Flock of birds...

With all this frigid~ I needed to think Spring!

Baby birds...

 Fuzzy and singing loud!

Momma birds tending to their every chirp...

First flights...

Sharing a ride...

Sharing love...

A few sweet reminders that the warmth will return~

... and we will once again enjoy evening walks under the stars!

When I was photographing my little friends for Etsy~

These two were side by side...

"What does the fox say?" Immediately played in my head!

(Now it is going to be stuck in YOUR head!)

Giggle...

Fox says, "It is very cold in the field... warmer days are coming soon!"

Smiles and hugs!

Keep warm, Sweet Friends~ 

Patriotic vintage post card tutorial

A Facebook friend asked if I would share a post card painting

Step by step... I want to share with you, too!

I do not paint directly on my vintage/antique papers.

I scan them into my computer & print them onto card stock or

80 lb. watercolor paper. I also have color copies made onto these papers.

If you could try both ways... they have unique results.

Leaving the white of the paper for the stars & white stripes...

Once my colors are down I like to add a natural tone to antique it~

My first ink in this piece is Nut Brown from Winsor & Newton~

Allow to dry completely...

Add black ink to finish the fine details of the nest~

While allowing to dry completely... pick out the perfect stamps!

I find bags of used/canceled stamps at antique stores.

Once your artwork is completely dry you can lay it face down

onto a clean, dry towel & press it on low heat.

Red, white & blue stamps... 

Old & worn~ they had brought a note to somebody years ago!

Curious toes!

Tippy boy finds me semi-entertaining...

As much as humans can be to fancy cats~ 

Wishing you a safe 4th of July holiday, Sweet Friends!

Fabric Illustrations!!!

This little bee looks soggy from our stormy weather!

A new collection of treasures ready to list in my 1st Etsy shop!

Oodles of soft tea-stained muslin pieces~

Momma Fox has been bringing her little cubs to our yard~

My pup sure has fun on morning walks!

Bunny... wait! No! Fox! Wait!!! Chipmunks... so much to sniff!!!

Honey bear... a sweet little honey~

Ready for the shore!

I could just hug our bright & fuzzy bumble bees! 

Welcome back, sweet friends!

We have Cicadas every summer... they love to cling to the front

Maple trees as they emerge from their shells~

Somewhere on my blog I have oodles of photographs... Amazing!

Group photos!

Whooooo's so dear in their collars?

The egg-cellent collections that make the sweetest bird collages!

A little bit of this...

A little bit of that!

Something for everyone & MORE coming soon!!

Can you tell I'm looking forward to strawberry picking?

Mmmmm fresh strawberry-banana smoothies...

Hope your Wednesday is filled with joy!

~Keeping everyone in the storm paths tight in my prayers~

Eastern Bluebird~

The first three Eastern Bluebird fledglings have left the nest!

We had to add a new roof to their little weathered house mid-way...

They were happy to stay dry & safe from predators!

More brilliant blue friends to watch for!

Hope your Sunday is filled with sweet miracles, too~

American Robin

I just can't let another Spring pass by without adding an

American Robin design to my watercolor collection!

They are the first feathered friends to return to us in the Springtime~ 

Happy, bouncing & singing their cheery songs!

This nest is several years old... it stays protected beneath a class cloche~

Oodles of photographs from 2003 when momma & her brood were

next to our front door in the climbing Ivy! Wonderful reference material~

We had to prop the nest & Ivy as they began getting "chubby!"

My favorite reading~

Can never have enough bird books!

My favorites are  from 1917, 1911, 1951 and 1897!!

I am gentle with them as they have been  WELL LOVED by others~

They share such sweet details about behavior & personality.

Old books talk to me about birds instead of listing "stats" like a ballplayer card.

I find the rare books at library book sales, antique shops & thrift stores.

How thrilled I am that people have preserved them for years!

Hope your week is off to a creative start!

Michelle Palmer Watercolor

Finished my Yellow & Blue Collection this morning...

It is ready to take to the printer!

Gardens are filled with beauty...

Everything waiting months & blooming all at the same time~

Grape Hyacinths...

Pale blue in the background, deeper blues up front.

Painting green "behind" the nest grasses & hairs~

Butterfly... paint light to dark.

Eastern Tailed-Blue has robin's egg blue, French Ultramarine & Indigo!

All of my artwork is scanned & digital files are made for licensing.

We are in the process of setting up a second Etsy store...

Our 2nd shop will sell my original watercolors and prints of them!

Hoping to have prints back from the city soon!

My current Etsy will continue to have new pen & ink fabric treasures

along with needle felted friends!

We will share here when the 2nd Etsy shop is open!

Thank you for your kind comments, encouragement & support!

Hope your Monday is off to a wonderful start~

Watercolor Joy!

The yard will have to wait this morning...

Grumpy and hungry little black flies have arrived!

More time to "play" with my new Yellow & Blue Watercolor~

When my husband prepares our vegetable garden each Spring~

We're on the lookout for little china treasures!

Stop the tiller!!! I see a shard!!!

(When painting flow blue in watercolor, begin with details & strong pigment)

(Allow the blue details to dry completely...

Add taupe & cream washes & the water will naturally "flow")

I think we have found 6-7 different china patterns in our back gardens~

Our Robin's are so cheery!

They have the most beautiful blue eggs~

Sweet friends build their nests where this short gal can peek inside!

(This is not a Robin's nest...)

From my "windy day collection!"

I found it on the ground near our hedgerow a few years ago.

It took me just as long to paint this little home as it did for our

sweet little feathered friends to build it!

Hair by hair.

Fine root, thin grasses... but mostly horse/animal hair.

I know, I know...

Yellow + Blue = PERFECT!

Yellow + Blue = Green... except in this painting!

Yellow stays yellow.

Blue stays blue.

I thought it was a cute way to name this piece and

one of my favorite color combinations!

Hope your Friday is off to a perfect start~