a variety of his projects because mine is being repaired... let's just say I will undertake no more sewing projects until I have mine back! It's definitely a little rough around the edges but hopefully will garner the approval of a 3 year old princess! Hopefully this, with the addition of some princess hairbows from Katerbug, will make a fitting gift.

Another Little Painting

This painting I did yesterday - another 6x6 - was just something that was inspired by my devotional and the verse Matthew 25:40. Just some of the thoughts rambling through my head inspired with some new music and the butterfly theme I had going from the day before. Not sure if I'm completely done but thought I would share anyway.

Butterfly Painting

Last night, after trying to get motivated to work on a car painting that I'm struggling with getting the right feel with the setting for, I decided to just take a break and paint this little butterfly. I found these museum depth canvases and they are 6" x 6" and 2" deep... I just though they were great! I have 4 so I may do butterflies on the other 3 too but I haven't decided. This is the butterfly I stalked in my front yard the other day. It didn't mind me being there and kept coming back to the phlox in my flower bed.

Tooth Fairy Pillow

I made this several weeks ago. I had a tooth fairy pillow when I was little and I always thought it was so exciting to put my tooth in it. It was pink with a little deer on it and lace trimmed but I created this more updated version with a design I hand screened and made the pocket out of a linen shirt I upcycled. I have another idea for one too but it will be a while before I get to it. I have a shower curtain project ahead of that on the sewing schedule!

Another Flower Pot

I just finished painting this flower pot. This is the 2nd layer as my first idea was not a winner... at all! I bought this specifically to re-pot an indoor plant from my grandmother's funeral. I really want this plant to live as she was a master gardener and could save any plant and root anything from the smallest clipping. I think after getting it done though that this pot just isn't big enough to transplant it to and it really doesn't have the look I wanted for it. I really only have one room to put the plant in and this doesn't match the style. I'll have to find another use for it!

Portraits

Just finished this portrait drawing of 5 children early this week. Whenever drawing several faces on one page, it is always a little tricky because unlike paint.. you can't paint over it to start over! and you have to draw lightly at first so you can erase. After collecting various photos to work from and carefully scaling each one, this portrait finally came together.

Photography Day

Monday I got to go to a beautiful home and take interior photography for Maple Ridge Cabinetry. I always love to do that! (but the editing part isn't so fun) Here are a few of my favorites from that shoot. In a few days I'll be traveling up north to do more photography, excited about the photos but not about all that driving!

Jewelry Organization

Today I dove into organizing my jewelry.. Now let me just say I am NOT a jewelery girl and the stuff I have is not anything "real"... the only thing I ever remember to wear is earrings. For the past several years my jewelery has sat in an odd 6.5" tall opening cubby on the top of our tall chest of drawers. We designed this opening to hold a reciever and VCR years ago, but once we ditched the TV and service subscription it has become a holder of all my randomly scattered jewelry, pony tail holders, evidently safety pins? and all those dust bunnies. All I had to do was clean this out and I would see I have more than enough.. and now that I am self employed I really will have hardly the occasion to wear it all. Like I said I'm not big into jewelery, diamonds are NOT my best friend, etc, etc...... so all I have is the inexpensive stuff and after a thorough cleaning of some of it I discovered I have too much and have some to give away. I had to figure out what on earth I was going to do with it to keep it organized and within view so I actually knew what I had. My bedroom is small so there is no room for dresser or surface space or even a spare drawer so I went to the wall.
I found a frame I've loved that my hubby made for me several years ago and went digging through nice handmade doilies I've been given over the years that have remained untouched in the drawer. I attached the lace to the back of the frame and hung it on the wall. All of my dangly earrings fit on this! I hope it works out ok. I had a small tin for post style earrings and then I unboxed some unused crystal candle holders (wedding gifts from 10 years ago!) that I put my 2 favorite pair of small post style earrings in. Those are really just for effect.. not super functional but I had a long space to fill - and at least those candle holders are getting used for once.
The next thing I did was went back to the stored away stuff in the kitchen cupboards and got some small cheap vases out, then went looking for some branches which I painted white. This was a challenge since I only had 6.5" vertical inches to make this fit in. On these I hung my bracelets and necklaces. Maybe now that all of this is within sight I will wear it more! and maybe... just maybe.... I can keep this neat.... and the best part is I didn't have to buy anything to make this stuff - I just went "shopping" around the house!

Painting Flower Pots

Yesterday I painted another flower pot. My co-workers gave me a beautiful keepsake azalea as my going away present when I left my job last week. (I resigned to pursue my graphic design/creative direction and fine art business full time - big step, but exciting!) When I read the plant care instructions I saw this was an indoor azalea which I didn't know there was such a thing. So I set out to get a pot yesterday and what I like to do is buy the inexpensive terra cotta pots and paint them. What I like about these is they are #1 THE LEAST EXPENSIVE POTS THEY SELL and #2 THEY ARE MADE IN THE USA! (and anyone who knows me knows how important that is) Then I just decorate them myself. I use acrylic paint and usually use a sponge brush to get the base coat down so you can't see brushstrokes, then depending on what is going on it, a combination of sponges or regular brushes work well for the designs. This is a great way to decorate your flower pots yourself and save a ton of money.

In my opinion, this beats spending 3 times as much on a plastic pot made in China. I've painted several before although this time I didn't really know what I wanted to do so I didn't have a vision when I started out - and you can kinda tell! I probably would have rather left it plain white (there is some silver in there as well) but added the blue and green. It isn't the prettiest thing but it matches my dining room and kitchen which is where it sits.

This brown pot in the second photo is one I did as a gift a few years ago. It's definitely my favorite one.

Kitty Cat Portrait

I just completed this colorful portrait of this cute little cat. I used pastel for this one which I don't get to use that often but I thought it was the perfect medium for the cats fur.... and the messy fingers are always fun too. Now I have black fingernails but - oh well : ) It's a 5 x 7 and I plan on putting it in an 8 x 10 mat and frame. Then I will be packing it up to ship off to the grand ole state of Texas for my grandmother - she doesn't know I've done it yet though so shhhhh!