DesignStyleGuide Holiday Giveaway Winner

I am excited to share with you that I am the winner of The 10th Day of Christmas Giveaway from DesignStyleGuide. There were a total of 12 winners. I hope you joined in the fun and entered the contest. If not...there's a giveaway every month on the DesignStyleGuide Blog. You could be the next winner.

I won a $25 dollar print from Scott Trillium of Trillium Studios on Etsy.

I chose this gorgeous print, Big Red Buffleheads, and am anxious to hang it in my studio.

Scott Trillium is an acrylic artist, and he and his wife, Jean run their etsy shop together. Jean creates jewlery from Scott's artwork and does the updating and posting of new items. Looks like a winning combination.

So be sure to bookmard the DesignStyleGuide Blog and enter the contests every month. Shipping is included in the contests so you've got nothing to lose, but beautiful home decor items from DesignStyleGuide Artists.

Pointsetta Original aceo

Christmas is a special time, full of beauty. It's not about shopping or gifts, but love and the celebration of Jesus Christ our Savior.
This is an original aceo done in colored pencil on cardstock. ACEO's are the size of trading cards and make an adorable, not to mention an affordable mini work of art. They can be framed, matted and framed, displayed on a mini easle or collected.
You can find this piece and others at my Etsy shop.
Will soon be found on products at my Zazzle Shop.
Follow me on Twitter.
Become my friend or fan on facebook. I'd love to hear from you.

May God keep you safe today and always.

May His angels watch over you.

hugs,

Brenda

Mr. Snowman aceo

The day after Christmas it was nice to be able to relax and watch Christmas movies. I stayed in my jammies all day and was cuddled up on the recliner and had a great day crocheting and sketching. This is one of the drawings I came up with, so I made it into an aceo . This is colored pencil on watercolor paper.

You can find this artwork and other small paintings, pendants and magnets created using my artwork on Etsy.

You can also find quality merchandise such as stickers, tshirts and mousepads and so much more at my Zazzle shop and my Cafepress store.

Follow me on Twitter.

Find me on Facebook. You can also become my fan on facebook.

My daughter decided to put a little jacket belonging to a teddy bear on her guinea pig, Cinnabun. Of course Dusty had to get in the shot. Aren't they cute?

Thank you so much for stopping in. God Bless your day.

Christmas Dog

My dog has been doing this every day since the tree went up (it's an artificial tree by the way).
So last night I snapped a picture of him. Now doesn't he look like he wants to be a Christmas dog?

Many people love cardinals, and this is my most popular design, Winter's Serenity. This design is from an original oil painting of mine and can be found on many different products from tshirts, sweatshirts, cards, stickers, mugs, pillows, coasters, clocks, keepsake boxes, mousepads, calendars, posters, prints and so much more.
This sweatshirt can be found in my CafePress shop. I also have many other products in my Zazzle shop such as Keds shoes, pet bowls, pet clothing, Binders, keychains and postage stamps.
Please stop by my shops, look around and say hi. Come back often and be sure to tell your friends.
I hope you are able to slow down every now and then and enjoy this beautiful Christmas season.

The Design Style Guide Holiday Giveaway Event

We're doing it again, be sure to enter to win!

DesignStyleGuide have 12 sponsors and that means there will be 12 winners!
Just click on the link above to enter.
Good luck and Merry Christmas!!!

Forever God is Faithful

I want to share with you today what's in my heart. God NEVER fails me, whatever it is that I really need, he always provides it. Whether it's strengh, a kind word from someone, or the courage to do what I need to do. I am always amazed and in awe of his loving kindness.

I don't know if you know this, but I have a muscle weakness called Slow Channel Myasthenia Gravis. I've been doing real well with the medication I am on through the Mayo Clinic. I am a wife, a mother of 2 grown children who are still at home. I am an artist and I work part time (2.5 hours a day) in the lunchroom at an elementary school. I wash the tables after each class finishes so it's clean for the next class on my half of the lunchroom. We have over 1,000 kids in our school. I also make sure there's enough silverware and replenish that. For 2.5 hours I am very busy washing tables.

Now, I've had my ups and downs, and this is the first time that I've been able to do my job where I always wash the tables and not take volunteer kids to help. I've been truly blessed.
This week by the time I am finished, once I get out to my car I can barely catch my breath. I have to sit there to get my breathing back to normal.
Today was tough. I don't know why today seemed so much harder and crazier than other days, but there were times that I had to stop for a minute while washing a table to catch my breath. I haven't had this problem for two years. I'm thinking, how am I going to get through tomorrow, today is only Thursday. If I'm this tired today, I'm going to have to go home and do absolutely nothing but rest to make it through tomorrow. My job is physically hard for me, but I am able to do it.
Then as I am putting the bucket and rags away, my friend Carol, who works on the other side of the lunchroom says, "Have a good weekend, I'll see you next week."
I looked at her and wondered what she was talking about, wasn't she going to come to work tomorrow? Well, she saw the confusion on my face and said, "Don't you know there's no school tomorrow? We have a 3 day weekend."
I didn't know, oh joy! A great big smile broke out on my face, praise God! Here I am so tired and wondering how I'm going to make it through tomorrow, only to find out that I don't work tomorrow, I have the day off. Hallejuia! What a gift, it's exacly what I need. I just started laughing with joy and am so thankful. Then a bit later I got tears in my eyes, because only my Jesus knows what I need before I even know. He is always faithful to get me through whatever lies ahead.
I know these are tough times for so many of us, but when I put my eyes on Jesus and praise Him, and stop focusing on the negative, He always either calms the storm, or He calms me.

Print On Demand Greeting Cards

I wanted to share with you a great article about Print On Demand Greeting Cards written by Bobbi Holmes.

Bobbi is a very talented artist on Greeting Card Universe. She has two shops, Lady and Spooky, and Painted Flowers. I fell in love with her cards immediately! Bobbi Holmes has a real talent for creating greeting cards. Check it out and you'll be glad you did. Why buy at a store where your selection is slim, when you have an unlimited selection right at your fingertips?

Bobbi Holmes also has a Zazzle shop

Christmas is coming and she has alot of great and unique items for gifts. Get some shopping done early.

Picking a Pumpkin

Here's a fun little 5x7 oil painting I did for the fall. I just had to put a cute little critter in there. I love wildlife. Will be posted in both my etsy shop and on my website soon.

this is a pic of me and my dog Dusty. He wasn't too cooperative on posing with me, but this one came out ok. He's a sweetie, and when he wants to eat he starts to talk. It sounds like he's saying 'I love you' with a lot of grunts in there.
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
The sun finally decided to come out today, yah!!!
Tonight is my 25 Class reunion. I can hardly believe it. Think people will have aged somewhat? It's funny how we always imagine people how they were when we last saw them.
hugs,
Brenda

Rhino's

My Rhino painting is being featured in a blog post by Betsy Seeton about the illegal poaching of black rhinos. Did you know that their numbers went down from 65,000 in 1973 to a mere 2,300 in 1993? I'm not sure what their numbers are today. I still have alot to learn.

Betsy Seeton is a Private Investigator/Writer/Activist/Artist, and has a website about Ending Animal and Human Trafficing, http://livehonestly.com

On a lighter side, if you like chipmunks and ground squirrels, you have to take a look at this.

Her photos and blog of the little critters are adorable and really made my heart feel light.

This is a direct quote from Betsy's blog. "It's hard to even express how something so small is so delightful. People see birds everyday. Why or how could that be special? But it was. It is. It's okay that others might not get it. Experiencing it is enough. Just thought I'd try and share -- maybe plant a seed. Maybe remind you to go a little slower sometimes. Maybe then you'll begin to notice the smaller , simpler, joyful things in your own life and it'll add some good stuff the way it does to mine."

This is quoted from the last paragraph on this page of her site.

This is also one of the reasons that I paint.

I wish more people could take her advice and do this. I do not know what or how Betsy believes, but if you add to this, Faith in Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with him, life is worth living.