hoping for a calm day

4"x4" available for purchase $50 unframed.

cute as a button

This is a painting of old buttons from my mother and grandmother. I miss the days when you would save your buttons after a piece of clothing wore out...so you would have them when you needed to replace a button later...such simple efficiency. This original oil painting on museum quality gesso board is 4"x4", $50 unframed.

garlic

beautiful garlic. 4"x4" unframed $60.

onion

I've decided to do another painting a day for a month challenge with Leslie Saeta. It really inspired me in January to paint every day. And it will be fun to see my progression. Anyone want to join me? My painting for today, onion, is 6"x6". Available for $80 unframed. Have a great weekend!

eva's zucchini relish

Last night we made zucchini relish. It is absolutely the best. It is nearly the end of zucchini season and we decided that we couldn't possibly make it through the year without it. So, in honor of my stepmother, Eva, my inspiration for all things domestic (she taught me what she could), here is her recipe, an old photo of Eva, and a pic of our relish...now it's time to design some cute labels. Hope you get a chance to make some, it's worth the effort because it really is amazing!

happy blue bird

This happy little bird is a commissioned painting for my friend Nancy, to add to her Kim Smith collection! Thanks so much for supporting my creativity Nancy!

everybody is genius

This made me smile this morning. It's from Unstuck, a great site for fun inspiration!

Sunflowers from Roots!

These beautiful sunflowers are from Roots Country Market here in Lancaster, PA. Only open on Tuesdays, it's a place I went often as a child. There is a very eclectic mix...of products for sale, stand holders and of patrons. Very entertaining, for sure! The black flowers are so beautiful, I love the subtle colors. SOLD

wine labels

A very dear friend, Lori Stahl, is a photographer, beekeeper, winemaker, just to name a few of the amazing things she does...anyway, she is creating a book about winemaking (how fun is that!?!) So she asked me to create a few paintings to use in examples of wine labels for her book. Here are photos of my blackberry painting, me in action, a nice shot of my paint tray and examples of wine labels that I designed using my painting. I will let you know when her book gets published! Doesn't a glass of blackberry wine sound great right now? Blackberries 6"x6" $80 unframed.

almost home

Always a great feeling to be almost home...10"x10" unframed $150.

hydrangea

This is one of my very favorite flowers! Enjoy! 6"x6" unframed $70.

Old Building, New Life...all about my office!

In 1809, a log home was built at 1921 State Street in East Petersburg, Pa. It is, in fact, reported to be the oldest home in the community. More than 200 years later, the old building still stands and has a new life—as the offices of TCG advertising & design. As East Pete grew from an early “frontier” town known for its tobacco and whiskey, State Street became a main thoroughfare. The town eventually became a favorite place for the county’s farmers to retire and also gained status as a bedroom community for the busy city of Lancaster. In the late 1920s, 1921 State Street became home to East Pete’s second barber shop. The barber, Robert Myers, maintained a thriving business and home there for 64 years. Among his “customers” was his great niece, Kim Myers, who would come to have her bangs trimmed and hang out at the shop. Today, Kim Myers Smith still hangs out at 1921 State Street, where she is TCG’s art director. “It is a place with a history of creative energy,” says Kim.

italy

One of the wonderful painters that I follow is traveling through Italy and sharing photographs for friends to use as reference for their daily paintings. How lucky is she! So I painted one this morning. You can check them all out at the Leslie Saeta bloodspot! Hope you have an amazing day! If you are interested, it is available for sale for $50, plus $10 shipping, unframed.