VALENTINE'S DAY

Hey Friends, Thought I would give you a peek at a couple of the items I listed in my Etsy store yesterday. I was feeling craftsy so I just messed with various bits of stuff and my drill and the new round plier tool I bought last year. It was fun. No pressure, just relaxing.

I seem to think that I have threatened before to post a little tutorial about my "Painted Photo Collages". Well, its supposed to snow here in SW Va. Monday and that sounds like a good time to write that bit of info. Come back - you might find it interesting!

Happy Trails.

LA SERIES #2

Hey Friends, Thought I would show you my newest addition to the LA series. This is painted with acrylics on a canvas panel-6" sq. Isn't this a sweet one? What would you give to be this age again? And swinging? Spooky thoughts, huh?

Now I'll head over to Etsy to list this 'cuz I haven't figured out how to put that darned Paypal button thingy on my blog! As usual, I have wasted , at minium, an hour fooling with paypal and the layout here. I may have to call in the geek squad again.

Happy Trails

GREAT MARKETING EXCHANGE-NEATOSTUFF

Hey Friends, I have been sickly all week! I have felt better today so I guess that's why it dawned on me about 30 min. ago - I haven't posted the featured shops from Etsy that are being promoted by Neatostuff! I am truly sorry but here goes.........

www.retroclassics.etsy.com

www.5erg.etsy.com

www.flutterbuggcreations.etsy.com

www.theabomb.etsy.com

www.tialeyvintage.etsy.com

www.rhisbitsandbeads.etsy.com

www.kurdtlhorg.etsy.com

PLEASE visit the shops above - see if they have anything you've been looking for!!
Happy Trails

Phishing Emails

I forwarded two more phishing emails today. Just in case you don't know this, when you get an email that you don't trust from Ebay, minimize that screen and open a new internet screen. Then go to Ebay and sign in and then check your messages. If the same email is in your messages, just read it right there. If it's not in your messages, go back to your email screen that you minimized and forward the email to www.spoof@ebay.com and then delete it!
Happy Trails.

PHISHING EMAILS and EBAY

Hey Friends, My post tonight is about ALL the phishing emails I get daily from people trying to appear they are legtimate ebayers. About a year ago, when I first got a home computer, I was selling art work on ebay. I got an email from what looked like a question about an item on the auction sight. Being the unsuspecting novice, I clicked it!!!!!! Shortly there after, my computer came to a very slow crawl. SPYWARE had been installed. If I remember correctly, the brain had to be replaced and my dandy little computer was gone for a week. Anyway, I usually learn most things the hard way. So I thought maybe I could help a bit by warning everyone to be extra careful. I don't know the reason or if I'm the only one but I get these phishing emails every day. Just before posting here, I forwarded three, 3, emails to www.spoof@ebay.com. A couple days ago I emailed Ebay and told them how many I was forwarding and asked if they were aware or on top of this business. They emailed back and let me know they are aware and serious about checking them. Unforunately, most they can never find. So we are on our own folks. Oh, yeah, last year when my computer was hacked, they managed to get most of my money from my paypal account. BUT, the good news, Paypal gave it back!!!!(took a couple of weeks) I have nothing but good things to say about Paypal and Ebay. Everytime I've asked for help, they have given. These emails still give me the willies.

Happy Trails.

NEW LA SERIES

Hey Friends, I'm working on a new series of small paintings that I decided to call my LA series. Its a secret code for the model that you see in the swing! This first painting is actually painted on top of a doll sewing pattern that I glued to the canvas. I got a little heavy with the acrylic. You can barely see the pattern. I think it might be a good idea with refinement but this is my first, so we shall see.

Can you remember how it feels to swing? I certainly remember, it's still fun for me. This little angel loves to swing. She will stay in a swing for hours.

In case you haven't noticed, I was messing with the lay out of the photos above. It doesn't look the way I thought it might because the images are different sizes. Maybe I'll get it right next time. I'm going to my Etsy shop now to list this one.

NEATOSTUFF MARKETING EXCHANGE

Hey Friends, Here is the list of etsy shops for this week. You should take a peek.

www.mistflowerstudio.etsy.com
www.retrograndma.etsy.com
www.beadscraftz.etsy.com
www.queensnuff.etsy.com
www.jillredesigns.etsy.com
www.woolies.etsy.com
www.littleredcottage.etsy.com

Happy Trails

HOMEMADE GLASSES and BIG LIPS

Hello Friends, Here is the post I was telling you about a couple days ago. My improvised super magnifying glasses for painting mini's with. They look pretty good on this young lady with the big lips!

Maybe you can see in this closeup all the goo on each side of the lenses. I took a set of lens from one pair and gooed them to another pair. Cheap and works really well. Maybe I should start selling these to other artists. I'd have to have a big inventory of red lips!

Happy Trails

NEATOSTUFF-The Great Marketing Exchange

I'm participating in the "Great Marketing Exchange" sponsored by NeatoStuff. The Etsy shops featured this week are:

http://www.hosslass.etsy.com/

http://www.amotherscrochet.etsy.com/

http://www.lenmar.etsy.com/

http://www.fabricsbythesea.etsy.com/

http://www.mariesvintage.etsy.com/

http://www.bijouxdesignsforyou.etsy.com/

http://www.dragonrags.etsy.com/

Yeah, go ahead - take a look. You might like what you find.

Happy Trails!

BIG EYEBALLS FOR MINI-PAINTINGS

Hey Friends, I just wanted to show you a couple of mini-paintings I've done lately. I love to paint birds and nature in general, but I have found that I really enjoy painting birds nest! Not sure why I like these so much. Could be symbolic of several things, like birth or rebirth or a new beginning. Or maybe when you watch birds in the great outdoors, you know what these little eggs are in for. It's such a struggle for birds to stay alive and reproduce.
These paintings are such sweet gifts for so little money. I put them in handsome gold frames and luckily I've sold several in the last month. When times are ruff you have to think of something!

Another reason for showing you these paintings is to make fun of my glasses! I have looked and looked for some really strong glasses to paint mini's with. My regular glasses just wouldn't do. Could not find any, so I made my own! I'll show you in the next post.

Happy trails.

PHOTO PAINTING COLLAGES

Well my friends, I was going to post a couple of new paintings I finished just this morning. But nothing comes easy for me. I was scanning the first painting and had to answer the phone and I'm EASILY distracted, so I thought I was going along just fine while talking but then Wham- the scanner wouldn't work anymore. I called my computer help desk and she couldn't diagnose the problem over the phone and she can't make a housecall until next Tuesday. Tell me which is worse-doctors or computer geeks? (my first born is the geek-HeeHee)


So anyway, I decided to show you a couple of "Painted Photo Collages" (this is what I decided to name this process) that were finished before the holidays. Soon I will make a really long post about how you can do this. The first image above was a real joy to do. I enjoyed it so much I did a second version below. Her grandmother was happy too.






The image below was a real treat to work on also. I love to work on photos of dogs, especially when they are in a setting you can really elaborate on, such as a beach. A local lady had this done for her sister in California. She was happy too.

So there you have it for now. Just in case you were wondering, my daughter seems to be doing just fine. I printed out a lot of info I have found on various blogs about BLOGGING and promoting your blog, etc. So now I need to read them and organize them and decide which I will be able to actually do with my limited skills. Ohhhh, if one only had the money to hire a secretary. (do they still call them that?)

Happy Trails

ART ON A MISSION

Hi Friends, A quick post to tell you of some BAD news. ART ON A MISSION is closing! Makes me feel like crying. The gallery fees went to the Rescue Mission and like most charitable org. they need every nickel they can find. Plus on the selfish side they were one of the few places that was still selling my artwork in this economy. I put a lot of effort into helping them push my work or maybe make it visible is a better statement. They had a wonderful, friendly,caring staff. I will miss them.
On the bright side, Pam (director of Art on Miss) says there is a really good possability of AOM opening in another sight with better layout and maybe a cafe! Will not know until this spring. I'm really hoping this comes true.
I plan on picking up what is left of my inventory there on Jan. 15th, next Thurs. So if anyone wants to lessen my load, go to AOM in Tanglewood Mall before next Thursday. They are located next to JCPenney-lower level.
Now, I'm going to paint a little more and go back to blogger to study how to add a widget or thingy for my Etsy store!!!!!!!!!
ps-I forgot to mention Art on a Mission sells some of their donated vintage items on EBAY. Check them out.

LEARNING TO BLOG

Hi to all, Just a quick note to say everything is still OK with my baby!

I have been reading and reading and searching all over the net about anything pertaining to blogs and art works. I'm trying to take in as much as my little pea brain will accept. Just a minute ago I was trying to add an Etsy-Mini to my blog. Didn't work. I'm not sure if a mini is a list or an image. I'll figure it out soon.
From what I've read about blog etiquette, I'm not supposed to post personal or family type info on this blog. So accept my apology for letting the world know my daughter is well. But don't count on it not happening again. I love to paint and talk about it but I also love my family only more so.
Keep 'em short and sweet.

SURGERY AND NEATOSTUFF

OK folks, my sweet Baby is going to be fine. She had her gall bladder removed and when she came from the recovery room, she said the old pain was gone!!! The main thing hurting now of course, are the incisions. She will get a copy of the video made while the surgeons operated. I thought that was pretty cool. We must keep our fingers crossed.


OK - so now I will post the stores on ETSY that are being promoted this week by NEATO STUFF. Go visit these stores please, you may be surprised!

www.mareastudiodesigns.etsy.com
www.brickhousefabrics.etsy.com
www.pinkparchmentsoaps.etsy.com
www.uberart.etsy.com
www.paintedmemoriesbyros.etsy.com
www.mjrojasphoto.etsy.com
www.areleldesigns.etsy.com

SURGERY - SUNDAY AM

WELL, my baby girl is miffed at me! She thinks I'm weird and crazy for posting her picture from the hospital on my blog. Maybe it is weird but I wanted my friends to know what is going on in my little life. Soooo, anyway, the doc's have sorta decided that maybe-MAYBE-the problem is her gall bladder. Sooo, they have decided to take Jessi's advice and pull the thing out in the morning! We all hope and pray that fixes the problem for the TURTLE.
I'll keep you posted. Maybe I'll get some new photo's too.

JESSI'S NEW YEAR

Here is my youngest daughter, Jessi, in Roanoke Memorial Hospital. No good news. By that I mean the doc's still don't know what is wrong or what is going on or how to fix it. So what is next? They don't know. I suppose they will just let her lay there and suffer. The digestive tract is very hard to figure out and greatly influenced by our mind or emotions. Jessi has always been a worry-wart but in this case, the pain isn't from the gut it's more in the gall bladder area.

I LOVE YOU JESSI

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Just a little bit late! Better late than sorry. Too many things going on last couple of weeks. I had 5 small commissions to finish before Christmas. And a couple had to be mailed to far places. I will post some photos later. Right now I need to clean up and go to Roanoke Memorial Hosp. to visit my youngest daughter. She has been to the ER several times this winter for undiagnosed problems in her digestive track. This time her father, Charlie Ridgway, would not let them (the staff) release her! He made them admit her. Who knows maybe some one will figure it out this time. I wish they would call in HOUSE! then she could get on with her life. This is going to be a serious day.

WISH MY BABY LUCK AND MAY YOU HAVE A PRODUCTIVE, PROSPEROUS, INSPIRING YEAR IN 2009!!!