ANNETTE'S ART

Art breakthrough . . .

2011-07-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

Not that I had a block or anything, but suddenly I feel very comfortable painting what I love. I suppose that practicing over and over and over helps a lot!

New art video . . .

2011-06-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

So, I've tried a bunch of times to link my new youtube art video to this blog, but for some computer-illiterate reason, I can't get it to work. So, go down to the bottom of my blog and on the right there is a link to my youtube videos. Click on there and go to my new video. It was really fun to make.

Today -and yesterday's birds

2011-03-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Today was not as wonderful as yesterday and I don't really know why. I think it was the birds. As I was driving home yesterday, I noticed some little brown birds at the side of the road. They were flitting and fluttering in a little puddle of water right at the side of the road. It was near lots of traffic, but they just were having the time of their little bird lives. I think they really had something there. We all need to take a bird bath by the side of our roads that drive us mad, the roads we all have to drive during rush hour, the roads that pretty much lead us nowhere, but that we have to drive anyway. Thanks little birds.

Art dolls!

2010-06-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was young, I have loved making dolls. When my sister and I would go to the city library right by our home, she would check out a pile of books to read and I would check out doll making books! Here are my most recent tries at doll making!

See my new art listed on ebay!

2010-02-26T23:21:00.001-08:00

I wonder if your favorite is mine too!

Jane Filer Art

2010-01-03T14:38:00.000-08:00

This lady's work is awesome! I love the way she paints and the results!

Christmas soon will be here!

2009-12-14T19:29:00.000-08:00

These lovely angels are here to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! They are up for grabs on ebay! Thanks for a great year everyone. I am very happy to know that this great community of art lovers and artists are here at my fingertips. It is wonderful to read your blogs, see your art, read your posts and share this experience here on this beautiful earth we all share.

Do you ever . . . . ?

2009-12-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

Do you ever just feel like stopping painting? or whatever you love to do? Are you ever just burned out for a minute, or a couple of days? You just feel like there is nothing left to create inside your head. Nothing left to spill out on the paper? I have felt like this on and off. Then it happens. An idea, or an inspiration comes from seeing other people out there in cyber land. I see something in nature. I hear something in my head or see something outside myself and I slip right back into the ease of painting. I have to go paint. I keep doing it. I can't stop. It is like a habit - biting your fingernails, holding your blanky (as a baby) - you just can't stop. And there I am again, painting, drawing, imagining what the next work of art will be. It is an amazing journey. It holds twists and turns in the road, but the views are awesome and the path is never boring!

2009-12-08T20:19:00.001-08:00

Here is one of my favorite artists!

New Ebay listings . . . It's about time!

2009-11-28T23:18:00.001-08:00

I am so grateful to be able to walk downstairs to my new studio to paint and create! Things seem to be getting back to normal for me and I have so much to be thankful for!

2009-10-14T21:16:00.000-07:00

For my man

Daylight ebbing,
Night falling,
Kids calling,
Dinner settling,
Air crisp and colder
Sunrise gone
Night is long
But still you hold me,
believe in me
Like the sun that rises,
You are there.

Soo, I am back to work

2009-09-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

After the whole hospital stay and recovery (which is still in effect I guess) I am going back to work tomorrow.

A couple days before my accident, my husband and I arranged all my art stuff in one room downstairs with two lovely windows to let in great light and it is so roomy and everything is organized. Since my accident I have probably spent 3 hours in my studio. I cry when I go down there because I am grateful for one more day to paint, one more day to love my kids, one more day to cuddle with my hubby, one more day to see the beautiful sunshine streaming in my window, one more day to pet my dog, Ben. Here he is. He doesn't look like the type of dog to pull you down the deck stairs, does he?

Things are going well, but I'm getting frustrated at all the hobbling around in crutches I have to do.

Dear Friends

2009-08-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I have had an eventful week. After taking my dog outside with a long leash and allowing him to pull me off balance down my deck stairs, many things happened since then. I have also learned a few things . . .

We went to the emergency to see if I broke any bones (found out later I just sprained my knee)
Slept all day the next day with ice on and off my knee
Called 911 the next day when I broke out in a cold sweat, breathing very hard and my hands and feet started to turn numb. I had been taking a walk around the house with my crutches
Stayed in the hospital for 4 days with blood clots in my lungs - ouch
Found out through sonogram of my heart, that I have a heart murmur
I am home now, hobbling around on crutches
My family is the most awesome caring family
My friends and neighbors are wonderful, caring people
Hospitals and technology are amazing
People who are emergency technicians, nurses, and doctors should be applauded - they saved my life

All this seems like too much information to post here on my art site. I hesitate to post it, because it seems crazy to me that so much can happen in so little time and what good will it do you, followers and buddies online?

I would just like to encourage everyone to thank a person who smiles at you. Help a person who needs you. Give a lift to a person who cannot reach. Notice the colors of a nurse's shirt. Notice the fragrance that your friend is wearing today. You never know when your time to leave this world will be. I am grateful to have more time on this beautiful planet, to share this message with you. The sun shone through my window today and today it is different than last week. I value that sunshine a little more today. It is more beautiful than ever. . .

Thanks to God for sparing my life, for He is ultimately in control of what will happen. He is the divine creator of us all. I give Him and His Son the glory of all these beautiful things in life and my abilities to perceive them.

2009-08-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a watercolor on eBay right now. It is in a group of watercolors. They already have bids, so I guess that these were a good idea. I used to do watercolors all the time. I love them. This one tells you to follow your heart. I wonder what that really means? Do you just do what you want? Is it really truly diving deep into your soul and searching for what your heart yearns for? Is it asking God for the best for you? He does know what is best, after all, He created us. I think that God wants me to become me and make those decisions though. If I let Him do it all, then I don't learn who I am. A little philosophical today. I think it is that I do not want the summer to end.

Here is another painting that is on eBay right now. I think I captured a thoughtful mood. I had a lot of fun doing this one. I am going back to teaching school in a week and a half. Training next week. I hope that I can keep posting art at least once a week when school starts. I hope, I hope, I hope. Sometimes it is all a little too much and I don't get much art done. We will see.

Baby Angel

2009-08-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest attempt at painting a face. I really like how this little baby turned out. I have painted a couple of babies in honor of my little Baby Michael who left this world before he was even born. I was 5 months along in my pregnancy when we discovered he had died. I am so grateful for my other wonderful children, but this little baby always will have a spot in my heart.

Here are the latest paintings I listed on ebay!

2009-07-25T20:22:00.001-07:00

Summer . . .

2009-07-15T03:03:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, it is right now. I think about time and how it swiftly moves, it's wings wafting carelessly over our heads without any desire to slow. We watch and can't help but stare, hoping with our hearts and minds that time would land one day on the porch, by the swing hanging there, ready for us to lounge in. But sadly, time wafts on, carrying on, lifted higher by breezes we cannot see and by winds we cannot feel. Time is the enemy of artists. We create and time goes by, we paint and time laughs at our efforts. We try again and again, but time changes everything, from our styles, to our supplies, to our subjects. Time molds us into artists that we never knew we could be. Time . . . what does it mean to you?

Here are two more on ebay!

2009-07-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Well, here are two more paintings that I listed on ebay tonight. . .

And this next one is a result of being inspired to try cardboard as a painting surface! I got inspired by Mystele from Little Glimpses Studio. Click on her name to go to her blog if you want to see her beautiful art and her cardboard creative creations in paint! (Thanks, Mystele, I love working on cardboard!)

New pieces on ebay!

2009-07-13T17:25:00.001-07:00

Here are some new folk art angel paintings I just listed on ebay!

Four Angels on Ebay!

2009-07-06T13:14:00.001-07:00

This fun angel display is currently on ebay,
starting at $.99! Sorry Sold!

You can watch me paint two of the
angels on my last video I posted.
(Scroll all the way to the bottom
of my blog and it is posted there -
or go to my youtube channel
and see it there)

watercolors - lovelies on Etsy

2009-07-06T02:38:00.001-07:00

Here are some of my new tiny watercolor sketches on Etsy!

A poem I wrote

2009-07-04T02:12:00.000-07:00

When the night
is dark and ebony
breezes blowing
crickets chirping,
I think of you,
reaching to me
from years past
from memories in my mind
from photos in my book
silently watching me paint
as the night grows late
I feel the breeze on my cheek
and know you are there

Here is an impressionistic floral I finished . . .

2009-07-02T21:08:00.001-07:00

I gave this painting to my sister-in-law for
her birthday . . . lots of birthdays lately . . .

More New Art . .

2009-07-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

This painting is in my daughter's room.

When I was finished with it, she wouldn't let me sell it.

New Art

2009-07-02T18:26:00.001-07:00

Here is a new collage painting. I really like this one!

And here is a folk art angel painting on a paper mache box. I gave this to my niece for her birthday. Birthdays are wonderful aren't they?

Blog Award

2009-06-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Micah, for this "Dahling" award. I love it!

There are so many blogs that I love, that it is hard to choose, but I will choose a few. These ladies really inspire me. Here they are:

Abigail Halpin - a wonderful illustrator whose art I adore

Ann Gardner - a painter of whimsical girls - I love her art

Julie King - a super creative soul who inspires me all the time with her beautiful artwork and now photos

Check these great blogs out!

Lazy Sunday

2009-06-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

I finished the fourth book in the Fablehaven series. (I am reading it with my 12 year old, so don't tell him a read ahead.) If you like Harry Potter, you will like this series. I love fantasy novels like this. I can't wait for the 5th book. It is supposed to be the concluding book.

Three new paintings listed on ebay!

2009-06-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

(Well, this one isn't quite new. I already listed it on Etsy. After I put it on Ebay, I remembered I had listed it on Etsy and had to quickly take it off. Oh, the life of an artist!)

Here are three new paintings listed on Ebay today. Let me know which is your favorite!

Here's my new art video - painting folk art angels

2009-06-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Well friends, I am having a great time making these videos. I love watching them back even - I'm a little obsessed. You know, the summer has been a good one so far. I think that when you have time that you usually don't have - I am not teaching for the summer - that sometimes you squander it. I am trying not to do that. I am trying to do something for my family each day that counts, and some art each day, and I'm trying to get some exercise in. But I must say, I was up way too late last night posting this video. My computer takes too long! Well, happy viewing!

I tried in this video to show how I draw the faces. I haven't really showed that in other videos and I love the process. It is like how I image God creates, (on a very different scale of course) but in a way, it reminds me of that. When I begin to draw a face, the face takes on its own life. The girl or angel, or whoever I am drawing, becomes a personality for me. I love to watch it unfold. It happens without any planning on my part. I draw and draw and draw. I fill up sketchbook after sketchbook and there is never a face that is the same. It is like that with human beings. We are all God's children and we are all unique. What is amazing is that He knows us and that He loves us each one.

More new paintings!

2009-06-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here is my heavy textured wing angel! Nothing like a little tissue paper to liven up your paintings!

Another angel! Which do you like best? Let me know in comments!

Here are some paintings I just put on Etsy! Yeah summer!

2009-06-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is a mixed media painting of a girl. Follow the brightest star!

This is a collage painting that is sealed in beeswax. It has pressed flowers and leaves in it. I really love the pressed flowers and the beeswax together.

Sing To The Top of Your Lungs!

2009-06-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a video that shows me painting my newest favorite mixed media collage painting!

School is almost out!

2009-05-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

Well, school is almost out and I am happily looking forward to sleeping in time!

THINKING, thinking, thinking . . .

2009-01-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

Well, my New Year's resolution to keep this blog up is not happening. I guess I need to make a January 19th, Martin Luther King resolution. I need to keep my blog up so much better than this!!!
I have lots of art to post, just can't seem to settle down to post it. I need to focus, and center, and breathe.

I am so full of ideas and struggles in teaching right now that when I get a day that is free, I just space out and relax and stress that all I am doing is relaxing. What good is relaxing and being lazy when you feel guilty about it?

I feel like I should be making art every day!!! Every day!! But I have a new puppy now and so I seem to have very little time.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-20T15:14:00.000-08:00

Well, today is my first day off of my two week break from school! My goal is to post a new youtube video and to get with it on my blog!!!

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Art is about saying something with color, line, space, shape, form, etc. Something you can't say with words. Georgia Okeefe, said this in a quote. I love her pieces. I love to paint close up florals also.

I love to paint and experiment with color, paper, collage, etc. I don't know what I want to say yet. Is that strange? I don't know what to say. Do you really need a cause? Do you really have to say something with your art? Can you just paint for the pure pleasure of painting? I had this same question when I wanted to write books and articles. I had to read a book for work one year. It was an Ayn Rand book. To me, her books have such a statement of her philosophy, I was sure that she saw writing with that in mind. She wanted to pursuade others to her point of view through her art of writing. I loved her style, but not always what she believed it. I enjoyed her book for her style of writing. But "having" to read it for work turned me off to her ideas even.

I think in art that you should be able to paint for the pleasure of painting, like a child. Children paint and draw because it is fun. They want to succeed in drawing a picture. They LOVE to draw and paint. They have no motive or purpose. They have to theme unless you impose it on them.

I believe I paint as a child, just because it is pleasurable. I don't want to paint for any reason. I don't want to paint for a cause. I want to paint because it is fun and beautiful when I am finished. I don't want to have to think about saying something with my art.

What do you think? Should I try to say something with my art? It is such a great opportunity to do so.

Do you say things with your paintings? Do you have an agenda?

I don't want one. I want to paint because my art room calls out to me from the murky basement, beakoning me to leave the world of responsibility and to dive into the world of the unknown. How will this painting turn out? What will this one say? I do start out with a saying sometimes. Maybe that is painting around a meaning. Maybe I am all mixed up about this meaning thing.

Well, these are things to think about. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hahnakah, Nice Passover, or Happy Kwanza.

Once upon a time . . .

2008-11-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

I tell the students stories about their artwork right before they leave class. The whole class is quiet and listening. I start with "What if . . ." and then tell the story, putting in random students as I go. It is so fun. Their artwork usually comes to life and hides in their desks or goes sailing around their room until their teacher comes in and tells all artwork that they must return to their respective places and counts down. The artwork is always obedient. Perhaps I will let one escape next week. The students are all quiet and ready to go when their teacher comes to get them. It is awesome.

Halloween was very fun . . .

The election is over (Yay!!!)

My great hope is that Obama getting elected will heal wounds we have had in our country for ever so long.

Helena tagged me

2008-09-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

So, Helena tagged me and I've never done this before, but it looks like I have to list 6 things you normally wouldn't know about me.

So, here goes:

1 - I love watermelon

2 - I love to feel the air, wind, and breezes that float by to touch my face!

3 - I have an 88 year old grandmother who taught me how to make gnocchi (yum!)

4 - My son plays with my ear all the time - he has an ear fetish!

5 - I am a grandmother to one little baby and a step grandmother to another little baby and to two wonderful little ones.

6 - I wore casts on my legs when I was a baby, I believe it gave me ADD! But I completed a crawling program from the book Stopping ADHD and now I am more organized, remember things better, etc. But I still have a problem keeping my room organized!

I will list the blogs I tag in my next post because I must go tuck my son in bed! He is 11 and still loves me to tuck him in. I hope it lasts until he is 22! (Well, maybe not that long, but he is my baby!!!)

Teaching School

2008-09-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

Well, this year has been bliss for me so far. I went from grading an eternity of papers to painting and drawing with kids! I went from teaching a class students really do not like - rarely do they like English - to teaching a class they choose to take and really want to learn! Why is it that people love to learn art? I don't see many English grammar classes offered online, but I see tons of art classes offered online. People want to resuscitate the right side of their brains to keep them from atrophy!

I have had a great time so far in art classes. I hope that my students feel the same way!

Labor Day hope!

2008-08-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend was going to be filled with rushing about, going to a car show, staying at my sis-in-law's condo, but it is turning into a lazy, cleaning, organizing, painting weekend. I LOVE IT! I am resting from the first week of school - I teach art - and it has gone really well. I love teaching art. It is amazing what kids can do. I love getting back into teaching the little guys - last year I taught Junior High English and now I teach each grade level from 1st to 9th! It was an awesome week. I had the students in elementary write their own art quotes and illustrate them. They were awesome, from "Art is fun" to "Art is making a lot of mistakes" to "Art is art." Very profound.

I posted a new video to Youtube!

2008-08-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

Here I show how I make a paintng mostly in watercolor. I hope you like it!

Watercolor online folkart class?

2008-08-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

I was wondering if anyone out there would be interested in an online watercolor class to learn to make watercolor paintings like I do. I could teach watercolor techniques, materials, and work up videos to show these techniques. Send me an email or leave a comment here. I would appreciate it!
Annette

annidagostini@msn.com

My New Etsy Shop!

2008-08-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Well folks, I finally did it. I was up all night (literally) creating my new Etsy shop. School is starting soon and I thought it would be the easiest way to keep selling my art while I teach.

Here is an example of the prints I have for sale there:

They come on a 12" x 12" sheet like these, but I cut them up before shipping:

New art - Watercolors on ebay!

2008-08-09T12:37:00.001-07:00

Here are some new pieces I just listed on ebay!
Tell me what you think!

I think this one is my favorite:

What cool art techniques! TEXTURE!

2008-08-05T22:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a cool art video I found on youtube. Maybe you have seen it already! And I love his accent!

His art web page is www.garyreef.com
TEXTURE TEXTURE TEXTURE!

Here is one in which he tries out a marble effect. It is so cool.

I want to try this marbling with my art classes this coming year! It looks so cool!

And here is one about a dream he had. It was really interesting to see his art and how he is affected by some of the same artists I love. I loved his dream! To summarize if you don't want to listen to the whole thing, he had a dream where an art critic came to his studio and wanted to buy a really simple green balloon with a face on it! He asked what we thought the dream meant. I love the whole idea that an art critic would want the simplest form of art expression in his studio. I think that on ebay I get lots of reaction sometimes from my simplest watercolors. Maybe this is telling me something too!

And wow! How fun is this!!? He invited friends over for an art scanner party! All the images he shows in the major part of the video are made from a scanner! It is so cool!

Art on Ebay this week!

2008-08-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here is my art that I am posting on ebay on Monday! I hope you all like them. Let me know which is your favorite!

Anni

Wallpaper . . .

2008-08-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

For the past two days I have been wallpapering my daughter's room. I can't believe how easy it has been, other than it takes a lot of time. I have never wallpapered before! Can you believe it? I am 45 and have never wallpapered a room. It turned out really nice, although a little top heavy. The original wallpaper in the room would not come off without peeling off part of the sheetrock, so we just decided to paper over what we couldn't get off. I hope it all sticks!!! It was fun and her room looks like a young lady's room now instead of a little girl's room. It used to be pink with little flying fairies all over it. Now it is elegant with gold and blue and a beautiful border. I need to post some pics of it. Oh, the time, where does my time go?

Well, that's it for now. I am going to be posting new art soon. It is taking longer than I thought!

Anni

AARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!

2008-07-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

"I can't stand it! I just can't stand it!!!" -- Who said that? I think it was Charlie Brown. That's how I feel tonight! I sketched this wonderful angel who was delicate, beautiful, and unique!! I sketched her on my canvas, (trying canvas tonight) and by the time I'm done, she is a totally different creature! Why does that happen? I want the original angel I had planned. The other angel is ok, I like her, but I LOVED the sketch!!!!

Anyway, I'm going to be posting some art to ebay soon. And I have decided to put up some prints on etsy. They will be prints that I embellish with acrylic, shimmering, shiny, stuff. I hope that they turn out. They are really small, so I am wondering if I offer them at a small price if it will be worth it to put them on etsy, because I read that I have to post each individually. Perhaps I can sell them as a sheet, (they are printed on a large sheet). What do you think, Etsy people?

Another watercolor!

2008-07-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well this one turned out just like the girl in the painting wanted. She certainly is unique. I love painting this way! I never really know how things will turn out until I draw her on the paper. I have a vague idea of what I want to draw and paint, but usually the idea emerges as I draw. I love working this way.

Do you like this one? She is similar to the other girl holding stars and moons, etc.

An angel!

2008-07-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

This angel turned out, yay! The other one is still in my studio, looking at me with a sad expression because I deserted her. I will have to work on her and let you see the result, once I'm happy with it. I hope she doesn't turn into one of the ones I paint over!!

I really like the peacefulness of this one. I wondered if I should change the lettering to be more serious, like a cursive type. What do you think?

Fun from last night!

2008-07-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

I was trying to paint an angel which didn't turn out how I wanted it, so I stopped and started a watercolor. It's funny how this one turned out and I am still laboring over the angel.

I read so many blogs in which people post such important things. I feel like I am lucky to get my artwork posted. Oh, well. I am off to a new day and I feel good that I have some art to share.

Anni

Yippeee!

2008-07-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

My application for an art endorsement through my state office of education got approved!! I will get to teach art next year! They are sending me a letter to tell me what classes I will need to take to earn this endorsement. Meanwhile, through another program, I can teach while I am working on it!

I am amazed and happy. I know that God has given me this wonderful gift of teaching art this next year and I am sooo grateful.

Another Shakespeare!

2008-07-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I found a quote of Shakespeare's that I love. I found it in Michael deMeng's book, Secrets of Rusty Things. I loved it so much I had to include it in a painting. This one turned out so nice. I collaged the dress and had such a struggle with the apron! I tried so many versions in my mind. Finally I whitewashed the same paper that I had cut away. Now it looks like a sheer apron over a dress of the same pattern. I love the way it turned out. But it was hard to arrive at the right effect. The lettering is in pencil. There is gold paint on her hair, the sun, and the flowers, but you can't see it in my pictures. The edges of the board are collaged with dotted paper. I really like the way it looks. It is different than what I usually do. I usually use more muted colors, but this one is so bright and cheery.

The Taming of the Shrew

2008-07-19T19:06:00.001-07:00

I had to pry this painting out of my daughter's fingers to list it on ebay. She was in "The Taming of the Shrew" in a competition in her high school a couple of years ago. She was Kate. This painting shows a girl lost in thought because she is in the play. I am assuming that she is Kate also. The words from a 1966 copy of the play are collaged all around her to show how she is so absorbed by the play and her part that it is all she can think about. Her flowers are even collaged play words!!

I loved how she turned out. . . .

Here is one of my favorites!!

2008-07-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

This painting turned out so nice, my daughter (16) won't let me put it on ebay. It is hers.

She had a sad experience which was the inspiration for this piece. A friend from school's mother died in her sleep over the summer. It was shocking and sad. I didn't know this girl's mother. I guess she had been sick for quite a while, but, still, it was unexpected. My dd asked me to paint a picture for her friend to give her after the funeral. She chose this quote and it turned out very nice. I never scanned that painting, so it is not here in my blog, but I did another one, larger, with the same quote. This is the result. My dd loves it and so she claimed it.

Well, I just love her. She is wood burned into wood and watercolored and painted with acrylics. I also collaged the background with scrapbook paper. I used pencil for the quote. I beeswaxed it also. :) Very happy painting for a very sad time for my daughter and her friend.

Painting on ebay right now

2008-07-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here is a painting I have on ebay right now. I forgot to put in on my blog!!

This one's a little blurry!

2008-07-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you Mistie!

Mistie so generously nominated me for this award. THANKS!!
So here are my blog nominees. I love art blogging! I've only done it for a little while so I don't have many to choose from. My apologies if you have been nominated already. But the more the merrier, right?!

The rules of accepting are as follows:
1) Put the logo on your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on yours.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
So my nominees are:

CraBBy GaBBy dolls

green weeds

piece of work

pink crayon studio

Carol B's Design Studio

girl gone thread wild

Dogwood Studio

Whew! I can't believe it took me that long to decide. I tried to choose blogs that have not yet received this award, but some may have and I might have missed that.

Anyway, it's fun to see other artists' work and to connect like this. Thanks again, Mistie!!

Halloween so soon? Yes!

2008-07-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is a piece I just finished. I love Halloween. I have a split personality it seems, I love painting to scriptural quotes and being all serious and stuff, then comes Halloween! I guess I just don't take the spookiness too seriously.

Yeah! I finally figured out how to make these picture fit this column width!!!

More ART!!! I've been busy!!!

2008-07-09T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here is another piece. I really need to figure out how to get the image to fit on this part of the page!!! (I love the way this one turned out. It is on watercolor paper only.)

2008-07-09T13:43:00.001-07:00

Here is another painting. This one quotes a Bible scripture. I love the way it turned out!!!

Well, these pictures!!

2008-07-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to figure out how to make the pictures smaller to fit in this frame for posting. I am going to try to figure it all out. Sorry for now that you can't see all the artwork. :(

Anni

New Art!!!

2008-07-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pieces of artwork for your viewing pleasure! I have been working on all of these for quite a while.

First, from my art journal!

This is the first page. I love the way the girl turned out. I relate these first three pages of my journal to my dear husband. He loves me and loves me. What more can I say?

Sunday - lazy day

2008-07-06T21:30:00.001-07:00

Well, today was a very relaxing day. This week was crazy because my son and his wife had their baby last Sunday. I've been to their little college town twice since then to see the baby. She is gorgeous!! I'm a grandma!!

I'm going to be posting some new work soon and on ebay too!!

Yeah for summer!

So, the SUMMER is here!!! - My first painting on ebay this summer!

2008-06-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

Here is my first painting on ebay this summer. It is awesome to be able to paint and paint and paint and paint . . .

And here is the youtube video!!! It was a blast making this!

See you soon with more!!

The light at the end of the tunnel!!!

2008-06-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

Well, that light is blazing bright for me. It is Tuesday and I have only three more days of school. I feel like a junior high student myself. I am showing movies so I can inventory the classroom books. It is taking a long time. The students in my class were the most quiet they have been all year long.

A friend of mine from high school just called me on the phone and left a message. I tried to call her back, but there was no answer. Another friend from high school sent me a note in the mail. It was strange to get the message and the note from them on the same day, right when I got back from school. What is up?

Well, I have been chomping at the bit to paint and paint and paint this summer. I am so excited. It is due to Suzi Blu, all of this motivation and encouragement. She is an awesome inspirational woman!!!

See you later,
Anni

Wow! Summer is getting closer!!!

2008-05-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

Today I taught my class debate. We debated over Snickers vs 3 Musketeers. The students had a lot of fun. I had a relief from regular sort of teaching. It was fun for the last of the year. I am glad that it is almost over. . . . .

AND NOW THE GRAND ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IS SAVING MY LIFE!!! MY CREATIVE LIFE!!! THANK YOU TO MY FATHER ABOVE FOR WATCHING OUT FOR ME!!

I am applying to be the art teacher at my school. I will teach part time junior high and part time art specialist at the elementary!! Yipeee!! I am very excited. It is awesome!! I can't wait to hear the final approval. All looks good so far. I have to earn and endorsement to fully qualify. I will be working on that with approval from our school board and state. Then, , , if all goes well , , , ART next year!!!

I'm very excited. So you can tell.

Well, I am off to a soccer meeting for players and soccer moms!!! :)

Sunday, May 18

2008-05-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

My step son is calling right now from Afghanistan. He said there was a rocket in his area and he is telling his dad about it.

I worry. I'm a worry-wort anyway, but this always has me worried.

Prayers, prayers, prayers.

On another note:

Dreams should be what really we pursue. We should not let other things get in our way. We should find out what the Lord wants us to do. Then do it!!!! Those will be the most successful dreams of all. I'm trying hard right now to figure that all out. I am praying and praying.

Anni

Almost done with school!!

2008-05-17T10:03:00.001-07:00

Wow, school is almost over. I teach 7th and 8th grade LA at a charter school. I tried it this year as last year I taught 4th grade.

I must say that yesterday was horrible in my class. Students were so disrespectful. I almost crossed my line of staying detached. I have to. There is no way I could teach without the detachment. If I let things get to me, I would have quit long ago.

I must remember that these students are 13-14 and that they are not fully developed in maturity and in their brains.

OK,,,, I feel better now.

I need to get some pictures scanned in and posted. So I have to figure that one out.

Lovely, I am blogging!!!

Anni