Spring trees

It's actually a bit early to have trees this green... but we're getting closer! 

Spring Trees - 4x4 textured abstract 

Happy Friday! 

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin.

Happy Spring!

Happiness is the truth! 

No new art this week... too much else going on so I'm sharing this piece because it makes me happy...like a room without a roof! 

Do you have something you created that just makes you happy? I'd love to see it. :)

We spent the morning at the hospital... and the news is that the positive stress test was false. They found NOTHING! As we suspected. Yay! We now have the baseline, and the tiny cloud has dispersed. 

So yes, I feel happy...   

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth! :D

Sharing today with Paint Party Friday hosted by the lovely Eva and Kristin. 

Hope

Heart of Hope

A Heart of Hope as Spring approaches. 

Which seems appropriate as we are going through some health issues with my husband. Following a stress test that shows some "abnormality", a Cardio Angiography has been scheduled for next Thursday to see if there are any major concerns. Our focus is that IF there is any "problem", an angioplasty will be all that's needed. 

Husband lowered his cholesterol level several years ago using "The New Eight Week Cholesterol Cure" as a guideline, so we're re-visiting the recipes. There are some great muffin recipes in the book. Oat bran is very good for you, as is a 30 minute walk daily.  :) 

Along that track, we made the best Oat Bran Banana Bread this morning... oh my goodness it's lovely! Because a couple of folks have asked, here's the recipe. 

Oat Bran Banana Bread

Oat Bran Banana Bread

 

Ingredients:

·         1 cup oat bran

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         1/2 cup corn oil

·         1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         2 egg whites

·         3 bananas, ripe, mashed

·         1/4 cup milk

·         1/2 cup chopped dates

·         1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Grease a 9x5x2-inch loaf pan with oil; dust generously with flour.

In a bowl, combine oat bran, flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl with electric hand-held mixer on low speed, beat corn oil with the brown sugar until well blended. 

Beat in vanilla, egg whites, mashed bananas, and milk; beat for about 1 minute, until well blended.

Stir in dry ingredients. Mix in the dates and chopped pecans.

Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing top.

Bake on center shelf at 350° for about 40 minutes. 

Remove from oven; invert cake onto a wire rack.

Turn loaf upright and cool thoroughly before serving.

Enjoy! 

Sharing with Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kristin! Happy 3rd Anniversary, PPF! 

Grass Seed

Summer Grass Seed Head

In this cold winter weather, I'm remembering sunny warmer days in the garden. This photo is of a native grass clump in the yard. I didn't notice until later that a tiny spider had made a web on the seed head.

It's only two weeks until Spring!

Works in Progress

Abstract Monarda 

An almost complete painting... gesso and watercolor. I will add some highlights, I think, with white acrylic ink. The colors are not true, I didn't get these taken early enough for the good light. 

And these are very much works in progress, a few layers of watercolor in...

What are you working on today? 

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristen. 

Blue Heart

Blue Heart 5 x 4
Block Print by Jason

Now available in my Etsy Shop: A fine art print of a Block Print piece created by my son Jason; a special needs adult. I'm honored to begin listing some of his work in my shop, and will have more listed over the next few weeks.

I have been without a muse since we returned from our trip, although I do have several paintings begun while on the road to complete. Hopefully by next week I'll be sharing some of my completed art as well as Jason's.

Happy Valentines Day, everyone! 

Sharing with the folks at 

Love Heart

Love Heart - 3 x 3 miniature canvas

Love Heart - Mixed Media Miniature Painting new in my Etsy Shop

A bit on 30 Paintings in 30 Days. I over estimated my ability to get paintings done while traveling. Which isn't a surprise. :) However, I may be able to 30 paintings in 45 days. *she says hopefully* 

Once I get home and am able to actually finish what I have started. We'll see. 

Sharing today with the folks at Paint Party Friday, hosted by Kristin and Eva. 

Dreams

"If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough." 

Dream Swallow Ornament by Helen Campbell

I'd like to offer a challenge to address the following questions: 

1) Do you have a BIG dream? One you are willing to say out loud?

2) What are you doing RIGHT NOW to make it happen? 

3) What are you doing RIGHT NOW that is holding you back from your dream?



My answers this moment are: 

1) Yes! Being recognized and supporting myself as a nature artist and photographer.

2) a. Selling at the 2013 Holiday Festival of the Arts and researching additional live venues for 2014. 
b. Selling my art and photography on Etsy (I also have a vintage Etsy shop) and figuring out how to SELL my work on FineArtAmerica, society6.  
c. Making time to make art! 

3) Procrastinating by spending unproductive time on the internet. 


How about you?  Are you willing to share your dreams out loud? I'd love to hear them if so. :)

Low Tide Mixed Media

Low Tide 5x5 mixed media

A small 5 by 5 inch canvas abstract of the low tide in Bellingham Bay. This is as the gel medium attaching the buttons was drying.... you can see bits of white, but ignore them and pretend it is dry. :)

This piece will be on display at the Allied Arts Petite Four Show starting Friday Dec 6th at 6:00 pm.

Totally spaced getting a "finished" photo, as I was getting several things ready for several destinations all at the same time. (This time of year is crazy busy for this artist). I hope to get a picture at the open house tomorrow night.

I thought I'd show you the photo this is loosely based upon. This is my first attempt at painting water. I definitely need to practice more!

I'll keep working on getting a painting the way I envision it in my mind. Perhaps larger canvas next rendition... :)


What are you all working on? For inspiration, check out the Paint Party Friday artists!

Linking with Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kristin, and 

Artist Showcase hosted by Robin at TheSmartestArtist.

Holiday Stress...

Too much, too much, too much. 

We don't need to have so much. We don't need to do so much. 

Relax. Rest. Rejuvenate. 

Solstice Snow 5x5 Mixed Media
From my Archives

By the way, if you're out shopping this busy weekend, shop local! 

Linking with Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kristin, and 

Artist Showcase hosted by Robin at TheSmartestArtist.

Mini Art

Two Mini Canvas Pieces that will soon be on greeting cards in my Etsy shop:

Angel Moon

Soft Stream

Linking with Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kristin, and 

Artist Showcase hosted by Robin at TheSmartestArtist.

Holiday Festival!

The Holiday Booth is set up and ready for the next six weeks of sales.(YAY!) The Holiday Festival of the Arts runs from Nov 15 through Dec 24th. I'll be busy restocking as I go along. I plan to sell out. :)

Here the booth is all set up ready for goodies. We have a 6 x 3 foot space.The booth next to the Christmas tree was not set up when we were done, so I have no clue how it's going to look yet. It will be blocking out the space behind the tree. 

Here's the stocked booth ready for the first weekend. The lights will be working tomorrow, so we'll go back to make sure things are looking okay. We weren't allowed in today to check things out.  I will also be propping a few things up with the easels I forgot to take when we were setting up. O.o 

More goodies are being priced and will show up over the weekend - pendants, heart ornaments and a few more small canvases. So much to do, so little time! Ha! 

I'm cheating a bit for Paint Party Friday... I didn't actually paint anything new this week, (well, a couple of beginning backgrounds) however I do have paintings up in my booth, and a bunch of prints and cards from my paintings ready for folks to take home with them.  Wish me luck! 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Linking with Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kristin, and 

Artist Showcase hosted by Robin at TheSmartestArtist.

One week!

I'm almost ready to go! You believe that, don't you? Ha!

No new paintings to show this week, as I've been busy putting prints and paintings in mats and frames and pricing things for next weeks set up and opening of the craft show. Oh, and tweaking how the booth will be set up.

I will show you a couple of the original pieces that will be available at the Holiday Festival:

Autumn Mountain 8x8 wrapped canvas

Grateful Heart Wren 4x4 wrapped canvas

Looking forward to checking out what you have all been up to this past week. 

Happy Friday! 

Linking with Paint Party Friday hosted by Eva and Kristin, and 

Artist Showcase hosted by Robin at TheSmartestArtist.