Lovely Spring Flowers...

Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words. They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of their character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning. ~Lydia M. Child

Bluebirds...

The last few bluebirds have flown so quickly... I put another one in the shop just in case someone needs him.

New Boxes in the Etsy Shop...

See them here.

The Ordinary Princess...

When the fairies descend on the the castle after the birth of the seventh little princess, one of them gives her the gift to be ordinary. Is being ordinary a curse, or is the fairy a wise fairy who has given the little princess something very precious?

I am just a little bit into this book, but I think it's so cute. It has darling illustrations every few pages and it is so imaginative and fun.

Easter Flowers...

Sydney Poitier...

Since I have been painting so much recently, I havn't seen much TV. But when my mother told me that Sydney Poitier was going to be on Oprah, I knew I didn't want to miss that. However, I was bit disappointed with the program. It touched on some good things. It was mentioned how Mr. Poitier was able to become an actor. With only two years of formal education, he could barely read and he was helped to learn by a man that worked in a cafe with him. He instinctively knew that he needed to do away with his accent and much like Grace Kelly and Julie Andrews coached himself in diction by listening carefully to a man on the radio whose voice he admired. Those things show determination and enabled him to be a centerpiece in some very imporatant moments in American history.

In 1963, he was the first black actor to win the Oscar. That year gave him the opportunity to make 3 landmark films in 1967: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? To Sir With Love & In The Heat of the Night. I think these films are three of the best films in American film and all made in a single year.

Our country, while it still suffers bigotry and other problems was a different place in 1967 and I believe that these films made a difference. They made a difference to me. I didn't know a single black person, not one. But I had seen Guess Who's Coming to Dinner & I had seen To Sir With Love many times. I was a fan of Sydney Poitier.

Fast forward with me a little to 2005. My girlfriend Karen invites me to the Rose Wagener theater in SLC where Karen, a Canadian citizen, will be sworn in as an American citizen. She has jumped thorugh a lot of hoops to be able to achieve this and as I am driving to the city, I am really excited for her.

The ceremony is lovely, patriotic and very touching. In the end, the officiating judge points out the we have new citizens from something like 60 different nations. He asks if any of them would like to say something. Several of them spoke and they said beautiful things, but it was this tall black man from Africa that said what impressed me the most. He said that when he fled his native land, he had been offered the opportunity to settle in several differenent nations. He mentioned that he could have gone to England, Ireland or Poland, but he was desparate to come to America instead. He said that if he had become a citizen of one of those other countries, he could live there all his life, but he would still be an alien from another country. He said, "Today, as I have taken this oath, I am an American."

The work of Sydney Poitier is important because it asks us to look at the heart of a person, to find the humanity, beauty and grace in every kind of people without prejudice.

As I sat in the Rose Wagener Theater with tears in my eyes after the man from Africa had finished speaking, I looked around that room. People from 60 different nations had become citizens of the United States of America that day and I thought... Look at him.. he fits right in.

The Princess and the Pea...

I must apologize because I have posted about this book before. However, the more I read this book, the more it becomes even more of a favorite. The Princess & The Pea has always been a favorite fairy story, but Lauren Child's intelligent, charming and fun writing adds so much. Then, the pages are mesmerizing. Remembering that the back drops are made from corn flake boxes and each little something inside is itty bitty, I could stare at each page forever. There is so much imagination in them and so much that inspires imagination and creativity. Little c gets lots of ideas about things to make and I have had a few myself. And if that wasn't enough, there is this perfect message. A message that maybe 9-16 year olds girls or maybe even girls from 1-100 need to be reminded of... The following is an excerpt from the book:

The king and the queen said, "The thing is, our dear son, what you are really looking for is a real princess, and a real princess is a rare thing indeed." "They do not grow on trees," said the king. "No, no they do not," said the queen. "You see," said the king, "a real princess is not only mesmerizingly beautiful and facinatingly interesting, but most important of all..." "She has manners," said the queen. "No one should ever travel without them," said the king.

The more I read this book, the more I am glad to read it. It is a wonderful message for me too because who doesn't want to be a real princess after all.

Two little maids from school are we...

These two little maids are in the Etsy Shop today. And, I am painting more eggs... don't ask... it's an addiction. Have a happy day!

Note to Michelle, Beth and all other sewer friends... I think you will be interested in this post.

Boo is back...

Right Boo? See her new posts here.

Studio Happenings...

I wanted to show you this cute jacket that I ordered from Harold's. They are having a lovely sale. This is in the "Outer Wear" section of the sale section. I was going to post a pic from their site, but they won't let me... and I was going to post a link, but it wouldn't let me do that either...and their pic isn't very cute anyway. I never find clothes that I like that also actually fit me and are flattering. I love this color. And, the jacket has princess seams front and back which I also love.
I finished a couple more Kokeshi dolls today. They will be in one of the shops sometime tomorrow.
Little c painted me this lovely watercolor for my inspiration clothesline. I love that spring green, blue sky and bright sunshine... not to mention the pretty flowers. Little c is my favorite artist ever! Whenever I see paintings done by children I think of how Picasso wanted to be able to paint like a child again. His parents may not have been happy to hear that since he painted all over their walls all the time, but look at this picture with the customary bright yellow sun... it just makes you happy to think of a day like that. ... Then, look at this. A few weeks ago, I was the recipient of a beautiful package of lovely things from my friend Kerri whose husband recently returned from serving our country 16 months in Iraq. He returned safely for which we are profoundly grateful. Kerri sent me this lovely cross that was made in the Middle East. Thank you Kerri. I will treasure this gift. As I was looking at it today, I was thinking that before the Savior, this symbol must have been one of great fear. Now it is a reminder of one who was able to rise above all things, even death... the entire point of Easter.
May He watch over all of us and especially our soldiers and their families, who also sacrifice so much. We have so many friends & family who either are or have been involved in this current conflict. We are grateful for, mindful of and praying for each one.

Thought I was finished with eggs...

...but I decided that I needed yellow too!

Three Weeks With My Brother...

I am just about finished with this book. It has not been really great writing, but instead follows what makes Nicholas Sparks so popular; he knows how to move a story along. I found the arrangment of the story going back and forth between a trip around the world and his life experience very compelling.

Pretty...

See them here.

More Easter Eggs...

I finished a few of the medium sized eggs and 3, including the one above that I really quite liked, are available here in the new Etsy Shop.

A New Song... For a Bluebird..

Sing unto the Lord a new song... Isaiah 42:10...

Polka Spotted Sugar Eggs...

Medium size polka-spotted sugar eggs will be available here on Saturday.

Preen...

I love products that save time and this is one of the best. I like to garden, but I hate the daily battle with weeds. In my garden this product has cut my weeding by about %70. All you have to do is shake some over your beds once every six weeks. I put the first application on yesterday after giving the beds a good weeding. I will have to weed really well again for the ones that have come to seed and then its just here and there for the rest of the summer because of this great stuff. It even helps with field bind weed which was bothing me so much that I was having nightmares that it grew up the side of the house into my room and wrapped itself around my neck! I hate that stuff. Anyway, I felt like the last to know about this and so I want to make sure that all of you know... it's really great and they are not even paying to say so.

Look at all my gold...

Daffodils
William Wordsworth 1770-1850
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed–and gazed–but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.
My "host" consists of about 15, but still...

I'm sorry, I had to post the poem, but it must be done once a year and this is the time for it.
Amazing... miracles to see everywhere you look.

Double Rainbow...

Son't miss Vanessa's double rainbow. See it here! Oh gloriousness!

Thanks to everyone...

Yesterday was really fun!

And the winner is....

Lorinda!!! Many Congratulations! And, thanks to everyone for coming over for a visit. Please come again... and be watching! There will be a giveaway every couple weeks. :)

Blue Birdie is back and so it's a Giveaway Day!!!

The prize is going to be 3 little boxes...
...from my new collection of sugar eggs. They are tiny and difficult to photograph, but I think if you click on these pictures that you will be able to get the idea. I love the concept of eggs made of sugar with a tiny scene inside.
To enter this little giveaway drawing, all you need to do is comment on this post. If you are wondering if you are welcome to enter... don't ask. You are very welcome! :)
Some of these tiny egg boxes will be showing up in my shops sometime tomorrow... See them here & here. You are welcome to enter as soon as you see this post. Entries will be admitted until midnight tomorrow EST. Good Luck to one & all!!!

What a difference a day makes...

My lovely forcythia bloomed out in all it's glory. Forcythia is like the golden trumpet announcing the arrival of spring. I love it! My brother-in-law says that when you see the forcythia bloom, that is the time to put the fertilizer on the lawn. I am not an expert gardener myself, I did kill the lilac that I planted... it may have died of kindness because I worried over it so much, however this forcythia grew to be 10 feet tall in 3 years with no fuss. Maybe it has the perfect spot, I don't know. It makes me so happy.
It was a quiet afternoon around here yesterday, because everyone else went fishing and so I was able to accomplish a lot on these Easter boxes... which cross your fingers, I will be showing you tonight as part of the Wednesday giveaway. They will also be available here & here.
This was not made yesterday, but I love this painting. I think I have a little Matisse in my family.
This came in the mail. It is so lovely inside. I always look forward to the holiday issues.
So then, I was inspired and finally got all the Valentines down and most of the Easter stuff up. I really want something like this, which would really improve on all the blah paint I have going on down here, but I need the colors to be brighter, ofcourse.
If you happen to be up really late, swing by here again and you will be able to sign up for the Wednesday Giveaway that will go through tomorrow. Have a happy day.

Do not miss Mo's post ... The Politics of War...

See it here.

A few things that have captured my eye...

I was taking down the Valentine stuff yesterday... I know it's really late to be doing that, but look at my pretty flower from C... it's still so lovely.
Look at these colors! This is why I cannot resist Easter candy.
Look what is about to burst forth in glory! I love spring. I am going to be painting away today. I have this fab idea for little boxes inspired by those fun sugar eggs with the pictures inside. Have a happy spring day. It is looking like the next giveaway will probably be Wed. so be watching and if I hurray, you might be the first to get one of my new sugar egg boxes...

Tonights Winner is...

Carrie J. Congratulations!!!

Thanks so much to everyone for participating! There will be one more drawing next week... so be watching!!!

Happy Weekend!

The Friday Giveaway Drawing...

Welcome to that last giveaway post for awhile. I may possibly do one more tiny one next week just because one thing that I was expecting did not arrive in time and it's just so great that I don't want you all to miss out... so be watching.

This giveaway features one of my black lacquer boxes and one of Beth's Market Bags. Beth's Market Bags are just lovely. They are also tough and practical. They can carry a lot of weight and they wipe clean inside and out. Beth also sent along a matching belt and so the winner will have two fun pieces. Notice Beth's cute new label!My mother, grandmother and aunts love black lacquer furniture and all things Asian, which is the inspiration for these little boxes. These boxes don't really have much of an Asian feel to them, but I love how the black lacquer makes such an amazing background for color. I love these boxes and have made them part of my standard repertoire. I hope the winner will love them too. If you like this box and don't happen to win, watch my shops because the black lacquer boxes appear fairly often.

When I started painting Love Boxes, the main idea was to paint a pretty box and then add pretty words. I wanted to meld my interest in the visual arts and my love of reading and of beautiful words together. Finding the perfect quote, or writing the perfect quote to go inside is often part of the challenge of making these little boxes. But, when they are finished, I feel that they make a gift that can really have meaning to the person who receives them. And, no matter how much or how little someone has, they can always use an expression of love. The inside of this box reads..."love brings bewitching grace into the heart... Euripides..."

I really appreciate everyone for participating in my little giveaway week. I am so excited! I have always wanted to have my own little shop and I think this one is small enough that I can just manage it. I also really appreciate all of the "word of mouth" advertising that many of you have done to help out. Thanks so much! I am really grateful... so please don't keep my new little shop a secret... please tell everyone you know and visit often.

www.handpaintedloveboxes.etsy.com

As before, any little comment on this post will enter you in Fridays drawing, which will end at Midnight EST. You are welcome to enter as soon as this is posted & and everyone is welcome to enter so if you'd like to tell a friend.. no need to ask permission. I would love it!

Good Luck to Everyone!

Lindsey is the Winner of Thursday's Giveaway!

Fairies In The Making...

Paint the little fairies...
Blow on some pixie dust...
...and add wings

These will be available in the new Etsy Shop sometime Friday...