Snow Days ...

These snow days are throwing my schedule all off track. With the kiddos taking off for school 2 hours later than usual ... it's been hard to get into my painting groove.

Good news is that all custom orders of scarves have been completed - WOOT! WOOT! - as well as the wine glasses - WHEW!!

Now, I'm onto the paintings of family trees & home portraits - - paintbrushes, don't fail me now! :)

I thought that this photo captured the slight chaos that I put my family through ... drop cloths on the counters amid brushes, palettes of paint (which had just hit the floor prior to this pic, sending paint in all SORTS of directions!), drying canvases and the like ... all among Christmas decor! Helps keep up the cheer & stamina, I say! - LOL Yes, I could be doing this in my little studio space upstairs, but it's already cramped with supplies and jewelry curing with resin all over my workspace. Thus, I take over my kitchen. Now that I think about it ... probably not the best place to work since I always get the munchies while painting. Hmmm. Good thing that I haven't begun my baking yet - - I have a feeling that I would be sneaking one too many frozen cookies! :)
Enjoy the day ....

Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.

- Picasso

It's Friday - - that means we need a WINNER!!

My daughter, whining because her nails are chipped & I have a camera :) , has pulled from our bowl of wonderful gals our winner for the Christmas Giveaway ...
And - - the winner is ... (drum roll, please ...) ...

Catherine! ... Catherine, who? Why, the incredibly talented folk artist, Catherine Holman!! Congrats, Cathie!! :) Please forward to me your address, and I will package up your handmade necklace & earrings to be shipped right away.
Many thanks to all of you who took the time to stop by my little Etsy shop, welcoming it and passing the word along. Your thoughtfulness & kindness has been so heartwarming. I appreciate you all so very much.
This giveaway business is so much fun! I think that I'll be doing this again real soon :)

How beautiful a day can be,

When kindness touches it.

- George Elliston

A Very Pleasant Day ...

So, yesterday was my birthday. I was not very much looking forward to it ... birthdays are starting to bug me a bit as I climb closer to 40. How does time fly so QUICKLY??

But, the day started out with tears of joy in my coffee cup (see prior post! :), which I believe lead my day with a little skip to my step and a smile on my face.

Then, when daylight broke across the sky and revealed a snow covered lawn with flakes frolicking through the air ...

we celebrated with our "snow day breakfast" of hot cocoa & toast. I do not know what it is about dipping buttered toast into hot chocolate - but the gesture & taste is so very comforting!
Once my son left for school and my daughter was taken care of in her little germ haven upstairs with movies, breakfast & a LOT of Vitamin C, I kept myself busy with my paintbrush and tried tackling some of the custom orders that have a due date of Christmas :)
A popular style of scarf that sold out at the show and followed with orders was the winter tree design ...
It's a funny thing how I can be working, lost in paint & design, and COMPLETELY forget about a child to be picked up, a shower that was needed, and teeth that needed brushin' ... yes - I left my painting mess all over the kitchen, scrambled to throw myself together (yes, I did brush my teeth!!), and ran out the door to pick up my son for his loooooooong-overdue haircut appointment. As you can see ....
...it had been quite some time since his last visit to see Miss Chrissy :)
I do believe the topper to the day was the incredible dinner that my husband created for me ... Wild Sockeye Salmon, Pan-seared Scallops, Wild Mushroom Trio Pasta & chilled white wine to toast the day. A lucky girl am I :) And, get this gals ... he even drove to a little bakery that we found in my favorite, day-trip town during our anniversary getaway, to purchase my birthday cake -- which we saved for tonight when our family comes to visit. So, of course, he also pulled out a little chocolate tort for dessert, because apparently a birthday cannot be acknowledged without a million calories! LOL
Afterwards, while my girlie rested up for school the next day, I helped my little guy with a school assignment ...
A Christmas tree decked out with his favorite football team :)
My sister and I closed the evening by heading to the movies for our Wednesday Date Night - which hasn't been happening a whole lot lately. And, let me just say .... if you enjoy films such as Chicago & Moulin Rouge ... you will L-O-V-E Burlesque! I have never been a fan of Christina Aguilera - yes, the girl can sing, but she tends to come across as so trashy. Well, in this film, you can't help but like her. It was as if this part was made for her. And Cher? Who doesn't love Cher??? That sassy spunk is in her bones! Love, love this film - definitely one to own :)
So ... agenda for today? More scarves - thus, more sanity. (I get flustered when my to-do list is double paged!) And, it seems ... more cake - thus, more me! Oh, well. Tis' the season, right? That's what January is for - - promises of exercise & no junk. LOL Yeah. We'll see ...

All of the world is birthday cake; so take a piece, but not too much.

- George Harrison

An early birthday present ...

I found this video while making my visits in blogland this morning. Kaybe of The Essential Beachcomber posted this video and truly? - - I had tears in my coffee cup! My heart soared with thanksgiving, just knowing that within this moment of time, at a crowded food court, among busy shoppers, cell phones and the like ... God was there. Not a doubt in my mind ...

Watch it - - if your spirits need a lift, if your feeling a bit blue ... this will surely shake your spirit up and land you on the bright side of things.

It gave me a lovely reminder this morning as I settle in to another darn year tacked on to my age - - BLAH!! :) Although, this does mean cake is in the forecast ... The sugar rush should ease the pain.

Enjoy a very blessed day ...

For today and its blessings, I owe the world an attitude of gratitude.
- Author Unknown