Santa's Sleigh

Hello,
I finished a really nice piece today with Santa driving a dapple grey horse. The horse reminds me of an antique rocking horse that's come off his base. He also looks a bit like an Andalusian.

Yesteday I listed a miniature horse. This is the largest piece I have ever done with a mini. I had previously painted only two or three small signs. I hope to buy a mini someday. If the township says we can have one on our 1/2 acre. I think it would be fun to drive around the neighborhood since all the parks are linked by walking trails.

Please check out my Cafepress store when you get the chance. Many of my new designs are available on shirts, mugs and cards there.
Thanks for reading!
Jen

In the works...

Well, my husband went back to work today after a nice long Thanksgiving vacation so it's back to painting for me. We had a very nice time on Sunday at Longwood Gardens. I'll post a few pictures. My camera was acting funny so I didn't take many. The best part was their ballroom. It looked like the Snow Queen was about to hold a lavish dinner there. Everything was white and silver. Down the middle of the table was a snow covered table runner made out of moss. It was so pretty.
So I have a few things in mind to paint this week. Today I'll work on a hunter horse jumpinging through a wreath on a tavern sign. I also want to paint a horse running in the snow with a corgi. I hope to also paint a miniature horse sometime soon and another bunny piece. I bought a small wooden chest yesterday that I have a few ideas about but I'm not sold on anything yet. if you have any requests for ebay auctions, now is your time to get them to me.

Jen

I've been tagged...

So one of my friends and fellow bloggers tagged me this morning. I have to write 5 things about myself most people don't know and wouldn't otherwise ever know. Blah;P
Here you go:
1. I was almost born in Belgium. My mom was an assistant and cook for the Ambassador to Belgium's wife while she was pregnant with me and they had to move there and wanted her to go with them. That would have been cool. I love Europe.
2. My Great Grandfather was commissioned to draw very detailed sketches of Independence Hall in Philly during WWII just in case the Germans bombed it. Okay, that really wasn't about me but it was cool.
3. Here's another one not about me... My Grandfather shook hands with Einstein when he was a boy. He was attending a members only dinner with his mother at the Franklin Institute. Einstein was the speaker. They stepped out in the hallway and Einstein was standing there smoking a cigarette. He didn't speak English well but knew French so my Great Grandmother conversed with him in French.
4. I lived above a horse barn for almost 8 years.
5. Here's the saddest one. I am addicted to America's Next Top Model. I started watching it when I was channel surfing one night and they were showing these awesome, very arty photos that were taken on the contestants. I mainly watch it to look at the cool photos that were taken that episode. Besides drawing horses when I was a kid I drew a lot of dresses. I thought it would be fun to be a fashion designer. You'd never know this by looking at me because I can barely dress myself. My wardrobe consists mainly of jeans and t-shirts.
Okay, that's it. Very boring really - and a bit scary too.
I have no one to tag so if you're brave comment on this post and tell me something neat about yourself!
Jen

Scammers

It has been recently brought to my attention that a scam artist has contacted one of my bidders pretending to be me to sell them my art. Obviously what they would do is take their money and send them nothing. This is really scary and I am taking this VERY seriously. I will only send my bidders emails through the ebay system or through my hotmail address that I have had for 10 years now. Please forward any emails from someone posing as me to: spoof@ebay.com
I do not do second chance offers after my auctions are over. Once an item is sold on ebay I do not like to duplicate it.
Jen

Happy Thanksgiving Eve

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving just in case I am too busy tomorrow. We are just going over to my mother's house but I am making a fancy dessert to bring: Dark chocolate mocha topped pumpkin cheesecake. Doesn't that sound wonderful!
I listed a few pieces today including the unicorn sign/painting I showed in a previous post. It looks so nice now that I've varnished it. When the varnish is dry I will add Swarovski crystals to the larger snowflakes. I think it would make the most wonderful gift for the fantasy lover!
Here is a picture of another sign that I listed today. A Belgian draft horse.
Hope everyone has a Happy Turkey Day tomorrow and stuffs themselves silly!
Jen

Experimenting with utube...

Since we got this new fandangled computer I thought I would take her out for a test drive and see what she can do. I was playing around with the movie maker and found out how to make a video with my pictures. I somehow added some music (not sure how I did it or how to change the music). So here it is. Just some sign art for the holidays.
Please check out the link when you have a minute!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8M1tLJgfek

First snow!

Yay! The first snow of the season fell last night. It is just a dusting but pretty none the less. I had to take a quick pic for the blog. Also I just completed another painting/sign on a cabinet door. This one is for the fantasy lover with a unicorn in a winter landscape. You can see Santa flying in front of a full moon and I've put a holiday wreath around the unicorn. I will add some diamond dust glittle and swarovski crystals to the snowflakes on the border. It will look truly magical when it is finished. I just have to varnish it and get it on ebay.
I will be making some changes to how I do business on ebay. I have to increase some of my starting prices since bids have been down a bit this year. If a piece doesn't sell, it will go on my website forsale. I am working on getting Paypal buttons on the site so people can pay for things safely and easily.
http://www.gypsymare.com
Thank you! Jen

Feeling Blah:(

Just want to apologize to all my good customers and friends that have requested ebay auctions. The kiddo and I have been sick the last 3 days and I haven't been able to do much. I will try and get to everything next week. Thank you all for your patience.

Here's a cute picture of one of my squirrels. I love feeding all the critters outside and my mom just got me this corn feeder. They sit on a little stool and eat their corn. How cute:)
Jen

Snow Rabbits

I just finished up a really sweet piece today with a mother and baby snow rabbit. It's painted on an oak cabinet door. I just had to share. I am really happy with the way it turned out. Thanks for lookings. As always, comments and requests are welcome and appreciated.
Snow Rabbit Painting Auction

Gypsy Christmas

I just finished a Gypsy Vanner Christmas sign today that I would like to share. I have been working on her all week and think she is so pretty. I've added diamond dust glitter to some of the snowy parts so they sparkles in the sun like real snow.
Here is the link for the auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1048&item=180179270125
I'm also listing my first colored pencil ACEO tonight called "Sweet Dreams". I haven't listed an ACEO in ages and thought I would give colored pencil a try.
Thanks for reading! Jen

Zazu

Thought I would post two pictures I took of my cat Zazu this week. She is my best pal and follows me everywhere. When I go outside she cries until I come in. If I am painting in my studio she is curled up near me. She has the sweetest little snore you've ever heard. I got Zazu from the Humane League. She was very sick when we brought her home and had to go to the vet for two days. We are so lucky to have found each other!

On a side note... I have been working all night to finish my website. It will probably never be completed, but I do have all the elements in place. Please check it out when you have the chance and sign the guestbook so I know you were there! Thank you!

Gypsy Mare Studios - website



Click on any picture to see a larger version.

New Ornaments

I painted three new horsey ornaments today for ebay. They are so pretty you can hang them up year round. Up for bids is a Friesian, a Palomino Paint and a chestnut Warmblood. Here's one:

I also wanted to mention that it really makes my day when people post a comment on my blog. Gives me hope that there's someone else reading this besides me:) Just a "hi, how ya doin" makes me smile. Sad really, isn't it? It's what happens to you when you just have a toddler with limited vocabulary & 2 cats to talk to all day.

ALSO, any artists out there that would like to network and swap blogs links please let me know.
~ Jen

Dashing through the snow...

I painted a really pretty Friesian Holiday sign today. I'll be adding it to Ebay this afternoon. You can also buy this design on Christmas cards through my Cafepress site:
http://www.cafepress.com/baymaredesigns/186837

If anyone has a request for an Ebay auction sign, please leave your comment here.
I have several ornaments in the works and should have them up on ebay by the weekend. Also started a really nice Gypsy Vanner Christmas sign today that should be finished in a day or two.
Thank you! Jen

Playin' Hooky

I took off painting today to take Zoe to Longwood Gardens. If you've never been and you live anywhere near Philadelphia, you MUST make the trip. I think it is one of my favorite places on earth. Kind of like Mother Nature's art museum. I bought a season pass so I can go whenever I want. So, they just opened this new children's garden. One of the volunteers told me it cost 18 million! It was so amazing and we loved it. So many beautiful bronze sculptures and many of them were whimsical fountains. Here's a few pictures of our day.







This week I hope to paint Gypsy Vanner & Friesian Christmas signs. Please check my ebay auctions if you have any interest.
~Jen

Strange Cat

We bought this Sesame Street chair for our daughter Zoe over the summer. Our one cat, MeeMee, would walk by it quite often and try to sit in it. This would give us a good laugh because MeeMee is a very big cat and the chair is small. One day, we come home from shopping and guess who's in the chair? We nearly died laughing! Well, the cat has claimed the little chair now and Zoe rarely sits in it. On most days you can find him sleeping the day away in his red chair.



I was thinking of adding some text to this photo and submitting it to I Can Has Cheez Burger?. Anyone have any good caption ideas??
Jen

Hello Christmas!

I thought I would share my newest sign. I will add it to ebay tonight.
I painted Santa riding on a warmblood horse. It made me think of the Dutch holiday Sinterklaas, celebrated on Dec. 6th to honor Saint Nicholas. Sinterklaas is like our Santa but he wears a red bishop's dress and carries a staff. He also is depicted riding a white horse over the rooftops named Amerigo. Dutch children leave their wooden shoes by the firplace and stuff them full of apples and carrots for Amerigo. In the morning they awake to find that Sinterklaas has left treats for them. Pretty fun holiday I think! So on this sign I've painted Santa or Sinterklaas, riding a Dutch Warmblood. He is out practicing some dressage moves before the big night.
Jen

Good bye Halloween...

Well we had a fantastic time trick or treating last night at my Father in laws house. He is the kinda guy that spends the whole month getting his yard ready (see pictures below). My husband unfortunately couldn't join us because he was in the last class he needs to get his Masters in Special Education. Once Zoe realized that people were giving out candy she was not shy at all. She even woke up this morning saying, "want candy, want lollipop, want chocolate?". It's a little hard to explain to a 21 month old that we can't eat those things for breakfast (at least not until your grown up:).
So I've started painting some signs for Christmas. Today I painted a Tennessee Walking Horse wrapped up in Holiday lights. I've added a few small signs to ebay too. My first Christmas ebay addition is a whimsical little sheep sign with "We wish EWE a Merry Christmas!" written on it. I've had so much fun painting signs lately! Don't forget to check my auctions when you have the chance. I am adding new pieces every week. Sooner or later I'll get around to painting something on canvas.
Thanks for reading!
Jen