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

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

Introducing .... MY ETSY SHOP!

So very excited to share the news that I've finally opened an Etsy Store! There, you will find original hand painted necklaces

hand painted scarves

and prints from original paintings.

And, for the Christmas season, all shoppers will receive FREE US SHIPPING & 15% off! Please use coupon code: christmas15 when checking out.

Stay tuned for a super giveaway to kick off the opening of my store on Cyber Monday!!!

WHEW!

I have survived my first art opening!

hand painted wine glasses & canvases

What an amazing experience these last five weeks have been ... and to have it all come to a close at a lovely barn on a chilly Saturday in November was such a gift. My thanks to the Ward family for their generosity and support in welcoming this event to be held at Gap Creek Farm. I am ever so grateful.

Well - the weatherman was right on the temperature (a bit brisk...), but thank Heavens he was wrong on the precip! The day remained dry - which was a bonus, since our sign was on a dry erase board! LOL!! After a morning of setting up (thanks to my crew!) and a number of coffees to warm the toes, the barn doors opened and one of my dreams became reality. I'm on a slight high that I have crossed off one of my five-year goals within a year! WOOT! WOOT!

Many thanks to all who came out to share the day! It truly meant the world to me.

hand-painted scarves

hand painted jewelry

my gram :)

handmade earrings

friends :)

buying customers - Yea!

browsing...

my sweet girl & friends

part of my crew!!

my hubby chatting with the gals

my sunshine

A day that I will never forget. Thank you...

And now, back to the drawing board - - literally! I have a LIST of orders for Christmas! I'm happily a busy gal! :)

Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.

- James Allen, English author & poet

Two weeks left!

... and if I allowed myself, I could fall into a heap of panic. But. I will not.



Consciously, I am breathing in peaceful breaths with every stroke of the brush. Telling myself that with each finished piece, I am crossing more off my list; getting closer to the day that I stand before those graciously attending the show ... buck-naked - figuratively speaking, that is - saying, "well - here I am, and here is my soul." It's a bit nerve wracking. I have wonderful family and friends who have been lifting me up in beautiful ways of kind words and encouragement. I am blessed. And, that is what keeps me pushing ahead with paint-spattered clothes and a messy house. :)



So, what have I accomplished thus far? (20) Pendant necklaces, (23) wine glasses-one broke during shipment; (3) varieties of note cards; (5) framed prints; (5) painted scarves and (1) lonely painted canvas. (soon it will be a partridge in a pear tree .... )



What's left? (10) scarves; (14) canvases; (maybe some) note cards; (a few) Pendants; (possibly) earrings; (many) painted bags/boxes for purchases ... and well ... I'll just have to see how much time's left! :)



Here's a sneak peek at the scarves ...
What do you think?



Well - off to do more. I'm hoping to bust my rump and finish them all today - - Positive Thinking. :)

Let everything about you breathe the calm and peace of the soul.

-Author Unknown