Black Forest Pink Frosting Cupcake Painting

Just a quick reminder to let you know that I do still paint and below is a new cupcake painting to prove it. I've listed this one on eBay and it ends next week. You can check out my listing here.

"Black Forest Cupcake"

A delicious "Black Forest" cupcake with fluffy pink frosting is topped with white confetti sprinkles. A banner at the top reveals the flavor of the cupcake and branches of green foliage accents the background. A pink and brown grosgrain ribbon wraps around the edges of the canvas and is tied in a bow at the top.

I would like to thank all the people who have served in our military in the past and present. Thank you for your service to our country. We also want to remember and give gratitude to those who gave their lives for our freedom. I keep you in my prayers daily.

My Daughter's Mother's Day Gift

In the last post I mentioned that my lovely daughter, Amber, had embroidered a Mother's Day gift for me. I hung it in the dining room and here it is. Isn't it darling!

You can click on the photo for a closer view.
These little violas just seem to pop up everywhere and Annie loves to sniff them.

I received this sweet award from Kathie at My Net Finds. Check out her blog daily for fabulous internet deals. I'm passing this award on to all my devoted blog readers. Thanks Kathie!

I got an anonymous comment on my last post asking me if I'd taught my son to cook. Honestly, if I had cooked anything like that when he was young he wouldn't have touched it with a 10 foot pole! He was a very picky eater. When he went off to college and started traveling to Russia, Egypt, Germany.....etc. he had to learn to eat different types of food. He now searches the internet for recipes and has taught himself to cook. As a child he would make strange sandwiches like grilled cheese with pepperoni and I was impressed by that!

I just want to let everyone know that I haven't stopped painting. I've been very busy with commissioned pieces and will get back to doing some paintings for ebay soon.

I had a recent comment from Janine who lives in Germany and is also a folk artist. You can check out her blog and her artwork here. She is going to be having surgery on her foot soon and she ordered my book "Charming Village Scenes You Can Paint" so she could have something to read while she's laid up. Stop by and give her some encouragement. I never think to mention that this book is still available from Amazon.

Instead of sharing a painting, here is a new print that I listed on Etsy and Ebay today: "Cat Nap"

Miss Betty's cats lazily nap around her old farm house. Oreo naps on top of the clothes line pole where laundry flaps in the gentle breeze and Peppermint sleeps in the laundry basket. Sybil rests precariously on the upper balcony railing. The birds are a lot smarter than what Licorice gives them credit for. What a lively bunch of felines!

Sauteed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Roated Lemons Recipe

Eric was slaving away in the kitchen on Mother's Day making dinner for me. Rick (handsome hubby), Eric, and I loved it. I would definitely recommend this dish and have added it to my "internet" cookbook.You can find this recipe for Sauteed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Roasted Lemons here.

Eric even cleaned up the kitchen. I could get used to this!

My daughter Amber made me the cutest embroidered picture for Mother's Day which I will share as soon as I decide where I'm hanging it. I can't decide on the dining room or the bedroom.

Happy Mother's Day

My greatest accomplishment in life is being a mother. I've always wanted to be a stay at home mom. I tried working for about a week when Amber was young and just couldn't stand the thought of leaving her each day. Over the years I began giving art lessons in our home and the kids were my helpers. We would travel to decorative painting conventions throughout the US and they would help me set up my booth displays. They loved working for mom!

My kids always loved a bed time story and then would say their prayers before going to sleep. We read the "Little House on the Prairie" series through twice before passing them on to Grandma Chickie to enjoy.
When my sweet girl graduated from college, my sister and I took her to Hawaii. This was taken on the balcony of our hotel room.


Then, 7 years later this little one entered our lives. I never thought I could share this much love with another child. Now my heart is overflowing. There is nothing better then squeezing a sweet smelling clean toddler. Eric had those cute little curls even then. Instead of reading "Little House" books he had me reading him encyclopedias as bedtime stories.

I loved dancing with my little guy.




We were almost the same height when he got into middle school, then he passed me up pretty quickly.
Eric is making a special supper for us tonight. I can hear him cooking away as I type. I will share this with you later.

These two have blessed my life and still make my heart ache with joy!

Since they were 7 years apart, they always got along and never fought. Amber was like a little mommy to Eric.
Uhhh, I think someone has out grown their big sister by a mile!

You two have blessed and continue to bless my life in ways you'll never know, until of course you become parents and make your dad and I grandparents!

"Happy Mother's Day!"

He Graduated!!

Eric graduated with his Master's Degree this past Saturday, May 2nd. It was a beautiful spring day and a beautiful ceremony as well. His sister, Amber, is quite proud of him too and loved returning to the campus where she graduated from. We are so proud of both of them and know the Lord blessed us the day these two entered our lives and formed a family.