Got your sunglasses on? It’s going to be a beautiful day!!

Ok so I took this pic a couple of weeks ago. But it’s still cool, eh? This is what I get to watch out of my dining room window if/when I get up before dawn. Knocks your eyes right out of their sockets. Yummy sunshine!

It rained all day yesterday here, and the grass – trees – plants – everybody is happy about it! I missed green. Winter is so depressing to me! But yesterday, even with the rain, it was an outstanding day.

I didn’t paint. I messed around all day with friends online.

Part of my sluffing off around the house included taking some new photos for my hubby. I think that’s what put me in a fabulous mood! I knew that I’m losing weight, and that’s cool and all, but you know sometimes you don’t see it for yourself until you start comparing pics. Well that’s what I was doing, looking at pics I took a month ago compared to now, and woah! How motivating! I’m still down 25.5 lbs., wavering back & forth a pound or two, but still working away at it, and the results are totally visible to me now. The last two days have been great treadmill days too, I’ve gone 2.5 miles both Monday and Tuesday.

What an exciting life I lead, huh?

The results are in on the new printer. I’ve decided to go ahead and get the Epson all-in-one, which sports some super cool waterproof and 70-year archival inks! I’ll probably pick it up within the next week. Right now I’m refinancing the mortgage which is on a 5-year balloon coming due in June, so that’s a “right now gotta do it” thing. Then next week we’ll be car shopping. Well not so much shopping as trying to talk them down to my price, and getting the color and features I want without ending up with a lemon. (Wish me luck, I attract lemons with every large purchase! LOL)

So there you go. (stop your yawning!) 😉

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

xoxo

It’s Caitlin’s turn to say good morning! This cute little short outfit brought to you by none other than the Easter bunny.

I had mentioned starting work on Mark’s second portrait. Well here are a couple of shots of what’s going on with it. First, we have the full painting, which is an accurate color representation, even tho you can’t see him. The piece is 24×36 on 1-1/2″ deep gallery wrapped canvas, and the sides are gradated to match. Then there’s the close up of his face where you can see his profile outlined. And this is the photo I’m working from here. You like? He’s a handsome fella. I will work on this one soon. Gotta finish up that Daisy, which I plan on working on today. 🙂

Back later with more! Have a great day!

xoxo
-me!

Hey! It’s a mini-me! Just wanted to say good morning, will update more later today! 😀

I’m back! Today was productive. YAY! I’m back on the treadmill, walked 1.5 mi. so far today, and I’ll get back on in a little while.

Did some grocery shopping and stopped to pick up dinner for the kidlets, now we’re home and I’m just going to hang out for a bit and wonder what on earth I’m going to do with our finances for the next couple of weeks while I wait for the mortgage company to do their thing, and then I’ve got to shop for a new car too so we can have something more reliable to tool around in this summer.

The coolest part of course is that I got to chat with Mark again this morning for a bit, it is so nice to “see” him online! I think this is really going to help make the time pass in a much more positive way. Since he is so motivating for me, I’ll be making sure I keep my blog updated every day and “stuff” (more art!) so when he stops by (hi honey!) he can see I’m not sitting around moping like I’m known to do when he’s not around. 😉

I downloaded the COOLEST CD from Walmart.com this morning! The group is Maroon 5. If you like upbeat tunes, you have got to check out their music. Jay and I bopped around the house for a while today listening to it. I usually hear just one song (that’s the one that’s got us boppin’) and go looking for the CD to see if I like anything else they’ve got – and by george the whole CD is awesome! It’s great music for summer drives with the windows down, walking, whatever. GREAT great great stuff!!

I also got a call from Aunt T. lastnight, she browsed the site for a while with my cousin and saw all of my new stuff. I love hearing from people who browse through everything! She reminded me that I’m not done with my own site yet, my figurative/portrait gallery still doesn’t have the enlargement windows. I gotta get that done!

Good evening everyone. 🙂

Believe it or not, this is a purple tulip growing in MY front yard! I did a little magic in PSP with it and thought it turned out very easter-y so here you go. A purple tulip to wish you all a blessed Easter with your families and loved ones. Did you know purple is my favorite color? And tulips are my favorite flower.

My husband sent me over 50 tulips for my birthday last year. They were fresh cut, and I had to split them into 5 different vases and had them all over the house. What a man.

Tomorrow we will celebrate with the standard morning egg hunt, the girls will follow purple bunny prints around the house to their baskets and treats. I tried to incorporate as much of Mark as I could. We will have dinner with his family Sunday night at Mark’s favorite restaurant.

I am working on three paintings this week. First, another portrait of my hubby in oils. Second, a very bold and beautiful fuschia gerber daisy. Third, I believe I will paint this lovely purple tulip, maybe take another close-up shot of my beautiful tulips in the front yard while they’re open.

I am also very excited to announce that my peonies are growing! I have been trying to grow them for years. FINALLY. ::taking a bow:: I look forward to dark pink, white and light pink peonies covered in ants and smelling up my yard in the most beautiful bumble-bee kind of way. 🙂

Have a wonderful, wonderful Easter everyone.

xoxoxo

I just went on a ebay listing spree! Alex ended, so I relisted him, and then I also put BeethovenAndy’s Dream out there! You might remember that one, I painted him last fall for the AKC/Eukanuba commemorative poster competition. Oooh the winning piece for that contest is beautiful! But I am pretty certain I made it in the finals with Andy, even though he didn’t win. 😉

I’ve been low on “juice” today, and this springtime sinus/cold junk is making my head cloudy so I haven’t done much today. A little treadmilling, a little lounging, a little bill paying, and then a listing spree. And there you have it! My whole day wrapped up into one sentence. LOL

I hope your weekend was a great one! On to Monday, and some warmer weather! (Pleaaassseeeee!)

xoxoxo!

All over. From missing my hubby, to feeling like someone beat me with a big stick!

Spent most of the day yesterday outdoors on a sunny yet chilly spring day. When the studio construction was completed, they were supposed to clean up the yard and put the patio back as a “courtesy”, but since it wasn’t “in the contract” that courtesy was not extended in any form other than a verbal “let’s close the deal” pitch. Ah well, more work for me, lesson learned. My father in law, bless his poor achey back, brought his rototiller and helped break up the ground and concrete blobs left behind. We got about half of the patio done before we were both too sore to continue. Today, ow. Walked half a mile on the treadmill, if that. I walked and moved with extreme caution today!

I also miss my man. I’ve not heard from him since Tuesday, and with all the goings-on, I really would like to hear his voice. I know it’s ok that he hasn’t called, no calls are better than calls from the “other” kind of military people, so I reassure myself saying it’ll either be him, or nothing. And that’s ok, but still I miss him. Today was a rough day being so sore, the first day of spring break, girls at eachother from 7 a.m. until dusk. FUN!

The picture there is a very intricately beaded piece done by a client of mine. Isn’t it beautiful? She had been working on it for quite some time and when I painted for her and got to know her she decided that this was meant for us. I am such a gush, I wept when I opened it. It is truly beautiful. I meant to post it when I got it but kept forgetting to get a picture of it. I finally did, because I wrote to Mark about it and included this pic in his letter so he could see it. Anyhoo I wanted to share it because I have been thinking a lot lately about my clients who have become such wonderful friends that are so dear to me, and it means a lot to me that this sweet special bond is all created by a love for art and beautiful animals. 🙂

Have a good night & great Sunday, don’t forget to change your clocks! (Spring ahead!)

xoxoxo

So where’s dinner? Huh? I’m huuuuunnnnngry. Got any grapes? Apples? Well? FEED MEEEEEE!!!!
He looks really pixelated in this pic. Fooey! I’ll get a flatbed scan of him when he dries.

::giggles::

He’ll be going up on the auction block in a bit! 🙂

WEIGHT LOSS PROGRESS: Down 21.5 lbs. in 61 Days!>Over 2.5 miles on the treadmill yesterday, over a mile so far today. YAY!

Gotta get some other things done today, I’ll try to get back later!

xoxoxxo

“May we indeed inculculate in the lives of others that like the rose, that like the baby breath, like every flower that blooms. For it does its best with what has been given it by man, to glorify its Maker with all its beauty, its color, with all of its love for the appreciation of spring, of the rain, the sunshine, the shadows. And so the man in like manner, with the worries, the troubles, heartaches, the disappointments, may draw closer and closer to God, knowing that this may be done as in the Son. He gave Himself that man might know that appreciation, that love, and how that in meting it to others we come to learn, to know the meaning of disappointments, of little hates, little jealousies, and of how they may grow by entertaining them; but more importantly how the joys may grow also just by entertaining them, as do the beautiful flowers that God hath given, that man might see His face in them.”

More later. Just had to share this from a mail I received from my bestest buddy this morning. Absolutely inspiring isn’t it?

Here’s more! I just finished the design and shading on the bowl. You might be able to guess by now where the baby possum is going to be sitting in the bowl. I am very excited for these layers to dry so I can rock & roll on the little critter! His tail is going to wrap around the side of the canvas a bit.

Still, no progress on the weight loss today. It’s frustrating! But I am not giving up! If I am not gaining, and not losing, then I am still on the right track. This will be a year of constantly battling my body to do what I need it to do! Walked over 2 miles on the treadmill yesterday, and so far today have just over a mile in. It is getting easier to walk a mile at a quick pace and get it done in under 20 minutes, so we’ve been keeping it at 30 minutes and ending wherever we end.

No other news to report today, woke up, cleaned up, treadmilled, painted. Nice relaxed life I lead, huh? Not sure what I’m going to futz with this afternoon, maybe some website changes, maybe try to sketch out a blueprint for the changes I’d like to make to the playroom. (Turning it back into a family room!)

Aaah decisions, decisions. 😉

Have a great afternoon!
xoxoxo

Good morning everyone!

I was up late lastnight (make that early this morning) finishing up Timmy! **THIS IS THE FINAL SCAN of the painting! Much nicer than the digital, eh? Click on his image to view the auction! 🙂

Mark called a little while ago. He’s doing good! They have 2 man trailers over there that are a pretty decent size. No kitchen/bathroom or any of that fancy stuff, but they have power and blank wall space that needs fillin’ up. I think I can take care of that problem! Those calling card minutes are expensive! He ran out of minutes on the first call ’cause I didn’t have the right number from him to recharge it. So we got off the phone (after getting the right info) and he got back in line while I recharged. 😀 Caitlin got to talk to him when he called back. whooohoo! Now I have some shopping to do, he needs powdered gatorade, they don’t have it over there. He also wants me to go “pick up” a wireless laptop. I have no idea how I’m going to do that, do you think computer sales people take good looks and short skirts into consideration when bartering? hehe!

Weight loss progress: Same as yesterday, only add a day! (Friday night. Had to eat out. daggone it!)

HAPPY SATURDAY!!! I’ll stop back later and update if anything exciting happens. For now I think I’d just like to hang out with the girls a bit and find a new fuzzy animal that inspires me.

Have a great one!
xoxoxoxo