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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Happy Pink Saturday/Breast Cancer Awareness

Welcome. I am so happy that you stopped by. My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit, have a cup of tea and relax while I share with you inspirations for my paintings. This week I am very happy to participate in Pink Saturday's Breast Cancer Awareness weekend.

As a nine year breast cancer survivor I am thankful and committed to use my art to help raise money to find a cure.


Please join me for a "pink" tea party to celebrate. I just picked the last of my pink roses and would love to share them with you. My Our Lady of Guadalupe pink roses were just waiting for you to stop by.






Bentley, my Studio Assistant, is in the garden looking for pink roses.



Finding inspiration . . . . .




Here . . . .




There . . . . .




Everywhere . . . . . .




Rose painting inspired by pink roses.





Inpatients and Cosmos are still blooming.








There is power in united prayer to find a cure for breast cancer.


Jesus said " Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them". Mt:18:20. Let's all join together as we celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month to pray for a cure.





Please visit the Pink Saturday blogs celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month at

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Thank you for stopping by. I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, comments and those who are following my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special.
Happy Pink Saturday. Have a lovely week. Blessings, Erin





Thursday, September 23, 2010

Fall Harvest Inspirations


Welcome. I am so happy that you stopped by. My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of tea while I share with you inspirations for my paintings. I have been working on some little Fall Welcome signs to donate to a fall fund raiser.


The Fall harvest in Southern California repeated some beautiful heirloom pumpkins and gourds that can be found at Roger's Gardens. Let's take a look around at some of their beautiful pumpkin displays and look for inspirations for a Harvest Welcome sign. My mums and sunflowers are in full bloom in the garden and Bentley, my helpful Studio Assistant, will show you our our Fall flowers.



"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:7-9

Pots of Sunflowers waiting to be planted in the garden.


Finding inspiration . . . . .

Old goat cart filled with pumpkins at Roger's Gardens.
Beautiful bronze mums.

Here . . . . There . . . .



The carts of pumpkins, mums and sunflowers were the inspirations for the new fall paintings.


Everywhere . . . .






A different version - this time I put the pumpkins in the cart surrounded with the mums and painted the Sunflowers sitting in pot on the ground.




Beautiful pots planted with Fall colors at Roger's always inspire my art.





Thank you for stopping by. I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, comments and those who follow my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special.

Have a lovely week. Blessings, Erin

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Happy Fall With A Tour of Roger's Gardens

Welcome. I am so happy that you stopped by. Finally, Fall officially arrives this week and what better time to take you on a little tour of my favorite Garden Shop, Roger's Gardens. Roger's is located in Newport Beach, California on 5 acres of beautiful gardens filled with lush flowers, food specialities, a potting shed, fabulous outdoor furniture and an art gallery. I participated in my very first out door art show at Roger's and the garden has always had a special place in my heart. Bentley, my Studio Assistant, is all ready to take you on a tour - let's go look for Fall Inspirations.









"God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment" I Timothy 6:17





The garden is filled with lots of fall colors this time of year.













































Thank you for stopping by. I love hearing from your and sincerely appreciate your visits, comments and those who are following my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special.



Have a lovely week. Blessings, Erin




Sunday, September 12, 2010

Getting Ready for Fall with a Scare Crow Painting

Welcome. I am so happy that you stopped by. My garden gate is always open for you to come in, sit and relax and sip a cup of tea while I share inspirations for my painting. Would you like to paint a fall Welcome Scare Crow painting with me?


Bentley, my helpful Studio Assistant, is already in the garden looking for fall inspirations. It is a little early in Southern California for our change of season, even though Fall is right around the corner. I was able to find some "faux fall inspirations, stored away from last year. I call my stash "early fall gatherings"



"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens."
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Finding inspiration . . . . . .
Early Fall Gatherings



Here . . . . There . . . . .


I like to start my early Fall decorating in my garden.



The little welcome scare crow has been around for several years and I like to find a new place for him every year. The little garden grouping will be the inspiration for our Welcome painting.

Everywhere . . . . .


You are welcome to copy my drawing if you would like to paint along with me.



I have red and blue accents in my garden and decided to use blues and red in my painting. I always paint the entire painting with a light coat of paint to get the feel of the colors before I start darkening up the painting. That way, if you do not like the colors, it is easy to change your color direction.


I paint with water based acrylic paints as they are non toxic. I like to use Liquitex paints. I base coated the entire canvas before I sketched the painting. Once you have decided on your colors paint in your darks first and then high light the lights. I use two screw eye hooks on the back of the canvas and tie a coordinating ribbon to use as a hanger. I also put on 3 coats of a matt - non yellowing varnish on the canvas to protect it from the sun. You can paint on a board, piece of slate or purchase a canvas or wooden plaque from your local craft store. Michael's and Joanne Fabrics carries wooden plaques.



The completed painting.




I call these little paintings "Door Hangers" as they are perfect to hang on your door or garden gate. They also look adorable on a picket fence.



Have fun and enjoy your Fall "Door Hanger".


Thank you for stopping by. I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, comments and those who follow my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special for Fall.

Have a lovely week. Blessings, Erin