Christmas Eve 2011

Wishing you and your loved ones a MeRRy ChRistmas!

Chiseler's hanging out before the festivities begin.

Christmas Inspiration

The sights and sounds of Christmas come alive when you're surrounded with festive decor. To feed my need for inspiration, I paid Mary a visit at Home Again.

Mary has a natural gift for turning the ordinary into extraordinary. If she were a window dresser in New York City, she'd be making some serious cash.

Every time you walk into her store, you never know what you're going to see because her inventory changes all the time. That's what I love about Home Again. 

A knickknack here, a knickknack there, everywhere you turn there's something new. This little birdhouse is quite charming. What a unique color.

Dinner, anyone?

~A bit of silver with a splash of sparkle~

~Snow white~

Bring on the scones.

Merry Christmas!

Berwick Lights 2011

It's that time of year when everyone takes in the Berwick Lights along Market Street in Berwick, Pennsylvania. The charming display of Christmas decorations is sure to delight both young and old alike.  

 

Outsider artwork is the term that comes to mind when I look at this cute, little snowman.

In its 65th year, the Berwick Jaycees put on a magnificent Christmas display. 

~A little baby ice skating~

~Another "outsider" snowman~

~An angel in sparkles and gold~



~Two deer in the woods~

~One of the Wise Men from the East~

~A little scare for Christmas~

~An elf working on his laptop computer~

~The school on Market Street~

And may we never forget the meaning of Christmas.

Cover Artwork on Connections Magazine, December 2011

~cover image used with the permission of Connections Magazine~

I'd like to thank everyone at Connections Magazine for choosing my Primitive Snowman With Garland painting for the cover of their December 2011 issue. This is the fourth time that my artwork has been chosen for the cover of Connections Magazine, and I'm truly honored.

To learn more about Connections Magazine and my artwork, click here.

A Primitive Glow

My friend Mary, owner of Home Again, gave me this "snow cream" scented candle made by A Primitive Glow in West Virginia. I'm always picky when it comes to candles because most of them don't deliver when it comes to quality. "Snow cream" is a very robust scent that reminds me of a sugar cookie. This candle definitely delivers when it comes to the scent, so much so that John and I started craving sweets at 10 p.m. last night.

I'm so glad I bought two of the mini hand-poured candles for Christmas gifts. I might just have to go back and buy more.

Home Again For The Holidays

Fresh, crisp, warm, and inviting are the words that come to mind when I shopped at Home Again this afternoon. Mary, the owner of this lovely store located at 69 Main Street in Luzerne, has a way with decorating and pulling everything together.

Mary has a natural flair for window dressing, and the inside of her store is even that much better.

Around every little corner, you'll find something new.

I picked up some of these adorable hand-poured candles in the luscious "snow cream" scent by the West Virginia company called A Primitive Glow. Thanks for the large candle, Mary! I can't wait to fire that baby up. It's sitting on my desk right now.

~A pinecone in the warm glow~

~A lonely, little pinecone lying on its side~

~The smile of a primitive snowman just hanging out~

~Berries in front of a stained glass backdrop~

~An evening dress of days gone by~

~Thoughts of peace and tranquility~

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially at Cloe & Company in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. To read more about this new store, click here.

Donna did a fabulous job decorating her store for the Christmas shopping season. Walking through the front door, you're immediately taken into a unique shopping experience.

Cloe & Company supports local artists and all US companies by purchasing over 90% of  goods domestically.  Donna is also a talented baker and makes her own herbal, organic loose teas.

I purchased her 100% organic oatmeal raisin cookies, and they are to die for. Her pumpkin bread looks delicious.

Cloe & Company has something for everyone. 

Wall decor, clothing, accessories, jewelry, and handcrafted items can all be found at this quaint, little boutique.

I'm thrilled to be represented by Cloe & Company. Perfect for children and adults alike, my paper mache star-shaped ornaments also work well as wall decor.

Cloe & Company also carries my line of miniature framed art prints.  Be sure to stop by to see all the Christmas mini art prints that I just dropped off today.

I also dropped off this lovely hand-painted wooden box, which features one of my primitive snowmen. The words "peace" and "joy" are also painted on all four sides. 

Merry Christmas!

In The Style of Piet Mondrian

Teaching students about the primary colors is a great way to introduce them to Dutch artist Piet MondriaN (1872 -1944). To learn more about Mr. Mondrian, click here.

I've used this art project for students in kindergarten through college. It doesn't matter what age they are, the students automatically take a liking to this project.

Of course, students always put their own spin on things. And that's the beauty of art. The artwork above shows one of my students who titled her piece Give a Hand to Piet Mondrian. Now there's a creative thinker.

The piece of artwork above is a miniature Mondrian. The student titled this piece Mini Mondrian.

The artwork above incorporates a little bit of patriotism into the picture. Notice the red, white, and blue background.

In the style of Piet Mondrian, Yves Saint Laurent created his "Mondrian" day dress in 1965. See more about that here. So, what have you seen lately in the style of Piet Mondrian?