O Christmas Tree!

First, I want to thank everyone so much for all the comments on my last post (if you haven't left a comment to enter my Christmas giveaway, please do). It has been a joy to read about every one's favorite Holiday memories. I encourage my readers to check out the comment section of my last post and see what people have written. Some lovely, heartwarming stories!

So we've finally gotten our Christmas tree. It was a little difficult because they were all covered in snow! I usually rush out on the first snow and take tons of photos but I was too busy shopping and then painting this weekend.

Here's the tree farm. Didn't have to drive far, it's only about a mile down our street.


Hmm... where is our tree?


Ah ha, here it is! Knock off a little snow, not too bad.


A few hours later, all gussied up. I'm loving the big, sparkly butterfly at the top I bought at Longwood Gardens this year.
And here's what I painted. Wish I could have gotten a better photo because I'm really happy with how it turned out. Just too grey a day for photos. I would LOVE to go for a ride in a sleigh like this! This 12.5" x 16.5" original sign will go up on Ebay tonight for a 3 day auction.



The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination. ~Ward Elliot Hour

Attachment Issues

Yeah, that's right, I'm having issues. For some reason this year I'm having a very hard time giving up my creations. Do any other artists out there in blogland have this problem? Maybe it's all the love and attention I give to each piece that makes it more like a child than a sign, painting or sculpture. I don't know what it is but I need to make some money for Christmas!

Just listed on Ebay, 7 Christmas/Winter signs and 1 sculpture - Dash - you may have met him on a previous blog post. He looks so nice sitting on my foyer table. Everyone that sees him falls in love. I will be sad to send my baby off!

Two pieces currently on ebay...

Christmas Signs

When I left my job and started selling on Ebay 10 years ago my user name was horsesigns and that's pretty much all I did. I don't paint as many horse signs now but my favorite time of year to do them is Christmas. I love to paint horses with wreaths, decorations, Christmas trees, snowmen, galloping through the snow...

My first one of the Season this year is an elegant dark bay hunter. He reminds me a bit of my thoroughbred Duncan that I had to sell 3 years ago to buy our house. With money being tight we couldn't justify the expense and you know how expensive horses are! I really do miss him. Raised him from the second he was born until he was 4. I hope where ever he is now, he is being loved.

Duncan standing for the first time.


Duncan as a 4 year old.


I will probably have this sign up on Ebay tonight or tomorrow. However, if someone would like to save me the ebay fees, I will offer it today on my blog for the price of $75 plus exact shipping cost to your area.

Serenity now...

I am a freak for the show Seinfeld. When it came out I was such a fan that my aunt gave me a pair of tickets to see him live in 1992. Even though it's been off the air for a few years, my husband and I find ourselves quoting the show quite often and we still watch the repeats on cable and laugh just as much as when we first saw them.
My most often used quote would be - "Serenity now."

When my 3 year old digs up newly planted flowers - Serenity now.

When the groundhog eats my lettuce - Serenity now.

When driver cuts me off on the road - Serenity now.

And yes, I know what happens. Serenity now, insanity later. :-)



So I've always wanted to paint a simple "serenity now" sign for my house. Being an artist and relying on my creations to pay for groceries and things, I never paint anything for myself. Until now. And I painted a second one and put it on Ebay just in case there are any other Seinfeld freaks out there like me!


Do you have a favorite Seinfeld quote? I'd love to hear it!

Happy Belated Edgar

Happy Belated Edgar! Sorry I missed your 200th birthday on the 19th. I was too busy celebrating my daughter's 3rd birthday on the same day.

In honor of your birthday I created a "Nevermore Tavern" sign with one of your favorite animals, a raven. It also has a little tavern painted on it too, thought you'd like that.
The US Post Office thought you were cool enough to issue a stamp on the 16th.

I've bought a few sheets but I'm told they won't last long so I better go out and get some more. There have been celebrations in all the cities you once lived from New York to Baltimore. So sorry I didn't make it to one of your parties. I would have loved to toast to your mad genius. Some people even made very cool websites for your birthday like this one: EA Poe 200 Project.

Happy Belated Edgar! They broke the mold when you were made!

"I would define, in brief, the poetry of words as the rhythmical creation of Beauty."
Edgar Allan Poe

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Any fans of Poe would surely love the group I'm in called EHAG - Eclectic Halloween Artists Group. We're having a giveaway this week. Please stop by and leave a comment. You will be entered to win one of many cool prizes. You must leave a comment on the EHAG blog to win, not this blog (although I do LOVE comments here.).

Image by Lori Rudolph.

New, new, new!

I have 3 new pieces listed on Ebay and a great new horse treasury on Etsy! Thought I would go back to basics with a few signs and just focus on the beauty of the horse without fussing around with a background. I think they turned out well.

Winter

With my husband off from school I've been able to get some work done. Just completed two winter welcome signs. One is of a gorgeous grey Arabian. The other is a magical winter unicorn (I think he looks so handsome and regal). Hope to have them on ebay tonight so please check back!
I also received in the mail something very special to paint. It is small and will be affordable and you can wear it (not a pendant). I have 3 of them started and will be listing some of them on Etsy by the weekend. I can't wait!!! I think they will be a lot of fun. May have to keep one for myself:)

Also wanted to add that you can follow me on Twitter now. I will be adding updates frequently.

Winter Magic

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."
~ Norman Vincent Peale


Just wanted to start off by thanking everyone who has signed up for my blog giveaway! I have never had such a great response to a giveaway. It will be so much picking the winner on Friday.

So, I have a few new pieces painted to share. Yesterday was miserable outside with wind gusts up to 50 mph. We decided to stay home and keep warm which gave me lots of time to create this magical winter unicorn "Believe" sign. It's on ebay for just 3 days so make sure you check it out soon if you're interested.



Also painted a few more pendants for my Etsy shop. For a change I did something other than horses, a polar bear and a raven. I thought they turned out beautifully.





Thanks for stopping by. Keep warm!
Jen

Paint Horse

I just listed a new Paint Horse Christmas sign on Ebay. I think he turned out well.


The other day I was looking to make a quick and yummy dessert and I didn't have the car so it had to be made with ingredients I had on hand. Well, I had all the basics and a few apples to I made this super yummy apple bundt cake.
It's so good I've made it twice now. Perfect compliment to your morning coffee too.
I ommited the walnuts since I didn't have any and had to add a little applesauce since I didn't have a full cup of oil.
I think it would actually make a really nice gift too.

Appy Cat Squirrel

Finally finished a nice Appaloosa horse Christmas sign for ebay. I'll list it later tonight for a 5 day auction on Ebay. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I've added this design to an ornament in my Cafepress Shop too.




I took some close up photos of my cat this morning while she was lying on my bed. I just love the color and look of a cat's eye and wanted to photograph it for reference. I think she was getting sick of me holding the camera in front of her face. See, she even stuck her tounge out at me!





And then while I was sitting at the dining table eating lunch this squirrel came up and looked in the window at me. I love squirrels but I was sick of them eating my black oil sunflower seeds so I put up a feeder they haven't figured out how to get to (yet). He was giving me a ticked off look that really made me laugh. Hey, they have corn out there to eat!

Christmas is coming...

...the chickadees are getting fat! I have a birdfeeder outside of our dining room window. Nothing make me happier that watching them at the feeder while I'm eating breakfast or lunch. This little guy peeked in the window to say hello this morning.
Of course nothing is more frustrating than squirrels getting my expensive sunflower seed. I have a corn cob feeder for them on my maple out back. It is a constant battle to keep them out of my bird seed!


Here are two new signs added to Ebay. My first Christmas signs for the season.





Looking for some fun gifts to give your horse loving friends for the holidays?
Check out my Cafepress shop! I just added a 12 month calendar.

Peace Signs

As promised, I've finished some new "Peace on Earth" signs including one with a snowy owl.
I have the Gypsy Vanner on ebay but may wait a few days to list the owl.

Also I've taken autostart off of my music player so if you'd like to hear some tunes, you have to hit the play button. I like to listen to it while I paint but realize others may not share my taste in music;-)

Thanks for visiting! Jen


Snowy Owl sign has been sold. Look for more in the future!

A chill in the air...

Yay, it's almost here, October! My favorite month of the year which happens to include my favorite holiday, Halloween. There is a definate chill in the air. Yesterday I saw two maple trees that are turning a gorgeous shade of red. We went to the farm market and selected our pumpkins. My husband got all our Halloween decorations out of the attic and most have been set out. My little one has been introduced to the magic that is Nightmare Before Christmas, her new favorite movie.
Only a few more days and October will be here!
Just listed on ebay is yet another Sleepy Hollow sign. I love how this one turned out
with the black and orange colors that have come to represent Halloween. The horse looks very tortured and I suppose he would be carting around a head lopping maniac.
Lettering hand painted in "Blackadder" which has come to be my go to font for Halloween signs. I even threw in a frightened black cat and some bats for an extra spooky effect.
Now go get out your Halloween decorations and start hanging!

Gypsy Caravan

Just finished my new gypsy caravan Halloween sign and had to post a picture. I'll be adding it to ebay in the next day or so.

I also just finished a "Happy Halloweenie" small sign with a trick or treating Dachshund. Thought I would celebrate my new puppy with a sign featuring her likeness. Sorry, I don't have that one varnished and photographed yet:)

Haunted Gypsy

UPDATE 9/20/08: Since no one wanted to buy this from my blog, I have added it to Ebay. Click here for the auction. Thank you!

I thought I would offer my newest Halloween creation for sale on my blog for 2 DAYS before I listed it on Ebay. I am quite smitten with this one. Perhaps it's the oh so Halloweeny colors in the black and orange sky. Maybe it's just because I love Gypsy horses, who knows. So here's the deal, the sign is $139 (plus shipping based on the Priority Mail rate for a package 2-3 lbs. sent from 17520). First come, first served. If it doesn't sell on my blog by Saturday night, it will go on ebay. I prefer the buyer to pay with Paypal but you could send a postal money order if you'd like. Of course if you're one of my regulars, a check would also work. The sign measures 11" x 14" and is signed and sealed. On the back there is a sawtooth hanger for quick and easy display.
Here he is...

Raven's Moon

I just finished a very cool cafe sign today and had to share.
Check it out on Ebay...

Finally able to paint something...

With the husband back at his teaching job it's been hard to get anything painted. I spent part of Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday getting a few things done for Ebay while he watched our daughter. I'm really happy with the way my witch sign turned out. I usually do the lettering at the top but the other day while I was trying to fall asleep, I had the idea to use the top of the sign for the moon and put the lettering on the bottom. I'm working on another piece like this one but with a raven in place of the witch. I think I will write something like "Raven's Caw Cafe" at the bottom. I also would like to work on some black cat pieces this week too and I have a few requests to get to as well. Not sure how much time I will get to paint during the week.
Okay, here are the new pieces, just added to Ebay. Three day auctions so act fast:)
Now off to make some yummy turkey chili for dinner!

Tuxedo Halloween

My newest sign creation came from a request for a tuxedo cat by one of my wonderful customers.
My model for the cat was actually my own dear Zazu. She is not a tuxedo but she does have the white markings and sweet face. She doesn't have a ghost blaze either but she has one brewing:)
I was also inspired by that famous vintage postcard of the black cat in the pumpkin.
I will be listing this piece on Ebay in a day or so.