Impressions

"Don't lift the blindfold, honey."

"But I can't see it."

Some call it cheating. In his beautiful sweet young mind it is simple problem solving.

Joining my friend Mamabyrd in her weekly Impression.

Impressions

Several impressions.....

(Forgive my cheating....I have never been good at picking just ONE picture anyway:))

-I have been told, eventually the water will be too where I am standing. In the meantime, it appears my children are just going to walk on out to meet it.

-What better way to spend your first day of Spring than with friends on a beach.

-Ohhh my heart aches to see them getting so big, and yet I am so happy for them.


I am joining themamabyrd in her weekly Impressions.

Apple Blossoms

Apple Blossoms

6x6

Oil on panel

Happy first day of Spring! 

The First Summer

The First Summer

12x12

Oil on Canvas

Young and in love. Isn't it inspiring? This is another young couple that "modeled" for me for a summer or two. I repeatedly said to myself, "Beautiful", every time I took a picture of them. So young and so sparkly.

Whew! I was dealing with some wicked glare on the painting when I shot the photo of the painting. I will have to seriously problem solve glare. It certainly is a problem when shooting large areas of dark paint. Still... I think the general idea of the painting is apparent.

Impressions

When the bus drops them off in the afternoon, he runs out to welcome them home too, everyday.

Roommate Perks

       Some years ago I had my first roommate. Well, she wasn't a roommate in the traditional way because I was married, with two children. But she was the closest thing to a roommate I have ever had. She stayed with us for such a short stint, she was between degrees and needed only temporary housing. I think she was possibly they best roommate a girl could hope for. Here is a short and not complete list of the perks of our roommate...

 -My sink was dirty dish free during her entire visit.:) It was heavenly!

-We had a live in babysitter for date night.

-She introduced us to The Office (which my sweet husband and I enjoyed until Dwight got married and Jim and Pam moved away, sigh). 

-She taught me how to run a marathon. 

-She introduced me to Twilight (Yes, I said Twilight as in the vampire series). 

-She introduced me to the internet (Yes, I said internet), actually I knew about the internet before she moved in and even used it on occasion, but she opened my eyes to it's true possiblities:) 

-She gave me my first IPOD.

-She taught me how to buy and wear jeans like a modern girl should. 

-She introduced me to the idea of blogging and even helped me get this one started, it just took me a couple years to cotton on to the idea. 

There were so many things she taught me, but the most predominate one, in my opinion, was how to really make a birthday cake. 

He loved it:)

Thank you my sweet long-distance friend.

Look Up

Look Up on 1st Street

24x18

Oil on Canvas

It was such a lovely evening. My mother-in-law and I had gone for an evening drive, and she patiently waited while I did some sketching. On the way home we were given such a beautiful sky.

I am so excited for my painting projects this week! I hope to have some good ones to post before the  weeks end:)

Impressions

I have the nicest friends. I even have a cute little jar to prove it. She is so "Sweet".


I am joining up with my friends at  themamabyrd.blogspot.com. Please feel free to join us and leave your weekly impression here or there.

Three Years

Three Years

6x6

Oil on Panel

For this day I decided to paint something I love very much, because he loved it sooo much. Patriotism is one of the best gifts he left me. I can not see a flag without forcibly thinking of him. It is a funny dichotomy....to have something make you smile and choke up with tears at the same time.  

While He Sleeps

While He Sleeps

6x8

Graphite

He has been telling me that is hair is a lot like Harry Potters. He likes that it lays all over, he refuses to let us cut it.:)

The Tree on the Monterey Peninsula

The Tree on the Monterey Peninsula

8x6

Graphite

Here is another hint, for those of you still playing along at home. I won't say if those of you who have guessed are right or not, yet. I'll wait until the reveal later this week.

Peach Blossoms

Peach Blossoms

6x6

Oil on Panel

I have a stack of things I want to paint, about 7 inches high. 

To help me focus, I have decided upon a theme for the week.

 See if you can guess my theme by the weeks end.

Impressions

It was funny how the two of them kept matching their clothes. It was like they planned it.

I am joining my sweet friends, Mamabyrd and A Huntsville Gathering in their Friday Impressions. If there was a photo of the week that has left an impression on you please feel free to share it with us.

The Little Fox

The Kit Fox

12x12

Oil on Canvas

When you have children, there is whole world of things that you are repeatedly exposed to. "Cute" things are certainly on that list. How could I not paint this!? We had the rare opportunity to watch a fox this last spring and summer. It lived and played...and probably ate my neighbors chickens, on this log in full view of our backyard. In the spring there were two foxes playing on the log and it was sooooo much fun to watch them!

I hope we will see them again soon! Please come spring!

Sara and the Babies

Sara and the Babies

12x12

Oil on Panel

This is one of those paintings that I REALLY want to paint much bigger than I know my life can manage right now. But rather than wait, I have resigned myself to paint the paintings that are inspiring me, just keep it small.

I could not wait to paint this image any longer. It is such a beautiful moment. I have sketched it out multiple times, and  I have been itching to try it out with paint. I have learned soooo much with this experience. It has me very excited to start the next one.  

I pulled this image from a friends blog. Technically though, I did take the picture. She was so picturesque standing over by the water with her twins. We share of love of photography so I took the liberty of grabbing her camera and started snapping pictures. She had no idea I had the camera at this point. Could she be more breathtaking! In my experience, most of the women and mothers I know are so humble they have no idea how breathtaking they truly are. It has become an unofficial mission of mine to try and help them have a glimpse of what the rest of us see in them.....inspired beauty!

Trappers Loop in October

Trappers Loop in October

12x12

Oil on Panel

My most favorite stretch of road, Trappers Loop. It is breathtaking year round. At one point the view makes you feel like you are literally on top of the world. This is just one angle. I have great painting plans for this road.......this is just the beginning:)

The Corner Barn

The Corner Barn

5x7

Oil on Canvas

This was a quick little painting from a photo my Dad and I took together. Over the last year my camera and I have visited this barn, frequently. Brace yourselves, this is not likely to be the last painting of this barn. :)

The Apple Leaf

The Apple Leaf

10x8

Oil on Canvas

We have some beautiful apple trees on our property. This fall I was supposed to be raking them up and putting them in garbage cans, but they were so distracting! They were so beautiful! Every leaf turning to fall so differently. I "saved" about 40 and pressed them. This is the first one.

Blue Roof Barn

Blue Roof Barn

5x7

Oil on Canvas

This is another barn that my Dad and I found to photograph one day. I love working from my Dad's old photos. I feel like we are collaborating. 

Summer Night

Summer Night

12x12

Oil on Panel

Maybe it's the coming of Valentines Day..I don't know, but I have been very inspired by the idea of LOVE these days. This is one of those images I have been looking at and experimenting with for a while. It felt like it was time to put it to paint. 

This couple is for real, just a young couple, really in love, and they let me follow them around last summer and take a few pictures of them. We took this walk on a summer night, and they were later married...on a summer night. The title seemed fitting. They have a sweet and sincere love. It is inspiring.