This beautiful purple tree is a Jacaranda and they are in bloom right now. Just like Jacaranda Manor, the nursing home where I'm pretty sure my kids have me booked. After they bloom, they're pretty ugly. Wait. . . . . the same thing happened to me!

Heard this the other day and just had to share. (I did personalized it a bit!)

My curfew was the streetlight, dad called my name and not my cell phone. Mom yelled louder, getting a text would have been great. My life was mysterious and surprising, not played out on Facebook. I ate what mom cooked, or I didn't eat. And hand sanitizer, really? The only sanitizer we got was our mouth washed out with soap! I rode a bike without a helmet, got dirty while playing outside and mosquitoes had me for a snack. I even drank from the garden hose!

Still here, amazing, huh?

Someone's been sleeping in my little bed!

And she looks like a mouse ( a very, very, guilty mouse.)

New Acrylic ( well finally finished )

After looking at this for six months I finally put a frame on it! I guess that means it finished.

I'll be doing quite a few new paintings in April/May. Met with a developer about providing artwork for the lobby and penthouse. Work, work, work, but thats a good thing!

The after, well let me clarify that! Sanding, staplegun (nails did not work ) caulk, primer and more sanding.

The finally paint! Martha Stewart Sea Glass.

Vintage Find! No, really just dumpster diving again.

So I found this last year while dumpster diving. Thanks to the Flordia weather, the distressing part was already done.

Here's how the conversation with my husband went. "You want that in the backyard?" Yes. "Don't you want it put in the alley by the dumpster?" No. "Why?" Well, I'm going to paint it and use it for another potting bench. "Do you really think a pot could sit on that thing?" Yes. "You're kidding, right?" No.

So, here's the before.

Choose your weapons. . . . . .

Welcome to my porch!

Spring cleaning - outside! The weathers just been too great to be inside, so I'm finding it hard to work right now. We've had 12" if rain since January ( our normal is 2" in the winter/spring. )

So far, no humidity, wind or any of that hurricane stuff, although a couple of weeks ago we did have tornadoes in the area. Felt like I was back in Oklahoma!

Oil Study

Took a online study to get back into oil painting. More to come . . . . . hopefully!

Well. . . . . Hello Spring!

Here's my oil painting in 1 week ( actually not a whole week )

It's 8 x 10 unframed. As usual, I'll look at it for a while till I decide if it's finished! I do see one thing to do differently. I'll try to post that "fix" later.

Have a great weekend. . . . . . .

Next week I'll have a new one, but after that I'll be gone for a while to see my sweet grandkids in TX!

SOLD!!

Weekly Paintings

I'm going to post a painting a week starting with "Geranium Dance"

Next week I'll have a start to finish oil painting! Wow, what have I gotten myself into this time?

Our West Coast FL beaches are just the best in the state! Bright white sand with lots and lots of shells. I just have to go everyday - no really it's somekind of law they have here! Can't go around breakin the law, and besides I don't look good in orange stripes!

This is our screened porch that's just outside our master bedroom. It's a great place to sit and enjoy the Florida winter!
My home is in a Historic neighborhood in St Petersburg FL. Besides being an artist, I love decorating my old home. So between fighting hurricanes and termites I'm searching for the perfect stuff to fill up my old house.

Starting next week I'll be doing a painting/drawing per week. I hope I can keep this up until my next art show, plus I'm squeezing in a few trips to TX to see my grandbabies. We'll just have to see how this goes!

Popcorn anyone?

Yes, we really do put circus tents on houses in Florida! I think I see a giraffe behind that tree - no really I do!

I took this picture yesterday and I'm pretty sure it's going to be my next painting. Now all I have to do is decide on watercolor or oil. What do you think?

Lisa Marie

I am standing on the seashore

A sailboat slowly spreads her white sails

In the morning breeze

And glides across a blue ocean.

She is laughter and strength

And I stand and watch until

All I see is a speck

Like a cloud

Just where the sea and sky

Meet and touch

Someone at my side cries, "There she goes."

Gone from my sight, that's all

For she is still the same voice

She was before this journey began.

Now there are other eyes

Watching her coming

And other voices shout, "Here she comes."

Need I say more . . . . .

Gotta love St Pete in February

Went to a new market today and couldn't pass up these babies.

Looking back at a beautiful day

Hello - again

Not exactly sure where I've been, all I know is I'm back.

Thanksgiving's so close I can just almost taste it! It reminds me whats true in life.

Truth is always there, you just have to look past all the other junk.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go, for to you, I lift up my soul.

CHOOSING JOY

I've spent too much time letting life just happen to me or letting it pass by. This year I will be a part of every moment. There are 3 things I'm choosing this year, because life is about choices and how you live it is the most important of all.

Be Joyful - I will focus on the positives of everyday life. I want to choose joy because when I do those around me will feel it. The effect of smiling cannot be overstated.

Simplify - Lately I've experienced sensory overload. I have so many things I want to accomplish, it becomes impossible to do even one. I want to quiet myself. I want to cut out the unimportant stuff so that I can focus on what really matters. So that I can . . . . . .

Live Deliberately - I want to truly live life, not just let life happen to me. Make choices that accomplish things. I want to enjoy the gifts found in small moments, not the unproductive things found in big ones.

I hope you have a joyful, simple, deliberate day. . . . . so choose wisely.

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas. . . . . .

I live in a wonderful neighborhood, Historic Kenwood, which has the highest concentration of bungalows in Florida. Each year we have Bungalowfest to show the great renovation/restoration of these houses.

Bungalowfest