His banner over me is love!

I painted this little canvas for my dear friend, Cecily, who wears His banner with amazing beauty and grace. I do hope you have a friend like her. Really, I wish she could be every one's friend! So much kindness in one place! God loves moves right through her. Captivating every acquaintance, with His truth and hope. You are precious, Cecily.

High Cotton Art Camp!

Woohoo! As you can see by the banner above, there's plenty of excitement around here!



I'm not exactly sure when the idea first hatched but sometime in the past year, friends Molly, Mary and I began to dream of having an 'art event' right here in Abilene, Texas. We being 'artsy' girls who constantly love to create, found our hearts and minds had grown full of things we'd like to share. So we began to pray, and brain storm. We shared ideas, listened and gathered advice. One evening in June we visited with our friend Terry Browder, an artistic designer and creative genius, whose insight and wisdom gave us much to think about. That night, before going home, we offered up the entire idea in sincere prayer and I'm certain that it was then that God kindly gave wings to our dream.



So it is with great pleasure that we present to you: High Cotton Art Camp ...a creative adventure for grown up girls! We've put our heads together to come up with what we believe will be a memorable experience. Something that will encourage you in your creative endeavors. To assist us we have invited an array of talented artisan's, each possessing a generous spirit and a willingness to share their craft. We hope you will make plans now to join us for this 'jam packed' weekend of fun and inspiration.

Please grab our button and help us spread the word?

Thanks a bunch!

Pet portraits!

Griffin, a cute Boston Terrier, was my first pet portrait! And because my new friend Sarah, liked it so much, her husband asked me to paint their aging chocolate lab Dixie, for Sarah's birthday. Isn't that sweet? They are young and newlyweds and I was so touched by this request. Afterall, wouldn't a 20-something prefer Joe jeans or a designer bag? As it turns out Dixie and Sarah have grown up together and have shared a lot of life. Fourteen years to be exact and Sarah wanted to make sure that she always had Dixie nearby.

So, here she is. Sweet Dixie!

Sara said she got a little teary when she opened it. There is nothing quite like a good dog!

Happy birthday, Sarah!

Ink Whale!

The last few days, I've been spending some time with my girls in San Antonio. Both girls are moving and I just love helping them. Kim, has done a fabulous job of selecting colors, tile and granite. Painting and decorating. She has a keen sense of style and everything is coming together quite well. Monday, I drew a large scale floral motif onto the walls and ceiling, of one of her bathrooms with charcoal. When it was finished, Kim sprayed several coats of a fixative on the art, for protection. I love the way it looks. Clean and simple. Fresh and unexpected.
On Tuesday, I painted the above painting for the dining room. Isn't it fun?

The pictures are not great but the art looked swell! Most importantly, Kim was pleased as punch!

Beth and Co. will be moving this weekend and Carter is spending a few days with me and Coach. I'll be painting a fun painting for her new house in the next few days which I'll post when it's finished.

Thanks for visiting!

Birds Nest and Roses Workshop

This little chickadee flew away! More likely it drove away. A recent commision, was mailed a few days ago and has arrived in it's new home.

Last week at the Birds Nest and Roses Workshop we tried to coax her into staying. Everyone painted her a nest. There were six very pretty nest's, I might add. She is a stubborn little bird and wanted to build her own nest! After the class finished their nests we went to eat lunch at the Beehive. We walked there and back.

When we returned to the studio we painted pink roses. Here is Natalie, my precious niece, who painted very well. In fact, the entire class did well. I was very impressed!

Regular art classes will begin the first week in August. Keep checking this blog for details.

Vacation....the Texas coast!

Recently, we had the pleasure of spending time on the Texas coast. It's a beautiful place where everything is lovely, especially the sunsets. Which we are accustom to out west, but with Hurricane Alex churning up the Gulf of Mexico, there were some amazing displays in the skies.

Some incredibly generous friends shared their fabulous home with us. To say we were 'wowed' on every level, would be an understatement! Thank you, thank you! God blessed each and everyone of us, right through you.

What is it about the beach? It makes everyone feels so relaxed and comfortable. There is something in the air, the breeze, the sound of water and the trees, that whispers, ' Sit down and take it easy." The elements are simultaneously at work. Their mission? To lull you into a state of peacefulness.

Outdoor living spaces, balconies and porches were a popular 'hang-out' all week. They were the perfect place to sit quietly, drink coffee and visit.

On several occasions, all of us would pull up a chair and get involved in meaningful conversation. It is these moments that I love most. The sharing of hearts and minds. These are the treasures that last long after we return home. The good stuff, that feeds the soul and helps us grow.

The same could be said for family and friends. Spending time together is a gift indeed! Having the opportunity to refresh our relationships and make new memories...priceless!

The first two days, the guys went bay fishing (they wade around, chest deep in water, catching fish and then dragging them around on a stringer behind them....does this sound dangerous to anyone else?

Isn't this a great photo of Beth and 5 month old Emme? What pretty blue eyes!

Anyway, the guys caught a lot of trout and that night we took them to a local restaurant and they grilled, fried and blackened them for us. It was great!

Nate caught the biggest 'catch of the day'!

Who later that night asked her Pops to show her how to fish. Using live shrimp, he caught several trout and let Carter help 'reel' them in. She didn't know quite what to think about the wet wiggly fish and eventually touched one!

Lyndsay, Kimberly and Beth, who go way back (to like, birth) had fun catching up. For several years all three of these girls lived out of the state but much to our delight all have come back home. Thank you ladies! Texas is a prettier place with you!

Though the weather got progressively stormy, we did take a few walks on the beach. You'll be happy to hear we saw no oil. We did however see a lot of seaweed. Overall, it was nice and the waves were 'BIG'! Remember, there was a tropical storm stirring things up!




Like the good little momma she is, Beth took opportunity to photograph Carter playing in the sand.




It was nice to walk in the sand and surf and feel the wind blowing through your hair.

Never mind that everyone was laughing at mine, after we got back in the car.

Again! Do not be alarmed! Do not cancel your beach trips.

We did NOT see any oil on the beach! Only seaweed and people.

So head on down to the Texas coast, where the skies are blue and the water is warm!

Hello there! Got home from the beach last Sunday and had a very full week! The 'Birds Nest and Roses Workshop' went well. I'v also been making more Plum Jam. Fortunately the plums are gone. Next up, apricots!

Tomorrow I'll take time to share some favorite pics and a few highlights from the week. I also have some other things on my heart. Until then....