A full two months in the making, this king sized bedspread reflects my love of rainbows. As a kid, to see a rainbow was very special occurence for me. To this day when I see one, it feels like magic is in the air. When I had the opportunity to purchase a huge lot of various colors of acrylic yarn, I knew instantly that I would turn it into a some kind of blanket.
This turned out so delightful, and I'm looking forward to sleeping under this rainbow tonight.
😊💜💙💚💛💓
I love to make these, but the major challenge in that is threading the needle! These are very tiny beads (size 11) going on to DMC thread perle cotton size 8. Once the beads are loaded on using a Darice bead spinner, it becomes much easier.
The beads are an iridescent purple with a faux sugilite resin teardrop and round genuine amethyst beads. I've made several of these in the past with the needle threading being my major inhibitor of making a lot more. I'm hoping to sell these at a local artisan craft booth nearby as they make great necklaces to carry your favorite trinkets or crystals in.
Sometimes I'm amazed at some of the stories of my Sicilian family ancestry, how they came to America in the early part of the 20th century, the traditions they still carry on, and the pride of their heritage. The DNA test I took claimed I have 24% Italian in my genes. Whether that's accurate or not, I'm definitely of a Sicilian bloodline, and I think it's pretty cool 😊
What I love about Sicily is the blend of being a desert yet so fertile with citrus fruits, grapes and plumerias. Visiting Hawaii a few years ago, the scent of plumerias were everywhere and it is one of my favorite floral scents. I'm surprised plumerias grow in Sicily because I think of that flower growing in a more lush tropical environment. Blood oranges are also a thing in Sicily, and those are delicious. Sicilians grow the best tasting lemons too. And of course wine is another gift from this volcanic island.
This abundance is due to the rich fertile soil from the volcanos nearby, particularly the active Mt. Etna. In this painting, I refer to her as Ms. Etna, and the glowing flow of her lava and plumes of ash contribute to this soil. I also imagine standing at a market in Catania, indulging in the beautiful colors of this magical place.
Painted on 10x12 canvas board in gouache, fluorescent acrylic and other mixed media.
On a 6x8 canvas board, this is a mixed media of gouache, ink and watercolor. The full moon goddess shines her gentle light over the hills of Big Sur California, sprinkling her magic over the delicate Calla Lilies. In the distance, the turquoise ocean reflects her light.
A few years ago I got a hold of some sample Arches watercolor 140lb cold press paper that are small narrow pieces still attached to the glue. The original pads were cut and these slivers are the remnants. I have about 8 of these narrow pads and reminded me of bookmarks. Over the years, I have painted landscape scenes and other small glimpses of other worlds.
Below are two places in Europe that a) I have seen in person or b) would like to see in person.
Since the 80's, giraffe populations have decreased by about 30%...think about that. Just 40 years and nearly a third of these gentle giants are gone. The more I paint animals, the more I really appreciate just how special they are. This one is done from a copy of a photo, and then I added my own idea of an African landscape. Painted on a 10"x12" treated canvas board with watercolor paint.
I love tiny canvases, and found these at Dick Blick a couple of years ago. They came as a pack of six, and have just been sitting in my art supply stash for quite a while now. Since I enjoy painting animals it seems lately, I thought it would be fun to paint Bean and Jerry-my older kids' cats. Both of my older kids are roommates, and they each have a cat. Bean belongs to my 24 year old daughter, and Jerry belongs to my 21 year old son. These cats each have quite their own personality, but one thing I especially love in cats is their eyes. Bean (my daughter's tabby cat) has glorious green eyes, and Jerry (my son's white cat) has some intense amber eyes. These canvases are just 2"x2", and these head portraits are painted in gouache.
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| Bean on the left, Jerry on the right |
Recently, I discovered that I have ancestry from Scotland of the Campbell clan. The particular relative was from the Highlands and resided ...
