Collection....or Addiction?

"Ah, Miss Harriet, it would do us no harm to remember oftener than we do, that vices are sometimes only virtues carried to excess!" Dombey and Son~Charles Dickens




" . . our pleasures in this world are always to be paid for . . " Northanger Abbey~Jane Austen

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Every Thursday my boys attend a social group through our school. So this means for about two hours every Thursday I drop them off and either paint in the car (see a few posts below), or run around town and go to thrift shops! (if my budget allows)

(the beginnings of a miniature frame collection)

There are at least three thrift shops (four, if I get all green traffic lights) fairly close to the school and I have my little route planned out for maximum "thrifting" time! In each shop, the first place I head to is the picture frames. I sift through piles and piles for sturdy wood frames, preferably with glass fronts. (My husband will cut glass for the ones that don't have any....but it isn't his favorite thing to do!)

I look for ones that have unique moldings or beveled edges that will look nice painted. I use them for my silhouettes or watercolor paintings, and some portraits that I may frame. So I feel as if I can "justify" a frame or two or three (or more) now and again.


Somedays I "hit the jackpot" and find a ton, while other days I may not find anything. So, I guess I didn't realize I had a "problem" until I couldn't find space to store them!



I decided to organize my addiction, it made me feel better....plus, now I can at least see what sizes I have when I start a painting!

Do you have any "addictions", uh, I mean "collections" you care to confess?? :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

(Sweet vintage postcards courtesy of my mother-in-law.)

Hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones....
Happy Valentine's Day!

Ode to a Computer

With saddened heart and weary soul,
not sure if you've been friend or foe,
the last decade of your life has been one of work and of strife
and now it may be that your time has come,
"Farewell, and "thank you" for a job well done."

(sorry, that's the best I can do on one cup of coffee this morning!)

It wasn't my intention to leave the last post up for almost two weeks, but my computer had other ideas. It would die a quick death each time I tried to open it, and if I did get to stay on for any length of time, it didn't want to get on the internet. So, I had to take it in to see what the problem was. The Mac team gave me their diagnosis, and it isn't good, :(

The logic board is about to go out.....it isn't connecting with the power source (unless I precariously prop it up with a novel!). I can get it powered up for a bit and then it loses power quickly. So, it looks as if a new computer may be in my future. This makes me a little sad, 'cause I do think my computer has served me well...but, I realize that they don't last forever. Now I have to start saving money for a new Mac laptop, and these are not cheap!

In the meantime, Willa Cather's "O Pioneers!" is keeping my power cord connected and while I have some power I'm going to try and visit some friend's blogs!

A Snowy Day and Chicken Soup

Avery~ A Primitive Portrait on Early Work Mercantile

Pear Tree on Early Work

We had another snowfall yesterday. It was the "perfect snowfall"; for me at least. The big fat flakes fell from the sky and mounded on the grass, but not the streets...it was too warm to stick there. And then, after a few hours the rains came and washed most of the snow away. So we had all the "prettiness" without all the mess! :)

Vintage-Style Postcard Bunny on Stand on TDIPT
(Sold, but I may be able to talk my husband into making another :-)
Pear Tree on TDIPT

"Update days" ( ie, the 1st of every month for me) are usually long and take me quite awhile! Editing, cropping photos, putting watermarks on photos, writing somewhat coherent descriptions of my items, then hoping the internet cooperates so I can upload everything. So, after church, it was nice to sit and watch the snowfall while I updated my website, and online markets.
I sat by the window with my computer in my lap watching the snow fall while my husband made homemade chicken soup...from scratch! So yummy, and the house smelled wonderful!
(I'll admit it, I'm a little spoiled when it comes to not having to cook...not my favorite thing to do! But I love to eat whatever HE makes! :)

John and Abigail Adams (the older years!) on TDIPT
(Sold- thank you!)

Pear Tree on TDIPT

Valentine Bouquet on Early Work Mercantile

Pear Tree on Early Work

Wreaths, Silhouettes and Painting in the Car

Napoleon and Josephine

Napoleon and Betsy Balcombe

We survived "Finals Week", and actually, for me it was an easier week than the week before when we were in "study mode". All I did was take them to their finals and wait in the car! :)

I couldn't "just sit" for 2 or 3 hours while they took their exams, so I brought along my watercolor paints and some paintings I had sketch out and ready to go. Our school has a physical building where all the test taking takes place. It is in an industrial park area, so businessmen and women are coming and going......You should see some of the expressions of bewilderment and disbelief when people glance in to see someone painting in their car!

John and Abigail Adams

Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln

One project I really wanted to complete was a set of silhouettes that my friend, Lana (Honeysuckle Lane) had asked me to paint. Lana makes gorgeous wreaths out of vintage book pages. They are simply beautiful!
She asked me to collaborate with her and paint some silhouettes of famous historical couples for Valentine's Day...or some may be for President's Day! :)

And tonight she has them listed in her Simple Joys Paperie Etsy shop:

Simple Joys Paperie



Jefferson and Varina Davis

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And while I had the paints set up in the car, I painted a few "architectural element" paintings and listed them in my Etsy shop:

Pear Tree Primitive's Etsy Shop

Don't worry...I never "Drive and Paint"! :)

Putting Painting on Pause

‘Twas the week before finals,

when all through the house,
our boys needed to study
And I said to my spouse,
“I’m not sure I’ll make it through the whole week.
Before finals are over I may need to “Shriek!”

(my apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, author of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" for the misuse of his poem! )

This past week we've been busy finishing up the semester's coursework and now semester finals are this coming week. So, studying, studying, studying is what we will be doing for the next couple of days....and after Thursday, we can take a break! And then, I hope to pick up a paint brush and do something creative.

Speaking of not having time to pick up a paint brush.....A few months ago, I found a very "rustic" cabinet for $8 at a thrift store. I thought it would look great in the bathroom over the "commode"! So, I bought it and left it in the back of my car. I knew it was there every time I turned a corner, lol!, but I didn't bring it into the house, because I just didn't have time to paint it. So over our Christmas break, I decided I'd give it a coat (or two) of paint...plus I was getting tired of hearing it slide from side to side in the back of the car!

The cabinet is sanded and the doors and hardware are removed.

The doors....I also took off the mesh on the doors to paint them.

I painted an aqua blue color as the base, and then added darker green "smudges" all over it.
My family was questioning my color choice at this point. ....but I had a plan!!



Awwww, after a good sanding, the buttery cream color is applied. I painted two coats of this color, then sanded heavily. I wanted the aqua color to come through in places. Then I applied a burnt umber oil all over it to give it an antiqued finish. After that was dry, I applied some wax to seal it.



New hardware was added and now it is in it's new spot in the bathroom. (sorry the bathroom doesn't have any windows, so the lighting it not great for picture taking.) There is just enough aqua coming through the distressed edges of the cabinet to give it a "cottage-y, aged" look.



A closer photo of the distressing around the door handles. Now I need to decide what to put in it!

The People You Meet.....

Since jumping onto the "world wide web" a few years ago, I've met some wonderful people. I may not know them personally, or even be able to recognize them if they walked into a room, but a relationship or kindred spirit-ness (??) develops when you meet, read about or share with another person online.

Recently, I met a very sweet person online. Tina and her husband, Paul, are editors of Small Town Living, an online publication. Tina asked if I'd be interested in being interviewed.....I said, I'm not sure how "interesting" I'd be, but sure!
They've switched to a blog format for their publication and have posted the interview today....so please go say "hi" and take a peek:

(I think I've probably shared more about myself and my art through that post, than on my own personal blog....strange how being asked specific questions can get you to "open up"!)

http://www.small-town-living.blogspot.com/
(Small Town Living Blog)
The interview