HAPPY SPRING BOUQUET

Our next door neighbor brought us over a huge bouquet of different types/colors of daffodils and some jonquils. The house smells so much like I remember the spring days in PA...walking outside our back door where my mother had hers planted. The smell is divine and I am immediately transported back through memories........ The closeness "kindredness" of neighbors is wonderful... Earlier this week it was a hot homemade dinner rolls from our neighbors across the street.... Life is good and I wanted to share the flowers with all of my online friends. "Happy Spring".

JUST BECAUSE..................

Just "because" something is said or read, doesn't make it TRUTH.

There are two sides to every story. Base YOUR opinion on intuiton, truth and fairness. Weigh the words, search for facts, ask questions, check history of even non related topics, and most of all use "heart".

Don't base your decision "just because" and create another injustice.

April Showers / Art

Our weather this month has been up and down in temperature, sunny days switching to overcast and cloudy, rain, wind and spring cleanup. I am ready for spring. I have daffodils that are ready to "pop". My peony bush with bright red/black foliage is coming up and the many iris I planted last fall are through and that is exciting to see.

(Photo is of the Peony Fairy I captured in my garden after last years summer rain. (Untouched) I hope she returns again this year. You can bet I will be looking for her).

It seems as if my "art" this month has been much the same as the weather. I seem to be hopping from one thing to another. From painting, to faux stained glass, to encaustic, asian art for some upcoming swaps, and tonight I am going to be making some anklets and a 2 strand crystal bracelet.

On their way soon are a pair of white tennis shoes I am "altering" for the (MOG) Mother of the Groom to be done for her sons' wedding in September. A commissioned piece from an Etsy viewer. These are going to be a "hoot".......

In the next issue of Decorative Painter (summer issue) I have a design ..... this is a BIG excitement for me and something that came as a total surprise. It has been a great experience working with Jake Euker getting the instructions to meet the high standards of the magazine...and I am excited to receive and see the issue. At the end of the year I have a design in Painting (Winter Necklace) and another design in the same magazine the first of 2011 which is a Trash to Treasure...one of my favorites to transform.

Waiting in the "line up" downstairs is a table I purchased at a garage sale which is going to be going in my kitchen. The top has been painted black and I am debating between doing geranims or a rooster.........and just may end up doing both.....

BORED? Never. And when I hear someone say they ARE, I just can't understand why except that it has to be "their choice". I cannot remember one time in my life that I felt boredom.... Life is full, life is fun...........

My Studio Art Area

I finally finished a 3 day cleaning and organizing of my studio art area. Think I will clean up after myself a little better as this was a "painful" endeavor... The first photo shows the newest area which is for the mixed media, encaustic wax, etc. and I chose to purchase see through boxes and label the contents... The second photo is the area in which I paint and have my computer set up. Picture #3 is taken from the top of the 3 stairs from our home down into the area (which used to be a 2 car garage). Not seen is the front right hand corner in which is a floor to ceiling entertainment center where I store surfaces, a vintage metal pattern cabinet for books and surfaces which works fantastic, and another cabinet which has my extra paints, mediums, glues,

etc. There is a french door entry from the outside in which allows a lot more light and easy access for spraying, etc. This is about the cleanest and most organized

that I can seem "to get". I need to paint up surfaces and get rid of those which are painted....

My husband refers to this area as "The Hole".........

Leather Bill Wallet

When I was cleaning my shop I found the last of these leather bill wallets so have been painting them up for sale. I use mine to keep my "stash" money separated from the household money in my "regular wallet". It has 3 zippered compartments so I use one for bills, another for coupons, and the last one has a list of items I am looking for....for garage/estate sales.

I was nearly out of my FA Enamel paints which I normally use so I purchased the new Enamel paints by DecoArt and the "painting verdict" is still out on these paints. They are not as thick as the Folk Art brand which I loved, but paint up the same and have the semi gloss look which is great.

Barrel Staves

I love painting on barrel staves and I am showing my latest design (using one of my photographs for inspiration) of a feather and flowers taken last fall.

The staves measure 12" x 4 1/2" and just the right size for a small piece of art to be placed in a little niche....corner, etc.

These barrel staves are awesome (when painted horizonally) to hang from a vintage chair.....

All of my barrel staves as well as other items are available for sale on my etsy site:

http://www.artisitcrenderings.etsy.com/