Sweet, Silly, Snowy

        Lately, there's a lot of stuff happening in the World that I feel uneasy about.
I'm grateful that I find Joy in the details, in the enduring small bits that continue always like gardens and flowers, sun warmed ripe tomatoes, dogs, babies, love, color and beauty, prettiness, always....and in the Awesome Enormous, the One who has, amazingly, chosen me to be the vessel of a gift...for that I am thankful daily, everyday.
The best way I know to show my gratitude and make some sort of sense of the world, and feel at home in it, is to paint my heart out. Painting is like a prayer. I'm painting a LOT, lately.


Sweet......the first in a series of cakes and pies, coming soon
 

Rose Cake 2

Rose Cake

 Silly....wait and see

Brush Your Teeth

Snowy.... a new collection

Happy Snowman

Chickadee

Happy Snowy Animals- Black and White

Happy Snowmen Icons- Black and White

Happy Snowman border

Happy Snowman Landscape border

Happy Snowman Landscape repeat

Mittens, mostly

Small Happy Snowmen

Scarves and Hats

Scarf

       Thank You Very Much, Grazie Infinite, Merci Beaucoup, Muchisimas Gracias, Toda Raba
 

Blooming......Painting

    This year as much as I am longing for the scent of newly turned earth and the sweetness of the
tenderest of green leaves unfurling in the early morning sun, and all the loveliest joys of a garden.........
I am letting it pass me by. My garden spot here, where I'm renting right now, gets too little sun and so I've chosen to spend my energies painting gardens and all the growing and blooming and ripening instead. So far the quickly passing days and evenings are producing an  explosion of paintings and it's not even Summertime yet.
   A bit of what's been going on, been growing...... on the drawing board lately:

Vegetable Garden

Container Garden

Birdhouse Border 1

Birdhouse Border2

Wild Rose Border

Garden Spots

Flower Garden

  "Gifts of the Season" my new Holiday fabric group for 2011 is shipping now........will post next time, soon...and, would you believe......I'm back to painting SNOW.....and snowmen, for Holiday 2012.
 Enjoy the lovely weather, and if you have a garden....send my regards! Thank you!

   

Springtime

     It really is hard to believe that here it is Springtime.....April Fool's Day, in fact......and I am finally writing my first blogpost of 2011......I am certain I should be embarrassed or horrified, but I've just been busy with the business of painting and the two projects that I've been so busy with are done and dusted so I can peer out for a moment, sniff the greening air and write something...quickly, as I am about to start something new.....painting Gardens and Garden-y Stuff which are perfect to paint right now.
     I've been painting about a million bunnies......which is appropriate considering it is the Year of the Rabbit.....which has nothing to do with it but is fun anyway.

One Rabbit

Two Baby Rabbits

Mommy +1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 Bunnies

 

 

                                                            
                                                              and 26 dogs, here:

Mutt

  
         Also, I am really excited and pleased to say that my second fabric collection, Alphabet Soup, is out and in shops now. I had such a blast working on this group!

Soft Book/Quilting Panel A is for Alligator and.....

Alphabet Soup group, panels, prints, stacked animals!

Alphabet Soup Quilt Project

        And lastly....I am so pleased and delighted to mention that Bartholomew's Gift by Diane Dignan, one of my last picture-books was a Mom's Choice 2011 Gold Medal recipient! Thank You, Mom's Choice!  Lucky book gets to go to the London Book Fair!

Bartholomew's Gift, Mom's Choice Award/Gold

    Now I'm going to order some paint...Blockx Burnt Sienna Light and Deep and Burnt Umber, I LOVE these browns, they use glycerin and honey as binders, and are a joy to work with. Also Imperial Purple, Garnet Genuine and Black Tourmaline from Dan Smith...swoonworthy colors.....and new brushes ( pure heaven! ) and paper!!!! Nothing is as inspirational as new art supplies, I'm so excited.
More  news soon.....W