Yesterday was a pretty emotional day for me.  The last few days have been a little rougher than I am used to, but yesterday was something different.  I paced, I tried to lie down, tried to redecorate, nothing worked.

Finally, at about 6PM, I went straight out to my studio and opened up my tubes of paint.  I felt relaxed, finally not thinking about everything on my mind, in my own zone.  I still have to go back to my zone for a bit more to finish, but here’s the result of my loose & free painting episode.  I don’t know if I will ever be able to not paint realistically, but this is probably the farthest I’ve gone impressionistically.  (Erikie?  Do you agree?)   It’s a good size, 12 x16, and I even painted it around to the sides.

Enjoy.

Here’s what they reeeeeallly look like!  (Except for the First Prize Macro painting, I added my digital sig which is not on the front of the painting.)  They’re dry now, got good scans of them this morning.  I registered with ArtByUs this morning, which is an auction site strictly for art by original artists.  I think I’ll pull the bud from eBay and put both of these over there.  My userID there is “intricateart”, I’ll get links when I list them – which won’t be today, ’cause we’re going to the zoo!! 
 

I finished this purdyful flower today, just for you!  It’s been listed, you can click the bud to go see it on auction.  Thank you so much for returning to read my ramblings, and for being patient while I was “under construction”!  ;D   Enjoy!

Most of my Print Auctions are ending today if you haven’t seen them yet. I added my Purple Tulip to my available prints, it looks lovely!! (I am partial to purple!)

Mark has been asking me to make a stencil of Wile E. Coyote for the guys over there to use on a few things. That’s not the stencil of course, this is my test spray of it with hand embellishments that Mark can hang on his wall of photos. 😀 I sent it off yesterday, along with a few spare stencils they can trace onto something else. I know how guys are, they like to rip and tear stuff up if it doesn’t go how they want it to go! Goofy guys! Ok that’ll be $150 bucks guys, for chiropractic treatment on my hand and wrist from holding that daggone x-acto so tight & pressing through many layers of cardboard! (Just kidding! about the bill, not the pain..lol)

Did I tell you my Stargazers outside of my front window are blooming? OOOOOH yes they are! Yummy!! (I smell more paintings of them coming!)

What else…ooohhh yea…the room. Well I think I’m going to have to take a progress picture of the mess I made yesterday. oops. The ceiling, well ok the FIRST ceiling (yes there are two, just like the walls), appeared to have some water damage on top of damage I made removing the closets – on top of just being old and stinky. 😛

I ripped them out.

Blown cotton insulation fell like rain – ok no more like a monsoon or something – all over everything. Last night’s trip to Lowe’s brought home a 12 gallon shop vac (everyone should have one of these, and they’re ON SALE!), 2 rolls of insulation to replace that other gook, and a FACE MASK. Good gravy! I couldn’t have had enough bandana’s on my head to prevent that stuff from getting up my nose. :P~

Here’s the mess!

Today I have to clean up my mess. Then I have to get all the wood I tore down out of the house!! There are a few pieces “in tact” from the closets – framing, thick pine paneling, etc. and I told Caitlin I would see what I could save to build them a mini-house in the backyard. Wouldn’t that be cool? They may be getting their own little pine cabin. Fun!! I always wanted one of those!

Ok I’m procrastinating now… I’m going to go outside with my coffee and camera and do my morning wake-up and smell nature thing! 🙂

Have a Happy Tuesday & thanks for stopping by!!
xoxoxo

Toronto Swampy has been installed!!!!

Toronto sprays water now!

Kids enjoying Toronto, awww!!!

This is SO exciting..I am just…can’t..find..words…

Will add the rest of the pics in a little while!!
xoxoxoxo!!!

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”! :)*

I’m alive!!

What a week! After finishing Toronto Swampy, my father-in-law came over and helped me pack the giant frog. The rest of the day Monday was just keeping busy stripping wallpaper in my living room until the trucking company arrived. I sent him on his way in the middle of the afternoon….in a giant truck! (Thanks, Roadway!!)

My niece came over Monday morning with my father-in-law, she’s been staying with us all week and it’s been a lot of fun! The girls helped strip the wallpaper, and once that whole thing got going it just catapulted me into redecorating mode. We used to have this nice nautically themed living room, but now, ooh-la-la, it is very nice! In fact, Here’s a glimpse, Mark’s portrait now hanging on the wall, and this is a sample of our new carpet that will be installed on the 15th of this month!

See, when I start a project, I can’t stop until it’s done!!

I picked up a couple of bargains, a new navy swag for the front window, a couple of new end tables that were a total steal and matched my mission style couch table thing.

Between stripping wallpaper, removing wallpaper adhesive, cleaning the walls, painting them, and keeping the girls entertained in the pool etc… it has been a crazy week! I think I’ve been on my computer less this week than ..um…I ever have been!

I did finish up the two kitty portraits, I was waiting for final approval to sign them so they are still a little tacky and I’ll ship them on Monday…er…Tuesday since the Post office will probably be closed Monday! Dagnabbit, I forgot about that. Dom will also be shipped with them, so I have some paperwork to do to get them ready.

I’m working on another website design too, which has been keeping my brain active and spinning. I ordered a bunch of canvas to go with my 42 new tubes of oil paints, and I am going to be painting new pieces like crazy! I am on a mission, I have a goal, so be prepared to come back often to see what I’m doing! I am going to launch with adding a couple of prints to what is currently available, and listing them on ebay – a couple of them will be limited edition.

To end the week, I lounged in the pool for 10 minutes! Woohoo for sitting still! ;D

Then I got out of the pool and took some fabulous pics I wanted to share with you! Ready? Here we go! I’m going to leave these full size for you, it’s just not the same shrunk down to nothin’.

Full Moon
Yellow Rose
Remember Me Rose
Jayden
White gerber daisy
Bug on my truck
The girls
Empty nest
Squirrely Eating

One more addition…the girls (Caitlin & Stacie) performed for you all…
this is a long movie, please keep that in mind on dial-up connections 🙂
Caitlin & Stacie as The Chin Twins

Aah it feels good to get all of those off my chest! I hope you enjoy them, I am having so much fun with my new camera!

I hope you all have a fun fun 4th of July fireworky type of day! Don’t forget to put your pups where they can’t hurt themselves, those fireworks really make them freak out!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

xoxoxo

I just finished uploading his final images,

Go see the Frog!

😀

Hope you are all having a great weekend, I am going to run a couple of errands!
xoxo

Okee doke folks, I have completed painting him and the night-time flash photos just aren’t what I want them to be! I will take pics of him in the morning after he’s clearcoated.

So, there you go. Is the suspense killin’ ya? He looks gorgeous, I am so proud of how he turned out!

He needs to fully dry (overnight), and I will clean him and clearcoat him first thing in the morning. Then I will get those final pics!!

I’ll be back!