Painted Patterned Leaves

Large beautiful leaves get patterned accents with oil based sharpies.

Jewelry

I've been making jewelry lately. Chunky beads strung on silver chains or stretchy cord.

Chicago Bears colors

Black and gold for my son's high school colors. Hornet Nation!

And birds nests. 

Thanks to Kathleen for showing me sarahortega.com with the great tutorial on how to make these. 

A Row of Cactus

What a Difference a Week Makes

Last week the maple tree behind our house was a blazing red and gold. In the afternoon the sun would warm the tree and it would pour it's lovely golden-red color into our family room. It was glorious.

This week, it's dark an hour earlier because of the time change. It rained and most the leaves fell off the tree and all the color is on the ground. What a difference a week makes. 

The Boxed Set

My Hallmark card is part of this boxed set of cards being sold in the 

Hallmark stores benefiting UNICEF. 

Artist Trading Cards

The theme for the October Artist Trading Card is "My Cup of Tea". 

My artist friends and I create a small card and trade them. Here is my card in progress. 

I start by stamping teapots with a rubber stamp and then color them with chalk. 

I choose patterned papers and textured ribbons.

Next I start to layer the papers, add the texture and cut out the teapots. 

The design starts to come together.

I added more color to the teapot and attached a tea bag to the back with a ribbon. 

You're my cup of tea!

The Bus Stop

Here's a water color and a poem for a chilly, rainy fall day.

Go Bears

Is Rusty saying Go Bears or get this thing off my head?

Hallmark Card

Last March I entered a Hallmark card contest and my watercolor of a dove won!  Hallmark made my painting into a UNICEF card that can be purchased online at hallmarkcontests.com and they also printed it to be sold in Hallmark stores as part of their UNICEF boxed card line. Be on the lookout for my card in your local Hallmark store!