Three Wise Men

This is a painting my mother did when we were kids. We always knew when the holidays began when this painting was placed over the mantel.

The year my mother died I painted four of these paintings. For my sisters Heidi and Jamie and my daughter Nelly and my neice Keely. My mother died in October so I started painting them soon after and by Christmas they were done. It was very cathartic almost necessary for me to do. I cried alot during the process. And I managed to keep it a secret. It was wonderful to see there faces when they opened them up. They so appreciated the jesture. There was not a dry eye in the house. It is a beautiful memory.

Let Christmas Begin!!!!

Seasons Greetings

I am so excited about Christmas. I love Christmas art. I love all the Santa's, Elf's, Angels, Christmas Trees, Snowmen, Three Wise Men, Jesus and Mary's , Shepard Boys, Stars and all the fun Holiday Art that can be made.  It is so much fun. This month I am going to try to post as much Christmas Art that I can. No pressure! Just fun stuff! This little Santa I made for everyone 2 years ago. It was fun. Actually I like gluing all those gems on the frame. I am weird like that. I like to do mundane things like that. I can get lost in it. Crazy I know. I hope you like the first holiday painting. There will be more to come! I love Christmas!!! Oh my! I am so hokey!!!! I can't help myself!!!

Happy Holiday!!!!

Sunday Sketches

I am trying to sketch before I go to bed. I think that is just a great way to wind down for the day.  I was thinking of Flora Bowley and I loved her paint clothes she had on when I took her workshop She was so cute. She had this great blue shirt and cutoff pants and brown boots. (with lots of paint on them.)So this was a little sketch I did as a Ode to Flora Bowley.  Not quite, but it is a little Flora Bowleyish. See you guys next week! Come visit!

Thanksgiving Day

I wanted to give you a glimpse of our Thanksgiving Day. Every year we go to my sister Heidi's beautiful house in the woods.  Beautiful cozy home may I add. We are very blessed. It was a little sad because my niece did not bring her girls.  I was sooo looking forward to seeing them. I just hope they are safe. And everything is alright with them. That is all that matters to me. That they are safe. So it kind of put a damper on the festivities. But we all had a beautiful dinner and I am grateful that everyone else was there. We are sooo blessed with a wonderful supportive family. 

One of our traditions is a "Thankful Tree" every year we write a little something on the leaf and hang them on the tree.

Here is Steve helping Jake and Sam put theirs up. This is what Jake put on his thankful leaf.  "I am thankful that I go to another school so that I am not with Sam anymore and he can't bug me"   Brothers. I told him that one didn't count. He had to also put a good on up. I don't think that ever happened.

Sam and Jake grazing

Larry cutting the bird every year.

Liz giving a cork screw lesson. Tracy figured it out.

Father and Son. Larry and Josh. Heidi's men.

This is the kids table. They are not so much kids anymore.

Old people table. Minus me and Heidi. I am taking pictures as usual and Heidi is behind me taking pictures. Tooo funny. Next time I am going to get someone to take pictures of Heidi and I. We do exist.

The whole gang. After dinner we pass around questions in a bag and we all have to answer them. It causes everyone to interact and communicate. Then we have riddles and jokes that the little kids read and it is so much fun!

No words necessary. Yummmmmm!!!!!

The Mess.

Dad and Fritz getting ready to watch football.

What is with men and taking pictures????? It took me about 20 shots before I could get a half decent pictures. Not one wanted to behave. Even Cooper (the dog) They were like kids! Got to love em!

I love my family!

I Hope everyone's Thanksgiving was wonderful too!

What traditions do you have. Tell me about them. I would love to hear. I love hearing what other people do with there families

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

This is my idea of a turkey!

Turkey Love!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!


This will most likely be my last post until after the holidays.(Who knows I may not be able to help myself)  I'll be back on Monday.

I just wanted to say  I hope everyone will be safe and sound on this joyous weekend of thankfulness. I love Thanksgiving! It is a chance to be with my family and not worry about presents and all that jazz.  Just being together and giving thanks for the things in my life. (And football) I love my family sooo much! I am so thankful for them. I know I am lucky. We are not perfect mind you, we have our little family quirks but we always seem to get past them. Forgiveness is the key.  Just forget about it!!! 

If you know someone that is alone on this holiday. Invite them into your home. Make them a part of your family. You would be surprised how you can make someones life a little better by reaching out to them. Making there lives just a little bit less lonely.

XXX OOOOO  I am giving you big ones!!!!! XXXX OOOOO

Happy Holiday!!!!

Sunday Sketches

I just joined another group. Sunday Sketches. Nelly Bell told me about it . And it is such a great Idea. This is one of the most important processes of my art. This is when all the ideas come. The finished piece sometimes does not look like anything like the sketch but that is where it begins.
Come join the group on http://bluechairdiary.blogspot.com/2010/03/sunday-sketches-official.html Come join the fun.

Wow how about that 2 posts in one day!!!! That Flora Bowley class really started the juices flowing!!!

You can tell by my sketches that I have Christmas on my mind.

This one will be a painting eventually.

This just playing around with one of my Little girls. Wanting to do a holiday girl mixed media painting.

FLORA BOWLEY CLASS

Let's start with saying how much I love Flora Bowley. Her paintings are just gorgeous. So my Daughter Nelly, My sister Heidi and I found out that Flora was going to be in our area (Media around an hour away) teaching a workshop. It was so great. She is the best teacher. She basically says that you have to try to paint without purpose. This is something that I struggle with. I struggled with it in Jesse Reno's workshop and I struggled in Flora's. But by the time I left I think I got it.  Now these paintings that were produced are not my favorite works. But I learned so many valuable lessons from this class.  I know I have to let go.  One of the lessons was to paint on the others artist canvas's. It was so freeing. We would paint on one canvas and then switch to the next persons canvas. Just let it gooooo or flowwww.  I needed more time with Flora. You can just feel the creativity. I did not take any pictures of Flora but Nelly did you can visit her blog at http://nellysjunkdrawer.blogspot.com/ . Or go over to Flora's website at http://www.florabowley.com/ . Just amazing!!!!

This one is my favorite one. Like I said I struggled to let go. It came at the end of the class. I need at least a 2 day class with Flora!

This is the favorite part of my other painting.

Like I said not my best work. But I learned so many lessons.

If anyone has a chance take a Flora Bowley workshop.

Love Her!!!!

I had such a fab day!

I LOVE MY POSTCARD!

I was so pleasantly surprised today! I was home early because the company that I work for closed the office today early. So I thought I will come home before I do some running around.  And I picked up the mail and this is what I found. This beautiful handstiched postcard from Beth Nicolls. One of the members of our Northeast Flying Sister Group.  I just adore her. She is so young and has already achieved things that people don't achieve in a life time. Such a inspiration.

Go to Beth's blog and see the interview she did with Juliette Crane.

http://aspecialjourneyofmyown.blogspot.com/2010/11/do-what-you-love-interview-juliette.html

This is the little card with her little note on the back.

BigDreamsSmallWonders- Introduction to the Course for Jan 2011

This is a friends ecourse. She is so inspirational. Eveyone sign up!! Because I am!!

WEST READING

West Reading PA

I live in Springmont a suburb of Reading. This is were I have lived all my life. I love it here. It will be safe to say that I will never be leaving this town. Steve and I always say that we are going to retire and live in NYC for at least 6 month to a year just to have that experience.  But I will always have a place in Reading. It is home to me.


On Saturday I went to Hello Bluebird in West Reading armed with my camera to take pictures for my blog. I was so please when I came in. When I saw my paintings behind the counter I was so excited. They looked beautiful there.

This is Hello Bluebird as you come in the door. See my "Leaning on a Friend" hanging behind the counter?

Alex is Hello Bluebirds Owner. She is such a sweet person. She makes you feel comfortable immediately.

http://www.hellobluebird.net/

Here are the card and print sections. See my prints in the basket.

Adorable children's section. There are a lot of handmade clothing by

http://beccabeedesigns.etsy.com/

The clothing is adorable. Nothing like handmade clothing. Rebecca has such a great whimsical touch.  Check her out on etsy. I was brought with handmade clothing. My mother made all my clothing and also knitted all my sweaters. Nothing like it to make you feel special.

So much good stuff. She also has an upstairs full of clothing and goodies.

After I left Hello Bluebird I went toooooooooo

Doesn't look like much but wait until you see inside....

Ohhhhh the cupcakes are to die forrrrrr. I am not kidding. Many a times have I just sat there with a cup of coffee and cupcake. Yummmmmmmmmmm. Makes me droollllllllll. I had the Chocolate Chocolate.

Down the street is Good Eatz. A little Green Cafe. Delicious!!! Some more Yummmmm.

A Frog?????

 This store has all kinds of drums and all kinds of goodies. I didn't go inside because I was short on time. The Zen Den.

A little Celtic Store in the Back of Zen Den

The Bistro 614. I have eaten here and it is Superb!!! Just excellent food. Fine Dining but yet very inviting.

Little Cafe.

Art Gallery

More cool shopping.

West Reading Tavern. Steve and I have had many Romantic Dinners here.

Some out of towners. They were at the Vanity Fair Outlet down the street. And there were looking to have there Nails done. They have lots of Salons on the Ave.

Sweet Ladies. I promised I would put them in my post.

Yellow Submarine had the best homemade Potato Chips. They come in a paper bag.

And of coarse you can get a great Hoagie.

A little music shop.

Candie shop

Lots of goodies in here.

And of coarse I can not leave out the drugstore. It is not only a drugstore but it has some of the best gifts inside.

And when I was taking pictures I ran into Sandy an old co-worker. What a great day.

Curious?? This is a consignment shop but not your average consignment shop. It has the most spectacular things inside. And you have to go see the back. The garden is beautiful. I believe the men that own the shop are landscapers also. Just Gorgeous.

 We are right up the street from the Vanity Fair Outlets. You can do a little Outlet shopping and stop by Hello Bluebird and ask for Alex.  Get some great food or snacks. Or just a cup of coffee. It is a cute little town. Its part of my life. I have walked this street with my mother when I was a little girl. Please come and visit us! We would love to see you.  

    I hope you enjoyed my mini tour of West Reading.