One day, you'll be just a memory for some people.  Do your best to be a good one.

The painting classes are going great!  The children are having a great time and working hard.  The biggest problem is stopping to take pictures of work completed but, here are a few to share.

Oil pastel on black construction paper. The following works of art were done by six year old children.
First they drew the parrot with the oil pastels then they blended the beak with their fingers, added leaves and filled the background with blue pastels.

On this project the six year old children worked with acrylic and paper.

First they painted the background with blue and white acrylic paint then added paper cutouts of birds on a branch and added detail. They turned out adorable!

The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.

We started our canvas classes!  We painted Vincent Van Gough Starry Night.  We started by painting the background with blue acrylic paint. Added the moon and stars, painted the valley then spent more time on the sky adding small brushstrokes to the wind swirls.  They all did a great job!

This was painted by  6 year old.

This was painted by a 9 year old.
 This was a great class I can't wait until next month.
I also started my weekly mixed media classes, we have been finishing several pieces every week.  We are having a real fun time playing with paint!

Life begins with COFFEE.  Put on some red lipstick and LIVE a little.

Well today I had my coffee around 6:00 pm and I still can't go to sleep!

Today I painted pink flowers in a vase.  The vase is mulberry paper painted with black acrylic.  The green background is a new acrylic color I purchased at Blick.com. I love the color but, I don't like the paint itself.  It's sticky and hard to work with. I purchased four colors it will take my a long time to used them up.

Painting classed at Hutchins Street Square have begun.  We are having a blast!  The kids are creating fabulous pieces!  I spend my weekend planning the lessons and playing with paint!

If you haven't grown up by age 50 You don't have to.

My first painting for 2013!

 My husband was kind enough to title this painting.  It's called "The Lie"
It represents my three sisters and I.  They are painted in the order of our birth, and the clothes are painted with our favorite colors except for Mary, she got a new color I ordered.
In reality we are a little chunkier with no necks but, its not meant to be realistic but whimsical and fun!
I used acrylics on canvas.
I will start the painting classes at Hutchins Street Square this Wednesday!  It's going to be so much fun!

Happy New Year!!!

2013

Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for a special occasion.  Sometimes the special occasion is that you've got a bottle of champagne in the fridge.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and may all your wishes come true.

I for one am exited to leave 2012 behind and start over with lots of plans for this year.

With the new year comes plans for the new year!

Weight loss plans (again)

Baking (mot for me, for other people)

Read more books

De clutter the house

Clean the garage

Play ping pong ( the stable has been stored in the garage for years. It will be used this year.)

Walk

Cook ( My husband has been doing all the cooking for me for the past four years.  It's been great and yummy but, with that came many, many extra pounds and not enough vegetables. So, I'm uns poiling myself  and back to the kitchen.)

Spend more time with friends and family,

Make more jewelry

Sell my jewelry on Etsy

Take some art workshops

Teach more art classes

Teach workshops

Paint more

Last but not least Blog,Blog, and Blog!

Oh and another party to plan! yes , for my husband of 30 years. Two years ago on January 21st, 2011 my husband Pete underwent a liver transplant and our lives were changed forever. I want to celebrate his life.

I'll keep you posted.

They say good things come to those who wait, so, I guess I'll be late.

My mom's birthday party was Saturday. It's finally behind me.  The plan was to take pictures of everything I cooked but, I was so busy in the kitchen I did not take any pictures to show you.  The party was a great success.  My mom was happy and that is what matters.  I could not have done it without my three sisters.

Well, not too much painting in December.  I practiced a batik technique using tempera paints, then again using acrylic paint.

 I sketched a Sunflower.

 I mixed the colors to make the brown center.

Yellow sunflower, blue sky, green stem. I painted around the lines.

Then applied India ink on the lines, let it dry then washed it off.  Most of the tempera paint came off with it.  So I went back and touched it up with watercolor.

This time I painted with acrylic paint making sure not to paint over the lines. Painted the lines with India ink and rinsed.

I liked using the acrylic best. next time I will let it dry for only 5 minutes, if you let it dry too long it's hard to come off. I did about 30 min.

 Yes, I have started a new collection!  It's art books.

  I can't wait to use these techniques with the kids!

When you Love what you have,

you have everything you need

This is my little corner of the world!
 and I brought Lola to work with me! A little splash of color on those white walls.  I painted Lola last week and decided to take her to work with me to brighten up my day.

Not a whole lot of painting done this week, actually, no painting done at all!  I should have known planning my mom's birthday party was going to take a chunk of my painting time but, it is so worth it.

I finished her invitations and they are ready to be sent out.