Just when it feels like we’ve hit our stride, the Holiday Market in Market Square (like all other good things!) is coming to an end. It’s lovely, though, to think that after these last few days there will be no more aches from all that standing… no more exhaustion from early days and late nights. But we’ve gotten used to it! The smiles and the stories of our visitors and greeting old and new friends, especially the families who have come home to visit the Burgh, make it all worthwhile. It looks like the weather will be pretty decent up to 3 pm…

You probably knew this already, but the holiday season is my favorite time of year! I love being at my Chalet and looking into the eyes of folks I have yet to know, listening to their stories, and trying to assist them in finding the perfect present that meets their needs. Sometimes I can, but even when I can’t provide them with that gift, I’ve often made a new friend. At the end of the day, it’s all about the joy and magic of the holiday season. If I can provide a smile and an ear, then I feel that…

I don’t know about you, but this last week really flew by! I’m trying to enjoy this last bit of summer weather before autumn “falls” right back into our laps. Last weekend, we had an incredible show at the Mount Lebanon Artist Market. It was a record-breaking year for the show, and with so much talent and beautiful weather, there were smiles aplenty! Of course, I’ve already moved on to planning my next Fall Festival – Fort Ligonier Days is less than two weeks away! I will return to the same spot for the second year, with my booth in the Municipal…

The weekend before last, Tom and I personally delivered my original pastel painting, “Ice Ball Treats with Gus and YiaYia,” to its new home in Connecticut with the Rooney family. (Yes, THAT Rooney family!) We had the pleasure of spending the afternoon and evening with the piece’s new owners, June and Tim Rooney. They loved that Tim’s brother, Dan Rooney, appeared in the painting, sitting and watching while Gus shaved the ice for his ice-ball treats. Shipping an original pastel that size would have given me sleepless nights! So instead, we took a road trip, had an adventure, and created a lovely…

Did you notice last week that I didn’t send out a newsletter? There was a really good reason. I was in the midst of a customer service nightmare – 11 hours of phone calls over the course of two days! It began on Wednesday afternoon as I tried to make a business call. A robot told me that my service was suspended. When I finally spoke to a real person, I was told “no service until you pay up!” My bill was over $2000! I was sure that I’d called before we left for Italy to sign on for the…

Picklesburgh is one of Pittsburgh’s favorite summer festivals. In fact, USA Today readers recently voted it the #1 Specialty Food Festival in America! Every year, Picklesburgh attracts bigger and bigger crowds of happy people eating and having a good time… and of course, pickles, pickles, pickles everywhere you look! I missed last year’s event because I was on an amazing family vacation to visit The Mouse with my grandgirls, but I’m back for 2023… and boy, do I have the pickle gifts for you! Picklesburgh is growing every year, so the festival has a new footprint for 2023. Instead of…

I’m writing these words from Pittsburgh International Airport as Tom and I begin our Italian adventure! Before we take off, I have some GREAT news to share with you!  Prints of my new painting, “Glad Tidings at Gimbels,” are now available at a preorder price of 15% off – no code necessary!  My latest pastel painting will be released in a limited-edition giclee print on August 1st, and I am taking 15% off the price on all preorders before that date. You can order your print by clicking here. The edition will include 50 Artist Proofs, 50 Artist-Enhanced (with soft pastels), and 500 standard-edition prints.…

It’s been a super busy couple of weeks in the studio. I can’t believe it’s just a few days until Tom and I embark on a new adventure – a three-week excursion to Italy! I had to double down in the studio to finish in time, but my new painting, “Glad Tidings at Gimbels” is ready for unveiling! I’m off to the printer today to tweak the details to make sure everything is just right. There will be more information about it on my website soon, including pre-orders! Meanwhile, there’s been a lot going on in my studio since I last…

Today was the day I finally got back to my studio. This was one of those weeks where I didn’t have much time to devote to painting, despite the fact that every day, my brain kept telling me “I want to paint!” What kept me out of the studio? A lot of running around, but mostly babysitting the grandgirls. They are getting very big indeed! Why is it that they are getting older, and I’m not? I do feel young, though there are days when it feels like my age is catching up with me! The girls are a goofy…

The word is “Gimbels,” and I wouldn’t be surprised if I have a thousand pictures of it. So many different perspectives and points of view… a little of this and a little of that. I was just talking to a client on the phone about my process of researching and planning this painting these last couple of weeks. She asked if the Gimbels painting will become a puzzle. I told her I haven’t even thought that far ahead. Then it occurred to me that putting this painting together has been a lot like solving a puzzle. I am so thankful to those…