Springtime Dream - Part 3

It's 6:30 at night and I'm just now realizing that I haven't sat down at all today. Well, except for visits to the little girl's room and when I put on my shoes, of course. It's just been one of those super amazingly productive days! I've been kind of obsessed with winter wear lately what with the cold weather finally starting to show up. After many, many years without new (or new-to-me) sweaters, I've been busily replacing them. One new-to-me sweater didn't make the cut, however...or, rather, I should say that it did because out my scissors came. I went all winter crazy and cut the sleeves off to make leg warmers (my first...I never gave into the craze before) and an infinity scarf. I feel cozier just knowing that they're there.


And I continued working on this decidedly non-winter painting.

I added more flowers and increased
the size of the bigger flowers.

I added stripes to the bigger flowers.

I painted leaves on the flower stems and
began working on the figure.

I did the first layer of flesh tone, painted
her shirt, and added details to her skirt.
This lovely girl is starting to look a lot like
 a bride. I think I will go in that direction.

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Springtime Dream - Part 2

So Dave and I decided to go out tonight and I invited the kiddo to join us.


Me: "We're going out for macrobiotic food tonight. Want to join us?"

Little guy: "Why would they call it that?"

Me: "I have no idea."

Little guy: "Sounds like something you'd catch or have to study."


I took that as a "no".



I continued working on this painting. I'm having fun with the whimsy!

I made circles around the flowers and changed
the center color in some of them.

I added marks here and there with white
and yellow paint.

I added the suggestion of some
grass here and there. I also added
some red flowers.

I added white centers to the red flowers, added
some yellow grass, and topped most of the grass
strands off with little pink or orange flowers.

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Springtime Dream - Part 1

When you're walking with a dog it gives free license to anyone who may want to talk to you. And since Hazel has her goofy new haircut the looks and the commentary have been on the increase. Tonight I heard something I'd not heard in my many years of dog walking.


Kind walking lady: "Nice boots!"


At first I thought she meant me...until I remembered that I'd shed my boots when I'd gotten home from work. Yup, Hazel is rockin' her furry boots. Love my stylin' girl!


I started on a new painting, this one inspired by the work of Mary Blair. Not sure the direction that it will go. I love that!

I started by creating a background.

I added a second layer.

I started what will become flowers.

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A Song Written Just for Her - Part 7

I've been thinking lately that I want to grow my hair out again. Not super long as that's just way too much trouble. I have some big Texas hair when it's long and I never seem to be able to manage it. Really I'm just thinking shoulder length or so. But then Dave ups his scaring me tactics. Boy, my guys so love doing that. And as my bangs are growing out I'm having more and more trouble seeing their sneaky approaches.

Lucky for me Hazel is on my team and she gives them away most of the time.


And I finished this painting! I can't believe it took a week, but I've been up to tons of other good stuff. This was super fun and I loved learning about Mary Blair. Super fun being inspired by her work!

"A Song Written Just for Her"

I painted the second tone on the guitar and
added some marks to the man's shirt. I also
added a second tone to the woman's face.

I worked on his hands, added hair color,
and sketched the features of their faces.

I began working on her hands, added color to
his hands, added a second tone to his face, used
red to create a bottom and side of the guitar,
and painted some of their facial features. I
also painted her hair white as the yellow
wasn't showing as brightly as I'd wanted.

I painted yellow on her hair. This time it really
shows well, so I decided to do the same with
his hair. You'll see in the finished painting that
I continued adding more elements.

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A Song Written Just for Her - Part 6

My family. They're always here for me if I ever get stuck.


Me: "Do something funny!" (I needed something to blog about.)


My little guy sat on the couch with a fork dangling from his mouth.


Dave: "Well, a little while ago XXXXXXXXXX" (I've decided that I cannot relay this story out of respect for one little guy in particular.)

Little guy: "Nope!" And then he waggled his head back and forth, the fork in his mouth waggling with him.


So, dangling/waggling fork for the win!



I continued working on this painting. I'm finding that there's a lot of dry time with this one which is slowing my pace. I don't mind, though, paces are meant to be slowed. Well, that and I made a week's worth of food. A stocked fridge = guys who leave me alone and let me paint. :-)

I painted the man's shirt and applied a second
layer to his legs and changed them a bit. I
also added a band and some dangling strands
to the hat.

I added details to the mans leg, put frets on the
guitar, and began the layering of the flesh
tones on their faces.

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A Song Written Just for Her - Part 5

My little guy always does his best to make me feel good about myself. Tonight at the gym after my Zumba class....


Little guy: "You still look like an idiot."

Me: "Me or everyone?"

Little guy: "Everyone, but especially you."

Me: "Gosh, thanks."

Little guy: "But it's OK, you're just a beginner."


Aw...now I feel better. Lovable little toot!



I kept plugging away at this painting. Turns out that when you work full time, come home and work on a commissioned piece, go to the gym for that Zumba class, and then come home to paint just a bit more, pretty much the whole evening has blissfully gone by. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I worked more on her dress. I'm really liking
the simplicity of the painting of her skirt
with the under layers showing through.

I painted what will become her hat and
painted his legs and part of the guitar.

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A Song Written Just for Her - Part 4

It's not easy being green.

So today I eradicated a bit of green in my life.

I've had these kelly green skinny jeans for a couple of years. I've worn them three times. Once around the holidays. That worked just fine. You know, festive and all. The second time was when I was in a Miracle Whip commercial and I was one of the "State College" fans wearing green. That worked great, too. The third time was last week when I wore them to work. Well, by golly, those pants are REALLY green!

So I picked up some brown fabric dye last night and today I died 'em. It didn't exactly go as I'd planned. They're more of a deep olive green than a brown and the stitching, which was apparently not cotton and therefore nonabsorbent, remained bright green. But I rather like them and I'm going to go with "I meant for them to turn out like that." Yup!


And I continued working on this painting. I had a really busy day and honestly didn't get much done on it. But I did spend a nice amount of time with my mom and I was able to do a lot of work on a secret commissioned piece. So I'm happy.

I added red centers to all of the
flowers I'd painted last night.

I sketched the figures with pencil (it may be
too light to see in this photo).

I went over the pencil with white paint.

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Most of my paintings are for sale and I welcome commissions.

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