Garden Harvest (September 16-30)

September... The garden is looking more and more scraggly. One by one the plants begin to give up, but even as their leaves wither, they hold on to let their last fruits ripen. Nights and mornings are chilly. The sun doesn't shine as brightly, but I'm still able to fill my little basket every other day.

Then there's this... This is what I deal with every single time.  He hops up on the counter purring loudly. He wants to lay across the vegetables... every... single... time...  No, Buff!  I put him down.  He hops back up. I finally put him in the other room.

Hat & Lavender

My weekly art challenge was "Something to Wear," and I was having a complete creative block for coming up with an idea. So I turned to YouTube for some inspiration and some at-home private instruction.

Thanks to MariArtHome for a step-by-step YouTube lesson on making this tiny painting.

5"x 5" Oil on Canvas Board

Click Hat & Lavender if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

Happy Birthday!

Just a fun happy little piece of art!

A chocolate layer cake that looks good enough to lick, but don't! Once it's the paint is dry enough you can swipe your fingers across it though. Mmmmm....

Layer 1 - Painted acrylic with a brush

Layer 2 - Stamped circles, swirls, & dots with bottle lid, pipe, fork tines, photo holder

Layer 3 - Collaged shapes made from Gelli plate designed papers

Layer 4 - Stamped spots with bubble wrap

Layer 5 - Smeared oil paint with a palette knife

I think I met my weekly-ish art challenge of "Layers Upon Layers" no matter how you slice it!

**Next week's is "Something to Wear."  What shall I do? Any ideas? I'm  blank.

Original Mixed Media Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

Click Happy Birthday! if you'd like to purchase it.

Carousel Ride

 

One of my granddaughters turned two in August, and the county fair just happened to be in town that week. 

Oh, my goodness!  The excitement!  How can a little person take it all in!  So much to see! There were huge cows and pigs of all colors and friendly goats and sheep wearing coats to keep them clean for their showings. There were so many roosters crowing and rabbits trying to sleep and turkeys not at all happy to be caged.  There were farm kids that even let you pet their animals!

Then came the midway! There were bright colors and flashing lights and whirling contraptions and happy squeals!

This little two-year old sweetie had eyes only for the merry-go-round. She went on the Ferris wheel with her momma and daddy, an apple spinner thing with her momma and sister, then wanted to spend her tickets only on the merry-go-round. She was living her best life high up and down on the white horse... get off... give more tickets... high up and down on the zebra... get off... give more tickets... high up and down on the giraffe... get off... give more tickets... high up and down on the brown horse... Eventually the last ticket was spent and it was time to go. Happy, happy, happy... well, after crying that all the tickets were spent... then happy, happy, happy.

***

*Fun Fact About Helen - I'm not a fan of horses.  Yeah... I'm kind of afraid of them, it's true.  They are so big!  Have you see how big their heads are! And they're smart enough to make their own decisions! I had a horse when I was a kid.  Bill. Bill Garfunkel Powell... a white Shetland pony... He was so cute. And, he was mean. He bit. He kicked. He stomped. He ran  away from us when he could. He was mean to the cows too. I know... probably not the best introduction to horses.

When I learned that my the Weekly-ish Challenge was "Horse," I kind of sank.  I did paint a horse once. I think I vowed never to try that again. What was I going to do? What kind of loophole could I find? How was I going to meet this challenge without having to paint a horse? Hmmmm.....

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[NFS - can't sell a painting with my granddaughter in it!]

*If you're worried, yes, she was safe. In the reference photo, my handsome son-in-law was standing and grinning right behind her on the ride. And, because I know he reads my blog... Sorry you didn't make it into the painting, my dear.😉

Garden Harvest (September 10-15)

I'm only picking every other day now, but it's still filling my little white square cloth each time!

Okra has just about passed its peak.

Cucumbers are finished.

Peppers are beginning to take their turn in the spotlight.

Tomatoes are making a comeback. (I dare not say I've won the war with the squirrels, but maybe I've won a battle.

7 chickens remain as freeloaders. Oh, they all have their excuses... too young, have babies, molting...  Sweet little Twinkle is doing her job and giving me a pretty blue egg every other day.

 

Through the Looking Glass

I've seen several images similar to this lately on Instagram or Facebook. Under the picture it will say something about how we only see part of the story on social media. So much truth in that thought.  Such a simple image to illustrate it.

I'd love to give proper credit to whoever came up with the idea, it's a good one.

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 8" wrapped canvas.

Click Through the Looking Glass if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

OLLI Art Show

I got to be a part of an art show hosted by OLLI (Osher Lifelife Long Learning Institute) recently.  OLLI is the senior citizen branch of the University of Arkansas. There were 13 artists of different mediums - watercolor, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, printmaking, photography, acrylic, oil.

It was hard to choose just five pieces!  After looking around the house (at all the paintings waiting for their forever homes), I decided I needed to choose some sort of theme. "Red" would be the thing to tie all of them together.

It's always a pleasure to get to share art and to see the art of others.

!*!*!*!* Also... that hair!  Is it really that gray ?*?*?*

All 5 Original Oil Paintings are for sale in my Etsy shop.  Click HERE if you want to look around there or need a painting for yourself.

Lemon Pie

 

I know it's weird, but here's a secret about me... I am not a pie lover.

There. 

I said it.

Apple pie, blueberry pie, blackberry cobbler, peach cobbler, cherry pie... No, thank you.  I'd rather have my fruit fresh.

Chocolate pie, lemon pie... No, thank you.  If one of these is at my place setting, I'll pick at it.

Pecan pie... No, thank you. I like the taste, but I have kind of an allergic reaction to pecans.

Mince pie, sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie... No, thank you. Yuck... I mean, I don't care for any.

However...

Key lime pie... Yes, please.

Coconut pie... Yes please.

My weekly-ish painting challenge this week was "A Whole with Parts."   Any way you slice it, a pie is a whole with parts!

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 10" Canvas Board in Vintage Wood Frame

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