"Abby's Family"

What fun this was! "Abby's Family" a/k/a Red Tide XVIII (3'x5'). This is a commission piece by a couple I met at the Shrimp Festival. They purchased the companion piece, Red Tide X (16x20). The image of Red Tide X is at the top right side of this blog. The adoptive parents saw the finished piece for the first time today when they picked it up. They were thrilled. I'm thrilled! I think I just expanded my "fan club" all the way to Georgia!

Moving along ... slowly but surely

After the Shrimp Festival, I made a goal to complete a painting a week from now til Spring shows begin. That was six weeks ago. I am six paintings behind. Really. Well maybe not. I didn't consider the five dog paintings I did for ArtWalk over last weekend. That counts! One of them is above. So, technically I'm only one behind!

I have been working on a commission piece during that time. It will be finished this weekend and will be delivered before Thanksgiving. I'll post it as soon as it is delivered. They have to see it before you! I'll also been taking care of Keller Bug everyday. What a joy! She's getting older and more alert of things around her. After I get this huge canvas out of my studio, there will be room for her to join me a little while each day while I catch up! I'm itching to bring out the oils! They take so long to dry so I want to do those first.

The holidays are upon us and I have a lot to do to prep for them as well. This is why I didn't do anymore fall shows ... so I could focus on the holidays. You know ... making it perfect again. Or trying to, anyway. When will I give up on that and just go with the flow? One day I'm just gonna sit and wait for someone else to volunteer to put the tree up and decorate and bake and address Christmas cards. Yeah, right! I swear. I'm gonna do it. Maybe next year.

Another thing I've done this fall. I have hung several paintings at my husband's office ... a gallery of sorts in the front entry. Looking for chairs and plants to brighten things up a bit. I may see if a few others want to join me. We'll see.

Ida know what the heck's goin on!

9:50pm Hurricane Ida....now a tropical storm with 70mph winds coming ashore. Unreal. It's November. Not looking forward to all the limbs we'll have to pick up tomorrow. Sitting here in the quiet listening for train engines a/k/a tornadoes. My husband spent the evening in the man cave raising things off the floor in case the water comes over the bulkhead. I spent most of the evening between Facebook and trying to stop a leak in my greenhouse with duct tape. Still dripping.

By the way, the painting above was Hurricane Katrina!

Baby Keller!!!

Making a list and checkin' it twice . . . already!

Well, if Walmart can start Christmas early, so can I! I'm determined to not wait til the last minute this year. My extended family simplified the gift giving last year and this year we are incorporating that throughout both sides! Good thing when there is often thirty or more of us to buy gifts for ... and wrap and store. I've been stashing a few things away, mostly for Keller and my younger nieces and nephews and a few things for my immediate family. I've gathered things for our Big family Christmas event which will be at our home this year instead of my moms. And, get this! I'm ready for Thanksgiving already! Jealous?! Thanksgiving weekend I will do my decorating and be free to bake and "gift" my friends and neighbors! All this and I didn't put out any Halloween decorations. Nada! Nothing! I've got a project I want to do for Christmas this year for a few friends. It's gonna take some studio time. Hope I can get it done in time. If not .... next year! But, I said that last year and well, it's this year already again! I've gotta get over this cough and yuk so I can stay on track. Time for another Dayquil!