Trying to Fly without Feathers

Here's a painting I just finished on the fly. Painted the background in a dark teal color one afternoon and painted the figure in another afternoon. Yay to the return of Bit's nap time.

I created the piece for two reasons:

1) Any reason to take a break from painting lighthouses is a good reason, and

2) It will be (hopefully) included in a traveling show in the area put on by a local agency. April is Sexual Assault awareness month, with teal being the thematic color.

The figure is holding a "primary flight feather". Read into it what you may.

*(and no this is not a portrait of me, but try as I might, I always accentuate details of face, similar to my own)

If the Sky were a Paint Swatch, it'd be called U.P. Spring Blue

Originally this blog piece was going to be about temperatures warming up and the frozen lake reappearing in it's free moving form, but upon driving out to thrift stores, taking in the views of the sky, and letting my thoughts come and go, I realized there is no other area I'd like to be, for me, my son, my family.

The night before, Bits looked out the window and saw two deer walking through the front yard.

During the day, when he wasn't running, running, and running, he walked, face turned downward, searching for acorns (Mommy prefers to find pinecones, of course).

Yesterday, on our drive along US 2, a coyote (I think it may have been a wolf, but don't want to make such a strong claim) came walking across our driven path.

I was driving a little askew as my eyes and camera took in the pure sky. The shade of blue in the sky was so appropriate for the brisk spring U.P. day. I found fabric at the thrift store close to the exact color in the sky, it must have been saved for me to find.

It was one of those days, where I wasn't quite dressed for the temps., but the day itself made me think about all that this quiet area of the U.P. really has to offer.

Who'd of Thought We'd have Warm Days, in March, in the U.P.

Spring is here. Outdoor adventures ensue. Nap time returns. Painting continues. Oh, how much I missed you warm, sunny days.

Playing basketball, cleaning leaves out of the flower beds, running bases in the field down the hill.

Picking up acorns and pinecones, blowing bubbles, kicking a ball around.

Cleaning up poo in the yard, checking the new flower growth, cleaning off muddy shoes.

This is what a spring day should be about, maybe minus the poo thing.

Today is going to be another 50 degree gift, tomorrow, well, unlikely. More fun to be had and hopefully more painting to be done.

Milk and Ink

Can you guess where these pictures are from and of what?

Orange Fingers and Backpacks Filled with Nature's Discards

After an indoor picnic with our neighbor friend Dan, we all headed to Black River Harbor. Dan frequents this treasured spot more often than our little family and likes to pick up driftwood pieces as much as me.

A perfect ever-so-slightly chilly sunny day at the Big Lake. The snow and ice removed most of their hold on the sand and driftwood, but have not yet given up their reign on the pebbles and sea glass, hiding underneath it's cold layers. There were piles of broken shale, appearing like shattered glass bringing about seven years of bad luck.

We had a great time exploring this ever changing beachscape and Bits had a great time with his Big Buddy, especially when Dan brings along the Cheetos popcorn. They threw a couples pieces of driftwood into the river from the bridge, keeping with Dan's tradition. McDonald's milkshakes on the way home, and we all arrived happily back with driftwood in hand, or rather in backpack.

*Sorry for all the pics., but my trigger finger can't stop clicking.

DIY Easter Table Centerpieces

Double blog day, must mean I'm avoiding something: (a) dishes, (b) laundry, (c) vacuuming, or (d) all of the above.

Here's what will be in the center of my Easter table.

I revisited my Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas and researched what some crafters are doing themselves and added my own Amyness to it all.

What you'll need:

left over fabric

white felt

sticks

iron on fabric backing

glass bottles

ribbon

decorative paper

pebbles for inside bottles(optional, but may help keep sticks in set position)

Hot glue gun in hand and you're ready to go.

Using said glue gun, I covered bottles with inside out fabric (the pattern was more appealing that way) and tied loose ribbon around the necks.

I ironed on fabric backing to fabric scraps to make the fabric a tad bit stiffer, then hand sketched flower shapes and leaves onto the backs of the fabric and cut out the pieces.

Taking my white felt, I sketched out centers for flowers and again cut 'em all out.

I glued together all appropriate pieces and glued vintage book papers to the backs and cut to fit.

The larger flowers I ended up gluing two together (wrong side to wrong side), leaving a small opening on one side to slide onto a stick end and then glued them into place. The smaller flowers I left with paper backs showing and glued directly onto points on the sticks.

To add a touch of green to the arrangements to keep with my theme colors, I added vintage cards onto small dowel rods.

...And voila' you have an arrangement that cost next to nothing (literally, with all the scrap material in my fabric basket, I only spent 2 bucks for dowels and ribbon).

*If you plan to use my pattern, just click on the image above to get an 8"x10" image size.

Artwork Prints

www.michiganlighthouseart.com is now featuring "Artwork Prints". Currently there are only two available, but they are of previously sold pieces, which until now have been unavailable in any form.

You may have heard me mention that I only like selling originals, but times are tough and the tough would sometimes rather buy a print. Hopefully, I'll be able to add additional prints soon.

The price list is as follow $15 for a 12"x16", $20 for a 14"x18" and $25 for a 16"x20" (with $6 shipping and handling), and the prints are done in the original artwork's dimensions.

Too much Sun Causes one Red Cheek (on my Face, not my Behind)

Bits and I went outside today for awhile. Proof is in my half sun reddened face. Forecast calls for 30s this weekend and we hit the low 60s today, so we took our games outside.

Basketball, books, running, splashing, and a walk to the bridge and back and I was sure Bits would take a fabulous nap. Mommy's need to paint makes me cherish these afternoon naps, but the Baconator is slowly fazing them out of the routine. Bummer.

Although he did indeed eventually fall asleep, but at 5:00, in the Jeep, on the way to church. How this helps my painting I don't know, but the message was good to hear with nothing but a little drool to contend with.

Side note, on the way to church I saw a fabulous oddly shaped cloud with a straight vertical edge like the exterior wall of a building, camera at home though (second bummer), so you can try to image it's unique shape without a digital pic.

One More Done, A Daughting Many More to Do

Here's the latest piece. South Haven, MI Pier Catwalk. 12"x16" acrylic on canvas board.

I have three paintings currently being worked on simultaneously. My previous immediate goal was to complete 10 lighthouse paintings, and then take a break to do more inwardly driven, goal free artwork. Well, looking over my works list, I think I would feel more comfortable to create, let's see, 14 more in addition to the 5 I've recently finished, then take a break. All this to be done by mid-May, with a weekend given up to frame making.

Ahhh (literally, I just exhaled), will all this be done by my personal deadline? Only time will tell, but as all my history illustrates, most likely my goal will fall short, but still be impressive in itself.

Luckily, my husband overlooks the thin layer of dust and the carpet needing a good vacuuming (hey, at least the toilet and sinks are cleaned, and I just swept the floors). And don't worry mothers and grandmothers out there, I only paint while Bits is napping, or Daddy is on duty, but I do hope one day Bits can paint something while I paint something myself, and not have to worry about him eating the green paint.

*Remember you can see this piece and other work at www.michiganlighthouseart.com

and can click on the image above for an enlarged view.

Blogging is Like Taking a Walk, You Want to do It, but don't, Until You Start Feeling Fat

I wish I had more time to create and paint, but I don't and that's okay. I have the Bacon Bits literally running around causing oodles of fun and mayhem, plus have projects and projects to distract and keep me busy.

Right now, I just pulled my ever sensitive neck muscles crawling behind the computer tower to unplug one usb cord to plug in the camera's usb cord. What I got for you is nothing spectacular, but proof that I've been doing stuff, if not painting much at all. Was it worth the neck strain, maybe not, but I gotta show you something.

Two things:

One- Driftwood and fabric mail sorter, created for the sole purpose of getting all the loose papers off my kitchen counters.

Two- Brown vinyl reupholstered kitchen chair seats, using left over material from another project, because Bits kept dropping food on the fabric seats. I only have two chair seats done out of six and that doesn't include the chair backs, but I feel using a staple gun around a two year old is not such a good idea, so I do what I can when I can.

I've also started creating Easter table decor which I hope to share within the week, so if any of you want an idea to try to duplicate, you may still have time to do so.

And, I need to finish some paintings, oh, and rent a compound miter saw one of these weekends. I promise not to cut off a finger during the frenzy that is my life.

Spring Temps Bring About Muddy Pants

Some things are unavoidable. Some things I just have to accept.

Boys and puddles, splashing and throwing pebbles. When it's above 50, sun is shining, and you are the proud parent of an active two year old boy, opportunities like sitting on the front steps as your son giggles, runs and makes a huge mess of himself, just need to happen. I have given up in defeat in trying to discourage Bits from stepping with sneakers on and pants uncuffed into murky little pools. What's the harm in having to stain treat a pair of khakis and setting a pair of shoes next to the heater.

This afternoon in March was great fun as I watched Mr. Xenopus take joy in running back and forth, finding ice pieces, sharing broken cement chunks with Mommy, and leaving wet shoe prints on the exposed driveway. Birds singing happy songs about their warmth in the boughs of trees, and grass creeping back to life as more and more snow recedes. Play time in the park is coming and this momma and toddler are counting down the days.