Kittens & Bunnies & Spring & Easter

Happy Easter to you all! I was housecleaning the other day and ran across last year's calendar, and this image made me laugh out loud! I love sweet animal photos, and this company features the most amusing animal photos every year on their calendars. Photographers Jane Burton and Mark Taylor are two very patient and talented people! To see more of their calendars and photos, visit their website: http://gladstonemedia.com/kittens-friends-2013-wall-calendar/ It is so lovely to have Spring arriving!

African American Version

 I had a custom order in my Etsy shop, and it turned out so cute I want to share it. One of my readers asked if I could do an African American/Black version of my "All Good Things" poster. After I said, "Sure!" it occurred to me that perhaps I could offer a selection of skin colors for the poster girls. Hmmm. Must think about this. I know that poster shops offer a selection of type colors, or background colors...why not skin colors?

First Day of Spring - Happy Spring!

FINALLY - IT'S ABOUT TIME! However, Minnesota has no idea what Spring is supposed to look like, since it was 2 degrees when I awoke on this first morning of Spring. That's 30 degrees below the freezing mark, if you would like to look at it another way. Here's my favorite spring poem by Lilja Rogers: "First a howling blizzard woke us, Then the rain came down to soak us, And now before the eye can focus - Crocus!" Can't wait to see my first little crocus!

Queenie Fettuccine

After my dinner tonight, a heaping plate of fettuccine, I remembered this illustration I did several years ago and decided to post it in honor of all those who share my love of pasta.

Dad turns 100!

1926 - Dad, 13 in center in overalls, high school photo

1941, Wedding Day for Mom and Dad

1950's- Dad in the clubhouse of his mini-golf course

Dad sketching in the mall, age 94

Dad and his sketchbook

Today is my dear dad's 100th birthday. Because he is still very active and seems much younger, it didn't really dawn on me how old 100 really is until I purchased a card that had a big 100 on the front. I stared at the one and the two zeros and it sunk in - that's an entire CENTURY!

I thought of all the things he has seen and experienced from the time he was born in 1913: Women's right to vote, 2 World Wars, the Holocaust, the Atomic bomb, the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, man walking on the moon, inventions such as the Model T, the computer/internet, the evolution of the telephone, airplane travel ....oh my gosh the list is endless! Throughout it all my dad has stayed very much in the present moment, always enjoying the company of his friends and family and the work that occupied him for so many years, his beloved miniature golf course. Happy Birthday Dad - you are my inspiration!

Dog Portrait Contest

Hey all you dog-loving artists, here's a contest that blog-writer My Little Corner of wayoutwear.blogspot.com sent me. I think I'll enter it, why not? If you have a drawing of your canine, I hope you will enter it, too. The more the merrier, I say! Check out the details here. My beautiful and extremely talented Suzi-Q (part Pug, part Chihuahua), pictured here, just might be the subject of my next portrait.

Happy Birthday Cathy!

I made this card for my dear friend whose birthday is today. My dad's birthday is next week. March is a good month for good people!

The Best Thing About a Man

This Spanish proverb is a universal truth: guys with nice dogs are chick magnets! I feel this is a good way to interpret this saying, and if you are a dog lover, you I'm sure you will agree!  This is an 8 x 10 print of my original painting. If you would like to view and purchase, come take a looky-loo at my shop here.