Coming Up for Air~

*Gulp*, gasp!, sputter*.....no, this blog has not been deserted! Just trying to catch my breath from the whirlwind we've been in since the last final was taken this past week. School is now over for the year. My oldest just had his first afternoon of Driver's Ed. yesterday (we both survived!) and my youngest will have a birthday next week. *Deep Breath*

Part of this week has been spent painting and creating for upcoming website updates. A County Fair, a cow, milk, a ship, blocks, a lady in red.....just a few more things to finish up by the 1st.
**HUGE Breath** ok, going back in!

~Finally it's Finals~

It's Finals Week.....need I say more? I'll post soon, provided I live through it! ☺

"In-the-between" time, please visit Lana's blog to sign up for her 200th post/ 2 year blog celebration!

Honeysuckle Lane's Simple Joys

Have Some Potato Peel Pie and Philosophy

Two more weeks of school....and one of those weeks is finals!! Yea! We are coming to the end of another school year and that makes year 4 of home school for us. I'll have two high school students next fall. Yikes! It's been a good year, but we are all ready for a break!

Gifts and Surprises~
I'm a little behind on blogging this week. I didn't receive any handmade keepsakes this year for Mother's Day, instead, I was given a book, and some DVDs. I'm enjoying The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
If you haven't read it, I recommend you do. I was on the waiting list at our local library until the boys surprised me with my own copy. And I was #63 on the list! So, I guess others must think it is worth the read too!

Yesterday, as a surprise in the mail, I opened a box from my cousin and found one of my most favorite (well, the only thing I wear), fragrances in a shower/bath cream. I love Philosophy's Grace fragrance.
She really surprised and spoiled me! Oh, and she sent this very neat tote from Philosophy too!
Thank you dear cousin!


A little update news~

The Primitive Gathering is updated for the 15th. I painted two styles of dress forms on crackled backgrounds, and some lace and trims on a deep mocha background.

Me on The Primitive Gathering

Mother's Day Wishes

~Enjoy the weekend with your loved ones~

Farm Fresh Apples

This rainy weekend, between LOTS of loads of laundry and house cleaning, I finished two paintings for a theme update on American Folk Art tomorrow. The update will begin at 12 noon (EST), tomorrow, Tuesday May 5th here: American Folk Art

So, please check back and see what all the artists have to offer. Here is a sneak peek at what I'm offering for the "May Apples" theme.

When I used to crawled up on ladders and paint people's homes (faux and other decorative painting), I had a customer who handed me a piece of fabric she was using for her newly constructed kitchen. She asked me to paint something on the border of the ceiling (which, but the way, was over 12 feet high....my neck would be killing me after a few hours!). From her fabric example, we decided on painted apples, leaves and branches.

So, when I found this old vintage label with apples on it, it reminded me of the apples I painted on her walls. And since the theme is apples, I've used the label for inspiration, drawing (literally) from the many hours of apple painting experience!

I've put together a little slide show....but I kept forgetting to take photos after I started painting the apples, leaves and branches! :) Oh well, you get the idea:

The other painting I worked on was a painting of the "Tree of Life". Not necessarily "apples", but at least they are little round red circles! :)

For this piece, I used molding paste again and a stencil. The branches, truck and leaves are all raised with the paste and stencil effect, then painted. The "apples" are painted directly onto the heavily textured canvas.

Both of these can be seen on my website (Both on "Painter of the Past" page), as well as, American Folk Art tomorrow at noon EST!

My Website: Pear Tree Primitives

Happy May Day!

"Sweet April showers

Do spring May flowers."
- Thomas Tusser, A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry, 1557

I've been busy painting and sewing. I haven't hand-stitched in quite awhile, and my fingers are sore! Here is a peek at my offerings for the new site :









You can visit my page here:

Me on Early Work Mercantile

But please click around and see all the wonderful offerings by the collected group of talented artists!


And TDIPT is having a theme update this month and it is "Made in America".
I'm offering a patriotic silhouette:



and a little something for Mother's Day:




Here is the link for TDIPT:

Me on TDIPT

You can also view everything on my website on the "Early Wares 2" and "Silhouettes" pages.

Pear Tree Primitives

Thank you for stopping by......have a wonderful weekend!