Is it really November already???

It seems that once Halloween is over, the days start flying until Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us, and this year is no exception!

(click any image to enlarge)

(Merry Christmas to All, 6" x 24")

I realized it's about time I put two of my new Christmas prints into my ETSY shop! (In actuality, I probably should have done it even sooner than this!)

I had a lot of fun painting these last year. The print above is based on a mid-Century Santa and reindeer decoration that I put out every year. Gosh, that term, mid-century, makes me feel so OLD! After all, I am a product of the 50's!! (which is probably why I'm drawn to things from tht era)...


(Away in a Manger, 6" x 36")

And this print is based on a vintage Nativity set that I picked up for a song at a Salvation Army many years ago. I wanted to include the wisemen and shepherds in addition to the Holy Family, so it ended up being a yard-long print!!!

Hoping you all have a lovely week in store for you!!!

Donna (who's going to make lists this year to stay organized!! "Famous last words," as my mom would always say!!)

Portrait giveaway contest...

Just a quick note to let you know that to celebrate her birthday month, my talented Amanda is having a very special giveaway on her blog, Amanda Laurel Atkins in a Canary Forest.... Leave a comment on her November 2nd post and you'll have a chance to win Amanda's giveaway prize, which is a 5x7 custom portraiture of the winner!!! How cool would that be, to have an Amanada Atkins original gracing one of your walls???

She's announcing the winner on November 16th, so hurry over to her blog and enter!!! And if you mention it on your blog, let Amanda know that through your comment and you'll be entered twice!!

Good luck everyone!!

Donna

And the winner is......

Congratulations to Debbie of Woolen Sails! (Sorry I'm a couple of days late posting this!) Debbie, please pick out what you'd like from my ETSY shop for your $25 shopping spree, and thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway!

Since it's October, I thought I'd share a photo of this beautiful girl who was my Halloween kitty for 16 years. Doesn't she look perfect posing with all the decorations? I hope you're all getting in the spirit of things!!

Happy October!!!!!

Donna

Something to crow about!!

It's time for a giveaway and this little guy wants to help me announce it!


New England is starting to look very fallish these days and I thought it might be a fun time for a giveaway! Just leave a comment on this post before midnight October 9th, and then visit my ETSY shop. I'm offering a $25 shopping spree in my shop to the winner so you can pick out exactly what you'd like from an assortment of signed prints, photomats, and painting patterns. (Size 16x20 and 18x24 prints are not included in this giveaway)


There are fall prints, like this Black Crow Farm...


... a variety of sampler style prints....

Silhouette prints.....

...and LOTS of sheep prints to choose from!

Maybe you have a nursery or child's room to decorate?

Or are you looking forward to Christmas already?

I'll announce the winner next Saturday, October 10th....

Good luck, everyone - and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!!!

Donna

Cottage, Folk Art, and Primitive....

I love all of these styles. I still feel most comfortable when painting primitive and folk art styled pieces, but now that I decorate my own home in a more shabby/cottage style, I am taking baby steps toward using a lighter, brighter pallette in my paintings than I have in the past...


I'm also trying to branch out and paint something other than my standard sheep and saltboxes (which will always be among my favorite subjects to paint)...


But I think all artists enjoy stepping outside their comfort zone from time to time... These are the finished pieces that I showed you snippets of a while ago. I was going for a "cottage" feel, but I still see a heavy folk art influence (is "cottage folk art" a style?)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend... It's been COLD here in New England lately! Hot coffee and tea weather for sure!

Donna

My new winter print...

I shudder to think that within a few very short months, this could be the landscape outside my front door... (Not the sheep and the quaint little village - I'd actually love that!... No, what scares me is the very thought of snow and single digit temps!)... It seems funny to be posting this print tonight as it's such a warm and humid September evening! The chilly evening temps of the past week are long gone and we're getting another little taste of the summer that almost passed us by!

"No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place." (Proverb)

Would I miss the cold and snow of New England if I ever moved away? Right now, embraced by the safety of late summer/early autumn temperatures, I'd say yes. However, I can assure you that the answer to that question come January would be completely different! So I intend to make the most of the next few months!

Wishing you all beautiful weather, wherever you are!

Donna

Rain + Art + Breakfast = Fun

A week ago we headed up to the Three Graces Gallery in Portsmouth, NH to see all the beautiful work on display...


As you can see from the water gushing out of the downspout, it was pouring! Quite a change from the gorgeous, sunny day we had when dropping off Amanda's art (see photos in previous post)...


But just look at the beautiful window displays! No amount of rain could have kept us away!


What a perfect lamp...


... for the "Three Graces Gallery."


I only took a couple of photos inside... one of the girls next to the lamp...


...and one of Amanda next to her work on display...


After browsing the gallery, it was time to get our umbrellas out and make our way over to The Friendly Toast....

The perfect end to a fun day in Portsmouth...

Hope you are all enjoying the first day of Autumn wherever you are!

Donna

Three Graces Gallery - Portsmouth NH ...and... Space 242 - Boston MA

Our busy Amanda is once again taking part in...


...the Teeny Tiny Art Show...


...at the Three Graces Gallery in historic Portsmouth, NH...


The view out the rear windows of the gallery...


...taken September 1st, when we dropped off her artwork.


And then last Friday, August 28th...

... we attended the Artist's Reception at Space 242 in Boston, where our Amanda is having a solo show along with fellow artists Scott Murry and Ellen Crenshaw...

I love how they lettered the door with each artist's name and the title of their exhibits...

Amanda caught up with lots of her friends from school...

Here's Amanda with some of her art.


And here she is taking some pictures of her own, which were hopefully less blurry than some of the ones that I took that evening!!

And here she is getting some sisterly love and support... awwwww.....

So happy that you are living your dreams, honey!!!

Love, Mumsy

Christmas in Autumn?

With the fall right around the corner, it got me to thinking about my craft shows days... Back when I was painting for fall & winter craft fairs, or painting items for myself or as gifts, I'd spend late summer and all through the fall season painting furiously for Christmas...


... so, if you're a painter, I guess it's definitely not too soon to start thinking Christmas!


I just listed this "Woodland Santa" sled in my ETSY shop as an e-pattern.


It originally appeared in the Winter 2007 PaintWorks, so if you have this issue you already have the pattern...

Wishing you all much painting inspiration for the upcoming holiday seasons!!!

Donna

An art giveaway...

...at my talented daughter's blog, Amanda Atkins in a Canary Forest...


The blue link above will take you to her giveaway post. Just leave a comment and you'll have a chance to win a signed print of her very popular tattooed lady ("And with unspoken ease, I was your pet"). This is the same art that appears on The Beautiful Untrue CD by Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club. And if you mention her giveaway on your blog, be sure to let her know in your comment as you'll then be entered twice!

Good luck, everyone!!

Donna

CREATE...

... such a powerful word!

So powerful that when I spotted this pearl CREATE sign a couple of years ago (at Katie's Rose Cottage - she has the coolest things!!), I wasted no time in ordering it. Until I could decide where I wanted to place it, I temporarily hung it over the top of my (Target) etched mirror... It still hangs there, to this day, and now I can't picture it anywhere else! It doesn't hurt that it is right in front of my painting desk, either (a little subliminal message perhaps?)...

I have lots of my favorite things on top of this junktique find bookcase... The two white iron lamps (lots of neat detailing in the bases) were from a favorite junktique store that is no longer in business (sad for me but probably good for my wallet, although these lamps were a steal!)... When Amanda was in high school, she took a pottery class... I just love this mug with the upside down handle. It's hard to see (unless you enlarge the photo), but it she embossed roses all over it... so pretty!

Amanda also made this cool "here's looking at you" piece of pottery (my title, not hers). I love the colors and think it's so unique!!

A vintage Mary bust sits on a hand-painted cigar box, which in turn sits on an old vanity mirror (I painted the gold a pretty pink)...

I love it when I'm on a creative roll and don't look up for hours; but for those times when I have "artist's block," I at least have some pretty neat stuff to look at while trying to get the juices flowing again!

Donna (wishing you all a creative weekend!!)

Inspiration is only a mouse-click away!

I was so disappointed...


...when Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine ceased publishing.


Just look at the array of ME magazines that I spread out on my loveseat (which is covered by this baby crib comforter - one of my favorite junktique finds)... See how all the covers match the colors I decorate with? Is it any wonder that I always felt right at home in her magazine?


ME Home Companion and Country Living are the only magazines I subscribe to (now it's just Country Living, and I'm not that thrilled with changes they've made lately, but that's another story)...

Perhaps someday I'll receive an envelope in my mailbox from ME Home Companion telling me that the presses are up and running again, because there's nothing like hunkering down in a comfy chair with a favorite magazine. Turning actual pages beats scrolling with a mouse any day (at least in my book)...

But - since there is no ME Home Companion (for the time being), I've found the next best thing! I just learned that Mary Engelbreit has a blog!!! So now I can get a regular ME fix again, even if it does mean mouse-clicking instead of page flipping! You can click on the link in my sidebar, or just click HERE to be whisked away to a most lovely and creative blog!!!

Happy reading!!!

Donna

Converting to e-patterns... the birds have landed!

I had received ScanSoft PDF Converter software as a gift, and to say I am software/technically/computer challenged is an understatement...


It took me many HOURS to try to figure out how to convert this old pattern into an e-pattern.. God bless those of you who are a whiz at these things. I doubt it will ever come easy to me (same as sewing or getting the surround sound on the TV to work!)


But after struggling (with both my photography skills AND my computer skills), I have finally added these sweet little birdies to my ETSY shop as an e-pattern, and just in time for painting Christmas ornaments and/or gift tags (of course, if you're anything like me, you always wait till the last minute for everything!!)


They originally appeared in a painting magazine many years ago, and I'm finally starting to convert many of my older patterns into e-patterns, so I'll let you know as they become available.

If you click the bluejay at the top of this post, he'll take you right to my ETSY shop.

And as a special offer for my blog readers, for the rest of this month I'll be offering a "BUY 2 E-PATTERNS, GET A 3rd one FREE" So just purchase any two e-patterns from my ETSY shop, and then convo me to let me know which pattern you'd like me to send you for FREE :)

Wishing you all a COOL summer day - it is HOT AND HUMID here in the northeast! Why, oh why, did I complain about the cool, rainy start to the summer???

Donna

A sneak peek....

... at what I've been up to lately (totally out of my comfort zone, I might add!)

On occasion I've attempted flowers (most times, with dismal results)... But since I now decorate my own home in a shabby cottage style, I thought it would fun fun to be able to hang at least one or two of my own designs. So here are snippets of my two latest attempts, now at my publisher's.

When I grow up, I'd love to be able to paint flowers like my good friend, Jill! Or at least take lessons from her :)

Wishing you all a wonderful week... Can you believe we're almost halfway through August? I don't know about you, but here in the northeast I feel like we were cheated out of summer this year... It was SO rainy and cold for the first month and a half! I plan to enjoy what's left of it!!

Donna

Ocean view...

I just finished adapting one of my e-patterns ("Ocean View," originally painted on an old wood ironing board) to fit a standard print size for my publisher.


I was about three quarters through the project when these photos were taken, but it's since been finished and was shipped off to PLP a couple of weeks ago.


Now I need to decide which project to start next. I've finally got a lot of design ideas running through my head instead of drawing a big blank!

The humidity is due to lift so I think we're in for some beautiful summer days - warm and dry! Wishing you all beautiful summer weather... and wishing I was "Ocean View" right about now, but painting the ocean will have to suffice (which reminds me of this great quotation):

"One day I found myself saying to myself, "I can't live where I want to. I can't even say what I want to! I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to!"

(Georgia O'Keeffe, 1887-1986)

Donna

Organized Chaos...

"Paint bottles lay empty. Brushes need cleaning.

Drawings scattered all around. Sawdust is everywhere.

And this I call home!" (Anastasia)

Oh, Anastasia, I feel your pain!!!! Organized chaos - now there's an oxymoron, huh? The truth is, I couldn't even take this photo before tidying up my work area a bit (yes, this is the tidied up version if you can believe that!).... The "before" would have scared you away for sure!


I once had a lovely painting magazine editor tell me (after seeing my brush tub) that it would be fun to have artists submit photos of their brush tubs to see whose was the grungiest... I think my photo speaks for itself. Surely I'd have walked away with first place!


Here are some of the colors used in my latest paintings... I love using these foam plates as pallettes. I just keep using the same ones over and over because, since I use acrylics, they dry very quick...

Now I need to tidy up my studio office so I can feel creative again... Nothing saps my creativity more than trying to come up with ideas while surrounded by the previous work's mess....

Hope you all have a very productive week!

Donna

I just love this guy....

It's quite possible you've not yet heard of Ireland's Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club here in the States..... (key word being yet!) but I know it's only a matter of time before their songs are getting playtime on local radio stations.

I hadn't heard of Jerry myself until he licensed one of my Amanda's gorgeous paintings for the cover of his fantastic new CD, The Beautiful Untrue. One of the songs from this CD is a hauntingly beautiful love song, Back to Before... I'm a total 'romantic comedy' movie nut, and I guarantee it's only a matter of time before this song makes it onto the soundtrack of a future chick flick!! Here's a video of the song, which was artfully & beautifully arranged to a collage of Amanda's CD cover artwork:

(click on CD cover to see video/hear song)


Now you must actually see Jerry perform as well, so here's a link to him performing another of my favorites, True Friends... (you lucky ducks in Ireland get to see him perform in person, a totally unique, one-of-a-kind experience from what I understand!!)

(click Jerry's photo to see/hear True Friends video)

Okay, so in addition to being incredibly talented, and having great taste in art, he's apparently also a darned nice guy, as evidenced by his latest blog post... something of a "pay it forward, random act of kindness," request in exchange for a free music download. Please check it out here and have fun paying it forward! The world could sure use a lot more Jerry Fish's, don't you think?

Have a great weekend, all!!!

Donna

Studio cat...

Today was another productive day... I'm putting the finishing touches on some new designs to submit to my publisher, and it feels good to be painting again...


As you can see, I wasn't alone here in the studio... Spotty kept me company this afternoon...


... all the while rearranging himself to make the most of the warm afternoon sun shining through the window...


It's been a LONG, WET, COLD summer thus far and Spotty and I agree that these sunny days are such a gift!

Hope you're all enjoying the long summer days wherever you are!

Talk to you soon,

Donna

Ahhh, yes... the work

THE ARTIST IS NOTHING WITHOUT THE GIFT,

BUT THE GIFT IS NOTHING WITHOUT THE WORK.

Emile Zola (1840-1902)

Well, guys, it has been a LONG time since I've posted to this blog. I've been in a painting funk for the longest time!

My very, very good friend, Jill Ankrom, sent this plaque to me quite some time ago and I've decided to place it in a prominent spot on my desk (maybe it will help get the juices flowing!). The message is quite profound, don't you agree?

Hopefully I'll be able to share new projects in the near future. I definitely want to start updating this blog regularly, and that in itself might serve as inspiration to get back into painting mode.

Wishing you all a lovely spring week...

Donna

Amanda's art on ETSY....

My Amanda has started putting some of her art prints into her Etsy shop (Amanda Atkins) and I just love looking at her shop and the beautiful colors she uses!


"Chelsea and the Black Fox"
This piece happens to be my favorite... I love the colors, I love the girl and her fox, the paintings on the background in the wall, the dress she's wearing, the cabinet in the background, the pitcher of flowers - everything!


"And with unspoken ease I was your pet"
This is one of Amanda's tatooed ladies, who are all among her best sellers at shows! I love the striped circus tents in the background and the variety of tatooes this lady chose to adorn herself with!


"the (heartfelt)"
Just look at her portrait of e.e. cummings... His hat, the anatomical heart, the serene expression on his face....


"the natural"
And continuing with her poet series, she painted another of her favorites, T.S. Eliot. I love this series, with the antique-washed backgrounds and softer colors...

Thanks for letting my share some of Amanda's work... There's lots more in her Etsy shop, so please pop over and take a look!!

Donna

A gift of love...

My daughter, Amanda (the artist who created the two designs above) and I were talking about a recent news story that focused on the impact this troubled economy is having on pet owners. Now these are not irresponsible pet owners... These are people who have loved and taken very good care of their pets for years, but who are now being forced to turn over these beloved family members to shelters because they just cannot afford the costs associated with owning a pet anymore. Shelters and vets agree that it is a heartbreaking situation for both pet owners and pets.

The vet we take our animals to is wonderful. His office has treated our fur babies for over 20 years now. Unfortunately during that time, we've had to have several of our older pets put to sleep. Whenever we have done this, our vet has always made a donation in our pets' names to The Bunky Walton Fund; a charitable group who helps out people with vet bills or pet medicines.

My daughter was saying she wished there were more organizations like this because it would allow more people to be able to keep their pets in these tough times.

Well, my daughter puts her money where her mouth is. She decided she should do something, so she put up an eBay auction where the winner will have their choice of either of the two signed prints shown above (watermark not on prints)... She is providing free shipping and is donating 100% of the winning bid to: The Bunky Walton Fund, 64 Oak Hill Rd., Westford, MA 01886-1505.

Click on either of her print images above and it will bring you right to her eBay listing. Here is a chance for you to own a beautiful piece of artwork and to help out pets and pet owners in need...

Amanda definitely has the spirit of giving in her heart during this Christmas season...

Merry Christmas, everyone,

Donna

E-Pattern Sale...

From now through Christmas, I'm running a "Buy 2, get 1 free" sale on all of the e-patterns in my ETSY shop. In most cases, the e-patterns are sent to you (via e-mail) the same day the order is placed and paid for (so you can start painting immediately!)...


There are many Christmas patterns in the shop, including this St. Nick Ironing board...


... or these Christmas kitty ornaments or gift tags...


A "BELIEVE" Santa Sampler...

... or three Santa ornaments/gift tags...

These gift bag designs are painted on brown paper lunch bags...

There are many other e-patterns in my ETSY shop, both Christmas and everyday designs. So just pop on over to my ETSY shop, purchase two patterns and pay for them through PAYPAL. Then in the comment section, let me know which pattern you would like to receive for FREE!

Donna

Giving Thanks...

Wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving...


...filled with family and friends...



... and the making of many wonderful memories...


(a sampling of some of my "thankful" artwork... I have so much to be thankful for...)

All of my best to you and yours,

Donna

Halloween & Autumn E-Patterns

Here in New England there is such a nip in the air - it's clear that autumn has arrived! Now that it's getting too cold to spend much time outdoors (at least in my neck of the woods), it's a great time to pull out the paints and get creative!


If you're looking for a Halloween design to paint, this "Trick or Treat" e-pattern might be of interest...


... or if you want something that paints up really quickly, BOO might be just what you're looking for....


And then there's this autumn sampler which is part of a series of four seasonal samplers.

All of these e-patterns are available through my ETSY shop or through The Pattern Mart (links are in my sidebar).

Now to grab a few extra blankets for the beds tonight... Yes, it's that cold!

Donna

Fantastic Turnout!

The charity auction at Ned Devine's (located in the historic Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston) was a huge success! As you may have read in my previous post, Amanda was asked to be the featured artist at this fundraiser.


Here she is posing in front of some of her beautiful art!


This is a sampling of just some of the art she donated for the auction...


It was also a great time for Amanda to reconnect with many of her friends from college as most of them haven't seen each other since graduation this past spring...

I'm so proud of her for sharing her artistic talents in order to raise money for those less fortunate... Way to go, honey!!!

Love,
Mumsy

The Featured Artist!!

Way to go, honey!!

Amanda has been asked to be the featured artist at a prestigious fundraiser this September in Boston. I'm so proud of her!! She is donating original artwork as well as prints to help raise funds for "One Home Many Hopes." This is the postcard (front & back) that has been created to promote the auction... I love that she is using her talent to give to others!!... We're all so proud of her!

Donna

Our 'Cum Laude' College Graduate...

"Do not hate or fear the artist in yourselves... Honor and love him...do not try to possess him. Trust him as nobly as you trust tomorrow. Only the artist in yourself is more truthful than the night." (e.e. cummings)

From Nursery School Graduation ...

to College graduation...

We are SOOO proud of you, honey! As Harry Chapin sang in one of our favorite songs, Flowers Are Red, "There are so many colors in the rainbow, so many colors in the morning sun, so many colors in the flowers, and I see every one..." So go out and use every one, honey, and make the world a more beautiful place!

Love, Mumsy XO XO XO

A girl can dream... right?

I was flipping through a recent issue of Country Living when this ad toward the back of the magazine caught my eye:

I don't know where most of you create. Perhaps you have carved out a little niche in your home somewhere.. or perhaps you have a large open loft.

I've been all over this little house of mine... When I first started out, I painted on the dining area table, and since we're in a small split entry and that's our only eating area, that got old quick!

After a few years I moved downstairs to a finished room in the basement. I quickly learned that I am not a cellar dweller... It's COLD in the winter and I felt so isolated and far removed from the family happenings upstairs.. So once again I was ready to move.

It was then on to the family room located off the kitchen. I painted there for years, tucked away in a little corner of the room. Unfortunately I am not a neat painter. I leave things spread out everywhere... transfer paper, paints, brushes, water bowls, surfaces... (it is a gift to be born an organized person, a trait I was most definitely not blessed with!)... Therefore, the family room was always in a state of disarray (sigh)....

Then several years ago my youngest girl (now 19) asked if she could use the big downstairs room as her bedroom since she felt totally stifled in her <8 x 10 foot room (it's the closet sized room that is jokingly considered a third bedroom in many split levels).

Anyhow, I took over her old room when she moved downstairs and this room has served me well. It's a comfy room with good light (a huge window over my painting desk) and a door that can be closed to hide all my messes! But it does lack storage space. And being a small room, I don't have room for a big surface area/table on which to create large pieces of art, so for those projects it's deja vu - back to the dining room table where I first started out!

So yes, my imagination runs wild when I see ads like this... I can totally picture myself in the COVENTRY with all of those big windows, wearing a beret and standing in front of my easel! But then again, look how charming that little TELLURIDE SHED is! Oh, wait... I can definitely see myself in the CANMORE CABIN with the peaked roof ... or the SONOMA POOL CABANA/STUDIO with it's French doors... or.... or... or....

Like I said, a girl can dream, right?

Donna

My Angel Mother...

I dedicate this to all moms out there on this special day. I was blessed to have had the most wonderful mother. She always encouraged me, 'oohing' and 'aaahhing' over everything I ever created, starting way back in my coloring book and crayon days! She and my dad made it a point to stop by and visit me at every craft show I ever did. She is always in my heart, and is the inspiration for many pieces I've designed over the years, such as the one above. I love you, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Donna

Seasonal Sampler E-Patterns

I finally converted these to e-patterns. All four samplers were originally published in PaintWorks magazine and they have also been published as prints by Penny Lane Publishing. I just listed the e-patterns in my ETSY shop ($4.99 per seasonal e-pattern or $15.00 for all four seasons). As with all e-patterns, there is the benefit of no shipping charge and "speedy delivery." (anyone else remember Mr. Rogers?)... Now it's out to the garden to hang my hummingbird feeders. It's so warm that I'm hoping they show up early this year (although the first sighting usually doesn't occur until the first to second week of May)... Enjoy your day!!

Donna

Christmas in April...

Yes, you read that right! I have a feeling that many painters are just like me... procrastinators. I wait until the last minute to do everything it seems! But this year I've vowed to try to do things on a more even keel and not wait until the last minute for everything... So if you've made a similar promise to yourself, it's not too early to start painting for CHRISTMAS!! Wouldn't it be nice to have everything organized and ready for those fall craft fairs or for your own gift giving or tree trimming, rather than rushing through things at the last minute?

Therefore, I've just listed two e-patterns on my ETSY site... one for Santa ornaments and one for gift bags. So if you feel inclined to get an early start on your Christmas painting, by all means, check them out!!

Donna

Bees in my Bonnet

How fun is this sign that I have hanging in my hallway? It's an 8-1/2 x 11 framed collage I put together featuring ATC/ACEO prints by the incredibly clever and witty Becky of Bees in my Bonnet (ETSY shop link). Her designs are so fun and always get a good laugh when people see them! This one features vintage housecleaning prints...I've included some closeups so you can read them, or click on the photos to enlarge... (I'm afraid I relate to way too many of them! LOL)

Last Christmas I used Becky's menopause ACEO prints to make decoupaged signs for my friends at our annual gift swap and they laughed so hard they cried!

So if you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary that is sure to get smiles, check out Bees in my Bonnet (eBay store link). Becky also sells other items (jewelry, charms, etc.) and is always updating her ETSY and eBay shops, so visit often!

Donna

Help is just a click away....

As I sit here scanning instructions, photos, and line drawings for some old pattern packets that I'm updating as e-patterns, I realize how very lucky I am to have discovered Brenda at Hattie's Workshop and The Prim Pattern. Confession time... I am a computer klutz. Just mention PDF and my head starts spinning. Oh, I know.. I know... People have told me it's not all that difficult, but to me, it is. And I know that I'm not alone. There are legions of us out there! We are the ones who still have to read instructions on how to change the TV settings every time we want to watch a DVD in surround sound... who get confused by the idea of more than one remote... we're the ones whose car or microwave clocks are accurate during daylight savings time, but an hour off for the rest of the year because it's too bloody hard to figure out how to change them! I'm technically challenged... gadget challenged... cell phone challenged, and I admit it!

It is such a blessing to just e-mail all the pieces of my pattern packets to Brenda and then, like magic, to receive back this perfect little PDF e-pattern attachment with everything in order, just as it should be! So for any of you who are PDF or website or computer challenged like me, just click on Brenda's banner and your hair pulling days will be over... (ooooh, I think I can hear all the sighs of relief starting already!)

Donna

Meet the CATkins

These are our babies. Spotty and Tiger, both 14, are brother and sister. And then there's our Blackie (Jul 1995-Dec 2007), who we miss every day. (You can probably figure out who is who based on their very unoriginal names!) Several years ago I was inspired to paint their portrait (as it was next to impossible to get the three of them to nicely pose together for the camera, let alone say "cheese"). This is the end result... my interpretation of the Atkins cats... In a future post, I'll share a few of my Amanda's paintings of our fur babies! Her style is quite different from mine and it's so neat to see how she painted them! Hoping you find inspiration all around you!

Donna

One of my "bestest" friends!!!

I am so excited to be able to share a small sampling of the artwork of one of my absolute best friends, Jill Ankrom! Jill and I met about 10 years ago while designing decorative painting books. Ours is definitely a friendship that "was meant to be." (We share the same likes, dislikes, the same thought process and career path, not to mention the strange hours we keep!!)

Jill's work is so beautiful and unique. If it looks familiar to you, it's probably because in addition to her prints, Jill's art has been licensed for use on many different products including wallpaper, dish sets, and on the cards, gift boxes, tags, and wrapping paper at Target every Christmas! All of Jill's prints are available through Penny Lane Publishing. I'm lucky enough to have her signed print, "Hope is the thing with feathers," hanging in my office. (That's another thing she and I share - our love of quotations!!)

I hope you enjoy this small sampling of her work. If you'd like to contact Jill, you can e-mail her at straycat@roadrunner.com

And since we both love quotes, Jill, here's a special one I found just for you...

"Toto did not really care whether he was in Kansas or the Land of Oz so long as Dorothy was with him."

~The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900

Donna

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

~ Marcel Proust

How it all began...

"Any arbitrary turning along the way, and I would be elsewhere. I would be different." (Frances [Diane Lane] Under the Tuscan Sun)

That quote, from one of my favorite movies, sums up how I feel about my art career. It was a chance lunch with a friend on a warm September day in 1994... a chance stroll through our town center... a chance encounter with a painting shop that led me to where I am today. Had any of those things not occurred, I would be elsewhere...

Although I never took any lessons beyond that one night a week / 6 week beginner course that I signed up for that day, I was hooked. I painted furiously at home, which led to selling my work in craft fairs, and then to designing for books, packets, and magazines, and now to designing for the print and licensing market. (Who knew that little rooster, my very first painted piece, would lead to a whole career!!)

I'm not sure where I'd be had there been "any arbitrary turning along the way," but I am so grateful that there wasn't. I think this path, for me, was meant to be.

Donna

Spotty's New Friends...

Poor Spotty... He wants to invite his new friends in to "play," but they just want to eat the peanuts I tossed out on the deck.

This is Spotty's favorite place to recline - his hassock. We push it over in front of the slider for him so he can bask in the sun to his heart's content, although as you can see, today was quite the dreary day.

Look at those finger indentations I left in his fur when I stopped scratching his neck... he looks like he has eyes in the back of his head! All the better to see those squirrels and chipmunks coming and going!!

Donna

Don't be afraid to fall down...

I thought it would be fun to bid a fond farewell to winter by featuring one of my favorite Tascha videos (although it's hard to pick just one!)... I love the inspiration for "Skating Blissfully," and how Tascha incorporates into her painting demo an old home movie of she and her childhood best friend skating... I love that she uses the word 'bliss' (one of my favorite words)... and I love her message, one that we should ALL remember whether we're trying some new art technique or style, embarking on a new career, or simply muddling our way through this crazy, wonderful thing we call life... "Don't be afraid to fall down." Just click on the photos to go to Tascha's blog or to the skating/painting video... Enjoy!!
"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down."
Mary Pickford

Donna

Ms. Gizmo (1992 - March 22, 2008)

The house seems empty; our hearts are heavy. We love you... we miss you... till we meet again, our little Gizzy Girl...

"My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet." ~Edith Wharton

"My goal in life is to become as wonderful as my dog thinks I am." ` Toby Eileen Green

"I think God will have prepared everything for our perfect happiness. If it takes my dog being there [in Heaven], I believe he'll be there." ` Rev. Billy Graham

A Painting a Day

About a year ago, a friend sent me a link to an incredible artist - Duane Keiser. He is credited with starting the "Painting a Day" movement in 2004. This is definitely a case where "a picture is worth a thousand words," so I'm just going to provide a link to his blog, his website, and if you click on the slice of cherry pie, it will hopefully take you to the You Tube video that shows him painting it from start to finish! (One of many videos he has posted on You Tube, so browse to your heart's content!!)

Donna

The Art of Acting...

Today is my baby's birthday...Happy birthday, honey! My Courtney is involved in a different aspect of The Arts. She's a natural born actress! She absolutely wowed everyone with her performance as Mrs. Darbus when her senior class performed High School Musical last year. But it all started many years ago when she was absolutely the most precious angel ever in her nursery school Christmas play. (Where did the years go?)... Chase your dreams, honey...I love you! Mumsy

Time with Tascha

Most of you are probably familiar with Tascha’s art, but for those few who might not be, you must check out her blog! I guarantee you won’t be able to look at her art without smiling. And through her blog, you will feel like you are getting to know her, as she often includes video clips of herself (along with frequent appearances by her two Siamese kitties!)... And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, she has also provided links to videos where you can watch her complete a painting from start to finish, as well as links to her artwork that is offered for sale. It’s just the most colorful, joyful, all inclusive blog you may ever come across, so set aside a bit of time, grab a cup of tea or coffee, and head over to Tascha's for a little visit!

Wishing everyone a bright and joyful day!

Donna

Top of the morning to you!!!

Growing up, mom always made sure I wore green on St. Patty's day, so I'm wearing my green shamrock pin even though I have no plans to leave the house today!

Pictured is one of my newest designs, one of a set of five Irish Blessing/ Marriage/ Christening prints that my publisher, Penny Lane, will be printing soon.

So on this St. Patrick's Day...

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, And the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand. ~ Irish Blessing

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all!!!

Donna

"I Sought You Out"

I want to share one of my daughter's most recent paintings titled "I Sought You Out." (copyright Amanda Atkins)

Amanda paints as much with her heart and soul as she does with her brush. She's an amazing artist, full of ideas and creativity. She embraces color. Her love of animals, birds, and all of God's creatures comes through in her work. There is a gentleness and a kindness that I see in all of her paintings. I am in awe of both her and her art, and I feel like I can learn so much from her.

Amanda is graduating from art school this spring and I'm certain great things are in store for her.

Since she just wrote about Georgia O'Keeffe on her blog, I'll end this entry with a Georgia O'Keeffe quote: "I can't live where I want to. I can't even say what I want to! I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to."

Happy painting to my fellow artists. Always paint as you want to!

Donna

Beginnings...

With the help of one of my two computer-savvy daughters, I am just now beginning to learn the 'ins and outs' of blogging. This being my first entry, I will make it short and sweet (until I get the hang of things!)... So thank you, Amanda, for helping me set up my new blog. I could never have done it without you! And I invite everyone to look at my daughter's blog - http://amandaatkins.blogspot.com/ ... her art and her writing are as beautiful as she is! Pictured above is the gorgeous banner she created for her blog. I love you, honey! Mumsy

Donna