update about this weeks print

This is probably only earthshattering to me, but I will be posting week 21 print on Wednesday, because we are leaving for a camping trip tomorrow, no internet. I hope you all can restrain yourself from freaking out... :)
I hope to get a lot of little paintings done this weekend, so I can concentrate on some larger paintings when we get home for a show I'm doing December. I'm taking my list of all your great ideas.

The giveaway winner!

The winner of the 5 prints is KSLAUGHTER! I love that song, 'Burgundy Shoes' by Patty Griffith! I don't know how to paint it, but I will figure it out. I also especially liked Chloe's idea for the vintage wedding, Micki's idea, Shipwecked, and Tam's idea for the Blowers Daughter but she took herself out of the running since she already bought most of those prints. So K Slaughter wins the 5 prints and Chloe and Micki, I will send you a print if you send me your address.
I really appreciate all of your ideas and I will think about using them all, and if I do, I will give you a free print. If you see I used your idea, remind me. :)
I'm sorry, this just about killed me, I think I will go back to picking numbers because this is too hard. I wish I could give each of the 17 comments a free print! Maybe you will win next time.

Week 20 52 week print project THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS DAUGHTER

My husband and I love finding lighthouses to photograph, we have quite a collection. It all probably started because my great aunt, Helene, wrote a book called "The Light On The Island" It's based on the true story of her life as a child on Patos Island in the San Juans. We enjoyed reading that book several times, and read it to our children on a memorable sailboat trip several years ago. In fact we had a pretty harrowing night that trip in the cove at Patos Island. The cove there is called Active Cove and it lived up to it's name.

Anyway, that's the story behind this weeks print.

As far as the giveaway goes, I had so many good painting ideas, I really don't know what to do! How do I pick one or two or three? I'm going to sleep on it and let you know tomorrow.

The original is available, please email me here or convo me from etsy.

5 Print Giveaway!

I'm running a little behind on the print giveaway this month, the 4- 5x7 prints pictured, plus the sketch of Edith Holden will be given away to the person with the best idea for a new painting this month. Just leave a comment here, it can be one word, you don't have to get fancy...

Please be sure to check back on Sunday for the winner or leave contact info on your comment if you don't have a blog.

Farm Dreams sold out. I will be offering it as an 8x10 print, I also have a couple new flower head originals in my etsy store here.

Thank you to everyone who supports me by reading this blog and buying my little prints and big prints and originals!

Week 19 52 Week print project Farm Dreams

Do you ever dream of living on a farm? How about a farm in Italy or France? I do. Here is my newest painting, Farm Dreams. It is 9x12 on muslin, but I am offering it as my print for this week, 5x7 on etsy for $2. Click on the picture to buy one, free shipping!

The original is available too, please email me or convo me from etsy.

***The original is sold, thank you!

Nibblefest Entry "Sisters in the Trees"

Here is my newest painting on muslin. I could not resist listing it on ebay for nibblefest, although it has been months since I listed anything on ebay. It's 9x12, will need to be framed or sewn into something, like a purse or a pillow. It's a little more rustic than my usual work, but I thought it looked so cool on the fabric, I stopped when it told me to.

Nibblefest is an art contest on ebay where everything starts at 99 cents, and the artist who gets the most unique bidders wins. I came in second once, years ago. It's a good way for new people to find my work, but sometimes it falls flat and one of my little paintings goes for $4 or something. But oh well, that's the way it is sometimes.

The theme this month for nibblefest is Trees, Rivers. You can't see it, but there is a raging river behind those sisters.

sometimes this is how i feel about my blog

I will post a nibblefest entry later today.

Week 18 52 Week project Anne Tyler as Flower Head Girl Print 5x7

Anne Tyler has been my favorite author for years, so I decided to name this flower head after her.
I used to do what I called "Flower Head Girls" all the time when I sold on ebay a few years ago, and I decided to do some more.
5x7 on fine quality paper.

Painting on muslin, "Evaline"

I just finished this painting last night, I am so excited about working with the muslin ground, I keep running upstairs after my babysitting duties are over and painting a new one! I listed it on etsy and it already sold, but I will be offering it as a print.

Camping on Willapa Bay

We went camping again this past weekend. I had an absessed tooth, so I was no fun at all, but Dave went out exploring without me on Saturday and found places to take me when I felt a little better on Sunday. Sadly, he took a bunch of pictures the first day, but had not noticed there was not a card in his super duper camera.

So these pics were all taken on Sunday morning. We were camping at Raymond RV, which I think might be the best kept secret in the area. It's only $20 a night, hookups, and you have an amazing view of the bay in every site. There are only about 12 sites. We were the youngest people there.

>
The Hero

A flirty cow

Rose's Farm

Bay Center

This was the view out our trailer window

Painting on Muslin "Edith Holden"

This is my first painting on muslin. I tore the muslin in 9x12 squares, and then put two coats of gesso mixed with acrylic paint. I did the sketch in charcoal and then painted the painting in acrylics.
I named her after the author of one of my favorite reference books, The Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady. I think Edith Holden would like my flower head girls. Maybe she was a flower head girl herself.

A print of this painting is available on etsy.
See post below for instructions from other bloggers who paint on muslin.

Week 17 52 week project Charcoal sketch of flower head girl

It's been a rough week, folks! I had two root canals on the same tooth this week, went camping and while camping the stinkin' tooth started to abscess, oh, the pain! All I had time or energy for was some charcoal sketches, so this is my print for week 17. I used to do what I called "Flower Head Girls" all the time when I sold on ebay a few years ago, and I decided to do some more. Here is my favorite of the sketches. I might offer the painting later if it turns out. 5x7 on fine quality paper. Click on the pic to buy it.

It's on a new surface for me, I read about it on someone's blog, but my mind is so foggy from pain pills I can't remember where, I will find it and link later, anyway, it's muslin! With two coats of cheap acrylic paint or gesso, it's toothy, but fine grained, so it takes the charcoal and paint, but you don't have all the holes that drive me crazy with canvas. And SO cheap! I need to figure out how many 9x12 sheets I got out of a yard, but it was a lot, and muslin only costs around $1 a yard. It's just the sort of mindless prep work I love when I feel like painting, but I don't know what to paint, so it's a win/win. LOVe it and thank you whoever you are that shared the muslin painting with us here in blog world. I should have thought of it forever ago, because that's what Jo James, (Cart Before The Horse) uses on her dolls and I used it on my doll I did for Jane's class, but it just never crossed my mind to tear sheets and paint them ! It might be pain meds that are making me sound like I just discovered penicillin.

Edit** Here is the blogger who paints on muslin: Lynne Hoppe, also, Sharon does it too, to great effect. I of course, read the directions and did it my own way, but it works, that's the main thing.

Week 16 52 Week Project Worried Grizzly Bear

Here's my newest print, click on the pic to buy the print for $2 for a limited time.

I painted all weekend, and got 3 big paintings finished and I'm about 3/4 through the biggest one I've ever done. I will post pics soon.

It's HOT, HOT, HOT!

I feel like this SALMON! Sizzle! (taken on our camping trip when it was cool and rainy, but that salmon was the best, ever!) Cool and rainy weather, how I miss you, I will never complain again... Who am I kidding? Of course I will! I read an article about not complaining (http://www.acomplaintfreeworld.org) while I was in the endodontists office finding out I have to have a root canal on monday and it is haunting me. I'm a complainer. The person who wrote the article wore a plastic bracelet, and everytime she complained she switched it to the other wrist. The first day she estimates she switched 100 times. Today, I probably would have had a bloody wrist from switching.

I am posting with nothing arty to say, I just need to complain for a moment, it's so hot here in Tacoma, WA! It was at least 103 degrees today, a record, and since hardly anybody in western WA has AC, it's ugly. Me and Ash were camped down in the basement most of the day which is a tiny bit cooler than the main part of the house, 92 degrees, and I don't even want to think about how hot it is up in our bedroom.

Also, I'm sorry I have not answered any comments, such nice comments they were, but it has been a struggle with little Ash (4 months old on friday) this week in this heat, and I am saving all my energy for him.

I'm not being a blog princess, I promise!

I have been carving some more blocks and stamps, (when he takes his 15 minute catnaps) I'm getting better, but still figuring it out, so nothing new to share.

I hope you are all cool and having a fun summer.

New Print week 15 and Giveaway Winner

When I should have been painting this morning, I carved my first block. I know there are many things wrong with it, but maybe someday I will be famous as a block print artist and you can say you bought my first one for $2! I did embellish a bit with white ink, the white round flowers most notably, but here is my newest print, "Undine" This will be the only stamp of it ever made, because at some point I broke it in half. I really get into my carving...

I must say, I was so excited doing this, I was hyperventilating.

Thank you all very much all who commented on the giveaway post, I wish I could give you all a print, sometimes I an tempted, believe me, but the postage would kill me. All your wonderful comments makes doing this project worthwhile.

The winner of the prints is the number 23 commenter, I need to go back and look at which it is, I used the random number generator, (random.org) because Skylar is gone to visit his daddy, and can't be bothered with my contests. :)

I'll email number 23 as soon as I figure it out.

**Winner is Diane Clancy. Diane, please email me, I can't seem to comment on your blog for some reason.

4 print Giveaway!

It's time for my monthly print giveaway. The four 5x7 prints pictured above will be given to someone who comments on the post between now and Sunday when I post my new print. All you have to do is leave a comment and Skylar, my grandson will pick a winner.

Week 14 52 week print project Villa del Sol

I've been thinking of and trying not to envy my dear friend, Gillian who has been in Europe with her niece lately. Her blog.
I dreamed of a beautiful sunshine drenched, flower surrounded villa, so here is my newest print, "Villa del Sol"

5x7 on fine photo paper, available at etsy for a limited run of 12 and a limited price of $2.

Click on the pic.

Happy sunday, everyone, Flight is doing better.

Our poor greyhound!

On Thursday morning I was awoken by the sounds of dogs and cat growling. Kelsi's little terrier, Molly, that lives with us was attacking Megan's cat, who never usually comes out of the basement, but for some reason did. At some point, also, Flight, our greyhound, got a claw in her nose. There was blood everywhere, almost all of it from Molly. It was awful. Molly seems fine at this point.

Yesterday we realized that Flight was really hurt because her face is all swollen. It was too late to get into the vet last night, but Dave took her this morning. He put her on an antibiotic, but she is suffering so much, and her face just keeps swelling in different places.

I think it is the cat scratch, but it could be that she got stung, I wonder? Anyway, see my poor dog? Usually she has a thin nose and a beautiful face. She is such a gentle soul, but she would like to chase and eat little furry things, given the chance as that is what she was trained to do as a racer.

***Authors note: She is doing better this morning, thank you. I think the antibiotics are working. The swelling is down and she is moving around a bit better. I spent a sleepless night, worrying, but I think she will be ok.

An Amazing Artist to Share

I found this artist while reading Une Envie de Sel.

Jeanne-Ming was kind enough to share her painting process with me, it involves drywall compound and carving and I can't wait to try it myself!

I hope you like her work as much as I do.

Week 13 - 52 week print project "The House On The Hill"

Here is my new print, "The house on the hill"

Yes, I know, it's somber, and maybe dismal, and possibly sinister.

But I did have a great time on my vacation.

A 5x7 of this print will be on available on etsy for a limited time for $2. Free shipping

Click on the pic to be taken to etsy to buy it.