MERRY CHRISTMAS

Before this year comes to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to wind it up here to wish everyone a blessed Christmas. 

I have kept busy with my painting and cardmaking since the last blog post,  but found it easier to post my cards in a gallery for quick access without having to create a blog with them.   Please feel free to visit my gallery at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/studio25/, and see my collection.  Here are a couple of the latest posted for Operation Write Home.

 

 

 

 

Plus, want to share three of my  miniature paintings that are currently on exhibit at the Strathmore Gallery's  Miniature Painting show in Bethesda, MD.  The top one is a pastel painting of a field of sunflowers in the Dakotas, bottom left is an untitled acrylic abstract, and on the right is a pastel painting of a scene in Alaska.

 





Please feel free to scroll down through some of my older posts over the past year, and I'm now making a New Year resolution to post oftener on this blog, so do check back here in January.  As always,  your comments on my works would be appreciated.  Thanks for stopping by.... and do wish you all the best in the coming new year.....2013!!

~Dolores~

MEMORIAL DAY
Can't believe it's here already, and I've missed blogging since Valentines Day.  However, I have been busy both with my paintings and cardmaking for Operation Write Home.   So want to welcome you back here with these patriotic cards for the occasion.   Let's all think about and honor, in some way, all of our veterans past and present...our true heroes.

 

Just for fun, made this next one using the new stamp by Stampers Best that was designed by my own daughter, Sandy for OWH and kinda follows their sketch #63 where Ciara is all decked out in patriotic colors, and the other follows sketch #122 for Ciara in camouflage.

 Also want to share at least one of my latest pastel paintings below.  I had an old sketch of this barn located on the fairway of a local golf course.

Fairway Hazard....11 x 14

Wishing everyone a beautiful summer ahead.  Thanks for stopping by.

~~Dolores~~

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you're having a LOVEly day!

Thanks for visiting...................................................................

                                                                         ~Dolores~~

Wintertime

Where is the snow in MD?  .... other than a few "conversational snowflakes" (as our TV weatherman says) .... we've had just a couple dustings and  an unusually mild winter so far, although I know many of you in other parts of the country are not so fortunate. 
But.... I've missed seeing that white stuff, and to keep away the cabin fever, I got busy creating  a snow painting that I'll share with you before framing.

It's done in pastel from a photo of a nearby farm.  That lonely bare tree stood tall and proud in the dead of winter, so I cheered it up with a dusting of the white stuff.  Just don't know what to call it.... maybe "All Alone" might suffice? 

Also have been keeping busy with cardmaking, thinking of spring and Easter on the way.  Here's a clever funky fold card that I made after seeing the OWH tutorial for it... turned out pretty well after I finally figured out how to do the folds.

If you've checked my earlier posts here, I posted a photo of  my small solo show going on at the local art center now, and happy to say that I've made a sale of a miniature there, which always is encouraging. 

That's about all for now.   Thanks for stopping by.
~~Dolores~~

WORKSPACE ORGANIZATION

If you haven't seen the great Tuesday Tutorial presented  January 17th on the  Operation  Write Home Stars and Stamps  site  entitled "Organizing Your Space", check out the ideas presented by Jen Muller from The Sparkle Within and the response photos from other crafters sharing their craftroom ideas. 
I am a bit jealous to say the least as I don't have a room dedicated for crafting, but have a small sunroom dedicated to my painting, which gets mighty messy.  So since cardmaking needs some clean space,  I use just a small corner of my dining/livingroom with a 6ft. narrow table that holds my tools and supplies for cardmaking, and fashioned a perfect workspace with a TV tray table:

As you can see, it holds a 12x12 Martha Stewart scorer, with a cutting mat on top of it, and the Martha Stewart papercutter fits perfectly next to the scorer.  The supply table is on the left, so I can sit at the tray table to work on a card, plus still have the diningroom table on the right to spread out papers or emboss with the cuttlebug.  It's more compact and handy for me this way, and easy to clean up when I'm finished. 

I wanted to share this with anyone who might be like me with limited space for cardmaking.  We all must organize the space we do have, so hope this helps someone out there.

Till next time.... thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments.

~Dolores~

HAPPY 2012

As the new year begins, I'm realizing that I haven't added my good wishes here for any visitors.  Do hope the past month since Thanksgiving have been filled with your family/friend celebrations, and that you were blessed with a happy Christmastime.  Now we must look forward to the new year and what it might bring.

I have been busy not only with Christmas preparations, finishing some paintings for an exhibit, and getting those Valentines ready for Operation Write Home heroes which had to be on their way in time for them to write their love messages to family and friends as February is just a month away.

The Frederick County Art Association's exhibit begins the year at the local art center, and I am entering the Alaska oil landscape that I've posted here last July...it was finally dry and ready for entry.  

I've taken a photo of the small solo Foyer Gallery exhibit for you to see which has five of my pastel and acrylic paintings.

The new year is having a good beginning for me as far as exhibiting my art.
Here's hoping you all will be blessed with good health and happiness in this new year....and as always, would appreciate you comments and visits again.

                                               ~Dolores~