Gallery Days Giveaway

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Welcome to the second Gallery Days Giveaway! You’re the photographer and I’m the artist giving back. I like the ring of this title for my giveaways because it reminds me of going from one gallery to the next. So lets kick off this next week with some fun at the gallery! I’m ready, are you?

Things to keep in mind when you post your photos –

  • Please post your photos in a single post so that I can link to it. Post as many photos as you like but they need to be in one post.
  • All photos must be taken by you so that you can allow me the rights to draw if your photo is selected.
  • You have through Monday, August 25th to have your photos posted
  • When you’re finished posting, please send me the link to your post so that I can link you up and everyone can visit.
  • I will add the links as they come in to the bottom of this post.
  • I will announce the winner of the 9″ x 12″ colored drawing by Wednesday, August 27th.
  • The drawing will be in the mail to the winner by September 19th.

Thanks for posting and I wish you all the best!

Visual Expressions

Snap Shots From The Back Porch

Dreams And Beyond

Margie

The Challenge Is On

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The tulip is moving right along. However I can say I’ve had my fair share of challenges. The green hazy stuff in the background has puzzled me from the beginning and it seems to be right there in the front trying to upstage that tulip.

I sought out some help from my online artist buddies and was given some pretty cool advice. So we’ll just have to sit back and wait for that green hazy stuff to be put in its place, back further in the distance where it belongs. I’ve got my work cut out and I’m so ready for the challenge.

Speaking of challenges, I feel challenges are stimulating and worth the fight. There were days when I felt that haze was not doing what I wanted it to do. I wasn’t getting the cooperation out of it that I wanted. And the more I continued to do what I thought needed done, the more it was in the lime light.

I was a bit discouraged yesterday when I had done all I knew to do when my buddy pulled through for me. She gave me such a clear visual and the light bulb finally went off inside my head. I woke with fresh eyes, and a wonderful ray of hope knowing that it can be done. This may take a little longer than I expected but it will be worth the wait!

Gallery Days and Giveaway is still on for this weekend so be sure to come back as I want to give another drawing away!

These turkeys were my brief guests this morning.

I thoroughly enjoyed the little visit I had with them.

Feel free to come back anytime!


A Special Family

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I’ve been enjoying the cooler weather with the windows open when I heard a deer cry this afternoon. I looked up there she was looking at me just about 15 feet away.

I went back to drawing and forgot about it until I heard her cry again. Well her cry went straight to my heart and I cut up a bunch of apple and tossed them out the door. I think she must have been looking for her baby as they didn’t come back ‘til this evening. It was so nice to see the family linger a while longer as it took a while for them to finish the apples. I never tire of seeing this special family.






Last Few Adjustments Being Made

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I’m still doing a little modification work today. So far I’ve changed the right side of the tulip as it needed to be adjusted and lightened. I’m still working on the hazy green stuff blending and whatnot. I will be finished soon, perhaps today!

I still need the weekend to make any minor adjustments that I see and I also need to spray it with fixative to protect the colors.

P.S. Unfortunately I don’t have the nice sunlight for this picture. The tulip looks a lot different and more vibrant in real life. Hopefully when I’m all finished I can get a better picture of it.

She’s Almost On Her Own

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This tulip is almost standing alone. She is taking shape but I still have quite a bit of tweaking to do before I can call her finished. I will need a couple more days and I’m hoping to have this little thing all packaged and off to Canada by the first of the week!

So here’s the plan. I would like to keep myself busy in our free time while we’re on vacation as we leave next Friday the 22nd.

So be prepared this weekend for Gallery Days and Giveaways! I’ll be posting Saturday or Sunday with the directions and you too could be the next winner of a free piece of art. Sound good? Well keep those cameras rolling; you still have lots of time to prepare!

A Day With The Tulip

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Yet another WIP and it seems to be moving right along with layers and layers and more layers of color. There were a few more strokes added to the pretty flower last evening.

I think I’ll be able to wrap up on the green leafy stuff today and start on the tulip! Stay tuned for more, the next giveaway is coming soon!

WIP # 3

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Moving right along and I have just a little more progress to show for those who wanted to see the work in progress. I’ll be working on the leaves and the green part at the bottom today and it appears as though I’m saving the best for last. I’m looking so forward to swirling around on that pretty tulip! This pic was taken in much better lighting this morning and I’ve also attached a small version of the original picture I’m using.

We had such a relaxing weekend and I was able to play with my pencils next to hubby while we enjoyed NASCAR and the Olympics.

I’ll be announcing another giveaway in the next week or so, so be prepared for the next Gallery Days and Giveaways!

WIP # 2

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By popular demand, I’m following through with another work in progress. I’ve been focusing most of my time on the lower left. I attached a pic of the original pic I’m working with. We got a long way to go yet but it’s starting to take a little shape.

I promised to mail by the 27th as I thought we were leaving on our vacation the 28th. I just learned this last week that Bobby’s planning to leave the 22nd. I’m under the gun as I want to keep to my word and have this delivered on time. And if I have to, I’ll work on it during the evenings on vacation. I plan on taking my pencils anyway to keep me busy during my free time and to make every effort to have this finished on time.

Favorite Purchase This Week

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Swarovski – we had to learn how to pronounce it way back when, because we love it so much. It’s pronounced just like swore – off – ski. We’ve collected the Swarovski star ornaments since we’ve been together which includes the year we started dating in 1997. We totally missed getting our ornament last year due to being in the midst of our move and still living in a hotel.

We were having a nice visit this evening when my thoughts drifted and I exclaimed “honey! We never got our ornament last year”! So Bobby said “get it, you should be able to find a new one with the papers on e-bay”. I was quite pleased as I found a Buy It Now for $40.00 including shipping. These ornaments went for $70.00 in the store last year so we were pleased with the deal.

These ornaments continue to appreciate through the years. I just checked e-bay and our 1997 ornament is going for over $150 and the 1999 ornament is going for over $200. So you can see why I was so urgent to get our ornament sooner rather than later.

And now all is well and we will continue living happily ever after now that our favorite Christmas ornament collection is up to date.

Work In Progress

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This was framed in my scrapbook program as it calls for a frame. The sketch is finished and the upper background is pretty much finished. Nan’s drawing is coming right along and those pencils are having a total blast!

Hopefully I’ll have another WIP to show by Monday as the response was unanimous to see the work in progress.

Would you believe that upper dark background sports 6 different shades of blue and some black? The colors to be exact are Cerulean Blue, True Blue, Copenhagen Blue, Peacock Blue, Violet Blue and Indigo Blue mixed with some Black.

Just wait ‘til I start in on the green below, it’s not going to know what hit it! And as for that beautiful tulip there are a lot of colors going into that let me tell ya.

There’s much more to do so I’ll be back around the first of the week with another WIP. Don’t forget to keep those camera’s busy as I’m having another giveaway soon! Look for Gallery Days and Giveaways in the title as that’s going to be my title from now on!

Here’s where I left off with my bowl of fruit. I planned to have it finished before the giveaway but things didn’t go as planned and that’s just dandy.

I changed the background as I wanted that fruit to pop so the background went from the light to quite a bit darker. There were some more changes made on the pear, peach and bowl but it still has a ways to go. I will get this finished but I plan to do so after I finish Miss Nan’s piece of art.

Before

After

I’ve Been Busy

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I had a nice 3 hour lunch with my girlfriend yesterday. We went to a quaint little place and our time spent together was so wonderful and relaxing.

This establishment has been here 11 years and the food is amazing! They’ve turned this old house into a restaurant and the upstairs is an antique shop. Unfortunately the little shop was closed yesterday, all the more reason we need to go back for another visit. I love the old tables and décor and it’s truly the perfect place for girls to visit.

This is the table where we spent our time visiting.

Other special areas in the restaurant.

I had the homemade Autumn Bisque Soup in the bread bowl and split the sautéed spinach sandwich with my girlfriend. There were no leftovers today! I get that same bowl of soup almost every time I go there.

I’m also working on that art give-away and having a total blast with the sketch so far.

Any votes as to whether you would like to see the work in progress, or would you rather wait until it’s all finished.

Inspiration Of The Day

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I’m not one who can easily visualize things. So when it comes to paint color I’ve always been nervous to take the plunge and just “do it”.

I found the perfect color while I was browsing through Rhoda’s bedroom from Southern Hospitality.

My heart nearly skipped a beat when I saw how these colors compliment so well. Yum!

Very similar colors represented here in our room but I can imagine that color on the walls.

What a lovely blue and white lamp on her night stand. Doesn’t the color on her wall look so delicious right up against her pretties?

Our lamp is very close to the colors in her lamp and I can only imagine that yummy color complementing this space.

Ah those blue and whites doeth abound in her space while I continue to swoon over that lovely golden paint color.

Here’s more of the same blue, white and brown in my space but I’m beginning to visualize our walls in the family room this very same color.

Isn’t her bed just lovely? She has all the colors blended together to make the perfect happily ever after for me!

And she even provided the paint color on her tour. It’s Sherwin Williams Blonde. We were meant to be together.

Thank you Rhoda!

Open House Around The Blogosphere

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Julia over at Hooked On Houses is hosting a house tour for our Fantasy Open House around the Blogosphere.

Welcome to our home we just sold back in TX

Snow In Texas – Didn’t happen that often

Hubby let me pick out that paint for the front door!

Foyer

Foyer

Living Room – To the left of the foyer

Hall – To the right of the foyer leading into the family room

Family Room View 1 .

Family Room View 2

Kitchen – Divided by the bar into the family room

Dining Room

Dining Room – View from the stairs

Bedroom View 1

Bedroom – View 2

Bathroom

A sunset taken from our home up on a little hill.

Note: I’ll be adding an inspiration post tomorrow taken from one of the tours today! She’s given me permission to use her photos and I’ll be adding a few more of my own so you get a better idea. I’m so excited as I now have a paint color for our family room! We’re still working on the floor plan so it’s gonna be a while yet for our new home to be built. So come back tomorrow for another visit to see my inspiration!

And The Winner Is

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I am pleased to announce the winner of my very first drawing giveaway!The winner is ~ Nancy Pants – Life Is like a Lunchbox and here is the photo I selected.

I would like to extend a great big THANK YOU to all of you who participated.This was so much fun and I truly was amazed with the range of choices.With so many great photos, I wanted ALL of you to win!

Congratulations, Miss Nancy Pants!  You may sit back, relax and wait for your drawing to arrive.

Gallery Days and Giveaways

Due to the overwhelming response of my first drawing giveaway, I will be doing it again in the very near future!Stay tuned for the next one and keep taking all of those amazing photos.

Art Giveaway Ends This Weekend

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For anyone who wanted to post pictures for the drawing has through the rest of the weekend to get them posted, see Free Art Giveaway for details. I will be announcing the winner Monday. I’m astonished with all the pictures I have to choose from as every single one of you has posted some of the most amazing photography, Thank YOU!