Vacation?

Colored Pencil ACEO
by Me

Wow, the time goes by so quickly when you a very busy! Semester finals are over, tests are graded and posted, room closed up for the break. Now for the baking, drawing, shopping, wrapping, cleaning, and traveling...whew...I need a nap!


Beth♥

Happy Holidays!

Well I survived the Christmas rush! Yesterday was our last family get together for Christmas. We travelled to my parents house for Christmas dinner and gift exchanging with the family. The trip took about an hour longer than it usually does because of flooding on the highway! Many areas got snow this week, but we got lots and lots of rain. My parents part of the state got about 10 inches of rain over a few days, so many creeks, lakes, ditches, and some roads and homes were flooded.

But we finally got there, ate the wonderful food, exchanged gifts, watched some Christmas special music and said our goodbyes before leaving for the trip back. The highway was still closed for flooding, but the traffic seemed to be moving more quickly going to other direction.

Above is the Tree House tile that my niece asked me to create for her. She gave it as a gift for someone special. The tile has special meaning or him and he really loved the tile.

Hope you were the recipient of a special gift this year! I was! I received an unexpected box of candy in the mail on Christmas Eve for no reason! It meant so much to me that she thought of me at this time of year! Thank you so much!

I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!

~Beth

Handmade Gifts...

...are made with love. It is a good feeling when you create something for someone who really appreciates and loves what you created for them. Especially when its family. My nieces love their dogs and wanted paintings of them, so I offered to do that for Christmas. It was close, but I did get them done for Christmas Day. After the delicious meal that Mom made, and we all enjoyed, we all went into the den to exchange gifts. The girls were very excited to finally see the paintings that I had painted, so they both unwrapped the paintings first. They both were very pleased and excited about their new art.
Both paintings were fun to create and handmade with love. I hope they will enjoy them for years to come.

Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday with loved ones.
~Beth~

Only Dreaming of a White Christmas....

I love snow!!!

Here in the South, we never have a true white Christmas. I've only heard stories from when I was a baby, when there was actual measurable snow on the ground on Christmas day! In fact, this year, we have no chance for a white Christmas. Last week we did have some white stuff on the ground, but it was a mixture of sleet and freezing rain. That is what it looked like outside my front door. Just enough to be dangerous for us southerners to drive on. So we did have two snow days. School closed for 2 days!

Those days were well timed for me. I worked on one of the two paintings that I have to complete by Thursday, Christmas day, as gifts for my nieces. I spent the last two days painting and I'm almost finished with both paintings. Whew! Its going to be close, but they will get done. (I will post pictures after Christmas.)

Now if I can find that last gift tomorrow...

So what are your chances for a white Christmas?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Beth

More Holiday Preparations...

My daughter and I decorated her homemade snowflake cookies this afternoon. This is a new cookie for her to make and we thought they turned out very pretty. This could become a new holiday tradition for us. Are you changing or adding any holiday traditions this year?

Preparing for the Holidays

Its been a busy week finishing up the fall semester at school...after a 2 day snow day break...but now its over and I'm trying to get busy with preparations for Christmas! I can't believe that it is already next week! I will be working on another painting this week that is going to be a Christmas gift, plus I have more shopping to do! So this week will be hectic, but relaxing at the same time. Time at home with family is always good. Cookies are being baked right now...and the good thing is...my daughter is doing the baking! But I've been told I will be helping decorate them soon. I will post pictures when they are done.

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!
Beth

Time is Short!

Well, you know how they say time flies when your having fun? Well I guess I've been having too much fun because this semester has flown by! (Well, I have been so busy that I haven't had any time to be bored!) Time has gone so fast that this is the last week of school and I'm realizing how soon Christmas will be here! I am not ready for this! Is it because there was one less week after Thanksgiving? I have done very little Christmas shopping. I've got 2 paintings to finish for Christmas gifts. I'm praying for a snow day tomorrow, just so I can get those paintings started. We are under a winter weather warning for tonight and the morning, so there is a good chance of it! Can't show you my ideas yet, but I'll show you the subjects of the 2 paintings. Lets just say my nieces are very proud of their dogs! As we all are of our wonderful pets. I have my idea sketched out on the canvas and they are ready to paint. I think they will be fun to paint so I'm ready to get started. Meet Georgia and Bella. Aren't they sweet?

In the Spirit of Giving...

Christmas is many things to many people, but it gives people great opportunities to give of yourself to others. Some people have that special way of making other people feel special and always find ways to give to other people. I have met many people that are well liked by many people because of their loving and generous personalities. Since I've been blogging, I have been lucky to have come to know, through the internet, one of those generous personalities. This week she is spotlighting me and some other artists' Etsy shops on her blog, Fannie Narte. She has purchased items from our shops and is giving them away to her blog readers! Now that, to me, is a beautiful example of the spirit of giving!
She has been very helpful and supportive of me and my art, I want to give her some of the spotlight. She has an Etsy shop too where she sells journals, mixed media art, fiber arts, and cards. Please go check out her shop. She is very creative!

Thank you Fannie!

Beth

Holiday Season is Here!

Santas Making His List!

Well now that Thanksgiving is over, the rush of the holiday season has begun! Only a few weeks of school is left until Christmas Holiday begins! Which means only 25 days until Christmas! I've only purchased a few Christmas gifts so far. I really wish I were one of those organized people who finishes all of their shopping long before the crowds at the malls and stores. In the past few years I have begun to dread shopping because of all of the crowds, lines, and not knowing what to buy for my loved ones. So some of my shopping will be done online this year for that reason. Tomorrow is supposedly the beginning of cyber shopping and it even has its own name... "Cyber Monday". Well I don't know if that is really the case, because I think many people shop online all year round these days. But just in case anyone wishes to buy from my Etsy shop...I am running a special for $50 purchases this week. Any $50 or more purchased from my Etsy shop will receive Free Shipping to anywhere in the US Special this week only! So stop by my shop to browse. The special ends Friday December 5th.

Happy shopping to all!
Beth

Time to Relax!...a little.

Now that the rush of getting ready for Christmas, traveling to visit relatives, and having relatives over for Christmas day is over, I finally have a little time to relax...a little bit. There is plenty to do around here. I have to put away the decorations that were so carefully put out only a few weeks ago. I also need to get organized for the new year. But I am taking a few days to just relax and take it in. That is what Radar, the Papillion in the photo, is good at...just taking it all in. Here he is perched on the back of my mom's couch, in the sunshine, just watching everyone...so he doesn't miss a thing!

I did spend some time yesterday organizing my art studio clutter. I actually filled a trashbag with old items that I never use. I should probably get rid of a lot more, but...you never know when I might need a few hundred envelopes, or three jars of paintbrushes, or half a dozen plastic tubs to put water in for painting! Or some of the old Artists Magazines from the last 5 years. Why do I keep them? Honestly, I don't know. Sometimes I do take a years worth of old magazines to work and let my students look through them, but I don't think they get as much out of them. Maybe I could donate them to a local doctor's office and inspire someone to paint or draw. Well, I better get back to my...relaxing.

Drawing Partner

My Painting Partner

This little cutie sits and waits in my chair at my drawing table when I am on the computer. Here he is all decked out in his Christmas sweater. He wants to sit in my lap to see what I'm doing, but I don't get much accomplished with him in lap. I'm trying to finish the drawing that is on my table. It, and one more, have to be finished before Christmas!

Latest ACEOs

I've only had time for ACEOs lately. I've done a series of Santa ACEOs to sell on Ebay. Right now I have 2 listed. I would like to have more listed at once, however I just do not have the extra time to work on any during the week. Unfortunately, my personal art time is limited to the weekends. So here are my latest are variations of Santa, done in watercolor pencils and pen and ink.