Painting rocks

When I was young I painted rocks. My friends and I would get together in one of our backyards, and with our pile of rocks that we collected and some paint and a bucket of water, we created colorful pictures on each one. When finished, off we would go to all of the neighbors with hopes of selling them. We did other projects too, like making pot holders from the old hook looms and took those door to door. We were the little neighborhood entrepreneurs.

I don't remember if we sold any, but it is a childhood memory I hold dear ~ those sunny summer mornings when we had the whole day to play, giggle and have fun.

I'm still painting rocks. This is actually a paperweight (it's still a painted rock, but I'm calling it a paperweight). So, with a pile of rocks in my backyard and lots of ideas in my head, there are more rocks (paperweights) to come!

When is spring coming?

Otis and Riley in the strawberry patch.

Seashells, seashells

Decorating with a few of my favorite seashells.

One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Birdhouse

Birdhouses are one of my favorite things and I have quite a few in the back yard. I was inspired by the little blue and white one the other day when I was outside and decided to paint my version.

Mine has a gothic flair to it.

I painted it with acrylics on canvas and put a small white frame around it. It's only 4x5 inches. I'll be putting this on my etsy shop.

Rainy Friday

It's raining and cold and dreary but I'm not complaining because we desperately need the rain here in Carolina.

I wanted to get some pictures of the cardinals in the back yard this morning but they wouldn't sit still so I took a picture of this flowering loropetalum bush instead. The bright pink flowers and the raindrops on the leaves looked so pretty.


I headed out to do my Friday errands and stopped by Goodwill and was happy to find some copper pots! I love copper and now I have two more pieces to add to my collection and I also found this lovely address book. Happy day!













Another reason it's a happy day is that Suzanne over at painterofthepast has awarded me with the You Make My Day Award! Thank you Suzanne! And now I'm to pass this along to others who I find inspirational and encouraging in blogland.

I want to pass this on to everyone that I visit and who visit me everday, so if you are reading this today, take this award and pass it on!

Have a good weekend.

Staying in

Brrrrrrr, there's a nip in the air today, it's really cold outside. I'm staying in and doing a little painting and lots of reading. My Country Living magazine came in the mail and I'm in the middle of a good book "Up Island" by Anne Rivers Siddons which I picked up at Goodwill a couple of weeks ago. Otis and Riley are all cozy and warm in their blankets.

Hoping for warmer weather...

Lunar eclipse

When I put Otis and Riley outside tonight before bedtime, about 10:30 pm (which was just a short time ago), I looked up at the sky and remembered there was a lunar eclipse. I went and got my camera and tried to get a picture. There was already a shadow over the moon, can you see it? How exciting! I think the total eclipse will be around 3:30 am tomorrow and I doubt whether I'll be awake, not unless I set my alarm which I don't think I will, but then again, I usually wake up a couple of times in the middle of the night so maybe I just will get to see the whole thing.

Closets and clothes

Today I decided to clean out my closet, something I knew needed to be done but just never in the mood to do.

I sorted and organized and tried on a million things; I couldn't believe how much didn't fit, sweaters that were too itchy and wouldn't be worn, colors I didn't like, and things that were not in style anymore ~ not that I'm really a stylish person, but just old old clothes. I also discovered things I didn't even know I had and tried them on too. It was fun to put some new outfits together.

FINALLY I got some orderliness to it. Wow, the closet looks great and I feel good.

There are now three bags of clothes and one bag of shoes that need to be dropped off at Goodwill.

And that's done.

A little birdie

My newest painting ~ acylic on wood, 3-1/2x4-1/2"

Birthday celebration!

Saturday night we had our big birthday dinner celebrating our five family birthdays in February! Dinner was at "Lucky 32" in Raleigh and there were 17 of us at a table and booth. It was great fun and the food was delish!

On Sunday (which was my actual birthday) Galen and I decided to take a road trip and spend the day at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. We took Otis and Riley along. They love to travel and you can see by the photos how they enjoy being with us in the car. Along the way we stopped to see the new Carolina Crossroads (Randy Parton Theater) aka the Branson of the East. It's a huge theater and since no one was there we stopped to let Otis and Riley run around and get some exercise. Then it was back on the road again.

This is the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (located in Richmond, VA). We had lunch when we got there in the Marble Hall Cafe ~ a shrimp caesar salad and for dessert a chocolate raspberry tart! YUM!

The exhibits were wonderful! The special featured exhibition was the French impressionist artist Eugene Boudin (1824-1898). Ah, beautiful paintings! We also saw the Faberge exhibit and the American art. Unfortunately we didn't have time to see everything and thought we'd save the European Art for another trip. I was so inspired when we left!

What a great day!

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend.

Happy Valentine's Day

Busy, busy, busy

Today I spent way too much time trying to hem a pair of pants. What a chore! All the measuring, cutting, pinning, sewing and ironing. It would have been so much easier to take them to the tailors but I always end up telling myself, "Oh, I can do this, no problem."

I did manage to get some other things done; the laundry, some cleaning, and even some errands. The one thing I didn't do is take Otis and Riley for a walk. By the afternoon they were running around the house in circles like little maniacs, sliding on rugs and jumping on furniture. Once they were tuckered out they found a spot to rest.

Tomorrow, we definitely go for a walk!

Look at those eyes!

Tulips

Hubby surprised me with tulips. Aren't they pretty? I find such beauty in their big red blooms, just had to share them with you!

"The tulipe is the queene of bulbous plants ~

whose flower is beautiful in its figure, and

most rich and admirable in colours, and

wonderful in variety of markings."

Sir Thomas Hanmer 1659

"When the principal of them display their colours

in the heart of the day there is not a more glorious

sight in nature nor is it to be imitated by art."

J. Worlidge 1677

Spring and birdnests

I've been thinking spring lately. These are two paintings I just did of birdnests with eggs. The top one is on paper and the bottom one is on wood. You'll find these on whimsytwo, my etsy shop.

Cookies and warm weather

Yummy shortbread and chocolate heart shaped cookies! I just had to buy these yesterday when I was out shopping, couldn't resist.

Well, today has turned colder, more like it should be this time of year. Yesterday it hit 80 degrees and I thought I was in HEAVEN! I spent the day outside...went to the garden center and bought some small japanese hollys, mulch and potting soil. I planted the three new shrubs in the back yard to replace the one that died last year during the drought, then I put mulch down in some of the beds. Otis and Riley enjoyed themselves too, rolling around in the grass, playing with their toys and sitting on the lounger.

It was even warm enough to have dinner on the patio and a glass of wine last night on the back porch.

So, today I'm inside painting. I did take Otis and Riley for a walk this morning and it was chilly, had to wear a wool sweater. Can't complain though, the sun is shining bright now. Strange weather we're having. Hurry up Spring!

Signs of spring

a little yellow crocus popping it's head up through the ground...

a pretty blue violet...

a hyacinth...

daylilies...

daffodils...

quince buds...

jasmine...
and strawberry buds!

It was so unseasonably warm today it felt like summer! It hit 76 degrees! After taking Otis and Riley for a walk I came back and worked in the yard, cutting back all of the lirope and then pulled some weeds. I also had to fill some holes that "the boys" dug in the garden.

And guess what came in the mail?

My "English Home" magazine!

I'll be enjoying myself this evening curled up on the sofa with a cup of coffee and my magazine and, of course, Otis and Riley by my side.

If I was a bird...

I would live here...

and invite all my friends in...


to my cozy little house.

This cedar shake birdhouse was made on the weekend by hubby, and I painted and decorated it today. I found the lichen while taking Otis and Riley for a walk this afternoon. It's also adorned with moss that hangs from the trees down here in the south. Another item for my etsy shop! By the way, you can use this inside for a decorative piece or hang it outside for our dear feathered friends.

Fruitful!

Fruit anyone? These are small paintings of fruit on wood that I painted. Little colorful pieces of fruit that will brighten a corner of your kitchen cupboard or window sill. I'm selling these on my etsy shop. (They are only 3-1/2x4-1/2 inches and free standing.)