Monday, December 30, 2013

New Sheets and Stuff About Prints...


How lame is it that i am actually showing you guys my new sheets...

Ok, so fine... I'm clearly not a terribly interesting person if the most important thing i can show you is my new sheets

Believe me there is enough "interesting" stuff going on in my world that is just too batshit crazy to talk about here -   So simple things like new sheets are easier to talk about...
(sorry i said batshit, but it was too perfect a description)

Anyway...  i love finding sheets i like that are a really good price

I found these at "Ross" - Queen size - 300 count - for $24.99


 I mean, they are a little much, but i think they're cute in the room and what a great price!



I read somewhere recently that when you start going over 300 count sheets you're just paying alot of money for something that is not that much better

I don't know if it's true - but i find that often when sheets get too high of a thread count they are slippery
and i don't like that

Do you remember fresh sheets from when you were a child ?
My memory is that they had a little cottony texture
I don't know what that texture is called, but i love it...
...probably alot like what real linen sheets (which i can't afford) feel like

See that fur throw on the bed

it is a real lampskin, washable, and you can find it in a big bin at Sam's for $30.00
at least you could about a week ago...
SCORE!
i love it, my kids love it and my dogs love them


 **********

Ok, so check this out

I finally took "Good Morning Miss Daisy" to the photographer so i could make giclee prints of her

(she is now available in my Etsy shop, and on my website)

This is part of the process of making sure the prints look just like the original painting

Here is the original painting sitting with the best two proofs


they look alot alike don't they?
but there are very subtle differences...


 I have a clear preference for which one i think reflects the painting better than the other
which one do you think it is?

it took my printer 13 proofs to get the color just right

It takes a good bit of work and time and money to get a print looking the way you want it too - 
to be just perfect for your buyer

but when it's right, it is so fun to send them off to good homes where people will love them

I have to say this is one of my favorite cows, and i am getting a print of her for myself - the original is sold and on the way to her new home...

***** 

I also wanted to tell you that i have started a Facebook page for my blog posts, random observations, pretty stuff, and cute animals and things  

I'm not sure the social media etiquette on asking people to follow my Facebook page
But if you'd like too, you can click on the "F" facebook link at the top right hand side of my blog and follow
 or click here
 
I have like one follower at this point
Anyway I think that's pretty much what all the cooler, smarter bloggers are doing - is more facebook stuff - 

I will never be really cool because i'm a total neurotic geek 

...But i thought it might be a good way to get my paintings and prints "out there"

Thanks guys - you're really such good friends -  

I'm desperately trying to catch up on your recent posts...

work is just crazy right now
and so is home...

...the end...










Wednesday, December 25, 2013

For My Wonderful, Amazing, Talented and Brilliant Friends...



Merry ChristmasHannukhFestivaSolsticeKwanzaMisMas!

It's driving me nuts that i'm behind on your blog posts
 hopefully will be able catch up soon!

 









big smooches and hugs and blessings to all of you
 

...the end...



Sunday, December 8, 2013

"Good Morning Miss Daisy"


Just finished up this sweet little lady this weekend...
well, almost finished, she's not even signed yet!

 I named the painting, "Good Morning Miss Daisy" because you can see that the first morning light is just coming out from behind the dark silhouette of the trees 
and I imagine that this soft furry face is right there every morning to offer a gentle greeting

My initial craving was to paint a white cow with a big pink sateen bow around her neck... but i think i might try that on one of the prints and photograph her for giclee prints as is...sans bow - hmmm, we'll see

I know it's hard to believe, not everyone wants a painting with a big pink bow somewhere in it...!





Almost a year ago, a very sweet lady emailed me asking if maybe some day i could paint her cows.  I told her to go ahead and send pics and maybe one day i would find just the right moment to  paint from one of the photos... 

I did tell her that there was no telling when or if it would happen, because i don't even know myself sometimes until the mood strikes me.  

It's been a while, and i imagine she thinks i had forgotten all about her... 

but i most certainly did not... 

I had a print of her beautiful cow sitting in my art room
and that photo started pulling at my heart

Well last weekend the moment came, and i felt compelled to paint this beautiful girl...  i have searched out the owner's email and sent her a letter explaining that her cow is ready.
  
She is under no obligation to buy the painting - 
who knows what her circumstances are now... 
But I did promise I'd offer her first choice - 
Now I'll just wait to see if i hear back from her

In the meantime, I'm enjoying her right here in my house 
 
so either way,...  I'm sure she'll find a good home somewhere, 
even if it is with me!





 so that's the simple little story of the painting named

"Good Morning Miss Daisy"

...the end...


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Once Upon a Time There Was a Shabby Little Tree...



 Soooo my favorite tree of all... is this little beat up, raggedy, faded white christmas tree .  I have had it for years
The base is gone, and all of the branches are twisted...

But when i add a few twinkle lights and some pretty ornaments it looks like the prettiest little magic fairy tree ever...




 before i decorated it, i pulled out a bunch of ornaments and stuff... and laid them around, and i had some ribbon i was going to tie on it  - 
but in the meantime, i stuffed the unwound ribbon into the base of the tree for safekeeping

... and when i looked back at it... i loved the way the ribbon looked all pooled and drippy and loose, so i decided to leave it just the way it was...
in fact if i'd had more ribbon i would have done it all around the bottom of the tree...



 of course the cord is showing in the photos...




 I would show you the tree lit up, but in photos it just looks like a glowing light blob - 
i have no idea how to take photos of lit up Christmas trees...
i wish i did because they are so pretty




...And below is this years front door wreath... 

It's a grapevine wreath that's another thrift shop find
 and I change it about 3 times a year for the different seasons

I had this crazy vine with silver balls on it in my closet upstairs that drove me nuts ,because it was just always in the way, and getting tangled up in things, and i almost got rid of it a hundred times
but i decided to wind it around my wreath to see how it looked
 and i think it's kind of fun!

 (this just reinforces never getting rid of stuff...not good!)


 Want to hear a very short Thanksgiving story...?

My sister dosen't really enjoy her mother in law - let's just be nice and say it is a bad personality match - but let me say this - my sister is really nice to everyone sooooo ... you figure it out

anyway... she was having her over for Thanksgiving with the family, because it is the nice thing to do of course...

As the mother in law arrives - In my sister's words:

"So as soon as she walked in the door,  I grabbed a bottle of wine and started drinking " -
finally the table was set and the candles were lit
 and after a while we sat down to the beautiful Thanksgiving dinner, 
I was the one who was supposed  to say the blessing ... 
and i had been drinking wine ...
anyway i started to say the usual blessing we have said a thousand times,,  and rattled off  the first sentence... and it sounded kindof mushy 
like - let ush give thanks... uhhh
and couldn't remember the rest!!
it's that moment when you realize you're totally buzzed and you've slurred your sentence, and sound like a drunk
so when i realized i had forgotten the blessing,  I said 
"SHIT"! 
 it just came out!
and then the kids started laughing at me, because they thought it was funny, and then their dad fussed at them for laughing... so i asked the mother in law to say it - and of course 
she said THE PERFECT blessing"  

anyway... I know it's a silly little story
but i thought it was  funny
if i'd been there i would have fallen out of my chair i'd be laughing so hard

now i could be wrong...
 
but from my knowledge of Thanksgiving prayers past
the "S" word is not generally supposed to be part of the blessing as a rule
 
we all do the best we can, don't we...





just a few more ...

a Merry Christmas sign from 


a few birch logs in an old Homer Laughlin platter




and some pink and white gingham fabric torn up and made into a  shabby little bow...


I'm sure i'll be adding touches here and there through the month

no telling what other things will end up on the tree

or what other prayers will be said in a less than perfect way


but that's all for now...




...the end...