For some reason I keep loseing this blog post--this is the 3rd and final time I will try to post it. Happy Election Day! I'm glad it's almost over & will be glad to not have to hear the politics on tv so much. LOL! Anyway my contest is over & I will be posting winner tomorrow. Didn't have a lot of participation--but some. Maybe next time will be better. I am posting some new pictures taken today of the view out my front door with the colors --I hope you enjoy! Also, I want to share a friend's shop with you. Her name is Arlene and she has been a friend of mine for many years. She lives in Michigan and also has an etsy shop. It is http://paintindaze.etsy.com/. I hope you will take a moment and check out her shop for some beautiful artwork as well as great prices. I will post some of her work here to give you just a little taste of what she does. Have a great day!

Election day! Finally we can be finished with all of the politics. (lol) right! Anyway, I will be staying up late to watch the election results. No matter who we have selected, God is in control. I believe it is He who ultimately chooses for His purpose. I have taken another picture from my front view with all of the pretty colors. I hope you enjoy. We do have an amazing view here and it is always changing. I will be anouncing the winner of my give away tomorrow and posting the prints I have given away. Thanks to all who participated. Although the turn out was small, maybe more will participate next time.

I want to take a moment to feature a friend of mine. Her name is Arlene and she lives in Michigan. She is a wonderful artist. I will be posting some of her work here and hope that you will visit her site. She has an etsy shop which is http://paintindaze.etsy.com/. Please take a moment and pay her a visit.

Here are some more pictures of our home. I have others that I will locate and publish later. I hope you will enjoy & coment on these.

This time of year is so pretty and the view I have from my front porch is amazing. I know you will envy me when you see this photograph, eventhough, it no where near captures the beauty, it will give you a little taste of it. If the earth is a beautiful as this, what must heaven be like? I'll post other photos periodically of my world view as it changes with the time of day and the season. It is always beautiful.
This week, I will be picking up Sandy Abuchaun at the airport on Thursday. She is coming to teach some painting techniques to our club, the Kingsport branch of Decorative Painters,"Different Strokes for Tole Folks". I feel fortunate as she will be staying with me for a few days. I know it will be a great time and there is always something to learn from other artist. Next spring we will be having Dorothy Dent. I hope she will stay with me as well.
I think I will post some pictures of my home, it is not fancy, but I have painted much of it. I hope you will enjoy looking at a little of my world.

Contest! I am having a contest for both of my shops. I will be giving away an 8 x 10 Limited Edition print from each of my shops- www.backroomtreasures.etsy.com and www.stonecottagestudio.etsy.com . I want to see which of my pieces of artwork you like the best in each shop. I realize that just because a person doesn't buy the item doesn't mean they don't like it. So, I would like to know which item you like best in each shop. The contest will last from today until through Saturday, November 1st. Here's what you do: Visit my shops and come back to my blog, and leave a note telling me which item you like the best. By all of the comments left, I will put your name in a drawing and give away an 8 x 10 Limited edition print for each shop. So please visit my shop and let me know what you like & may YOU be the winner!

Have you seen my little aceo or the notecards "His Eye is on the Sparrow"? I have given away hundreds of this little sparrow. I have sold quite a few of him as well. The reason I give them away is because I want to use the sparrow as a reminder of God's love. The Sparrow was originally painted for a friend undergoing a bone marrow transplant. I was listening to the old hymn with the same title "His Eye is on the Sparrow" and I was reminded of God's love and care for us. So, I painted the little original for my friend and sent it off to her. So, now, anytime I hear of a person who has cancer, or is going through a difficult time, I like to send them one. If you are that person, or know of a person who could use a little encouragement, please let me know, you don't have to give any details, and I will be glad to send you or them a sparrow that they can keep as a reminder that God cares for them and for what they are going through. Just send me an email with your address where to send it and I'll be glad to send you a sparrow. I will post a picture here of it so you can see.

Here are some of my most recent paintings from both shops

The summer is finally over and it is Fall Yall! This is such a beautiful time of year. The colors, the sights and smells. I love the smell of wood burning. Love to step outside and smell that someone is burning their fireplace. I love the smell of hot cinnamon cider, corn mazes and hayrides! It just takes me back. I grew up in Michigan and this time of year is so beautiful there. Here, in E. Tennessee, The mountains are beginning to look like a brightly colored patchwork quilt. There is inspiration all around for painting, it's just having the time. I have been keeping myself busy the past several months teaching art classes. I have taught 2 drawing classes at the Johnson City Senior Center. I have just finished teaching a drawing class at the Jonesborough Senior Center. I teach a decorative painting class every Thursday at 1:30 at the Jonesborough Senior Center. This class is is open to all. The cost is only $5.00 and I supply the paint and project. The class is growing and may soon need to be divided into 2 separate classes as to give more attention to each student. I also teach an acrylic on canvas painting class on Wednesdays. These classes are for 3 weeks, then we take a break until time for the next project. Currently we are painting a cottage. Our next project will be a brightly colored cardinal in a holly bush. I am so thankful to have these classes & for each student. It is so exciting to see them create a project that they thought they couldn't do. Also, just watching their improvement is a real blessing.

Hello, I haven't blogged in about 1 year! Wow! The year has flown by! I have opened a new shop, Stonecottagestudio@etsy.com . Please stop by an visit. My other shop, backroomtreasures has gotten so full, just too much for people to go through, and I wanted to do a cutsie-pie style of artwork, so I opened Stone Cottage. Actually, Stone Cottge Studio is all new. We have converted our huge garage into a studio. That really took so doing. The drywall is not up as of yet, but it has been insulated and has air conditioning. So, it is usable. I have been uysing it too. It is so nice to have a place to paint and not worry about leaving things out. Better than that, not having painting items all through the house and having to spend lots of time hunting for the items I need.

I am also teaching 4-5 classes per week now. It is such fun. I have two drawing classes I teach at area senior centers, they are the drawing on the right side of the brain ciriculum. Then I teach a beginner decorative painting class, a kids Wed night class and every now and then a canvas painting class. The next one is coming up soon. It will be a cottage and a bridge done in sort of a Kincaide style. Please visit my original shop backroomtreasures as well as my new shop and send me a convo anytime.