I hope you’re enjoying Halloween so far. I’m getting ready to spend some time with my granddaughters today – Halloween is always such a fun and exciting day for the little ones (and some of us big ones, too)! Our little Aria started at a wonderful preschool this week, and they are having a Harvest Festival.  That being said, I can’t believe Aria is already going to preschool – and that our Twins are already 15 months old! And I thought time flew when my kids were growing up… I can’t wait to return to John McMillan Presbyterian Church this Saturday, November 2nd,…

Why am I celebrating today? Because I just put the final touches on my new Woodland Santa painting! I can’t wait until next week to show it to you… you will be some of the first to see the finished painting (though just a few days ago, the Jolly Old Elf himself stopped by to see how it was coming along!). It’s funny how my mind gets laser-focused when I’m painting, and trivial matters – like housework, shopping, paperwork and such – get put on the back burner. So today I’ll start the process of catching up with “Real Life.”  In…

We’re into the swing of the Fall Festival season, and one of my favorite shows, Fort Ligonier Days, is celebrating its 60th year. The show starts today, which means last night I was hard at work getting my tents set up and my prints and giftware ready for the big opening. I’ve lost count of how many years I have had my two tents in the Loyalhanna Lot on South Market Street… it seems like forever. With plenty of art and crafts, food, historical reenactments, and even a parade and a 5K race, Fort Ligonier Days is one of the…

It sure has been a busy week! Last weekend we were on the go non-stop, juggling two outdoor shows. Starting early Friday morning, setting up our booth at the Washington County Covered Bridge Festival, it seemed like we had no sooner put that show to bed than the alarm went off pre-dawn on Saturday morning, telling us it was time to set up for the Mt.Lebanon Artists’ Market. I swear I must have lost 5 pounds with all the running around between the two shows! And it didn’t help that Summer decided to give us one last taste of heat! But as…

No sooner did I get back from my relaxing week down at the shore than it was time to get ready for this weekend’s shows… especially as I have two shows running simultaneously this weekend! Since I can’t be in two places at the same time, it’s a good thing I have Tom to represent me.  He’s the next best thing to a clone! On Saturday, I’ll be at the beautiful Ebenezer Covered Bridge in Mingo Park as part of the Washington County Covered Bridge Festival.  Over 70 artists will be showing their creations, and there will be handmade crafts, live entertainment, historical…

  Remember how I mentioned last week that I hadn’t had time to enjoy my backyard yet? This week we made great progress on finishing the landscaping for my “Secret Garden.” Of course, as an artist, I saw it as another blank canvas just waiting to be painted. After a ton of digging, weeding, and planting, Tom and I are just one arbor, five bushes, two plants and one Japanese Maple away from finishing our Secret Garden. Once it’s ready, it will be my place of Zen and possibly my new outdoor studio when the weather is nice.   But…

How can it be time for me to get started on the holiday season already? I haven’t even had time to enjoy my backyard garden yet! Though summer will soon be just a memory, I’m very excited for the holiday season this year – I have something really big in store for 2019… something new and special I’ve created that will only be available for a limited time. Despite the summer heat, I was thinking not long ago about the things that remind me of a cozy, old fashioned Christmas. Things like hot cocoa with marshmallows, listening to carols, and…

Picklesburgh was tons of fun!  Who knew there were so many pickle-loving people in Pittsburgh? You never know who you might meet at a show… and thanks to one of those random encounters, long story short, Grandpa Joe’s Candy Stores will soon be carrying my Pittsburgh-themed magnets. I also wanted to let you know that my work is now available at Pittsburgh International Airport! The two main stores are the new Pittsburgh Exchange and the Black and Gold store as well as five Travel Marts. As you can see, they have done a wonderful job of displaying my work. Now that Picklesburgh is part of the past (won’t you…

Tom and I are back from Sedona. We’ve traveled to many different places around the US and Canada, and we agreed that Sedona was definitely one of the most beautiful areas we’ve visited.  So the big question is… Would anyone out there like to see some paintings of brilliant red rock against gorgeous green trees in a majestic mountain setting? Hint: It just may happen! So now that we’re back, the first order of business is preparing for Picklesburgh 2019 this weekend! Our plane may have landed on Monday, but my feet have barely touched the ground since then – driving around,…