Collecting Heart Rocks

 Since my boys were small we have been collecting heart rocks.  It was a way to keep them busy at the beach..."Find me a rock that looks like a heart" I would say.  Now, whenever anyone finds one they bring it home and show me.
 I love each and every one.

 Happy heart rock hunting!

Roses - valentine painting

 

5x7" oil on panel

 This painting and this figurine below are favorites.  The painting I like because of the simplicity and bold brush strokes.  The smurf...well I have no idea why I love this little guy, except that I have had it forever, maybe found it in a cereal box in the 70s. I always bring him out for February.  He is here today to remind you:
 Don't forget- If you haven't made your Valentine's Day cards yet you can print some of my free valentine  gift tags HERE.  

Also, creative types, my friend Leigh over at  All CreativeLike is starting up her great class on helping artists resolve their money issues -  I took it last fall and it was just the kick in the pants I needed to re-jump-start my creative business and focus.  Check it out HERE.  And FYI - $ off if you sign-up by friday

Red Twinkle Light Heart

 Everyone love's twinkle lights.  So why not take some red ones and make a big heart?  Made from chicken wire and several strands of lights and Presto!  You've got yourself a unique, one of a kind, super cool light.

 Did I mention I love twinkle lights?  Giant globes tossed into the tree branches are great too.

A Cupcake Kind of Day (again) - pink cupcake painting

6x6" oil on panel.  .  Recently I noticed that my 1000 blog post has come and gone.  How did I miss that?  It has got me thinking about my first blog post - 7 years ago!!!  Wow.
 You can see my very first POST here.  Many, many cupcake paintings later and way better  photo editing skills these days. (thankfully) 
Today is another cupcake kind of day for sure.

Tuesday are "Teach Art Tuesdays" - I've got my kinders (who I love) and also in the afternoon I've got a group of preschoolers that stay for "Art Enrichment"  - this is how I kept them busy last week- we made Valentine Garlands - practicing our cutting skills! and printed our hands over a foam heart which leaves an adorable print! We made little collage frames for these today - SO Simple and Sweet, my favorite.

Valentine Sugar Cookies and free printable Valentines

 nfdp

 Never one for a store bought holiday - my Valentine's Day treats are homemade and simple.  It is such a sweet little holiday, why muck it up with "stuff"?  My father brought home heart sugar cookies from the bakery one year when we were kids and they have become a tradition for my family ever since.  This year I decided to bake my own using my trusty Christmas Sugar Cookie recipe.  There are many, use whichever you like best.  Grab a heart cookie cutter and some red sugar and bake up a batch.

   Now for the gift tags... 

                                                            Simple AND sweet, right?
 Now for you my dear sweet readers a free printable of my little Valentine tags!  Download HERE.
Print them out on some card stock, cut them, use your little 'corner rounder' if you have one and punch a hole to create tags. Sweet.

A Winter Walk

 nfdp - A Winter walk at dusk at Sachuest Pt. in Middletown RI.  One of my favorite places.  We are all here to not only see the snowy owls who are visiting but also the barn owl that has been making his sunset appearance lately.

Beach Walk

 16x20 oil on canvas  I just got this back from the Save the Bay show.  So warm and summery unlike today...ahhh summer dreamin'

Winter Love

 nfdp

A Little Beach #4

 6x6" oil on panel.  Another little beach painting.  This one is ready to hang.  The messy sides will be cleaned up of course.

 Treated myself to new brushes!!  Hooray.  I paint almost exclusively with "brights".  My favorites, I promise to take good care of these this time.