My Lady of the Birch Tree -Paint Party Friday

Last week I had the joy of visiting family in The Dalles, a wonderful little town located in Oregon's spectacular Columbia Gorge.  I found a birch tree with beautiful white bark which appeared to be peeling from the tree.  I pulled some of it away to take home.  I'm told it is a type of birch which constantly peels, so taking some of the bark would not hurt the tree at all.

I found the bark to be a lovely surface for pen and ink!  This is my fourth drawing on birch bark this morning--I think this lineart turned out especially well.  I call this drawing My Lady of the Birch Tree.   

Merry Christmas and Happy Paint Party Friday, all you lovely artists and truly wonderful people.  God bless you, dear Friends--have a lovely weekend and thank you for stopping by.  ((hugs))

Christmas With Grandma, Page Two

I have been posting sketches and artwork from Grandma's Christmas Story since October.  Here is Page Two, in its finished form.  Lorie, the author, tells me this little Christmas children's book will be available soon on Amazon.  When it is posted, I'll put up a link for those who are interested.

I love Lorie's idea of Grandma telling the Christmas story to her Granddaughters.  She's reading from the pages of her Bible.  I have precious memories of my own precious Grannie doing that very same thing.  What a wonderful story it is--the truest, greatest story of all time.

Thank you for dropping by, dear Friends.  Merry Christmas and God bless you!

Christmas With Grandma, Page One -Paint Party Friday

I have been working on this lovely little book for quite a while now, and it is done!  I am very happy with the results.  When it becomes available online, I'll let you know.  My friend who commissioned this project says all proceeds from book sales will go to a mission which helps people in Haiti.  I love the idea of being a part of something bigger.

 Above you see my reference photo for this page.  Isn't my Friend darling?    

Merry Christmas and Happy Paint Party Friday, all you lovely artists and truly wonderful people.  May God shed His gift of light and joy in to your lives this Holiday season.  God bless you, dear ones--have a lovely weekend and thank you for stopping by.  ((hugs))

Christmas With Grandma -Paint Party Friday

Here is one of the pages from the Children's Book, Christmas With Grandma, which I've been working on.  I'm about to start coloring the pages now.  I'm SO excited.  It will be completed by Sunday morning.  

Above you see my reference photo for Lorie, Lily and Victoria.  The photoshoot was so much fun.  

Merry Christmas and Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people.  May the Creator shed His gift of light and joy in to your lives.  God bless you, dear ones--have a lovely weekend and thank you for stopping by.  ((hugs))

Little Mary -Paint Party Friday

When she was five years old, my darling niece posed for this graphite drawing of Little Mary.  I love the Christmas Story.

I'm sure I have shared this before, but when I was a small girl I fell in love with the delightful drama of Joseph, Mary and the Babe.  To me, it was a wonderful story, filled with miracles, angels, laughter and tears.  In my mind's eye, I would picture every dramatic detail.  There is a beauty and truth about their story which still touches my heart today.

So, Merry Christmas and Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people.  May the Creator shed His light and joy into your lives.  You are all precious to Him--and to me.  God bless you, dear ones--have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.  ((hugs))  

Little Winged Lion -Paint Party Friday

Here is a lineart drawing which will be published in my first coloring book for adults.  This is a sneak peek for you dear Friends.  My little niece posed for this drawing--she and I are sure when dandelions are out and about in a special garden like mine--they might look just like this little winged lion.  

Today is the three-year anniversary of my Daddy's "Heaven Day."  We all miss him so much.  Dad had an imagination just like mine--he saw things in his mind's eye.  His stories were wonderful--I can still see the places he spoke of--magical, imaginative places full of color, elves, fairies and fanciful creatures.  

We were blessed to have such a dear loving Father.  

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people.  God bless you, dear ones--have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.  ((hugs))

Old Man Winter -Paint Party Friday

Here he is, Old Man Winter. I saw him smiling down at the bare limbs of the trees in November of 2009. You have to look closely to see him. Winter is quite illusive at times--like today when it seems so balmy, except for the leafless trees, one might think it were September.

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Above you view him as I first saw him in the clouds. As you can see, I didn't have to enhance Old Man Winter very much at all..

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Old Man Winter

He has a real long beard that's white as snow

He has icicle fingers and popsicle toes

He has chestnuts roasting on an open fire

He has you scootin' down the hill on a worn out tire

He has sleigh bells ringing out into the night

He has everybody feeling alright

When Old Man Winter comes to town

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He has the whole world sleeping beneath a blanket of white

He has everything shining on a full moon night

He has kids of all ages, clowning around,

Building snow forts and knocking them down

He has frost on the windows, Ice on the stairs

Smoke from the chimney and pine in the air

When Old Man Winter comes to town

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people.  God bless you, dear ones--have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.  

The Viking and His Lady -Paint Party Friday

One year ago today, I lost the love of my life.  This drawing felt exactly right--to honor my husband and the love we shared--perfect for this week's Paint Party Friday. 

I miss Alan so much.  And yet still, life goes on.  Sometimes I feel the entire world should have stopped when he flew away to heaven. 

Yet without both the rain and sun--there would be no rainbows, there would be no hope.  And I have the wonderful hope that I will see my Beloved again one day.

Life is fragile, sweet Friends.  Treasure your family.  Time spent with them is precious and irreplaceable. ((hugs))

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Waterfalls -Paint Party Friday

One never knows what one might see near a waterfall. In the woods where I played as a child, places where the water fell through the forest were wondrous. Down through Leprechaun Valley there were playful little waterfalls tumbling over rock and mossy rill. There were small clear pools where the sunlight would glisten down through the vine maples, to reflect dapples of light up into our faces.

I have not lost my love for waterfalls. My family and I visited Niagara Falls in 2001 and 2002. Someday I shall draw the dancing mist maidens I saw there.

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Angel Naptime -Paint Party Friday

I am incredibly blessed to have my sweet niece in my life. She often shows up in my artwork, as do her little friends.  

Here you see Stringbean the pup and Peaches the cat along my sweet angelic niece getting ready to take a nap after a day sliding down rainbows.  

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Brave and True -Paint Party Friday

This is a T-Shirt I painted for Alan, long ago.  I love this lion.  There's something so sweet, brave and true about his eyes.  Alan adored the T-Shirts I made for him.  It makes my heart happy to think of him wearing them and bragging about his "one-of-a-kind" shirts.  I can still see him in my mind's eye, smiling with delight.

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Grandma and the Girls -Paint Party Friday

This drawing will be on the dedication page of the Children's book, Christmas With Grandma, which I'm doing for my Friend Lorie.  To work with Lorie is one of the delights of my heart.  It certainly distracts me from the terrible sorrow of losing my Beloved.  

The photo above is my reference for the drawing.  I am so blessed by my dear Friend and am SO honored she would ask me to illustrate this book.  She tells me this is one of her dreams come true--and to tell you the truth, it is also a dream come true for me.  I've always wanted to illustrate children's books.  What a blessing! 

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Grandma's Christmas Story -Paint Party Friday

I have been commissioned to produce a self-published children's book for a friend of mine.  The title is Christmas With Grandma.  I have completed the drawings in graphite and took them to my friend for her perusal last Monday.  She LOVED it!  Next I will do the lineart, and the last step will be to add full color.

I have had SO much fun with this project.  This is my favorite drawing so far.  The book is ten pages long, along with a front cover, dedication and title pages. 

Above you see my lovely model, Lorie, who commissioned the project.  I LOVE her face.  I did a photoshoot for reference photos--as you can see the camera loves her!  I admit though, it was quite a challenge to make the dolls into little girls--but I think I have succeeded.  

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Maiden Walking -Paint Party Friday

Last Fall, whilst visiting my brother and his family, I drew this picture of my niece, Flora.  She is a lovely girl, imaginative and a lover of the forest and all things fairytale.  This is what I imagine she will look like once she is all grown up. 

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Water Girl -Paint Party Friday

I completed this drawing May, 2014.  There is so much joy and hope expressed here.  Today is so lovely--complete with sunshine and crispy Fall shadows, I've posted the Water Girl because she seems to express my feelings this morning.  

As I am typing this there is a darling little kitten snoozing away on my lap.  He is a happy note!  Though since my Beloved flew away to heaven, there are sad tones in each day--I am beginning to see the tears are like minor keys which often accent the beauty of the day.  It is hard to put this into words.  So perhaps I'll sing a song as I do the tasks of the day--or even more likely, draw some more.  (smile)

Above you see my lovely model Rena.  She is my dear friend and a great blessing to me.  

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. May God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Sweet Smiles -Paint Party Friday

Here is a recent sketch from my sketchbook.  The mosaic window behind this dear girl actually has roses hidden in it.  When it is inked and color added, I think it will be more easily seen.  I love to hide things in my drawings.

Above you see my reference photo featuring my sweet Friends Rena and Heather.  By the way, I made the red cloak from some old velvet curtains which once hung in my in my office.  The green cloak was made from an old army blanket.  I believe these days, they call this "re-purposing!"

This time around, I'm including an old ACEO drawing from 2010.  It is called What's a Dragon to do?  As you can see, the poor fierce dragon is totally baffled by the loving attentions of that amorous little birdie. 

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. May God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Madrona's Tiny Friend -Paint Party Friday

This little faery doesn't quite know how to walk yet--she's pulling herself up on a flower and greeting a small butterfly, which decided to land on her wee finger.

Above you see my reference picture of this darling little girl.  Our tiny Madrona makes all of us laugh and smile.  She has been the subject of many drawings and sketches since her birth.  

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. May God bless you, dear ones.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

The Pit -Paint Party Friday

This morning I was looking through some old drawings and came across this one.  It touched my heart SO deeply.  There is no pit so deep, that GOD is not deeper still.  These are the words of Corrie Ten Boom, a survivor of a Nazi Concentration Camp during World War Two.

I was outside watering, when I had the overwhelming feeling that any moment my Beloved would come striding around the corner of the house with that wonderful smile of his.  The one he had just for me.  The feeling was SO strong...and I waited...

And then I remembered he was gone.  It  was heartbreaking.  I miss him so much.

There are many of us who've lost friends and family we love.  Each of us wrestles with that pain, sorrow and loss every day.  These words, this drawing is for you.  You are not alone, dear ones.  If you are lost in the depths of sorrow and despair, He is there beside you. 

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. May God bless you, dear ones, especially those of you who weep, with His joy and peace.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Gardener at Heart

I am proud and honored to announce that my incredibly talented Sister-in-Law Jane (lil' Sis) has published a collection of poetry, Gardener At Heart!  

Her insights resonate with beauty, mystery, fun and something beautiful I can't even put into words.

You can order this remarkable volume of poems in paperback, or e-book format on Amazon: A Gardener at Heart .  

You can find more information about this enchanting book, as well as a donation page and contact information, at Jane's website:  The Flying Crow Press!  Isn't that a cool name?  I love the cover of her blog--Both the website and the book cover were designed by her son, a young man with exceptional talent. 

I am SO proud of my Lil' Sis.  I adore Jane's poetry, which reflects the beauty of her heart.  Even if you are not a gardener, I believe you will enjoy this book of lovely words.  

I'm one of the blessed ones! I have a SIGNED copy!!!! 

Storyteller -Paint Party Friday

This is a drawing from long ago.  The imaginative little boy was a born storyteller.  When he was small his stories would spill from his room, down the stairs and into the kitchen.  He used all kinds of toys and props, even music followed his story as it streamed along.  

I didn't realize what was happening at first.  When I would try to clean everything up before bed time, it was not a happy event.  Then I suddenly understood I needed to hear the story before putting it away.  What a delight--I asked him to tell me his story and all was well.  Each evening held a fascinating new storyline.

What fantastical adventures!  What a wonderful privilege to share them with him!  I will never forget those wonderful days.

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. May God bless you, dear ones, with His joy and peace.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.

Vintage Beauty -Paint Party Friday

Years ago, I found a photo of an old lady wearing a hat made of sticks.  I fell in love with her whimsical face and beautiful wrinkles.  It makes me happy to look into her eyes--I'm so glad I finally sketched her likeness.  

I have not been feeling very well--it is just a simple summer cold, but boy oh boy, I can sneeze.  You know something is amiss when one sneezes and the air pressure from that sneeze lifts the roof from the walls!  

Anyhow, whilst I was ill, I found solace in drawing.  I finished this graphite sketch a couple of days ago.  When I draw the world fades away, even when I'm feeling awful.  

Happy Paint Party Friday, all you wonderful artists and beautiful people. May God bless you, dear ones, with His joy and peace.  Have a lovely weekend and thank you for dropping by.