tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86448024320179613032024-03-10T21:58:27.052-04:00PHOLKART*STUDIOPHOLKART*STUDIO, Patti Moore, Etsy, Etsy Artist, Christian Artist, Original Acrylic Paintings, Folk Art, Modern Folk Art, Original Paintings for Children, Mixed Media Art, Hand Painted Ornaments, Original Illustration, Small Format Art, Childrens Art, Kids Art, Art for Kids, Family-Friendly Art, Humorous Art, Whimsical Art, Cute Art, Artist Life, Art Inspiration, Home, Faith, Family, Middle Age Christian Woman, Marriage
Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-11859160826093769432024-01-20T13:53:00.000-05:002024-01-20T13:53:12.295-05:00Why I Don't Do Social Media Anymore<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNaSw-bUqaaawr-vW8P_Oce51rmSJhDMpEgPcCexv2Z-ubX3_4u9XQhihVbNbhiOhJZUHuaKSXNhU-nbtPRGPyFqAGV6q65lJcH9ceKwTTwP7xZja6zAOQrri1eIVZ2BkdbDhxpUN1lv73yNLk_bSU0asqHMCYeIruzl1rptA9kAAWhyphenhyphen65vwVlh_dWwU/s1037/Social%20Media%20Icons_cropped%202_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1037" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSNaSw-bUqaaawr-vW8P_Oce51rmSJhDMpEgPcCexv2Z-ubX3_4u9XQhihVbNbhiOhJZUHuaKSXNhU-nbtPRGPyFqAGV6q65lJcH9ceKwTTwP7xZja6zAOQrri1eIVZ2BkdbDhxpUN1lv73yNLk_bSU0asqHMCYeIruzl1rptA9kAAWhyphenhyphen65vwVlh_dWwU/w640-h316/Social%20Media%20Icons_cropped%202_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Social Media Icons from Rawpixel.com</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">I've been thinking about writing this blog post for a very long time. And I need to say from the get-go that I haven't deleted my Instagram account because I still I love to see photos of my granddaughter on there. But I don't post anywhere anymore... and here are my reasons why not. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: normal;">(Just a little warning here... This is gonna be loooong!)<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Back before the 2020 election here in the US, I was using Facebook regularly and was involved with several art-related groups there. I really did enjoy the feeling of "hanging out" with other artists online. As an introvert, it was easier for me to find and make friends with other creatives online than it was for me to do that in real life. But at the time, I was also aware of the amount of time my Facebook involvement was taking from my creative life... and from my day-to-day life. And it just wasn't sitting well with me. Still, I stayed involved because honestly... FOMO! I was so used to having all the input all the time that it felt really hard to back away from it all. What if I was missing out? (Heaven forbid!) Plus, everybody else was doing it (and when has THAT ever been a good reason to keep doing something?).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Then came the pre-2020 election ramp up with all its divisiveness and unrest and argumentativeness. Facebook just didn't feel like a safe place to me anymore. It felt like a platform that encouraged hatefulness and schisms, both in the US and around the world. The anger there was palpable and it seemed to me there was no end in sight. The atmosphere there was anxiety producing for me. So, after much deliberation, I "abandoned ship" and deleted my Facebook account. It was a hard decision... and I experienced a sense of loss after doing that. But as time went on, I felt lighter and happier, freer and more alive. And I haven't looked back since then.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">When I joined Instagram (sometime quite a bit after I joined Facebook), I carefully curated the people </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">and businesses that I followed. I followed artists I admired and creative businesses that peaked my interest. I enjoyed posting about everyday things in my life, as well as art I was creating for my Etsy shop. I can't say that I was much of a marketer, but I did think (in the back of my mind) that Instagram was a way to "get my work out there" for other people to see. And that was OK for a while...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">But eventually, I realized that I was very susceptible to comparing myself and what I created with what other artists posted on Instagram. Sometimes I was inspired by what I saw there... but other times I could feel an ugly competitiveness rising up within me, or the feeling of "I'll never be THAT good" that led to discouragement and inertia. And I also found myself feeling like I was scrolling, scrolling, scrolling my life away, rather than being rooted and grounded in my real life here and now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">So, a couple of years ago, I abruptly stopped posting on Instagram. No more show & tell, no more thinking, "That would be a good Instagram post." I still lurked (though less and less over time)... and I found that I was relieved not to feel the pressure to post or learn how to make reels or keep up with the latest Instagram algorithm or the newest platform changes. I felt more focused and centered and engaged with what's going on in my one and only life.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Today, I still enjoy seeing all the cute things my granddaughter is doing on Instagram. It's a way I can keep up with her as a long distance grandma. And truthfully, I still struggle with scrolling... though I try to be aware of it and cut myself short when I realize what I'm doing. It's addictive and I'm certainly susceptible to the mindlessness. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: normal;">All this is to say... This has been my experience with social media. And these are the conclusions and the actions I have taken. I am certainly not condemning other people who choose differently than I have chosen. We all need to make our own decisions... and I am comfortable with the place I have landed regarding social media in this ever-increasing online world that we live in.</span><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;"> </span></div>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-92158161519025649612024-01-16T10:20:00.001-05:002024-01-16T10:20:32.960-05:00My Favorite Paintings of 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C7krTZc5Utq67qCRFNbzxNGJStyAVqdzKZrBMg0NrabT7v2WCTUxBNBWw6WRnXGWCkPc4roEGuuGu8J7XTwnbX1kFPMzKJVZ5e8yU2SI6DkhHllwBLFGspzu9XdUFXts_vAFZV2lLVFLvCUp9_odr_NH9ZY1hdeKm-387zjb_eUYuhxUnBllecdFf14/s3264/Best%20Of%202023_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="3264" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-C7krTZc5Utq67qCRFNbzxNGJStyAVqdzKZrBMg0NrabT7v2WCTUxBNBWw6WRnXGWCkPc4roEGuuGu8J7XTwnbX1kFPMzKJVZ5e8yU2SI6DkhHllwBLFGspzu9XdUFXts_vAFZV2lLVFLvCUp9_odr_NH9ZY1hdeKm-387zjb_eUYuhxUnBllecdFf14/w640-h640/Best%20Of%202023_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Before we get too far into the New Year, I thought I'd share my most favorite paintings from 2023!... kinda like Instagram's <span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Top Nine"</span></b></span> without the Instagram! *wink!*</p><p>Looking at all these paintings together, it's hard to miss that I'm a lover of primary colors! I'm also a bit of a minimalist when it comes to my designs, and that's OK with me. Over the past year, I did a lot of experimenting with texture in my backgrounds... mark making and using words & lettering. I'm pretty happy with the results and can't wait to find more fun ways of making my paintings playful & creative in 2024!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Wishing you lots of</span> <span style="color: #cc0000;">JOY</span> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">in your creating in the coming year!</span></span></b></p><p><br /></p><p>BTW... I used the free Collage feature at <b><a href="https://www.befunky.com/create/collage/"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: medium;">BeFunky</span></span></a></b> to create the photo collage above... Easy Peasy! Their free tools are limited, but they do have an upgraded version with lots of options.</p><p></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-33526943519582340062023-12-24T14:54:00.005-05:002023-12-24T19:16:11.679-05:00Santa's Gonna Be A Little Late This Year...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRMHmBYqBVEmwgFueINbRQpSR2V2QiD7u9AlVsO2lIMu2KGxuWsbHDEP3ZJ_hGqvGKVS30NbUlp2pAbPl9B7Q7f1tq_k2-V-27VAjLDJUgamJtHHWa0g3fbStq2PT-EumQ4ovV3M8IJjOgRXLhl4tSKig6WEudgEI42QIP6gFpGVZh3FbWtjqd5-1pRo/s1789/Ho%20Ho%20Santa_C_300_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1773" data-original-width="1789" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRMHmBYqBVEmwgFueINbRQpSR2V2QiD7u9AlVsO2lIMu2KGxuWsbHDEP3ZJ_hGqvGKVS30NbUlp2pAbPl9B7Q7f1tq_k2-V-27VAjLDJUgamJtHHWa0g3fbStq2PT-EumQ4ovV3M8IJjOgRXLhl4tSKig6WEudgEI42QIP6gFpGVZh3FbWtjqd5-1pRo/w640-h634/Ho%20Ho%20Santa_C_300_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p><b><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: medium;">Well, it was bound to happen eventually.</span></b> In our 44 years of marriage, my husband Joe & I have always been able to celebrate Christmas with some branch of our family on December 25th. We've packed the boys up in their jammies in the middle of the night and driven to New Jersey to have Christmas with my parents and siblings... We've gone over the river and through the woods to the Moore family farm in Virginia to celebrate with Joe's kin... We've had Christmas at our house with excited little boys who got up waaaay too early in the morning to open presents... and we've had Christmas in the mountains of North Carolina with our now grown sons and their families (including our brand new grandbaby!).</p><p>But sometime mid-November, Joe & I got out our calendars and realized that for Christmas 2023, we'd be home alone for the very first time.</p><p>It turned out that this is my oldest son & his family's year to head south to Florida for Christmas with my daughter-in-laws' family... and my youngest son and his partner had made plans to celebrate Christmas day with her Mom & Dad in Eastern North Carolina.</p><p>OK, no problem. We just needed to set expectations and come up with a fun <b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: medium;">Plan B</span></b> for Christmas day. We thought about going for a hike with our dog Jake, or volunteering at the local homeless shelter. We had all kinds of options that might be possibilities...<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #f1c232;">...and then I came down with a doozy of a case of bronchitis & walking pneumonia. *cough cough*</span></b></span><br /></p><p>So now we're on to <b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;">Plan C</span></b>, which includes staying home from Christmas Eve service at our church, snuggling up on the couch and watching football & movies together, drinking more French Vanilla tea with honey than I ever imagined I could, and waiting for the antibiotics and steroids to kick in. While I wait, I've been having fun creating some Christmas doodles in my sketchbook, reading a fun mystery series, and crocheting hats for little noggins for World Vision. Oh, and eating too many Christmas cookies that my husband baked!</p><p><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;">Plan C</span></b> also includes bumping our Christmas celebration to the following weekend when we'll be opening presents with my youngest son and his family.<br /></p><p>Not the Christmas we had planned, but I'm oh so grateful for an understanding husband, wise doctors, improving health and the unexpectedly restful pre-Christmas season we've been given.</p><p><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><center><p><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: medium;"><b>Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!!</b></span><br /></p></center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqQ5-0METJUrOmq_n273YAjJBmtaNIGKrsyC3Avmxren3MVdUYcEZEV2ue2cSsAN1VJ8wonCe6r3drd7Rq6pZcXRJBIn30Y441wNRfErjWzLjIEt3MeJS1IO5rwuTet3HUj1s1pVIYwMl4zTOqEo-K2kHpcDiWBuf437qvKYh3EHsKnu6hMZ2V8QR1T4/s3518/Christmas%20Reindeer_1200_C_jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3518" data-original-width="3470" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqQ5-0METJUrOmq_n273YAjJBmtaNIGKrsyC3Avmxren3MVdUYcEZEV2ue2cSsAN1VJ8wonCe6r3drd7Rq6pZcXRJBIn30Y441wNRfErjWzLjIEt3MeJS1IO5rwuTet3HUj1s1pVIYwMl4zTOqEo-K2kHpcDiWBuf437qvKYh3EHsKnu6hMZ2V8QR1T4/w632-h640/Christmas%20Reindeer_1200_C_jpg.jpg" width="632" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-49809463046160916712023-12-03T14:12:00.002-05:002023-12-03T19:41:01.082-05:00A Prayer For Peace<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wRKMx4sh7WrL5Hu6BXN-wwkln0fgPUMnT0Qz2DRHDcte5PpLSj0370uK89YciSo1RYN1GDQDzCwWgEA_FTKV-IWFueWEVEnNIjaORZJ5NEP1y_wrL8E-sm_uvu4K5JcX8khFeWT2B6OsLf3KJn-DAONc9cV6LArT5h4uW2ymdt33mXwNuoIaMnTQofQ/s1788/Peace%20Angel_C_300_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1788" data-original-width="1215" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wRKMx4sh7WrL5Hu6BXN-wwkln0fgPUMnT0Qz2DRHDcte5PpLSj0370uK89YciSo1RYN1GDQDzCwWgEA_FTKV-IWFueWEVEnNIjaORZJ5NEP1y_wrL8E-sm_uvu4K5JcX8khFeWT2B6OsLf3KJn-DAONc9cV6LArT5h4uW2ymdt33mXwNuoIaMnTQofQ/w434-h640/Peace%20Angel_C_300_jpg.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><p><br />Every year when my family exchanges wish lists for Christmas gifts, on the top of my list is always <b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">World Peace</span></b>. This year I long for that peace even more as two wars are being fought at the same time here on Earth. </p><p>As we approach the Christmas season of "<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Peace On Earth and Good Will To Men</span></b>," my heartfelt prayer is that forgiveness and mercy would triumph over hatred, that love and goodwill would abound, that families and loved ones could gather in peace in homes that are safe and without fear. Let us all seek to be healers and peace makers. Let us seek justice for those who are oppressed. Let us love and care for the poor among us. Let us discover the humanity that we all have in common and give each other grace. We were made by God's great love and creativity for His love, joy and peace. We were made for relationship with our loving Father who loves us more than we could ever imagine. Let us seek to love Him more and more each day by fixing our eyes on Jesus and walking close to Him, courageously caring for the people He made and loves. Let us seek to be Jesus' hands and heart to a broken and hurting world.</p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Let it be so!... Amen.</b></span><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-74984634629702412292023-10-21T19:35:00.001-04:002023-10-22T14:10:57.755-04:00Happy (Almost) Halloween!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGV-1yjgtnUsyQMZem60Kxk9OmNVScgDeIq-NnfeDFPb_t2sDr289AAZeJDvDWfyNPBrD7HDTT1aBBBjmTtAXnfYLyp91Ef7oiMrWZLakS1a_IDKh1we-sbe5bxH6pmSfxwmO9krM7Jk2de4MkUBgNDfPnE0tyXb0R0UeLM4yLwDC5rfEkPrmFUvGhrWY/s1782/Little%20Ghost%20and%20Bat_C_300_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1782" data-original-width="1205" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGV-1yjgtnUsyQMZem60Kxk9OmNVScgDeIq-NnfeDFPb_t2sDr289AAZeJDvDWfyNPBrD7HDTT1aBBBjmTtAXnfYLyp91Ef7oiMrWZLakS1a_IDKh1we-sbe5bxH6pmSfxwmO9krM7Jk2de4MkUBgNDfPnE0tyXb0R0UeLM4yLwDC5rfEkPrmFUvGhrWY/w432-h640/Little%20Ghost%20and%20Bat_C_300_jpg.jpg" width="432" /></a></div><p>October has always been my favorite month of the year with its bright blue skies, crisp-y air, and all the glorious colors of the changing leaves! Our neighborhood is decorated with the reds, oranges and yellows of the Autumn season, and I'm loving it!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI-ZBKpzhGAiD_RDZd7zidSpxKEOgqG4ptnY-9M5k4_Qbf8ORnu2B3kbr38x1-Wyk7FzuH2psF83MH_Wg63Ru9CDZ2nyUoxvcU4r67OrCi_nZhF8Vh2XFXEA2lKBdhuk9g6JlI6mK93jAZehSJpOIobklyj_zgmB4BBVQCMXbiEHxGsmhZtNtcD3kjfQ/s7156/Trick%20Or%20Treat%20Ghost_1200_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7156" data-original-width="4854" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmI-ZBKpzhGAiD_RDZd7zidSpxKEOgqG4ptnY-9M5k4_Qbf8ORnu2B3kbr38x1-Wyk7FzuH2psF83MH_Wg63Ru9CDZ2nyUoxvcU4r67OrCi_nZhF8Vh2XFXEA2lKBdhuk9g6JlI6mK93jAZehSJpOIobklyj_zgmB4BBVQCMXbiEHxGsmhZtNtcD3kjfQ/w434-h640/Trick%20Or%20Treat%20Ghost_1200_C_jpg.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><br /> 'Most every year, we fill our big treat basket to overflowing with sweet goodies for the Trick-Or-Treaters and enjoy the parade of princesses and pirates, ghosts and ghouls, robots, dragons, monsters and more who come to our house looking for a treat. We even have quite a few grown-ups who dress up with their kids and make the rounds!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9QSgM-UDYhSuwGOgQ14jjlvbuyqprkoVHXGfmrGwe6H2weUNmmPNoMlBXaEp_1-PLWFntaMd2tNsy6Qb8XOl8yapKwgcoQXRnsIxBZJsCJHAV0Rjq-dqvZCNQrnkrp1Y7g8b7Qt-4-t9uE6ffXAYT-u9kyANb7SYoScV7l5RBhHpjAD1iN1UxWLi8m8/s1197/Halloween%20Frankenstein%20300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1197" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9QSgM-UDYhSuwGOgQ14jjlvbuyqprkoVHXGfmrGwe6H2weUNmmPNoMlBXaEp_1-PLWFntaMd2tNsy6Qb8XOl8yapKwgcoQXRnsIxBZJsCJHAV0Rjq-dqvZCNQrnkrp1Y7g8b7Qt-4-t9uE6ffXAYT-u9kyANb7SYoScV7l5RBhHpjAD1iN1UxWLi8m8/w400-h398/Halloween%20Frankenstein%20300_C_jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This year will be a first for us though, as we head up to the mountains to take care of our little pumpkin of a granddaughter over the Halloween weekend. Can't wait to spend some Mimi and Opa time with our happy, busy, music-loving, dog-snuggling little munchkin!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8D6sf2Xx45ppWXlLYolOaq_aCVpEjGHLoleLr4ckhgA2Fqk36ECCIfm3wxbDbO9OZPd2GHIRIXylAzcyD6TP625z1aME38p3-Ocv28YX2cEqpNSHaHnPMAelfxagt2okL57PLg6sX8bdbitk8oxshxdsugLEgIduMcnUtcw6SHXL_2P-lUCLPnY4PiNw/s1201/Halloween%20Vampire%20300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1201" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8D6sf2Xx45ppWXlLYolOaq_aCVpEjGHLoleLr4ckhgA2Fqk36ECCIfm3wxbDbO9OZPd2GHIRIXylAzcyD6TP625z1aME38p3-Ocv28YX2cEqpNSHaHnPMAelfxagt2okL57PLg6sX8bdbitk8oxshxdsugLEgIduMcnUtcw6SHXL_2P-lUCLPnY4PiNw/w400-h394/Halloween%20Vampire%20300_C_jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p>No matter what your family will be doing this Halloween... whether scaring up treats in the neighborhood or hosting a crowd of Trick-Or-Treaters at your house... or like us, doing something entirely new for the very first time, I hope you have a happy & safe Halloween!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #ffa400; font-size: x-large;">Happy Halloween Friends!! </span></b><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-54854272229183400502023-08-11T19:36:00.000-04:002023-08-11T19:36:39.104-04:00Summer Experiments... My First Abstract Paintings<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAfw8V2eMHli9JhZcVCzP4yGRf3oKSp-QRqIT7_UmE4e8iemZc3WFAG2OhXE8wx9jPBFwbzl67xqd6dk4Pd5B81puJn3hkZlreOPhcI2w8EWUnI-_EHKWU3BNpXo77gaUJyRon4VVOeNoiJibNBLjLV0Cu8MiJyDSMWGr7WHTfHCZESyUEvChshjcuIU/s1185/Summer%20Splash%20300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1185" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAfw8V2eMHli9JhZcVCzP4yGRf3oKSp-QRqIT7_UmE4e8iemZc3WFAG2OhXE8wx9jPBFwbzl67xqd6dk4Pd5B81puJn3hkZlreOPhcI2w8EWUnI-_EHKWU3BNpXo77gaUJyRon4VVOeNoiJibNBLjLV0Cu8MiJyDSMWGr7WHTfHCZESyUEvChshjcuIU/w640-h628/Summer%20Splash%20300_C_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;">"Summer Splash"</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">I've been playing around with a little bit of abstract art this summer... and I think I might have a brand new art love!<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: normal;">It all started when I found Australian intuitive artist </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: red;">Deb McNaughton</span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"> over on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deb.mcnaughton" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><b>Instagram</b></span></a>. Deb uses acrylic paints in bright happy colors to create her signature whimsical abstract designs. It looked like so much fun that I decided to give it a go too!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNx-QbZKwpozrduCPdoISXZcMRpREuaSubmj14VV07x0mgP0BW9OucPIZVBTRtKT4HQkylmDuGbGXJUJg5KHG4garUNLpbg0yDDbi8SzCZP0HJXS5KVMagqTofC2cBlwAzd3zQHKV7wfG0QnXxs7qzKH3JqYxn4t7frhAJ_vY8uUlPo2qPXUFeAM0k6I/s1179/Crazy%20Quilt_C_300_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1179" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNx-QbZKwpozrduCPdoISXZcMRpREuaSubmj14VV07x0mgP0BW9OucPIZVBTRtKT4HQkylmDuGbGXJUJg5KHG4garUNLpbg0yDDbi8SzCZP0HJXS5KVMagqTofC2cBlwAzd3zQHKV7wfG0QnXxs7qzKH3JqYxn4t7frhAJ_vY8uUlPo2qPXUFeAM0k6I/w640-h636/Crazy%20Quilt_C_300_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-small;">"Crazy Quilt"</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">For both of the paintings above, I started with a 4x4 inch canvas panel. I decided to limit my color palette to two or three colors plus white.</p><p style="text-align: left;">To begin each painting, I randomly added shapes of color in acrylic paint to the canvas. Once the canvases were dry, I went back and added a variety of mark making, also with acrylic paint. Mark making can be done with all sorts of media (like Posca pens and oil pastels)... but I decided to stay in my comfort zone this time and use my trusty brushes and acrylic paint!<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I had lots of fun creating these paintings, just following my intuition while adding color, instead of planning out my designs ahead of time. I enjoyed the freedom of playing with color and putting down paint. These paintings are only my first attempts at abstract art, so I know I've got a bunch to learn!... but I'm certain they won't be the last!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Thanks so much for the inspiration Deb!!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBZYEsRqGzhflLEJEQFu0AInsF_CSvB2EOllzjmQx2fxwq4fhM2sTP6XhpdulzitxFztWvB51OSPIO1f5lVqWG5nYBoJfm_1JxZW5t0Vb4IQeEOiaPu-OKw05Ck8VI6k2wnKpozYaIz1AuCrpHdsdLzZLBCChYjtdn4O-aajSHLXz43bC-KxcBiUgt1o/s812/Deb%20McNaughton%202_jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="621" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBZYEsRqGzhflLEJEQFu0AInsF_CSvB2EOllzjmQx2fxwq4fhM2sTP6XhpdulzitxFztWvB51OSPIO1f5lVqWG5nYBoJfm_1JxZW5t0Vb4IQeEOiaPu-OKw05Ck8VI6k2wnKpozYaIz1AuCrpHdsdLzZLBCChYjtdn4O-aajSHLXz43bC-KxcBiUgt1o/w490-h640/Deb%20McNaughton%202_jpg.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: x-small;">Deb McNaughton</span><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-72637818060445679942023-05-18T17:37:00.002-04:002023-07-02T09:51:37.563-04:00Learning Furniture Painting By Trial And Error<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpYD11yq-weMH-U0kSaBdI7nrrGvODvn25p4eIndz-6LiHBEkvX_7nJhX6QnvVtefj5YW1aqyRQZOmXKHk-TrEND0RAxU3gm6u5VB03V4qWTdamh1t-vPIIvS5xXKHeOzdzmDy0WwCQYUS8lP6p18SGbkp7s3Bpcp_tzwGbUAXb-SFI-NmM3Okg_h/s4032/Farm%20Chair%20Process_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpYD11yq-weMH-U0kSaBdI7nrrGvODvn25p4eIndz-6LiHBEkvX_7nJhX6QnvVtefj5YW1aqyRQZOmXKHk-TrEND0RAxU3gm6u5VB03V4qWTdamh1t-vPIIvS5xXKHeOzdzmDy0WwCQYUS8lP6p18SGbkp7s3Bpcp_tzwGbUAXb-SFI-NmM3Okg_h/w480-h640/Farm%20Chair%20Process_jpg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"> Above, my Farm Chair in the "During" Stage</span><br /></p><p>I have always wanted to try my hand at painting a piece of furniture... and in my head, I thought I knew kinda-sorta what would be involved. So, when I was asked last fall (2022) to paint a child's wooden chair for our church's Vacation Bible School auction, I didn't hestitate to say "Absolutely!... I would love to!" The auction isn't until this coming spring (2023), so I knew I had lots of time to figure out how to go about painting the chair. Plus, it was for a great cause!... The VBS kids planned to raise money to pay for cochlear implants for children in the Dominican Republic who are deaf. I was so confident that this would be easy-peasy that I volunteered to paint THREE chairs of varying sizes. Yup!... I was sure I totally "got this!"</p><p>So, I put on my researcher's hat and started Googling furniture painting. Armed with my new found knowledge, I headed to our local Home Depot and purchased sample sized latex paint in a rainbow of colors. I set to work priming the little chair (which took a whole lot longer than I'd thought it would!). Next up... sketch out my farm design on the primed surface and start adding color.</p><p>Well, that was my first big mistake!... It turned out that I had not been thinking about all the white background around my farm characters that needed to be painted in with white latex paint. It was an unnecessarily tedious job that could have been a whole lot easier if I'd just given the whole chair two good coats of latex paint before I started sketching. *sigh!* First lesson learned!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTQz-x-Uj4qvJtLvGsqG9ou6ZaB7Y9zYXkR78k4RFMh-2DqUV1-i2xawhlukLmcR0oxLALDnOPp_4uDHiRMLPGCRifQxYcnYKpoPO0XmqDe2rE1Bsk6yfdQxvcw4NvcGRs_DpHghL_ysCbBPpflhq8gUWw-gbAepggXRYC9rrztouZyEhFKSEg1nh/s4032/Farm%20Chair%20Finished_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTQz-x-Uj4qvJtLvGsqG9ou6ZaB7Y9zYXkR78k4RFMh-2DqUV1-i2xawhlukLmcR0oxLALDnOPp_4uDHiRMLPGCRifQxYcnYKpoPO0XmqDe2rE1Bsk6yfdQxvcw4NvcGRs_DpHghL_ysCbBPpflhq8gUWw-gbAepggXRYC9rrztouZyEhFKSEg1nh/w480-h640/Farm%20Chair%20Finished_jpg.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>After painting all my little characters (multiple coats of paint on each!), I outlined them all with my water based Sharpie paint pen. That was my second big mistake, because when I started to spray the chair with my acrylic sealant (Polycrylic), my nice crisp black outline started to run and smear! YIKES!! Apparently I should have used an oil based paint marker instead!<br /></p><p>Needless to say, I ended up having to repaint the whole "MOO" and part of a flower on the top of the chair. Thankfully, though, I found that my Krylon spray did not smear the outline, so I gave the design a good coat of Krylon and then added the Polycrylic on top of that to make it more scuff resistant.</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZb4PmKj_TTpQ8GMCZ3ZTaqOiXGU_cxgZxX8b6GtCHeGtjFwHwBjg3RmdL2NiaDChYcvjI3zz5a9sbsv0cjmogv_wn3o6ZUokbAxXu74vtMuHQnU920Ar5u8OoF2IYUl8Khpajl4sOsf5bIYY1swZ10IzF--nBdWkXDqOVViuunnm_-aEMkXTqRtS/s4032/Farm%20Chair%20Seat%202_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZb4PmKj_TTpQ8GMCZ3ZTaqOiXGU_cxgZxX8b6GtCHeGtjFwHwBjg3RmdL2NiaDChYcvjI3zz5a9sbsv0cjmogv_wn3o6ZUokbAxXu74vtMuHQnU920Ar5u8OoF2IYUl8Khpajl4sOsf5bIYY1swZ10IzF--nBdWkXDqOVViuunnm_-aEMkXTqRtS/w640-h480/Farm%20Chair%20Seat%202_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>You might have guessed by now that I ended up painting just ONE chair for the auction. By the time I'd finished the farm chair, I was DONE, DONE, DONE with chair painting! I will say though that the chair came out pretty darn cute in real life... my photos really don't do it justice!</p><p>Will I paint another chair in the future?... well, I might someday in the very distant future for a very good cause. I sure have learned a lot this time around about what NOT to do!... and maybe the next time (if there ever is a next time!) I'll know a whole lot better about what I'm doing! *wink!*<br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-20050736767046627322023-03-12T17:28:00.002-04:002023-03-13T14:37:02.028-04:00A Quiet Sunday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYh6vGBf_wZjWdSZtLa-FGN4IGPstJuTZSkBynC5mv6B676XYZKcDgV70Txgk8lFIpY6nOk6Q_xJamsn2_4JSBo2yB09sznqV-jLRWqs1pYUHixQKwcCatilH4LNMME7aR6leqAMdzGXdhDEhaTZge4gpz0kJu0Um_uPcX2PIb95zOSZJOngf2zPKc/s4760/Spring%20Showers_1200_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4620" data-original-width="4760" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYh6vGBf_wZjWdSZtLa-FGN4IGPstJuTZSkBynC5mv6B676XYZKcDgV70Txgk8lFIpY6nOk6Q_xJamsn2_4JSBo2yB09sznqV-jLRWqs1pYUHixQKwcCatilH4LNMME7aR6leqAMdzGXdhDEhaTZge4gpz0kJu0Um_uPcX2PIb95zOSZJOngf2zPKc/w640-h622/Spring%20Showers_1200_C_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It's a quiet Sunday afternoon. Last night we set our clocks ahead for Daylight Savings Time... and this morning the sound of rain outside convinced me to snuggle down under the covers and snooze a little longer. My husband Joe headed to church to teach Sunday School, but I felt fine about not venturing out of the house in the chilly rain. I really love having a quiet day like this when I have no where I need to be and nothing at all I need to do.<p></p><p>This week the cherry trees that line our street have been in full bloom. The forsythia in the backyard have also been blooming, along with the daffodils and hyacinths my husband planted in the side garden. The calendar says it's still Winter, but it sure looks a whole lot like Spring in my neighborhood! <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #6aa84f;">** Thank you Lord for the peace and quiet of this Sabbath Day. Thank you for sleep and rest, for the beauty of "almost Spring", for gentle rain that makes everything grow. Thank you for a warm home that feels like a big hug on a chilly day, and especially for your presence in our hearts and in our home. </span><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-1768660474165239992023-03-11T16:25:00.005-05:002023-03-13T14:37:20.228-04:00Happy Coloring!<p> </p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI75dZEdGb-1PUbg_Getvg6hF1NtOUF-x0Vug_FicMBLafGjy5tMBdujtTvZhDWcvUFEOAAIIxBikxYAwSOiu_ccMx1qIg4yRAk4r-eNK175NGaQoJylNGv-DNiUv1M-ri2frE423QoWI0eH-Aawur4C5niOww0qO7uiRB3BC7dJ3f0NMqRrqYxHP/s3300/Welcome%20Spring%20300_C_8x10_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI75dZEdGb-1PUbg_Getvg6hF1NtOUF-x0Vug_FicMBLafGjy5tMBdujtTvZhDWcvUFEOAAIIxBikxYAwSOiu_ccMx1qIg4yRAk4r-eNK175NGaQoJylNGv-DNiUv1M-ri2frE423QoWI0eH-Aawur4C5niOww0qO7uiRB3BC7dJ3f0NMqRrqYxHP/w494-h640/Welcome%20Spring%20300_C_8x10_jpg.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><p></p><p>So, recently I've started offering something a little different in my Etsy shop... or maybe I'm going back to something kinda similar to the digital stamps I offered when my shop was brand new. I've started creating hand drawn downloadable coloring pages for kids (and kids at heart!), and I'm having so much fun with it!</p><p>This all really happened quite by accident. At Christmastime, I created a page of Christmas-y designs to use as the background for the gift cards we'd bought for our family. I printed out multiple copies and taped the gift cards on the back of the design... just a silly way to add a little homemade holiday whimsy to ordinary gift cards. And I thought they came out pretty cute!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvvN2zRvERcnbxmRQ7otNkfDhTMJ9e7rqJKffZ_XnMeDt_YxsOEmamTPtVqz7eprpQ-KBJw7UB2Z7ChqWyR-vnzGxx4JjRsdwpN-VTIeCqq_EUHSs1Bb5oPJmxaFjB5YSkI0Q3ACTjUab5ADjA_nAx3a13QeGkM0wgxzAQPVkkMCgC9kvwjMGtd1U/s3300/Noel%20300_C_%208x10_color_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvvN2zRvERcnbxmRQ7otNkfDhTMJ9e7rqJKffZ_XnMeDt_YxsOEmamTPtVqz7eprpQ-KBJw7UB2Z7ChqWyR-vnzGxx4JjRsdwpN-VTIeCqq_EUHSs1Bb5oPJmxaFjB5YSkI0Q3ACTjUab5ADjA_nAx3a13QeGkM0wgxzAQPVkkMCgC9kvwjMGtd1U/w494-h640/Noel%20300_C_%208x10_color_jpg.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><p></p><p>I got thinking about all the fun coloring pages I could make about holidays and seasons and the cute kid-friendly designs I enjoy making... and I just kept on creating these pages.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrGPqy2hdVmK5o5vE_LFSYzWX_swEjJj3rKcCq12JjWoWQb_RysTUY7YBO2Cc35gT9mKLeRKAv1qB9riIn8putKMYAGtBtCnmkyrwZi64lQXxfChTVk0KOuE3diQtg4vhBwBo-R8s92hVjlQ8_30GX_FmO8Bc08elGyR2kCjOXdKv0e_I5IG6jrU3/s3300/Valentine%20300_C_8x10_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrGPqy2hdVmK5o5vE_LFSYzWX_swEjJj3rKcCq12JjWoWQb_RysTUY7YBO2Cc35gT9mKLeRKAv1qB9riIn8putKMYAGtBtCnmkyrwZi64lQXxfChTVk0KOuE3diQtg4vhBwBo-R8s92hVjlQ8_30GX_FmO8Bc08elGyR2kCjOXdKv0e_I5IG6jrU3/w494-h640/Valentine%20300_C_8x10_jpg.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bcBPHU1fSO23DegcdRDu7UJr6Y5NXirfDRyQbvXPGUGS_3R-TNI7kdBNN6JUN63rKwWUwQYJTVCdBCCZ66-hEW1g4CP2jnHAg3voV48aZQT-bG2k8GT4VZXmkJa1WBovEho4RL0b3VMH5KoEmWz0i6fVSFgzPL6cF_q2H917W9ktuJigwg8oxxtx/s3300/On%20The%20Farm%20300%208x10_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bcBPHU1fSO23DegcdRDu7UJr6Y5NXirfDRyQbvXPGUGS_3R-TNI7kdBNN6JUN63rKwWUwQYJTVCdBCCZ66-hEW1g4CP2jnHAg3voV48aZQT-bG2k8GT4VZXmkJa1WBovEho4RL0b3VMH5KoEmWz0i6fVSFgzPL6cF_q2H917W9ktuJigwg8oxxtx/w494-h640/On%20The%20Farm%20300%208x10_C_jpg.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fiP_VsTAspcQkL4PWL5MpsYgdsOHoAK3-9tD10R4L9WOsa56EKHbYKhkegl5_VXG9JGtA1ZlOpNRU2GmMY7TxuS6FZCOb3afNTTo7xB7qRJj_pI6fJY9eZaCHAfmfO1fwFpYu2SNu1rPhMJTOJElaUOjN5ZByBC4IuhEsJZueRGfdNfq6Vzx81Da/s3300/Mermaids%20300_C_8x10_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3300" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8fiP_VsTAspcQkL4PWL5MpsYgdsOHoAK3-9tD10R4L9WOsa56EKHbYKhkegl5_VXG9JGtA1ZlOpNRU2GmMY7TxuS6FZCOb3afNTTo7xB7qRJj_pI6fJY9eZaCHAfmfO1fwFpYu2SNu1rPhMJTOJElaUOjN5ZByBC4IuhEsJZueRGfdNfq6Vzx81Da/w494-h640/Mermaids%20300_C_8x10_jpg.jpg" width="494" /></a></div><p></p><p>So now I'm hooked on drawing these silly coloring pages! Right now I have a total of nine designs in my Etsy shop... and the ideas just keep on coming! I'm filling up my sketchbook with snowmen and space aliens and leprechauns... and I'm looking forward to discovering what other cute creatures and critters will make their homes in my sketchbook! Stay tuned for more coloring silliness from me in the near future!</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: red;">** If you're wondering where you can find my hand drawn kids coloring pages, just follow the link </span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PholkartStudio?ref=si_shop&section_id=40919605" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></b></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-72503694721235789062023-02-27T15:08:00.002-05:002023-03-13T14:37:56.461-04:00Why Do I Create?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2JfrauE4nnLQH5OSMX-1oKWE9_zmUEElkzdBLDBYXtJtdF3augL7n51EKvX4Wn2JSYvKLxaF9ItCGbQfs6ktGdVGbUd4Lb3UQzo6di3ARLvOR2sbkaLEajc_igdhZO6nIrHQxvAPfUsq2RbMjpiQ9MWAyPczulLZtvbQWdPuOlRjKsYFCS-a9D36/s900/bigstock-rainbow-of-pencil-crayons--ma-19526468.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="900" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk2JfrauE4nnLQH5OSMX-1oKWE9_zmUEElkzdBLDBYXtJtdF3augL7n51EKvX4Wn2JSYvKLxaF9ItCGbQfs6ktGdVGbUd4Lb3UQzo6di3ARLvOR2sbkaLEajc_igdhZO6nIrHQxvAPfUsq2RbMjpiQ9MWAyPczulLZtvbQWdPuOlRjKsYFCS-a9D36/w640-h388/bigstock-rainbow-of-pencil-crayons--ma-19526468.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-small;">Photo: BigStock</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Lately I've needed to remind myself again about why I create. I guess it should be obvious to me after all these years... but I still often lose sight of my <b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: medium;">"WHY?" </span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">Do I create just to enjoy the process of creating? Do I want my art to be noticed and appreciated by others? Do I want to make money with my art? Do I create because I want to share something that comes from within myself, as a gift to others? Do I create just because it's fun?... or maybe because I'm wired that way and I just need to create?</p><p style="text-align: left;">I guess the answer is probably "all of the above." To be honest, I still often get discouraged and I struggle with my "WHY?" So this is me thinking this whole creativity thing through as I blog.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I came to art kinda late in my life. I wasn't the little kid who played with paints and scissors and colored paper and made all kinds of creative "messes." No, I was the little girl who loved to color inside the lines with a brand new box of 64 Crayola crayons. I filled up coloring books, but I never imagined myself actually drawing my own pictures or painting on canvas. For one thing, I really didn't have a creative model in my family... someone I could watch to see that being a creative person was a valid way of being.. that it was more than OK to be creative just for the JOY of it. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I discovered art when I was 28 years old and my first son was a little guy. I drew little pictures for him to find in his lunch box when he didn't like going to preschool Lunch Bunch... and it was a total surprise to me just how much I loved drawing those little stick figures! I had no idea that a simple pencil and 3x5 card and some colored markers could be so much fun! So, I kept drawing...</p><p style="text-align: left;">Years passed, and I got better at drawing. Then I got introduced to online art communities on Facebook, Flickr and blogging. Eventually I got inspired to open an Etsy shop and a Zazzle shop. Looking back, the art I created wasn't all that good, but I knew I had found something that was an integral part of who I was. I was a creative person who loved color and imagining things into existence that never had been before. And it was exciting! </p><p style="text-align: left;">But somewhere along the way, I think I got confused about why I was making art. Lack of views and lack of sales really started to get me down. So I optimized my listings and listened to podcasts that I was sure would give me a leg up in marketing my art. I listened to Etsy experts and redoubled my efforts to make art that people would want. But all I still heard were crickets from both of my shops.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It really felt discouraging! And I asked myself over and over again... What was the point of painting these little canvases with all their happy colors when all that ended up happening was an ever-growing collection of mini canvas art on the shelves in my studio? I was sure that, years from now, my kids were going to need to figure out what in the world to do with all Mom's one-of-a-kind, funky art? </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>But, you know what?... I'm really tired of thinking about my art and creativity in this way.</b></span> So I'm going to try to make some mindset shifts that I hope will get me on a better artsy path. </p><p style="text-align: left;">* I'm going to stop worrying about whether or not other people like what I create, and I'm going to create what I like anyway.</p><p style="text-align: left;">* I'm going to put my finished artwork in my shops, and then move on to the next project without wondering if someone will buy it or not.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">* I'm going to stop checking "likes" and stats, and spend more time sketching and painting.</p><p style="text-align: left;">* I'm going to treat myself to some fun online creative classes that will teach me something new and spark my artsy enthusiasm.</p><p style="text-align: left;">* And I'm going to look for JOY in all I create, knowing that God has "wired" me to be a creative person, and it pleases Him when I use the gift of creativity that He has given me.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;">**Thank you Lord for creating me the way you have... for making me love working with my hands, for my love of color, for the gift of imagination. Please help me to look to YOU and not to others for approval and validation. Help me to find joy in the things you have made, and in the creative process that has become such an important part of my life. Inspire what I create Lord. I want to please you with all I am and all I do.</span><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-64218801451768725742022-11-10T11:06:00.003-05:002023-03-13T14:38:37.236-04:00Happy New Baby Gift!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TugsVuUmVsJGsbFZKTpqd8nQizLfEVRWSgNsGNLO3yJs-8q4aVX5va5DNXiTGkfbWb-IZXriqpRfd90u57O-YSsdSwc8JfCzIHXKDdD36oTtqYrV-iQZcqOPbO7K7t1YnBZvmCTw8kc0I7bEZKLlx80mxsmF6nUFfHI5iDNOrNhB8sBa7BG0-f3F/s8375/Little%20Crab%20Tyson_1200_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5952" data-original-width="8375" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TugsVuUmVsJGsbFZKTpqd8nQizLfEVRWSgNsGNLO3yJs-8q4aVX5va5DNXiTGkfbWb-IZXriqpRfd90u57O-YSsdSwc8JfCzIHXKDdD36oTtqYrV-iQZcqOPbO7K7t1YnBZvmCTw8kc0I7bEZKLlx80mxsmF6nUFfHI5iDNOrNhB8sBa7BG0-f3F/w640-h454/Little%20Crab%20Tyson_1200_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p>This past spring, my niece and her husband were blessed with their first child... a sweet little guy named Tyson. They call him their "little crab"... so I thought it would be fun to paint a canvas with a cute crab and his name on it as a new baby gift for his nursery. An original design of mine, super simple, but I thought it came out pretty cute! I painted it on a 5x7 inch canvas panel... quite a bit bigger than my normal paintings, which are usually 4x6 inches or smaller. I don't usually do personalized pieces of art, but for family I thought I'd make an exception!</p><p>I hope Tyson and his mom and dad will see this painting each day and know how much they're loved! <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Welcome To The World Tyson!!... Aunt Patti loves you!</b></span></span><br /></p><p><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-66893481843331370272022-07-21T17:44:00.003-04:002023-03-13T14:38:58.008-04:00July Home Renovation Update<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgYRvpWIdfkUUzW0r7Z5q7HZ7Ek_rSTQVy1nD5SZWwGMVyzyI4iIuAb4LmSdnOYdZmW_cZDbfgM4XDKafdvEkhv-CMDEsId4JlpYxPZZIw7KLfTmLLpGomUb7bSr0K2UyRv9aJY0C3zMW_ILRpE5rqJyX1za7Mzj2EQ3XKAZ94FkDB0ltA5rwna7v/s3507/4th%20of%20July%20Geraniums_1200_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3401" data-original-width="3507" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgYRvpWIdfkUUzW0r7Z5q7HZ7Ek_rSTQVy1nD5SZWwGMVyzyI4iIuAb4LmSdnOYdZmW_cZDbfgM4XDKafdvEkhv-CMDEsId4JlpYxPZZIw7KLfTmLLpGomUb7bSr0K2UyRv9aJY0C3zMW_ILRpE5rqJyX1za7Mzj2EQ3XKAZ94FkDB0ltA5rwna7v/w640-h620/4th%20of%20July%20Geraniums_1200_C_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Well, last time I blogged (way back in February 2022), my husband and I were up to our eyeballs in plaster dust and paint as we did some remodeling on this old bungalow we call home. Six months later, we're still painting the downstairs, but we're a whole lot closer to the finish line on this project. It's all about sweat equity around here!... and "This Old House" is starting to look a whole lot prettier as a result of our efforts! The front porch is fixed and awaiting a fresh coat of my favorite color <span style="color: #6aa84f;">green</span> (we're waiting for cooler weather before we work outside again). All the walls of the lower floor have been painted a warm white with crisp white trim (with the exception of our dining room, which is a pretty soft shade of <span style="color: #6aa84f;">green</span>). The sun porch is bright white and we've just finished painting the porch floor an unexpected sunny shade of <span style="color: #f1c232;">yellow</span>. Next comes the butler's pantry which will be getting a fun pop of color too! It's amazing what paint can do to transform a tired looking house!... and it's encouraging to be able to see the good results from all our hard work!</p><p>I'm starting to paint some little canvases again to put in my Etsy shop, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PholkartStudio" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>PholkartStudio</b></span></span></a>! (YAY!!) The painting I posted above is called<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/1252013882/cute-original-mini-canvas-painting-4th?click_key=0a86a6378c212e16d6b60ec61af5eb9554a7fc2f%3A1252013882&click_sum=e9e137bc&ref=shop_home_active_2" target="_blank"> <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>"Star Spangled Geraniums,"</b></span></span></a> and measures 3x3 inches. It comes with the cutest little easel to display just about anywhere! Honestly, it has felt really great to have the time to come up with some brand new sketches and finally play with my acrylic paints again! I've got four new designs that I'm excited about painting soon!... YAY for getting back to creating!</p><p><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-26937225447787162262022-02-05T14:58:00.003-05:002023-03-13T14:39:22.980-04:00This Old House<p style="text-align: center;"></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span center="" style="color: #6aa84f;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAjW1CaSemTTEpZUCMfl-gkazihfdlfsedBSOcs28e0hPZtMCITPwyTFIsTL7PsHCrtK5KyE5l652N3np6MyU4sES-mwTvfvmD4aQaJ_R7v75I4vi8UBqaNRJIlEnEMkz_4BStClhghIO_RFsDdpRrcDPGsA5mkyutrlwJpCPYgGebhBo-N9BfTzmh=s1188" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="1188" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAjW1CaSemTTEpZUCMfl-gkazihfdlfsedBSOcs28e0hPZtMCITPwyTFIsTL7PsHCrtK5KyE5l652N3np6MyU4sES-mwTvfvmD4aQaJ_R7v75I4vi8UBqaNRJIlEnEMkz_4BStClhghIO_RFsDdpRrcDPGsA5mkyutrlwJpCPYgGebhBo-N9BfTzmh=w640-h632" width="640" /></a></div> <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/954049962/home-sweet-farmhouse-original-mini?click_key=ebaae6c033056446ad8e30019a6247af1ae32e52%3A954049962&click_sum=2b1d36b4&ref=shop_home_active_22">"Country Cottage"</a></span></span><br /></div><div><p></p><p>It has been too many months since I updated my blog, or really done any art at all. The reason?... Ever since my husband retired, we've been sprucing up our little 1920's bungalow where we've lived for almost 35 years. "Delayed Maintenance" is what my husband calls it. Somehow in the middle of raising two boys here and working full time and living from month to month financially, things just never got done on "This Old House." The front porch was suffering from years of rain and snow that finally ate away at the floor boards. The plaster in my husband's office had developed major cracks that made an interesting spiderweb design on the walls. There were holes in the ceiling above our stairwell created by an old leaky roof. And every wall in the entire house was begging for a fresh coat of paint! <br /><br />As I sit here typing, there's a BIG dumpster sitting out front and a porta-potty in the yard. We finally decided that some of the jobs that needed to be done were just beyond our handyman capabilities... and so we enlisted some help to get a few major projects finished around here. But Joe and I are doing most of the inside painting... which means the fun, arty painting I love to do has been set aside for a while. It's a good thing I really do like to paint, no matter what kind of painting it is!<br /></p><p>While I'm away from my canvases and paint brushes for a short while, I'm still brainstorming ideas for new paintings and sketching in my sketchbook. New ideas are percolating and I can't wait to get back to more artful painting soon! <br /></p></div>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-14685312753615745202021-06-22T11:15:00.004-04:002023-03-13T14:39:44.147-04:00Every Day Is Earth Day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2rQnSAZ5zxemRE43aNwC2pCv6-1brXHXq5Lvr5oS5viUOUEI7FENj1DpHyH01I04rseOdme4-dMpC0m-scq9MThBY5q5P4z0a-Fh_5tTBByh0Ta-Mn0uaj_6HfdagTLpa22OKh7uBxM/s2048/Every+Day+Is+Earth+Day+600_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2040" data-original-width="2048" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2rQnSAZ5zxemRE43aNwC2pCv6-1brXHXq5Lvr5oS5viUOUEI7FENj1DpHyH01I04rseOdme4-dMpC0m-scq9MThBY5q5P4z0a-Fh_5tTBByh0Ta-Mn0uaj_6HfdagTLpa22OKh7uBxM/w640-h638/Every+Day+Is+Earth+Day+600_C_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Every Day Is Earth Day"</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Just ask my husband and he'll tell you that I'm a devoted recycler! Yes, I've been known to go through our trash and pick out plastic wrap and cardboard that could be sent to the recycling center... and I have no shame about that! Walking our dogs every day, I'm liable to pick up bottles and cans to deposit in the nearest recycling cart. My thinking is always, "If I don't pick this up, then who will?" Just trying to keep our neighborhood beautiful one dog walk at a time!<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Not only that, but I'm an unapologetic scavenger and enthusiastic repurposer! "Are you throwing that out?... Hmmmm! How could I reuse that in some creative way?" My brain just seems to be "wired" to see the possibilities in discarded items. Our home is decorated with lots of random finds and hand-me-downs... and I really love the uniqueness and whimsy they add to our environment!<br /><br />This week is the Bulky Item Pick Up in our neighborhood... the once-a-year chance our city gives us to clear out our attics and basements of "junk" and have the city take it all to the dump. My next door neighbors have used this opportunity to clear out a HUGE amount of unwanted "stuff" left in their home by the previous owner. So we've had a front row view to the ever-growing pile of "stuff" they've brought out to the curb this week.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They say "One man's trash is another man's treasure"... and we've been witness to that this week as many folks have come by to pick through the mountain of random things and happily cart them away for who-knows-what-purpose.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As I watched out our front windows, I spied two older black rocking chairs someone put out at the curb... and I literally SPRINTED across the street to nab them for my front porch. My husband and I hosed them down and dried them off... and now they're looking soooo cute on "This Old House's" large front porch. I'm happy to say I now have a rainy day place to sit outside and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with a friend!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Are YOU an avid recycler like me???... Please tell me I'm not the only one out there!!</b></span><br /><br /><br />** The painting "Every Day Is Earth Day" was created by me. You can find other whimsical & quirky paintings like this one in my Etsy shop, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PholkartStudio" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><b>PholkartStudio</b></span></a>!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-34918500656725278962021-06-17T11:19:00.009-04:002023-03-13T14:40:26.993-04:00Lake Life<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzFuzhwB7VPQ29GuwD6D73SUGv9r_AWu7I9p95UCk2GJBjePD0ELf0j42FaNdCDILFV6gEPlADoNOJpb47HKJ9fP_AtSlWMs0enB1585_9UjpoQrWCbOKnyfE4Q_TKNStx4RZOO0p7NQ/s1792/Lake+Life+300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="1791" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglzFuzhwB7VPQ29GuwD6D73SUGv9r_AWu7I9p95UCk2GJBjePD0ELf0j42FaNdCDILFV6gEPlADoNOJpb47HKJ9fP_AtSlWMs0enB1585_9UjpoQrWCbOKnyfE4Q_TKNStx4RZOO0p7NQ/w640-h640/Lake+Life+300_C_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Lake Life"</span><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">A few weeks ago, my husband and I packed up the car and headed to a long-awaited family time (post pandemic) at <a href="https://www.romanticasheville.com/lake-santeetlah" target="_blank"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>Lake Santeetlah</b></span></a> in Western North Carolina. My son and his wife had recently purchased a lake home there, and we were so excited about seeing it for the first time! <br /><br />To be honest, I had never heard of Lake Santeetlah before... and I've lived in North Carolina for nearly 35 years now! So I had no idea what to expect! To my delight, we discovered a GORGEOUS, very quiet and peaceful mountain lake with a little marina and a small public beach. Even though the new lake house is on the side of a big hill, there are flat roads that wind around the peninsula that even I, with my wonky knees, can easily enjoy walking on. And the views!... They are spectacular at every turn in the road!<br /><br />As a mostly-city-gal, being out in nature at the lake was a breath of fresh air (literally!). The sky was a bright Carolina Blue... The water sparkled, reflecting the summer sunshine... The tall trees whispered in the breeze. It was just soooo peaceful and inspiring!<br /><br />I'm grateful for opportunities like this to get away from my "normal life" and travel not-so-far from home to a beautiful place of quiet and rest, surrounded by Mother Nature. My soul felt refreshed from our time away... and I look forward to returning again and again to this new "Happy Place!"<br /><br /><br />** The painting "Lake Life" was created by me. You can find
other whimsical & quirky paintings like this one in my Etsy shop, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PholkartStudio" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"><b>PholkartStudio</b></span></a>!<br /><br /><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-81016028408132842512021-05-19T10:16:00.009-04:002023-03-13T14:40:58.481-04:00I'm A Dog Person!<div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yiDpmGl4E0uEmQxaGWHNs5EX5tdqbrXCjMl14_bATkEzt17_vyjwQp0ZVtIYklSENT3lEcAAvwOkez516xnVFnvmB7KL94LbPioxnCvo2ZIZPjl9q0oSFinnnnx1nNQXzK-Bp_EtOe4/s2048/Good+Dog_C_600_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1468" data-original-width="2048" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yiDpmGl4E0uEmQxaGWHNs5EX5tdqbrXCjMl14_bATkEzt17_vyjwQp0ZVtIYklSENT3lEcAAvwOkez516xnVFnvmB7KL94LbPioxnCvo2ZIZPjl9q0oSFinnnnx1nNQXzK-Bp_EtOe4/w640-h458/Good+Dog_C_600_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">"Good Dog!"</span><br /></div><br /><div><p></p><p>My husband Joe and I have been married now for 43 years... and over that time, we've had the pleasure of caring for five dogs... all very different in their personalities, but all very very lovable!<br /><br />Our first dog came unexpectedly!... a cute Miniature Schnauzer named Jonathan. Friends of ours were going overseas as missionaries and were not able to take their dog along with them. So Jonathan came to live with us at our house. At the time, our oldest son Ben was only two years old, and I was definitely NOT looking for a dog! Ben was a handful!... an extroverted, busy, into-everything toddler with a mind of his own! When Jonathan arrived at our house, Ben made it his job to chase Jonathan around the house, trying to pull his tail. My job became running around after Ben trying to protect Jonathan!... Crazy Mom Life!! My mother-in-law was fond of saying that Jonathan was a "jaunty little fella"... and he really was! </p><p>Next came Salem (named after our hometown, Winston-Salem). My husband saw her featured on the local news, a brand new puppy from the Humane Society. We took our boys over to see her and (of course!) fell in love with her! She was the runt of her litter... a chow mix with a beautiful auburn coat. What we didn't know at the time was that she had terrible separation anxiety, was very territorial and was dreadfully afraid of thunderstorms! When the mailman came to the door each day, she barked and barked in an effort to protect our home from outside invaders! Still, she was wonderful with our boys and was a great companion to them during their growing up years. Years later, Salem is probably the dog my sons both remember the best.<br /><br />After both the boys had headed off to college and beyond, our house felt very empty. So I hunted online and found a black lab named Winnie at a lab rescue group here in North Carolina. Winnie was really sick when she was rescued. We suspect she'd been raised as a breeding dog, and when her usefulness as a puppy producer was over, she was abandoned. She had fleas and ticks and needed treatment for heartworms... but from the very first, Winnie was a "love bug!" Of all the dogs we've owned, I think I've been closest to Winnie. Joe traveled a lot during that time... and she was my gentle, faithful companion at home. There are some dogs who are more than just dogs... It seems like they see into your soul. And that's who Winnie was for me.<br /><br />Jake came into our lives as a puppy... and boy was he difficult to train! We had gotten him through the same lab rescue group, and assumed he had at least some lab in him... but he started growing so fast that we soon suspected he wasn't a lab mix at all. I guess his silver gray coat should have clued us in! One of his litter mates had a DNA test, and it turned out that the puppy was a mix of Great Dane, Collie, Husky and German Shepherd... and not a drop of Lab in him! So we assume that Jake has the same lineage. We took him to a local puppy training class and he failed miserably!... So Joe very diligently and patiently taught him to walk nicely on a leash, to come when called, and lots of other essential puppy tricks. Eventually Jake settled in here at home, and he's been a joy!... although his hard-headedness and ninety-five pound size continue to be a challenge at times. He's in love with the bunnies that sometimes hop around in our back yard, and can't get enough people attention when we have visitors. He's an extroverted dog in a home full of introverts!<br /><br />We never planned to have two dogs at a time... but when both my parents passed away within nine months of each other, we brought their Labradoodle Shadow home to stay with us. Shadow was nine years old at the time.She had not received the care she needed at my parents' house. She was very overweight and unkept. We took her to our vet and learned she needed to have several teeth removed and that she had a thyroid condition that required medication. On top of that, she had arthritis that made it difficult for her to get around well. So, at the vet's suggestion, we put her on a diet and started walking her so she would shed some pounds. Twenty-five or so pounds later, Shadow is a frisky old lady who loves to play with Jake out on our deck. Shadow has never met a food she didn't want to eat, so we always need to keep a watch to be sure she doesn't steal Jake's food. She seems to have an inner alarm clock that tells her it's 5:00 and time for dinner. It has taken a while, but now she's perfectly comfortable and happy at our house.<br /><br />There have been so many joys for us in caring for the different dogs God has brought into our life!... but there has also been sadness as we've had to say goodbye to some too due to sickness and age. That's the hard part about being a dog owner... You risk having your heart broken when they need to leave this earth. Still, I know that for me the risk of hurt is far outweighed by the joy I've found in loving our dogs! I'm grateful for each waggly tail and sloppy kiss I've received by being willing to be a Dog Mom!<br /><br /><b><span style="color: red;">Are you a Dog Person too???... I'd LOVE to hear about your furry friends!!</span></b><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-51153583846981312132021-05-17T09:19:00.003-04:002023-03-13T14:41:32.540-04:00Big Changes And Finding Inspiration<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzZggu6cdCia4Eb3LTxOJRZxcMdYv9ibzriW4lJ9LFyj1jXib7AShu_AP4byIu_Q_ivOpuFfaisE-d2-tqZF-gOca6gxT73Yh4YB28Zc5SXGFqJIWmhm3anP3nTiHXfhyo-ZNE2gTju0/s2555/Tiny+Mermaid+1200_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="2555" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXzZggu6cdCia4Eb3LTxOJRZxcMdYv9ibzriW4lJ9LFyj1jXib7AShu_AP4byIu_Q_ivOpuFfaisE-d2-tqZF-gOca6gxT73Yh4YB28Zc5SXGFqJIWmhm3anP3nTiHXfhyo-ZNE2gTju0/w640-h308/Tiny+Mermaid+1200_C_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">"Tiny Mermaid"</span><br /><br /></p><h2 class="_6lAjh"><div class="Igw0E IwRSH eGOV_ _4EzTm ItkAi"><span class="Jv7Aj mArmR MqpiF"></span></div></h2><span>Life has
been happening around our house as my husband Joe and I get ready for
his retirement in August. I almost can’t believe it’s actually
happening... but it IS!! We’re both looking forward to living according
to our own timetable and seeing what each new day brings! <br /><br />After hunting and searching for a one story house that might "fit" our next stage in life, we finally decided that nothing quite felt like home to us after all. And so we decided to do some major renovations on "This Old House" where we've lived for 34 years now. Much more on that later as we work through the process of making changes around here!<br /><br />With
so much on my mind, I’ve found it hard to find inspiration for new
paintings lately. I’ve been sketching quite a bit, but nothing has seemed quite
right to actually transfer to a canvas and paint. So I decided to paint
one of my tiniest canvases with this cute mermaid. It felt
important to keep creating... and she was not very intimidating to
paint. Just a little project to get my creative juices flowing again!<br /><br />What do YOU do when you find yourself without inspiration???... What are your tips for getting back to creating again? I'd LOVE to know your secrets!!<br /><br />Until next time... <b><span style="color: #f1c232;">HAPPY CREATING!!</span></b><br /></span><p> </p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-28131996301917920642021-05-03T17:01:00.006-04:002023-03-13T14:41:55.284-04:00Do Artists Blog Anymore???<div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduTcZePupf0VPq2J_1KbVlpJYUJvFpB86StCHb0BxJ_ex__TvAaAmObmic4ZlGsJDNoT4fsJ88xp1VSLsknunzAyz6vEH2RGP-0jvGGAEBINuCc6GryrhQIvYlxNDeo_vpPbF63W7gYQ/s2048/Cat+Loves+Bird+1200_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2027" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhduTcZePupf0VPq2J_1KbVlpJYUJvFpB86StCHb0BxJ_ex__TvAaAmObmic4ZlGsJDNoT4fsJ88xp1VSLsknunzAyz6vEH2RGP-0jvGGAEBINuCc6GryrhQIvYlxNDeo_vpPbF63W7gYQ/w634-h640/Cat+Loves+Bird+1200_C_jpg.jpg" width="634" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #8e7cc3;">"Cat Loves Bird Loves Cat"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Long, long ago (January 1st, 2006 to be precise!) I started my very first blog. I called it <span style="color: #45818e;"><a href="https://simpleblessings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Simple Blessings</a></span>... an arty blog that gave me the opportunity to capture my everyday thoughts and feelings and illustrate them with my doodles. Really, it was the first place where I shared my art publicly... and that was a very BIG deal back then for this shy, introverted artist!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I learned a lot from that blog!... the value of telling my story, even the small seemingly insignificant things.... that I really DID like to write... that it was worth it to take the risk and put myself and my art "out there," even when it wasn't perfect. I "met" other art bloggers and for the first time, developed a sense of creative community. And I even learned a little bit of HTML too!<br /><br />Eventually, I decided to stop posting in <b><span style="color: #45818e;">SimpleBlessings</span></b> and I started the <b><span style="color: #674ea7;">PholkartStudio</span></b> blog instead. If I remember correctly, I ran into "technical difficulties" with the darker background and white type I'd used in my old blog. Another lesson for me on the blogging learning curve!<br /><br />I can't say that I was a regular blogger back then... but I did post quite a lot whenever the mood struck over the years. And it always gave me JOY!<br /><br />Fast forward to the present...<br /><br />Instagram became the "next great thing" and it seemed like art bloggers were abandoning their blogs in favor of this very visual (and fun!) platform. I held off on jumping on the Instagram bandwagon for a while... but eventually I caved and hopped on Instagram too. And my blog was put aside and got very DUSTY!!! <br /><br />But lately I've been feeling the pull to get back to blogging. I quit Facebook a while back (that' a whole 'nother story!) and Instagram just isn't feeding the writer in me. I guess I miss blogging... but I'm wondering...<br /><b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><br />Are there any Art Bloggers out there anymore??? </span></b><br /><br />I sure hope so, 'cause I'd really love to find them!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">** The painting "Cat Loves Bird Loves Cat" was created by me. You can find
other whimsical & quirky paintings like this one in my Etsy shop, <span style="color: #8e7cc3;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/PholkartStudio" target="_blank"><b>PholkartStudio</b></a></span>!</div><p></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-32619387496601484592020-12-14T14:51:00.004-05:002023-03-13T14:42:14.526-04:00Painting My Way Through The Pandemic<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdoB8x06iaBpwOkThKDqjpc-ZwEv10TCrcdCAmbWgi-wiYxOEGuOlinFVScl1OJGVogPyuXBHN3PoTlzUDb8LROlK5M5qCbvF6z0I9KHXFh283cl5Aj8SY4_HAKzdf0XS_E_EWUmtpWs/s884/Angel+Peace300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="864" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtdoB8x06iaBpwOkThKDqjpc-ZwEv10TCrcdCAmbWgi-wiYxOEGuOlinFVScl1OJGVogPyuXBHN3PoTlzUDb8LROlK5M5qCbvF6z0I9KHXFh283cl5Aj8SY4_HAKzdf0XS_E_EWUmtpWs/w626-h640/Angel+Peace300_C_jpg.jpg" width="626" /></a></div><p></p><p>It has taken me nine months to finally feel like moving back toward sharing my art on Etsy again. My heart has needed time to heal.<br /><br />The Coronavirus Pandemic hit about the time that my Mom declined rapidly and passed away last spring... and so began a bizarre, heartbreaking "saying goodbye" without the chance to be with her in her last days, or even attend her funeral due to travel restrictions. It was an emotional and baffling time for me, trying to make sense of the circumstances of Mom's homecoming. For a while, it just didn't seem like it all could be real.<br /><br />So... I really needed to step back for a while to think, to pray, to wrestle with what was and with what is now. I needed a safe place to just be for a while.</p><p></p><p>Being quarantined at home during this time ended up being a gift to me... I didn't have anywhere to go, there weren't many outside distractions or responsibilities, and life was extra quiet at our house. So, I dug into my craft closet and found some tiny canvas panels I'd been hoarding forever, and started to paint them one by one.</p><p>I've always enjoyed working small... My first endeavor with online art sales was creating ACEO's (artist trading cards that are for sale... They measure 2.5" x 3.5"). I like the challenge of creating in a defined space. I like to see how many different ideas can be created on a tiny art card... or in this case, a miniature canvas.</p><p>And so, I spent the summer and fall applying colorful acrylics to tiny canvases. The ideas just kept flowing... <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBWIbpa06_GSa7WD-tnDYKpRYJk2mnJi_s_t14FyXexbQnplMPMdx_uo3Hy5vIJfXL4mjugR8Yhd-TcxzSkH8l8KQBNQZGRNyaPF4mXEZKoK9NvP71dGhBSpPkNBXogEgJSHbmeiNOB4/s1188/Bringing+Home+The+Christmas+Tree_C_300_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1188" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBWIbpa06_GSa7WD-tnDYKpRYJk2mnJi_s_t14FyXexbQnplMPMdx_uo3Hy5vIJfXL4mjugR8Yhd-TcxzSkH8l8KQBNQZGRNyaPF4mXEZKoK9NvP71dGhBSpPkNBXogEgJSHbmeiNOB4/w640-h302/Bringing+Home+The+Christmas+Tree_C_300_jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>...until finally I'd created quite a stash of mini paintings!</p><p>I resisted the idea of reopening my Etsy shop at first... Was I ready to come out of my retreat yet? Did I have the emotional and physical energy to re-engage with the world? And, was I willing to go back to posting on Instagram and Facebook again so people could find out about my art?</p><p>Well, to tell the truth, the jury's still out on the social media question. I have really loved the quiet... not feeling obligated to post, not being bombarded with what everyone else if doing and thinking... just being me with my own creative ideas and thoughts.</p><p>But I did miss putting my artwork out into the world and sharing what I'd created. It seemed a waste to keep stashing my paintings where no one would ever enjoy them.<br /><br />So, I'm back. And it feels OK. I'm not expecting hoards of customers knocking at my shop's door. But I do hope that others will find a tiny bit of happiness from what I have made. If I can add to someone's joy by sharing my art, that will be more than enough!<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: #6fa8dc;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span>Thank you Lord for time to heal. Thank you for the joy of creativity. Thank you for new beginnings. Thank you for loving me!</span></span> 💖</span><br /></p>Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-49731516787500531942020-02-23T17:41:00.003-05:002023-03-13T14:42:36.234-04:00Light In My Darkness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh7fERzvRiXvoisz2Mi2MWIjMLdpXOUuSz9zNCmJbBTTIQP8wS-Bd_ddbnQfskv_eTjHPGS2o50maZkai5NMjqN_eteYBWWiFKnWzqMHNU_01mV50o9RwHhIS5IcpTO8Lcld8mcKalm0/s1600/Candle+1200_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="781" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh7fERzvRiXvoisz2Mi2MWIjMLdpXOUuSz9zNCmJbBTTIQP8wS-Bd_ddbnQfskv_eTjHPGS2o50maZkai5NMjqN_eteYBWWiFKnWzqMHNU_01mV50o9RwHhIS5IcpTO8Lcld8mcKalm0/s640/Candle+1200_jpg.jpg" width="312" /> </a></div>
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It has been a very long time since I've written in my blog... over two years, in fact. Life has been filled with family illness and the homecoming of my sweet Dad. Now my Mom is declining rapidly. I'm trying my best to care for her well, while my heart is grieving. It is the circle of life... We are only given so many days on this earth, and then we return to the Lord, which is a blessing! But this ending of life!... It is so very very hard! I need God's grace to make it through each moment of every single day.</div>
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I've written before that I struggle with depression... and during this difficult time, it's been hard to find my way out of the darkness at times. My physician has changed my medications, and that has greatly helped me cope on this journey I've found myself on. I am truly grateful to be feeling so much better!<br /><br />And painting has helped soothe my soul. I don't claim to be a terrific artist... but somehow in putting pencil to paper and then paint on canvas, peace and joy have come into my heart. This winter, as the afternoon sun has been shining in the windows of my studio, I've experienced a calm, quiet place of healing and comfort as I've painted and listened to soft, soothing music. My studio has felt like a sanctuary... and art making has felt like communion with God.<br /></div>
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<br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">Thank you Lord, that you meet me right where I am... even when I'm in the darkness. You come to me and comfort me. You shine Your light on me and fill me with joy and gladness! I am so very grateful!!</span><br /></div>
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Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-44230663774242157592018-01-22T16:34:00.005-05:002023-03-13T14:43:19.873-04:00Snowbound in Carolina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hK_Rq92HdL0I1GKUgA39fbhCnM8-u4qH7cs2TTByF0xHqeFWEjCuDttAXFT0nNm-baG_tNzE0WAJbgZCr8o-T9W7dsEEVLSMFs1tlAiz5YyInzHDXKPtKA1fYtOEYINj2eS2VrOTU5I/s1600/Winter+Friends+Photo+4_640w_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hK_Rq92HdL0I1GKUgA39fbhCnM8-u4qH7cs2TTByF0xHqeFWEjCuDttAXFT0nNm-baG_tNzE0WAJbgZCr8o-T9W7dsEEVLSMFs1tlAiz5YyInzHDXKPtKA1fYtOEYINj2eS2VrOTU5I/s1600/Winter+Friends+Photo+4_640w_jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/573318698/whimsical-original-folk-art-snowman-with?ref=shop_home_feat_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">"Winter Friends"</span></a><br />
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Late last week, we had a winter storm blow through my home state of North Carolina. It's not so unusual for us to get a really good snow sometime during the wintertime... but I think this storm surprised even the meteorologists with the amount of snow it left behind! We had about six inches of snow... but with ice on the roads and our house perched on a hill, we were snowbound for several days 'til the temperatures rose. <br />
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So, while I was inside, enjoying the snowy view out my window and giving thanks for a warm house and a full fridge, I spent some very happy hours in my studio, creating this happy snowman! I did some experimenting with 'floating color' (read here... lots of trial & error!) to give the snowman and cardinal a bit of shading and depth. This is a growing edge for me. I had watched some YouTube videos that made the floating technique look so easy... but I'm going to need to keep practicing, that's for sure! </div>
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I hope that<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">"Winter Friends"</span></b></span> brightens your day today! :)<br />
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<br />Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-19802493367410000892018-01-01T12:01:00.001-05:002023-03-13T14:44:14.402-04:00'Tis The Week After Christmas......and somehow, in all the travelings afar and gatherings at home and tree decorating and cookie baking and present wrapping and talking and laughing with the ones we love and dog-sitting for my son's Great Dane and eating waaaaay too much delicious holiday food and doing a thousand loads of laundry and about the same amount of dishes....<br />
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... I'm just now getting around to showing you the paintings I made for my Etsy shop to celebrate Christmas this year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuRTQYTax62JiJKtQ4yp3b4JvxkVm9efAndQqMN8ik-l4D91YsXnnsugUvHLZ89z6VgFnpGidxwgPWZM90NgcdpvfjE1cNCk_CNpuZKZfsCGXSH_0G61E8TDwfgAdB3y69ElKdlgLk9Q/s1600/Jolly+Old+Saint+Nick+640w_300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNuRTQYTax62JiJKtQ4yp3b4JvxkVm9efAndQqMN8ik-l4D91YsXnnsugUvHLZ89z6VgFnpGidxwgPWZM90NgcdpvfjE1cNCk_CNpuZKZfsCGXSH_0G61E8TDwfgAdB3y69ElKdlgLk9Q/s1600/Jolly+Old+Saint+Nick+640w_300_C_jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
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First up is <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/575704553/whimsical-christmas-folk-art-mini-canvas?ref=shop_home_feat_3" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">"Jolly Old Saint Nick."</span></b></span></a> I had never painted a Santa before, so I was really excited about creating him! :) I used an original sketch I'd drawn and painted him with acrylics on a 5x7 inch canvas panel. The background is a soft gold I mixed up, with gold dots on top. I really like the contrast of his dark red suit and hat against the background. Wonder what could be inside that present he's holding???... I'm kinda in love with his cute little grin!<br />
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The second Christmas painting I made was based on an illustration I'd created several years ago... <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/570404645/whimsical-christmas-folk-art-mini-canvas?ref=shop_home_active_3" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Away In A Manger."</span></a> </span></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsy-iDWxHYH6CKCgXEo4EBJoc1SwfytNGZ9N9KK5cGixJLnRkxak1LG5Lar8V0-2nW_JZQ_Fx933_S5Tjvo9TSp8pb2zDlItqu5KJMNPv1gsl_orvVVfXE35cDWC3PqD-FHErdNct-EA/s1600/Away+In+A+Manger+640w+300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsy-iDWxHYH6CKCgXEo4EBJoc1SwfytNGZ9N9KK5cGixJLnRkxak1LG5Lar8V0-2nW_JZQ_Fx933_S5Tjvo9TSp8pb2zDlItqu5KJMNPv1gsl_orvVVfXE35cDWC3PqD-FHErdNct-EA/s1600/Away+In+A+Manger+640w+300_C_jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
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This one was also painted on a 5x7 flat panel canvas. It's simple and a little "quilty" and sweet... just the star that led the shepherds to the baby Jesus, who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. <br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">What an amazing event!!... Who could ever have imagined God's gift to us!!???</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #949494;">Finally, this is the canvas I painted for an Christmas tree ornament this year.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJI7guLNp4x2SW8x0hvZXW61edvzAHF7ldYLvR9LLqZILav-l70_DTftrrtj2Y9yY3HibgntFssG8JJMqEUAzc-1tAL3PcgLtx6VSYcchdz9p86tM-B70AsQlGgFYdfiXu63ERAiLU3Q/s1600/Rejoice+640w+300_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJI7guLNp4x2SW8x0hvZXW61edvzAHF7ldYLvR9LLqZILav-l70_DTftrrtj2Y9yY3HibgntFssG8JJMqEUAzc-1tAL3PcgLtx6VSYcchdz9p86tM-B70AsQlGgFYdfiXu63ERAiLU3Q/s1600/Rejoice+640w+300_C_jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #949494;"> I never did get a photo of the ornament on my Christmas tree before the season was over... so this scan will have to do! The background is a 2x4 inch flat panel canvas that was painted bright white and flecked with gold. I hand lettered the word <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/559428964/christmas-ornament-handmade-handpainted?ref=shop_home_feat_2" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">"Rejoice"</span></b></span></a> with a black fine point water-based Sharpie paint pen, and painted the heart a deep red inside the letter "O". I finished it by gluing white string to the back of the canvas, covered the back with white cardstock and signed it.<br />
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So that's it!... My Christmas 2017 RoundUp of Etsy paintings!! :)<br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">And, since today happens to be January 1st of 2018, I'd like to wish <span style="color: #cc0000;">YOU</span> a very Happy New Year filled with Love, Joy, Hope, and Creativity!!</span></b></span></span><br />
<br />Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-60527530343220696132017-11-09T14:56:00.003-05:002023-03-13T14:44:55.505-04:00Learning To Add A Pinterest Board To My Blog<center>
<a data-pin-board-width="640" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="1000" data-pin-scale-width="200" href="https://www.pinterest.com/pholkart/i-heart-etsy/"></a></center>
I've been wanting to share some of my Pinterest boards here on my blog... but, I was unsure how to go about doing that. I knew it was possible, but for some reason, I couldn't get it to work. As always for me, I learn by researching and a whole lot of trial and error! <br />
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Today I stumbled upon a YouTube video by Ana Maria Menezes on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiqHeNtLLMU" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>How to Embed a Pinterest Board to Blogger</b></span></a>. I watched the video a couple of times and it cleared up the issue I was having about where to add the extra small piece of HTML code that is needed to make the board show up.<br />
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As I'm writing this post in the "Compose" mode, I can't see the Pinterest board that I've added using HTML. However, when I preview what I've written... Voila! There it is! :) <br />
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Another cool thing I've found in this process is that, once I've published my post and the Pinterest board is 'live'... you can scroll up and down on the board. If you click on a picture, it will take you directly to that Pin.<br />
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Pretty nifty neato!<br />
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I hope you enjoy my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pholkart/i-heart-etsy/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>I {Heart} Etsy Pinterest Board</b></span></a>! My collection of all things handmade will keep growing... It is such a huge part of who I am and what I love!Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-61880267367485131512017-10-28T12:28:00.002-04:002023-03-13T14:45:20.905-04:00Happy Halloween!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_59fwtxOfpEPrwZxOLh6LMera6o_gcBXQCF4oVAIFAqjhZ0Mg3gHRibDC11RrG4nQXY1hzvdAxzxEHFreT_nGawKSM-6FbLRYHMvIAOzHWSN5CtZGTt5WrArYXeTBKpQ8svur59d9Gms/s1600/Halloween+Doodle+640w_C_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_59fwtxOfpEPrwZxOLh6LMera6o_gcBXQCF4oVAIFAqjhZ0Mg3gHRibDC11RrG4nQXY1hzvdAxzxEHFreT_nGawKSM-6FbLRYHMvIAOzHWSN5CtZGTt5WrArYXeTBKpQ8svur59d9Gms/s1600/Halloween+Doodle+640w_C_jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"> (This is one of the doodles from my sketchbook!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #e69138;"><b>Halloween</b></span></span> is coming up next week!... I always look forward to seeing the little Trick-or-Treaters who come to our door for goodies! It's the preschool-aged children who tickle me the most!... the tiny Supermen and princesses, the wee pumpkin babies in their parents' arms. </div>
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Last year we had an amazing butterfly visit us, with gorgeous sparkly wings! And, of course, there are bound to be a few friendly ghosts, a pirate, a robot, a zombie and a gypsy too. I always love to see the creativity of homemade costumes! (by some very loving parents putting together crazy outfits for their kids in the late night hours!).<br />
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This year, I've managed to hide the 'treats' from my husband, so (hopefully!) there will be plenty to go around! :)<br />
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What does YOUR family do for Halloween?... Do you carve pumpkins? Make your own costumes? Go to Trunk-or-Treat parties with friends?... I'd really LOVE to hear what YOU do!<br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Wishing you a Fun and Safe night of Trick-or-Treating with YOUR family this year!!</span></b></span></center>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmHu82vp0kPIkJ66urBr96orp3sAmKoNX_FQoaVj-d6OGyiQJwyWnFOhwSZ_JCY86NT1KneGFd235IEDN1525vSQaJhZX5ktEXsY2mNnQO4ezTjg9bu4OzzmGZaGyED6JlzDC3U3kNLs/s1600/Little+Ghost+and+Bat+640w_300_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="946" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmHu82vp0kPIkJ66urBr96orp3sAmKoNX_FQoaVj-d6OGyiQJwyWnFOhwSZ_JCY86NT1KneGFd235IEDN1525vSQaJhZX5ktEXsY2mNnQO4ezTjg9bu4OzzmGZaGyED6JlzDC3U3kNLs/s1600/Little+Ghost+and+Bat+640w_300_jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/541001964/whimsical-folk-art-mini-canvas-original?ref=shop_home_feat_2" target="_blank"><span style="color: #674ea7;">"Little Ghost And Bat In The Pumpkin Patch"</span></a></div>
Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644802432017961303.post-54386877539816803432017-10-22T15:15:00.003-04:002023-03-13T14:45:48.641-04:00Showing Up On Etsy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgP_u5YfoEFZFhGHo0SJjPFBbx-rjQdPWevW1vXNITGdLu3hEJg6uBl1v0JZ94ZuWum2nhkFHrmOi4GcTam7HknVnRX0A8AlMEUj0WtOAt4I3w-m0ZJFRwLygapL9dhpPdw8mePlvb3cQ/s1600/Every+Child+Artist+640w_C_300dpi_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgP_u5YfoEFZFhGHo0SJjPFBbx-rjQdPWevW1vXNITGdLu3hEJg6uBl1v0JZ94ZuWum2nhkFHrmOi4GcTam7HknVnRX0A8AlMEUj0WtOAt4I3w-m0ZJFRwLygapL9dhpPdw8mePlvb3cQ/s1600/Every+Child+Artist+640w_C_300dpi_jpg.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: normal;"><span style="font-size: normal;">"Every Child Is An Artist"</span></span></div>
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I thought it was really very simple... I just wanted to create my kinda fun, quirky, whimsical, colorful, silly art and offer it in my (very cute!) Etsy shop to people who like fun, quirky, whimsical, colorful, silly art too. <br />
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No big deal... right? But as it turns out, it's not quite as straight-forward and easy as that...<br />
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What I quickly discovered after listing my whimsical little pieces of art on Etsy was that I couldn't find them ANYWHERE when I searched for them later! And if I couldn't find them... then it followed that nobody else who might like to find them was discovering them either...<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>My heart felt soooo discouraged!! :(</b></span></div>
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So... I started to research. And I began to learn about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how to optimize my Etsy shop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyoFaBPehyphenhyphenbYwuQozEzXcU_vOZVbAJKgLmjQ9y2EgCUO35W5L5R8B6lZ5QJr-q6GLAzC_0LmSndMtIC3CMqwsOzhgqvR5z0qw8LNFIiPGseDDirKkFQRfdUz3n67YaWUfaHouDQs_-zQ/s1600/search-engine-optimization-1521118_1920_jpg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyoFaBPehyphenhyphenbYwuQozEzXcU_vOZVbAJKgLmjQ9y2EgCUO35W5L5R8B6lZ5QJr-q6GLAzC_0LmSndMtIC3CMqwsOzhgqvR5z0qw8LNFIiPGseDDirKkFQRfdUz3n67YaWUfaHouDQs_-zQ/s400/search-engine-optimization-1521118_1920_jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It didn't take long before I found out about Danielle Spurge-Swavely from <a href="https://www.merriweathercouncil.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>The Merriweather Council</b></span></a>! She offers a free <b><a href="http://www.merriweathercouncilblog.com/2017/08/optimize-etsy-shop-etsy-search-basic-etsy-seo-2017/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Etsy Lessons Email Series</span></a></b> that contains a 20 minute SEO training video that was a HUGE help to me! After implementing Danielle's suggestions, I was so happy to see my artwork showing up in Etsy's listings so buyers can finally find them!... YaY!!! :)<br />
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I highly recommend <a href="https://www.merriweathercouncil.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>The Merriweather Council</b></span></a> <a href="http://www.merriweathercouncilblog.com/2017/08/optimize-etsy-shop-etsy-search-basic-etsy-seo-2017/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Etsy Lessons Email Series</b></span></a> to any Etsy seller who is trying to get their products to show up in searches on Etsy. Danielle explains the process of titling and tagging your products in a very clear and helpful way. I was thrilled with the results that I've had from following her advice... and I think you'll be happy with your results too!<br />
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Patti Moorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18140564008886197888noreply@blogger.com0