Gratitude

Well it has been a while since I updated my blog. October officially kicks off my holiday season with Autumn's (my daughter) Birthday then Halloween...all the way through to New Years it is like a blur.
I just finished two commissioned pieces (yeah!), entered a few contests, and finally got going on my Winter Collection.
This piece titled, "Gratitude" is a new favorite for me. As an avid bird watcher, I take on the responsibility of feeding the birds through the Winter. It is a job that once you commit to you pretty much have to maintain through the cold months as the birds rely on you for a food source. One of my favorite things is pulling on my husband's goulashes, on snowy mornings, to go out and feed the anxiously awaiting birds.

Puddle Jumper

I love rainy days. I love the soft gray sky and the silhouette of trees. I get cranky when there are weeks on end of sunny, "nice" weather. I've actually been known to get mad at the sun for being too much, too oppressive feeling.
I even like all the accessories that go along with a rainy day...the lovely umbrella, the cute floral rainboots. After months of wavering I finally bought myself a pair of green floral boots, which I wear if there is even a mere suggestion of a drizzle.
My daughter likes the rain too. But she really likes the puddles. And so, Puddle Jumper was conceived.
The painting is very muted, but the little girl is vibrant and excited to get outside to play.

The poem for this piece reads:
Rain, rain come and stay
What a lovely day to play
Sunny skies can go away
I prefer a cloudy gray day

As soon as my snack is all done
I'm out the door for puddle fun
Off the porch I make a dash
To get outside and splash, splash, splash

Ready, Set Sail

"Ready, Set Sail," the latest piece in my Summer Collection, depicts a little girl and boy out on a high sea adventure (with their dog and cat in tow).
The piece started with a simple request from my daughter, "Can we fly my kite?" This request came everyday, but sadly the wind did not. Finally, just before a thunderstorm the wind picked up and I had the good fortune of remembering the kite.
Excitedly we ran out to the backyard. Where I ran...and ran...and ran attempting to get the kite a flying. All the while my daughter was screaming and stomping because she could not hold the kite. Not the whimsical activity I was hoping for...but I am not giving up. Perhaps kite flying is best lest for the beach.
The poem I wrote for this piece reads

We're sailing, we're sailing across the ocean green
We're searching , we're searching for things we've never seen
Perhaps we'll find a treasure or spot a rare new fish
Or come across a mermaid who will grant us each a wish
On a Summer day of exploring, there's no telling what might be
With our friends and a lofty wind, beyond the land at sea

Planning Birthdays...that are not my own!

I never really realized how much fun it was planning a Birthday party until I had my daughter. (And I held a career in wedding coordination and party planning for a while) Far more entertaining when the recipient is a child.
Leading up to Autumn's 2nd Birthday she was obsessed with party hats...so you can guess what the theme of her party was. Pretty easy to run with.
We found basic, blank cardboard hats. I discovered a great resource for all things girlie called Halo Heaven http://www.haloheaven.com/
I ordered vast amounts of pink, lavender, green and blue feathered boas. A crafting table was set up complete with glue, buttons, pom-poms, sparkles and each child was set loose to create their own unique party hat. I was a real success. The kids had fun creating and they each took home their masterpieces.
As another Birthday approaches in October we have already started planning this year's event. Ballet being the theme...good thing Halo Heaven sells tutus!

Strawberry Scoop

A "city girl" I am not.
I grew up in the sticks, spent my college years living in a holler and now reside surrounded by cornfields and rolling hills. This would explain why most of my pieces have very rural settings.
The city has much to offer, though. I love the action and culture, the movement and dance of the city. And so I moved to a city landscape for this piece titled, "Strawberry Scoop."
This time, as per the advice of my husband, I put my poem on the outer border of the frame giving me a bit more room to illustrate.

A strawberry scoop fills me with bliss
There is nothing quite like it on days like this
When the sun is high and hot as can be
And the best spot to be is under a tree
My dog's happy too because he's out and about
And the last bite of my ice cream is his, no doubt

The Firefly Dance

The Firefly Dance

You should be so lucky, on a warm night at dusk
To see the fireflies perform, it is a Summer must
Twinkling, Blinking toward the moon
Dancing to a sweet, June tune

Well it's no secret where the inspiration for this piece came. Each night I am delighted with the appearance of millions of lightning bugs. They slowly come up from the grass just as night falls upon us. And, as it becomes pitch dark they rise to the tops of the trees making it look like Christmas in the Summer. I can't get enough of it.
It seems like there are so many more fireflies then I remember. As a kid it felt like a real challenge just to catch a few (or perhaps athletics just were never my thing) We would put them in jars covered with aluminum foil and poke holes in the top. Probably not the nicest thing to do, but it certainly kept my sister and I entertained on hot, July evenings.

It's nice to know I am still so easily entertained, although now I leave the jars for the recycle bin.

The Evening Train

I just finished this piece titled, "Evening Train. " I am fortunate, or so I think, to hear an evening train every night. My house, built in 1875, sits next to the old Baltimore to Harrisburg Railroad. While those tracks are long gone we are surrounded by trains that are still running, so late at night and early in the morning we hear the whistle blowing and can sometimes actually hear the train on the tracks even though it 's a good two miles away.
It is a very romantic sound to me. Stirring up thoughts of travel and wanderlust.
For my two year old daughter, it is exciting and fun to hear the whistle. She yells, "all aboard" with great enthusiasm.
I wrote the poem that goes along with this peace...I hope you enjoy...
All aboard the evening train under a Calypso Sky
Whistling through the rolling hills, one fine owl takes a ride
Two sheep dine by moonlight, stars twinkle high above
The train moves on, Dreamland bound, with boxcars full of love

Greeting from A Well Kept Nest

Hello out there...I paint art for children. My pieces are mixed media, combining paint, paper and anything else that brings them to life. Each piece is tailored to best suit the child's little spirit with lots of whimsy thrown in...
These pieces make perfect baby shower or birthday gifts.

For the grown ups...I paint brooms, rakes, hammers and any other household tool that need personality. Again, these pieces make great housewarming or hostess gifts because they are lovely, utilitarian and I can almost bet that the recipient doesn't have one.

Visit my website for photos of my work: http://awellkeptnest.com/