New Garden Plaques

 I redid my Blog background and header
and I would
Like to share some of my
new  creations with a bit of color... 
 

 

Bunny with carrots 
 

 

Butterfly with Zinnia

Inspiration for this was taken from

a photo I took in my garden.

 

 

I think I will make more like this.

 

 

Bunny Butt

 

 

and Poppies

More are in the works.  I'm not sure where I

Will be selling them but I am

Working away on them.

 

 

 

Pottery

These are my latest clay carvings.

They are just dried clay and they haven't been fired yet.

My thought is to create an inventory

that can be sold in a store or online.

 

Although I am wondering

how I can ever even 

break even when 

I factor in the time it took

 me to create them,

 the cost of materials,

 and the firing. I am not

 sure a customer would 

be willing to pay the final cost. 

I suppose that's why

 they are called starving artists.

 I dont want to sell 

my items for less

then it took me to 

create them. So I guess 

I will see what happens.

Hottie Whispers

I have finally completed this painting! It's a large one 30" x 40" in acrylics on canvas. I worked on it for three years off and on. I would get frustrated and set it aside for a while then pick it back up and paint on it. I have to say this is the longest I've ever worked on a piece of work. The reason is because I did things the wrong way. I could hear my art teacher Mr. Platis in the back of my head yelling at me for not doing any preliminary sketches. So if nothing else this whole experience has taught me what not to do. I'm going to share the evolution of this painting and all my mistakes.

As you can see in the beginning Hotties head -the one on the left was completely different. I was working from several photographs that I took. At first I wanted her head to be low. 

It looks really awkward and 

I'm embarrassed to show it.

So then I completely painted over Hotties head and painted her in a different pose. I like this pose much better, but another error her eye was too big. Argh!

So over it I paint it again with a smaller eye. Then I constantly would study and look at my painting and nitpick everything I didn't like. I did this by taking cell phone pictures of it and staring at them in my spare time. I didn't like the color of her eyes they weren't right yet and I kept playing with my colors and layering different glazes until I came up with the final result below.

Although it was a very long process I am happy with the final result and all that I learned through my journey. Never again will I start a painting without preliminary studies and sketches. I want to note that the horse on the left is my horse Hottie and the horse on the right is Whisper. The two mares used to be in stalls side-by-side and liked each other. Whisper has since moved away but they are depicted here happily together with fond memories! 

I'm wishing you a happy,wonderful creative new year!

Happy Birthday

Happy 18th Birthday Hottie...I got 

you when you were 4 and now you are 18!

Love my girl....she changed my life!

He is a She

Just a little update....turns out Henley is a girl. Good thing her name can go either way!

Welcome Henley

Just celebrated my birthday with

 a new addition to my zoo!

 

Amazing me on how far he has 

come in a week. Learning to litter train.

Receiving and enjoying cuddles!

He is also getting better about being picked up.

BHe comes running when he hears his name called. 

Henleys temporary living accommodations. 

He is very tiny I would guess 1 to 2 pounds. 

I find it so remarkable how an animal so small

 can be so loving and trusting

 of me...so large compared to him.

Big Bonded Bunnies!

  

At long last my buns

Benny and Hazel

are completely bonded

At first it was just Hazel who

would groom Ben.  She has

always been pure sweetness.

Then in Oct he finally started

To groom her after 10 months

of trying to bond them.

So many times I 

was going to give up. 

Benny would grunt and 

fur would fly!

I was so frustrated and

thought its never gonna work.

But finally...

They are together all day!!

Loving each other....

Smooshing in the litter box

....that is a giant size 

litter box by the way!

Eating together....

Benny scarfs his down 

as fast as he can 

so he can go eat 

some of Hazels. 

I cannot express how happy 

it makes me to have 

two giant rabbits 

that are bonded finally. 

They have the whole 

run of the upstairs of house 

all day....no baby gates!! 

It's just pure happiness!

Yay!

Good things in

Good Time I guess!

Too Much To Do Days

I know it's been a long time since my last post....with working full time it's hard for me to find time for everything. I get overwhelmed at times, because I just try to do too much. I was busy getting the yard ready for fall. Also it's a daily priority for me that all my animals get their daily attention, loves and care. So then my art and posts take a bit of a backseat.

I am back to riding my girl after my injury this summer. We just  celebrated our 13 year anniversary. I am at the barn after work at least three days a week. 

Having grown up as a military brat who traveled all over during my childhood I still pinch myself that I actually own my girl.

Hottie coming to greet me after I whistle for her. I love her so dearly.

I am working hard on completing a large horse painting,that I have been working on for a very long time. Probably too long. It's a big undertaking in which I've made many mistakes that I had to correct but here's a preview of one part of it. Hopefully in the near future I will post the completed painting.

Bunny Memorial Plaque

 

I completed the bunny plaque

that now hangs over

the flower garden where

Giddy and Gwenie are buried.

 

 

Just a pretty memorial

for two bunnies

that were loved dearly

 

 

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Thoughts

So now I am back to work at a job that I don't love,

I am grateful I have it....don't get me wrong.  I have

had it for 24 yrs.  I have good benefits, insurance and

retirement in 8 yrs.  I just don't love going there

especially when I currently have a co-worker that

annoys the crap out of me.

My solace is that eventually they will be

transferred out for a promotion.

So like I said I have 8 years until I

can retire... and my thoughts this morning

as I was getting ready to leave for work was

to look around and focus on the positive

things that make me happy and bring me

joy and  not going to work. 

  So these are the

things I looked at this morning

to make me happy

before I left

Watching my bunnies get all happy

and excited for their breakfast

My happy bunny room

My art room, yes it is a mess at the moment

but that makes me happy...

because I am using it!!!

I am in the process of carving a

memorial bunny plaque

 that will hang on the wall

outside where Giddy and Gwennie

are buried.

I also have been painting and working to

complete this painting

You can see the fish tank  behind my easle

They were moved inside from the pond,

the only survivors as a heron

feasted on all our fish

So these guys are staying safely

in the tank and make me smile!

A quick stroll outside and

the bright colors of the flowers

make me happy. 

Also I might add... I couldn't have bought

the  flowers without the job

that gives me money!

Finding old junk someone tossed

away and redoing it makes

me happy.  That is what I did with the

red wheel barrel crate.

I love having vines grow up stuff...

It just makes me feel like I'm in a

jungle.  Happy to see the seedlings

I planted grow like crazy

I almost can't see out my kitchen window!

So I am going to make a conscious effort

to focus on my positives...