Happy Holidays....

Wishing you a Happy Holiday this Thanksgiving time. Hope you get to spend it with someone you love :)

Headed out to spend our holiday in the Ozarks, but will be back soon to paint and paint!~

~H

Tasha Tuesdays Post #10

Hello and happy Tuesday!~

Just moments ago I saw the sweetest scene. Its all pearl-gray and shadowed this morning....a November dawn.

Went to let my adorable Mr. Henry out of his crate when I heard the tiniest little tweet tweet tweets. On the back porch a group of lady cardinals, the prettiest blushy gray-red-rose, were hopping about the back porch eating some of the sunflower seeds that fell off our summer sunflowers and into the grass.

They were so sweet and adorable, I hope they plan to stay for the winter. I'll have to buy some bird seed to woo them. And watching them out the window in the early morning light, I couldn't help but think of Tasha and all her birds....and all her critters. Because if there was an original Elly May Clampett, by george, it was Tasha....

One thing I love most about Tasha is her love of animals. And boy did she have a few. Not just the regular dogs and cats but doves, finches, goats, cows, tame crows, mice...and of course they all got special Christmas meals and she made her own dog food and so on (of course! This is Tasha after all...)

One animal that stands out about Tasha though is her beloved Corgi dogs. Her son Tom had one sent home one year while he was studying in England. The dog made it home before he did, and Tasha was in love...
Now, until recently, I'd never understood how people pick one breed and fell in love. I also always considered myself a cat person....As a kid, and thanks to my Dad (Jed Clampett??) we always had plenty of animals around the house. I attended many a home birthing session and loved on litters of puppies and many, many kittens. We even raised beagles for a while, but as much as I loved Buddy and Holly and their pups, at the end of the day they were smelly ol' hound dogs that stayed outside. I wanted something cute and fuzzy to cuddle. I figured my best bet was a cat...any cat.

Then I met this young man....
Oh, look at those big brown eyes! I now know what Tasha was so ga-ga about with her corgis. I have fallen in love with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, all because of this sweet boy, my Henry.

He was my anniversary gift last year. I saw him at a breeder's home in town. She had set up a little tent with her puppies in the yard....and I was innocently driving home from the store....when I saw spaniels. I did manage to walk away the first time but then got a tad obsessed. Luckily, I have a very understanding husband.

Henry has been the best little buddy, for me and Audrey. It is amazing what this dog will endure at the hands of a toddler ;) and it gives Audrey someone to play with and run with and laugh with....without me having to give birth again ;) problem solved! lol....

So now....I get it, Tasha. You find a dog that captures your heart and you think "I'm never going back again!" Not that you couldn't have the same feeling with any dog breed, or doodle-mix, or mutt ;) But I think Henry has won my heart for dogs like him forever.

Happily, there is a Cavalier King Charles rescue program, and I think in the future I would like to find my little friends through them. If you are interested in these beautiful, docile, cheerful little guys, I do suggest a visit to Cavalier Rescue USA and searching your area.

And if you are like Tasha and have a soft spot for Corgis, I've found rescue sites HERE and HERE. And if you love corgis and art, you should visit Cathy and The Christmas Corgi and see all her wonderful photos and art, it will warm your heart!

Now, off to snuggle with my furry pup before her royal highness gets up ;) she gets jealous sometimes. She even thinks he is her dog............ ;)

Happy Tasha Tuesday,

H

A skating romance

I don't know if many boys know this, but the ice is the perfect place for romance. You get to hold hands, show off your athletic abilities, and snuggle close if you're skating outdoors. This painting is a perfect illustration of that...first love and the love of skating, a perfect pair....

"A Skating Romance"

Oh, how I do love pair skating! I always had the most fun skating with my friends when I was a little ice bunny :) we'd try silly tricks and have so much fun....trying to figure out how to do a death spiral or a pair spin with your girl friends...I had a friend who studied pairs at one time and when his partner wasn't at the rink to practice he would consent to throwing me around for a while. I adored it~ I do believe skating is best done with a friend. I know I now have a very good skating partner....a little toddler girl who seems as much in love with it as her mother was...

I am very happy with how my little skating pair has come out, with little shimmers of wintery glitter....they will probably be the largest painting I take with my to my show next month. I hope they find themselves a good home! And in case you are very much like me and very impatient, I do have them skating around the shop in the form of a print.....

A happy monday to you, my friends!~

~H

Jolly St. Nick

Hello Dear Readers!~

Guess what? This is my 400th post! Cant you believe it? That sounds like so many...and truthfully, so many things have happened since that first post more than 2 years ago. It's amazing! And a big thanks to you who visit me and share with me your thoughts and support. Thank you so very much :)

And now, here he is....another Christmas santa! It hardly seems time to be selling Christmas prints, but here it is almost mid-way through November! Here is a little portrait of my Jolly St. Nick :)

I have just added him to my shop, and since he's a Christmas print, he's on sale!

It has been so warm this weekend. Yesterday I finally got around to planting my bulbs. I had the help of three little blond girls to get them all in the ground. Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, all pink....the little girls loved the idea that they would be sleeping in the garden under the mulch until springtime.

This morning I put the finishing touches on a big painting that I am very pleased with. The glitter is drying now...you know that's a good sign ;) I will show that one off tomorrow.

Until then....

~H

PS: I redecorated the blog today to match more with the fancy new site. What do you think? I do love a make-over....and this was less scary than cutting bangs ;)

Happy News and Christmas Sales~

A very good morning to you, my dear friends! It's a very good morning over here on the prairie....it's a thrill to wake up to good news. Some of which I can share with you here. And some of which you can enjoy yourself!

First off, this pretty little lady....Rosie Inspiration Angel:

She turned out rather lovely I think. To be honest with you....I really was a bit concerned with how she was coming out while making her. I chose reds and greens since she'll be gracing my Christmas show next month, but she was looking a bit like a spanish dancer instead of an angel for a while ;)

Oh, but when I finished her I thought, 'well, there she is!' it just shows it pays to finish things! The original piece is going to be offered at the Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar in OKC on Dec. 12. But if you heart her, there are prints available here.

And speaking of prints!....

I added a couple of my past watercolor pieces to the new shop! I've decided to take up my watercolors again, when I get half of my bejillion little projects finished. Til then, you can find Winter Guardian and Christmas Angel available now :)

And as a very special offering..... I have discounted ALL my Christmas prints in the shop in anticipation of the lovely holiday that fast approaches :) COME SEE!!!

Also...remember a while back when I told you I was going to be featured in an art book written by Chrissie Grace? Well, the projects are all done and the book is starting to come together :) We are all so excited! The book is tentatively titled "Sharing Stitches" by Chrissie Grace. Look for it out in Autumn 2010!

New Shop!~

Hello and good morning everyone! I have a little surprise for you--- Audrey Eclectic is moving to a NEW shop! I am so thrilled with it, and just a little bit in love. Come check it out HERE.

At the new shop, the buying (and selling!) experience will be so much easier, streamlined and secure. Unfortunately, my shop (among others) has been the victim of some vandalism lately, but that just spurred me to find my new shop home--- and I am so happy with the move :) Do go check it out, you will love it too. Now I will even be able to offer coupon codes, sales, and a more visually customized shop.

And so....without further delay....I give you the new Audrey Eclectic :)