Kreativ Blogger Award and a New Little Painting

I'm so sorry that I'm having a hard time keeping up with my blogging. I feel like I'm running around with a brush in my hand all the time, but that's what I truly love! Tonight I added this new little 4" x 4" painting to my eBay auctions.

"Beloved"

Description from the Bible Concordance: a title of endearment

Bob and Mona have known each other since they were little children. They were neighbors and walked to school together. They started dating in high school and were married not long after they graduated. The two newly weds purchased a little cottage and made it their own where they raised two children and a variety of pets. They know that their "Beloved Lord" has blessed their lives and hope they can be worthy of his grace.

This past week Tammy from Art and Inspirations, sent me this Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks Tammy! Please check out her blog she is the creative one and I was lucky enough to be a recipient of one of her giveaways.

I have to list 6 things that make me happy:

1. My sweet loving family

2. The blessings that God gives me each and every day

3. Chocolate

4. Chocolate chips

5. Chocolate truffles

6. Chocolate pie

Did I mention chocolate?

I am passing this award onto all my readers out there. You can snatch this up by clicking on the award and saving it in a file. Add it as a photo to your blog and then list the 6 things that make you happy.

Reindeer Cove Folk Art Painting

Two very sweet diet coke drinking sisters, Kari & Kijsa, gave me their "Designing for Life" award. This was such an honor coming from two of my favorite designers! You can check out their blog here. I've been asked to pass this on to two other blogs that spark creativity in others and they are:

Fannie at Fannie Narte

and

RuthAnn at Warm Pie, Happy Home

Tonight I finished and listed my first Christmas painting on eBay for this year. I know you'll think I'm nuts, but I really do have to start painting these early.

"Reindeer Cove"

Christmas has arrived in all it's wondrous beauty in Reindeer Cove. Families travel by ferry to watch their children's performance at the village church depicting the birth of baby Jesus. Voices ring out through the night as the congregation sings "Silent Night","We Three Kings", and "Away in a Manger". When the whole church joins in singing"Jingle Bells", in the distance they hear a faint "Ho, Ho, Ho". To the delight of giggling children a jovial Santa appears handing out candy and packages.

Candy Cane Cove Print and Big, Scary Spiders!

I know what you're thinking. It's way too early to even think of Christmas, but if I am going to get all of my Christmas prints listed, I have to get started now. Christmas paintings have to be started now as well or I won't get enough of them listed. I listed this little "Candy Cane Cove" painting in all my stores today. You can find links to my stores in the right hand column or check it out on Etsy here.

Mr. McDonnagal is the lighthouse keeper in this quaint little village. He hands out candy canes to everyone he meets during the month of December and greets them with a "Merry Christmas". He and his family have lived in the light house for 35 years. His father was the previous owner who inherited it from his grandfather. The candy cane tradition has been going on for many years and thus the name "Candy Cane Cove." Children for miles around have always thought that the lighthouse beam was meant to guide Santa and his reindeer to the families of the village.

I had just settled down with a nice cup of dark hot chocolate and lit my vanilla mint candle...

....when I spotted these big scary spiders creeping out of my clock. I caught one under this glass cloche.

I'm still trembling but thought I'd quickly tell you that I made this pedestal from this german made piece. I turn the cup upside down and placed the plate on top. The glass cloche was not a cloche at all. It's really a glass candle holder with the wire hanger removed.....now back to the creepy, scary spiders....
I found them hanging from the wire urn and on top of my ceramic pumpkin....
then, in the living room I found them on the coffee table and on my magazines...
Oh, my goodness, this bag is full of them! Someone call an exterminator!

Maple Leaf Festival

On Saturday my husband and I went with our daughter and her fiance, Scott, to the Maple Leaf Festival in Baldwin City, KS. We got to hear great fiddle music played by these young students. They were fantastic. Secretly, I've always wanted to learn to play the fiddle. I need to put that on my "Bucket List!"

This quaint little town had charming older homes and great brick streets. My husband, the brick salesman, is always amazed that most towns have asphalted over these beauties. We still have two brick streets in our hometown, but they are on the streets less traveled.
This is my daugter, Amber, and her fiance, Scott. We took a neat little train ride where we were held up by train robbers.

Amber and I were overwhelmed by the huge mums that were for sale. She grabbed this one before I could get my hands on it! It almost covers up her beautiful face.


There's my little cutie pie and my other cutie pie is on the right searching for the perfect mum for his hmmfff, perfect wife. Just kidding!
Aren't they beautiful! We decided on a yellow one for the front porch.

We had a lovely day and will definitely return next year. My daughter was scoping out the craft booths to decide if she wants to have her own booth next year. It was extremely well attended and I may just have to get a booth next year too or see if she'll share one with me. I haven't done a craft show in years.

Giveaway Winner, New Print, and Recipe

I bet you thought I dropped off the face of the earth. Actually I've been pretty busy painting custom orders and then I got some kind of stomach bug. I'm feeling better, but cautious this morning. I'm moving slowly, but decided I better let everyone know who the winner of the "Giveaway" is. Using a "Random Number Generator" the winner is lucky #4, NancyK. Nancy, I need your email address so I can contact you. You can email me at caholman1@yahoo.com.

I am beginning to add some new winter prints to my stores and listed "Bridgeton Lane" recently.

Snow gently falls from the wintry dark sky as lights twinkle from the windows of a cozy cottage perched high on a hill. Karen and Clyde Owens are busy making a hearty stew to warm the tummies of their four children. Earlier in the day Karen mixed up her dough for "Cottage Cheese Bread". The timer that sits on her old gas range is now buzzing away announcing that dinner is about ready. As she pulls the hot aromatic loaf from the oven their oldest child, Clara, whips the butter out of the frig to slather on this tempting treat. Smiles around the table on the faces of their youngsters fill their hearts with joy as Clyde says the blessing.

Here is Karen's recipe for this tasty bread:

"Cottage Cheese Bread"

1 pkg. yeast

1/4 cup water (warm)

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1 Teaspoon salt

1/4 Teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cottage cheese (warm to lukewarm & mash with fork)

1 unbeaten egg

2 1/4 cup flour

Soften yeast in water. Combine all ingredients & knead. Let rise till double. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Makes one loaf.

Yesterday I received another surprise in the mail. Once again I was the lucky winner of a "Giveaway"! This is what I found when I opened the box. I knew that I had won the little angel ornament, but sweet Melissa also included a snowman and a retro style mouse ornament! What a sweet lady! Check out her blog, Honey Girl Studio, here. She is one talented lady. Thanks Melissa!

I will be doing another "Giveaway" for Thanksgiving and Christmas so keep watching!

Trick or Treat Cupcake Painting

Since my last "Halloween Cupcake" painting was such a hit, I've added this smaller version with just one cupcake on a small 6" x 6" canvas on eBay this evening. It's listed as a Buy It Now instead of an auction so that you can get it quickly before Halloween. The frosting on the cupcake is actually orange but for some reason appears more pink in this picture. I tried to fix the color in this photograph to no avail. Click here to go directly to this eBay listing.

Decorate you home for Halloween with this colorful cupcake painting. A yellow cupcake is topped with creamy orange butter cream frosting decorated with green piped decorations. A piece of candy corn sits on top of the yummy frosting and a tag attached to the side of the cupcakes says "Boo". Green "Trick or Treat" letters are dripping with orange frosting and a black and white checkerboard border is painted around the scene.

For those of you that are leaving comments on my previous post for the giveaway, please leave an email where I can contact you or a link to your post in case you are the winner. In order to win, you must leave a comment on that post for the giveaway.

200th Post Giveaway!

It's hard to believe that this is my 200th post. What's even harder to believe is that I have enough to say that fills 200 posts. My sister would beg to differ and would say that's why I'm known as "Chatty Cathie". In celebration of my 200th post I will be giving away the following:

This "Echoes of Halloween" print that measures 10 3/4 inches x 2 1/2 inches

(click on any of the photos for a closer view)

.... "I Delight in your Commands" print that measures 7 3/4 inches x 7 3/4 inches
.... "Heritage Grove" print that measures 6 3/4 inches x 6 3/4 inches and...
....last but not least this cute little "Cassandra" cat ornament.
This piece is hand painted, crackled, and antiqued. She has a little pink crystal attached to her necklace and a brad attached at each corner.
A little twisted wire and bead is attached at the bottom and the back says, "Cassandra is a very tender hearted cat who loves her family dearly!" It is also signed and dated on the back. The ornament hangs from a satin ribbon that is attached to the top.
To enter, simply leave a comment on this post by midnight Oct. 14th. The winner will be picked by a random number generator.

Speaking of giveaways, I was the winner on Tammy Sprinkle's Art and Inspiration, blog and look at what came in the mail today:

As I was opening the package I noticed how cute the packing paper was. The crimped strips of packing say, "Embrace Life". You may have to click on the photo in order to read it.

....and this is what was inside:

a pretty hand painted round box with a sweet little handkerchief, hand painted Halloween ornaments attached to a black grosgrain ribbon that I hung as a swag, and a pumpkin cider scented candle. What a sweet surprise! I love them and they all look wonderful in my dining room. Please check out Tammy's blog. She's a very talented lady!

Tonight I also listed a new painting, Angels, on eBay which is the second in my series of paintings incorporating words from the Bible and their definitions from the Bible Concordance.

Bible Concordance definition for Angels: heavenly beings created by God

Effie and Ogden believe that autumn is their favorite time of year. They love the beauty of God's world that surrounds them and their family. Since it's the weekend they know their children will rise early tomorrow and head outside to jump and romp through the crisp falling leaves. Leaves will be raked into a huge pile to burn in the evening as they roast their hot dogs and marshmallows. This is a family ritual that happens each weekend until the trees have shed their final leaves.

I'm truly amazed that people are interested in reading my posts and I want to thank everyone for their support!

A New Winter Painting

I couldn't believe it got down in the 40's last night. I had to plug in my little space heater for a little bit today because I can't paint when my hands are shaking. Therefore, due to this cooler weather I decided to do a winter scene today. I forgot how much fun it is to paint snow. It's like drizzling frosting here and there!

"Godliness" was listed on eBay this evening.

This little 4 inch x 4 inch painting is one of a series of paintings that I started last year. The difference is that these will be painted on box style canvas instead of the tiny wood pieces. These paintings will incorporate words from the Bible and their meaning from the Bible Concordance. This information will be included in a certificate of authenticity which accompanies the painting.

Frank and Nancy sit by the fire each evening reading and just being happy for the comfort of their warm little cottage that the Lord has provided for them. They love the beauty of each little snow flake that gathers together forming a large blanket upon the earth.

New Halloween Painting and Malphi Clothing Designs

As promised, here is my final Halloween painting for the year. "Halloween Hill" was listed on eBay this evening and has an eggshell crackle finish.

Cleo is posed and ready for the first little goblin to enter through the gate to his house on Halloween. The Foster family has been experiencing this phenomenon for the last three years when a cute little kitten was seen outside awaiting the children dressed in costume. They took her into their home and she has entertained their family every day since.

My new blogging friend from the UK, Susannah, also known by her nickname, Malphi, designs the most wonderful line of clothing. You can check out her blog here. The "Verity Hope" dress pictured below is my favorite and yes she sells the bloomers too. Aren't they fantastic. She also sells sewing kits for those of you who are inclined to sew them yourself.
Below is the same dress but with a petticoat beneath. Doesn't it look cute with those boots?


....and here is a cute top that looks great with jeans.
The back is just as cute as the front. When you check out her blog you'll find that she sells on her website and through Etsy. She makes these in all sizes and they look good on everyone. She even has her lovely mother do some of the modeling. You will be enchanted by her clothing and her charm.
She has lots of layered looks too but I think you should check out her designs for yourself; so hop on over for a visit.