Sneak peak....

Here's a little something I'm working on for an upcoming show in August.  I'll post more about that soon.

Can you guess what this is?

Hopefully, it'll be completed while I'm away and I'll post the creation when I return. Happy guessing!

Island Time

The best thing about our Sanibel vacations is that we have been and done just about everything on the island at least once. So, it's not like other unfamiliar destinations where you just want to take it all in as fast as you can because time is running out. Those kinds of vacations, although exciting and adventurous, are the kinds of vacations that you need a week to recover from.

Here's a rough schedule of planned activities:
1. Seafood Feast! My dad always does a HUGE seafood feast the first or second night we are there. This consists of lobster tails, king crab legs, corn-on-the-cob, mac-n-cheese, salad, and watermelon.
2. I will run to the lighthouse most mornings. It isn't far, so this more of a fun, get up and greet the day kind of thing. It's nice to be out on the island when no one else is, except other runners and walkers. It's peaceful.
3. Then, when everyone is up and had a bite to eat, we all take a morning walk on the beach from the bayside, up around Lighthouse point. Here we engage in what is known as the Sanibel Stoop, bending over to pick up wonderful treasures laying in bounty at our feet. You never know what you'll find. We came across one guy one year who found a petrified, blackened shark's tooth that was a big as a bait bucket! For those of you who don't know what a bait bucket is, let's just say that is a Big Tooth! I still think about the creature that tooth came from.
4. We will play on the beach and build sand sculptures.
5. Swim in the warm and gentle Gulf waters, digging our toes into the sand underneath searching for bristly sand dollars. The live ones have sharp "hairs" around the edge and turn your hands yellow!
6. There is always a day to shop at the little island shops, owned by people you see year after year. One of my favorite places to check out is the Sanibel Island Goodwill. All I have to say is there's some "good pickins" there.
7. Eat! At all of our favorite places. Matzaluna for Italian, Courtney's where the restaurant is built around an old up-ended cedar tree, The Timbers for seafood, and of course, Jerry's, the little diner inside the grocery store that has the best grilled cheese sandwiches! We'll ride our bikes to the DQ for slushies and cones. And also the East End Deli for the healthy stuff like hummus sandwiches and black beans with green olives!
8. Play in the pool, play tennis, play shuffleboard with my parents, play, play, play. You get the idea!
9. I always bring the journal and watercolors. Something about this place, makes me want to do watercolors!
10. Read. Aaaahhhhh....read.
11. We might fit in a movie at the little old Bailey's movie house. Depends on what is playing.

Oh, and I almost forgot the Pina Coladas before dinner. (I'll make virgin ones for Leila and Evan). And that's pretty much it for the planned activities. Nice, huh?

Off to Dreamland

I'm doing a little posting before we head out today to Sanibel. There's just something about crossing over the bridge to the island that makes me exhale and relax instantly. Maybe it's the thought of the calm waters and the pink cotton candy clouds that await. Oh and the nature! and the Attitude. Although there are a few exceptions, maybe more so in recent years, everyone has the island attitude which is to slow down...take it easy....relax and enjoy. And notice the little amazing things all around.

Like this temporary sand turtle. I just love his seashell shell!

Having fun at the July 4th Parade!


And being so close to these wonderful gentle creatures.
It is going to be such a wild contrast to the flurry of activity I have been experiencing lately. I feel great about getting so much done and going with the flow of it all, but I also feel myself approaching the edge of overwhelm, and I think a week to re-group and re-energize is exactly what I need! Many, many thanks to the powers that Be!

What Fun Do You Wish to Have?

It's Wishcasting Wednesday over on Jamie Ridler's site and her prompt this week is...what fun do you wish to have? Well, I didn't even have to think for a second because I'm already thinking of the fun I want to have....ISLAND FUN!! Every June/July we take a family trip to Sanibel Island and we leave next week! We have been doing this for the past 25 years or so. First I went with my parents as a young girl, then sporadically as a young adult (oh, did I not realize what was truly important!) and now I get to go with my husband and daughter. This year it will be us, my parents, and my nephew. What fun it is going to be! Leila loves her cousin and doesn't get to see him all the time, so she is super excited. I am looking forward to pina coladas!, watercolor paintings, long bike rides to get ice cream, seafood feasts, morning runs to the lighthouse, and journaling on the beach....and the gentle, warm Gulf waters, and beautiful little creatures like these and.... there are so many treasures to be found!

Last year we had the miracle of swimming with a little pod of dolphins right along the shoreline. Well, they were swimming and playing and we were all wading, just in utter amazement at the awesomeness of nature. This year I will go with a prayerful heart that this beautiful island is spared the devastation that is headed its way from the oil spill. I will try to hold onto every minute of its beauty. I have seen the island change so much over the years. It is just now recovering from the hurricanes a few years back, but my heart cannot take the thought of this sacred place being destroyed at the hands of humans. If feels like something that it can't come back from. I hope that is not true. But I will take lots of pictures. I will soak it all in. I will watch my daughter form her memories of the island to be pulled into mind's view when she is older. I will walk the beach in gratitude and I will have FUN!
Can't wait! I'll pre-post and also look for a very special guest blogger next week!

A Boy and his Dog

I just love how this painting turned out! I'm really happy with the subtle words, "A Boy and his Dog." I was working on it right down to the wire, but wanted to put all of my energy into getting it finished before Father's Day. Although my client was very open about delivery date, I knew that this would be an awesome Father's Day present for her husband.

Her reaction, when I gave it to her was exactly the reason why I do commissions in the first place. That surprise and joy and happiness when someone just totally loves your work. How she looked me in the eyes and said that this would be treasured in their family, and how that made me think of the little boy growing up and remembering this painting as a part of their life. It was just happy Love Vibes back and forth of her loving the painting and me loving that she loves the painting. I only wish I could have been a fly on the wall when her hubs and son saw it.  Happy Day!

Work in Progress

I really enjoy seeing other artist's works in progress as well as their work areas. So, I decided to start showing more of mine! This is a one I'm really enjoying. Going in a little different direction than my usual. It'll be called A Boy and his Dog. I just love how it's turning out. Can't wait to deliver it. Holy Smackerals!! I better go. The sky is opening up here. Have a love day!

Busy weekend

This weekend was a busy one! With school ending last week and camp starting this week and 2 birthday celebrations! I created these 2 little paintings (remember, I said I was diggin' the little ones lately). My friend Ellie turned 60 and is moving into a new place this morning, so I this would be just right to bring the good vibes to her new home.

And this one is for my friend, Cynthia, who is a screenwriter and so many amazing things are happening for her right now, like being top 5 in a national screenplay contest, talking with agents and actors and having her script shopped around and the list goes on....this is to remind her to breathe is in all and look up and give thanks for every juicy moment that is happening to her.

And here we are getting ready to go Ellie's 60's themed birthday party. It was a blast, man! We even decorated Vannie with flowers on his dashboard and Leila has a Peace sign painted on her cheek. We were definitely feeling groovy!

Moments of Gratitude

I wrote this post yesterday and had scheduled it ahead to post in a few days. That's one of my new little tricks to keeping up with my blog. Helps me to stay organized and to keep track of things I want to write.

Well, I checked out Jamie Ridler's post today for Wishcasting Wednesday....and when I saw her bowl of soup, I just felt the need to bump this up to today! So below is what I originally wrote and to cast my wish: 

I wish to nourish my sense of Gratitude for my story. The theme of story is coming up a lot for me lately and I have a few projects swirling into form, but in this initial stage, I want to be thankful for all of it. Every last drop!

                                                                      *******
I'm going to add an ongoing section to my blog about moments of gratitude. I think it's really important to notice them, so whenever I feel one, I'm going to share it! While I was hard at work on the computer one day, my hubby delivered this yummy soup in my favorite bowl for lunch. Thank you, Tim! Some of you might not know this, but I am a big fan of soup. I can make soup out of almost anything.  I even eat it in the summer. I don't measure either. Really, really good soup has to be felt into existence. This one was created with rotisserie chicken, spinach, carrots, onions, and garlic (of course) and little tiny star-shaped pasta called Pastinas! And soup is almost always better the next day. As Rachel would say Yum-O!

She's growing up

I look at these pictures and I just want to freeze time...these are the precious moments when a girl still gets formally dressed up to go to Winn Dixie. How fearless she is to PLAY even though she is in her fancy clothes. May we all be so lucky...to continue to let our hearts play!

What is she thinking of?  Lizards, summer camp, Nick Jonas?  Or maybe just listening to what the leaves have to say?

Yesterday was her first day of summer camp. She was reluctant to go and as the three of us walked up to sign in, she clutched my hand and said how she was a little scared. I said, "those are just butterflies. You are going to have awesome day!"  She kissed me and whispered in my ear, "I'll miss you."  Even though camp is at the high school right behind our house, (I can run home from there in 6 minutes), she feels far away. For these days are milestones on her journey. First tooth, first haircut, first day of school, first boyfriend, first day of college.....I whispered back to her "I'll miss you, too." 

A Commission for Connie

I've been working on these 2 paintings for my client and business associate, Connie from DogSpeak. We have worked together on the notecards and also she wrote the book that I illustrated, , Pawprints in Heaven. She has several of my paintings already and wanted these 2 for her new office. I hope she likes them. I personally LOVE the dogs with the umbrellies! Dogs and the beach...two of my favorite things.

In other happenings with me, I am thoroughly enjoying and absorbed in the e-course that I'm taking with Kelly Rae. It's called Flying Lessons, and it is exactly what I need as I start out my quest to build an online presence which will include getting my website the way I want it. It's up, but not exactly how I picture it in my head and of course, updating it will help. Also, opening an ETSY shop and really getting my blog going, which basically entails devoting time to it! This e-course is very encouraging with lots of helpful info on how to do all the stuff that I want to do. Very inspiring.

And speaking of building my blog, if you are visiting my blog, please leave a comment even if it is just to say Hi. Don't be shy. Comments are very encouraging to keep me blogging! Feed my Blog! Peace out.