The Cardinal’s song
“Cheer, cheer, cheer,
whoit, whoit, whoit, whoit,
chip”
I hear you welcoming winter
I welcome it too
It’s soft feathery flakes
Tickle my nose and cheeks
They gently land on my eyelashes
Cardinal, you are so red against the crisp white snow,
Like a winter berry
A Christmas bird
My favorite time of year
Winter is on its way and I am trying my hardest at being positive.
Opinion – Illustration Friday – I Talked To A Crow Today
I never met a crow that didn’t have an opinion about one thing or another!
This is a piece I did earlier this year.
The following poem accompanies it.
I talked to a crow today,
or rather, he talked to me.
I’m not sure what he was going on about
but he did go on and on and on.
I talked to a crow today,
he had an awful lot to say.
“Mr. Crow,” I said politely, ” will you please let me get a word in?”
But he wasn’t even listening.
He went on and on and on.
That is the way it is with crows,
and sometimes with people too.
Not really interested in conversing,
but rather in the sound of their own voice.
I listened to a crow today,
he went on and on and on.
Just Too Young
It is hard to be two. Everyone knows that you can’t teach a two year old in a ‘do what I say environment’. Don’t even try! To a two year old ‘do what I say’ means ‘do anything BUT that!’ and, make sure you pout your lips so they are touching your nose, cross your arms tight across your chest, and on occasion, throw yourself on the floor in a heap. Is it any wonder that ballet classes are offered to 3 and up? The problem with this is that a two year old sees themselves as ready and the idea that someone might even suggest that they may not be is insulting, to say the least!
UH OH … cue the lips and arms and ONE… TWO… THREE… dissolve in tears to the floor!
This is an original 12″x12″ mixed media painting on a 2″ deep wood panel.
Sad Music
She just can’t help it, some music just makes her so sad. And still, she loves to play.
This is an original11.5″x15.5″ mixed media painting from my Harlequin series.
Too Young For Ballet Class
Poor Scarlett. She is just a little too young for ballet class. (She doesn’t think she is though!) Next year, Scarlett. Next year.
This ACEO is sold …thanks Grandmother!
Harlequin ACEOs
Three new ACEO harlequin musicians available at my etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5037264
ACEO The Mushroom Tam
I did this mixed media ACEO last night. The tam is inspired by the artist Dadaya from Kyoto on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5069929 I just love her stuff! It is so whimsical and colourful. She was in the same treasury as me yesterday. I have added her to my blogroll tniytoadstool-label.blogspot.com Check her out.
Ring Around The Rosie
I did this illustration for the December issue of our community newspaper, The Rat Creek Press http://www.ratcreek.org/. This issue’s focus is ‘good Neighbors’.
This original mixed media painting is available here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17177061
My Red Flute
I did this mixed media mini canvas (2.5″x2.5″) today.
Available here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17176544
The Red Beret- Mini Canvas
This is an original mixed media painting on a 2.5″x2.5″ mini canvas that I did today. It is available here
Another Red Accordion
This is an original 8″x10″ mixed media painting on paper covered canvas.
I did an ACEO of this same image a few days ago. I am just loving this new character and colour palette! Music is very much a part of our house. The girls just love to give Chris and I a concert. They both love applause. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Not me, Chris. I can’t play a note.
Little, Little Red Riding Hood
Here is a smaller version of Don’t Stray From The Path. It is a mixed media ACEO that i finished today.
SOLD
Oh, by the way, yesterday I was featured in this really neat newsletter called Paper Street’s Catch Of The Day, this is a family operation (even their eight year old son is involved). You have to subscribe to get the newsletter emailed to you http://paperstreetsupplies.com/
They also have a shop on etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5291682
Thanks you guys!
My Red Accordion
This ACEO is an original mixed media painting that I did today.
I love this new character. She is a harlequin musician. Here she is playing her red accordion. I plan on doing a larger version in the next couple of days.
My Red Guitar
I love my red guitar
It almost looks juicy
I could just eat it up
It makes sweet music
That fills me up
It makes me feel happy
It makes me feel content
This an original 11″x15.5″ mixed media painting on 100% rag paper.
This painting is available here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16864305
Eating Watermelon
This is the third time that I have painted this subject. I have done one ACEO and one 11″x15.5″ mixed media piece on paper. This time around I have painted it on 11″x14″ profile canvas (3″deep).
This has been included in a treasury on etsy! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=18516
It is avaiable in my etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16805616
The Girl With The Magenta Hair
Hey! I was added to another treasury today! It is called The Little Red Coat http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=18359
She stood silently in the winter night. The cold air touched the tip of her nose and flushed her cheeks. She wiggled her nose to stop the tickle in her nostrils. She liked that feeling, when the hair inside her nose began to freeze. It was an odd sensation but it meant winter was really here.
The snow sparkled in the moonlight. How could she think it so beautiful and hate it so much all at once? It was hard to explain but standing there, in the moment, with the snow softly falling around her, it was undeniably breathtaking. And for right now that was all that mattered. Perhaps that was the key to it all, not resisting it so much. Not anticipating the months to come, but instead, just taking pleasure in the beauty of the present moment.
This is a mixed media 12″x 16″ painting on wood stretcher. It is 1″ deep and the sides are painted magenta. This painting is available here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16805934
Just Waking ACEO
I have just been added to another treasury on etsy! http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=20638
The treasury is entitled Like A Kid In A Candy Store and was put together by the wonderful artist Victoria Usova http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5376404.
This is a original mixed media ACEO painting on 100% rag paper.
This painting is of Scarlett just waking. She does this wonderful thing with her lips when she is feeling kind of moody. My little Jessica Lange.
ACEO available here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=16776504
Scarlett Plays The Piano ACEO
This is a original mixed media ACEO painting on 100% rag paper.
This painting is of Scarlett playing the piano. I have painted a large version of this (also for sale on etsy). I just get a kick out of how serious she takes herself. When she is done she says “thank everybody” and bows. Which is our cue to start clapping. Pronto.
ACEO available here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16776763
The Thinker
It is amazing to me how children become who they become so early on in life. Imogen has always been a thinker. Very compassionate and sensitive. When she was less than a year old, you could not sing certain songs to her because they would make her cry. Really cry, like her little heart was going to break. Two of these songs were My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean and Momma’s Going To Buy You A Mocking Bird. As she has gotten older, it hasn’t really changed. She basically doesn’t like songs sung in a minor key. This kind of rules out lullabies. Maybe that is why we didn’t sleep for that three month period when she was first born! We thought we were comforting her but we were actually distressing her! I have since asked her why she didn’t like the Mocking Bird song and she said because the mamma kept taking everything away from the baby.
My friend took this picture of her and it seems to capture her in a moment of deep thought. Who knows what she was thinking about at the time, she could have just been contemplating what she wanted to whine about next! A five year old’s prerogative, you know.
SOLD
Green Eyes
New ACEO of my green eyed girl looking so innocent. I wonder what she was up to?
ACEO available here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16765407
You’re Beautiful When You’re Mad
You’re beautiful when you are mad. You’re beautiful when you are tired and even when you just wake up in the morning . And you don’t even care.
Beauty is wasted on children.
Meanwhile back at the ranch … here I am. Mad, tired and constantly feeling like I just woke up. And all because of children! And I DO care! As my five year old would say “That’s no fair!”.
The Orange Peelers
I finally finished this canvas of Scarlett peeling oranges! I have been putting it off for a long time but I’m done now and I am really happy with it. As you may know, this is not the first time I have painted this subject, but this is the first time I have painted multiple Scarletts. God knows that one of her is plenty! I can’t imagine dealing with six of her. She found the idea quite hilarious, pointing at each one individually and yelling “Scarlett!”.
This painting is a 11.5″x47″ mixed media painting on a 1.5″ profile canvas.
SOLD
The First Snow
This is an ACEO that I did today. It actually hasn’t snowed yet but I am anticipating it. It should happen any day now and lasts for … oh, ten months …OK eight …OK, OK six. Tomorrow is supposed to go as high 19 (that is nearly 70 for you Americans)! Maybe, for the kids’ sake it will hold off until after Halloween.
SOLD
