A Group Painting, and a Little Ice For ZZ

We did an outdoor art project this week...

It started with a canvas board that I painted gold during nap time, then drew lines with a gray watercolor pencil into the wet paint to create an interesting background texture.

When the babes woke up (Z doesn't actually sleep FYI...just rests- translation-whines):) I had set up the materials on the grass weeds that we call our back yard:)

Then they went to town.  We did some rolling of round objects in paint and rolling them across the board which made some cool marks...

Then the inevitable happened...

 

"Portrait of a two year old"

( I have NO IDEA why he was upset? This happens throughout the day, and usually lasts, literally 5 seconds- tops) he wins the award, hands down for most dramatic in the house! (which is saying a lot)

Here's the finished piece.  We are doing an Ikea run to get a frame for it this weekend! I think it's going to live in the kitchen.

Here's the little bit of ice- and whole lot of fun for Miss Z (first skating lesson)- she LOVED it!!!
So much so that D went up to check on them 20 minutes after bedtime when they were still making noise- and she was "practicing" her hands out, knees up, march- move in bed- keeping the both of them up:) SO CUTE!

Gosh Darn Skeeters!

The picture says it all...

Winner, Winner, Tofu Dinner;) and a few Works in Progress

The winner of my 2nd blog giveaway, selected randomly with the online random # generator at random.org is lucky #9......

June 13, 2011 7:03 AM
Emily said...
I love them all but as you know for this series I like the less vibrantly colored ones best of all. My favorites by far are the large gold and black with swirling ginkgo leaves or the horizontal with the same color scheme. The textures and movement are so beautiful and they look like mystical rivers or swirling air to me. When I look at the black ones in the series I think of outer space, the subconscious, magic, and the spirit world.
Emily


Thank you Em- I will be in touch about the details of your custom painting! and I'll be sure to post the results on the blog as it is completed!
 
as for my several other current projects (there's a lot in process right now)- NONE are really close to completion- but here's a sneak peek!!!
 

New dining room window treatments- inspired by a spread in the latest issue of House Beautiful.  They should be completed by the end of the week and I will be sharing a tutorial for these super simple, beachy and casual modern window treatments- I am seriously LOVING them!!!

Here is a shirt of a special little dancer friend of mine who has out grown it-  I am in the process of transforming it into a pillow for her bed- stay tuned for that tutorial sometime soon as well:)

My garage has recently turned into an unwanted furniture graveyard.  The piece above I rescued from the roadside in a rain storm.  I can see the potential- my Hub on the other hand CANNOT.  I am in the slow, but sure transformation process and I CANNOT wait to bring this beauty back to life!!!  This is my first experience using a furniture stripper (in prep for another BIG furniture reno project I have in store)...this one might take a little while:)

And then there's these here chairs...I loved the lines (also a roadside rescue), and I am excited to redo the broken caning on the backs, reupholster the seats (possibly in some new fabric that I just ordered a sample of...will be sharing the exciting new source later in the week), and painting the chairs themselves.  They will be going in the dining room, along with my possibly/hopefully refinished table, and 4 new, more modern chairs...more on the dining room reno to come- it's gonna be a summer-long endeavour:)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Ours was nice- but busy!  And I can say with all certainty that we are SO glad to have Daddy back home after a super-long business trip!!!!

Happy Fathers Day to all the daddy's out there!

Triptych Commision

A lovely woman came to my spring art show and purchased this little red painting...

This was my first little-one (5"x5" canvas) in the series

She then commissioned me to make 3 more paintings that will be a gift for her brother for his birthday. I just finished them last night after tucking the Angelbabies in (D is on a business trip and I forced myself to seek some studio-sanity last night after the 7th solo bedtime routine in a row was performed- and I felt SO much better!).  Here they are....

I think they willl look really nice together as set in his bachelor pad:)

2 Awesome Shopping Finds

So- we ventured out to a couple stores yesterday- with specific items in mind- and, of course we came home with unplanned purchases- but, I couldn't help myself!

At Homegoods- I found this delicious pillow that I COULD NOT resist!!!  As Z said- "Mommy, it looks like where Ariel lives...(HECK NO, she has not seen the movie- books people, books)

Then- I had the bright idea of stopping at Ocean State Job Lot- not a place I frequent but  a good spot for things like pet supplies and lawn stuff (that was my reason for stopping- to purchase a second umbrella for the back yard- $38 a pop!)

anyhow- I ventured into the food section to find a possible-healthyish snack for the little buggers who were with me, and behaving- since I had left Home Goods with Moses SCREAMING bloody-murder at the top of his lungs- since the friken employees had deviously placed a row of enticing toy ambulances at child level in the check out line- and me, being a none-pushover parent refused to purchase one for the little man- and hence, the tantrum ensued.  and I felt like- "you know what TJX cooperation?- you can listen to him scream since this is YOUR FAULT"- ugggg- sorry- off the soap box now.

Anyway- I went to food section of the store and was shocked and delighted to find an entire WALL of Bob's Red Mill products (sold in the health food section of all of the bigger grocery stores) and all for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price!   I felt like I was in healthy grain heaven!

I came home with this assortment:

Priced between $2-$3.25 a piece!  WHAT A STEAL!!! and what a great way to try out some new healthier products in your cooking!  My friend informed me last night- that they've carried the product for over a year- I have been seriously missing out!!! Oh- and I got the kiddos some fig Newman's for their snack (and mine too:)

Reminder- my current giveaway drawing will be on Saturday- leave a comment if you are interested!!!

Blogiversary Giveaway!!!!

Yes folks- it's been a full year since I started this little blog- with this here post. It's been a fun year- and I think the best thing that's come out of keeping this blog is motivation. My mind is always spinning with projects and ideas- and I love being able to share them here on the blog- so here's a pictoral recap of my first year in blogworld- via some of my favorite blog post images....

and as a thank you to all of the faithful readers out there- I wanted to do another giveaway.

This time the giveaway will be a for a single item- an original 8"x8" painting made by me, for you!

If you would like to be entered into the drawing for the painting- please leave a comment below telling me which painting from my recent series you like best- and the inspiration you would like me to use for your personal piece (color, an object, words, etc.)- and I will design a custom painting for you!- allow me 3 weeks to complete it:)
Happy Giveaway!

The winner will be chosen using random.org, and posted next Saturday- 6/18!

So be sure to check back!