Missing in Action!!!

My computer has died on me so I've been unable to post here for awhile. I nearly lost all my photos, but luckily I was able to have someone salvage them. Since I can't post any photos for you I happened upon this website which I found rather interesting and fun to peruse. It has all sorts of "tips" and "recipes" and "how-tos". Everything from making homemade laundry soap to how to plant tuplips to random household tips.
I hope to have a computer back in use within a week or so if all goes "as planned". I'll have a new painting or 2 for you then. Until then, I hope you enjoy the tips site...

http://tipnut.com/

Chihuahua puppies, mini painting updates

Chillin' Acrylic 3"x5"


Here's the latest painting, unvarnished yet. I loved painting this guy. I LOVE pugs- they have so much character!
I'm reposting my rabbit- I just wasn't happy with him so painted some more on his body, it's softer now. Hope you can see the difference. Hard with computers...
Rabbit (Untitled yet) casein



Evening Stroll Acrylic
I also did a tiny bit of work on this piece and managed to scan it- I think the color is truer, so decided to re-post it as well.

This past weekend we had a really nice get-away in Galena, visiting BRIO gallery where my artwork is represented, meeting and lunching with another gallery artist from that area, and on Sat. we went for a motorcycle ride. It was very hot and humid the whole time we were there, but even so I managed to find some cattle out enjoying themselves- so ofcourse, heat or no- I HAD to get some photos. I've only managed to download a few. I have some really cute shots with my telephoto lense I have to download yet. The one group we found were in a gorgeous field with a beautiful stream so I got some shots with lovely reflections. Can't wait to paint some cattle! I love to watch cattle being cattle- I'm sure for most folks it would be a bit like watching paint dry. Poor Robert- he has to put up with my foolishness!




And finally- the puppies. I've sold 2 and (so mad at myself) the first went so quickly- they were going to come back that evening to pick her up, couldn't wait and arrived hours early!- so I didn't get an updated photo of my little black girl. My other two I will have through the weekend then one of them will be gone as well. I've been taking them outside to have some romps and fun. As you can see, the family is all having a great time in the sun! The puppies just love it- so much fun to watch them leap into the air and sometimes toddle over!

The Moms






Dad!





PLAYTIME!!!












SO LONG!!!

Puppies and Bunnies

Here's the latest...
I just love to paint "soft-fuzzies"- the cute little animals. Here's a rabbit I just finished this past week. I had my mom here so it was a bit difficult to focus which gave me a few "moments" of frustration (with myself). But it finally pulled itself together. :-)

"The Local Guy" 3"x2" Casein on board

Here's the latest update on my new babies. They are all 4+ weeks old now. Getting cuter by the day. The sisters play together, wag their tails (which just sends me to giggling- soooo cute). They dream- what on EARTH are they dreaming about? They've seen nothing but mama and the 4 walls of a box, with now and then a look at me! But they "bark" in their sleep!

This girl is Pooka's baby- she is going to be just like mama- lazy, lazy! She has no one to play with (yet- I'll put her in with the other 2 soon for some fun). But every puppy I've ever had when you take them out of their box they are either frightened, worried, curious- something. Not her. She looks around, decides it's too much trouble and just lays down for a nap!!! VERY laid back personality. She is 3 days younger than the other 2, so she will get more active and playful- that may not seem like alot of time, but at this age can make a big difference. The other 2 just started to wag their tails a couple of days ago.

Widget's babies are more active- ofcourse 2 of them together makes a difference. The tan one is laid back- a bit like Pooka's baby, but not quite that lazy! The black one is going to be like her mama, Widget. Active, curious. She was my "complainer", now she's just looking, looking. I'm sure it will soon be- how do I get out of my box to go explore?! I think the photos actually show you their personalities a bit- you can see the "action" in little miss blacky's eyes!

Puppies and Miniature Painting- Doe and Fawn

Time for an update. I just finished this piece yesterday. Now to let it cure before I varnish it. It is a traditional miniature, acrylic on board.

Evening Stroll
3.5"x5.5"

Here is a close up of the doe and fawn- being a true miniature you can enlarge it and it still looks good. I've had it fairly large on my computer screen and it holds up to that. :-)


The puppies are growing like weeds- all except for my little tiny fellow. He went over the rainbow bridge 3 nights ago. It was very hard after doing so much with him, but when you breed these little guys you know it happens. So it wasn't unexpected. The others though are doing wonderfully well and so fun to cuddle. Trying to get a photo of them can be tough! Wiggle, wiggle.

This one and the black one are Widget's babies- just over 2 weeks old. This little girl opened her eyes 3 days early! That's a first for me, never had one open them early before.





This little gal is the "complainer"- I could NOT get a photo of her face being held or of her full body. It was all I could do to get a photo at all- she just cries and wiggles so much you just get a blur. But what a sweet face it is!


This last girl is Pooka's baby. She's 3 days younger than Widget's girls. Very quiet, very self-satisfied. :-)

Puppies, Gardens and Latest Landscape Painting

I finished this several days ago but have been so busy with my puppies I just didn't have time to get it posted. I hope you enjoy it- it's a watercolor. I love the midwest scenes. They are so nostalgic and peaceful feeling.




Here are the latest photos of the babies. Widget, the black mama is very laidback. She's a wonderful mama. Pooka is much less stressed now, and she's a good mama, but not quite as devoted as Widget. Widget sometimes helps me out with feeding Tiny Boy. She would adopt him happily. Unfortunately her little "horses" (my name for her babies) are doing so well he would NEVER get a place at the table!


Here you can see a bit better how much smaller he is than his sister, and she is not that big. Both are smaller than Widgets babies. They are 3 days younger, but also will be smaller dogs.








Lastly- here is a new joy in my life! My small garden plot my husband dug for me. It isn't large and as you can see I've crammed as much in it as I possibly can and still get to the harvest! I am hoping next year to have another small plot added and that will be enough for me (and my back!) Fresh green beans and summer squash tonight! :-)

Duck update and PUPPIES!!!

It's been a VERY hectic week. We now have 2 litters of chihuahua puppies! It's been happy/sad for me. I lost one and have been working to save my littlest guy. I'm crossing my fingers, so far so good. He seems to be getting a bit stronger. I am getting up several times a night to feed him and also supplement him throughout the day. Mostly I'm doing "puppy, puppy, puppy"!
I have managed to fit in a bit of work on my art. I've added some darkness to the water, but I just can not get the color right on the computer. It looks too yellow and dull. It has a bit more life to it. Computers are wonderful things, but... I'm also working on another landscape miniature and hope to complete that tomorrow.

Here is the finished hen mallard...


I hope you enjoy seeing my babies. I absolutely love to have these puppies, even with all the work, heartache, and sleepless nights. They are little miracles to me.
This is the tiny fellow...
I show him with a quarter so you can hopefully get an idea of just how tiny he is.






Here's daddy. The baby by birth weight is weighing in to be a lb. smaller than his daddy, who is a bit less than 3.5 lbs!

Here are the two mamas. Both are good mamas, but poor Pooka seems to me to know her baby is having troubles, so she is more protective (with me) and seems to be "worried". I hope that is soon in the past. Widget, the black mama is protective with strangers, but not nasty, just very "on top of things". Otherwise she is laid back and relaxed with her babies. They are eating so well they even have chubby legs!

Happy Birthday America!

GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

I hope you all had a great Independance Day. We had a wonderful day of enjoying family, good food, and celebrating this great country's birthday. May she live free and stand for all that's good in life forever. May her coming year be a blessed one.