A Perfect Ending to Memorial Day Weekend

We've had several days of hard rain here in the Pacific Northwest and tonight we were treated to the most glorious sunset. I was reminded of that saying "Life is not about how many breaths you take but how many moments take your breath away." Tonight was one of those moments... so appropriate for the remembrance of Memorial Day.

A Tiny Toast

I'm watching a colored pencil lesson on my computer and didn't want to just sit and watch without actually doing something so I did this little ACEO (2 1/2" X 3 1/2") painting with colored pencils - using one of my friend's photos from her trip to Spain as a reference.

Lullaby

Last week I did a couple of monochromatic sepia toned paintings and since then I've been wanting to try a sepia toned underpainting with color added - that's what this is. It added a nice warmth to the painting - but also tended to kind of muddy the blue tones...

Another coffee doodle...

Here's another painting from one of the doodles I did during a couple of slow moments at work last week... You can't really see it very well in the photo but I've had fun using a product called Crystal Stickles that I got at our local rubber stamp store - it has little sparkly glitter and I squeezed a speck on each of the dots.

I'll take mine to go please...

What to do between time at work...

So the past couple of days we have actually had some time inbetween calls at work and I've done a few ot these little "stream of consciousness" drawings - this time with the theme of coffee in mind... I'm hoping some of them will actually turn into paintings throughout the course of the weekend. Right now I'm working on the bird balancing coffee cups in the upper left hand corner..coffee "to go" :)

The Possibilities of Morning...

This is from a doodle I did at work yesterday - there is a new tea company in town called Lotus and I was thinking of images of lotus blossoms and teacups...

"Fight for your dreams and your dreams will fight for you." - Paulo Coelho

Spread Sunshine

Nothing like a bouquet of sunflowers to spread sunshine throughout the room:)

NFS

"Cat Nap"

I was doing this as an underpainting but at least for now I think I'll leave it as it is. I'm really enjoying these monochromatic value studies.

8"X10"

Derwent Graphitint pencils

& Windsor & Newton watercolors

on Richeson cold press watercolor

paper

From my House to Yours...

Cheers!

Hope you're enjoying this beautiful spring evening as much as I am...

taking this glass out to my deck to enjoy the last rays of sun on a Saturday night.

You and Me Together...

This is for Ebay's Nibblefest - I haven't listed any paintings on ebay for over a month - weird - the first time I've gone that long in about 5 years! This is me and my Australian Cattledog Rainey - doing what we do here on Cornet Bay:)

Sold

Looking Up

This was a little weeknight experiment. I've had an ink pen with water soluble ink cartridges (designed to do pen and ink) for quite awhile now - not really sure what to do with it...so tonight I decided to try it with watercolors - knowing the black ink would run and mix with the paint. So this first try is a bit of a mess but I think it's worth trying again now that I have a better idea what the effect might be.

Sold

"Spring Love"

This was a last minute "quickie" before I settle in for the night - this young couple was totally oblivious to me turning around to take their picture - in the own little world strolling through the tulip fields. Ah - young love:)

Kat and Her Fiddle

In between some much needed housework I painted this from a reference photo I took at the Coupeville St Patrick's Day concert. I love painting musicians with their instruments. Although I have to say I struggled with this one. Some paintings just seem to paint themselves and others fight with you --- this one had quite a stubborn streak!

more shots of our "boat to be"...

Here are some interior shots of the boat Les has been working on. I love this boat:)

Houseboat design

"Shelley Lynne"

Just thought I'd share my husband's design for our future floating home...named after yours truly:) He's designed several boats over the years but this is my favorite! Can't wait for him to start building it...

Happy Birthday Dusty Bear!

"Hidden Treasure"

This week we celebrated Dusty's 10 year birthday! I think he is the most painted cattledog on earth... how can I resist-he's such a handsome guy:)

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May Day Lilacs

I still have a little work to do on this - but here it is nearly done.

8"X10" 300 lb cold press - watercolor

Last Night's concert in Pt Townsend

I'm still hoping to do some painting this afternoon - but here's what I was up to last night. We went to Pt Townsend to see the Tuvian Throatsingers Chirgilchin. I've never heard anything like it - they sing way back in their throats and at the same time produce a kind of whistling sound - like a flute - with their voices. It was amazing and wonderful. They transported us to the herding people's Mongolia ...
YouTube - Chirgilchin - Khoomeige Yoreel

Anacortes flower and garden sale...

I just had to show off my "score" from the May Day sale this morning - two bunches of tulips, this great vase of lilacs and bleeding heart and the pretty fall leaf tablecloth all for only $25.00 - woo hooo! Happy May Day everyone - hope yours is filled with beauty too...