Frida Kahlo ACEO Portraits

Flowers are a woman's best friend.

 Frida thinks that and 

her hair is the best place to 

display them.   

In this little aceo mixed media painting

Frida picks some for herself and some for you

and left some for the birds to dance on.

We are getting a good scrubbing of wind and rain

from Hurricane Sandy.  Sandy please settle down!

The good thing is we are getting family time inside!

More about painting here. 

Snow Loving Westie

We had a sifting of snow tonight! Enough to put a white sprinkles of confection sugar on everything. Our westie boy was loving it. Running around trying to catch the flakes. It was dark so pictures were like white scratches against a dark background. This getting dark at 5pm is hard to get used to. Then again I try to remember that in Alaska as well as other places it gets dark at 3pm so how lucky we are to have a few more hours of daylight.

Our little westie modeled for this new small watercolor. He's left a present for the squirrels.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Santa Westie Pink Christmas

Elvis can sing about a blue Christmas, but we like pink, pink, pink Christmas. I've finally figured out all of the dogs barking I hear now are really saying, "Ho. Ho. Ho...and away we go." That would explain the commotion. Dogs are competitive at racing. Especially my westie boy. (His cards will not be pink.)

I've had a little time to paint and will be offering them for sale. "Santa" is indoors and sleeping on the floor after a hard day of play.

Siamese Cat Nap and Roses

Today I think Spring arrived. I passed a sign today at a nursery that said, "Spring is coming," and I had to smile thinking ..."It's already here." Yay. I painted this watercolor titled Spring Songs and listed it on ebay. It has some of my favorite things in it. Topiaries, roses, gardens, siamese kitties, birds, white table top, paintings...well it has the side of a painting and last but not least the soft lime green color!

Got to Plant some Roses

Yesterday the forecasters said it might reach 70 degrees today. They were a bit off. I want to plant some Louise Odier bourbon roses so badly! First the ground was frozen and now it's a pond in some areas. I shall wait and think of fragrant, pink cupped roses that are hardy. So hardy they have lasted since 1800! That is the kind of roses I like. Super fragrant, strong and vigorous. Plus they are French. Win! Win! Win!

I did some more small watercolors. Since I am in a rose-crazed state you will notice my animal paintngs all love roses too! Hence my new blog banner. I hope you are all well and getting enough gardening.

Edwardian Westie Boy Dog Clothes

Edmund, the westie, and his friend Lester share a croquet game on the lawn. Lester is trying to line up his shot with the stars, I think.

Original aceo painting for sale on ebay. I am smitten with watercolors and india ink. These little characters are pulling on my heart strings.

Victorian Cats Lester and Eleanor Watercolor

Lester and his sister Eleanor have a pet squirrel who retrieves nuts for Lester. Yes, the squirrel can hold up to three nuts in his mouth at a time. He is used to chasing them when they roll from the trees and it's not much different when Lester tosses them.

Original watercolor illustration painting up for sale on ebay now here.

Edwardian Cat Named Lester

Lester loves being outdoors even when he is dressed for indoors. Every button buttoned and bowtie tied, but Lester hid his shoes in the bushes so they will stay clean. His feet are feeling the outdoor bliss and if I know Lester he is about to race off and his toy rabbit will be para sailing behind him. He comes here to admire the birds who are not as flighty as the birds at home. The topiary birds move ever so slightly in the breeze just enough to make them seem a bit real.

This is an original watercolor painting on 140 lb. cold press watercolor paper and has been finished with a light acrylic varnish. For sale here.

Cesar Westie Dog- Sweetheart

A very darling westie!

The Little Details

These new khaki raincoats for little girls are from Land's End. I just love the little ruffles along the bottom.

Ruffles are in on everything.

Big ruffles.

Little ruffles.

Ruffles are beautiful.

Just as long as we don't get, "ruffled up." That is not beautiful.





I've finished a few more aceo watercolors. This one is titled "Watering Hope".

Some things just take time to bloom.

We have to be patient.

We have to nurture it and protect it.

Watercolor Aceo and Mermaids

On Board

Smaller and smaller my paintings become. I am bending over farther and farther to paint and am glad I can stretch back out. Truthfully the smaller the paintings are the harder they become because you have to edit your ideas. But ironically I seem to be putting more elements into the smaller ones. Go figure. I think the dreaminess and purity of watercolors is what draws me to this medium.

I had mentioned earlier about some exciting news. Some art shows and groups allow members once a year on a blind juried basis. There is one coming up that I would love to be a part of. To do this you need a large number of new artistic endeavors to show plus a larger number of past works. Then they decide whether you can be a member and be associated with this elite (read hard to get into) group. Quite a few apply. Many are declined and only a few are choosen. I am aiming for the moon and entering. Aim high. Work hard. (play hard.) Work some more!

Watercolor Aceo Fever- Let it Snow

A wonderful NEW watercolor set has finally been opened and this is my first with it tonight. I actually was waiting up a bit to see if it was really going to sleet and ice rain tonight. In between 10 other projects (only slight miscalculation, it's more like 100 other projects) I opened the watercolor set. Watercolors are challenging as one cannot dream and paint--which means you must be fully awake. They are also so fresh looking.

Ice rain is a headache for us (for obvious reasons) because we are in a hilly area and some country roads do not have any shoulders here. So if someone ahead of you starts spinning out going uphill all of us behind are stuck. To back up a bit, we have to make it to the car first without injury! Then we move on to worry two.

To back up even further to cats and snow, which is the reason I did this painting. Our tom cat is so heavy that he falls through the snow. The others tip toe right across the top of the crusted snow. He needs snow shoes. He doesn't care as we're around he just wants to snuggle and rub his head against us. My son named him Happy and I had named him India at first because I thought he was a she, but that is another story.

Westie Dog Valentine Clothes

We've been having fun around here. Snow seems to put everyone in a laughing, playful mood. The only thing that dampens that spirit is snow in your boots. Your ears can be cold, and your nose, but when your feet get cold it's time to go inside.

Snow is one of those challenging things to paint. I look out the window and am amazed at how the colors change from clouds zipping overhead. The other morning it was 10 degrees here and the playful mood was a bit slower waking up. Even Sir Salty had to just sit a bit and take it all in then he was off to look around. He loves it when it is snowing. I do believe he thinks it's bird feathers falling. He races around searching as if searching for a bird in the snow.

I see the trees lined along the town roads with squirrels nests high above all of the homes. They are all tucked up inside those swinging, leaf baskets warm and cozy. A squirrel must have written the lyrics to rock-a-bye-baby-on-a-tree-top.

Back to Valentine's Day...They have fun party glasses for every occasion and this westie has hers on and just needs a party to go to. This is an oil aceo that I listed on ebay.

Let the party begin!

Pink Mushroom Girl Valentine Wood Pendant/Pin

Meet the Pink Mushroom Cap Girl. She has been featured before in my paintings, but here she is on a wooden pendant that I hand painted and varnished. Each wooden block (if I can say block even though it's a circle) is an original work of art. No two are exactly the same. The exciting part is that you get to choose whether you want it as a brooch or as a necklace pendant.

My love for mushrooms came from my childhood. In Montana after a rain shower my mom would take us out and we'd look for morel mushrooms near the streams and river. I loved the damp smell of earth in the spring and still do. Whenever I walk into a greenhouse I inhale memories and good feelings of gardening dreams.

I'm adding some new categories to my etsy store. Wooden Pendants is one being added and more varieties of art are coming in the next few days. I am excited!

Scandinavian Mixed Media Westie Scottie Paintings

These colors are so soft and sweet like new fallen snow. I lightened up in my colors in these two mixed media originals and I feel like I am in Europe with the brightest lights and soft pastels. But I'm really here in Maryland at 44 degrees and no snow on the ground...yet! See the westie racing down the hill. That is exactly what our westie does when our son sleds. They have energy and then some. Both little boys and westies.




I put westie's cousin, Scottie, in this painting. A sweetheart. Karina is ice skating in Sweden! We are going around the globe here. Both of these will be on ebay for sale. 5 by 7 inches each and on stretched canvas with collage papers and acrylic paint. Pink colors are so restful and calm.

Fall Days Westie

We're loving theses fall days where everything is still green and the weather is perfect during the day. Sweaters are necessary in the evenings unless you are a westie. I did an aceo size oil of a westie (our boy modeled) in the shade, but with the warm sunlight still reflecting on him. He looked lumunious like a lantern. An agile running lantern I might add!

Up for sale on ebay.

Westie Dog Beach Walk Painting

Westies love water! Sometimes they don't love what we call baths. They would rather play in the surf and soak in a lake or pond. That, the westies agree, is a real bath. Then they come out and shake a bit to share their bath with us.

I've been playing with light and shadows and really cutting back on the shadow values in my paintings. I do love the feeling of colors. The moods colors can bring out.

This original west highland terrier painting is up for sale on ebay with a buy it now price as well.

Sweet Looking Westie Dog-Not Looking

Westies are bright spots on a rainy days. Radar ears up and listening to every chirp, cricket, and squirrel chatter. Our westie, Sir Salty, is a bit camera shy. He does not like to look directly at the camera. I'll whistle, jump a bit, call his name and sometimes in desperation pretend to fall down to get him to look. (They could have a tv series called Desperate Photographers.) I can't get all black and blue just trying to get a good photograph that is for sure. I can see myself twisting my ankle and having to go to the doctor and it would go like this:

Doctor: You said you twisted your ankle taking a picture of your dog?
Me: Yes, I do it all of the time.
Doctor: Take pictures or fall down?
Me: Both.
Doctor: I'm confused.
Me: Now you're sounding like me. I think I'll go for a second opinion.

This could be downright embarrassing.

You are probably saying, "Call his name." I do that too. The problem is that there are alot of beauty and animal/bird sounds outside so Sir Salty looks quickly and then turns his attention elsewhere where he thinks its needed most. All the while my camera is still focusing.

I have a new trick though. Put the treat on top of your camera. A no-fail way to get his complete attention for a few minutes! And while I'm focusing to remember if I left the iron on or the water running in the sink.

New original oil painting aceo titled "Rain Gear" up for sale on ebay.

Christmas Santa Woodland Gnome ACEO Art

When you go deep into the woods this is what you see. Gnomes and wee folk with their pets collecting pinecones. (You also see poison ivy but we won't mention that.) This is a santa gnome with his pet squirrel collecting pinecones.

Aceo - Art Cards Editions and Originals which measure 2.5 by 3.5

For Sale on ebay.

Westie Dog Costume Painting

Our westie lets us dress him up. Doesn't make a sound as we slip clothes over his head. Even rubber raincoats. Sir Salty is very domesticated. He also knows there is a treat on the way after we get the clothing on or take it off. One for you puppy and one for me. We both get rewarded for our efforts! We'll work the rewards off all week. Accck!

This original oil painting measures 4 by 4-inches on canvas. It's titled "RAINDROPS". Yes, they keep falling on puppy's nose and he keeps wiping them off. I love the colors, swirls and the dog's sweet face.

This small painting is up for grabs on ebay. Collect original art. It's an investment.