Marie A.

The beginnings of the Marie A. portrait. Not much here to talk about yet but I like to see the images on the computer. It gives me a chance to take a step back and look at the image in a new light.

Latest progress

Changes in this painting are subtle. I have spent a lot of time looking and not much painting. I think soon it will be done. I am beginning a smaller painting featuring Marie A. and cake, champagne and gorgeous fruit. Lovely pinks and reds and a gentle blue. All of these works are for the Art of Food show the first of Feb. Can you tell I am down to the wire? I am firing as we speak. Lots of cookie jars and ice cream bowls. Big serving platters featuring Hilda...my own Martha Stewart in her fifties apron and sporting a flip or sometimes a ponytail. Usually on pieces with Hilda there is the saying, "cook with your heart. "
I am having a good time doing this show and hope that it is a hit.

Progress on the Still Life

I have been working slowly on the this painting because the oil is really thick and I like to let each layer set up a little bit. I worked on it a couple of hours this morning and really like the way it is beginning to take shape. There is a lot more to do but I am looking forward to the push pull of the process. It keeps my imagination going.

The Art of Food

I am doing a show at the Marshall Gallery in Febuary titled the Art of Food. This is one painting in preparation of that show. I just started it yesterday so it is in it's beginning stages and as you can see from the shine really, really wet. I am thinking the colors will stay pretty much the same but the texture will increase quite a bit. I'm excited to be painting again even if it is still not as much as I would like.

My Bounty

I am a shell seeker at heart. There is nothing better than sitting on a beach, wind whipping at your hair, sun bearing down and looking for shells. I was lucky this time and found many scallops mostly pink and purple but all pretty. I also found some rarer shells that are harder to find like whentletraps, babies ears and some small conchs. The super duper prize this time was the 2 sharks teeth that just seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Our little crackhead

We went to the beach this weekend and had a fabulous time. It was at least 70 degrees everyday and we frolicked in the sun....well, we lazily walked and read books in tank tops and shorts in the sun. I actually got a burnt nose much to my delight. We also were lucky enough to have a fastly made friend our seagull that we just had to name Crackhead. He approached us the first day we spread out our blankets on the beach asking for food. We were quick to give up triscuits, cheese doodles, green peppers, etc....until Will got the crazy idea to feed the gull squeeze cheese. I was against this of course, because of the fact that squeeze cheese is not cheese and I was wondering what a load of chemicals would do to the poor seagulls stomach. Will pointed out that they eat do french fries and seem to be thriving.
Well guess what?
He loved the cheese! Who wouldn't? I love squeeze cheese!
Well the next day guess who was waiting for us? Crackhead. He got the name because of the voracious way he ate the cheese and then begged for more. He also made quite a spectacle of claiming us as his humans by chasing off every other seagull and bird that came within 50 feet. He even got hold of the plastic bag that contained the squeeze cheese and dragged it across the sand trying to get at the crack ( s.cheese).
Well here he is! In all of his splendor eating said crack.
**** please note that no animals were harmed during our stay at Salter Path. We said a fond goodbye to Crackhead and he was flying after some other gulls who thought that they could encroach on his territory.

Largest Bunny Slipper Ever

I wanted to make these bunny slippers for my mother-in-law but I think I will have to give them to my husband. They are the largest bunny slippers ever. I didn't use the yarn suggested but compared the yarns and they seemed compatible. I knew as I was going along they would be big but these could easily fit any man. I think the pattern is a little off somewhere (Denise warned me
that her friends had problems) but they really are super cute and the next pair are easily fixed as I can adapt the pattern. I think these slippers will be very stylish on Will. I hope that he doesn't mind the bunny ears too much!

*** a little update on these slippers. They were too big on Will! Way too big! I almost think that the only person who will be able to wear them is Shaq or Micheal Jordon. Well I guess if they don't fit the student I asked to try them on, off they go to Micheal. Since he likes Carolina I guess I should send them to him. If anybody out there has really big feet or knows anyone with really big feet that wants a pair of bunny slippers just leave me a comment and they could be yours!

Hanging on a wire

I have just started making these bird pieces with birds on a wire. I can see a group of mourning doves sitting on a wire right outside my window. They always seem to be talking about very important buisness and i'm always wondering what it is they are saying.

Second hint

I wonder what those holes are for?

PSSST! Denise's first hint

This is Nese's tool for knitting and crochet.
This actually the back of it and I will be able to fire this weekend! So....... I might actually be able to have it finished by next week in time for a trip to the beach. On our way we will be passing through Raleigh and might be able to stop for a quick dinner with the infamous Miss Mouse....we'll see.
Hey Mouse make a guess!

Goodbye to Christmas

I wanted to put up a picture of our Christmas lights this year before we take them down. I have enjoyed them so much sparkling outside our window at night. I wish I could keep them up all year! But alas, they must go in their boxes for another spell until the Christmas time comes around again.