My New Easel

Ever since I started painting, I've been using a table. For the past year I have wanted to get a floor easle and the other day I went on craigslist and found this beauty for an awesome price. Yesturday I went and got it and I already did my first painting on it.

The easel is a beautiful cherry wood and has two drawers. Good for both small and large paintings.

Yes, I use old clean holey socks for my painting rags. Don't tell my husband, but I am never sad when he gets a hole in his socks. : )

Here is the first painting I did on my easel. It is entitled Purple Petals, and is done as a gift for my foster daughter as a house warming gift. She will be moving into an apartment with a couple of friends and is very excited about it. She has been living with us for two years, and has now graduated from Highschool, will be starting college and ready to start the next chapter of her life.

For the last two years I have been using part of my living room as my studio to paint, and even though I am sad to see her go, I am very happy for her and I will be getting my studio back. She promises to visit. I certainly will have no problem turning my studio back into her room if she changes her mind and wants to come back home.

DSG giveaway #4 featuring Joan from 'thegifthutch'

Visit Here to enter

Nights Garden

This is an original 6x8 inch oil painting. Took me 2 months to finally paint it, but here it is.
Can be purchased through my Etsy shop along with other paintings, magnets and pendants with my artwork on them.

Revamped Old Lamp

This is a lamp from my childhood. I resurrected it from my dad's basement, I thought it was cool. I love the design but some of it was pukey looking, definately needed help. I forgot to take pics of it before I finished it, but let me give you the lowdown. This lampshade was a light yellow with Dark green and yellow swirls. I took it apart, cleaned it up and gave the lampshade several coats of Delta Ceramcoat Pearl Finish. The swirls are now dark brown, light brown and white, much better. The cord that fastens the shade to the wiring was dark green and was literally falling apart as I was removing it. I replaced it with brown cord. It's actually the stuff you can make necklaces out of.

The base is ceramic and light green with white splotches and I just love it! All it needed was cleaning.

The very bottom of the lamp was black and peeling, so I sanded it and spray painted it dark brown. My husband helped me put in fresh wiring, and when we plugged it in to try it out, I got tears in my eyes because I was so happy. It looks great in my family room, where the recliner is forest green and the couch is off white leather.

This lamp just really takes me back to my childhood, and it's a good feeling. Thank you mom and dad, Ronda and Paul. I love you all.

Oh, and this lamp is NOT for sale. : )

Come join in the Design Style Guide #3 giveaway, you could win. Felicia Kramers work is just beautiful! http://designstyleguide.blogspot.com/2009/07/giveaway-3-featuring-felicia-kramer-of.html

I'm Up Here

Here it is, finished! My husband came up with the title, I'm Up Here, and we decided to take out the post on the left side. Planning on posting it on etsy tomorrow.
I posted the cougar painting (entitled Watching) from the last post on etsy today. I still need to get these newest paintings on my website. There is always so much to do!

Cougar

I sketched this newest painting out last night out on the deck, it was such a beautiful evening. This morning, before I even went online I started painting. I actually remembered to take a pic of it before I finished.

It is pretty well finished. I will probably add a few touches here and there. The reference photo was taken by my brother-in-law, Curt Reimer on a recent trip to Como Park Zoo. Take a bow Curt! It sure is true, that the better the reference photo, the better the painting.

For those of you who are old enough, remember the zoos back in the 1960's and early 70's? What a difference. I remember when the big animals were kept in small barred cages lined up in a row. I love how they make their habitats more natural for the animals now.

I also sketched out this giraffe I am planning on painting next. They are both 8x10's. This one on canvas board, the Cougar is on stretched canvas.

Visit my etsy shop for my paintings, magnets, pendants and aceos.

Until next time,

stay safe!

Fuchsia aceo

This is a colored pencil aceo I started in June. I am still not quite sure that it's finished yet, but it almost is anyway. It is from my Fuchsia hanging basket I have in my yard. It's suppose to attract hummingbirds, but so far I haven't seen any. But then again, maybe they are there when I'm not looking.
I will soon list it for sale in my etsy shop

It would look excellent matted and framed and added to your home decor.

Patriotic Zebra aceo

Technorati Tags: dawg team,aceo,original,patriotic,watercolor pencil,red white and blue,dawg quest,brendathour,zebra,wildlife

Last October I did a pink tiger aceo for a charity auction for Breast cancer.  I figured, if I can do a pink tiger, I can do a patriotic zebra.  It’s a little crazy, but fun

I created this aceo yesturday for my DAWG (Designing Artists Women Group) Quest.  It’s just a fun little competition, between us artists.  It would be great if you ‘became a fan’ of our dawg group on facebook.  Then you can vote too when it’s time.  I just ask that if you do, be sure to vote for the images you like best.  You can pick your top 3 choices.

I’m planning on posting him for sale in my Etsy Shop tomorrow. 

My 4x4 inch Hibiscus painting is now for sale at my Etsy Shop.

My Nutty Dog

This is my dog, Dusty. Dusty just turned 2 and is such a sweetie and a very good boy. I was just wondering if anyone else has a dog who 'sits' on the furniture? Dusty will actually back up to a couch or chair, if it's the right height, and sit his but down. Sometimes he has a leg down, sometimes both back legs are off the ground. Sometimes he'll back up to the couch sideways, and sometimes straight back. Dusty sits on the furniture alot! If you are laying on the couch, he seems to think that you want his rearend by your head. I think he loves his booty, and thinks everyone else does too.