A Childhood Favourite

When I was little my mom had this set of Noddy books that were a mix of books she and her sisters had from their childhood and, I presume, new ones that she collected for me. Now they sit on a bookshelf in my son's room and we've read through them about three times, some books even more. I even went so far as to buy the ones we were missing so now we have a complete set! The books are dated in some ways... kind of leave an uncomfortable feeling in places, but we sort of edit as we read. Anyway... the point... Chris found a dvd at the library of an animated Noddy series and we thought we'd share them with our son. Tonight as I was getting ready to paint I put it in the dvd player just to see (since we haven't gotten around to watching anything this week). It's always weird to see a beloved group of book characters on the screen. Nothing ever seems quite how you'd imagine it to be. However, it was fun and I'm sure that if our son watched it he'd probably like it. One of the episodes had Sly and Gobbo Goblin in it. They're often the "bad guys" though rather inept. I decided that I would use them as inspiration for tonight's painting.

The painting is a goblin, somewhat like the ones on the series, though not exactly since I had turned it off by the time I actually got to painting. I made his skin green... not sure why, but I did. When I was done I thought his expression was of jealousy... and I think that fits since one episode (yes I watched more than one) the goblins were envious of Noddy's car and stole it. Then, they drove it through town to show off. D'oh. As I said, inept. I called the painting "Jealousy" to go with the goblin's expression.

It's a 4x5 stretched canvas and painted with acrylics as usual. It's pretty simple, and I don't think I got the body quite right, but I like the way the face turned out. Maybe I'll do some more goblins at some point. Makes for good practice for emotions and expressions. :)

I hope everyone is well and happy. For now, I'll bid you good night. It feels like it ought to be Thursday, but it's not. Good thing too or I'd be short a few paintings! Until tomorrow...

All Caught Up

Phew... that feels better. I finished last night's painting and did one for tonight. I even, in a burst of productivity, did one ahead of time for while we're on our trip. Whee!

So, last night's painting is now done, it's a 4x12 stretched canvas, and it's called "Ink". Chris, once again, helped out with the title. It's white, black and red, and he said it reminded him of ink running down. So, there you go... I had a bunch of different ideas of what it made me think of, but nothing titular came to mind so we went with "Ink".

Tonight's painting, and the one ahead of time, are kind of a set. Obviously they can be sold separately, but they are almost identical. I did owls. I have wanted to try to paint some owls in a tree for weeks and weeks but just never had a good mental picture. Tonight I went with clean and simple. Oh, and I used my thumbprint for all but one of the owls. The littlest one is my index finger. So, I guess if you want to try framing me for something you should buy this painting. :) Tonight's painting is called "What A Hoot" and the one for later is "Night Owls". At least I make myself smile... I'm sure there are people out there groaning right now.

In other news, my gnomes have not come home and I doubt that they ever will. This makes me sad... but life goes on. Maybe, just maybe, they are magic and did get up and walk away on their own. Send a postcard! We got some more planting done in the backyard and the generosity of our neighbours continues to amaze me. Not only does Mike mow our lawn from time to time, but when Chris returned the garden rake I borrowed Patricia gave him some plant cuttings for our garden. Daisies!! They are very lovely people and I can't tell you how lucky we are on this street. Great people live all around us and we enjoy chatting and spending time with them all. The kids are great, my daughter has a tooth (can't remember if I already mentioned that though I probably did) and my son is on the mend. No more medication and he is having less tantrums so that is good news too. Now if only I could manage to get to the gym, eat less chocolate, and get to bed before eleven... can't win 'em all. :)

I want to encourage everyone to do something neighbourly this week. Get to know the people who live around you... if you don't already. Community is important and I think too often it's easy to lose sight of that. I'm a pretty friendly person and I really like chatting with neighbours because that's how they become friends. So, get out there and chat... the summer is fast approaching and it's a great time to be outside with friends and family. Have fun!

To Be Continued

Ok... today is a perfect example of how procrastination and poor planning equal an unfinished painting. Bah. I'm so not happy with myself at all. I was waffling about going to the Cabaret Serpentine show at the casino tonight (belly dance for those of you not in the know). Finally decided to go... but inconveniently forgot that if I went I wouldn't have time to paint after supper like I usually do. Big oops! So... got home around ten and started a painting. Well... the background is still not dry. Not good. I guess I could have done something quick on a super little canvas, but that felt kind of like cheating... it's my fault I didn't paint this afternoon while the kids were having their quiet time. I don't know what I was thinking... or not thinking in this case!

So... long story short, I apologize, but I did not finish a canvas today. I do know what it will look like and it will be finished tomorrow along with another painting so that I stay up to date. Not very impressed with myself, but on the up side, it was a pretty cool show and I'm glad I went. Saw some friends, saw some great dancing (Colleena Shakti, you are amazing), and to be honest, saw some stuff I really wish I hadn't... but that's just how it goes sometimes. Besides... it takes courage to perform so kudos to the dancers. All of them not just my favourites. :)

Now there's something to think about... maybe in general day to day life we should be more tolerant and forgiving of others... we don't know what it's taking for them to get out the door in the morning. So many people have stuff going on that we aren't privy to... maybe we should forgive that harried person for cutting us off in traffic, or the grumpy gus on the bus... we don't know their story and maybe it's taking a lot of courage or strength for them to get through their day. Give someone the benefit of the doubt. Good night.

Ah Hindsight...

Is it just me, or does hindsight show up waving a big sign saying "I told you so" far too often? Why, oh why can't it come to the party a little earlier? Oh wait... that's why it's HINDsight. Bah. Lesson learned this evening: Do the background first... even if you think it can be worked around. Especially if you have wet paint and a time crunch.

Sigh.

Ah well, my painting is ok in the end... just would have been easier and tidier to do the whole background first. Whoever said I wanted to make life easier for myself though? Ha. I laugh in the face of a challenge... I chuckle at wet smeary paint... I, um, ok, not so much chuckle as cringe and wipe madly at it trying to fix it before it's a bigger mess. Lesson learned.

Today's painting is called "Little Kitty". It's on a 4x6 board and it has a primary colour background (looks better than it sounds) and a black cat. It's a doodle of a cat that I've been painting for years. In fact, my inlaws have a painting with a similar cat. Well, at least I think they do... maybe we have it and they have the dogs... it's late and I'm not so sure. Well, anyway... not the point. I like the doodle so it ended up in the year's work. :)

Just want to say a quick hello and thank you to the wonderful people at Wizard Optical down on Spring Garden Road (Halifax, NS). You guys are awesome and thank you SO much for fixing my glasses for me today even though you aren't even open on Saturdays (oops). I was lucky that John and Tracy were there doing inventory... and that I must have looked quite stressed (well my little girl did mangle my specs quite thoroughly). Anyway... they opened the doors and helped me out. So... thank you!! Next time I make fudge I'll bring some by for you guys. Oh, and if anyone local is looking for a place to go with great... no, fantastic service (and excellent prices too)... then go to Wizard Optical. Really. :)

Anyway... it's just a few minutes shy of midnight (again) and I'm going to fall asleep or continue to type random thoughts... so I will opt for sleep and save you all from my babbling. Have a great day and give someone you love a hug. Good night!

Blackjack! Week 21 Pictures

I am constantly amazed at the speed of time. It seems that if one takes on a daily project, life just accelerates more and more with each passing day. I seriously could not believe that today was the 27th of May. Already?! Oh my... of course, then I foolishly stop to think about the implications of that realization. My kids will be starting daycare in August... if it's the end of May, then they'll only be home with me full time for another two months (and a bit). Well, didn't I just start to sob. Luckily my husband, Chris, is very good at dealing with me when I suddenly burst into tears when I was just happy and joking a moment earlier. No, I'm not nuts... and it's not a daily occurrence... but at least he knows the best thing to do is just give me a hug and calm me down again. I have some lingering guilt about putting my daughter in daycare at a younger age than my son... seems like I'm ripping her off somehow. Now, I was in daycare at a very early age because my Mom was a single parent and had to go to work. Plus, we have waaaay better maternity leave now than thirty years ago. I figure, I turned out relatively ok (hehe) so my kids will be just fine. :) I'll probably be the bigger crybaby when daycare starts... my son is doing a once a week for two hours preschool thing now and he is very cool about it. No problem at all... so I know he'll be fine. My little girl... well, let's just say things are great in her world if I'm at her beck and call. I went to the college today for an info session and my wonderful neighbour babysat. When I got back she crawled right on over (at turbo speed) and clung to me like a cute little limpet. My son, who has been tantrum/raging lately was all smiles at first... big hugs and happy face. Then he got mad. I think he was mad at me for leaving but couldn't quite figure out what was happening. It improved quickly though. :)

Wow... ok, so most of you will probably just skip over all that babbling about my life... hehehe. Sorry, but once I get typing... anyone who has had to listen to one of my rambling answering machine messages will totally understand the beginning of this post!

Tonight's painting is a 5x7 stretched canvas piece called "Bond Fire". Chris suggested the name as a play on bonfire. My sister-in-law Alexis said she likes my figures... and I realized it's been awhile since I've done any... so I made these little fire creatures and had them dancing around a little bonfire. They're all holding "hands" so that's probably why Chris said "bond". Anyway... it's down below and I hope you like it.

Here are the seven paintings from this week... click on the titles to go to the day's posting if you want to read more of my life story and so on. Enjoy!

May 21 - Eonglass

May 22 - Toxicity

May 23 - Floating Away

May 24 - Chocoholics Anonymous

May 25 - Dandelions

May 26 - Sand Dunes

May 27 - Bond Fire

Surprise Inspiration

Well... today was a much better day. Only a few toddler tantrum scuffles... nothing like the full-on blowups so we're good. All in all things are good on the home front. Kids are happy, getting healthier... Chris and I are healthy and happy... what more can one ask for?

Tonight I went to a memorial for a really lovely lady who used to live on our street. She was always so nice and easy to talk to and her sudden passing was pretty hard to take. We weren't especially close, but we were looking forward to getting to know her better with the warm weather. We all seem to stay house-bound during the winter... the occasional wave is about it... but spring and summer sees the street burst to life. It's really a great street to live on!

I think one of the photos in the slide show influenced my painting tonight. I watched the slide show twice and the beach photo stuck in my mind. I didn't really make that connection until just now.... but when I was done painting and trying to come up with a name for it Chris asked what I had in mind when I was painting. I said something about nature, and wind and sky and sea... he said it reminded him a bit of time lapse grass in the wind. I said something about sand dunes and the grasses there... so I called it "Sand Dunes". Just now I realized that my neighbour was at the beach among the waving sand grasses. So, maybe that's why I painted what I did tonight. It was more or less just instinctual painting rather than a form or a scene. I just picked up paints that seemed right to me and let it be what it would be. Interesting results I'd say. So... this one is for my neighbour who was gone too soon. We miss you, and Happy Birthday.

Good night...

Shan-Delions

I had a nice long chat with my friend Shannon this evening while painting. She suggested I paint some dandelions when they're all white seed thingies. So, I gave it a shot. I usually call Shannon "Shan" and I was tempted to call the painting Shandelions, but Chris and I figured no one else would understand, so I went with the conventional and unoriginal "Dandelions". It's a 4x6 board and has five white dandelions on it. I can't say I did too well with the leaves though. Meh, can't win 'em all.

Today was another trying day with my son... a two and a half hour tantrum this morning... are we sure duct tape is a bad idea? Yes... definitely a bad idea though certainly tempting at especially trying moments.

I also squeezed in a trip to the gym tonight and am feeling pretty good now... a little sore, but sitting down and painting is a calming way to end my day. Sitting on the heated massage chair mat thing my brother gave us last Christmas doesn't hurt either! I often just turn on the heat because it's chilly in the basement, but every now and then when I'm all done painting the lumbar massage gets switched on too. Feels good. :)

So, all in all a very busy day. Now I'm off to bed. But, before I go, if anyone has any painting ideas please send them my way... I'm spending more time staring at blank white canvas than before. I worry my paintings are getting repetitive and boring. So, please help me spice them up again! :)

Good night!

Late Start Tonight

Tonight I got off to a very late start... went to the gym for my usual class (love it!) and then picked up a few groceries on the way home. Then Chris and I got into a longish discussion about our son and his recent behaviour. Seems we disagree a bit on how to approach trying to change it. I'm sure lots of parents out there disagree from time to time about how to discipline their children. There are always new articles, passed along advice, various methods and so on. It's hard to know what is "right" or even if there is a "right" way. Plus... every kid is different! In general today was better than yesterday... less outbursts.. but there were a couple of scuffles. He just ramps himself right up to hysteria and it's hard to calm him down not to mention stay calm ourselves! I know this is totally off the painting topic, but it's a huge part of my life right now and it's impacting my project a little too. If anyone has a tip please feel free to pass it along. No promises that I'll agree with you, but it's nice to hear that others go through this too and with luck it will pass. I'm not even sure it doesn't have to do with his ear infection. Once before he got sick and his behaviour changed quite a bit until he felt better. Maybe we'll be lucky and it'll pass once he's all healthy again. Here's hoping.

Anyway... due to this discussion I didn't start painting until just after 10pm. It's now after 11 and I'm quite tired. I chose a very small canvas, a 3x5 board for tonight in hopes that whatever happens will be completed before midnight! I called it "Chocoholics Anonymous" partly because it looks like chocolate, there's a subtle-ish heart shape worked in, and partly because I'm so the emotional eater type. I have a hard day and I always want to reach for chocolate. Trying to curb the impulse... but some days get the better of me. I need to find more homes for the fudge that's in my kitchen! Any takers? I'll even mail it to you... maybe the new reader in New Zealand? Welcome by the way. :)

So, yeah... it's a bit of a bumpy ride these days but we will get through it. I like having this project to ground me a little. No matter how bad I think it's getting I  know that somewhere out there someone else is having a really hard time. If I can stop and focus on the positives of my life (and there are many) then I can rearrange my perspective and be happy. Oh, and put down the chocolate. :) One of the positives is that together we can support the Children's Wish Foundation and help a lot of kids out there. Let's make life a little better for these kids and for each other.

I'd best be off... must stop rambling on at any rate. Good night around the world. Thanks for reading and for sharing this blog with your friends and family.

Today Was Not A Good Day

Ok... now I know, cosmically I have it really great. On the whole we're all healthy, have a roof over our heads, live in a country that I'm proud of (most of the time) and in general we're very happy. I also have this project which makes me happy and feel good. However.... This morning started with a freak out from my son (Chris didn't even say a word and he just started into a temper tantrum/meltdown). Then I discovered my four garden gnomes had been stolen. They were in the front garden and someone or some people walked right up to my house and took them. Who does that?? I still feel terrible about it. I posted some signs asking for them to be returned but I'm not  holding my breath. Then, I whack my head against the roof rack on our car... still not used to it... and you know, a few more freak outs from my son later it's bedtime. I do not know what's gotten into him! He has an ear infection but wow the difference in his temperament is night and day. I just don't know what to do anymore.

Complaint over... good thing: my little girl (who has switched from grumpy to full-on adorable and sweet) climbed up our stairs all by herself for the very first time. Twice. We were right behind her of course... but she did it! Now we really have to be vigilant about closing the gate. :)

Tonight's painting is called "Floating Away" and is an 8x10 canvas. It's those fun leaves again... but the background is blue and I was thinking of water when I did the texturing. So... Chris said given the water idea it looked like the leaves were floating on the surface. I think it's neat. I like doing this kind of painting (obviously) and I think people like the way it turns out too. Hope so. :)

Final funny moment of the day... Chris came downstairs to see me and noticed I had a streak of paint on my nose. He thought I knew it was there. I didn't. I am not sure how it ended up there... it looks like I took a small brush and painted a line on my nose. Very strange.

Here's hoping that Karma is in effect and the people who nicked my gnomes get their comeuppance. And hopefully I'll start to see some good stuff come my way. I'm hoping for my daughter's teeth to finally come through (poor teething baby) and my son to feel better and be happier. As for me... I'd love it if my gnomes mysteriously came home in the night. Time will tell. :)

Good night everyone!

Six Years!

Today is my sixth wedding anniversary! Sometimes it amazes me how fast time flies by. Thanks to Chris for being ever wonderful and supportive... even if he doesn't read my blog that often. :) I guess with a front row seat he doesn't miss much!

We're still having some ups and big huge downs with our son's temper. I wonder, is this typical of all three year olds? Or are we doing something wrong??? We had a better ratio of Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde today... but the day ended with a massive meltdown. Sigh. I think that may have translated a little into tonight's painting.

Ok. A lot.

I did a 4x5 canvas and called it "Toxicity". I wasn't feeling particularly happy at the time of painting it... but it was a bit cathartic and I feel better now. It's sort of a mix of colours that matched my mood, combined with some texture-ish brushstrokes and topped off with a fine blue spatter. The title comes from the bright green that's mixed in with it. Sort of a toxic green. Or something. Anyway... I liked the end result and I think it's interesting. So... there you are. Art as therapy. :)

Have a good day tomorrow if you're lucky enough (like us) to have it off. Yay for British Queens and their birthdays. Good night all!

Still Here...

Hmm... guess that Rapture thing didn't go off as planned. Ah well... we'll just keep on painting and living and hopefully spreading some happiness through the world anyway. :)

Tonight... or should I say last night, since it's after midnight here... I painted "Eonglass"... Chris came up with the title and suggested the subject matter. It's on a 4x12 canvas (the same as "Malley") and is an hourglass filled with stars. So... instead of an hour passing, it's more like an eon. It's an interesting idea anyway. :)

Nothing much new to report except that technically, given the hour, it's my anniversary! Six years. :) Maybe I'll do something all mushy and romantic for the 22nd's painting. What can I say? I'm a lucky girl, and a hopeless romantic. :) Now off to bed for me. Good night!

Week TWENTY - 140 Paintings!!

I find that number very hard to believe... 140. And yet... it's true. I'm a little stunned and almost speechless.

Mind you... for anyone who knows me personally... you'll know that speechless and me don't generally go together. :) I think it's only happened about three or four times. Ever.

Tonight's painting was supposed to be all autumn colours and a bunch of maple leaves floating around. It didn't quite work out that way. So, instead I went with hearts. Why? Because love is important in life. When things get you down, it's nice to remember that someone loves you. Be it a friend, family member, partner, stranger... I think that everyone has at least one person who loves them. Chris suggested the bubbles, so I called it "Heart Bubbles". I think it's kind of like the uplifting floaty feeling we sometimes get when we're in love. It's so tenuous though. Just like soapy bubbles... sometimes they pop, sometimes they float away. Every now and then you get to catch one ever so gently in  your hands and look at the swirling colours. It's magic.

Hmm... I'm waxing poetic about love and bubbles... maybe I'd best stop here and get on with the pictures. :)

Here are the seven pictures of this week... week 20! Enjoy!

May 14 - Slowpoke

May 15 - Eclipse

May 16 - Time & Space

May 17 - Patience

May 18 - Gouldian Finch

May 19 - Finger painting

May 20 - Heart Bubbles

SUN! Beautiful, Wonderful Sun!!

I enjoyed it while it was here, though I fear we're back to that wet drizzly stuff tomorrow. Ah Spring... at least my grass is green and the trees and hedges are sprouting leaves. But... plants need sun to grow as well... so let's keep it around longer than 12 hours ok?

In other news... my son, who has had a fever for the past two days, complained today about his ear hurting. Off we went to the walk in (would have probably gone tomorrow anyway if he still had a temperature) and sure enough, he has an ear infection. Poor kiddo... apparently I had them every other week when I was little. So, he was Mr. Cranky Pants at times, snuggly at times, a discombobulated young man who, freakishly for him wanted to go to bed and "have a rest" rather than eat his favourite lunch of peanut butter & jam. Wow. When he declines PB&J in favour of sleep you know he's sick! We have meds now, so in about ten days he should be good to go. No swimming this week though. My little girl is fine... still coughing a bit, but otherwise ok. I swear between the two of them they've been sick non-stop since Christmas! Whenever it starts to get to me though, I try to remember that it's just a cold, or a minor infection... it could be worse, and it is worse for some. So, I focus on the positives and remember that overall, we're good. :)

Ok, on to painting... now that I've spilled my personal life out there... tonight I did a 3x5 board entirely without brushes. I have been thinking about fingerpainting a canvas for awhile and tonight I thought I'd give it a go. I painted it all white first, then dabbed on some blue and yellow and just set to smushing. Eventually it got a bit of shape... but not much really. I tried to keep some areas blue or yellow, and others green... then I got into some circular shapes. It's a bit unfocussed really... more of an experiment. In hindsight, a larger canvas might work better... and maybe not a white background. We'll see... I'll probably give it another whirl later on.

I hope all you fellow Nova Scotians enjoyed the brief respite from the wet stuff (apparently "rain" is a four letter word). Keep in mind... it's only water and we do not have to shovel it! I remember once in university, I was walking through Waterloo Park and it was pouring. I, as usual, did not have an umbrella or any appropriate rain gear at all. I did, however, have the attitude that once I had resigned myself to getting wet (since it really wasn't avoidable) that it wasn't so bad after all. So, I had a big smile on my face... much to the surprise of the gentleman who passed me by, all hunched into his raincoat and umbrella. He commented on my smile and I figured I'd share my rain philosophy. I do believe he started to smile as well. So... next time you're caught in the rain (oops, that word again) go jump in a puddle and enjoy it! Good night!

A Bird For Nanny & Erin

Tonight I painted a bird. A Gouldian Finch to be exact... well, as exact as my first attempt at a bird can be! The title of this post is A Bird For Nanny & Erin.... Nanny was my grandmother and she passed away in April. The book of bird pictures that I took the idea from was hers. My sister gave it to me when I was down for the funeral. I'm not a birdwatcher or anything... but I wanted something of Nanny's and I thought that would be handy for this project, so there you go. It's also a painting in honour of my friend Erin because she is into birds. At one point, several years ago, I had two zebra finches. I can't remember if she gave them to me (babies from her birds) or if I bought them myself... but for a time I had birds in my house. The Gouldian Finch is obviously not the same as a Zebra Finch... but they're finches and I liked the colours, so. Hope you like it Erin... :)

Oh, the title is, unoriginally, "Gouldian Finch". Yup... I know... not exactly snappy or artsy title, but what can you do? At least this way I'll remember what kind of bird it's supposed to be later if someone asks. :) It's a 5x7 stretched canvas. I like it... I've got a few other bird ideas for future paintings too. If you have a favourite... let me know and I will do my best.

Otherwise... have a lovely evening!

Very Suspicious...

Well, on the one hand I am absolutely thrilled with the huge spike in views today... putting the blog view total over 3000. But, I'll admit to being a little suspicious since it was all at one particular time of day, and one post. I do hope that someone didn't just go and hit reload a bunch of times. I want the views to reflect what really is happening. Anyway... if it really was about fifty people then Fantastic!!

Tonight I did a 4x5 canvas of... yup, another daisy. Seems I just can't help myself! No, I'm not trying to hint to my husband... though we are celebrating our sixth anniversary this weekend. :) I have plans! :) I called tonight's painting "Patience" and I'm not sure why, but it's what came into my head as I was looking at it. I think we all need patience... some of us (me!) more than others. My kids help me work on patience every day... ;) Otherwise... just remember, that which is worth most is less easy to get. Or something like that. I'm sure I read a much more profound version of that statement... but it's true. The stuff that we want to have happen is usually the stuff we can't rush. You've got to work for some things in order to appreciate them.

I hope the next time I need to be patient I will remember that thought. Good night!

My Candle Needs Six Ends

Have you ever heard the expression "burning a candle at both ends"? Yeah, that's kind of how I've been feeling lately. I'm definitely the sort of person who takes on an inhuman amount of tasks, projects & activities, then wonders why I'm so tired all the time. Ah well... you only live once! Today, my eyes just would not stay open. First my baby girl decided to wake up early and refused to go back to sleep until just before our usual wake up time... then my son wanted a snuggle... and I pretty much fell asleep again. So, a delayed start to our day, much thanks to my little guy for letting me snooze a bit longer! Then, while the kids were having nap/quiet time I pretty much conked out on the couch. Just could not keep those eyes open a minute longer. My sweetie quietly went upstairs to do some computer work and let me sleep. He's a great guy! Now... it's eleven pm and I'm finally blogging before bed. On the plus side, I did have a good day with the kids, my wonderful honey was home just after lunchtime, and we made a quick trip out to get some stuff for our road trip this summer. So... all in all, it was a good day!

Ok... my babbling is back under control... tonight's painting is a 5x7 board, and after staring blankly at it for awhile Chris suggested some kind of a clock. Probably since we noticed a funky tire clock in the automotive section at Canadian Tire today. So... that's what I did. It's Dali-inspired, sort of, with stars, and no numbers of any obvious kind... well, I called it "Time & Space" and when you see the picture on Friday that will make more sense. Chris really likes it and I think it turned out pretty well too. :) Always nice when you like your own art... but better when someone else does too.

We're getting closer to 3000... I'm hoping that we make it there before picture day... ok, I'm obsessed with the numbers, it's true. But I can't help feeling like more people are reading and being affected by the idea that we can do something to make the world a better place for others (and ourselves) and it doesn't have to be some grand gesture... or cost a whole lot... it just has to be from the heart and mean something to you. I hope we can all try to make someone's day better tomorrow... it really doesn't take much. :)

Mid-May!

Ok... is it really the middle of May already?? Time is just flying by. I looked at the calendar today and realized I'm currently working on week 20 of the project. Week Twenty! If this were a pregnancy I'd be going for an ultrasound. (That was one of the highlights of pregnancy for me) So, by Friday I'll have 140 paintings done. No, they're not all masterpieces... in fact, probably none of them are... but I like the majority of them so I'm feeling pretty good about it all. :)

Tonight's painting is called "Eclipse", it's a 5x5 canvas using black, white and red paint. Hard to explain since it's all weird and abstract-y... but I like the way the paint swirls into each other and blends a bit here and there. It's a neat effect and part of why I like paint so much.

A little personal tidbit... my son is reading! Really reading... some word recognition and some sounding things out. He doesn't get everything right (English is a very bizarre language in some ways) but he's trying and he's really getting it. I am so ridiculously proud of him. I keep telling him how reading opens the whole world up to him and I'm thrilled that he's so into his books. All day long he asks for stories, and half the time, if he's quiet, it's because he's sitting on the couch with a book on his lap paging through it. He doesn't nap all the time, and usually those times there are three or more books neatly at the foot of his bed. It's amazing and wonderful and I hope all parents out there read to their kids. It's such a great life skill... and it's great for self-entertainment. Maybe next time I do a project for a cause I'll find a literacy group to support. Hug a friend and read a book. :)

Well... until tomorrow... I'm off to bed (where I will be reading for a bit to wind down). Good night!

WOW! 2900!!

Ok... I'm officially amazed and ecstatic! That's a whole lot of people checking into the blog! Very exciting. :)

So, tonight I decided that since "Malley" got some good reviews, I would go with the animal theme a bit longer and do a painting of a long-standing stock doodle of mine. It's a little puppy... I started doodling it years ago... probably going on a decade now. Have never painted it... no idea why not, just didn't. So, when I did Jessie's cat I figured I could do a dog too. Definitely easier to doodle than paint... but it turned out ok. I called it "Slowpoke" in honour of a childhood book, The Poky Little Puppy. My son went through a phase of that being one of his favourites... so I practically have it memorized! It's a 4x5... just in case anyone is curious. :)

If anyone wants me to attempt a painting of their pet, or favourite subject matter, you need only ask. I promise nothing other than I'll do my best. :)

Again... I'm so very happy and touched that so many people are visiting this blog and learning more about my project. I want to share this with the world and hopefully help a whole lot of kids to get their wishes granted. Anyone can do something to help someone else... even if it's just smiling at someone when you pass them by, you'll probably improve the world just a little. Spread the Happy!! Good night!

Nineteen Weeks!

First off, my apologies for not posting yesterday... seems Blogger was doing some maintenance and it took a lot longer than they probably thought. Oh well... yesterday I painted a 4x6 board and called it "Blue Moon", and today, in honour of one of the most amazing teenagers I have ever had the privilege to meet, a 3x12 (odd size I know, but how could I resist the 3 pack?) "Malley". Happy Birthday Jessie! Hope you and your boy have many years of happiness to come.

Now... on the week's work:

May 7 - Spring Sunset

May 8 - Pretty In Pink

May 9 - Frogbot

May 10 - Daisy Doodle

May 11 - Bliss

May 12 - Blue Moon

May 13 - Malley

Do I Sense A Trend?

Hmmm... just like our dear Mother Nature, I seem to be hitting a jag of unoriginality. I painted daisies again tonight... but this time on a 4x6 board with a black background and hopefully some texture. I think the colours pop quite nicely and the simplicity, to me, is appealing. It's just three tall daisy stems standing together. I called it "Bliss" for no particular reason save that it popped into my head. Naming paintings is harder than painting them!

Here's hoping that the rain changes to sunshine and I too find inspiration down another avenue. Not that I don't like daisies... believe me, I do... but sometimes you need something to shake you up a bit.

Hello to the reader(s) in Australia, the latest country to make an appearance on the stats page. Always wonderful to see new people are taking a peek at the project. Thanks to everyone who is reading regularly, semi-regularly, or even just a one-off. I appreciate it!

Until tomorrow... good night!

Daisies Again

I love daisies. They are by far my favourite flower. They're simple, inexpensive to purchase, whimsical, and fun. Oh, and they smell pretty and photograph nicely. They are also the subject of tonight's painting.

I used the gel medium on a 3x5 board to make a purple and pink background complete with lots of bumpy texture. Then reversed the daisy image in to show the mix of solid colour and/or white of the underlayer. Much like the Fire Flowers and Burning Blossoms... only smaller. I think I like the larger canvasses better, but that may be my personal preference for warm colours. Anyway... it's little and fun.

I should probably mention that the prices posted for the paintings are merely suggested prices. If you want to discuss it with me, feel free. They'll go down if we auction the paintings off later in the year... but if you want one for sure then it's higher. Kind of like the "Buy it now" option on Ebay. :) My email again: jcope18@yahoo.com or you can leave a comment anywhere on the blog and I'll know it pretty much right away.

Ok... I'm off to bed... good night!!

Frogbot!

Ok... so my son is requesting robots to colour a lot these days... Chris then draws a robot cartoon character of his own making on the sketch pad and my son colours it in. Tonight, after staring blankly at my canvas, Chris suggested doing a robot. So, why not? I asked him to doodle one for me to use as inspiration and there we had Frogbot. Chris, hands down, is the better drawer of the two of us... I'll tackle the camera and the paints, but he is much better with charcoal, pen, crayon etc. His drawing is much cuter than my painting... but it's still whimsical and fun. Perhaps we'll bring Frogbot back with fun situations. His introduction is pretty plain really... keeping it simple and clean for now. :)

Thanks again to the staff at Michael's for the discount and continued support! I bought pretty much all of the small canvasses, two paintbrushes (since I'm putting a lot of mileage on the ones I have) and two tubes of paint in bright colours. I now have pink paint in my collection. Me. Pink. Not two things that would normally go together, but Natalie's canvas yesterday was inspiring me to use more pink. There you go Nat... you'll have a lingering impression in my project. :)

Have a great evening everyone who is reading. :) If you're not, well, you're missing out on all of my ramblings... ah the joy of a late night post. Good night!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there and to the ones who are in our hearts.

I still have a hard time believing I *am* a Mom!! Still seems a bit unreal at times! So full of love and those two little monkeys make my heart fill up with joy. You know, when they're not driving me crazy. :) Nothing like hearing "I love you Mom" from your little one.

Tonight I painted my largest canvas yet... it's a 10x12. I said I wasn't going over 8x10, but this one I bought at my friend Natalie's going away yard sale. She had painted a pink background and nothing more so was selling it. I figured I'd buy it and continue where she left off. I did a paisley, flower, sunburst design on it and called it "Pretty In Pink". I quite like it and it's pretty different from my other stuff. I like to experiment from time to time. :) Ok... all the time!

Getting some reservations in for paintings... my apologies if I don't update the catalogue as quickly as possible. I'll try to do it nightly if needed. If you have put in a request and don't see "Res'd" next to the title please let me know... I've probably written it down somewhere on a piece of paper (high tech filing system of course) and haven't transferred it properly. I am doing my best though... and I'll keep on top of it as much as possible. Otherwise... just painting away over here. :) If you have requests or suggestions pass those along as well. I'll see what I can do. :)

Otherwise, this tired mommy is going off to bed. Good night!

Busy Day!

Well, what a day... usually Saturdays are for catching up on house stuff, running errands, and getting some family time in. Today we went out to a friend's yard sale (she's moving away), followed by a quick lunch at home and then nap time (which wasn't overly successful). Then we packed up the family and headed for the pool for a swim. Getting to the pool and into the pool is not that hard really... but out of it again? Trying to get dry and changed while juggling stuff and wet kids is tricky. I thought we had a pretty good system... but Chris thought we had a different plan... well, combine a misunderstanding and a cranky, unslept toddler and you have a less than good ending to an outing. Well, everyone emerged dry and dressed and we headed for home. Oh, as a bonus, my daughter and I popped into the library and picked up a few books at their sale. Yay! Home for supper, some playtime, and then the kids were popped into bed a little early. Clean up the kitchen, water the new plants, tidy up a bit, prep some stuff for tomorrow (no I won't be sleeping in) and then downstairs for some painting. How is it already quarter to ten?? The day goes by so fast. But... even with all the ups and downs, I have to say I'm in a great mood and have two wonderful kids. On this eve of Mother's Day I think I'm incredibly lucky. Did I say incredibly?? Consider it an understatement of epic proportions. :)

So... tonight's painting is a 4x5 stretched canvas and it's a tree (yup, another one). I called it Spring Sunset because there aren't any leaves on the tree yet, but the grass is green (like our front lawn), and the air looks to be warming up even as the sun sets. I think it looks like warm summer days to come.

Oh, and the other big accomplishment of the day is I finished the catalogue of paintings for January - April. It will be updated when paintings get reserved and/or sold, so if you have a favourite let me know! A link to the catalogue can be found on the right-hand side of the page below links to the two galleries of paintings. Hope you find it helpful!

And now... to bed... or Mother's Day will find me awake and at the computer. :) Good night! Hug a mom tomorrow!

Catalogue of Paintings

January (click on the month to go to the gallery)

1       Night Sky                      4x5                  17       Night Flight                5x7     SOLD

2       Fireworks                      8x8    SOLD   18       Sweet Dreams             5x7

3       Horse                             4x5    SOLD   19       Summer Day               5x7

4       Cold Sunrise                 6x12    SOLD   20       Mushroom Magic      5x7

5       Heat                               5x7    SOLD   21       Home Sweet Home     6x8    SOLD

6       Magic Square               6x6                   22       Dizzy                            5x5

7       Selenzi                           6x12                23       Newspaper                  5x5

8       Artist’s Palette             5x7     SOLD     24       Kaleidoscope             5x5

9       Growth Potential          6x6      SOLD    25       Hummingbird             5x5    SOLD

10     True Love                     5x7    SOLD    26       Field of Violets           5x5   SOLD

11     Nature’s Light Show   5x7                     27       Mud Pies                    5x5

12     Barn Baby                     4x5    Res'd     28       Perseverance             5x5

13     Tabatha                         5x7 - SOLD     29       Dewdrop Fairy           4x5 - SOLD

14     Courage                         5x7 - SOLD   30       Savannah                   5x5 - SOLD

15     Butterfly                        2*6x8   SOLD 31       Midnight                    4x5

16     PTA                                6x8 - SOLD

February

1       Bond of the Heart        5x7     SOLD    17       Daisies                        8x10

2       A Pair of Wishes         8x10    SOLD   18       Puddle Jumper           6x6   -   SOLD

3       A Little Light Music   4x5      Res'd       19       Train Window            2*3x3

4       Duet                              2*8x10  Res'd 20       Feet of the World       8x10

5       Solitude                        5x7    SOLD     21        Hidden Message       6x6

6       Baby Feet                     4x5                  22       Global Village             5x7B

7       TOP Dancer                 5x7 - SOLD     23       Chocolate                   4x5

8       Stormy Seas                 8x10                 24       Finders Keepers        5x7B

9       In a Dream                    4x5                  25       Fire Dragon                5x7 - SOLD

10     Falling                           4x5   SOLD     26       Agua Frio                   5x5   SOLD

11     Autumn                        4x5                   27       Wind Tunnel              5x7

12     Three                            4x5                  28        Low Tide                    5x5

13     Out on a Limb              8x10                      

14     Valentine                      5x7 - SOLD             

15     Arvak & Alsvid          5x7B       

16     Two Roads                  5x7B

March
1       Aquarius                     4x6B                  17       Sea Angels                  5x7B   SOLD
2       Leo                               4x6B - SOLD  18       Entwined Vines          4x6B
3       Pisces                          4x6B                 19       United We Stand        5x7B - SOLD
4       Libra                            4x6B                 20        Amoeba                       5x5
5       Aries                           4x6B                  21        Silver Spring               8x10 - SOLD
6       Gemini                         4x6B                 22        Leaves of Spring        5x5 - Res'd
7       Cancer                        4x6B                 23        Daisy Trio                   5x7B  SOLD
8       Scorpio                       4x6B                 24        Purple Passion           5x7B - SOLD
9       Virgo                           4x6B                25        Fire Flowers                8x10 - SOLD
10     Taurus                        4x6B                  26        Envy                            8x10
11     Sagittarius                 4x6B    SOLD     27         Sloth                           8x10
12     Capricorn                   4x6B                 28        Gluttony                       8x10
13     Floating                      5x5                    29        Wrath                          8x10
14     Bridesmaid Dress     5x5                      30         Lust                            8x10
15     Juggling Jester          5x7B                    31        Greed                          8x10
16     Lily Blossoms           8x10


April
1       Pride                           8x10                 16         Twins                          4x5
2       Beach                         5x5                    17         Thinking Spot             4x5  - SOLD
3       Supernova                  5x5    SOLD     18         Sunshine                     4x5 - Res'd
4       Colour Wheel             5x5   SOLD      19         Ocean Sunset             7x9B  - Res'd
5      Deep Purple                5x5   SOLD       20         Dream Catcher           8x10 
6      Coffee Swirl               5x5    SOLD       21         Evening Stroll             4x6B - Res'd
7      Arctic Circle               5x5                     22         Brushstrokes              4x6B
8      Imagination                 5x5   SOLD        23         Fairy, Interrupted       5x7B   SOLD
9      Friendly Flags             5x7                     24         Happy Easter             3x5B
10    Enchanted Garden      4x6B -SOLD      25          Tail Feathers              5x7     SOLD
11    Blue Bayou                4x6B   SOLD      26         Election 2011            4x6B
12    Violet Vine                4x6B                   27         Starry Fern                3x5B
13    Bluegrass                   4x6B                   28         Spring Buds               4x6B
14    Tiny Tree                   4x6B                  29          Pussy Willows           4x5   -  SOLD
15    Take a Bough            4x6B                   30          Kitchen Spoon          5x7    SOLD

May

1      Forest Shadows        8x10  SOLD       17          Patience                    4x5
2      Sweet Leaf               5x7B   SOLD     18          Gouldian Finch          5x7
3      Blue Vortex               4x6B                  19          Fingerpainting            3x5B
4      Burning Blossoms     8x10    SOLD     20         Heart Bubbles            5x5
5      Eddies                      5x7                     21          Eonglass                    4x12
6      Pearls                       5x5    SOLD       22          Toxicity                      4x5  
7      Spring Sunset           4x5     SOLD      23          Floating Away           8x10
8      Pretty In Pink           10x12  SOLD     24         Chocoholics Anon.    3x5B
9      Frogbot                    4x5                     25          Dandelions                4x6B  SOLD
10    Daisy Doodle           3x5B                   26          Sand Dunes              5x7B
11    Bliss                         4x6B     SOLD   27          Bond Fire                 5x7
12    Blue Moon               4x6B    SOLD     28          Little Kitty                4x6B   SOLD
13    Malley                      4x12    SOLD     29          Ink                           4x12   SOLD
14    Slowpoke                4x5       SOLD     30          What a Hoot            4x6B   SOLD
15    Eclipse                     5x5       SOLD     31          Jealousy                    4x5      SOLD
16    Time & Space          5x7B


June


1      Plotting                    5x7    SOLD       16          Monarch                   4x6B  SOLD
2      Jupiter                     8x10   SOLD      17          Umbrella Tree           5x7B   SOLD
3      Saturn                     8x10    SOLD     18          Trapped                    5x5
4      Venus                      8x10   SOLD      19          Tornado                    8x10
5      Neptune                  8x10   SOLD      20          Spring Puddles          5x7B
6      Earth                       8x10    SOLD     21          Winter Package        4x5   SOLD
7      Mars                       8x10    SOLD     22          Husband & Wife       5x5
8      Carnival                  5x7B                   23          Night Owls               3x5B  SOLD
9      Grand Lake            5x7B  SOLD       24          In Bloom                   4x6B  SOLD
10    Mercury                 8x10    SOLD      25          June 25 - watercolour           SOLD
11    Dusk                      5x7B  SOLD       26          June 26 - watercolour           SOLD
12    Uranus                   8x10    SOLD     27          June 27 - watercolour
13    ...No Evil               4x6B                   28           June 28 - watercolour
14    Untitled                  8x10                   29           June 29 - watercolour
15    Raindrop               5x5    SOLD        30          June 30 - watercolour


July


1      Groom                  3x5B     SOLD   17            Contemplation            4x5B
2      Bride                    3x5B     SOLD   18            Goodnight Moon        4x6B
3      Two Hearts As One  "       Res'd      19            Skyscrapers at Sunset 4x5     Res'd
4      Puttin' on the Ritz  5x5                      20            Sweets of Summer     4x6B
5      July 5 - watercolour                          21            Violets                       4x6B
6      July 6 - watercolour                         22            Luxury                       5x5
7      July 7 - watercolour         Res'd        23            River Weeds              4x6B   Res'd
8      Daisy Chain            5x7B  SOLD    24            Gossamer                  4x6B   SOLD
9      Avery's Tree           4x6B   SOLD    25            Tiny Twins                  4x6B  SOLD
10    Lampshade            5x5    SOLD      26            Beach Magic              5x5
11    Pumpkin Patch       5x5                    27            Beautiful Barracudas   4x6B  - Res'd
12    Beautiful Sunshine  5x5     SOLD     28            Dragonfly at Dusk       4x6B  - SOLD
13    Summer Garden     5x5     SOLD    29             Desert Grass              4x6B
14    Serenity                 5x5      SOLD   30             Little Miss Daisy         4x5
15    Royalty                  5x5      SOLD   31             Orange Haze              4x5  SOLD
16    Midnight Meow     4x5B   Res'd


August

1     Stained Glass          4x6B                17             Drizzle                        5x7B            
2     Yellow Sky             4x6B    SOLD  18             Bouquet                      5x7B
3     Butterfly                 4x6B                19             Autumn Leaf               4x6B
4     Wings of Sunshine  4x6B  - SOLD  20             Climbing Violet           5x7B
5     Splash of Colour    5x7    - SOLD  21            Chocolate Autumn       5x7B
6     Quiet Night            4x6B    SOLD  22             Jack                            5x7     SOLD
7     Starlight                 5x7       SOLD  23            Orange Tree                8x10   SOLD
8     Happy Jack           4x6B                24             Untitled                       8x10
9     Shattered Glass     8x10                 25             Acceptance                 8x10    SOLD
10   Out in the Cold     5x7B     SOLD  26             All for One                  5x7
11   Green Hands        8x10B               27             Heliophile                    4x4    -  SOLD
12   Whisked Away     8x10B    Res'd  28             Riverside                     5x7B   Res'd
13   Organic                5x7B                 29             Harbour Town             5x7B  SOLD
14   Deep Water          5x7B                 30             Rosebud                     4x4     SOLD
15   Daisy Mae           4x6B                 31             Evening Escape           5x7B   SOLD
16   Blue Grotto          4x6B

September

1     Riot                      5x7       SOLD  16            Drama                        5x5
2     Purple Puddles     5x7B    SOLD   17            Sundrops                    5x7B
3     Mesmerize           5x7B    SOLD   18            Goldfish                      5x7B
4     Spotlight              5x7B    Res'd     19            Frenetic Energy           5x7B
5     Starry Night         5x7B                 20            Raindrop                    5x7B
6     Hopeful                5x7B                21            Starry Night (2?)         5x7B
7     Sparks                 5x7B                22            Constellations              5x7B
8     Dazzler & Hoops  5x7B   SOLD  23            Warm Sparkle             5x7B
9     1001 Shimmies    5x7B   SOLD   24             Lady on a Leaf           8x10
10    Delight                5x5     SOLD   25             Flower Child              5x7     SOLD
11   Katia                   5x5    SOLD    26             Little Leo                    5x7B   SOLD
12   Spun Gold           5x5   SOLD     27             They Call Me Mister Pig   5x7B   Res'd
13   Ireland                5x5    SOLD    28            Tiny Turtle                   5x7  SOLD
14   Cappuccino         5x5    SOLD   29            Grimace                       5x5  SOLD
15   Sultry Sunset       5x5     SOLD    30             Cringe                         5x5  SOLD


October


1     Muse                  5x5   SOLD     17              Timid Tiger                4x4   SOLD
2     Queasy               5x5   SOLD     18              Happy Fella               4x4   SOLD
3     Underwater Mystery 5x7            19              Siblings                      4x4    SOLD
4     Sun Spots            5x7                 20              Happy Hippo            4x4    SOLD
5     The Small Things  5x7                 21              Archimedes              4x4    SOLD
6     Little Green Men  5x7                 22              Woah                       4x4    SOLD
7     Prehistoric Shadows 5x7             23              Hmm....                   4x4    SOLD
8     Serengeti             5x7B    SOLD 24              Quizzical                  4x4    SOLD
9     Whistle                5x5                 25               Lookout Point         5x7B
10    Tahitian Trio        5x7B  SOLD  26               Sunny Frolic            5x7B   SOLD
11   One of a Crowd   5x7B  SOLD 27               Winter's Approach   5x7B   SOLD
12   Fiery Feline         5x7B   SOLD 28                Wings of Courage   5x7B
13   Splishy Splash     5x7B  SOLD  29                Frank                      8x10    SOLD
14   45 Fingers           12x12            30                Mr. O'Lantern         8x10
15   Nuzzle                 5x7B  SOLD 31                 Trick-or-Treat        4x5
16   Monkey Face      4x4    SOLD

November

1     Tears                   8x10  SOLD  16                Bluebirds                 5x7B  SOLD
2     Bouncy Buttons   5x7B              17               Playtime                   5x7   SOLD
3     Pirate's Treasure  5x7B              18               Grumpy Gus            4x4  SOLD
4     Forest Fairy         4x5?  SOLD  19                Little Ladies            5x7   SOLD
5     Critters                5x7  SOLD    20                I Hoo                      5x7B
6     Stress                  4x4   SOLD   21                Clementine              4x4   SOLD
7     Glee                    4x4                22                Twisty Trees            5x7B   SOLD
8     Light & Loss       4x4    SOLD  23                Little Birdies             5x7B  SOLD
9     Little Miss           4x4                24                Creative Flow          5x7B
10   Bridge                 5x7B  SOLD 25                Branch Out              8x10    SOLD
11   Row on Row      5x7B SOLD   26                Winter White           8x10   SOLD
12   Newlywed          8x10 SOLD   27                Birdseed                  4x4      SOLD
13   Online Dating      5x7B  SOLD  28                Purple Wave            5x7B
14   Love Birds          5x7B  SOLD 29                Happy Place           5x7B   SOLD
15   Twilight in the Trees 5x7B SOLD30               Windows                8x10   SOLD


December


1     Daisy Deco        5x7B    Res'd        17          Itty Bitty                  4x4    SOLD
2     Hypnosis            4x4     SOLD       18          Owl                         4x4    SOLD
3     Sweetness          5x7B   SOLD      19           Penguin                   4x4
4     Chunk                5x5    SOLD        20          Forest                     4x6B
5     Field of Daisies   5x7B                    21         Purple Whip            4x6B
6     Nigel                  5x5    SOLD        22          Ice Age Fingerprint  5x7
7     Twisted Twilight  5x7B                   23          Autumn Sunset        4x6B
8     Snowbird           4x4    SOLD        24          Sunny Splash           4x4   SOLD
9     Baxter                4x4    SOLD        25          Heartstrings             8x10  SOLD
10   Golden Moment  5x5   SOLD        26          Rainbow Rush          4x4
11   Zen                    4x4    SOLD        27          Two Blue                 4x4
12   Little Quack       4x4    SOLD        28          Whisper                  5x7B
13   Ovie                  8x10  SOLD        29           Cats                        4x4  Res'd
14   Anxiety Attack  5x7B                    30          Blue Lagoon             4x4
15   Sunset Branches 8x10    Res'd       31          New Year's Eve      4x4
16   350                    8x10  SOLD