It’s a Lilac Monday

I took a walk around the neighborhood early Friday morning. 
It had rained overnight and making everything sparkle in the morning light.
The lilacs are at their height of bloom and their lush fragrance fills the air.
I took photos to share and will find the time to resize them for your viewing pleasure soon.
My iris are also starting to bud out.
Spring has arrived early in these here parts.
Typically, I don't get the iris opening up until June.

My husband and I had a lovely weekend, I hope it was as refreshing for you.
Have a Fabulous Monday!

Olive Egger Chicks update

Just a quick update for those loving all things chicken…
my Olive Egger chicks have integrated seamlessly in with the older hens.
You may remember them back in the day...
When they were so small they fit into a vintage teacup
And when they graduated to the brooder
Now they are looking so grown up..

They are even catching up to the older ladies in size.

I marked the Swedish Flower hen so you can see which one she is and how the chicks are nearly the same size.
It seems I have 3 roosters and 3 hens of the Olive Eggers.
Though 2 of the Roos have pea combs they are obviously much larger than the 3 hens.
Now I want to hatch some Cream Legbars or even just get some Easter Egger chicks for more blue eggs.
My current Easter eggers are getting older and I do love having a variety of colored eggs.

Aren’t they pretty…

Okay, enough chatter from me, off to work I go.
Have a wonderful day, it looks like it will be sunny after a couple days of rainy weather. 

Wasn’t April Great!

Here we are in May, with it’s unpredictable weather.
One day we are whipping out the shorts and tanks tops and the next we are tossing on cozy sweaters and jeans again.
But it will level out to mostly sunny and warm before we know it.
April was a very busy month and productive too.
Spring cleaning was on everyone’s mind.  I love clean windows, to me it just makes everything else seem to shine.
I started the month with a few tips and tricks to make window cleaning faster and easier.
FASTER AND EASIER WINDOW CLEANING, TIPS FROM A PRO

I am still working on my stairs.
Life is crazy and I rarely get to finish a project in one fell swoop but I did get another riser painted.

PAINTING THE STAIRS GERANIUMS

I painted away on signs and original paintings all month long to keep my art stocked at the Gallery.
I have been pleasantly surprised at the positive response to my art and sales have been brisk.
HAND PAINTED SIGNS AND ART

Have you tried my BUTTERMILK PANCAKES yet?
They are to die for.
I am always a hero when I make them.

Of course, I had my MONDAY INSPIRATIONS all month long.
Not sure how I got hooked on doing that but I have enjoyed hunting down photos to add inspirational quotes to among my vast library.

Now that sunny weather is going to be steady soon I am getting ready to tackle my garden.
I already have sugar snap peas going and my tomatoes are going strong in the greenhouse.
I have been letting the chickens free range and scratch up some areas I plan to plant in so they are getting a good going over.
I will be sure to share as I can.
Enjoy!

How I do hand Lettering for my signs

I have been asked a few times how I do the lettering on my hand painted signs. 
Since I had a special order sign to do I decided to make a video painting some lettering.


To just tell you with photos is really not going to help but I can say that I typically print out the wording, transfer to my surface (sign) with graphite paper and then fill in with brush strokes. 

I did both a script or cursive video and a block print video then spliced them together to get one video for both types of lettering.
This sign below is the one I used for the print demo and the sign above for the script or cursive. 

I can’t claim to improving much in the video department, I still get my pallet in the way, my audio level changes with which way I am facing as I paint and I at times get my hand in the way of the camera but I do think you will come away with a general idea of how I get my lettering painted.
To see the video just click on either photo above, which will open another window, or CLICK HERE.

Check back in soon and I will share some signs I painted up to put in the Gallery and another painting video I am editing now for your viewing pleasure.
Have a great rest of the weekend!

 

Be Positive, It’s a Monday Inspiration

Yep, its another Monday, with a fabulously sunny and warm week predicted.

Make the most of it. 
Today I go to the mountain and clean.  I needed some positive vibes today as I really wanted to paint!

enjoy your Monday!

For a higher resolution of the above photo to download,

CLICK HERE

Just Painting Some Custom Signs

So how do you like my Fishing sign? 
I probably would never have thought to paint a Rainbow trout if someone had not requested it.
I intend to do another for the Gallery, it will look great with the other fishing items available.
There are water color fishing flies, a fly fisherman in a creek and even a clay fish business card holder.
Oh and I can't forget the fabulous vintage fishing creels.
Somebody decorating a cabin in a fishing theme will have a great time picking out some lovely stuff.

I have a few special orders to get painted too, this is the last one I shipped out this past week.
I am glad people like my roses since I get a lot of enjoyment painting roses.

I think I am finished with the birds, nest and basket painting.
What do you think?
I am not impressed with the bird on the left hand side but I have worked and worked and I can't seem to get happy with him.

Even though a late snow has beat all my tulips to a pulp I did manage to get a few photos to remind me they really did get to bloom. 

They were gorgeous...

But now my fear is we will get a freeze and it will destroy all my clematis buds...

This one is just loaded, so is my peach tree, my plum tree and all my roses.  One hard freeze will ruin them all and it looks like it may happen tonight.
Then by this coming Wednesday it may reach 80 degrees.  Freaky weather.
We picked up some more straw today so I do intend to work on the straw bale raised bed sometime this week....I hope.
Until next time...

A Day at the Gallery

As many of you already know I have joined a local co-op Gallery to showcase my paintings and signs in.
I work in the gallery one day every other week and today was that day.
While there I took some photos to share…
just to give you an idea of what is available. 
It changes frequently as things come and go but it does give you glimpse.
We have some really talented artisans that make furniture….
unique furniture like this barrel stave bench..

and these tables and chairs are made from reclaimed redwood pickle barrels or water tower lumber.

There is an eclectic mix of vendors in our co-op…
I love the variety…we have vintage textiles…
I am constantly tempted by these vintage table cloths…

and there is a lot of choices.

We also have some fused glass artists…I had never heard of that before joining this venture, so I am always learning something new.

That is only one of many glass items..plus we have much more but I will share that for another day.

One thing I enjoy about working in the gallery is meeting the customers.
Talking with them and listening to them as they walk through helps me see what they like and get ideas of what I may l want to paint next.
This is one of my larger painting/signs that sold today,  on my website or in a photo you just don’t get the full effect. 

It has been a very popular piece and I have been told several times that people wanted to buy it as a gift for someone. 
The others will be very disappointed it is not available anymore but I shall paint another similar and hope it turns out as well.
So tomorrow I will endeavor to get a lot of painting done and just enjoy creating.
I wish everyone else a great Friday!
Bye until next time, when I hope to have some fabulous paintings to share.