Smell Your Own Roses ($300 framed) 25x39

So this piece is not new, I completed her several years ago.  She has moved from family room to dining room and currently resides in my bedroom.  Though I have grown to love her, her scent has faded and I'm craving a new one.  Therefore with small regret and excitement I'm selling her out.  She comes loved, framed and with high hopes....(and with some couches if your interested...)

Who Wants Some Kool Aid?

As you can see...I have not been faithful to my painting a week goal.  As summer has drifted on I find that I am much happier baking in the sun than hiding in my basement with paintbrush in tow.  So I have decided to take the summer off... to enjoy my kids, my almost tan and my sanity from sunshine.  I have a few pieces in the works... if there is one thing this summer has been full of, that would be inspiration.  This piece or I guess these pieces were inspired by the search for Jr High shoes for my 8th grade Beetle Bug.  I get it Jr High... wardrobe emphasis... however age has brought on better financial discretion on my behalf.  With a panic attack lingering in the shadows, I bought the $85.00 ruby red Toms for my Bug, thank you Nordstroms. I then drifted upon Rue 21 $11.99 knock offs.  WHAT!? No my purchase won't contribute to the humanitarian needs of this world but it sure as hell will save me $73.01.  I figured with a little personal touch we could whip these puppies into something...and here they are.  And as for my daughter, she's as pleased at punch (fruit punch with fresh lemons and oranges in it, delicious).

June Comment Winner

So the comment winner for the month of June is the fabulous...Libby Switzer.  I'll let you know what she picks...she picked What a Colorful World...congrats!

The Bird is the Word ($15) 8x10

This is in honor to the beautiful tweets that roll in my open windows with the sun that wake me each morning, thank you.

What a Colorful World (Sold) 12x16

"I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"
They're really saying "I love you"

I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow
They'll learn much more than I'll ever know
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world"

Isn't it amazing how color makes everything even more wonderful....

Kaysville Arts Festival

So yes, my two oldest birdies and I participated in Kaysville's FIRST Arts and Music Festival.  It was soooo much work and soooo much fun.  I loved working with my girls on this huge fun project.  They worked for hours making hats for kids to decorate.  They did pretty darn good and I'm pretty darn proud.  Thank you to all of our family and friends who came out to support us (you know who you are) we love you and thank you much much.  Hopefully this event will continue and get bigger and better.

Pansies (Sold) 8x10

"Little purple pansies dressed in yellow gold..."  Do any of your mothers have a song for any moment, event, time of day?  Mine does...that talent is one of my mom's that will always dwell in my heart.

Breezy Dreaming ($90 framed) 8x10

Is there anything more delicious than the feeling and sound of leaves rustling in a breeze?  What if those leaves were soaked with a sunset...heaven is what that is.

Summer Treat (Sold) 8x10

It's here...it's finally here!!

May Comment Winner

So the comment winner for the month of May is...Becky Mason...another beauty.  She picked "Sing Your Heart Out"...Enjoy!!

My Getaway (Sold) 22x28

So my parents purchased a vacation home down south.  I have a love hate relationship with it...meaning when I'm down there I hate leaving and love EVERY stinking second.  The love affair draws from, sunshine, warmth, breezes, pools, lack of responsibility, lack of cleaning and my lack of having to pay for it.  Because I don't pay for it I shouldn't have an opinion right?  Well being the oldest girl...wrong.  That's all I have are opinions.  So when my dad tells me he is going to make a canvas out of an old spring bar tent to staple on the wall as a canvas for me to do a southwestern mural, my creative mind thinks "Wow dad impressive" but my bossy mind thinks "are you freakin' crazy...you are going to ruin my haven!"  So this piece was inspired by trying to  ease my father's worried mind that his southern home isn't decorated southern enough.  So Happy Fathers Day dad...I love you!

Rise (NFS)

Warm weather, the ability to be outside, my hubby and upcoming Father's Day...here we go.  I'm an outdoors kind of gal.  Perfection is walking early in the morning, alone...with some great tunes warming me up.  On those disappointing mornings when my ipod is lifeless, my husband's comes to the rescue, normal Pink and John Denver tracks are replaced by Black Label Something, Godsmack, headaches...fierce and anger...until I stumbled upon a Cult jem.  The song "Rise" makes me want to do just that.  Yeah the world maybe up against my back (yes in my simply easy life the laundry, fighting kids, wifely duties, callings and even the scale can be my world) but still I rise.  This piece is a work in serious progress...so I will keep updates on it's progression.  But simply remember...you have wings upon your back and you can fly!!

The Tide Is High (Sold) 10x13

I think it has finally happened...I think I am some how middle aged.  I'm not sure how or when it occurred, maybe when my daughter started wearing my clothes, or maybe when I decided that eating a grundle of cookies with my kids is a lot funner than watching my weight.  However, it has happened, and though I have waited in fear, bring it on baby...I love it!!  There is a calm that sweeps over you, though you know worldly expectations are still raging, money is still dwindling and kids are still complaining...it has become my chaotic peace.  Sure my hips are wider, my hair is thinner? (yes that is possible even on me), my boobs (as expensive as they were) are even a little saggier, and I often wonder who that lady is staring back at me in the mirror, concealer...another tender mercy of God, but when scanning my time line it is all moving way too fast.  So this is my piece that is inspired by wearing my banner of motherhood, wifehood and middle-agedhood loud and proud.  Speak less, open those ears and listen more.  Keep my eyes closed to judge less and open my heart to love more.   Remember what is important is not what was or what will be, but what is. 

A Spoon Full of Sugar ($20)

What says Happy Mothers Day more than a tiny bird sitting on your wrist...Mary Poppins eat your heart out...

I've Got the Blues?? (Sold) 8x10

Who made blue represent Boo-Hoo?  My new discovery...I love the color blue.   It's such an unexpected compliment, the Kate Blanchett of the color wheel.   So if it reminds you of the blues you sometimes feel in life...they may exist but if you look close enough, they are usually surrounded by fabulous joy.  (Interested for Mothers Day...$10 off Mothers Day Paintings and $20 same day framing.)

April Comment Winner

Alright...so I dropped all the names (I'd like to say in a hat but it was more like a pile on my desk) of those who left comments for the month of April...and the winner is Sara Liddell!!  (Isn't she gorgeous...)  Anyhoo, she gets to pick a free painting from April...she picked True Inspiration!!  If you're interested in May...keep the comments flowing!

Summer Art Classes

I've had some inquiries for my Children's Summer Art Classes.  They are beginning Wed June 15 and continue every Wed from 10am-12pm until August 17th.  They are for kids ages 5 and up and the cost is $80 for the classes with a $20 supplies fee.  We will be learning about some wonderful artists (Rousseau, O'Keeffe, van Gogh, Pollock,etc.) and trying some of their techniques.  (Not to mention we're going to have a blast getting messy.)  If you want to register your kids or want more information contact me raimie10@yahoo.com.  Paint On!!

For All the Moms I've Loved Before (Sold) 8x11

My last painting sparked (besides a little guilt for rushing) an exciting inspiration for me.  With Mothers Day coming, loving my wonderful mom and love being a mom, I've been thinking a lot about all of the moms that have influenced my life.  Flowers are the perfect representation of mothers, per myself.  Flowers are so varied.  Some are beautiful, some smell wonderful, some start out odd, some are the perfect finish to the perfect arrangement, some are stinky, some are weeds, some are plain familiar but always constant, some are delicate and some are so interesting you can't help but wonder how on earth God came up with that formula.  Hmmm...so moms and flowers.  Like weeds some mothers are wonderful teachers of hard work.  Stinky ones???  Did you know that most stinky flowers stink for a reason??  Often to ward off insects and bugs, they protect other flowers.  Take a carnation...constant, simple, sometimes a filler but no less beautiful.  Sunflowers!!  They grow tall, strong, powerful under heat.  What inspiration ey??  So all of my pieces up to Mothers Day are going to be of Mothers (flowers).  If you decide to buy a piece for your Mother for Mothers Day $10 smackaroos off.  Yeah Moms!!

Dear Mother I Learned How to Love Them from You (Sold) 8x10

So what started as an inspirational story on this one, kind of deflated, bummer.  My mom's love of flowers was the first idea that came to my mind. (Not to mention my mom's house looks like an art museum slammed into a garden, she has quite the art collection, jealous.)  Shamefully so, today my only desire was to get this piece finished for my blog.  My week is running away from me...and my season is the season of motherhood, and I would have it no other way.  So nothing too exciting except that I loved the short 2 hours I had to work on this piece and maybe because my mom was my inspiration, that is what brought on the mayhem.  Mayhem is motherhood right??  For those of you who know and love my mother, no one handles more mayhem than her.  I love you mom! (Interested for Mothers Day...$10 off Mothers Day Paintings and $20 same day framing.)

True Inspiration (Sold) 11x14

This past Spring Break I had the opportunity to visit Moab and St. George, UT with my eternal boyfriend and our darling babies.  We took many hikes and made many climbs.  Those sweet hiking moments overload my brain with ideas for art.  Obviously.  Delicate Arch...inspiring.  Sand Dune Arch...inspiring.  Kayente...total art inspiring.  The problem often with those inspirations is that everyone is familiar with the inspiration.  Painting a scene from Delicate Arch is like a contestant on American Idol trying to redo "Kiss" by Prince.  You simply don't mess with perfection.  That poses some challenges.  The true inspiration that I found this past week was not in the beauty of my surroundings, but in the beauty of my life.  Nothing is more beautiful than watching my kids, a perfect creation from my husband and myself, laugh, smile, and love with each other.  Climbing big rocks with huge smiles of accomplishment on their shiny red faces oozing little drops of sweat, watching my tiniest chickie bob up and down as she runs the trails trying to keep up with her buddies, the way we smell as we all pile back into the car to head out for a well deserved lunch.  So the awe that inspired this, could be totally hokey piece, is not nature's beauty but the beauty of family.

Sing Your Heart Out (Sold) 18x24

I'm sure you can guess the inspiration for this piece...Spring baby!  I can hardly wait for the colors and blooms and walks in the early morning.  Also I love COLOR bold strong powerful color!!  No sissy pale yellows or soft blues,  Boo-Hoo!!  I honestly can hear the sigh of a canvas or a wall after a new coat of paint (kind of like the sound your car makes in the winter when you kick a big ice chunk off the wheel well).  And let me tell you this canvas sang her heart out.

Patience (Sold) 11x14

Do you ever have those moments in life where you are wondering what kind of sense of humor mother nature has?  Do you cling to the tiny tender mercies of sunshine that you know are gifts strait from God?  Well that's where this story begins.  Each year as I get older, my patience or memory? grow smaller.  Call it seasonal depression, call it...was winter this long last year...but the last days of winter seem a large mountain to climb.  The air is often drear as I crave the arrival of spring.  (Drear not dreariness for the addition of "iness" implies to my mind that it belongs on words that are delicious...happiness, cheeriness).  So, the drear is annoying the socks right off me as I await the warm beams of sun that tan the skin and renew the vitamin D.  So...She is patiently awaiting spring and the blessings of the first peeks of color, the joys of being outside and the breezy warmth.   She keeps a forward focus not letting her surroundings dampened those butterflies in her tummy.  Her face is blessed with the all seeing eye to offer protection, from envy.  Envy of the San Diegoians, the St Georgians, the Hawaiians, the I'm cruising on Royal Caribbeanians.  The flower that thrives is the one touching her anticipatingly joyous heart. I am calling this piece..."Patience!?"