My very good artsy friend Taba Rhodes called about 2 AM (yawn, stretch!) to let me know that she’s in the hospital to deliver Lora! YAAYY! (Yes I woke up after a minute or so, when the news sunk in!)

Thinking of you, Taba! Hoping your labor is progressive and easy (as easy as it can be!)!! And HURRY UP Lora, so I can paint a pretty picture of you!

UPDATE: SHE’S HERE!
Lora Helen Rhodes
Born 7:15 am Mountain time
7 lb. 12 oz.
20.5 inches
Natural birth
NO epidural
NO petocin
Full head of hair!
Digital camera in tow, pics soon!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORA!!!

Well, no I’m not painting NOW, but I did paint yesterday and today, and I finished the Cockatiel portrait. I am waiting for the final OK from my client, and then I will post her here for you to see!

I have a few more things to do, but DISHES aren’t one of them thank GOD! hehe! They’re all done!

Caitlin and I both wrote letters to Mark today, and I have to run for large envelopes to send them all. Oh now wait. Doh. I should send them all in separate envelopes! Yep, that’s what I’ll do. He needs LOTS of envelopes. Not just one big one. 😉 Silly me, I need a refresher course on how to spoil your husband overseas.

I am going to paint my Macaw tomorrow! Yep! I am! Yahoo!!!

G’nite everybody!
xoxoxo

I am so excited, my new dishwasher will be delivered and installed today!

Since Mark’s initial departure in November, we lost the stove, the furnace, and the dishwasher. I had the stove replaced before he came home for Christmas, the furnace went out shortly after he left again so we had that repaired, and then the dishwasher. I’ve been handwashing for over a month. blech. Yesterday morning, Jayden and I went and picked out the new one, and I am excited to test it immediately with the 4 days of dishes that I have refused to do. hehe!

I began working on my pet portrait commission yesterday, the Cockatiel. What a beautiful bird! I love their rosy cheeks. 🙂 It will be finished later today and go to my client for proof/approval. It felt good to paint yesterday (in india ink), I have to say I am in love with all of my chosen medium. Seems like each new thing I learn in a different medium I can apply to another, and it’s really cool!

I’ve also decided that I am going to rework Mark’s portrait in oils. This will happen between commissions and ebay pieces, either that or I’ll break for a couple of weeks to just paint him. I really want to push myself to do awesome figurative pieces in oil, I also want to feel closer to him by painting him and remembering little things about his appearance that seem to fade with so much time apart. It will be a good thing!

Lastnight I tried to play Dr. Doolittle, with no success. 🙁 I heard a cat crying outside so I went to look for him and saw him, a sweet black cat, near my fence. I approached slowly, and he seemed receptive, rubbing up against the bushes and yowling. I didn’t have any luck making contact though. He wanted to stay out in the cold and snow. fooey.

I spose I better get back to “work”, though it doesn’t seem like work to me!

Have a great day!!
xoxoxo

Lori Rase Hall has some fabulous cards, if you haven’t seen those, it’s a must as well!
Here’s the link to view hers: Lori’s Cards

I am proud to say that I own a set of her cards, they are amazing. Artwork in their own right, mine are framed and on the walls!

After some relatively thorough spring cleaning and grocery shopping, I am going to surf and play a bit online before I begin my next commission, which is a sweet white Cockatiel in india ink. I am also snacking on a bit of Eli’s Cheesecake as I browse, covered in big chunky strawberries. Yum! I wish I could send some over to Mark, he lurrrves cheesecake.

Speaking of my hubby, where on earth is he now? I haven’t heard from him in a few days. I am anxiously awaiting an address so that I can bake him up some homemade fudge brownies and put them into a nice fancy care package. I did this with every package I sent when he was in Desert Storm, fresh brownies vaccuum sealed travel very well and remain tasty through the military postal system! 😀

Hi all!

Thought I’d post the final scan of my Bernese Pup painting, it’s more accurate. Hopefully I’ll be able to update my site soon to include my newer pieces.

In the next few weeks I would like to get a few things accomplished:
1. Get a new dishwasher!
2. Complete a couple of commissions.
3. Finish the Macaw painting
4. Paint that Squirrel!
5. Start working in the yard.

Yes, spring has nearly sprung, and I have so much yardwork to do without Mark around (I have allergies, and he usually does all that stuff). I have to till the backyard and lay the patio blocks we pulled up for the Studio construction, reseed or lay sod – my grass basically consists of creeping charlie. 🙁 I also have leaves everywhere (still) and need to plant new lovelies in the front planter we created last spring. I think I may repaint that too, to match our theme of the year.

Here’s the Bernie scan:

I hope you’re all having a great weekend!

I have been cramming for finals, eh Carrie? 😉

I’m working on some website stuff, which will probably take me through the weekend. I don’t know if I’ll have a chance to get back in here and say “hey”, so if I don’t, “hey, hey, hey!” (say it like Fat Albert.)

That ought to last through the weekend, and if it doesn’t please let me know. ::giggles::

xoxoxoxo

I’m creating this sweet Bernese Mountain Dog puppy painting for a raffle at the 2004 Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America National Specialty taking place in Mesquite, Texas in just a couple of weeks. It’s 8″x8″ on a canvas panel, in OILLLLLLLLSSSSS 🙂

Here it is now, I finished it up and it’s wet, hence the glare. It’ll be a couple of days before this one is dry enough to ship.

And the first wip shot:

Today’s been one of preparing paintings to ship, running to Dick Blick for a few things (hangers, wire, etc.), scanning, preparing COA’s, signing, and shampooing carpets. (Had to throw that in the mix!)

I’m packed and ready to go, leaving early Saturday morning for a long day of flights (2 layovers, three planes) – This is going to be a “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” kind of day. I leave here, go to Minneapolis, then to Memphis, then Louisiana, grab a rental car, find my way to the base (1 1/2 hr drive from the airport according to Mapquest) to pick up Mark and a couple of other guys who weren’t able to get rentals, then to the hotel. I figure we’ll be settled in at about 8 p.m., after leaving here at about 7 a.m. It will be a long day!

So now I’m going to have to run to Staples, I ran out of paper clips, bubble wrap and full sheet labels to print my COA’s. Then I will spend the evening with the girls, finish packing in the morning and run to the post office.

Exciting, eh? Aaah the administrative life of an artist. I haven’t even painted this week, so I won’t have any new originals to list until a week after next. I may put some prints up on auction just so I’m not forgotten while I’m gone!

We lost our nephew yesterday. 🙁 Reason unknown, I don’t know when services will be, but I am hoping that it will be later next week so we can attend his funeral. Only 26 years old, it’s really hard to wrap your brain around it when there’s no reason. He was at home getting ready for work and his wife’s mom came to watch their baby (not even a year old) and she found him on the floor. I can’t even believe it. It seems very surreal. So those that pray, please include Jerry, Lisa and Cade in your prayers, Lisa will be needing a lot of strength, and Cade – poor lil guy will never remember the time he had with his daddy. My brother in law (Jerry) is a wreck too, as you can imagine.

Sorry to be a bummer about that. It’s pretty sad.

Ok, Jay is up from her nappy, best get to finishing the “to-do” list!

xoxoxo