What's happening this Winter - Nesting!

We moved.  We were settled, everything was fine; and then it wasn't.  Closets needed overhauling.  One thing led to another and I spent two weeks engineering pillows.  I say engineering because its been so long since I put in a zipper or cording that it was like school without a teacher.  Mistake after mistake!  Don't worry,  it all came back.

August 3, 2012 

The antique couch looks good, I reused material that I already had; former Ralph Lauren duvet cover, it was always was too heavy, but it makes a wonderful soft pillow cover!  A Shabby chic shower curtain (passe' according to my daughter), but I think it turned out nice.  Yes I bought some new material in a soft yellow polyester with stripes.  I like stripes!  It must be something about lining things up.  How does this relate to painting?  Well, I think I will make a sketch of the couch this week and you can compare it to the one I did a couple of years ago.

And, I have a couple of sketches done recently from our Christmas party at Barb's.

 

And an old truck in the late afternoon sun.

Chevy Fleetside (restored?)

Christmas decorating, Texas style

 I've been to Texas on Whidbey Island and loved it!

I know a gal called Cynthia,
fellow sketcher she be.
She loves Texas stars,
red quilts & pillows,
Santas, reindeer, candles
AND friends.

Take a peek at my sketches from today and then visit www.whidbeyislandsketchers.blogspot.com for more Christmas cheer.  We were eating, talking, sketching and just plain having fun today inside while it was misting outside.  Cynthia knows how to make her house just beautiful at Christmas and shares it joyously with friends.  Thank you!

Three of many beautifully decorated bookshelves

Two more; pink theme!

Temporary hiatus done!

I'm back in the swing of things and hope to be posting more regularly.  Here are some recent posts from Bob Hunters' place and the Christmas party with the sketchers at Barbara's. 

Camel, silk flower & ornament.

Barb always makes the table creative and beautiful.  

View from Bob Hunter's place on Bercot Rd. of Freeland Hall and the nearby  cove.

Figurines from Barbs travels decorating the table.

One branch of the biggest tree ever!

Gift enclosures

On the above header, you will see three new images that I have had made for gift enclosures.  They are approximately 3.75x4.75.  A few have envelopes, the rest have been punched and a colorful ribbon added.  They are in groups of three to be used on your Christmas gifts.  I have them available at the Whidbey Art Gallery in Langley, WA, or contact me on this blog.
Merry gift giving!, Pat

Pineapple Christmas

I just had time this week for one sketch this week and chose Cynthia's wonderful pineapple candlesticks.  They remind me of living in Virginia where the pineapple is a symbol of welcome. These say welcome to the Christmas Holiday season.  They are embellished with metal leaves that represent that diamond shape that you see on a fresh pineapple.

Welcome to Christmas

Vintage & Handmade

Fun times sketching cute kids clothing today at our newly reorganized Community Thrift Store in Freeland.  I also sketched some old handmade quilts and the other day saw a lady walk out with a really nice old red, white and blue Texas star (? ) that she bought for $100; it had a $200 price tag.  Bargain!!!
After that we picked up a glass of wine at Blooms Winery and hung out at the new Pop up shop in the Bayview Cash Store, called Handmade on Whidbey.  There are many wonderful artists selling their work there during the Christmas season.  This is run by the ever energetic Vicky Brown of The Little Brown Farm where she makes goat cheese extraordinaire.

Pretend this overlaps

Blue dress looks like it was made in the Fifties.

Beautiful Squash for sale and serving boards

Vintage quilts

Christmas Pear

Sometimes it sneaks up on you.  You are marching to life with your own beat, trying to pay attention to your loved ones; trying to ignore all the noise around you pinging for your attention.  Buy me!  You have until xxx at midnight to get your gifts sent in time!  Don't you think that the pressure to buy starts so soon, because the Post Office or the Brown guys need to have time to get those gifts out there?  I remember loving writing Christmas cards, dreaming of snow, planning kids gifts, going to Midnight magical Service at Church.  Once the kids were grown, something happened, I don't know what, but it takes me till December 15th to start marching in step.  Yesterday I had a blah pear with going nowhere values.  Today, a little green, a little red and the Christmas Pear was born.  See, it's the 15th!
 Here is the result.

Christmas Pear. Not for Sale but watch for cards!

Red Christmas Pear - a companion to the Christmas Pear