Above All Else, Guard Your Heart

Above All Else, Guard Your Heart

...for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

Available in my Etsy Shop

These are fun, I tell you. It's been a long day, helping a friend of mine move house -- I think I got my exercise in for the day as her new place is up a gigantic flight of stairs! Over a horse stable, no less. It was actually a very cool place.

My brain has just wandered off somewhere, so that is all! It must have seen something shiny.

First Dance

My newest, hot off the drying rack!

First Dance

Available in my Etsy Shop

I'm fond of this one, I think because of the whimsical/stylized look. There is another similar girl that is still drying up on the shelf. Maybe this girl is going to the prom -- I never went to mine!
There are little sprouting green things coming up in the compost heap again, looks like squash. Surely there is a squash that will grow in the colder months? It's about time to tear out all the dead stuff at this point anyhow, so I suppose I could plant the new volunteers.
Brain turning off now. Goodnight!

Star Garden

Here's a rabbit for you.

Star Garden

Yep, it's available in my Etsy shop!

I've two pieces in the oil paint stage to do today... and a sketch... and we'll see what else. Where's the chocolate cake?

Squirrels and Party Dresses

Good morn! Here is me, trying to break the habit of working into the wee hours by starting earlier. I have TWO paintings to show y'all today....

Phineas and Abigail

Available in my Etsy Shop HERE


Christmas Party - already sold, sorry!

The squirrels were fun. Phineas and Abigail are a couple of characters I've had in my head for awhile... Phineas has shown up a few times in illustrations but this is Abigail's first appearance outside my head. I have not quite yet settled on a style for them -- maybe this style will win out?
There is still a small, lone watermelon up in the garden patch that I ought to go pick. I wonder what winter vegetables I can plant? I'd like to have something going most of the year up there. Anyone have ideas? :)

Candied Flowers and Little Brown Bird

I have returned! Not that I went anywhere, but was waiting for these little ACEOs to dry. These two are in my new oil/mixed media technique -- which I am loving so much that I've been doing everything that way ever since I tried it.

Candied Flowers

Little Brown Bird

These are on auction HERE!

It is FINALLY decent Fall weather around here. I am bundled up in my little old man sweater, it is cloudy outside, and I have music on. I am even in the midst of doing a Christmas-themed painting!

Now aren't pets supposed to STOP shedding when it gets cold? There are giant balls of yellow fluff coming off of Belle (dog) and my tiger cat leaves his fur all over me whenever I snuggle him. What gives?

Illustration Friday: Flying

Migration

This pioneer lady is wistfully wondering where the birds fly off to every autumn...

Original is available in my Etsy Shop

Quail Girl

My other paintings are dry enough now :) -- here is another oil/mixed media girl!


Quail Girl

Original is available in my Etsy Shop

I really like this painting... she was supposed to be a girl and her pet quail, but wound up *becoming* the quail instead. Yay for new mixed media technique!
Unwillingly I think I am coming down with something. I have felt under the weather all day and have drank tea without ceasing. It's almost time to put away the springy lilac teapot and get out my red winter teapot!!
I had wanted to make some sort of cake or brownie this evening for women's Bible study tomorrow, but I don't know if I'll have energy to get quite that creative. It was a bowl of canned chili for dinner, even. Off to post my Illustration Friday...

A dry Dusk Blooms

Dusk Blooms is dry!

And she is available in my Etsy Shop :)

Today I am having a little supper get-together at my house, so I've been busy making ridiculously chocolatey cake. It's been hard not to sneak a piece before everyone gets here. I have also been doing more paintings in this mixed media style and LOVING it. I have two that are still drying, and I have decided not to post them twice like this one (heheh) so as not to drive my readers crazy. But... I will post them on Twitter because I am excited about them. They'll be blogged of when they are dry!
It is very quiet around here today, hanging out with the cats. The dogs have been banished to the backyard because they are shedding bucketloads of hair... at least until *after* my guests go home.

Dusk Blooms

I've had a painting breakthrough! Thanks to my friend Sara Butcher, who suggested keeping the best of both worlds with watercolors and acrylics/oils. (Thank you, Sara!)
So this has a watercolor underpainting, then three layers of acrylic sealant (which incidentally added an interesting texture), then oil paint glazes over the top. I couldn't scan this as the oil paint is not dry yet of course... so bear with my photo glare.

Dusk Blooms

Yay! I had such fun with it. I LOVE oil painting, it's just that it is frustrating with the drying time and all. But since this only has thin glazes over the top of an underpainting, I expect it will take significantly less time.
She started out as Red Riding Hood, but now the atmospheric effects make her a bit more mysterious than that -- so it's anyone's guess who she is. ;) I look forward to using this experiment more!