Sweet Sixteen -Paint Party Friday

Sweet Alexis turned 16 last week.  We had a little birthday party for her, and this was her gift.  Such a lovely young woman.  Wise beyond her years and gifted with a great sense of humor.  

Here is my reference photo.  She's not only lovely on the outside, but she is beautiful on the inside, too.  It is a great blessing and honor to be her friend and mentor.

Thank you for dropping by.  You dears are always an encouragement to my heart!  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Beautiful Mom and Baby Nikolas -Paint Party Friday

This drawing was a gift for my sweet Melissa.  She has a beautiful baby boy, who's chubby grin and gleeful chuckles bring smiles to every face.

Above is my reference photo.  Melissa is such a good Mom--and to think I've known her since she was that age!  :D  I am SO blessed.

I hope your Christmas was a blessed one.  With my sweet Mumsie and dear children, this Christmas was precious, full of laughter and music.   
Thank you so much for your visits. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you, dear ones!  Thank you for your visits.  They are always an encouragement to me

Sweet Madrona -Paint Party Friday

I am friends with a very small girl who's imagination reminds me of my own when I was her age.  Madrona is such a wonderful little person.  Her stories are magnificent and her laughter is contagious.  I am the most blessed Auntie in the world.  I have wonderful nieces.

The wind is blowing yellow leaves past my window.  It is a beautiful Fall day.  Have a wonderful weekend, dear ones.  Thank you for your visit--your comments truly bring joy to my heart.  Happy paint Party Friday!

 

Dreaming of Baby Nicholas -Paint Party Friday

I have the most lovely niece in the world.  Haha.  And as you might guess, I am about to become an auntie!  I'm so proud of this beautiful young woman.  I decided to do a series of drawings with her and baby-in-tummy.  When I'm all done--she'll get a print of each of the drawings.

I'm thinking about putting out a coloring book for women who are pregnant!  I am not sure how popular such a thing would be, but I think it might be worth a try!

Above you see my sweet Melissa.  Her Mom took this wonderful photo.

And Happy Father's Day to Tony, who loves Melissa with such sweet strength and devotion.

Thank you for coming by--your visits are such an encouragement to my heart!  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Flower Face Bouquet -Paint Party Friday

This is a drawing I just finished.  It is for a poster to be used at a Women's retreat the first week of November.  I will be speaking on the importance of friendship--The Fragrance of Friendship. 

Since my husband's passing three years ago October 30th, I have learned so much about the power and beauty of Friendship.  How grateful I am for true friendship--the kind which is worthy to be cultivated, nurtured and protected.

Treasure your friends, dear ones.  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Stones and Roses -Paint Party Friday

When hard moments persist, one of my greatest comforts is to let my fingers draw what is in my heart.  This drawing was done in a difficult moment after the Fourth of July, when I was missing my Beloved.

Today is my parent's anniversary--they would have been married for 60 years today.  Daddy flew to heaven in 2012.  It is also my brother's birthday.  Cancer took him in 2001.  So many precious friends and family have gone on.  I am happy for them--but they are missed.

Grief is like the ocean...rising to crash into the shoreline--then sliding back to a subtle life rhythm.  It will always be a part of my life.  The storms still rise now and again, but not as many as before.

This little tear-filled faery leans upon the rocks to weep.  But in a moment she will smile through her tears to flit into the warmth of the sun and the fragrance of the roses.

Have a lovely weekend, dear Friends.  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Dancing with Roses -Paint Party Friday

I have been pretty busy--not enough time to draw.  It is the Fourth of July. Between the holiday and all the deadlines for the non-profit I run, I have been nearly overwhelmed.  This is a drawing from over 40 years ago--when I was just a teenager.  I loved fairies and flowers with faces even then.

Have a lovely weekend, sweet Friends!  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Candice -Paint Party Friday

This is  Candice.  I did not have a reference picture for this lineart drawing, which started out as a midnight graphite doodle.  I do a lot of doodling when I can't sleep at night.  I love how it turned out.  It wasn't until after I was done that I realized this girl looks exactly like one of my sweet nieces.

It is very warm for our part of the world--in fact, they expect heat records to be broken this weekend.  I love the good weather, but don't do well in hot temperatures.  However, there's a nice solution--at least here in Oregon where water is plentiful.  I just head for the park by the river--go wading and splashing with the young'uns, and all is well.  :D

Have a lovely weekend, dear Friends.   Enjoy your family and may you find joy and laughter in the sunshine.  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Frisky Friends in Living Color -Paint Party Friday

Here is the finished drawing of Frisky Friends.  I started with a graphite drawing, inked in the lines using various sized nibs to give the picture depth--then used Prismacolor pencils to add color.  I love to put people's faces into scenery.  This is my favorite of four recent facescapes. 

Abby is my lovely model--she's my dear niece and I think her sweet personality just shines from the drawing.  I have included her favorite color, flower and animal--can you guess what they are?

For those who have been wondering about my surgery, I had a complete hip replacement in early September.  It has been a little over a month since the surgery. so it took awhile for me to be able to sit in front of my computer again.  Now I am well on my way to recovery!  I have graduated from a walker to using a cane to get around.  In a week or so, I won't even need that!  I am so grateful to my surgeon, and to you dear ones, who prayed for me.

What a miracle it was.  I discovered I needed a hip replacement, and three weeks later the surgery was done.  That in itself was incredible---a miracle of God's perfect timing!

Happy Paint Party Friday all you lovely people!

Romance, Sunflowers and Roses -Paint Party Friday

This is a commissioned piece I am doing for my dear friends Rena and Luke.  They are such a wonderful young couple.  They have just celebrated their second anniversary--this is Rena's gift to her beloved husband.  I am very honored to have been asked to do this portrait of them. 

Above is the photo I used as a reference for this lineart drawing.  When I'm done, it will be in full color, with lots of green, red and yellow.  I'll post it when I finish it sometime next week.

Happy Paint Party Friday and have a great weekend all you wonderful people!

There's Hope in a Rose -Paint Party Friday

I have had guests from out of town here all week long, so didn't get to do much drawing.  I'm posting a piece I drew many years ago.  It is one of my favorites.  I'd never drawn anything quite like it before. This faery maiden's heart was badly broken. But the look upon her face, and the rose in her outstretched fingers caused me to believe she found hope and healing.

Hope is beautiful, like a rose. Roses flower throughout the seasons, and astoundingly, I have even found them blooming in January beneath the snow. There is hope in a rose.

Somehow when hope shines impossibly through the cold darkness of hard times, its beauty and fragrance are more precious and lovely than ever before.

Happy Paint Party Friday, dear Friends.

Angel of the Roses -Paint Party Friday

Angel of the Roses started as a pencil sketch in my sketchbook. When I had a moment to spare for drawing, I would add a little here, and a little there. This drawing took about six years to finish.

I love the jewel tones of the colors, and the graceful line of her wings. Many people have told me this piece looks like a stained glass window.

Happy Paint Party Friday, my precious Friends.  May God bless you with rainbows of joy, have a beautiful weekend and thank you for dropping by.  ((hugs))

Decorating Roses -Paint Party Friday

Here is a wee baby faery decorating roses with spiderwebs, strewn with sparkling dewdrops.  In my mind's eye, she was out in the garden just this morning--because all the rose bushes were draped so beautifully with sparkling dewdrop webs.

As you know by now,  I have a GREAT imagination.  Above you see dear Evie, the inspiration for my little dewdrop faery baby. 

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.

Wilderness Walker -Paint Party Friday

I am so grateful to the Friends who have walked by my side through this awful time in my life. You know who you are, and I love you. ((hugs)) 

This path we tread is difficult, but with each step we bear each other's sorrows.  We shoulder one another's burdens--sharing the great adventure yet to come.  Though hard times will be a part of what is ahead, we will walk hand in hand with God, together.

This is an acrostic I wrote long ago.  It perfectly describes where I am right now, and inspired the drawing you see above (which I finished yesterday).

WILDERNESS WALKER

                       T  he desert blooms

                   H  ealing the heart.

                   E  ncouraging fragrance

                        W  ill new things spring forth?

                        I   long to know it.

                        L  et me watch the blooming.

                        D  esert Redeemer

                        E   mbracing me.

                        R  iver Maker

                        N  ew things shall spring forth

                        E  ternal Trail Breaker

                        S  trength to walk the path before me

                        S  afe in His hands.

                   ~Copyright ©1995 by Beth L. Niquette

"Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.  Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it?  I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert...The people whom I formed for Myself, will declare my praise."  ~Isaiah 43:18, 19, 21

Thank you for dropping by, dear Friends.  Happy Paint Party Friday!

                                                                                                      

Malaya Rosebud -Paint Party Friday

Years ago, I was given eight rosebushes to plant in my yard.  All seven of these lovely rosebushes grew and flourished.  Indeed, today at the beginning of winter, I can hardly wait for the soft fragrant aroma of roses to waft through the warm summer air. There is something so exquisitely wonderful and precious about every phase of a blooming rose.

This is a piece of art from long ago--as you can see here, roses are also a great favorite among the faeries who often visit my garden. 

Thank you so much for dropping by!  Have a lovely weekend, sweet Friends!  Happy Paint Party Friday!

Painting Roses -Paint Party Friday

This is a combination of colored pencils and watercolor.  I painted this for a friend of mine as a gift.  There's something about this piece I just love--the idea of this little fairy girl painting roses in summer delights my heart. I'm sure I've seen this sweet fae out in my garden in the early morning hours, as the dew was drying in the summer sunshine.

Here is another peek into my sketchbook--this one is called Daisy Dinner.  The drawing makes me smile because of the look on that fella's face...he's obviously really going to enjoy eating that daisy!

Have a lovely day, sweet Friends!  Happy Paint Party Friday!  I'm also linking up with Friday Sketches!

Fragrance of Roses -Paint Party Friday

 

This is a colored pencil drawing I made for Valentine's Day this past February.  I believe I've posted this one in the past, but this morning, looking out my window at the vibrant roses of Fall, I decided to post her again.  My inspiration was a vintage postcard from early 1900's.  This beautiful woman is the grown up version of the little girl I love to draw.

Here is a peek into my sketchbook from 2011.  This is the little girl I wrote about above. You can find her image all over the internet.  I often wonder who she was, but all records of her family were destroyed in WW2.   I don't know how I ended up with my drawing backward--I seem to remember printing a reference picture to take on a trip with me, so likely I printed it flipped somehow.  Drawing does help the miles go by faster!

Here is the actual postcard which inspired me--perhaps you recognize her dear little face.  My own beloved niece looks nearly identical to this sweet girl.  Perhaps that is why I love these postcards so much.

Have a lovely day and Happy Paint Party Friday!

Baby in Blue Rose

My husband and I spent five fine days at the Oregon Coast in a cabin owned by a friend of ours.  It was sunny and gorgeous.  Such a romantic time!  I also spent some time painting this darling baby boy in a blue rose--it is a commission for a friend of ours.

I thought I would share him with you, he turned out so cute

Above you see the original photo. What a sweet boy!

Have a lovely week, everyone! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day has so many beautiful and poignant memories for me. When I was a little girl, Dad would bring home fancy heart boxes filled with candy.  I treasured the boxes more than the sweets.  I still have every one of them in my keepsakes, though a bit battered for wear.

Today I am sending flowers to my precious Mumsie.  I know she misses Daddy more than any of us can fathom.  Dad always made a BIG deal of this holiday because he loved my Mom so much.

I remember when I was single, Valentine's Day felt lonely.  In my loneliness, I found myself looking to the Creator for comfort.  When I turned to Him, I was surrounded by God's laughter and lovingkindness.  "Just wait," I seemed to hear Him say.  "I have a special someone just waiting to find you."

And it was true.  I have a dear and fine husband--sent to me by the Creator, Himself.  So...don't give up hope.  And if you have lost the one you love, enfold yourself in the loving arms of Him who made you.  He loves you more than you know.

Happy Valentine's Day dear Friends.  

Joyful Tears -Guest Heart Thursday

I was doodling in my sketchbook and who should pop from my pencil, but my youngest sister.  She is a beautiful young woman...of course I've hidden hearts in this drawing.

For more heart art, photography and altogether fabulous heart stuff from around the world, visit Clytie at Random Hearts for Guest Heart Thursday.