~Painter of the Past~

A New Year

2012-01-31T16:52:00.000-08:00

Well, this is embarrassing......it is a little late to wish you a Happy New Year, but I hope you've had a good start to your new year!

We had a nice Christmas and New Year.....and then January happened. Lots of medical issues, health issues and the dryer died. That about sums it up!

Glad to see February here with answers to medical and health issues, and possibly a new dryer, lol!

And, it is also update time on TDIPT.

For the month of February, I've made a few things:

~Love Bunnies~

(my sons cringed at this name....I know it is kind of silly~ sweet, but it fit!)

(See them here: Love Bunnies on TDIPT)

~Beatrice~

My first Wall Doll of the year. Beatrice wears her heart on her apron, lol!

(See her here: Beatrice on TDIPT)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

This year, for our church's Christmas Eve program, I drew something with a Victorian theme in mind.

I hope you and your family experience many blessings this Christmas. Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Suzanne

Fa La La La La

2011-11-30T20:06:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for singing. And choir concerts. My husband, (the choir director) is very busy this time of year and is ready for a long winter's nap. :)
He really enjoys it, and we enjoy participating and listening to them. There will be two this weekend, so Fa la la la la!

Decorating update: I pulled out the boxes of decorations, and now they are all sitting on the living room floor. Next step: I'll open them!, hopefully tomorrow, but today was update day on the Merc. (TDIPT).

This month I made some "wintery" things. A snowman named Parson Parley Brown. He was quite a bit of work (my busy husband helped with some of it, ie drills, wood armature, etc.)~

And some sledding in silhouette form~

Click on over to see more photos: Pear Tree on TDIPT

Launch Time

2011-11-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. We ate well, but worked out later in the day.

(Yes, I typed the words, "worked out". My husband and I have been working out with Tony Horton of P90X fame.....I'll explain our craziness in another post, someday....when I'm ready to post those "Before" and "After" photos!)

After Thanksgiving, I try to pull out our Christmas tree, but I haven't quite gotten my Christmas decor out of the garage just yet, however; it is on the list for the week. Have you started yet?

Well, the artisans on TDIPT have some offerings you may want to take a peek at and perhaps add to your holiday decorating. This week on Ebay, TDIPT is having a "Winter Wonderland" Group Launch. I've listed two items, and have at least one more to list later this week. (Just click on each photo and it should take you to the auction.)

Snow Kiss on Ebay

Winter Cardinal on Ebay

And to see all of the offerings from our launch, please click here:

TDIPT on Ebay

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:48:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter for the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

~May you enjoy the blessings of the season with family and friends~

Fall's Favors and Flavors

2011-11-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

Fall is a beautiful season. I think our family appreciates it even more after living in AZ for several years....not many colorful seasonal changes in the desert.
The show piece in our yard is our maple tree. I love seeing the leaves change from green to red, and yellow, then, they fall to the ground. THAT, I'm not so crazy about, the clean-up! But, when we all get outside and make it a family event of raking the leaves, it can be fun.

~So, this is what we will be raking this weekend~ (IF it doesn't snow...that is what the weather guys are saying. Snow and leaves mixed may be kind of difficult to rake).~

(I really haven't mastered the "fine art" of drizzling glaze, but this one turned out okay.)

This recipe makes 12, maybe next time I'll cut them into smaller pieces that aren't quite so big.

Last night, I really got into the "fall flavor" of things. With the "help" of our girls who provided the eggs for baking, I made some pumpkin scones. Now, I am NOT a cook, and I really haven't baked in several years. I just don't have the patience for cooking or baking, especially when your "creative endeavors" don't last for very long. Which is the point, I guess...but cooking really has never interested me. Thank goodness my husband loves it, or we would be eating a lot of take-out or pre-packaged meals!

So, I can't explain my recent culinary desire to bake, except that it sounded really good and the recipe looked easy enough for even me to have a modicum of success. And, I did!

These are SO yummy....I googled "Starbucks Pumpkin Scones" and came up with several sites. I chose this one: Pumpkin Scones, and the results have boosted my self-confidence when it comes to baking. They LOOK just as yummy as the TASTE!

("The Girls", minus one...who was a little camera-shy,
or maybe she is blending in with the color of the leaves!?)

Next on the baking list....Pumpkin Bread. I found a recipe of the same site as the Pumpkin Scones, and am just waiting for "The Girls" to lay a few more eggs so I can try it.

~Have a Beautiful Fall weekend~ and if you need a nice tea to accompany your scone or baked good this season, please check out my sister-in-law's website. She has some very nice blends.

Turner Hill Tea

The Book of Life and other Stories

2011-10-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

"I could write a book", is a phrase usually used when someone has a lot to tell about a negative experience, or something they've learned through trial and error. I just thought about that, weird, huh? Why not, "I could write a book".... about all of my blessings?

Well, unfortunately, I've been saying that phrase a lot lately about a not-so-wonderful experience we are going through with finding a developmental therapist to work with my son....but the road ahead looks brighter, so that's a good thing!, and my "book" will be published soon! Haha! But seriously, after what we've experienced, I feel for those with disabilities who don't have an advocate in their corner.

Well, that's where I've been for the last few weeks, and will still be busy with doing for many weeks ahead.

But there is ALWAYS time for creating!!

And, it is the beginning of the month (can you believe it?), and time for updates on TDIPT.

This month I went "a little Colonial" with my Christmas offerings.

Please meet AnnaBeth (this was the "girl name" choice that my husband and I had for a girl... if we had had one.) I used my "girl name" for the doll I made for the update. She is made of quilter's muslin and is 17 inches tall. Her facial features were created using Inktense pencils (like the Troll Dolls, but cuter!)

My second offering is a painting of a Rocking Horse. This was fun to do~ I cut up some burlap and adhered it to an 8 X 10 canvas with some gesso and Modge Podge ©, then painted on the burlap. I cut the burlap so that the edges would extend over the canvas. The edges of the burlap are painted and sealed so they won't fray, and they look neat!

You can visit both offerings on my selling page:
Pear Tree on TDIPT

~*~*~*~*~

This is also the time of year for TDIPT's annual Open House! Which means Give Away Time!!

There are several ways to enter your name: Buy an item from one of the artist, sign up on our blog.....and a few other ways listed when you read the post.
Here is a link to learn more about the give away:

TDIPT Open House Give Away

(This is my "gift" for the Open House Give Away~For a chance to win this funny little guy, and other prizes, be sure to enter the give away!)

~*~*~*~*~

This is the first year no one asked to "dress-up" for Halloween. After 16 years of making costumes for two boys, I'm actually not too sad about not making one this year.
☺Happy Halloween Retirement to me!☺

Stay safe this evening~

PS. I finished the painting of the sisters walking hand in hand. It's my new "fall-ish" banner!

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

2011-10-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lookey Here~ I'm actually updating on the correct day! :) And, I'm about to show you a few unfinished pieces, which, I guess is the literal meaning of what I'm working ON at the moment.

Here is what I've been working on......... (other than the Trolls in the last post)~
A Custom Portrait in the early 19th Century Style:

This painting started with a VERY patient customer sending me photos of her son. (I say "VERY" patient because this portrait process started awhile ago, and I'm working on it when I can.).

From the photos she sent, (it helps to have several photos to look at), I drew up a sketch.
After the sketch is approved, the painting begins.

Here is a photo of what is on the canvas now....mostly basecoats and some shading. You can see that we rearranged some things from the sketch...ie, boulders were added, the kite was erased and a sling shot/ bag of marbles took it's place.
The face looks a little spooky, but it will get filled it soon. (Although, it's a good look for Halloween!)

~*~**~*~

A Watercolor Painting:

And the other painting I'm working on is a watercolor. I started "experimenting" with watercolor about three years ago. I say "experimenting", 'cause it's just that when I try to teach myself a new medium....an experiment! I love to try new things, but there is always a learning curve and my "methods" would probably shock a true watercolor artist.

I would never presume to teach anyone what I've tried to learn by trial and error! But I do enjoy the learning process, especially when something turns out the way I envision it.

So, after three years of painting with watercolor, I decided to treat myself to some really nice paint, albeit more expensive paint. Up until now, I've used student-grade paints that you might pick up at Michael's. I did a little online research and discovered Daniel Smith watercolors. These were recommended on blogs, and websites of professional watercolor artists, so I thought I would buy a few and give them a try. I went with basic primary colors to start out, and this gives me the freedom to mix many more colors.

After using them, I don't know how I was painting before with just student grade....'cause now I'm hooked! These watercolors are easy to work with, and flow beautifully on the paper. I don't think I can go back now! (They are quite a bit MORE expensive than student grade, but I think they look much nicer. So, I guess I'll have to figure out a way to afford them from now on! Hmmm?, maybe I can convince the family to go without food once in awhile?! Ha!).

And, I'll let you in on a little secret......I would love to illustrate a children's book someday. That has always been a little dream. But, I don't know how good I would be with deadlines, etc.! :) Plus, it seems to be a difficult industry to break into. Ah, well, I can dream.

The painting is of sisters walking along a path on a windy day. The first step was to sketch or draw the scene. Then I stretched the watercolor paper (notice the brown tape around the edges) by soaking it in the bathtub. The graphite pencil sketch stays in place even after the paper is soaked in water.

After it dries flat with the tape securing it to my plywood board, I begin to paint. The painting part is the unconventional part of the process. Everything else I just mentioned is the "norm" for stretching watercolor paper. My painting process involves things like paper towel blotting, dry brushing (which seems weird when you are doing watercolor!), and a few other "made-up" methods.

Not sure where this will go, probably Etsy when it is done, or I might just keep it and hang it on my bedroom wall! :)

Published and Other News

2011-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

We've had a crazy week. Nothing new there! Under the weather a bit with the season's change too. We've had rain and cold(er) weather, which somehow brings on sniffles, sneezes and other sinus-related "S's"! :)

The last post eluded to fun happenings and goings-on in my very small "art world".

("Belle of the Fall"~ Pumpkin Princess was one of my paintings that was featured.
She shares the page with Patti's pretty pumpkins Winding Vine Blog)

A magazine article!~ The group I belong to (and update monthly in), To Dwell in Primitives Thymes (TDIPT), had a 10-page feature in the latest PRIMS publication. PRIMS is a magazine published by Stampington and Co.

Here is a link to Stampington and PRIMS mag: Stampington & Co.

We were asked to send in an original art piece and then we filled out a survey sent to us by the coordinator of the article (and TDIPT member), Karen Brady.
She collaborated with the leaders of our group to write the article and then Stampington staff took photos of our art!

It is fun to see your work in print...thanks Stampington!

(My Pumpkin Patch silhouette with ribbon hanger up on the top left)

I couldn't decide what to send in, so I sent in two items thinking they would choose for me. It was a nice surprise to see both of my items in the article! (And, when you look through the article, you'll see that other members of the group sent in more than one item too.....that made me feel better, and not so much like a "greedy-goose"!)

(Plug: Both of these items have traveled back to my house from their photo shoot and are available in my Etsy shop: Pear Tree Primitives' Etsy Shop)

~*~*~*~*~

Did you freak out a little when you visited my shop? If you didn't click over there yet, let me prepare you for your visit!

What is that thing on the first row? What did she create? Is she trying to sell that?
These are valid questions you may ask yourself when you see my "latest" creation!

(Troll Twins~ up to no good)

( One of our chickens asking herself the same questions...."What has she painted now?")

My ever- diplomatic husband saw me painting these "troll dolls" and said, "Hmmm, those aren't your 'usual'." Nope, they are very UN-usual, and even kind of creepy (so say my children).
But, I kind of like their squishy little faces! :) ....the Troll dolls, not my children's faces!

I really have no rhyme nor reason for these little creatures other than I was just playing around with my new Inktense watercolor pencils! These were fun to play with, and I tried to create a "vintage-y" lithograph style for their faces. I'm not sure how that "look" will translate to anything other than a creepy little Troll doll face, but I'm going to continue to play with them and find out!

Here is a link to the Troll dolls on my Etsy, they aren't really scary.....just think " a character in a Brother's Grimm fairytale"! See them here: Troll Twins

Thanks for stopping by.....and next on the list of blog posts: New watercolor paints (LOVE these, and can't wait to share, and a custom portrait in the works.

See you Wednesday~

October Already?

2011-09-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

Well, the "Whatcha Working on Wednesday" idea didn't keep me on track with blog posting!

I did take photos of what I've been working on....but then, life would distract me and I would forget to post. So......,this may be a long one!

Let's start with update day~ which is actually this evening. The artist of TDIPT will be updating their pages for October. I know that Autumn has only begun, and our leaves have not even changed yet, but this month I'm offering Winter/Christmas items! (not to rush the season, but there are only two updates until Christmas...yikes!)

I'm offering two silhouettes that were my submissions to Early American Life magazine for their Holiday Artisan's Directory.

~The Skater~ inspired by the 18^th century portraiture of Sir Henry Raeburn and Gilbert Stuart, both painters of ice skaters.

And, ~Young Miss~ (not a particularly creative name!) was asked to fly to PA and have her photo taken at the Historic Rock Ford Museum to be featured in the magazine. (She was quite excited to be asked!).

And I can't really explain my fascination with Santa's face....I've painted three different Santa faces in the last two years! Lol!, Oh well, maybe it is his kind eyes and jolly personality? :)

I did remember to take photos along the way, so you can see his progression in the slide show below:

You can visit all three here later this evening: Pear Tree on TDIPT
(just refresh your page if you still see an owl peeking at you!)

Oh, and if you visit my Etsy Shop , you'll find two new offerings. "Owlettes"~ these are cupboard tucks or shelf sitters or just little creatures to keep you company.

See, I wasn't quite finished with Autumn yet! :)

Thanks for visiting...and I'll post more later this week. Still have a few new things to show you! Here is a snippet: A magazine feature, a custom portrait, and new watercolor paints to share!

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

2011-08-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

How about "Whatcha Finished Working On Wednesday", since today is update time on TDIPT?

Owl, Pumpkin, Cat Eye, Dragonfly, Chicken, Bee~ Sounds like a really Scary movie! Combine them all and you may have a B movie scenario, but that's what I've been working on for September's update.

(okay, my mind is forming a really weird image of a creature with various parts of each thing I just listed!) Lol!

So you don't run for cover, you can see them all (Separately!) in the photos below!~

The above Dragonfly, Bee, and Chicken paintings and Cat Eye Pendant can be seen on my website. Click on the link "New Offerings" at the top of the page:
Pear Tree Primitives Website

~*~*~*~*~*~

Preston, Primrose and the Owl grain sack painting can be seen on my TDIPT page:

Pear Tree on TDIPT

~*~*~*~*~*~

Oh, and let's throw in some dolls....Dolls always make for a good spooky movie! :)

Welcome and Miss Fall can be seen on my website too. Just click on the tab "Wall Doll" at the top of the page:

Pear Tree Primitives Website

Thanks for visiting......hope it wasn't too scary! :)

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

2011-08-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

(Did you make this for me?)

Well, I guess posting anytime on Wednesday still counts, right? Better late, than never, I guess.
There have been lots of appointments this week, but when I wasn't taxing kids around, here is what I was working on:

Drawing and sketching ideas for Faux Linen Grainsack paintings...an owl, dragonfly and bee. The owl will hopefully be done in time for my update on TDIPT this Sept. 1st.

A Fall Wall Doll is almost ready to go on Etsy....she still needs her hands sculpted.

But Headless (Sleepy Hollow Silhouette) is now finished and in my Etsy shop:

Pear Tree Primitives Etsy Shop

(building the cabinet)

Since there wasn't much to report for the weekly progress, I thought I'd show you what my husband made for my birthday a few weeks ago. (August is a busy month for our family and extended family....Lots of birthdays and anniversaries!).

(Ready to paint)

(Painted black first....as an undercoat. We paint all of our "new" furniture pieces this way. We like the instant "age" the dark undercoat gives the new wood.)

He is such a handy guy with the tools. He has built most of our furniture in our "Colonial Cottage". We down-sized when we moved into our home a few years ago and when we bought our current home we had to get creative with our furniture and storage. Jeff has been busy building pieces to fit nooks and crannies ever since!

(The topcoat....a creamy white)

This particular cabinet was needed for my sewing stuff that was taking over a hall closet...the one that also has my paints, etc. ie my "craft closet". The sewing stuff just needed its own place!

(An inside peek at the new sewing cabinet....I'll do my best to keep it neat!)

(The new cabinet in its new place in our bedroom)

Love my new cabinet! and I think he may be done with building anymore furniture for awhile, at least. That was the last piece I had on my "request" list.....but, I'll probably be thinking of some other new furniture piece I need...soon! :)

Happy Anniversary

2011-08-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

....to us! Twenty-four years ago on August 22, on a VERY hot day in Texas, my husband and I were married. The wedding day was a big blur for the most part, (note the dazed look on my face in some of the photos!), but I wouldn't have changed a minute of it to experience the journey after that day....well, maybe running off and eloping might have been another choice. :)

Just kidding Mom!

Gosh!, We look so young!

The wedding party~ seems so long ago, but most of us still keep in touch.

The Folks

(I think that this is the longest I've ever had my nails. I like to keep them short now....for painting purposes!)

Our hands have done many things together in the past twenty-four years, and I hope to be holding yours for many more to come.
Happy Anniversary ~ I love you!

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

2011-08-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

(Headless has been requested a few times. I'm now preparing one for my Etsy Shop).
This photo shows my "process"....I draw out a silhouette or painting, then use carbon paper to trace that drawing onto my paper or board, and then start painting. The drawing allows me to repaint when a customer requests another.

Now that the school year is "almost" upon us. My husband, the HS Music teacher, went back this week. My youngest and I will start home school next week. I thought I'd "try" and get myself somewhat organized. This is something I strive to do, but with three other "forces", {well, four, if you count our dog Molly}, working "against" me it can be all I do to keep the house in order, let alone my day!

So, the first step in this organizing thing is to plan. And part of the "Plan" is to post more often on this blog! :)

Having a subject or theme to post about will make posting a little easier for me. So, I thought Wednesday would be my "Whatcha Working On" day.....and hopefully I'll have something I'm working on most Wednesdays to show you.

At least this will give me a reason to get something at least started so I can post about it on Wednesday.....See how this will motivate me to get myself organized? :) That's the "Plan", at least! Lol!

These past few weeks of August, I've been busy with custom orders. Seven silhouette orders came through my email, and that is a happy thing....busy, but happy! And, I'm working on a custom portrait, just now putting it on canvas. (with permission from the customer, I'll show you more of that next Wednesday...see I already have a "Plan"!)

Here's what I've been working on:

Lady and Gent in Blue pants~ holding red books

Soldier and miniature couple silhouette (the Mrs./Mr. sils are 2 inches in a 5 X 7 frame)

John and Abigail Adams

That's what I've been working on this week! Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Birthday to Our Traveler

2011-08-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Ethan! Nineteen years old, Amazing! Looking back at how far you've come makes us proud and hopeful for your future.

It's been a journey of love and one that isn't over yet. We will continue to travel it with you, hope with you and learn with you. Your journey has been a navigation through confusion, frustration, denial, acceptance, perseverance, and patience, all sewn together with a strong thread of love. Autism is not an easy label to carry. We've watched you struggle, fail, refuse, and then, try and try again. "Try" is a small word with a BIG meaning.

Watching you shake someone's hand when you first meet them, look them in the eye and say, "Hi", seems a simple, uncomplicated task. But, not for you. We know how far you've come, and we know how much focus, energy and effort you've invested into doing that "simple" gesture. And you keep TRYing.

Understanding the nuances of human expression can be daunting for anyone, and especially difficult for you. You ask questions, "Mom, is that person acting mad or sad?", "Dad, what did that person mean when they said that?". We hope you never lose that ability to ask questions, you will need that skill all of your life, and the skill to keep TRYing.

You've also found that people don't always understand you. You've encountered those who judge you or refuse to accept your differences, and you've been hurt, that is an unfortunate part of life, but you keep TRYing.

You haven't progressed through the developmental milestones in a way that the doctors view as "normal", and you may never reach all of these milestones, and sometimes this confuses you. You struggle with learning disabilities and this frustrates you, but you keep TRYing. That is what we want, hope and dream for you.....that you keep TRYing.

Just for a day, dear reader, won't you patiently wait in that slow line at the grocery store while someone counts out change to pay? That person may be learning a great life skill. Will you take time to really listen to someone who wants to share with you although they may be difficult to understand? That person may have something really interesting to say. And won't you allow a little extra room in your life for someone who is TRYing?

Happy Birthday to our sweet boy, hugs and love from your parents who will keep TRYing too.

~*~*~*~*~

For his birthday, Ethan took a flying lesson. A very nice pilot named Bill took Ethan up in his two-seater and let him taxi around the runway, and steer the airplane once they were in the air. Ethan enjoyed himself while Dad and little brother tried to distract Mom who waited nervously on the ground! :)

Here are some photos of our day at the airport:

Ethan and Bill checking fluid levels.

Ethan and Bill checking the aircraft.

Inside the aircraft.....this is where Ethan sat!

One last wave "good-bye".....

.....and they're off!

I sure hope Bill was flying the airplane while this photo was taken!

Thanks Bill for a great ride and an adventure Ethan will never forget!.....and for bringing my child safely down to the ground again! :)

Happy Birthday Ethan!

Here's Your Sign

2011-08-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

....or should the title be, "What's Your Sign" ?

While my son was convalescing this summer, I painted a few signs. These are "hanging" around our house now:

This one is hanging on a wall in the main room of the house, where home school is done and where family and friends interact.....not sure if the "mantra" is working yet, Lol! But, its a great reminder, nonetheless. While visiting a little boutique, we saw this saying done in chalkboard colors, ie chalkboard green background with white lettering. I may have to paint one for my husband's classroom/ choir room at school too! This one is painted in different fonts I traced onto a heavily "distressed", (took a hammer to it, actually!), piece of wood. We've had this oak frame since we were married almost 24 years ago, it is about time I put something in it!

Our "new" front porch now has its own little sign. A "friendly" - No 'thank you' to solicitors.

Here is a closer view of the front door sign. My husband came up with the wording for this sign, and I painted it. So far, it has worked! We usually have quite a few people coming door-to-door, but not this summer. (Sorry if you make your living this way... but we live on the corner of the block and seem to get more than our share of solicitors.)

So, after summer is over, I'll either repaint the "summer" part or paint the other seasons on little pieces of wood and hang it over the word "summer". ie. Fall, Winter, Spring. Although the alliteration won't be there for "fall" and "winter". :)

This sign was painted twice. One for my son who plays those "Zombie" games, and one for my nephew who also plays. We saw the phrasing for this online....and my son just HAD to have me paint it! I don't have a photo of it, but I also painted another "Zombie" sign this summer for a friend and it had dripping blood lettering....eeeewwwww! Can't say I've ever "painted" blood before that,... well, maybe once for Halloween on a son's face! :)

And just for fun, and because I've repainted the main rooms of the house a nice clean, soft white color and was "redecorating", I painted this architectural piece on wood. Not really a "sign", but fits perfectly in the spot I need to fill!

So, there are the "Signs of our Summer-time".

~**~ It was my birthday this past Friday (ugh, another year older). BUT, it wasn't so bad because I was really spoiled this year! I'll share all my birthday goodies in the next post! ~**~

Literally Creepy

2011-07-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

Sweep, shwish, brush, swipe, dust~ Just clearing away those cobwebs from the blog!

A once a month post is not really blogging! I will get better at regular postings, it has just been a crazy, crazy summer....no, a crazy year!

Ethan (our oldest) completed high school in May, and since he's had such a rotten summer (see post below).....plus he had his wisdom teeth removed this past month, ugh! He is planning on taking it easy this fall.

Our youngest will now be a Junior (yikes!) in high school. So, with only one home schooling this year, this blog should have regular upkeep, and "house keeping" :)

~*~*~*~

First of the month...Update time! My offerings this month on TDIPT are of a "Literary" nature, with a Halloween theme. (sounds like a recipe for creepy!).

Mrs. Peter Pumpkin Eater~ A Wall Doll

This one was a little bit of a stretch for the "Literary" theme, but if you allow some liberties, it works. :)

I had so much fun making a "Wall Doll" a few months ago, that I talked my husband into carving more bodies so I could make some more. I've even created a new page on my website to feature "Wall Dolls". (Just click HERE for my website and then, click "Wall Dolls" at the top of the page).

Mrs. P. Pumpkin Eater is fun to display (with or without her clothes on) for the Autumn season.

----------

Edgar A. Poe portrait~ painted on 8 X 10 canvas and decorated with Victorian-style embellishments. Ed is definitely the King of Creepy Literature.

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Headless Horseman Silhouette~ The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a classic short story of creepiness was the inspiration for this painting.

To see any of these offerings for sale, just click here: (later this evening)

Pear Tree on TDIPT

Thanks for visiting! Keep checking back.....I'll try to keep the blog tidy for you! :)

Miracles and Blessings

2011-06-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

He Graduated!! The family with the graduate. (me, Mom, caught with my mouth open....probably telling everyone to "Smile"). It was also little brother's birthday, so it was quite a day of celebration!)

Well, there is so much to share! These past weeks have been a blur and then again, have all happened in slow motion. Life seems to work that way, it seems.

I've entitled this post "Miracles and Blessings" because our family has experienced SO many in the last few weeks that I haven't had time to sit and think and really process it all. And this may be a long one, so grab some sweet tea and sip as you read:

Counting my Blessings....and Miracles:

Blessing #1- We finished another year of online home school!! Yipee!! Getting my oldest through his Senior year of high school, I thought was going to be the end of me! It was a VERY looooooonnnnnng year....But, he/we did it and now I have one child done, and one to go!

Blessing #2- He GRADUATED!! (Well, this might also be considered a Miracle...for many reasons!). After a very difficult journey in the world of Academia and having Autism along with several learning disabilities, I'm proud to announce that Ethan is a High School graduate, and with honors! :) (we sort of "share" that tassel of honor, but he worked extremely hard during his home school time with me....I'm a taskmaster!) We are blessed to have found K12's online school for the needs of our boys and the flexibility it provided to our family. Yeah Ethan!!!!

(Jeff's parents with Ethan.)

(My parents with Ethan.)

Blessing #3- We had both sets of grandparents (my parents and husband's) visit for the graduation ceremony. My Mom and my husband's Dad both had recent surgeries for cancer, but both are healing and at latest report- cancer-free....that is a big blessing!

Blessing #4- A family-fun Day! This was a blessing for us to spend time together, and we didn't realize what a gift it was until the following week when we experienced a Miracle.

We've lived in Idaho for several years now and really haven't had the time to explore the state. So, we decided to see some of the scenery via a train ride. It was fun and the first warm day of the year! So we all got a little sunburned. Here are some photos of our train ride:

(The Payette River)

(Riding through Horseshoe Bend)

(The "Boys" after the train ride)

Miracle- If you have made it down the page this far, thank you. This is definitely the hand of God working in our lives.......Ethan (graduate above in Blessing #2) and my husband were riding bikes "just around the block". My husband's bike pedal was loose, so he told Ethan that they needed to stop at the church and fix it. (Our church, where my husband is the Music Director, is just up the street from our home). Ethan can become very "focused" or "fixated" with a idea or goal. If you have someone in your life with high-functioning Autism, you may know what I mean, and once he is in the "Autism Zone" (we call it that, not a "medical term" ), it can be difficult to "connect" with him.

In this particular instance, my husband saw Ethan race off on his bike without him riding in the direction of the church. Ethan was so focused, he did not look for traffic signals and rode out into the street on a red light. He was missed by traffic on one side of the street, but was hit by an SUV in the other lane. The SUV was going 35 mph (the speed limit).

All my husband could do was yell at him to stop and then watch it happen. Ethan was struck on his side and flipped over the top of the SUV and landed on the asphalt behind the vehicle. Jeff (my husband) ran out in the street to stop on-coming traffic and save Ethan from another hit. A group of boy-scouts was having a meeting at our church, their leader was a man from our church that is a trained EMT, he came to help. On the other side of the street is an Emergency clinic, those doctors came out to help.

The Miracle is that angels had to have been flying over the SUV with Ethan. He landed on the ground and tried to get up....those that came to help, just tried to keep him down until the ambulance arrived. He was transported by ambulance to the hospital, he said he was asked to count to ten, etc. He started counting the lights overhead in the ambulance (Autism at its finest! ) :). We were in the ER for awhile getting his scrapes and cuts washed and cleaned, and he has a nasty gash on the back of his head, but he refused staples. It seems to be healing just fine. They took X-rays, and a CT scan, but nothing was broken or punctured...Miracle! Considering he didn't have on his helmet (another Autism-related issue) and all of the "possible scenarios" that could have happened...it is all a definite Miracle!

He is healing, still has some deep bruises and is limping around without crutches. But we are so very grateful and blessed to still have him with us and to know that God was in control.

So, that's where I've been...and what has been happening around here! :) I need to come and visit your blogs and see what has been going on for the last month and a half in your lives as well!

One last thing....it is update day on TDIPT.Here is a link to my TDIPT page for more info on the items:

http://tdipt-peartree.blogspot.com/

(I've had to use "art" as my "therapy" while taking care of Ethan, so painting has been a good thing!).

~Devotion~ and faithful companion in simple silhouette of a pooch
framed in a stained wood frame (7.5 X 9.5).

~Adoration~ A simple silhouette of a girl and her doll
framed in a lovely wood stained frame. ( I love this frame!...the frame measures 7.5 X 6.5).

I have needed this reminder to Breathe.
Painted on wood and framed in a stained frame (9 X 11), ready to hang anywhere you need a reminder too! :)

Thank you for reading through all of this! I hope to have shorter blog posts in the future! :)...and not wait until there is so much going that I need to write a novel!

"However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed our wishes and our thoughts." John Calvin-Theologian (1509-1564).

Their One Weakness

2011-05-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Lana, of Honeysuckle Lane/Simple Joys and Jessica (Lana's sweet daughter) have started a new blog. They enjoy spending time together and are sharing some of their loves (or weaknesses) with us through their new blog.

First up, their love of, (or weakness for) ......Krispy Kreme! Yum!! (I know I love it too!)

Our One Weakness

(Lana and Jessica's new blog)

Welcome to Our Animal Farm

2011-04-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hello, where have you been?

It has been a crazy month, and I've had so much to blog about, but no time to sit down!

With the end of the school year coming soon...yipee!....and my son's high school graduation....another yipee!!, we've been busy with schoolwork, etc. But, we've also added some new animals to our zoo. :)

In addition to Molly, our new pup from the pound, we added baby chicks, soon-to-be-hens to our brood, so to speak. My husband wanted to have chickens last year, but that didn't work out, so this year was his year, and we are "training" Molly to get along with them. I don't think they will be "bestess friends", but she will at least learn to leave them alone!

We have three Buff Orpinfton chicks and they are growing literally overnight. It is amazing how fast they grow! We haven't named them yet, and are waiting a little longer to do this as their "personalities" develop, but I'm hoping the family will go along with a Dickens'-esque theme. I think the chicken coop should either be : "Great Eggspectations" (aka: Great Expectations) OR "Beak House" (aka: Bleak House), both Dickens' novels. And the ladies (as I call them now) should be given names associated with the novels. Both of my boys have had to read a Dickens' novel this year for school, so I'm hoping they will agree with this plan! :)

Here are a few photos of the growing brood~

Only two days old...and a little camera shy!

Four or five days old enjoying a walk outside the brooder for the first time.

Literally overnight they grew wings and feathers!

Just two weeks old and already in the "gawky teenage" phase!

What is this thing called grass? Not sure we like it.

Today: 4/29/11~ Out of their brooder and in the backyard.....kind of liking the grass this time. :)

~*~*~*~

Oh, and the porch is stained and looking pretty! Even though the directions said not to stain in weather below 50 degrees, we had to do it anyway....we've had some really cold, snowy weather for April and didn't want the new wood to get ruined. I think it looks great, and I'm not sure I even want a railing...what do you think?

And it is May already! Wow, hopefully that means some warmer weather. One thing it does mean is update day for TDIPT. I had an idea of a doll floating around in head and finally sketched her to show to my husband. He really LOVES it when I ask for his help with some of my crazy ideas...NOT! :)

But, after a few gentle pushes toward his workshop, he carved my doll's body out of bass wood. (I really shouldn't have given him a project this month, he has been so busy with end-of- the-year choir concerts, etc., but he was sweet to do it for me.)

Charity is made of carved wood with shaker pegs on her shoulders where I attached muslin arms, and small wooden knobs on the bottom of her body where I attached painted muslin legs. I really like her "naked", but for modesty's sake I gave her some clothes.

You can see more of Charity and the Faux Linen Sack Cloth painting by clicking the link to my selling page on TDIPT:

Pear Tree on TDIPT

A second offering this month is a "faux" painted linen sack cloth. Antiqued and aged, this painting resembles a feed sack or linen sack. I've painted a bee and some random letters and numbers on it as well as stripes to give it a "sack cloth look".

~*~*~*~

Family is coming at the end of the month for our son's high school graduation and I have some ideas for sprucing up the house before they arrive.....hopefully something that will be blog-worthy to show you in the coming weeks.

Happy May! And if you made it down this far...thanks! :)

Something Old- Something New

2011-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

(the "Before" of the front of our home with the "new" posts in place)

We live in a 'Colonial Cottage'.....at least that is what I call it. The major and minor remodeling we've done on the house over the last five years has made our little abode live-able and has also given it some 'character'.

(My husband and friend working on the porch.....Woohoo!, it is really happening!!)

(Just needs some stain and paint...oh, and that last board attached on the end!)

The past few weekends, my husband and a friend of ours have been building a porch to our cottage. It is turning out to be so cute...(as if I had any doubt about their abilities! :)
This entrance to our home has quite a "history", you can read about that here:

Concrete Crisis

It is SO nice to finally be able to walk into the house on sturdy steps, and have the added bonus of a cute "Colonial Cottage" porch to sit on.

Welcome!

Next, we need to stain the porch deck and paint the posts.....then, maybe a cute railing will be added?, but I won't "push it"! :)

~*~*~*~*~

Something New....Lana (Honeysuckle Lane/ Simple Joys Paperie) and I have combined our names and our "alter-egoes" - and a mutual love for the cottage-style - and have opened a new little website called "Mavis and Mavis."

You can see our offerings and read more about it here:

Mavis and Mavis

Mavis and Mavis ( a "play" on our last names: Lana Manis and Suzanne Davis....all the letters are in there somewhere!) These updates will happen periodically....sometimes seasonally and sometimes for holidays.

NOTE: I AM still painting/creating "paintings of the past", aka: 18th/19th century style art....'cause I LOVE it, but this is just a fun "lighter side" of vintage-y art for me.

Here is a peek at Lana's neat idea....she used vintage book covers as backing for her beautiful watercolors~ Clever girl!

(Lana's work on Mavis and Mavis)

~*~

Something I painted for Mavis and Mavis

~"French Country"~

(shabby table, old barn board and a blue enamel pitcher)

~*~*~*~*~*

And another bit of news....I received a letter from Early American Life publication saying that I have been chosen to be in the 2011 Artisan's Directory! Thank you EAL! I'm honored and excited to be included!

Of course, I did receive this letter on April 1st (April Fool's Day!), so I'm hoping the honor is "for realz" ! :)

Here is a link to EAL if you aren't familiar with the publication. There is also info on subscriptions. I highly recommend this magazine if you are an early American lover of history/ art/ gardening/ cooking/ crafts/ and "everyday life" of the past.

Early American Life

And the painting of a little person on my sidebar...in the red dress wearing an apron...
do you see it? :)
That is one of the paintings I entered as my submission to the EAL directory this year.

~*~*~*~

We are hoping for nicer weather to stain the new porch deck this week.....but it looks like a wet and rainy one. :(.....guess it must be spring! Have a great week.

Good Golly Miss Molly

2011-03-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

We have a new family member! (no, definitely NOT that!).....we have a new puppy!

I honestly wasn't thinking about another dog after losing our Roscoe last summer.....but, my son's therapist has a dog that had puppies. Of course my son came home desperately wanting to buy a puppy......and that got us to thinking, "well...maybe...we'll see", we said.

We did NOT buy a puppy from the therapist, but instead, we looked online one day last week, and there was Molly! She is a chocolate brown one year old miniature schnauzer. She has been to obedience school (but I think she has forgotten a lot of what she's learned!).

She is house trained and does a few commands.....and of course, she is adorable. So, we sent in our application to our local Humane Society, and we learned that there were five other families hoping to adopt her. We went to meet her and then "interview" for her (I've never had to interview for a pet before!)...and I'm glad we did, because the next day we got the call that Molly was ours!

So, please meet Molly! I tried to get a few photos of her, but she doesn't sit still long enough.....most of the photos are a big brown blur!

~*~*~*~*~

Oh, and it is the first of the month....update day! I just had time to make one offering.

A bee skep painting~ Me on TDIPT

I was busy partly because of Molly (she is very active), and partly because Lana and I have an update surprise in the works...coming soon!

Happy April~

Robins, Worms and Bulbs

2011-03-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

When a robin cocks his head

Sideways in a flower bed,
Does he hear the tiny sound
Of a worm beneath the ground?
......anonymous

This little bird sat still outside our back patio yesterday morning. He was quietly listening (you could tell!) for a snack to appear. In one photo, if you enlarge and look closely, you can see him pulling the worm from the ground.......awwww Spring!

(hmmmmm, our backyard grass is a lot greener than our front yard grass!)

Although the weather is a little damp, it has warmed up a bit and after a shower of sleet on Saturday, my husband and I went to the local nursery to "feed our weary winter souls".

We found a few plants that may or may not bloom, or even survive....they were in the "reduced" bin. But we are always up for a challenge! (...and I did save the receipt, just in case!)

We also bought several packages of bulbs, and hopefully in a few weeks our yard will have some new and beautiful colors.

Happy Spring! I hope you are able to do something "spring-like" to welcome the new season.

Creatures of Creative Habits

2011-03-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: Before you begin reading (if you choose to do so), just know that this post was more of a cathartic exercise for me. So, I hope it doesn't come across as whiny, but, rather as me just being honest. I'm not whiny, I don't like whiny....so, please don't read this with a whiny voice in mind!.....just my honest evaluation that will have a purpose and a conclusion at the end. That sounded "deep" didn't it? :)

Okay, this blog has suffered long enough. This year my focus has been more on getting my older son through his senior year of high school than on my art or spending time preparing a blog post....or even visiting other blogs, which I really love to do!

We home school, but that doesn't make the school work any easier, just the hours you do it a little more flexible. His senior year is not quite over....but we are 'coming in on the home stretch' (I know absolutely nothing about racing, but that phrase sounds like it fits here!).

The 'home stretch' aside, he has also started his journey into adulthood having turned eighteen recently and with that, comes all the things that eighteen means as an adult with a disability. He has autism, and the jump from juvenile to adult programs/therapies and support is a big one. And just because he is an adult now doesn't mean he is capable of handling all of these transitions on his own, of course not. So that is an added "plate in the air" to keep twirling......or hat to wear, now that I'm seen as a "caregiver" rather than his mother. (I know, I know, I'll always be his mother....but the state and national agencies don't see it that way.) It's a big learning curve for me...and let's face it, I'm not getting any younger so the brain cells are becoming more limited! :)

All of this takes a lot of time, and mostly it's been time away from creating..... I miss that, just thinking about painting, drawing, or doing something creative.....that has always been my "sanity" net.

As you can see in previous posts, I have made time to paint something fast for updates, etc. The "creative juices" have to flow fast, but thankfully, I've been able to think of something to paint or create when "update day" rolls around. But I don't like the "rushed" feeling, I'd like to take more time in preparing things, more than just a few days before update day to be creative.

I've decided (and here is the purpose and conclusion part) that I need to "Create Time"....not in the literal sense, but just by carving out a part of my day to sit, think, create.
I schedule my boys' routines on a daily basis, so why not do the same for myself?

So, with spring on the way, I'm beginning to prepare for a new season inside and out.

Spring hasn't actually been notified of its ETA here in Boise. The days are still cold, snowy, rainy, with dark clouds, and sometimes sleet and hail....the phrase is, 'If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes', is very true this year! (and that may be contributing to my "folk art funk".)

(click on the photo to see the book on Amazon, and if you have the Kindle app downloaded onto your computer....or ,if you actually have a Kindle, you can download the first chapter for free. I have the book just so I can write things in the margins, :)

To help with my self-imposed, self-discipline plan, I also discovered an interesting book for anyone artistically inclined, be it painting, dancing, writing, composing music, playing an instrument....or any creative endeavor. I've only read the first 70 pages or so, but I've enjoyed Ms. Tharp's insight so far. She is a well-known dancer/choreographer, so I was a little unsure about how it would apply to me personally at first, but...

It is a practical book (so says the subtitle) and she includes exercises (no, not dance exercises...thank goodness!), but creative exercises to s-t-r-e-t-c-h those limited brain cells of mine. This book offers straightforward practical, applicable, accounts of her own creative habits. I like that....I'm a practical thinker, I'm a concrete learner....I like detail in my art (although I'm trying to be a little more "free-flowing"....that's a later post).

Ahhhh, deep breath, well thanks, if you read this far. Like I mentioned, it has been a cathartic exercise for me, hope it wasn't too self- indulgent. Maybe you can relate to some of this as a Mom, artist, or otherwise creative creature. :)

Promise: next post will be much more uplifting...and maybe the sun will be out too. If not, my artistic attitude will at least be stretched, and hopefully in better shape! :)

Benny, Bea, Birthday and Clover

2011-02-28T12:31:00.000-08:00

It is update time on To Dwell in Primitive Thymes.....and it is also TDIPT's 4th Birthday!

(thanks to Jan of Big Brown Dog Primitives for the cute banner she made for the celebration)

So, with the celebration comes a chance to enter a give away....Please follow the link to learn more and sign up!

To Dwell in Primitive Thymes

~*~*~*~

For my offerings this month, I've painted more bunnies...but in silhouette this time.

Please meet Benny and Bea. They are painted in acrylic on deep canvas that measures 8 X 10 X 1. I've painted some simple scroll work on the front of the painting and all around the sides.

My second offering is a Shamrock bouquet painted in silhouette on watercolor paper. Last year, a customer requested a custom shamrock painting....and this is similar to what I painted for her. This one measures 6 1/2 X 6 1/2 and is painted in time to display for St. Patrick's Day!

Here is a link to my TDIPT page to peek at Benny, Bea and the clover:

Pear Tree on TDIPT

Happy March!....can you believe it? Does it mean that spring is on it's way? :)
(last week we had snow AND this week more is predicted....I'm not sure spring knows it is supposed to show up this month, lol!)

Survey Says......

2011-02-19T14:23:00.001-08:00

Thank you all (including my email list) who stopped by to enter the "Blog Guilt" giveaway.

Here are the two names drawn that were drawn:

~Bettye H.

~Lisa A.

I've contacted you both via email, so please look for your gifts in the mail soon!

~*~*~*~*~

Now, I have ONE more favor to ask. :-) ......

Notice the survey on my sidebar? (to the right of your screen.) Would you please tell me how you enjoy decorating your home?

Sometimes I feel like I'm all over the map with my decorating style. I love certain things from each category...... you may be the same way, and I'd appreciate knowing that in the comment section. Guess I just tend to fill my home with things I love, including people. :)

And, if I haven't listed a style you just 'couldn't live without'...please let me know about that too! "Shabby Teenager" is probably what style you'd think of if you walked into my home! :)

Blog Guilt Giveaway!

2011-02-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

(Mr. Cabbage Roll was sold on the 1st of the month update on TDIPT......see how behind I am!?) If you would like to see some new items, please visit my website and click "Early Works" link at the top of the page:

Pear Tree Primitives

~*~*~*~*~

Hi! It's been awhile...and yes, I have "blog guilt". That refrigerator door in the post below has been open for too long...imagine my electric bill! :) Have you memorized the entire contents inside it yet? lol! :)

But, instead of listing all that has been going on for the past month and a half, I'll appease my guilt with a giveaway.
And, if you really want to know what has been going on...we can "chat" in the comment section.

Now this is just a quick and hopefully easy and fun, "no-pressure" giveaway. If you stop by and want to comment, I'd love to reconnect with you. If you are clicking through blogs and just happen to find this one and want to comment, great...I would love to meet you.

One of the painted gifts for the giveaway. A painted pear on wood.

And at the end of the week (Feb. 19th) I'll draw two names from those who commented and wrote something like: "Hi", or "How have you been?", or "Hey, stop by my blog, Suzanne...there is something I'd like for you to see." Easy, No pressure......I don't need the added guilt! :)

The second giveaway gift. Napolean Bunnyparte, painted in silhouette last year..... could be cute for spring.

The giveaway gifts aren't fancy, ("vintage" 2010 paintings, lol!)....just a simple way to reconnect with friends. So, if only a few blogging friends comment, that's fine, it will be a small, intimate gathering! (I'm also going to send an invite to my email list since I've been neglecting them as well.)

Oh, if you do comment, please leave a link or email so I can contact you if your name is drawn.

Thanks for playing along, and for "hanging in there" if you've visited during my absence!

~*~*~*~
And Happy Valentine's Day!

A New Year

2011-01-01T17:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! That phrase comes so quickly right after Christmas it sometimes surprises me that the year is already gone before I've taken down the Christmas decorations. They now sit in their plastic tubs waiting to go to the garage. No one wants to venture outside to the garage because it is SO cold here. High today was 25, and earlier this week it was even colder.....teens and single digit degrees. For some of you that may not be so bad, but I'm very ready for spring.....those tubs of Christmas decor may have to wait until then to be put away! :)

(go ahead, it's safe....you can click to enlarge, it's clean now!)

One of those tasks that never seems to get done (at least in my house) is cleaning the refrigerator. The new year, and the fact that the 'fridge was just plain disgusting!, brought me to my knees this evening. After a scrumptious New Year's dinner (prepared by my husband), we were washing dishes and I started to put the leftovers in the fridge when some little spot on a shelf caught my eye and well, one thing led to another and ALL of it had to come out and get cleaned! Sitting and kneeling for, uh,......(I don't want to admit how long it took me!), I learned a few things from my 'fridge and its contents, maybe even a few lessons that can be applied to life for the new year:

1) The date on the bottle is NOT a suggestion.

2) Dehydrated lettuce residue makes a really strong bonding agent.

3) Anything placed in the BACK of the 'fridge will most likely never be consumed....or even touched by anyone.

4) What is that? I didn't know I had a thermometer in here.

5) Aged cheese does NOT get better with age.

6) Salad dressing manufacturers are missing a marketing opportunity by not selling small/single-sized bottles in a variety pack.

7) Glass shelving never stays clear OR clean.

8) If I put paper towels on the glass shelves to keep the shelves clean, the paper towels will get pushed to the back of the 'fridge, (see #3).

9) What is that? I didn't know applesauce could turn that color.

10) New Year's resolution.....clean out the 'fridge before the next new year!

The new year was also update day on TDIPT. For something fun, fresh and a little folksy (or funky, as my boys commented), I've made some "Paper Dolls" out of artist cardboard, and "grunge board". I found both of these items in the scrap booking section of our Hobby Lobby. (Scrap booking is something I've never really done, all our photos are in boxes! and I tend to get lost in that section anyway....but I wandered in there and found these...and then I found my way out!) The cardboard is sold as book covers that you can embellish with paper, etc., to make photo albums. The grunge board is like the cardboard, but a little more pliable and easier to cut, so I made the limbs of the dolls out of those and the bodies out of the stiffer cardboard.

Here is a link to visit Dorothy and Delores:

Pear Tree on TDIPT

Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year.....and a healthy one, now that my 'fridge is clean! :)

Blessings of the Season

2010-12-21T15:53:00.000-08:00

For the last four or five years, I've been asked to provide the cover artwork for our church's Christmas Eve program. This year, I decided to paint a silhouette. Truth be told, it was getting down to the deadline and painting in just two colors is a lot faster than a full color painting!

Usually the church staff hands me some photos of ideas they would like for the program, but this year they said, "just do whatever you like." So there was freedom in color choice and in design. I kept thinking of the line in the song, "Mary Did You Know", by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene.© 1984

"When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God."

So I drew a simple profile drawing of Mary holding the baby Jesus and painted it in silhouette.

We are now two days into our Christmas break from school and another snow storm blew through this weekend. If it remains cold, the snow just might stay on the ground for a white Christmas.

Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas with family and friends. May your time together be a Blessed time of celebration. From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

And it has just about snowed us in...literally, at least for my car! We've had record snowfall here in Boise the last few days. The boughs of my neighbor's pine tree became so heavy with snow that they've bent and are now blocking our driveway and resting on my car.

Thank goodness my husband's truck was not blocked. He is able to get to work and do the shopping for us.

(Our helper making a pathway to Dad's truck.)

And even if my car wasn't blocked, I really don't think I want to be driving out in this mess anyway! It is beautiful from inside our warm home just looking at it through the window, so says the Southern girl. :)

(The bird bath turned into a cake stand!)

(Love how our maple tree's branches look when they are covered in snow!)

Thank you for stopping by and wishing us a Happy Thanksgiving. This past month has been filled with family business and lots of home school work. Now that two research papers have been submitted, and we are coasting into the Christmas Break (woo-hoo!), I'm hoping to blog once again!

(Icicles hanging from our neighbor's house.)

And my apologies for not emailing my list about the first of the month's TDIPT update.....(if you are on my email list for updates and reading this). I did paint a few snowmen for the update and they have sold. (Thank you!) I do have two more wood ovals I'd like to paint with snowmen and will put those in my Etsy shop soon.

Here is a link to my TDIPT update if you'd like to peek at the snowpeople:

Me on TDIPT

I'll post again when I have more snowmen finished~

Happy December, and Stay warm!

Online Friends

2010-11-11T22:00:00.000-08:00

Lana and I met a few years ago in an Ebay group. It was my first experience of being in a selling group online, and Lana was my mentor, still is! We became friends and starting IMing online as well....and we still do.....just about everyday.

About a year and a half ago, I had the pleasure of meeting her in person. I flew to her home in Tennessee from my home in Idaho! She is such a sweet and dear person and staying with her family was like being at home.....or at least like visiting family. Since we are both "starving artist" that trip was a gift from my parents, but I hope someday she will come to visit me. Until then, we do have our daily IMing!

Lana has invited me to share on her blog as a guest this week. She is featuring guest bloggers as well as guest artist in weekly updates. Please visit her blog for my guest post about all the houses we've lived in, and check out her first guest artist too!

Honeysuckle Lane Blog

Have a great weekend~

Give Away

2010-11-07T13:07:00.000-08:00

Lana (Honeysuckle Lane) is having a giveaway on her blog:

Giveaway on Lana's Blog

She is giving away a $55 CSN Store gift certificate!!
Just in time for the holidays.

You have until Nov. 15th to visit and sign up....and there are several ways to enter and win!,
so be sure to visit!

Tea anyone??

2010-11-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

(photo of tea plant from Julia's own garden)

Julia, my sister-in-law and the proprietor of Turner Hill Teas (formally Turner Hill Studios) is now offering a new line with a new website!

Turner Hill Teas is officially open online, as well as for scheduled cuppings. If you live in her area of the Northwest, you can contact her through her website.
Julia has a passion for tea and has dedicated herself to learning the art of tea making, blending ...and just about everything you might want to know about teas. She has become a Certified Tea Specialist and in her own words, "Her mission is to educate people on the wonders and complexities of tea, infusing their lives with one of the simplest and most beautiful pleasures in the world."

Please visit Julia on her new blog: Turner Hill Tea- Blog

And be sure to stop by for some tea at her new website: Turner Hill Tea- Website

I've already placed my order and am anxious to try her blends....the weather is perfect for a cup of tea!

Colonial Christmas

2010-10-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the blog absence. (Is that a phrase?!) :) Suffice it to say, it has been a crazy few weeks.....home school, (in particular Speech~ ugh!, I didn't like Speech in High School or college), teenagers, house cleaning, dishes (by hand....I'd really love a dishwasher some day), loads of laundry, bathroom cleaning/sanitization (believe me, it is a daily thing!), and well, the list could go on and on, but I won't bore you......you probably have a long one of your own.

However, I did manage to fit a little painting time in there...plus get some special orders finished and shipped. (I still have some to complete and continue to work on, so if you are waiting patiently and happen to read this, please know you are on the list!)

The talented group of artisans over on TDIPT (To Dwell in Primitive Thymes) is hosting a Christmas Open House for the month of November (starting Oct. 31st-Nov 20th). This is our 3rd Open House, and many artists have donated give away gifts for the drawing. Please check our blog to read how you can enter for your chance to win.

To Dwell in Primitive Thymes Blog

Along with the Christmas Open House, we are celebrating in the month of November with a Colonial Christmas theme.

I've painted a few offerings for the theme:

Colonial Christmas Morning~ an original painting I did for my submission into EAL's 2010 Holiday Directory.

Christmas Angel~ she is inspired by a vintage postcard. I've painted her on canvas a few times for customers, but I thought this year she should be a little more 3-D! :) This is in collaboration with my husband.....I drew her, he cut her out of sturdy oak plywood and then I painted her. Her wings are removable, so she can be "just a girl in a red caped robe" instead of an angel.

Victoria~ she is an original design and as I drew her, I wasn't sure if she just stepped out of a Dickens' novel, (I have Dickens on the brain lately....with the PPPP update of "The Old Curiosity Shop", and my son and I are reading another of his novels, "Hard Times", which, by the way, is really difficult to read aloud!) or, if she is just a Scottish lass with her tartan cape and tam. She is also hand cut by my husband and painted by me.

Christmas Candles~ another hand cut and hand painted offering. Candles that don't need to be attended, and won't burn the house down! :) There are four creamy white candles of varying lengths with glowing flames and holly leaves and berries are also part of the design.

Here is a link to my TDIPT page if you'd like to take a peek:

Pear Tree on TDIPT

Okay, now to finish those special orders....oh, and clean the bathroom.....again! :)

Have a safe Halloween~

Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past

2010-10-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: 12 (EST): Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past is now updated, and the Curiosity Shop is now open!

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Lana and I have updated our Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past selling blog today. Our update will feature some curiosities,....

.................trinkets, treasures, baubles, and bits.....and even some oddities!
Well, that describes my offerings...Lana could never make anything "odd"!

Charles Dickens', The Old Curiosity Shop, is our inspiration for this update. So please visit to see what we've created.

Poppets, Portraits, and Playthings of the Past

One fun trinket you'll find is a thaumatrope. This was a 19th century toy that entertained children and adults alike. Here it is in "action": (Hopefully you can see the video of the thaumatrope I've painted.....please let me know if you have any trouble viewing it.)

Thanks for visiting~ Have a wonderful weekend~

Signs of Fall and other Curiosities

2010-10-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, sorry for being absent for so long. October came and is now almost halfway over! Fall finally arrived here in our part of the Northwest. The leaves of the trees are just now starting to turn and the air is a little crisper...still warm for this time of the year, but maybe that means a milder winter?!

Signs of Fall at our home~

This past week an intrepid squirrel couldn't wait for us to refill the feeder. He saw the bag of squirrel food on our back porch table and decided to help himself! He didn't even run away when I stood at the back door to take his photo!

Hey, why don't these people put food in the feeder?

Trying to open the bag with his little paws and teeth.

Diving in!

This year's pumpkin patch in the garden. Just two this year......one for each son to carve.

Sniffle......doesn't the change of seasons always seem to bring on a cold? Ugh! We are all passing some sort of cold around, and like a hot potato no one wants it! :)

Oh, and we did put some food in the feeder AND in a pie tin. Here is one of them sitting in it!

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This Friday, October 15th, Poppets, Portraits, and Playthings of the Past will update at noon (EST). That means 10 my time, so I'd better get my things ready! :)

Lana and I have a "curious" theme prepared, so please join us to see some interesting, unusual, and beautiful! offerings. (I don't want you to be too concerned though. By the word "unusual", I just mean different than our "usual", and well, a little "unique"....hopefully, it just makes you CURIOUS!).

In the meantime...please click on over to join us in a game! (I hope this works out....I've never played an "online" game of hangman before, but we'll see how it goes!).

Before and After

2010-09-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

Paint doesn't always stay on paper or canvas here at our home. Before I stayed home with the boys, I painted on walls for a living. (You can read about that here:~My Past Life, and evidently, I didn't know how to post photos on blogger three years ago, lol, so you'll have to click to enlarge them!)

And I guess I still like doing that....just a little bit. But instead of stenciling, or murals or faux finishes, I like a more neutral palette in our small cottage. (Well, except when teens want certain colors in their rooms. You can read that post here~ Stripes)

This summer I decided our bedroom needed a little sprucing and some fresh paint. The color change wasn't dramatic. We had a color called "Antique White" on there originally. But after five years and several holes in the wall from "redecorating", it needed a fresh coat. So I went with a softer, lighter white called "Cottage White" by Behr.

(Thanks to June for recommending the color.....if you haven't visited June's beautiful blog, treat yourself to a lovely respite. And on the occasional Wednesday, she participates in "White Wednesday" by posting photos of "white" in her gorgeous home~Laughing With Angels).

(The 'make-do' vanity "Before)

(Dresser we found on Craig's List)

(Dresser drawers.....we are still searching for some Queen Anne- style pulls)

(Dresser in its new "spot")

After the paint was on the walls, the furniture looked too heavy and dark. So I mixed some paint~ (all the little sample jars of the whites I had purchased before I asked for June's recommendation!), and painted the wardrobe, and a few other pieces white.

When we moved into the house, there was an area by our closet that had a sink, which might have been a good idea, but I didn't really like it.
So, we took it out, plumbing and all, and put in a "make-d0" vanity, (ie, a piece of table top, a shelf and a mirror). I used it occasionally, but not enough to keep it (I'm not much of a "make-up" girl.) My husband came up with a great idea for the area.....it was the perfect spot for a dresser! Yeah, and that would mean extra storage too!

We shopped around and found a few we liked, but the prices were too high for our "budget".
So, I popped on Craig's List one day...and there it was! I didn't have to do anything to it, just a little cleaning.

The wardrobe "Before"....actually it is only about 2 years old. My husband made it and I painted it an antiqued red. I have a feeling that it will eventually be many other colors in years to come, lol!)

(The wardrobe "After", and the "new" mirror...my husband put trim around the old one)

After painting the walls and furniture, the "white" did take some getting used to, especially for my husband! When I was done and he looked around the room, all he could say was, "It's really white." :)

Well, after I put a few things back on the walls, (and by the way, silhouettes look very nice against the Cottage White!), it wasn't too white, and I think it makes everything fresh and clean, and restful...which is a good thing for a bedroom!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Lana has a new website! Please visit by clicking this link: Simple Joys Paperie
You'll see some beautiful paper art as well as a beautiful website! Love the colors she has chosen.

The Belle of the Fall

2010-09-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have an idea....and maybe it seems like a silly idea in your head, but it stays there awhile until you have to do something about it?? (Maybe I'm the only crazy person who lets ideas roll around in her head until they drive me crazy and have to come out?!)

Well, Pumpkin Princess was one of "those ideas"....I WAS working on specials orders and she just kept coming to mind. (Yes, I will finish the promised special orders this coming week and send them out...sorry for the interruption; but it really is all HER fault).

She wouldn't go away.....so I gave in and I got out my drawing paper and pencils. I put her down on paper and thought she would be happy there....not so!

She HAD to be painted. And now she is in my Etsy (and my website) if you would like to visit her, please follow either of these links:

Pumpkin Princess on Etsy

Pumpkin Princess on my website
(just click "Gallery" at the top of the page)

Just be warned, she is very persuasive and strong-headed, as well as strong-handed....she can hold up a pumpkin with one hand!

Now back to painting what I SHOULD have been painting all along...........
(oh, and I'll post pics of the bedroom sometime this week)

Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past

2010-09-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

We've set a date.....please join us for some curiosities, oddities and perhaps a peculiarity or two.

Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past
(just click on the link above....blogger isn't letting me change the color)

What We Did This Summer

2010-09-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

School has started and we are in full home school swing here at the Davis household. And, yes, it is beginning to feel like fall here, but........I'm still catching up with summer posts, so please bear with me!

And in honor of the start of the school year, here is my "Back to School" photo essay:

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This summer we took a trip to see family and attend our niece's wedding. We were close to the Pacific Ocean, so we stopped to put our toes in the sand and water. On the way back, we met a blogging friend and artist: Christine LeFever and her husband, Greg. They live in a lovely home in a beautiful part of town. So that was a treat!
Before we left Oregon, we stopped for a picnic at Multnomah Falls.

Here are a few photos of our trip (at least those I have permission from family members to post!)

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(The happy couple.....waiting to make their escape!)
(Oops, forgot to ask permission....but they are such a handsome couple I had to share.)

(Pretty bridesmaids all in a row.....most in the group are our nieces)

(Hanging out on the dock: the boys, and grandparents) It was one of those: "Hey, turn around I'm taking a picture." photos. (Sometimes it's a good thing to be in charge of the camera! :)
(Didn't get permission from the grandparents to post their pic, so they may disown me!)

(the pathway to the Pacific....it was a gorgeous day!)

(All of "my boys" on the shore....it was a great day for kite flying!)

(Christine's Studio.....a peek from the doorway. My photos don't do it justice. But you can see more photos of Christine's beautiful work and home on her blog:
Christine's Blog)

(Christine's home.....she graciously showed us her beautiful dolls)

(a glimpse of the beautiful Multnomah Falls)

It was a fun trip and it was good to see the family as well.

Next post I'll share photos of my bedroom redo....that was another week (or two) in our summer happenings.

Kindness Matters

2010-08-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." Mother Teresa

I want to thank each of you for your comments, emails, and cards regarding our loss of Roscoe. Your kindness to our family has been a blessing during this past week. I can't thank you enough.

~**~**~**~**~**~**~

Home school starts tomorrow for us, and the routine and schedule will be a good thing. I'll have a Senior and a Sophomore.... it is amazing how the day-to-day turns into a year here and a year there, and then they are graduating from high school!

Tomorrow also means update time on TDIPT and Early Work Merc. In light of all that our summer has held, I'm glad I started on new offerings for this month back in July.

Please visit Eldon (the elf who turns paints leaves the colors of fall) on TDIPT:

Eldon on TDIPT

and my husband helped with the two offerings for Early Work Mercantile: Thank you honey for helping this month. :)

Wise Ol' Owl~ He made a frame within a frame (I really love this), and I painted an owl on an oak branch and a poem around the outer frame.

Personal Keepsake Box~ He used a frame for the lid and made a box to fit. (It is very sweet), and I painted a design around the outside and will paint an initial on watercolor paper for the new owner.

Owl and Box on EWM

~**~**~**~**~

Thank you again. I hope to be blog hopping and catching up with everyone this week.....it has been awhile and I look forward to seeing what everyone has been up to this summer.

Life, Love, and Loss

2010-08-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been awhile, huh? About a month actually, and during that time our family has experienced birthday celebrations, anniversaries, weddings, travel, visits to see family, and family visits to see us, a state fair, and yesterday we experienced loss.

Yesterday was a difficult day for us. I'm typing through my tears as I tell you that we had to say goodbye to our Roscoe. If you haven't visited my blog before, let me tell you a little about our sweet pup. He was a miniature schnauzer who was the "runt" of the litter.

As he grew, it was evident he would surpass his "runtness", we say it was because he was so loved that he grew past the normal mini size of a schnauzer (just like Clifford the "Big Red Dog", remember that book/show?).

Roscoe was a part of our family. He was with us for almost 12 years. My aunt and uncle gave him to us when he was 8 weeks old and he took a plane ride from TX to AZ (where we were living at the time), to come and live with us. He was such a cute puppy and had a beautiful face.....still kept his good looks throughout his life too. :) Our boys were thrilled to have a new puppy those many years ago. Our youngest was 3 and our oldest was almost 6 when Roscoe became a family member. They are now 15 and 18, so the boys have grown up with him.

(one of his favorite sleeping positions!)

So, when we took him into the vet on Monday because he was having difficulty breathing....(we were thinking he had a cold or bronchitis, etc.), after many tests and blood work, the doctors diagnosed him with congestive heart failure . We had to make a very difficult decision....what was best for Roscoe? The prognosis wasn't good. What would be his quality of life on oxygen and medication for the short time they predicted his life expectancy? It was a hard life lesson for our boys and for the parents as well.

(taken about 5 years ago~both boys are almost as tall as my husband now....Roscoe loved to travel with us.)

We said our goodbyes to our sweet puppy, and now we will have to adjust to life without Roscoe....it is especially difficult for my boys who both have different ways of processing their grief because of their developmental disabilities. So, if you've ever loved a pet, I'm sure you understand our sadness.

Thank you Roscoe for loving us, and letting us love you. You were a precious part of our family. We will miss you. As my husband said yesterday, "You were a gift."

Roscoe Davis
1999-2010

~*~*~*~*~

If you want to read more posts about Roscoe, click HERE

Summertime

2010-07-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

(the last of the batch....getting ready to mail.)

Still here! Just been painting, painting, painting. You know how there are certain events in life that mark a passage in time? This summer is definitely going to be called the "Summer of Silhouettes" for me.

I'm SO grateful for the orders of silhouettes, I'm not complaining at all!! But, I've had to buckle myself down and "get to painting" some 20 plus sils these past few weeks...in-between the minor interruptions of, "Mom, where is my....?", or "Honey, can you.....?", and "Mom, Come quick I'm going to defeat the .......!" (fill in whatever bad guy is on the game at the time.)

The painting is done and I'm ready to ship the last order today, now it's time to get the family ready for a road trip to visit relatives in WA. So, the blog will be bare for awhile longer while we visit. (I'm taking the month of August off from TDIPT and EWM......can't paint in a moving car...I've tried!)

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A few weeks ago, (sorry Cassie!), I won this adorable coffee cozy from Cassie of Gifts for Nonnie.
Cassie is a sweet blogging friend and busy Mom to two precious girls. She is talented with her needle and makes wonderful stitcheries and works with felt too. And I'm so excited to have won her latest creation; her coffee cozy. Thank you Cassie.....I know I'll be taking it on the road with me, 'cause we will most likely be stopping for coffee during the trip....plus, there are quite a few coffee shops from ID to WA, that's just what they do here....coffee! :)
(And she made that cute hangtag too!!...it hangs on my desk lamp.)

~*~*~*~*~*~

Oh, and while I'm painting and it's sort of quiet, ....I think..... which may or may not be a good thing, lol! Over on Poppets,Portraits,and Playthings of the Past you can check out my latest "thinking while I paint" poem, :)
Don't laugh, it may be a little cheezy, but it's not easy rhyming words like planning and them!

Where Oh Where Have They Been?

2010-07-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well, you may have or you may not have been wondering....but I'll tell you anyway! :)

What has become of Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past?
Lana and I have been busy with our own families, our own online businesses (Lana will open a new online shop soon featuring her pretty paperies: Simple Joys Paperie )......and somehow time just slipped away from us.

But we are planning something special later this year, and we've updated our site with a new post:

Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past,

and will continue to give hints as the weeks progress, so please become a follower, or ask to be placed on either of our mailing lists. (Email links on the sidebar of our site.)

~4th of July~

2010-07-02T16:37:00.000-07:00

quote by ~Rudyard Kipling, The Old Issue, 1899

Hope you have a Safe and Happy 4th of July~

The Fitzgeralds

2010-06-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

It is the first of the month (well, the last day of June)...update day for me. So I had to drop the oil painting...well, not"literally", but I did stop to let the painting dry and now it will be ready for another layer.

And I got out the watercolors and painted some offerings for TDIPT and EWM.

(Freddie Fitzgerald on TDIPT)

While we are on the subject of watercolors, lol....I have to say that I do enjoy painting with them. They are easy to put away or take out because they come in those small little tubes (or pans, if you use those), they are not too messy, and they don't have a really harsh odor. But, I will go back to the oils to learn some more....who knows? I may start to enjoy painting with them too??

Frannie Fitzgerald in her embellished frame

Pear Tree on TDIPT

For TDIPT (To Dwell in Primitive Thymes), I painted a couple in profile. Please meet Freddie and Frannie, two nature lovers who fell in love and now run a garden party event planning business....they are quite the entrepreneurs from the 19th century!

~*~*~*~*~

And for EWM (Early Work Mercantile), I've painted two silhouettes....both inspired by unknown artist of the 19th century.

Pear Tree on EWM

Out for a Stroll
(little girl with her dolly)

Tatting Tales
(young woman with tatting shuttle and other sewing items)

Please stop by and be sure to visit all the artist's pages on both sites. Here are the links to each site:

http://tdiptmercantile.com/

http://www.earlyworkmercantile.com/

What's Happening on the Kitchen Table?

2010-06-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

Since I don't have a "studio", I can't really title this post "What's Happening in the Studio?" So....just for fun, here is what mess I have happening on our kitchen table! :)

I've pulled out the oils...not sure if they are my favorite medium yet, but I'm determined to figure out what surface, consistency, and mediums work best for me. I've opened all the windows to ventilate and take frequent breaks outside! The fumes are fairly strong even though I've purchased Oderless Mineral Spirits to clean and Liquen as a medium to help quickly dry the oils. I've read about Galkyd as a medium, which may be my next purchase.

So far, I've tried Claybord, and I'm about to paint on Gessobord. Next, I think I'll work on the "tried and true" canvas.

(still working on the lace below the bowl)

On the Claybord, I drew out a simple Folk Art design of a yellowware bowl full of strawberries. For this one, I didn't do an "underpainting", I just painted oils directly onto the surface. The oils sort of sit on the Claybord, but adhere and dry overnight. It is hard to get detail, at least for me, on it. I may use it for a watercolor painting next.

I did end up drawing individual hydrangea petals and then I transferred that drawing to Gessobord.

(the hydrangea underpainting in acrylic....next I'll paint oils on top)

For this one, I did paint an acrylic underpainting, which just means I painted acrylic first before I paint the oils on top. I know this technique isn't recommended if you want "museum quality" results.....but I figure I need all the help I can get! So, we'll see if this works better and the oils don't "float" away on the Gessobord.

Do you have any oil painting tips for me? Have you ever tried Claybord? I'm actually looking forward to trying watercolor on it and maybe etching a lace design!

Eye Spy

2010-06-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

I spy with my little eye........

My son loves I Spy books, even now that he is a little older he still enjoys them. Truth be told, I love them too! We will sit and look for objects in the puzzles over and over again until we practically memorize each one. But when you return to them months later, it is like a new puzzle! (or at least we try to pretend)

They even have an "I Spy" game for game systems...and we can get pretty wrapped up in that one too! :)

When we moved into our home about five years ago, we started remodeling. That meant inside and out! The yard has been redesigned and gardens have been started and planted and in the process dirt has been disturbed after many years of neglect. Hidden in the dirt have been little surprises....sort of like the "I Spy" game!

After awhile, we had collected so many of these "found" objects that my husband started an "I Spy" cup. That cup grew into a small jar, that is now in a larger jar and soon will need an even larger one!

The family "I Spy" collection game has spread to collecting on evening walks as well.
Some things that have been found are really neat........and some things should have been left where they were buried! :)

I think a family with boys must have lived here before us, because we've found an "army" of Army men that have lost a few battles with the lawnmower.

An old metal truck that's been "aged" with dirt!

Car bits and pieces- most were found on walks.

Let me out! Let me out! (one of the things that should have stayed buried!)

There is still lots of remodeling to be done....inside and out, so I'm sure before long we will need to start on a larger jar!

I've started working on the summer list of things to try. This "might" be done in oils, we'll see how frustrated I get! And, just for the record.....individual hydrangea petals are hard to draw!! :) I may have to go with an "impressionism" vs. "realism" approach to this painting.

Happy "I Spy" Hunting! :)

Best in Show

2010-06-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

This week, TDIPT (To Dwell in Primitive Thymes) is having a group launch called, "Best in Show", and I thought I'd join in over on Ebay. I haven't put anything on Ebay in so long that uploading my auction took me awhile, but I finally got my painting listed!

Please visit Hazel and her faithful companion, Bernard by clicking the link below:

Pear Tree on Ebay

And be sure to type "TDIPT" in the search box to see the offerings of all the artist during the group launch.

Thanks to Jan of (Big Brown Dog) for the cute banner she made for our launch!

Ladies in Hats and Summer Plans

2010-06-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

It's here!! Summer break has officially started!! Woo-hoo!! Now we have 9 weeks off to play and garden and paint! :)

While the boys were taking their finals last week and I was waiting for them to finish, I painted in the car again. (It really isn't as messy sounding as you might think!)
I painted some more "Ladies in Hats" and now have four color watercolor portraits and one watercolor silhouette completed for the series. They are now in My Etsy . They are also on my website: Pear Tree Primitives . The slideshow below gives you a peek at them.

All year long I've been adding to a list of things I want to try during the summer. (Keeps me motivated during the school year!) Here are a few things on that list:

Dry Brush Watercolor Technique.......this has a really neat look to it.
Paint a Pastoral Setting Scene
Paint a Landscape
Work in Oils again.....I haven't done this in a few years and want to really figure this out for future portraits.

That should keep me busy for awhile! Are you a list person? Do you have things you want to try this summer or someday? I'd love to hear about them!

A Slice of Americana

2010-06-01T17:58:00.000-07:00

Slice One~ Today (June 1st) was my "baby's" birthday! Can't believe he is now 15. We still have school, so the only celebrating was a lunch to his favorite restaurant.

Slice Two~ We only have a week and a half left of school....including finals!! Then onto all those summer projects!

Slice Three~ "A Slice of Americana" actually refers to a fun and funky folkart painting I just finished for TDIPT. It is the first of the month and the selling sites have been updated once again. Please check them out!

On To Dwell In Primitive Thymes~ I've gone with a patriotic theme. I've painted the stack of animals, boxes and watermelon slice above. And I've painted another set of John and Abigail Adams.

Pear Tree on TDIPT

(*Sold*.....but will take orders.)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On Early Work Mercantile~

I'm offering the paintings I did for submission in Early American Life's annual Directory of Traditional American Crafts. Here is a link to my page on Early Work Merc:

Pear Tree on EWM

If you visit, you'll notice that some of the paintings may look familiar. That's because I have painted those and sold them before...I repainted the silhouettes and the lady on the blue rug for the submission(s). But a "repainting" (not sure if that is an actual word, or one I just made up!) is never the same as the "original"...so each is "original" in it's own way!

Happy June! And thanks for visiting!

Puppy Love

2010-05-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

(taken last year when he was in a cooperative mood!)

I have to confess...I do love my puppy. Well, he is not really a "puppy" any longer; just one at heart. Roscoe is an older, more distinguished gentlemen now and has been with us since he was a puppy. It's been almost 11 years, but he still has playful puppy-like qualities. Some are endearing, like when he wants to chase you or have you throw is favorite stuffed toy and play tug-of-war. Some are annoying, like when he barks at invisible and/or visible beings for absolutely no reason other than they were walking past HIS house, or he imagined them there!

And he hasn't really mastered the fine art of walking on a leash....he loves to go on walks, well we call them "smells", because he has to sniff and smell everything along the way without regard to the person holding the other end of the leash!

He does love a good squirrel chase and I love having squirrels in my backyard...which doesn't always balance out. And although my oldest son reminds me that squirrels come from the Rodentia genus, or are related to the rat family.....I still enjoy them, and so does Roscoe... in his own way. I think the squirrels like the attention, and the "sport" because they love to sit close to our french doors and taunt him!

And many of you love your pets (for better or for worse!) as well. A friend recently asked if I would paint some canine friends of hers and put them in period clothing. I've done this a few times and enjoy doing it, and each time I do, my family asks me when I'm going to paint Roscoe. So far, I haven't decided what he should wear!....if anything. lol!

Here are a few pics of Patty's cousin's beloved family pets. Don't you just love their faces?

And here is my interpretation of them dressed in period clothing.........

While we are on the topic of custom portraits.....Dee's custom portrait of her son is almost done. All that is left is for me to paint an oval painting over on the left side (right side when looking at it) to balance the overall portrait.

Have a great weekend! We have one more Science experiment this semester, so that's what we'll be doing! Glad it's nothing combustible! :)

Sale-ebration!

2010-05-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

"Sale" -ebrating :

1) Two and half weeks left in the school year....then, Summer Vacation!!

2) Spring has FINALLY arrived in the Northwest! (and I really need help with my "Spring Cleaning"!)

3) Embarrassed to say, I've never had an online sale before (that's not really a celebrating-kind of-thing, more of a confession!)

4) A few weeks ago I was told I would be included in this year's Early American Life 2010 Artisan's Directory! Very exciting, but a little embarrassing, because I was so unsure of myself (confession again) that I submitted two items for consideration, and both were accepted. So, I guess I'll be in there twice which looks a little like "overkill"!

So all that to say.....Please use the link below to see all the Spring Cleaning "Sale"ebration items for sale through May 31st. There are links to my email on my website, but if you see something that interests you, you can use my email link below. And if you would like to be placed on my mailing list for future sales (I promise to have more! ), and updates, please email me!

Pear Tree Primitives

(www.peartreeprimitives)
Just give it a minute to load....for some reason it is being slow to load from my blog.
Sale through May 31st

Suzanne's Email

(suzanne.peartreeprimitives@gmail.com)

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

While searching for inspirational Mother's Day sayings, I came across this quote:

"The most important gift that a father can give his children is to love their mother."
Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh

I thought it was fitting, and I know my sons have a wonderful example in their father....and that is the best Mother's day gift of all!
Merry, Merry Mother's Day to everyone! Hope you enjoy spending time with your family today.

Spring's Simple Pleasures

2010-05-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.
The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.
- Henry Van Dyke, Fisherman's Luck, 1899

Well said, Henry! Spring has been slow to arrive in our area this year. But this past weekend some flowers began to appear, and Oh! the lilacs smell so yummy! When we moved to Boise almost five years ago we purchased our home in the late summer. Nothing was in bloom, of course, so when spring rolled around the following year we were treated to a yard full of blooming plants of all kinds! The previous owners had left us presents in the form of roses (LOTS of them!), spring bulbs of all varieties, and a bed of berry bushes. My favorite gift they left for us is the row of lilac bushes....trees really, they stand well over 8 to 12 feet tall. They even planted one outside our bedroom window!

Before we moved in, the previous owners had to convert the house from a septic system to the sewer system. One of the lilac bushes had to be removed in the process. In its place we planted another lilac bush....it is slowly catching up with the rest.

The lilacs decided to bloom this past week even though we've had a cold, wet (and snowy) spring so far. The fragrance is almost overwhelming....but I "force" myself to stand near them and take it all in! :) Aaaaaaaah!

Here is a better photo of the baby lilac. It is about four or five (ish) feet now, so in another few years it should be the same size as all the rest!

Yea Spring!~

May Day, May Day!!

2010-04-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

"May Day, May Day!" Isn't that what ship captains use when their ship is in distress? Well, it hasn't come to that yet, we've made it through April and it has come and gone in a whirlwind of research papers. (Deep breath) Now on to May!
That means only a few more weeks of school, and after helping with those papers, the next few weeks should be a breeze! (hahaha...guess I still have to get them through Finals!)

The first of the month means "update time" for me on the two selling sites I'm on: To Dwell in Primitive Thymes and Early Work Mercantile.

While researching Vancouver, BC...I did a little research on a doll bust I bought about a year ago. I didn't find anything about it in particular, but I did stumble upon an interesting doll made by a man named Joel Ellis. He was an innovator and patented many things. You can read more about him here: Doll History and here is a link to a photo of his dolls: Doll Photo

I became intrigued with his dolls and was inspired to make a Joel Ellis style doll ( very loosely based on his). Her name is Felicity Wellcome (I'm reading a novel now that had the last name of "Wellcome" for one of the characters and thought it was fitting.)

Instead of maple and pewter, I used muslin and paperclay to make Felicity. Here are a few photos of her process. I used the half a papermache egg idea again for her bust, neck and head area.
~*~*~*~*~*~

Felicity can be seen on: TDIPT

and because I was so inspired by Mr. Ellis' dolls, I painted one on canvas. When my boys were younger, they had speech therapy to help build communication skills. One of the things they worked on were idioms. So, I thought it would be an interesting and quirky study in the "literal sense" to illustrate a common idiom. I've painted a Joel Ellis style doll slightly teetering on a pin cushion to illustrate the idiom, "on pins and needles".

"She Was on Pins and Needles" is also on TDIPT

On one of my thrift store runs, I found a large bag of wooden objects. I had no idea what they were, but $1.00 (plus it was half -off a certain color tag day)...so, for .50 I took home the bag and and emptied it out. I started putting pieces together and realized I had purchased a bag of small wooden boxes! It was a great find! And after I realized what I had, I remembered an old Tole painting book someone had given me a long time ago...before I even thought about painting as a possible hobby. The book is entitled "Treasure Boxes" and it had some ideas about painting these little wooden boxes.

Sewing Notions on EWM

I ended up going with a sewing theme....great for Mother's Day (if your mom likes to sew!).

Continuing with the "sewing theme" , I painted silhouettes of four sewing tools for Early Work Merc too.

Sewing Silhouettes are on EWM

~Happy May!~

Catching Up

2010-04-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, go ahead and ask me anything you've ever wanted to know about Henry Ford and his Model "T"! Want to know anything about the assembly line he used to make the cars? His methods of advertising? Anything at all? :-)

I feel like an expert now after helping my son with his research paper. That's what we've been doing here for the last few weeks....research papers! Both sons are required to write one this semester. One son has now written his closing paragraph about Mr. Ford and the other is just starting his research. He wants to write about Vancouver, BC in hopes of a family trip there someday. So now we have another few weeks of research and rough drafts. But at least I've learned a few tricks to streamlining the paper writing process!

(Ethan getting his braces Off!)

If you stop by once in awhile, you may know that I home school my boys through K12 .
And if you've read older posts, you also may have read about our sons. Both boys are on the Autism spectrum. You may know someone or have a family member, or two who is on the spectrum as well. It is April; which is Autism Awareness month, and since I started blogging a few years ago, this is the month I usually post a little about our family and our boys.

(Ben getting ready for his braces.)

This year, I thought I'd share about a recent experience for BOTH of them. A few posts ago, I showed you a photo of my older son's braces. Ethan got his off last week, and on the same day, just a few chairs down, my younger son, Ben, got his on. For both boys, sensitivity is a huge issue; loud noises (although when they make their own loud noise, it doesn't seem to bother them, go figure!), certain clothes, tags in clothes are always ripped out before I can cut them out... I'm forever repairing collars!, certain food textures and temps, etc., anyway.....you get the idea.
So, for people with autism, foreign objects in the mouth are a huge sensitivity issue. Actually, braces for ANYBODY are a huge sensitivity issue! But for my guys, who had/have to have braces for medical reasons, we waited until they were a little older to start the process.

(Ethan, "after"....he was still reclining in the chair and looks a little sleepy!)

Change and transitions are also something we are working on, so for Ethan, (after threatening to get the pliers and rip his braces off the first week he had them on!!),~ jump ahead two and half years, and the CHANGE of taking the braces OFF was a big deal! The braces now had become his "friends"....but after Dr. Gold (and he is "golden", because he is a wonderfully patient man) talked Ethan into taking his off, and wearing a "cool" retainer. Ethan is looking and feeling a lot older without his braces. I think he feels a little more grown up, which is a great thing for his self-esteem.

(Ben "after", with braces on the top row....his favorite color is red...so, the color bands he chose are red and black; like the stripes in his room!)

And a few chairs down from Ethan, the ortho technician was readying Ben's teeth for Dr. Gold to put on his new braces. Of course, Ben was excited by the "idea", but once they were put on (just the uppers for now; bottoms will come later)...he threatened the same thing Ethan had wanted to do when he first got them on while we were IN the orthodontist's office! (This is were I wanted to crawl under a chair!)...But, Dr. Gold was patient yet again and nothing my boys do, or SAY phases him. He convinced Ben to wait a week and see how it feels then....so far, it's been a little over a week, Ben is fine, and I've hidden the pliers! :)

As they get older, we've noticed that they are handling these sensitivities better and better. I know a little of it is just getting used to something, and accepting it, and some of it is maturity. They've both come a long way, and we are so grateful for both of them!

Now, in a few weeks...I'll be able to help you with your travel plans to Vancouver, BC! Get your passports ready! Unless you already live there, and you could help us with our research paper! :)

Marching into April

2010-03-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Doesn't it seem like March was a long month? Maybe it was because of the long wet winter we had here, ...we had snow this week...ugh! But it did seem like it took awhile for April to arrive.
I know, I know...."April showers, bring May flowers.", but hopefully that doesn't mean SNOW showers! The poor little daffs and tulips in our yard aren't sure what to do!

We are back in the swing of school now that Spring break is over, and during the week I was able to finish the "thing"...and actually, I think she turned our rather nicely, :) Her name is Caroline...once I started choosing fabrics and dressing her, I thought she looked like something from a homestead of the late 1800's. So, I borrowed Laura Ingalls Wilder's mother's name (whew!) and named her Caroline.

She is on Early Work Mercantile along with another bunny....Napoleon Bunnyparte (sorry to all the history fans out there!)

Just click on the pic to visit her on EWM

Just click on the pic to visit Monsieur Bunnyparte on EWM

On TDIPT this month I went a little "country"...well, Farmhouse/French Country, (not sure if that is an actual style??!) I used some molding gel on canvas to create the painting surface for the rooster. He was fun to paint...a little bumpy, but fun! :)

These blocks have a pear, rooster, and a fluer de lis design painted in complementary colors.

I painted some flowers......just in case April's showers have snow!

Portrait Painting

2010-03-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one week!?? It must be Spring Break! Well, it has been all week actually, and it is almost over. It rained all week, so instead of gardening and yard clean-up as planned by my hubby, I stayed inside and painted. And shhhh, but I'd rather be painting, so it really wasn't such a bad thing....although the yard really could use some sprucing!

Just so you know...I asked for permission before I posted these personal school photos! :)

A few months ago I received an email from someone asking if I painted custom portraits from photos. I've done this a few times, I've painted various family members and portraits for several customers, and I did it more when I was working through a little shop where I sold my paintings. Once I painted a portrait for a wife to give to her husband as a surprise birthday present....no pressure there!
She sent me several photos of her husband as a little boy and I painted him seated in a chair holding his best friend, his boyhood dog. To my relief and pleasure, he liked it well enough to display it over their mantle. But I don't offer this on my website because I'm fairly certain there are artists out there that are more practiced and proficient at it than I am, and now that we home school I have to be organized with my time....which is a good thing! So, when a customer signs on to work with me through the portrait process their patience is essential. :-)

Here is how the process works:

The first step is the drawing or sketch that I send to the customer for their critique and input. After I receive photos of the "sitter" I sketch out the painting. When I am painting or drawing someone's loved one....it is so very helpful to get critiqued. I know that sounds scary, and it is, but it is very needed when you are hoping to translate an image of a person that the customer knows personally onto canvas. Not knowing nor having met a person and only seeing an image of them from a photo is a bit of disadvantage when you are trying to capture them on canvas so they are recognizable to themselves as well as to their family and friends. So feedback is a must.

"Dee" (her son is in the photos above) has been a dream customer...she knew what she wanted and has been so patient and helpful along the way...and so far hasn't given up on me! :)
She wanted her son (who is now a grown man) painted in a period style setting to complement her gorgeous Greek Revival home (she sent me pics of her home....imagine pages of an Early American Life issue!)

Some of the fun personal effects that will be in the painting are the title of first book he read translated into Latin, which is something a boy of that period would have studied....we are also incorporating a pet and some favorite flowers in a vase as well as a garden outside the window.

Next step- after "Dee" approved the sketch and chose the size of canvas she wanted, I enlarged the sketch to fit the canvas. "Dee" also chose the colors she wanted for all of the items...with a little room for "artistic license"! I then used the enlarged sketch and traced it onto the canvas. Sorry the photos are so dark, yep, it was a rainy day.

Now the painting begins, and more feedback before it is completed.

With "Dee's" permission, I'll keep you posted....thanks for letting me share.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just a quick update on "Thing 3"......I think I can safely call it a rabbit or a bunny now. It has a body and a painted face. Now I need to dress her/him! (*blush*)

Thing 3

2010-03-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

It all started with the egg:

No, this is not a lesson on reproduction, but rather one on determination.

You know "Thing 1 and Thing 2" of Dr. Seuss fame.....well, I think I may be creating Thing 3!
I've been working on a paperclay creature for a few days now and my "intention" was to make a lop eared bunny.

Friends and family who have seen it drying in a jar have questioned it's 'creature-ness'.....
"Whatcha' makin', is it a dog?", "That looks like a sheep, is that what its gonna be?", "Oh, that's going to be a cute, hmmmm, well, what is it?"

These (and other comments best left untyped) have not done much for my motivation in completing this "Thing 3". Granted, I don't pull out the paperclay very often so its not a "practiced art" form for me. But every once in awhile I do enjoy getting my hands mushy with the stuff.
So, I was kind of still on the "bunny kick" from last month's updates and thought I'd create a lop eared bunny. My critics notwithstanding, I'm going to paint it to resemble one anyway!! (said in my best Veruca Salt voice)

He/she/ it started with an idea, ~ a creating question really,....How could I make a chest/bust without applying the paper clay directly to the muslin body?
I've made a few paperclay creations where I've applied the paperclay directly to the muslin and for 'impatient me', it takes too long for it to dry that way. China doll heads were the inspiration for my free-standing bust/chest on this bunny.
I found a paper mache egg that had the dimensions I wanted for the chest and cut it in half. I then attached my "styrofoam head and neck" with a dowel. Then I used a punch hole to make the holes in the egg form, so I can attach my body to the chest later.

Then I shaped the head with more styrofoam and got out the mushy paperclay and the fun began! Next is the primer and the paint, and of course the body.

Please stay tuned.....Here's hoping a bunny will emerge!!

Bracing for the Future

2010-03-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Goodness!! This is terrible, terrible blog neglect....I should have put up a sign: "Computer is Taking a Vacation" before it went in for its mini-spa retreat two weeks ago.

It is feeling a little better now. It has a new attitude and seems zippier as well as refreshed.
(I could use a two week "spa" break!!)

~*~*~*~*~*~

Not too much to report however, other than the computer's vacation without me. I'm working on a few custom orders. One order is a larger (18X24) folk art portrait of a young man for his mom. He'll be dressed in period clothing and standing in a period setting. This has been a lot of fun, and I'm happy to be able to take my time on it. It seems as if every other art project is so rushed lately....or maybe that's because I tend to wait until the last minute before update day??! :)

The big news here is that these:

........will be coming off in three weeks!!

That is a photo of my oldest son's teeth. He is super excited about getting them off. I'm really proud of him. He's had to endure the pain of tightening wires, rubber bands, and the threat of head gear from his ortho for 2 years and 4 months. Thank goodness the teeth moved on their own and the Dr. didn't have to resort to the head gear.....that may have been traumatic for both of us!

Each month he was able to choose the color of bands for his teeth....he came up with some wild ones! But this last visit he let the dental tech decide what colors he should wear. She chose pink and green for spring! Must be payback for all the teasing he's given her over the last two years! :)

And part 2 of the news is that my younger son will be getting his on the same day the older one is getting his off. That means my car better stay in running condition for the next 2 years!! These braces are a lot like buying a car; payments every month as well as tune ups!

Happy Birthday.......

2010-02-28T18:14:00.001-08:00

To TDIPT!! The online market, To Dwell in Primitive Thymes is celebrating it's 3rd birthday.

Please click on the banner and visit the blog to sign up for the giveaway!

To Dwell in Primitive Thymes Birthday Giveaway

(on Early Work Mercantile, just click photo to view)

And Happy Birthday to the 19th century English illustrator, Sir John Tenniel. Sir John is most remembered for his illustrations that brought the characters of Lewis Carroll's book, "The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland" to life. In honor of his birthday, I've drawn my own interpretation of his White Rabbit. This little fellow is the one that started the "adventures" for Alice as she followed him down the rabbit hole!

For updates this month, it seems I was on a "multiplying bunny" kick. I've painted two "early-style" bunnies in silhouette and a running rabbit in sepia for the update on TDIPT.
And I'm offering the white rabbit illustration as well as a set of painted cabinet cards and photo holder on Early Work Mercantile:

Just click on the photos to view:

(on TDIPT, just click the photo)

(on TDIPT, just click photo)

(on Early Work Mercantile, just click photo)

Thanks for peeking! And don't forget to sign up for the giveaway!

Collection....or Addiction?

2010-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

"Ah, Miss Harriet, it would do us no harm to remember oftener than we do, that vices are sometimes only virtues carried to excess!" Dombey and Son~Charles Dickens

" . . our pleasures in this world are always to be paid for . . " Northanger Abbey~Jane Austen

~*~*~*~*~

Every Thursday my boys attend a social group through our school. So this means for about two hours every Thursday I drop them off and either paint in the car (see a few posts below), or run around town and go to thrift shops! (if my budget allows)

(the beginnings of a miniature frame collection)

There are at least three thrift shops (four, if I get all green traffic lights) fairly close to the school and I have my little route planned out for maximum "thrifting" time! In each shop, the first place I head to is the picture frames. I sift through piles and piles for sturdy wood frames, preferably with glass fronts. (My husband will cut glass for the ones that don't have any....but it isn't his favorite thing to do!)

I look for ones that have unique moldings or beveled edges that will look nice painted. I use them for my silhouettes or watercolor paintings, and some portraits that I may frame. So I feel as if I can "justify" a frame or two or three (or more) now and again.

Somedays I "hit the jackpot" and find a ton, while other days I may not find anything. So, I guess I didn't realize I had a "problem" until I couldn't find space to store them!

I decided to organize my addiction, it made me feel better....plus, now I can at least see what sizes I have when I start a painting!

Do you have any "addictions", uh, I mean "collections" you care to confess?? :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

(Sweet vintage postcards courtesy of my mother-in-law.)

Hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones....
Happy Valentine's Day!

Ode to a Computer

2010-02-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

With saddened heart and weary soul,
not sure if you've been friend or foe,
the last decade of your life has been one of work and of strife
and now it may be that your time has come,
"Farewell, and "thank you" for a job well done."

(sorry, that's the best I can do on one cup of coffee this morning!)

It wasn't my intention to leave the last post up for almost two weeks, but my computer had other ideas. It would die a quick death each time I tried to open it, and if I did get to stay on for any length of time, it didn't want to get on the internet. So, I had to take it in to see what the problem was. The Mac team gave me their diagnosis, and it isn't good, :(

The logic board is about to go out.....it isn't connecting with the power source (unless I precariously prop it up with a novel!). I can get it powered up for a bit and then it loses power quickly. So, it looks as if a new computer may be in my future. This makes me a little sad, 'cause I do think my computer has served me well...but, I realize that they don't last forever. Now I have to start saving money for a new Mac laptop, and these are not cheap!

In the meantime, Willa Cather's "O Pioneers!" is keeping my power cord connected and while I have some power I'm going to try and visit some friend's blogs!

A Snowy Day and Chicken Soup

2010-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Avery~ A Primitive Portrait on Early Work Mercantile

Pear Tree on Early Work

We had another snowfall yesterday. It was the "perfect snowfall"; for me at least. The big fat flakes fell from the sky and mounded on the grass, but not the streets...it was too warm to stick there. And then, after a few hours the rains came and washed most of the snow away. So we had all the "prettiness" without all the mess! :)

Vintage-Style Postcard Bunny on Stand on TDIPT
(Sold, but I may be able to talk my husband into making another :-)
Pear Tree on TDIPT

"Update days" ( ie, the 1st of every month for me) are usually long and take me quite awhile! Editing, cropping photos, putting watermarks on photos, writing somewhat coherent descriptions of my items, then hoping the internet cooperates so I can upload everything. So, after church, it was nice to sit and watch the snowfall while I updated my website, and online markets.
I sat by the window with my computer in my lap watching the snow fall while my husband made homemade chicken soup...from scratch! So yummy, and the house smelled wonderful!
(I'll admit it, I'm a little spoiled when it comes to not having to cook...not my favorite thing to do! But I love to eat whatever HE makes! :)

John and Abigail Adams (the older years!) on TDIPT
(Sold- thank you!)

Pear Tree on TDIPT

Valentine Bouquet on Early Work Mercantile

Pear Tree on Early Work

Wreaths, Silhouettes and Painting in the Car

2010-01-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

Napoleon and Josephine

Napoleon and Betsy Balcombe

We survived "Finals Week", and actually, for me it was an easier week than the week before when we were in "study mode". All I did was take them to their finals and wait in the car! :)

I couldn't "just sit" for 2 or 3 hours while they took their exams, so I brought along my watercolor paints and some paintings I had sketch out and ready to go. Our school has a physical building where all the test taking takes place. It is in an industrial park area, so businessmen and women are coming and going......You should see some of the expressions of bewilderment and disbelief when people glance in to see someone painting in their car!

John and Abigail Adams

Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln

One project I really wanted to complete was a set of silhouettes that my friend, Lana (Honeysuckle Lane) had asked me to paint. Lana makes gorgeous wreaths out of vintage book pages. They are simply beautiful!
She asked me to collaborate with her and paint some silhouettes of famous historical couples for Valentine's Day...or some may be for President's Day! :)

And tonight she has them listed in her Simple Joys Paperie Etsy shop:

Simple Joys Paperie

Jefferson and Varina Davis

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And while I had the paints set up in the car, I painted a few "architectural element" paintings and listed them in my Etsy shop:

Pear Tree Primitive's Etsy Shop

Don't worry...I never "Drive and Paint"! :)

Putting Painting on Pause

2010-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

‘Twas the week before finals,

when all through the house,
our boys needed to study
And I said to my spouse,
“I’m not sure I’ll make it through the whole week.
Before finals are over I may need to “Shriek!”

(my apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, author of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" for the misuse of his poem! )

This past week we've been busy finishing up the semester's coursework and now semester finals are this coming week. So, studying, studying, studying is what we will be doing for the next couple of days....and after Thursday, we can take a break! And then, I hope to pick up a paint brush and do something creative.

Speaking of not having time to pick up a paint brush.....A few months ago, I found a very "rustic" cabinet for $8 at a thrift store. I thought it would look great in the bathroom over the "commode"! So, I bought it and left it in the back of my car. I knew it was there every time I turned a corner, lol!, but I didn't bring it into the house, because I just didn't have time to paint it. So over our Christmas break, I decided I'd give it a coat (or two) of paint...plus I was getting tired of hearing it slide from side to side in the back of the car!

The cabinet is sanded and the doors and hardware are removed.

The doors....I also took off the mesh on the doors to paint them.

I painted an aqua blue color as the base, and then added darker green "smudges" all over it.
My family was questioning my color choice at this point. ....but I had a plan!!

Awwww, after a good sanding, the buttery cream color is applied. I painted two coats of this color, then sanded heavily. I wanted the aqua color to come through in places. Then I applied a burnt umber oil all over it to give it an antiqued finish. After that was dry, I applied some wax to seal it.

New hardware was added and now it is in it's new spot in the bathroom. (sorry the bathroom doesn't have any windows, so the lighting it not great for picture taking.) There is just enough aqua coming through the distressed edges of the cabinet to give it a "cottage-y, aged" look.

A closer photo of the distressing around the door handles. Now I need to decide what to put in it!

The People You Meet.....

2010-01-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

Since jumping onto the "world wide web" a few years ago, I've met some wonderful people. I may not know them personally, or even be able to recognize them if they walked into a room, but a relationship or kindred spirit-ness (??) develops when you meet, read about or share with another person online.

Recently, I met a very sweet person online. Tina and her husband, Paul, are editors of Small Town Living, an online publication. Tina asked if I'd be interested in being interviewed.....I said, I'm not sure how "interesting" I'd be, but sure!
They've switched to a blog format for their publication and have posted the interview today....so please go say "hi" and take a peek:

(I think I've probably shared more about myself and my art through that post, than on my own personal blog....strange how being asked specific questions can get you to "open up"!)

http://www.small-town-living.blogspot.com/
(Small Town Living Blog)
The interview

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T22:44:00.000-08:00

(Cute vintage postcard given to me by my MIL)

Many blessings for a happy and healthy new year!!!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

"For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6 NLT (painted for our church's Christmas Eve service, 2007)

I hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas with your loved ones.
........Suzanne

My Talented Sister-in-law

2009-12-17T19:52:00.000-08:00

My husband grew up in a family of girls...(well, except for his Dad), there were all girls in the family.
He has three sisters; one older, two younger....he was in the middle somewhere, :)

They each grew up expressing their own creativity in different ways. One is a talented writer and works at a not-for-profit organization, one is a musician (I'm married to him), one is a teacher.....and one has just opened up shop on her own little piece of the world wide web.

(here is Julia's profile pic.....a pic of her swinging upside down from a tree, not sure of the year)

Julia (one of the younger sisters!) is using her talents to create beautiful bookmarks, collages , felt pins, and other handiworks. She opened an Etsy shop and she is now an artist on Glitter and Grunge.

Julia also started a new blog for her business, Turner Hill Studio. You can read all about her here:

http://iglitteredthecat.blogspot.com/

(don't you just love the web address of her blog?)

She is a remarkable woman, a lovely person and a kindred creative spirit, please welcome her by stopping by her blog to say "hi".

Concerts, Choirs and Commissions

2009-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Snow, Snow, Snow!! That's all it did this weekend. Remember my fondness for it last post? Well, after having to shovel it from the sidewalk, and scrape three inches of it off of the car, I'm sort of changing my tune!
It is pretty, but really difficult to walk in right now....really great exercise for the legs though, especially in my heavy winter boots!
We did drive around in it for the many concerts my husband is conducting and directing this month. He teaches HS Choir as well as being the director of music at our church.
Every time we attend a concert, I forget to take my camera so I can "catch him in action" for my MIL! Last night he conducted a large brass ensemble and a full choir (our church choir, plus a few extras from around the area), and he was in a tux with tails....he was quite handsome, and I forgot my camera....again! Of course the music this time of year has been beautiful to listen to. And all of his choirs, (school jazz, concert choir, as well as church choir) have been wonderful (I'm not biased at all!).

If we weren't trudging through the snow to attend a concert, we were trying to stay warm inside the house. I sat by a heater and painted most of the weekend....really dries your paints out quickly, I wouldn't recommend it....but I was warm!
I was commissioned to paint an illustration for this year's Children's Christmas Eve service at our church. The children's director gave me an Arch Book with an illustration by Kathy Mitter. I hope Ms. Mitter doesn't mind! I used her illustration for placement, and painted the baby Jesus in a manger with the sheep looking on, in my own style.
(The huge blank space in the top right corner will be where the title of the program will be typed.)

This is our last week of home school until the Christmas break and we are ALL ready for a long winter's nap, oh, and of course shoveling more SNOW! :)

First Snowfall!!

2009-12-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

"Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling, "Yoo-whoo!"...........from the song, Sleigh Ride

Well, if they are out in this, they must have to go to work this morning, 'cause its a "stay-inside by the fire" sort of day!
The first snowfall is always so pretty. You always seem to forget all the perils from the previous year....the slippin' and slidin' on ice sheets, the dirty, grungy, sludgey mud/snow that sticks to your boots and tracks through the house.

But for today, I'm going to enjoy watching the snow softly fall outside my window. And if I stick my head out, I'll enjoy the hush and quietness that comes when it blankets the ground. And enjoy the white freshness it brings to everything.

(Roscoe isn't crazy about the snow, but he has to do what he has to do......poor thing!)

(I zoomed in with my camera for this photo....I'm not as adventurous as Roscoe!)

(If you look to the right, against our neighbor's house, you can see the flakes falling.)

Watching the first snowfall, scones with butter and jam, coffee, and a nice fire....that's a perfect morning!

A Few Things............

2009-12-01T16:34:00.000-08:00

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. My parents enjoyed their anniversary with my siblings and their families. We live too far away to make a quick visit, so we had a nice, quiet (well, with two teenage sons at the table) Thanksgiving here at home.

Over the long weekend I finished my son's (See Bedroom #2) bedroom walls; think race car track! The red and black stripes over the tan stripe looks "hip" and "mod", (my words~and I'm showing me age!) and "totally cool", (his words). Here are some pics of the process:

The taping of the stripes; this took awhile.....the prep before the painting always does!

I must have been a little *tipsy* with paint fumes when I took this one!

The black stripes......I guess I forgot to take a photo after the red stripe was painted.....blame it on the paint fumes!

One wall done! We "tried it out" on the smallest wall in the room before he decided he liked it enough for me to "go for it!"

Another finished wall. I took these at night, so the lighting isn't great....plus I still have to do some touch ups.

If you stand in the middle of the room and look around the room, you can get a little dizzy, but he's happy! :) Do you think he'd notice if I painted a Rufus Porter-esque mural under those stripes?

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A new month also means it's time for website updates. For my update on TDIPT, you can adopt some ancestors HERE
(they are very quiet and don't take up a lot of room.....the ideal relatives to have!)

and on EWM for the month of December, I've made a few holiday hostess/ keep for yourself gifts HERE.

Anniversary Silhouettes

2009-11-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Mom, if you are reading this.......click away now! I'm taking a risk posting this today. My parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Thursday, also Thanksgiving Day, and I'm about to show you their gift.
Mom is not one to wait for surprises, so she is probably still here.......(tapping foot)..........(folding arms).........waiting for Mom to click away from this post!!!!

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Ok, hopefully she is gone. Now let me show you what I made for them:

A few weeks ago, I received an email from a very sweet lady asking me if I painted custom silhouettes. I told her I had never done that before, but let me give it a try on my own children and I'd let her know if it was something I felt I could offer her.
So, I took profile photos of my children's faces and sat down to draw and paint. After I was done, my boys could recognize themselves, and said they liked them (this is high praise coming from them both!). So, I decided to ask my sister for her son's profile photo and see if I could paint my nephew's silhouette as well.

So three silhouettes later, the end result is the gift. I've painted all three of my parent's grandchildren in silhouette as a gift for their 50th wedding anniversary.

Here are my two boys; their profile photos I used to paint their silhouettes and their finished silhouettes:

This weekend I was busy painting the grandchildren of the customer who first inquired about custom silhouettes, and I sent out a little announcement last weekend offering custom silhouettes to customers on my email list and have also started painting those. Thanks to my email list for your orders!!

After my Mom and Dad receive their gift, I'll offer this on my website as well as my Etsy.
(Mom would probably peek if I put it on there now!)

If you are interested, just send me an email
suzanne.peartreeprimitives@gmail.com (also on sidebar), and I'll give you all the details.

Happy 50th Anniversary to my parents.....I hope I didn't spoil any surprises!

Books, Birds, and Birthdays

2009-11-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

I had to give the blog a rest this past week. There was so much going on, it was hard to keep up!
We were taking mid-semester exams, reading novels, and writing papers, and in the midst of that, I was working on items to send to a show in New York.

~*~*~*~*~
My older son is reading the novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. I loved this book in high school, and have read it many times since, and now we are reading it together as I do my best "southern girl" accent when I'm reading aloud to him, (being from TX, that's not too difficult for me). After we are done with the lessons and test, I'll make him watch the movie with me. I'm SURE he will appreciate the novel as much as I do when we are finished.
If he doesn't, perhaps he will when he is older..........

Atticus said that Jem was trying hard to forget something, but what he was really doing was storing it away for a while until enough time passed. Then he would be able to think about it and sort things out. When he was able to think about it, Jem would be himself again. ~Scout

~*~*~*~*~*~(Santa's face will be at the show, lol!....his beard is made from molding gel and it looks a little squished in the photo b/c I scanned it!)

This week was also spent painting some Christmas items, and boxing them up to ship to New York for a show. I was very excited when Sarah of The Paisley Studio asked me to send some items to the show. This will be my first "show", although I won't actually be there! Sarah will be there and if you live close by, please plan a visit during the show. Here are the details:

Country Parlor Holiday Home Show
Thanksgiving Weekend 2009
Friday, November 27 9 am to 3 pm
Saturday, November 28 9 am to 3 pm
Sunday, November 29 10 am to 2 pm

How to get there:
Route 58 Riverhead, New York to Northville Turnpike (3.5 miles east of Tanger Outlets)
Turn left onto Northville Turnpike to end at Sound Avenue
Turn right onto Sound Avenue and head east
Hallockville's Naugles Barn wil be approximately 2 miles east on the left

Simply the best Holiday Show on Long Island!

And here is a link for more info:

http://countryparlor.blogspot.com/

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Just a little "Happy Birthday" wish to my husband......today he turns: (*?*) and I love every year of him! Happy Birthday Honey!

~The Eclectic Artisans~

2009-11-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

TEA (The Eclectic Artisans) final show of the year is now open. Please follow the link to the show and to the online Holiday Scavenger Hunt!

The Eclectic Artisans

There are so many fun Holiday/Winter/Christmas offerings to see!

For the update, I painted two Belsnickle Santas and used the gel medium for the trim on their coats. Then sprinkled some German (kind of fitting!) glass glitter on the medium while it was wet....now the trim sparkles like snow; the freshly fallen kind :)

TEA will be served.....

2009-11-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

Saturday evening (November 7th) The Eclectic Artisans will have our last show of the year. We will be having a Holiday Scavenger Hunt with several prizes to be given away! So, please plan to join us for the fun!

Just click on the name above to be taken to the site, and there you can read more about the details. I'll post a link tomorrow when we open. You don't want to miss the Scavenger Hunt....wish I could play! :)

Costumes and Christmas

2009-10-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween, and my youngest will be in charge of handing out candy while dressed up like the character "Where's Waldo". We made a "homespun" costume which means being creative on a limited budget! Here he is in his costume....we looked and looked for a rugby shirt with red and white stripes, but couldn't find one. So, we bought a Henley and wrapped it in white adhesive tape!
And for his ski hat, we couldn't find a red a white one. So we had a white one and I added a red ribbon at the bottom and made a red pom pom for the top. Next year he probably won't want to dress up, so this may be my last costume to put together. That makes me a little sad, :(

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It is also time for online market updates and that means lots of fun new offerings to peek at over on TDIPT and Early Work Mercantile.

TDIPT is hosting an online Open House with the theme: "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas". The celebrations include a giveaway. Several artist (including myself) have donated a little something for the give away. So be sure to sign up on the blog starting November 1st (Sunday) for a chance to win. Here is the link, and I'll post it on my sidebar too.

To Dwell in Primitive Thymes

~*~*~*~*~

For the updates, I've painted a few new items:

TDIPT

~ Santa's Portrait in Miniature: I used the Ivorine for this one.
(he is only 3 X 3 1/2 inches)

~ Christmas Lights Swag

~ Santa in Silhouette: *The List*

Me on TDIPT
(just refresh the page if you still see the Thanksgiving Swag)

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Early Work Mercantile

~Devotion: "Preparing the Christmas Sermon"
(a watercolor painting)

~ Christmas Holly Swag

~ Silhouette of a couple: "Under the Mistletoe"

Me on Early Work Mercantile
(refresh your page if you still see a colonist!)

Stay safe this evening!

Traveler's Trip

2009-10-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Since the travelers have returned, I haven't had a chance to post about their trip. I know my relatives have been wanting to see some photos, but of course, the slideshow that was put together for church wouldn't post on blogger, and then the camera's battery died. Well, its been one of those weeks!

~*~*~*~*~

Two weeks ago, my husband and older son spent a week in Guatemala. They went with a group from our church to build a home for a family. They went there anticipating a week of manual labor, but spent most of their time with the children of the area. In the first slideshow you'll see faces of these children. They loved to have their photo taken and they loved having visitors! You'll also see a few photos of my son with the children.....I'm sure you'll be able to figure out which ones! :)

In the background of some of the photos, you can see the homes they live in and the neighborhood they've created. Most live in homes made of scraps of tin with dirt floors. The area does have water and electricity, and the organization that helps these families is building cement homes for them. My son and husband did actually build and lay some cement!

In this second slideshow, you'll see the city of Antigua. One of the days they were there, they were taken to the large city to see over 500 year old ruins, eat authentic foods, and see the culture of the area....and of course, pick up a few souvenirs!

*My son took most of these photos and did a beautiful job chronicling their trip*

A Week of Walls

2009-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

This past week I've spent painting, not miniatures, or even regular-sized canvas, but lots and lots of walls....well, eight in total, ok......sixteen if you want to count the closet walls and ceilings.

(the travelers ready to depart)

My husband and our older son left for a trip to Guatemala this past week (more on that next post.....with lots of pictures hopefully!). So, while half of our family was off being international travelers, I jumped at the chance to freshen up some bedrooms that were in need of some help!

(Before....very early in the morning)

Bedroom #1- belongs to my older son who was away on the trip. So the day they left (very early in the morning) I took photos of each wall so he could put back everything exactly as it was when he left. He has a difficult time with changes, so nothing "new" was done. He wanted the same paint color (in fact, it is the same paint color he has had since he was five years old!). The only "surprise" I had for him when he returned was that I painted the inside of his closet.

(After.....late at night, same blue color just cleaner and fresher.)

Bedroom #2- belongs to my younger son. He was home with me so he had lots of input into the transformation of his room. He has always loved the color red, so when we moved into the house four and half years ago, I told him I'd paint just one wall red...and the "red" of my choosing! :)
Well, after living with it for four years, he decided he wanted a much brighter red. So, this past summer we "tested" another red on a small wall area in his room. I wasn't crazy about the color, and of course, he wanted it all over the room....every wall! After three months of seeing red, (literally on two walls) I came up with a compromise and a solution he liked.....one red stripe painted horizontally around the room. I "think" I can live with that, and he really like the idea.

(Sorry I didn't take a photo of the two red walls "before", guess I was in such a hurry to get rid of them before he changed his mind!)

So far, I've primed the red walls, painted the base coat a soft off-white called Swiss Coffee. I love that color, I've used it on all the trim in every house we've owned. Then I measured the horizontal border all the way around the room and taped it off with blue painter's tape. Then painted the border a tan, this will help the "red" and black stripes not be so "striking"! (And yes, I typed "black", lol.)
I had to put all of his belonging back into his room to get the house in order before the travelers returned on Saturday, but this week the plan is to finish the red and black stripes.....one larger red stripe in the middle of the tan with a smaller black stripe above and below the red, but still on the tan border.

Funny little story: As a "good faith measure" I took my son to the paint store to purchase his red and black paint. A lady was also having some paint mixed and when mine came out of the mixer and they showed me the "red", she asked, "What are you going to paint with that red?" I know she was thinking I'd say, "Oh, my front door." But I explained the design idea to her, and while my son turned his head, she mouthed the words: "You are a brave Mom." Lol!......if she only knew!

~Painter of the Past~

A New Year

Merry Christmas

Fa La La La La

Launch Time

Happy Thanksgiving

Fall's Favors and Flavors

The Book of Life and other Stories

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

Published and Other News

October Already?

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

Happy Anniversary

Whatcha Working On: Wednesday

Happy Birthday to Our Traveler

Here's Your Sign

Literally Creepy

Miracles and Blessings

Their One Weakness

Welcome to Our Animal Farm

Something Old- Something New

Good Golly Miss Molly

Robins, Worms and Bulbs

Creatures of Creative Habits

Benny, Bea, Birthday and Clover

Survey Says......

Blog Guilt Giveaway!

A New Year

Blessings of the Season

Winter Wonderland

Online Friends

Give Away

Tea anyone??

Colonial Christmas

Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past

Signs of Fall and other Curiosities

Before and After

The Belle of the Fall

Poppets, Portraits and Playthings of the Past

What We Did This Summer

Kindness Matters

Life, Love, and Loss

Summertime

Where Oh Where Have They Been?

~4th of July~

The Fitzgeralds

What's Happening on the Kitchen Table?

Eye Spy

Best in Show

Ladies in Hats and Summer Plans

A Slice of Americana

Puppy Love

Sale-ebration!

Happy Mother's Day

Spring's Simple Pleasures

May Day, May Day!!

Catching Up

Marching into April

Portrait Painting

Thing 3

Bracing for the Future

Happy Birthday.......

Collection....or Addiction?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ode to a Computer

A Snowy Day and Chicken Soup

Wreaths, Silhouettes and Painting in the Car

Putting Painting on Pause

The People You Meet.....

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

My Talented Sister-in-law

Concerts, Choirs and Commissions

First Snowfall!!

A Few Things............

Anniversary Silhouettes

Books, Birds, and Birthdays

~*The Eclectic Artisans*~

TEA will be served.....

~The Eclectic Artisans~