Tiger Cheese

Sorry, this post isn't about tiger cheese (although that is one of my husband's favorite cheeses - the cheese with the tiger on the label). I've been tagged again, this time by Linda over at The Briar Rose Gate. I had to play along because this one seemed really fun. The rules are take the 6th picture out of the 6th folder on my computer and blog about it. Since I have two huge picture folders that contain tons of sub folders and hundreds of photos, I've decided to do two photos.
The 6th picture out of the 6th folder on my hard drive was of a tiger from the Philly Zoo (America's 1st Zoo!). It was taken soon after they built their new Big Cat Falls, a really nice enclosure for the large cats. This picture was taken in the winter, the best time to visit the zoo if you hate crowds. I think when we went that time there were about 10 people in the whole place. We had a great time sitting and watching the cats. Tigers are my husband's favorite animal and we'll probably go there on Monday, his birthday.



The second picture was from my external drive where I store most of my photos. Oddly enough this is another photo from Alkmaar, Holland which I just posted about a week ago. The 6th picture in that folder is of a lady wearing in traditional Dutch dress on the opening spring day of the town's big weekly cheese market. You can see the Kaas Museum behind her. I didn't go into the cheese museum because I don't care that much about learning about cheese. I was more interested in the local beer museum:)




So today the little one went to spend the night at her "Grammy's" house and I get the next 2 days to paint! I haven't had a moment to paint in over a week so I'm really excited. I have two signs started and two commissions to work on.
Off to paint now!

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go!

The funny thing about having a lot of blog friends is that you get tagged a lot. I'm sure my readers must be sick of hearing quirky facts about my life but I'm not one who doesn't enjoy playing along!
I was tagged this time by Melody and Linda. Both of them are wonderful artists. Their work really shows the love they have for animals!

Okay, here are 7 things about moi, all work related...

1.I started working at a horse farm when I was 13 - Watermark Farm, google it.
They taught me most of what I know about horses. I worked there on an off until I graduated HS.

2. I worked for an Amish furniture company before doing decorative painting.

3. I worked at an Amish buggy tour ride place for a few months. It was dreadful. I did get to learn how to drive and hitch a wagon with two horses and a buggy with one. I was a bit on the punkish side back then and I would get some strange looks from tourists in their cars thinking I was an Amish girl. I had to memorize oodles of Amish facts and regurgitate them many, many times a day.

4. I mailed a sign to Wayne Newton once. It was a Xmas gift from a friend.

5. I worked at a frame shop for 4 years and framed things for the lead singer and drummer from the rock band Live. The first time they came in I nearly fainted (I was 20).

6. I have tried two jobs that only lasted one day: picking grapes at a winery, and working at a pet shop. Both of them were bad, bad, bad! I left the pet shop when they told me I has to handle tarantulas!

7. I have always wanted to see what it would be like to work in a cubicle, tend bar, and sling hash at a greasy spoon diner.


I have the best job in the world, getting to stay at home and raise my daughter and create things that people buy. It makes me so happy! Thank you so much to everyone who has purchased artwork from me and who visit my blog regularly. Your comments and friendship keep me going (that and the fact my sales put food on the table)!

Don't forget to stop over at my Etsy team's blog and enter our horse art giveaway!

Check back here soon for some new original mini paintings of scenes from the Devon Horse Show! Okay, I'm ready for my white grape martini now:)

Tagged!

It's been awhile since I've been tagged so I thought I'd play along.
This time it was Sonia from the Dark Raven's Nest who got me. Be sure to check out her blog, she has some nice studio pictures up right now.

So, 6 random things about myself...

1. We lived above a horse barn for 8 years. I cared for the horses below in exchange for rent, electricity and board for my horse. It was a cute little two bedroom apartment that smelled like hay, had mice in the ceiling and lots of spiders.

2. I have always secretly wanted to be a mounted police officer. When I see one patrolling the streets in Lancaster I think that there would be no cooler job to have getting to ride around on your trusty pal all day making sure people are behaving themselves.

3. My mom had a little palomino mare when I was born named Gypsy. She bought her as a foal and did all her training. Partly the reason for the name of my studio and fully the reason for my obsession with horses:)

4. My favorite movie is Amelie. It has everything I like in a movie, funny, touching, whimsical, beautiful cinematography and fabulous acting.

5. My favorite subject in high school, besides art, was AP American History in my senior year. My great grandmother, Aimée MacNeill, was a historian specializing in Valley Forge and the Battle at Brandywine during the Revolutionary War. I find this time in our history the most interesting.

6. I LOVE music and can appreciate all genres however the older I get the more I dislike going to concerts. The crowds are unbearable. People standing instead of sitting bugs me. The long drive to Philly where most good concerts are. The long wait to get out of the parking lot. All I find very annoying and I hate to admit it.
If I had a bunch of money I would go see this upcoming concert though and brave the long drive to State College. To see all those musicians on the stage together would be a once in a lifetime event!

Now I'm supposed to tag some people and I usually don't do this but I think these fellow artists wouldn't mind playing along (if you do mind, you won't hurt my feelings:).

Linda @ The Briar Rose Gate
Kathleen @ Life Earth Sky
Ingrid @ Ingrid's Art
Jane @ My World in Pictures
Sarah @ Cottage Garden Studio
Zan @ Wild at Heart Art

Also wanted to mention I have two heart ornaments I just added to my etsy shop. Here's one of a little white rabbit. If they don't sell by February 1st, they will move over to Ebay perhaps.



Please don't forget to check out the treasuries I'm promoting too. They are listed on the right side of this page.

Have a wonderful day! ~ Jen

"There's no retirement for an artist, it's your way of living so there's no end to it." -Henry Moore