2024 Italianate Christmas Village Painting Step by Step

I'm really getting in the mood for Christmas even though it's still in the 60's here.  Today I'll be painting brick on the front and center house and finishing this charming home today.  My plan is to have all the houses done this week so I can begin adding other items to this scene.

Our home turned 100 years old this year and once this painting is finished my plan is to start decorating for Christmas.

 

2024 Christmas Painting Moving Right Along

 

It's coming right along!  I've so loved working on this. Adding garland, snow, wreaths, etc is like the icing on a cake.  

This is truly so much fun!

New Christmas Painting Started

A new Christmas painting is on my table today.  I'll share more as it comes alive.

 I understand it's too early for most people to enjoy Christmas but it takes me a while to design and create a painting.  Enjoy your little trick or treaters tomorrow!

Original Folk Art Painting Thimbles 'n Threads by Catherine Holman

In the last couple years my new hobby, quilting, has become a big part of my life.  I won't say I'm that great at it, but I do love it!  I also love that my daughter, Amber, and daughter in law, Bonnie love to come over and sew with me.  We are learning together.  I wish my mother was still here to join us and give us some tips.  She was a great seamstress making wedding and prom gowns for women in our area.   She also worked in a sewing factory locally in our small town.  My mother made all my clothes when I was little too.  There's just something about sewing the brings up so many fond memories.   

With all that being said, I just finished this 8" x 10" painting and have listed it in my Etsy Shop.

"Thimbles 'n Threads"

Emily who has been sewing since she was 10 has finally opened her new quilt shop, Thimbles 'n Threads. Her grandma, Kate, taught her how to sew. Each and every stitch brings back so many wonderful memories of her grandma guiding her through every stage of making her first quilt. The shop cat, Cleo, greets the customers from her perch in the window as they come through the door.

This painting can be personalized with your first name painted on the black sewing machine sign between the two windows.

Now I'm off to work on a new quilt!

New Faithful Folk Art Painting

I just listed this little 5" x 7" painting in my Etsy Store.  You can check it out here.

As the stars and the moon shine down on Esther and Phillip’s cottage they are filled with memories of their wedding night 25 years ago. It was an evening just like this when they took their vows to each other and to God. They have put Him first in their marriage and have been blessed more than they could ever imagine. Being faithful to God and each other is the secret to a long and wonderful marriage.

Hoping you all are having a wonderful Spring!  I'm ready to starting putting out my plants after Mother's Day.  Flower gardening is my favorite thing to do next to painting!

New Original Painting, Thelma's Pies

I just finished this little 4" x 4" painting and have listed it in my Etsy Store.

Thelma Lynn got up early and has been making pies at her shop all morning. She started out the morning rolling out the crusts and lining the pans preparing them for the filling. Soon villagers will be stopping by to pick up orders and others will straggle in for a piece of pie and coffee. Her cat Ellen greets each visitor with a little purr. If she’s lucky she’ll get a little scratch on her head before they enter.

Thelma's Pies

I love these little 4" x 4" canvas' because they are 1 1/2" deep and there is no need for framing.  They look great sitting on a shelf or hanging and the scene wraps around the edges.

I've been busy baking, painting, and trying to decide what flowers I'm planting this year.  We've had some pretty great weather in the 70's, but one day we got to experience spring, summer, and winter all within 24 hours.  We had 77 during the day and by late afternoon it started dropping quickly and we got freezing rain and snow before I went to bed.  Crazy weather here in the midwest!

 

New Folk Art Painting, Sweet Pea Cottage

 This week I finished and sold this little 6" x 6" painting.  I'm not sure how much longer I can paint on these tiny canvas. I have a little 4" x 4" that I need to get started on too.  I'm going to give that a try!  I used to do these all the time.  I think it's a good way to get me motivated for a much larger painting.

I have a dream in my head of the old Flander's department store in our home town from years ago.  They had huge display windows that I'm wanting to do like the old Christmas displays from years ago.

Sweet Pea Cottage

Prints are now available in my Etsy store in two sizes. 

Helen and Clifford turned Sweet Pea Cottage into their own cozy sanctuary. Helen learned to garden and she created a place to dream and relax surrounded by beauty and fragrance. Clifford is always helping, carrying the heavy bags of mulch, soil, and rocks. They’ve made beautiful memories in their sweet cottage while raising their children and now they have time to sit back and relax in their garden. Reading and napping is on their schedule for today.

New Christmas Folk Art Painting, The Inn on Crescent Lake

The Inn on Crescent Lake is a place where memories are made. Many families over the years have celebrated weddings, family reunions, and holidays. Christmas is magical with several trees decorated throughout the Inn for guests to enjoy along with cookies and hot chocolate. Take a peaceful walk around the grounds along the moat where the water sparkles like frozen glass.  

I've been wanting to paint this beautiful place that is in our home town.  Last year we were blessed to stay there. I ran around with my husband, sister, and brother in law taking pictures of this beautiful place.  It's so lovely and has a moat almost completely around it.  I wish I could have included that in this painting but in reference to the building it sits much lower making it difficult to add to this scene.

We weren't lucky enough to have snow during our stay, but I could imagine how glorious this place would look during Christmas.

It was so fun to use my imagination and decorate it for Christmas!

Can't you just imagine yourself snuggled up inside with a cup of hot cocoa while this cute snowman greets new visitors!

This original painting is sold and heading off tomorrow, but prints are available in my Etsy Shop.

Prints larger than 11" x 14", mugs, puzzles, and other items, are available at my FineArt America/Pixels Shop

New Folk Art Winter Scene in Progress

I've been working on a new painting of a beautiful business in my hometown,  

The Inn On Crescent Lake.  We got the chance to stay there last year and I felt the urge to run home and put this on canvas.  Summer came along with all my gardening chores and this got put off for a while.

 

It feels wonderful to have a brush in my hand again!

Halloween Folk Art Cross Stitch

 Stitches Sew Beautiful just keeps adding more cross stitch patterns of my artwork in her Etsy store.  

These Halloween designs are now available if you love to do cross stitch.

She has many beautiful full coverage cross stitch patterns!  They carry several of my designs beside Halloween.

I can't believe summer is almost over and we still have one more camping trip.  

Folk Art Now in Cross Stitch

We just returned from a two week camping trip and couldn't wait to get home to share this with you.  I've licensed my artwork with StitchesSewBeautiful.  She makes full coverage cross stitch charts for several different artists and I'm so honored to be included.  You can check these out in her Etsy Store, StitchesSewBeautiful.   While you're there, see the cross stitch detail in the photos for this one:

Dog Day's of Summer

If you love cross stitch,  you'll love Valerie Dunn's charts!  She's licensed a few more of my designs, so there will be more added soon.  Browse the other artists in her shop too.

New Cupcake Folk Art Puzzle

I'm busy working to clean up my yard and flower gardens.  What have you all been up to?

I have a new puzzle, Cupcake Cafe,  available from Cobble Hill puzzles.

 "Cupcake Cafe"

Original Folk Art Painting by Catherine Holman

If you are looking for a bargain after Christmas, I have three original paintings that are on sale for 20% off until midnight January 3rd.  Simply click on the title above the painting and it will link you to the item in my Etsy Shop.

"A Star Filled Halloween Evening" 

"Sunflower Lane"

"Ladybug Cupcake"

Hope you all were blessed with a great Christmas and not trapped in an airport somewhere.  Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas!

This year I painted this wintery Christmas scene called "Christmas Magic".  My prayer for my readers is that we stop and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas as we fill our busy days with decorating, baking, and shopping.    

Nothing can give us the peace, hope, and joy that we so long for than turning to our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Remember our country is a nation under God.  

Spread the good news! 

It looks like many of us across the country will be having a white Christmas this year, so I pray for traveling mercies as well.

Help someone in need this year because there are so many.

Hug your families and be thankful for each and everyone of them.

May God's mercies bring you renewed hope this year!

Wishing you and your family a joy filled Christmas!