I have to be nuts!

First I have to show you this, This is the closest you’ve probably ever thought you’d see a bug like this. hehe, I had to do it. Don’t be scared, we think they’re really cool, and I bet Mark will give it a big old “cooooool” too!

I started out the morning with the intention of painting this, prepped the canvas and everything (12×16 in case you’re wondering). Somehow things changed though, when I returned the call to Carpetland and they said they’d be here on the 15th to tear out my old carpet in the living room. Installation then is scheduled for the 19th. Well I got to thinkin’, umm… I have to move all the furniture out of the room, and keep it out of the room for 4 days. Ummmmm….. ok.

I sat down with Caitlin and asked her what she thought the best plan would be for us for the day. Me to paint in the studio all day, or both of us clearing out their playroom (wall to wall TOYS, TOYS and more TOYS!). She opted for clearing out the room! Eek!

Next step, call the cable company and get another cable outlet hooked up on the back wall where the TV will go. I planned on turning the playroom back into the family room/toy storage/play area anyway, this just pushed things along, as usual! The cable guy will be out tomorrow between 2-5. Ummm…..ok. He couldn’t even REACH where I wanted the new cable to go, so then it was really one of those “I have no choice” programs. Now this wall of closet space will become a wall of base cabinets with countertop, and the TV will sit on the counter there. My brother-in-law is going to come out to tell me if the interior closet walls can be torn down ok (don’t want that ceiling caving in on me while I stand there with a sledgehammer saying “oops”!), meanwhile we have nearly the entire contents of the playroom in the garage.

I did start the wall treatment today too, and will finish that up tomorrow. No rush, right? LOL!

And I have to show you this, my beloved piano, because Erikie asked to see it. Yes I can play! I’m no expert pianist though! I will have to show you my viola some day too.

So who wants to help me move my piano tomorrow?

Oh yes, a shameless self-promoting plug if there ever was one… I am FULLY STOCKED WITH CANVAS! Many many assorted sizes, down to itty bitty totally cute 4×4’s!! I am going to be painting up a storm, so if you ever wanted one of my paintings, I’ll have a great assortment of sizes, which means a great assortment of prices. If there’s something in particular you wanted to have please please please now (right here, click the little linkie that says to ‘leave feedback’ or ‘chat with me’, or you can just e-mail me), ’cause once I get going you might not see your request for a couple of months.

YAHOO! Got all that out. Now OFF TO WORK I GO! Again! I love being busy!

😀

many xoxoxoxoxoxo’s to you all!

p.s. danke’ Erikie for the cool “me”! :)*

Click here to see the Stargazer listing on eBay, detail shots galore!

This one is for you, Mark. Thank you. I love you.

Better pics tomorrow, need some daylight! I’ll list it tomorrow too, unless of course anyone wants to make me an offer on it before it goes up for sale to the public.

Stargazer Lily 12×12 – 1 1/2″ Gallerywrap canvas in OILS

Here’s a WIP shot of what I’m working on. 🙂
Clickie to see what I’m painting!

I’ve canceled the tulip listing on eBay. It is still available (so far), but I have been a little frustrated with their new layout and how un-art-browser friendly it is so I am going to have to find an alternative method to offer my artwork to the masses.

I am also letting everyone know that I am taking a little break. I’ve got some things going on that need my full attention, so I’ll be on a mini “blog vacation”. 😉

Take care all, see ya soon!
xoxoxo

BOING! Good afternoon! How ’bout this for a afternoon wake-up call? I just finished and listed it on ebay, you can click the painting to go see it there. You may want to go grab your sunglasses. 🙂

It’s a great day, chilly and windy – where am I, Chicago!? Sheesh! But it’s sunny and bright and beautiful. I’ve been walking and painting today. I also ordered this very cool vacuum sealer thingie so I can send Mark more brownies and not have to use so much tape (and suck the air out of the bags myself) next time. haha!

We did get to chat this morning too, which of course is very cool. Funny thing happened (don’t you love sentences that start like that?) we were chatting away and about 10 til 8 this morning I hollered for Caitlin to finish getting ready since she leaves at 8’ish for school. Right then Mark says he’ll let me go so I can get Caitlin off to school. Hm. I am far too predictable! LOL

I am loving the new equipment – the scan of this painting went insanely fast for the resolution I used, and the colors were right on, didn’t have to modify them at all. Go Epson!!!

Ok off to play around s’more. Have a great afternoon!
xoxo

Hi everybody!

It’s Monday! AAK! 😉

So far so good today. I prepared several prints for shipping this morning and got those out, walked over 2.5 miles on the treadmill (by the way I’m down 29 lbs. now and have ONE to go to meet my goal for this month!), did the banking, put paperwork together for re-mortgaging (how fun?!), and I am getting ready to paint! YES! Paint!

I will be working on a small 6×6 Orange Poppy today in india ink. I need to clean off my easel/table and set up my supplies, and with inks drying so fast, I may be able to finish it yet tonight and list it on eBay. I realize that I have been working in oils so much, and those are so much more time consuming and costly for my buyers, I am depriving some of my most wonderful clients of great original art for their homes! I’m going to be working on a very cool Horse portrait too some time this week. 🙂

My yard is covered in creeping charlie, ug! My father-in-law gave me a great recipe to get rid of it before my grass is completely choked out. Mix 10-1/2 oz. of Borax with 2 gallons of warm water, and lightly saturate the area with a watering can. So that’s on my schedule for today too! I keep putting it off though, since our backyard is so big I will probably need to refill in the house about 40 times to cover it all. Over 90% of our yard is creeping charlie now. (Maybe the girls will be nagging ME for coming in and out and in and out and in and out of the house! LOL)

All is well, a lovely start to a week that looks like it might warm up pretty nicely!

Have a great one!
xoxo
me & charlie

Hey there! I painted yesterday, layer upon layer on this daisy to make it FUSCHIA. I love fuschia. It’s my all time favorite color; my senior prom dress was even solid fuschia. 🙂

So it’s turning out pretty cool I think, I love the stem, I painted the sides lastnight and just continued that dark midnight-cobalty blue around to the sides of it (it’s a 12×12 – 1 1/2″ thick gallery wrap). The only thing left to do is add the pollen! And of course that involves waiting for the layers to dry in the center so the pollen pops when I add it. I’m going to start this one on auction for a BUCK. Yep a dollar. It’s spring, and I have mucho faith in my fellow fuschia and flower lovers. It’ll probably be finished up later today and I may be able to get it listed tonight. How bout that!

I took these fab pics the other day for Mark, and he hasn’t even been able to get online. Fooey. I changed my AOL IM so that when folks log on my puter says “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”, and I cranked up the volume lastnight and slept on the couch hoping to sleep light, which I did. (So yea Erikie, I heard ya! Stumbling back here all sleepy eyed and stuff..LOL) I am so anxious to talk to him now, ‘specially since I have stuff to show him! C’monnnnnnnn honey, log on! (you know, like rolling dice…hm, what can I roll….)

I also re-invested my earnings lastnight on that cool new printer I mentioned, it’s an Epson Stylus CX5400 and sports a scanner, copier, AND waterproof and 70-year archival inkage! Woowee! That will arrive tomorrow and I will be hooked up to generate some wickedly cool and valuable prints like the Lolo and Care have going on. 🙂

Walked 2.1 miles total yesterday (down .4 from Monday & Tuesday), but the coolest thing is that I got to walk with TWO of my buddies long distance! We coordinated Mountain Time with Central and Eastern and did a three-way-call-walk-a-mile-and-a-quarter! (only one of us is speedy gonzales and walked 2 miles. lol) So very cool to walk with friends. The weight is still melting away too, but I’m not gonna say my progress just yet! Thanks girls!!

Time for me to scoot, I hope you guys have a fabulously fuschia daisy day!
xoxo

Hey Lolo, when you read this can you confirm this is a Gerber? I’m pretty sure it is, but of course I’m more knowledgeable about animals than flowers.

Well, it’s not quite fuschia yet, but it will be. I spent a couple hours yesterday trying to mix it from primaries and got close, but frustrated. So now by george I think I’ve got it! This is a reeeeealy deep pink right now, not as red as it may look to you, and my next stages will be lightening it up and adding the details. The background color is very cool, it’s not black, it’s like a midnight cobalt blue. I’m thinking about painting the sides of the canvas another color, maybe green? Pale pink? Not sure yet. We shall see.

So there! I’ve been painting! Happy Happy!

Oh yes, ok, I can do a weight loss progress update too, since I’ve been sick and it’s assisted my goals for the month. (iew! but ok.) Ok just counted on the calendar (man I’m behind!)

75 days, down 25.5 lbs., 4.5 lbs to go for goal for the month of April!>Mark called Tuesday night. Once again, thank you guys for keeping him and the guys in your thoughts and prayers. They’ve successfully made their way through some of the tougher times to be had over there. He’s anxious to get the care packages that are on their way, there are a few coming to him from different directions – thank you guys for that, too! You’re the best!

The weather here has been beautiful, my stomach flu is about gone (I couldn’t take it anymore after lastnight and got some quick-stop medicine in my system finally), Lolo thanks for the bag! 😉

So there you have it, on the upswing once again, the pits are the pits are they not? I can do without them!! I hope you are all staying virus and bug-free so far this spring.

Ooh yes I will post a WIP of Mark’s second portrait that I started soon too. Now that the daisy is drying for the day/afternoon I may start working on filling him in and might have something identifiable to show you. My in-laws LOVE it so far… but I think they’re biased, you know? Maybe? A little? Eh that’s ok, doesn’t make ’em wrong, hehe! ::wink-wink::

Feels good to be sorta almost normal. Phew. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! I’ll be back!
xoxoxo