With A Tear In My Eye....

This week I'm sure things will be moving at a rapid pace as we prepare to get ready for our daughter, Amber's, wedding. I should have shared this on Father's Day, but thought it would be more fitting for this week. Amber alway makes the greatest gifts; gifts that touch the heart and bring a tear to the eye. She is talented in so many ways. Here is what she made her Daddy:

Click on the images for a closer view.

I will share some of their engagement photos soon.

You'll always be our baby girl!

Aunti Mae's Tea Shop Painting

Recently someone commented on my blog asking me if I had any Tea Shop prints. I got busy this week and finished this little 8" x 10" painting. Please let me know if you have any requests or ideas of what you'd like for me to paint. That is how the previous painting came about too. They all eventually become prints. I listed this on eBay this evening:

"Auntie Mae's Tea Shop"

The aroma of fresh brewed tea and cakes guides customers through the door at Auntie Mae's Tea Shop which has been in business for over 30 years. Mae rises at 5am every morning to start baking her delicious cakes, cupcakes, and desserts to serve along with her lunch and dinner menu. Desserts are displayed on the counter before the first customer steps through the door and the bell jingles. Her niece Lydia works with her serving customers and cooking along side her auntie. Their customers often comment they come not only for the wonderful food and tea, but because they love these two sweet hard working women!

A Weekend of Baby And Wedding Showers

A dear friend of mine recently gave me a large black notebook full of old pattern packets that I designed over several years. She thought that I might like to sell them so I am listing them over the next few days on eBay. You can check them out here.

Friday evening my daughter, Amber, was given a wedding shower by a dear friend. This is what I made for their home. I learned to mosaic by purchasing directions from Penny's blog, Lavender Hill Studio. Her directions are very easy to follow. You can click on the photo for a closer view.

My daughter and her sweet fiance, Scott, will be getting married on July 11th in Eureka Spring, Arkansas. We are looking forward to this event and I will share some photos of the newly weds soon!

I also attended a baby shower for my niece. She and her hubby adopted this sweet little guy, Carter Ashton, and we are so excited to have another sweet angel in our family! Here he is pictured with my daughter. Don't you think she would make a great mother! Hint, hint!


Below is a photo of the lovely toes of my niece, Gabby. I asked her who did her nails and she said, "I went to the Toe Place." Kids are so cute!

The above toes belong to this little cutie pie.




My niece Amy opening one of her many cute baby gifts.

Congratulations on the new little one Amy and Ryan!

Harmony Cottage Folk Art Painting and Daylilies

Here is what's blooming in my garden this week. I transplanted these Stella de Oro Daylilies last year and this year they are amazing. It's been so hot lately (90-100) that I can't bring myself to go outside and deadhead them.

Click on the photo for a closer view.

I forgot to share this photo of the giant cinnamon roll that a friend of ours brought back from a trip. It was big enough for three people! Notice that it's bigger around than my teapot.
I was so inspired by my daylilies that I did this little painting of
"Harmony Cottage" and listed it on eBay last night.

The welcome mat is always out at Harmony Cottage for family and friends who stop by for coffee shared in the garden. Patsy and Lonnie bought their cozy little home two years after they were married. With a lot of hard work and sweat, their little cottage became a home. They learned gardening together by trial and error and now share cuttings and starts from their plants with other young couples just getting started.

Happy Father's Day!

The man of my dreams and the father of my children. Life couldn't get any better than that!

Happy Father's Day honey!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake Painting

I'm experiencing a brain fog and the only thing I'm capable of painting this week have been cupcakes. Houses take a little more brain power which I hope to retrieve next week. I'll do my best to get a little house or village scene painted next. Here's my newest eBay auction:

"Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake"

A rich dark chocolate cupcake is slathered with mint flavored butter cream frosting and sprinkled with semi-sweet chocolate chips. The cupcake is surrounded by a blue and white striped border and a tiny blue and whited checked bow is glued at the top.

It's a good thing I don't have any of these sitting around the kitchen or they'd all be gone!

Snickerdoodle Cupcake Painting

I would like to thank all of you for your sweet comments and prayers for my father in law who was in a motorcycle accident. He was able to get up and walk a little for the first time in almost two weeks. He is still in the hospital, but we are hoping that will change soon. Once again, your prayers are very much appreciated and I thank you for your concern.

I listed another new cupcake painting on eBay this evening:

"Snickerdoole Cupcake"

This Snickerdoodle flavored cupcake is topped with fluffy butter cream frosting sprinkled with cinnamon. It is displayed on a decorative white cake plate and covered with a glass cloche. A tiny blue and whited checked bow is glued below the knob on the cloche. The banner at the top announces the flavor of this delightful dessert and is accented with green ivy.

Chocolate Cherry Chip Cupcake

I just listed this little 4" x 4" painting on eBay.

"Chocolate Cherry Chip Cupcake"

The secret to this delicious chocolate cupcake are the sweet cherry chips that give this cake a candy bar flavor of days gone by. It is topped with chocolate frosting, whipped cream, and a bright red cherry.

I need a chocolate fix now!

My Flower Garden and Another House Portrait

I truly wish I had more time to spend in my garden. It's one of my favorite pastimes, whether I'm working or just relaxing among all the wonderful fragrances. This is the first year for my thornless climbing rose bush. Also pictured are my pink knockout roses and my pink peonies. Do you think I like pink?

Click on any photo for a closer view.

I also love the tiny pink blooms on this perennial geranium.

Pink dianthus line the sidewalk and take over at times.




White campanula and purple columbine. I can't believe they aren't pink!

Another view through the campanula looking towards my weeping cherry tree. It bloomed so early this year that I didn't get photos of it. I had to keep covering it to keep the frost from killing it.

....and in the front we have red knockout roses surrounding a weeping mulberry tree.

I will share more of my garden as it progresses through summer.



Below is a house portrait I did for a family in Willington, CT. Check out their website for the family business "Millix Family Farm". They are such a lovely young family and you can order Tricia's award winning apple pie from their website.

Tyler and Tricia met in high school and became best friends. They eventually married and moved into the home where Tyler was raised. With a beautiful family of five children, three girls and two boys, the Millix family started their family business. Their small farm includes 45 laying hens, 6 Fancy Bantam chickens and the family dog Ruby. Millix Family Farm and Bakery sells the best fresh eggs, baked goods and their specialty award winning apple pie.

Click on the photos for a closer view.

House Portrait

This past Saturday we got a call that my father in law was in a motorcycle accident. Needless to say, we have been gone all week and just returned home last night. The poor man broke all his ribs on the right side and his right collar bone. One of his ribs also punctured his lung. He was in ICU until Wednesday and is now starting to show improvement. Just wanted to ask for your prayers and to let you know the reason why I may not be posting very often for a while.

I received the photo below from Devon who requested a "house portrait" as a present for her parents. Here they are standing in front of the house and holding their portrait in front of them. Aren't they cute!! It was a pleasure to do this painting of their lovely home.

John and Vicki Bushnell live in this cozy home surrounded by beautiful flowers and tall evergreens. They are a hardworking couple, but in his spare time John is a woodworker and dabbles in photography. Vicki loves to decorate cakes and their home always has the sweet scent of frosting. When she isn't busy in the kitchen, Vicki is creating something at her sewing machine. They've always worked well together as a couple doing various remodeling projects on their beautiful home.