Painting and Crocheting

Our lives have been very busy...having three family members in the hospital at once! They are all doing better now, and we are very grateful for that. We, also, have a wedding to plan! Our youngest daughter is getting married...and we found her dress on our first trip to the Bridal Boutique! It's gorgeous...and so is she! :-)

I have managed to complete a little more on the commission I've been working on...and I'm sharing a picture of the progress there. I plan to finish it this coming week. And, being inspired by our beautiful new granddaughter...I found my crochet hooks, ordered an adorable pattern for crocheted hats, and completed two while watching TV the other night. I'd forgotten how much fun it is to crochet. I'm thinking I may put a few hats in my Etsy Shop soon...after I complete the commission of course!

Have a wonderful week!

Summer

Flowers, gardens and babies... I love Summer!

Nice Surprise This Morning

I woke up to a very nice surprise this morning. My painting, "A Mother's Love" is in TWO Treasuries on Etsy! They are great Treasuries, too, lots of fun kitties to look at. Here are the links, if you would like to take a peek. Madison's Treasury and Smokymtcreations Treasury

I'm working on a commission today...and it is a lot of fun! I will share the progress soon. So, I had better get to work!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! It's so gorgeous here in Oregon right now... You can't help but smile.

News

Hi,

There's been a lot going on in our family lately. We're waiting to meet our new Granddaughter... Which is very exciting!

And, we have family members that aren't feeling so well...so I've been working at my old job of nursing recently. (Prayers are always appreciated)

I have some exciting news concerning my Artwork. I've been asked to show my work at a Gallery in Bandon. Bandon is on the Oregon Coast, and they seem to have a thriving art community. I will post pictures as soon as I get a chance to visit the Gallery. I talked with the owner over the phone and I am so excited to meet her.

In the meantime I've added my first painting to my website store. I'm not sure how it is going to work, but I guess we'll find out! Setting things up, and not really being able to test them out means all you can do is keep your fingers crossed, I guess.

I hope everyone has a great week!

Deb

I have a Website!

I spent all day, yesterday, building a new Website ! (I still have a lot of work to do on the site...but it's a beginning!) I've been thinking about it for a couple of years, and finally got the push to get it done. I will post more about, "The Why", next week. Things are getting exciting, so stay tuned!

My husband and I had such an amazing, "Date", on Saturday. We went to the Salem Art Fair and Festival. The 61st annual! Wow, have we been missing out for a few years by not attending. The artists were so amazing. My husband usually takes a book when we go to an Art Fair, but not this time. He looked at each booth right along with me. We met so many wonderful people, and were mesmerized and inspired by unique and beautiful Art. A great dinner later that evening...just topped off a wonderful day. I'm still dreaming of one painting in particular, though. It was a piece by an amazing artist, Diane Culhane. Such a nice lady...she gave me a few tips I will be trying...and her work really touched my soul. I know I will own some of her Art in the future. Hopefully, that big, beautiful painting that I'm still dreaming about!

I'd better go and figure out how to link e-mail to my website now. Harder than I had anticipated!

Paper Lanterns, Yellow Spiders and Cat Painting

I was painting with my Granddaughter the other day, and decided to do a study for a commission that I'm going to be painting. The original will be different, but I wanted to get a feel for some of the color I will be using.

Busy weekend with a Wedding happening, but I wanted to share a few things. I found these fun paper lanterns at the Dollar Store. They light up at night and are pretty cute...for only $1.00!

I, also, found...rather, it found me...A bright Yellow Spider while I was weeding in our woods. I like Spiders, so I thought it was pretty cool.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!!!!!

SUMMER has arrived...FINALLY!!!

YAY! Summer has arrived in Oregon!!!

Our first flowers of the season... More to come later!

Hopefully, it's not too late for our gardens! Mine is not looking so good, yet, but there's still hope! The deer found my new little cherry tree to be very tasty! Apparently Riley was asleep on the job! Oh well... She needs her beauty sleep.

Well, today I am going to have breakfast on our deck, in the SUN, do a bit of weeding and then paint the rest of the day. I hope everyone has a wonderful day, as well!

JUNE! Such a busy month!

Once again, it's been about a month since I've blogged! We have been very busy with College graduations, wedding and baby showers, High school graduation, birthdays and more birthdays and Father's Day! It's been a lot of fun! We've managed to find some time for our new passion...Disc Golf, too! My grandson said playing disc golf, the other day, was one of the BEST times EVER! He's 8 and he outplayed most of us! So did his 9 year old sister! It was great!

Here's a picture of an evening celebration. We belong to a group known as, 'The Friday Night Club'. Every Friday night we meet for dinner, and then play cards or games. I guess our kids noticed that we have a lot of fun.... they are now joining us!

I'm making time to paint today. Hopefully, I will have something to share very soon!

New Painting

I'm almost finished with my paintings...fortunately, since the show is tomorrow night. This is the last one...

I bought Steven Tyler's book, "Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?", and he has a quote on one of the first pages that I love. "If you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail. If you're a singer, everything looks like a song." I would like to add to that... "If you're an Artist, everything looks like a painting." I think I am going to enjoy his book, very much. He's a very creative guy. I'll let you know.

Works In Progress

Life has been busy, as usual! I have been painting... Getting ready for the Artists' Reception; which I just learned I have to speak at. UGH! I am not a fan of speaking in public. It is easier talking about something you love...as I love painting. Hopefully, it won't be too painful. I've, also, added new items to my Cafepress store...in the whimsical cats section. I love their new iPhone covers. It's fun adding personality to items you use everyday.

Here are 2 of the 4 paintings that I've been working on. I'm hoping to finish them today, so I had better get busy! I hope you are having a great weekend!

Two of my favorite flowers

I couldn't resist, once again. Our Safeway's floral department is the first thing you see inside the front door...need I say more. Today they had two of my favorites...the little green spider mums and lavender campanula. Even Rudy couldn't resist them!

Visual Inspired Shopping

My Sister-In-Law and I went shopping yesterday and we had a great time. Even though I believe she believes, that I shop a little strangely. I just can't help myself! I've been known to buy music, wine and other treasures that move me...not because I like the music or the wine...I've usually never sampled them, but because of their visual appeal. My husband, her brother, is used to me and stopped wondering why I bought a CD, I've never heard, because the artwork on the cover is amazing. And, really, it doesn't have to be something purchased in a store. To me it's surrounding yourself with beauty and things that make you smile. When you're happy...you will probably pass that feeling on to others, or at least amuse them.

Yesterday I turned the corner and saw the most beautiful wine bottle I've ever seen; found a pretty little container for our coffee and who could resist fresh Basil!

Painting Finished

SOLD

I posted three, 'Work In Progress', paintings a while ago. They are paintings inspired by my imaginary flower doodles. I've finally finished one... I call it, "FIRST DATE". She's all dressed up...waiting for her handsome guy to arrive. This painting is going in my Etsy shop tonight.

I haven't had a lot of new paintings to share lately, because I've been busy painting for an Artists' Reception and show... I think there will be 5 or 6 local Artists. It sounds like a lot of fun, and I will be sure to post pictures.

Have a great evening...

Deb

Happy Easter!!!

I have one Easter decoration on display this year...it's my favorite. A little bunny made of Spun Cotton that I bought on Etsy. I saw the artist, Crystal, on the Martha Stewart show; fell in love with her creations, and had to have this bunny. Martha has the directions on her site to make one of Crystal's bunnies; which I plan to do in the future! Here are both links. Enjoy!

I wish everyone a wonderful Easter full of family and love!

Crystal's Site

Directions for Spun Cotton Bunny by Crystal on Martha Stewart.

Sudoku = Meditation=Art Journal

I've enjoyed Sudoku for a while now. I call it my meditation. So when I feel stressed...I grab my little book, the time flies by, I feel relaxed and I usually don't remember what I was stressed about after several puzzles. Very similar to creating Art, so I guess that is how my Sudoku books gradually became my Art journals. I started, rather unconsciously, using the finished pages of my sudoku books to experiment with ideas for art projects. It's fun and seems to help me with that dreaded artists' block.

Here are a few of my Sudoku pages and three Works in Progress that were inspired from these pages.

Rudy And The Scratching Box

Hi,

I have been very busy, and have a lot to post about, but I've decided to make one post at a time. Rudy and his new scratching box are first! He was so excited about this new box, loaded with catnip! He scratched it, licked it and laid by it; until, I'm guessing, the catnip was gone. He's a very funny guy!

We have a glass table in our kitchen, and I couldn't resist taking pictures of Rudy laying in the sun, under the table. I then played with one of the pictures on my computer, and I really like the way it turned out. I'm going to play around with it at cafepress next...and see what happens.

Well, it's early, on a Saturday night, but I'm thinking bed and my Sudoku puzzles sound pretty good. Tomorrow I think I'll post about my obsession with Sudoku, and how it's turned into one of my all time favorite Art projects and inspirations.

Have a wonderful evening!!!

Deb

EBSQ Team Treasury on Etsy

I am very honored to be a part of this wonderful EBSQ TEAM TREASURY. A very nice surprise indeed!

Thank you, Theodora, for including me! I love your artwork, by the way!

Spring Kitchen!

The sun has been out, and it's been 60 degrees!!! So when I saw the fresh Cilantro, pansies and the pretty little violas...I just had to bring them home!

Have a fantastic Weekend!!!

Batman and Lily Cake

I want to share a commissioned piece that I just finished for SOS RESCUE (Saving Our Strays). It's a fun piece featuring, Batman and Lily Cake, their two mascots.

The volunteers at SOS RESCUE are an amazing group of people; doing an amazing job caring for the strays in their community. Click the link above if you would like to go to their website.

Daffodils and Art

The daffodils are here! Everywhere we go there are daffodils, and it's gorgeous!

I would like to share a couple of links...my first time attempting links, so hopefully they will work. I have enjoyed Diane Salter's Blog and artwork since I started blogging. Today she had a link to another artist, who is having a giveaway, Tina Kirk , and Tina's artwork is amazing, too! She is generously giving away 6 of her wonderful postcards!

There is another link I want to share... an interesting class that is coming up. Sherry is creating a blog solely for the purpose of studying Art History together. She said the first lesson will be up tonight, so if you're interested...it sounds like fun!

Ok, so hopefully my learned lesson for today...will work...and the links will work, too!

Have a lovely Sunday!

Was It The Pineapple?

For about a month or so I was having a lot of lower back pain. It was almost impossible to sit or put my socks on. So when my sister asked me to go to lunch; I was happy to see her, but knew that sitting for any amount of time was going to be miserable. At first it was miserable, but we ended up sitting and talking for about 3 hours, and when we got up to leave...my back was feeling so much better. The next morning I cut a fresh pineapple for breakfast and then went about cleaning and working at the computer. At some point I realized that my back wasn't hurting...and concluded that the only thing I had done differently was eat fresh pineapple at lunch the day before and that morning. So online I went and sure enough there's a lot of information about pineapple being used as an anti-inflammatory. The main enzyme in pineapple, Bromelain, is used for pain and inflammation. So, I don't know for sure, but I feel that eating fresh pineapple really did the trick for me! It's worth a try, if you can eat pineapple. My sister-in-law would end up in the ER...she's allergic. Anyway, I thought that I should share my story...just in case this yummy fruit could be the answer for someone else.

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I am, as are many other people in the US, part Irish. I've decided to celebrate by bringing out the few green dishes that I own and fixing an Irish dinner for my hubby tonight. Maybe even with the traditional Green beer. We'll see... I think Irish coffee sounds better.

My Great Grandmother gave me the tea cup with the Lily of the Valley on my 21st birthday. I love it and plan to sip her favorite green tea and think of her today, too.

I believe the biscuit jar is English, but it's green and reminds me of Spring. I saw it in an antique store just after we were married...and had to have it. I wish I knew the artist that hand painted it...they did an amazing job.

I hope everyone has a wonderful St. Patrick's Day!

Deb

New Cat Painting Jellybean

Spring has been roaring in like a lion! High winds, power loss and torrential rains that even Oregonians are not used to! It's always a time of unpredictable weather, though, and we are blessed with our emerald green countrysides; dotted with glorious color and little white puffs of lamb cuteness.

I love this time of year. After the long gray days it's almost like walking into the land of Oz. And it's inspired my new little painting, "Jellybean". I used a little different palette, after going a bit crazy ordering new paint, and I found I really like these new colors...that is a relief...and I can't wait to experiment further!

COLOR

When you love color; it may seem odd to some, but your heart can melt at the sight of a beautiful, pure pigment. You can find yourself standing in front of painting, entranced. Color affects us, and I find myself excited to begin a real color exploration.

One of my favorite paint colors, for many years now, is Quinacridone Burnt Orange. I love using it to shade areas of red and burnt sienna, mostly. And now that I have had time to experiment with other colors; I have found that using Quinacridone Magenta and Quinacridone red are just as exciting. My new abstract cat painting, Flor, was created using all three of these Quinacridone colors. It's hard to photograph red...since it tends to distort color...but here she is...one colorful Flower.