Conga!

I made this fruit hat to wear at the Danielson concert in Washington DC next weekend. I will be leading a conga line for "People's Partay", because I felt bad that nobody went for it in Pittsburgh.

Psalm 103 excerpt

Who pardons all of your iniquities

Who heals all the diseases within you

Who redeems your life from the pit

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion

The Lord is gracious

Slow to anger abounding in lovingkindness

He has not dealt with us according to our sins

Nor rewards us according to them

For as high as the heavens are above the earth

So great is his lovingkindness toward those who fear his name

As far as the east is from the west so far

So far he removed our transgressions from us

Just as a father has compassion on his son

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear him

For he himself knows our frame

Oh he is mindful that we are but dust

But the lovingkindness of the lord is from everlasting to everlasting

octopus guitar house

Uncle Ralph and Boots

I just finished this portrait of my wonderful Uncle Ralph when he was young, sitting with his dog Boots. Uncle Ralph passed away this year, and I'm giving this painting to his widow, my beloved Aunt Rita.

Oil on Canvas
16x20

Many Sparrows

Many Sparrows

I have numbered the very hairs of your head

Therefore, do not fear, do not fear

You are worth more than many sparrows

You will find many troubles here in this world

Take heart, do not fear, do not fear

I have already overcome it

I myself will go out before you and stay

With you, do not fear, do not fear

I won't abandon or forsake you

Peace I leave with you

My own peace is what I give

Not like the world has

Not how the world lives

Not what the world gives

You are worth more than many sparrows

Not Waiting

"And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

Luke 13:16

Sewing Kits Now Available

Wahoo! Some of Rachel's and my sewing kits are now available to buy at Mamma Made Designs. Get them while they're hot.

Hearts and Hummingbirds

Here is Elsie in "Hearts and Hummingbirds dress" which will soon be available as a sewing kit at Mamma Made Designs.

Fishing

Here's the last painting I completed for my class, which is over now. I'm going to have a gallery show at the BC3 campus in two years, which seems like a lot of time, but I need to complete about 20 paintings between now and then, which means I have to really push to get about 1 painting done per month. It takes me about 9-12 hours to do one painting, and I don't get much time to work, so it will be tough. But it's good to have a goal to work towards, otherwise I probably wouldn't do anything at all...

Fishing

36x24

Oil

Gift

This beautiful Ovation guitar was given to me this morning by some friends. GIVEN to me!!!

I am blown away.

Thank you.

Remodeling

Yesterday....

And today. Aaaghk!

Two Poppies

Here's the third painting I've completed for my painting class. It's the first time I've painted with a knife. It was kind of fun, but difficult. I guess it takes a lot of practice to get good at.

Oranges and Elsie

Here's the second painting I've completed in my painting class at BC3. This is taken from the a photo I took when Elsie was 1 or 2. It was probably the only time she ever sat still. That red and pink outfit wasn't working for my color scheme, so I got rid of it. But it's okay to do that when you have an artistic license. I really do have one. My teacher gave them out to all of the students. :)

"Oranges and Elsie"

Oil on canvas

30" x 40"

Elsie's 2nd Sewing Project

Elsie did just about everything here. She designed the artwork, I drew it on the dress, and she sewed it on all by herself. She somehow got mustard on it during the project, but luckily it came off in the wash.

Riley in Whale Dress

This is my friend Melody's daughter Riley, posing for me in the Whale Dress at Succop Conservancy. What a cute-head!

Octopus

I'm taking an intro to painting class on Wednesday nights at Butler County Community College. This is the first painting I've completed.

The original photo.

Julane in Elephant Dress (Will Work For Oreos)

Today I took scads of photos of my beautiful niece Julane in the Elephant dress, hoping to get some good shots for my upcoming sewing kit. Here are my favorites from the shoot. Her mommy promised her oreos if she cooperated and let me tell you, it worked! She was a perfect model. She filled out the dress so perfectly, and I think the chartreuse color (thank you Kelly!) looked really wonderful with her super light hair and blue eyes.

Elephant Dress

Here is my spoonflower elephant dress! Now to get some great pictures taken and put together my sewing kit. I timed the process and the whole project should take 2.5 - 3 hrs, including the cutting. I couldn't find a zipper anywhere near the color of this fabric. I don't even know what to call this color. Anyway, I just used a cream color and I think I hid it pretty well. I used this method of installing a zipper using a glue stick and it turned out really well. It's the first time I didn't have a nasty pucker at the bottom. I am slowly learning to be a patient seamstress! Things turn out so much better when you take your time and really try to do things right.

Sewing Projects

Some photos of me in a dress I made for myself out of giant blue houndstooth blanket material, and Heidi in the new whale dress. Elsie told her that she looked really cute in it and Heidi said "I know". Wouldn't it be great if grown women talked that way when you gave them a compliment? Elsie's skirt in the bike picture was also homemade, by Rachel.

Finished Whale Dress

Here's my spoonflower whale dress.