Nathan and Lina's Tiger Lily

Thanks so much to Lina and Nathan for having us all to your home for Christmas. The company was wonderful, the food was exceptional and G'Pa and G'Ma love our gifts. I'm so happy you like your painting. Lina, let's make a date to paint together? G'ma

John's Snowy Tree

Merry Christmas to My Son John. I'm so glad that you joined us for our Christmas at Lina's. It would not have been so wonderful for me without you. I love you so much! Mom

Michele's and Todd's Snowdrops

Merry Christmas to Michele and Todd. I am so glad you like your painting and I appreciate your kind words about my painting. It has been one year since I started painting and it is such a big important part of my life. Mom

Tomorrow we head for Ohio

Today, I am cleaning up my mess and packing our bags. We are heading for Ohio to have Christmas with Lina and Nathan, John, Michele, Todd, Aaron and Lexie. I'm taking Cookies, Cranberry Relish, Pies amd Chex Mix. Yum. I am so looking forward to this! I'm like a little kid at Christmas, Oh, it is Christmas. Ok, like a little kid. When I return, I will paint and post my Christmas paintings.

John's Snowy Cabin

My wonderful big brother John, was in charge of renovation of this cabin for his Exchange Club. They did a wonderful job. I painted this for him just because I love him so much and he loves me too.

Baking Cookies and Painting(pictures not the cookies)

I have been painting but they are for gifts so I can't show them until after Christmas. I have been baking cookies everyday. I tried to reorganize my studio yesterday but I was in there for 5 minutes and sat down to paint the latest idea. I couldn't stop myself. All those colors and all that paper call my name. I have been saying my whole life, "I wish I could paint that". Now I can paint whatever I want. Sometimes it's really bad but it's a learning experience and just paper. I'm going to a one day workshop in January in Ohio with my sister. I am so excited! I'm sure I will learn new techniques.

Painting withdrawal

I have been in Ohio for a week to visit with my sister. We played so hard that we didn't stop to paint. Now I have laundry to do and groceries to buy so it might not happen today. Tomorrow for sure. I will get my 10 minutes of drawing into my Moleskin.

Grapes and Wine

I saw a friend paint grapes at my workshop and I wanted to try it. I learned a lot about what not to do so I will try again.

Mason Jar

My friend Nancy had a birthday, "Happy Birthday" Nancy, and I painted this for her because her name is Mason and she collects Mason Jars.

Magnola

I painted this to practice my shadows.

Scottsdale Sunset

This is a photo that I snapped in Scottsdale. My Step-daughter got married and it was beautiful! Now I want to paint it.

Peaches

Anyone hungry? It's Peach time! I did this for a Yahoo group in a day. It was a fun exercise for a artist who hasn't painted anything she has like in awhile.

Barn from workshop

This is the barn I started at the workshop and finished at home. I really didn't like it. I had the doors lighter so that you could see into the barn and it was too busy. I darkened the doors, darken the sky, added ore shadow and voila! Now I like it for where I am in my painting. I learned a lot with this one. DH helped me learn that all lines should be vertical even when the horizontal is not horizontal.

Finished Poppies

On this painting, I decided to tip the picture in the frame. I lifted paint out to make more light and darkened the greens.

Wagon Wheel

I love barns! On this painting I was practicing old wood. It's about 6" x 8".

Calla Lilly

This is the painting that I did at the Robert and Sharon Long Workshop. I loved the workshop and I loved the Long's. They were warm and generous. Our group put out some masterpieces. I thought that I would be the "baby" of the group since I have ony been painting seven months but I wasn't. I learned so much about mixing colors, glazing, shadows/light, and confidence/competence.

Red Poppy

This is a work in progress. I will update it after I go to the Watercolor Workshop.

My Sister's House

I painted my sister Barbara's house for her birthday. I am so glad she liked it! Her house has beautiful new grey siding and I struggled getting the right essence of grey. Oh well, she liked it and that feels good.

Sunflower

Here is my sunflower. I struggled with it. Getting the light right was difficult if not impossible.

Fall Leaves Watercolor

I painted all day today and loved it! I wanted to use several different techniques I have learned. I masked with contact paper and I put WC in a spray bottle and I misted it on. Some of my leaves are abstract and some of them are realistic. I don't like my stems but I will go back and fix them.

Worship in the Blue Hour

Totally painting using Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna. I like the coolness of this painting.

I Love Autumn

I have working on this for weeks. I'd better put it away for awhile before (maybe too late) I overwork it. Autumn is my favorite time of year. I also love barns and churches. For years I have been saying that I wish I could paint that and now I am. Getting better every year! Me and my Watercolor!

House and Barn

This was fun. After it was done, I wanted to paint it over. Maybe I will! I am going to a Robert and Sharon Long Workshop the week after next. I am so excited! I moved my painting spot again today to get better light. DH put up a gate to keep the dogs out of the room. He's so sweet.

Watermelon

A summertime treat just begs to be painted. I did this in my watercolor practice journal

Avacado

My first attempt at an avacado.

Happy Independence Day

My day of practicing "Trees".

The Good The Bad and the Ugly

My first attempt at writing a watercolor journal. It really is a practice journal and I messed up on my first page. I did have a lot of fun.

My Watercolor Journal

I have been trying to learn to paint rocks. I'll keep painting until I've got it. I haven't "got it" yet.

This is an old piece of barnsiding. I mounted a vase on it with copper wire and added the silk flower. The barnsiding reminds me of my love for old barns.

This is where I paint. I look out that window and try to duplicate nature. Did I tell you that I love watercolors!

I painted this from a painting instruction book. I know that I am not very good but I am getting better. I'm having trouble keeping the light and not overworking a painting. Any advice?

Baby Quilts for Charity

I love to sew and I make these baby quilts for charity.

Guitar Purse for Lexi

I made this Guitar purse for my Grandaughter Lexi a couple of years ago.

Floorcloth

I made this floorcloth from a remnent of flooring I bought at Lowes. I used the back side which is much like a canvas and acrylic paint. It is stenciled.

My Glass Birdbath

This is a birdbath I made from Goodwill vases and a plate. I used silicone caulk to glue it all together.

Gazing Ball

This is my gazing ball made from A bowling ball, silicone caulk and glass blobs. It is for my garden

Painting of The House

Here it is. I want to paint it again because I want to do some things differently.

Alexis and Aaron are coming to visit

It's Tuesday morning and my grandchildren are coming for a visit. I haven't seen them for awhile and I am very excited. It's raining and I hope it stops so that Lexie is not driving in the rain. I know that she is a good driver but I'm a grandma and I worry. (It's my job) I'm going to turn on the pool heater soon and warm up the pool so that we can swim.

This is my latest painting of the inside of a barn. I have been painting for about 4 months and I am improving. I want to paint well and I want to paint my childhood memories. I can make them prettier than they were. How cool is that?

Summertime-The Hybiscus is blooming

I know that it's summer when the Hybiscus blooms. I buy one every year because I'm not good at wintering them. They die here in Indiana in the snow. I am in the process of painting this flower so we will see how it goes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

I planted 2 tomato plants and I now have 6. 4 plants are volunteer from last years crop. I think I will have plenty of tomatoes since DH doesn't eat them. I bought that new liquid plant food that you put on your hose and I feel like Jack in the Beanstalk!

Home Sweet Home

This is the house my family lived in many years ago. I want to paint it!