Life Book 2023 (September, October November) Part 1

Yes, I'm aware that it's 2025. And, no the 2023 date on the title isn't wrong. 

I'd been an oil painter exclusively for 15 years when I dipped into mixed media art.  Actually I didn't dip, I jumped in with both feet. I did every lesson for most of the year...

The lessons from the first sessions in January, February are HERE.

The lessons from the second sessions in March, April, May are HERE.

The lessons from the third sessions in June, July, & August are HERE.

Then....l I guess I ran out of gas.  Or, I just needed to get back to oil painting my own things instead of doing other teacher's lessons.

Anyway, I had these lessons (below) that I had finished but never posted.  

And, I'm determined to finish those other 2023 lessons I never got to. I'm writing it here, so hold me to it! 

One more thing, I've already started a few of them, and thought I'd add them to this post, but I noticed something that completely shocked me.  The ones I'm doing now are so much better than these I did 18 months ago.  Interesting... I guess practice does make a difference!! How about that!  (** Ok... that wolf one was pretty dang good...)

Give me a few weeks, but stay tuned for the last batch of 2023 lessons!

Pretty Poppies

 It will be many weeks before we see bright red flowers growing.  

I did see that the daffodil shoots are thinking about making an appearance.  They better wait though, more snow's on the way. It's pretty gray outside these days... and by "pretty" gray, I don't really mean pretty at all.... blah...

Maybe I just needed some bursts of brightness.  I'm finally coming back to life after a week of the flu. (Yes, I had the vaccine.) It's been a long time since I've been so sick, and fatigue is real. It's kind of not fair how long it takes to build up muscle and stamina and how quickly it goes away when you lay around for a week.

Before the bright reds wave in the breeze, we'll have the yellows and purples of March and April first. Then there will be some whites and oranges in May and June.  In the meantime, these pretty poppies can brighten my wall.

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

Click Pretty Poppies if you'd like to purchase this painting to brighten your wall.

I Like... (2/25)

 Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like my backyard in every season.  
By the way... the hens were NOT interested in coming out and enjoying the snow.

I like a good snow day... even if I am retired!

I like these two guys! 

I like having an amaryllis to brighten up winter. 

I like catching up with friends I haven't seen in a while.

I like Magic Kingdom... and EPCOT...
and Animal Kingdom... and Hollywood Studios...
in every kind of weather!

I like these sweet little hens. Only 6 these days.
Fancy-Like, Pauline, Twinkle, Ruby Jean, Eleanor, Marie

I like sharing our space with our deer.  
They just lay down and watch me through my kitchen windows.
I suppose I'm entertaining.

I like having chickens... but who laid this itsy-bitsy green one!

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

What’s one of the most exciting things you’ve done in life so far? The first thing that comes to my mind is that I got to spend 10 days in villages in Indonesia about 6 years ago.  I got to participate in three different schools, with different community groups, and in an orphanage.

What is something you have always wanted to try but haven’t yet?  I'd like to write for publication.

Do you give yourself the same compassion and understanding that you give to your family and friends? Yes, I think I do.

Do you compliment your mate and does he compliment you? What kind of compliment feels best to you, and to him? Ha ha... I misread it as "complement."  We do complement each other.  He's good at the things I'm not, and I'm good at doing the things he's not. It works out just fine. And, yes, he does compliment me, my cooking, my art all the time.  He's a keeper.

Willowing Arts: A Year of Light (January)

It's good to be a lifelong learner!

 

I'll Always Be Behind You...

"Once upon a time there was a young girl who adored her little sister...
She loved her as a baby and as a little girl. 
She took care of her, played with her, and told her,
"I'll always be behind you..."

This image makes me swoon.

I love the story it tells.

Maybe because I was (am) a little sister with a big sister a decade older...

It's just so very sweet. 

I love doing commissioned paintings.  

I love hearing the stories of what makes their image special.  

I love the extra stress and pressure of knowing I have to get it right. (I know, that one's weird.) I love the honor of putting their story on canvas.

It starts with a text...

"You don't know me, but I've seen your work... I'm wondering if you could paint something for me."

Then it moves on to how she found me and asking to what she's hoping for. 

"I don't have the original photo, but I have a picture of it in my phone...  The photo is 50 years old and kind of blurry...  Some of it is cut off." 

Oh, no... what have I gotten myself into? It wouldn't be the first time I've heartily agreed to paint something then wondered how in the world I would manage to pull it off...

Then the image appeared on my phone screen.

Oh... it's precious. Tell me more...

Next there are the logistics... What size? How soon do you need it? Are the specific clothes important? How about the background? 

Here we go!

Click the little video and watch the process with me! (It's about 30 seconds long.)

I was captivated by the scene.

It didn't take long to complete the oil painting.

However, I wasn't finished with the image.

I did it again in a fanciful, magical way.

And, I still wasn't finished.

I wanted one more in a soft, dreamy way

Sigh... I only got to enjoy seeing them for a short time. I already gave them to the "big sister" to give to the "little sister." I hope she is surprised and pleased.

Do you have a favorite?

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 20" Wrapped Canvas

Original Acrylic Painting on 9"x 12" Art Paper

Original Mixed Media on 9"x 12" Art Paper

[SOLD]

Word Weaver Art Blurb Book 2024

 It came today!
Yay!

Another year... another collection of paintings... another little Blurb book.

When I took those first lessons back in 2007, I wouldn't have dreamed that I might still be painting  in 2024.  

When I wrote my first blog posts back in 2009, I couldn't have imagined that I'd keep it up, that I'd love it, that I'd "meet" so many friends.

I have a Blurb book for every year since I began. I am a huge fan of Blurb and would recommend them any time.

My little collection of Word Weaver Art books grew today.

If you'd like a peek inside, click HERE.  Once it opens, click PREVIEW.  Then you can click the pages to flip through the book. If you read my blog, you've basically already read it, but it's fun to see it all put together in a book format.

Do you know my favorite color combination... go ahead... take a guess. 😊

Mosaic Daisies

I know I've tried a lot of different art mediums in the last couple of years, but his was a first. 

My WordSpark group was challenged with the word "Mosaic." 

I thought this one would be easy.  I've made a lot of stepping stones with concrete and bits of color. I'll just whip this one out in a no time.

Yeah... that's what I thought...

No... that's not how it worked out...

I decided that I'd like to give doing a "real" mosaic a try. So, where does one go to learn something brand new? YouTube, of course.

I have more art supplies than... well... I have anything I could ever need for any craft... except for...

... mosaic adhesive... and grout... and colored glass shards... and glass cutters...

It looked so simple.

It was not.

But, I did try again and gave new life to an old frame.

I will eventually do another... I do have the supplies after all...

The top one is done on a wooden plaque. (It was a plaque that the Harley place had given Ron when he bought his motorcycle. I just "upcycled" it.) 

the second one was done on art paper and made from scraps of paper I'd painted on.

I Like... (1/25)

Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like having my word-of-the-year words
where I can open a door and be reminded.

I like giving my delivery guys a treat when it's time
for all the Christmas packages to be delivered.

I like looking out the window and seeing
a pink unicorn... grandkid helping Pop-E with the yard work.

I like sewing little bags.

I like to watch them come running when I shake the sunflower seed container.

I like my kitty. He keeps a close eye on me.

I like playing Wordle, Connections, and a game of Double Free Cell every morning.

I like getting stockings ready for our little ones... and our big ones.