The Staring Contest

The Staring Contest - Original watercolor

I finally thought up a name for this painting, these two critters looks like their having a staring contest, so I named it just that! I was quite excited to finish this painting. It was just so much fun!

Here's a close up of the two:

This original watercolor painting is available at my Etsy store. I hope to include my lovely star kitty, Oreo, in more pieces of artwork.

The Cat and the Cardinal Progress - 2

I started painting the drawing I shared last night. Here is it's progress as of yet:

I wasn't so sure about how I painted the leaves at first. But once the cardinal was in there, it looked to fit a lot better. Now back to painting... :o)

The Cat and the Cardinal

I've been wanting to include my partner in crime, Oreo, in my artwork for some time. This morning while waking up to my dear kitty making odd noises while staring at the morning birds - one of which was a cardinal - I got this idea. (Oh, and the title of this post is not the painting title, I'm playing with a few in my mind right now)

Having not a huge experience in animal painting to lean on, I thought that this composition was the easiest for capturing my kitty - profiles are always easiest, or to me they are...there's no need for symmetry with only half a face to worry about.


The first sketch is the one that I did on the watercolor paper. It's the one that will be painted. The second is the sketch from my sketchbook. It looks a lot better because it doesn't have the texture of the watercolor paper. I thought at first of just having the cardinal...but I starting thinking: what if the cardinal was just as 'curious' (yes, I'm calling my cat's natural hunting instincts, curiosity). That's when I got the idea for the cardinal to lean into Oreo. It's also a very interesting bird angle I find, a little out of the ordinary.

Silent Sunday: Long Shadows

New Autumn Prints Available...

These colourful prints are now available as prints!

From left to right: Acorns, Sapphire Dreams and Red Maple

The originals of these have gone to new lovely homes. But you can still enjoy these paintings as reproductions. If you would rather have an original, there are plenty of originals available in the shop, or you can request a custom painting.


Sorry about the small picture, I tried to make it large with the three in a row but blogger wasn't having any of it.

It's my birthday!! (and a little present for my readers)

It's my birthday today!! I turn 24 (yay and nay lol)



...annnnddd to celebrate, I'm offering 24% off anything and everything in my shop on Etsy: http://jellybeans.etsy.com All you have to do is mention BDAY-2-4 in the notes to seller, and I'll send a revised invoice for 24% off your order. This deal is only good for today.

There are some lovely new fall pieces, and some winter items that would be great to have or give! And don't forget the holidays are coming up, I have started listing my new 2010 holiday card designs.

The Family Farm: Serene

The farm looks so serene when the work is all over. Which is a false appearance, since the reality is: the work is never over. I love the red wagons against the golden field...

Woodland Spirit

There are notions that everything goes back into the earth and becomes one with it.
My painting, Woodland Spirit, illustrates that idea. A tree, with reminiscent of deer antlers, may in fact be embodying the spirit of an animal long past, and is then still part of the forest that it so much loved and made its home.

Everlasting

Autumn is the time when all those summer flings start to blossom into true romances. Romantic notions engraved in such long living trees create such a dreamy notion of love everlasting.

I think I have been reading too many romances...Everlasting is a new watercolor for my fall line. It doesn't contain the traditional colours, but it does contain the notion of autumn in the romantic sense of summer flings becoming so much more then just some giggles and light kisses. It is available in my shop.

The Family Farm: One of my favourite reasons for home...

This cutie is one of my favourite reasons to come home. This gorgeous lady's name is Sandy, and she is the most lovable pooch ever. She is best friends with everyone right away - puppy love just radiates from her! Thus making her a not-so-great farm watch dog, but that's okay, we all love her oodles still. She does protect again other critters though with unbelievable ease. I think she thinks she's a person, seriously. In her head, she is not one bit dog lol.

Christmas Preview: Snowy Eve

I know, I know...Christmas is still ages away. But in the online world it has to come a little sooner just so everyone receives what they need from online purchases, with time to send them on to loved ones. I like to post my Christmas stationery early, so that people who live in far off places can order, receive the package and mail out their bounties to more far off places.

This year I have three new holiday card designs, plus my previous designs will be returning as well.


Snowy Eve is the first of my new 2010 card collection. It is offered in glittered and non-glittered formats. Personally I love the sparkle! It's a nice winter card, and can be used for other occasions than just Christmas.


It's an evening of lovely, pure snow falling down gracefully and collecting on a tree which has gone to sleep for the season.

These cards are available in sets, and of course are completely customizable! You can have a message printed into each of them, or even mix up the sets among all the cards so you have one of each! Go see my holiday section for the most recently listed items :)

Owl in Red Maple

I have always wanted to incorporate an owl in one of my paintings before, but never could figure out an idea. Welcome, 'Owl in Red Maple'This lovely red maple, highly reminiscent of my country Canada, has an equally lovely owl living amoung it's branches. The blue of the owl adds a fun element to the piece, and it pops out of the red leaves. The red maple was another idea that I was playing with for awhile, how to use the red and create a shape so that you know it's a maple tree.


That owl just makes me giggle. I thoroughly enjoyed creating this piece!

The original painting is still available for sale in my shop.

The Family Farm: Some furry surprises...

Now, what do these look like? Feet of course, but more specifically?

Kitten feet! That's right, when I went to visit my parent's farm, they had a little of kitten's terrorizing about. The litter was of five kittens. Being farm cats, they are not always 'tame'...so we're only able to handle and hold three of the five. The mother is completely lovable, so hopefully the other two kittens will come around with time.


One of the reasons why we sometimes cannot hold the kittens, is that they tend to be born in 'inaccessible' locations, and so we cannot handle them until they come down...and by that point some have decided that they don't want anything to do with people. These kittens specifically were born in the ceiling of my dad's large work shop / equipment storage shed. How they got there, who knows lol.

This little guy is my favourite one, and completely photogenic! Look at him working the camera! I wanted to name him 'Milo'...but apparently he's been named something else

Book review: My Name is Memory

This story was amazing. I loved the whole concept behind "My Name is Memory" by Ann Brashares. This story believes that we reincarnate ourselves after each life, and that how we are brought into our new lives depends on actions take in our previous lifes, and that human connections remain in tact through this seemingly endless journey. A best friend in this life may have been your mother in a previous life.

Daniel, the 'hero' of this love story, is a rare sort who can remember all his lives. In his first memory of his lives, he falls in love with a women. In later lives, he comes to know her as Sophia. He strives in all his lives to try and find this one true love of his and make her remember him. Present day Lucy is Daniel's Sophia. He wants for the perfect moment to confront her. Unfortunately, Lucy is scared of what Daniel is saying, and his constant referral to her as Sophia. They separate, with their lives continuing in two different paths; only to be reconnected again in their current lives.

I just find the whole concept of love (friendly, family and romantic) existing beyond life in another realm and continuously drawing people together in ever changing connections.

I wasn't sure about this novel at first. Since I've only known the author to write the 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' series, I was worried that this story would be more geared towards a young adult audience. I was not disappointed, this story was most definitely written for adults.

I give this wonderful story 5 warm fuzzies out of 5. I always love a good, solid love story.

This story is worth a read, especially is you enjoy love stories. Even if you don't, I think most would enjoy this one. I read it straight, until I was done at 2 in the morning, 4-5 hours after starting. *Blushes*