Cupcake Painting Giveaway!

This morning I climbed the stairs to my "studio" (messy paint room) with my hot mug of coffee topped with whipped cream and sat down with a fresh new canvas. An idea came out of nowhere and before I knew what I was doing I had opened another canvas. I never like painting the same thing more than once, but for all my blog readers out there, I decided it was time for a special "Giveaway".

Please leave a comment on this blog before Sunday, Dec. 7th at midnight and I will draw a name on Monday morning. If you add a picture of this cupcake painting to your blog along with a link to my blog, I will give you three more chances to win. Please be sure to let me know that you've linked to my blog.
Click on any of the pictures for a closer view.
Decorate your home for Christmas with this colorful cupcake painting. This little gingerbread cupcake is topped with fluffy white frosting to give the appearance of freshly fallen snow. Two little evergreen trees and a little cottage are tucked into the frosting and a little "Believe" tag is applied to the red and cream plaid cupcake liner. The gingerbread lettering is topped with white snow. Sparkly glitter is applied to the frosting and the "Believe" tag and evergreen is tucked in below the cupcake.

As a consolation to those who aren't lucky enough to win on Monday morning, you still have a chance to bid on the other one that I will be lisiting on eBay tonight. The link for my auctions is in the righthand sidebar. That auction will end next Wednesday, December 10th.

A Merry Little Christmas

A delightful surprise arrived in the mail today from a "Giveaway" at Sandy's Quill Cottage. She had wrapped it up so pretty and then used hand made tags tied with twine. Aren't these sparkly tags great!!

There was an issue of Christmas Made Easy with such delightful recipes, a set of Wilton's holiday cookie cutters, a jar of cookie sprinkles, three cocoa classics, and a pretty handmade ornament.
You must check out Sandy's blog because she is sharing lots of holiday tutorials. They are just too cute for words. Sandy has a very artful way with words! Thanks Sandy!

I listed this Merry Little Christmas painting on eBay this evening.

The folks in the village of Teaberry gather every year on Christmas Eve in the local church for a candle light service honoring the birth of baby Jesus. When the service is over they go caroling home to home. The breath will rise from their lips in the cold night air rejoicing in the miracle that happened long ago in a manger far away.

This is an original 5 inch x 7 inch folk art painting. The 1.5 inch staple free edges are painted black and there is no need for framing. Glitter is added to the snowy hill to add a touch of sparkle.

A Lazy Sunday Blessing

Last night it began to snow lightly and this morning we woke up to this beautiful sight! I must admit that I love snow and that some people think I'm nuts. I ran outside in my p.j.'s to get these photos. Thanks goodness for a privacy fence.

I spent the rest of the afternoon watching Christmas movies and being rather lazy. I did get my Christmas trees put up, but still have to decorate them. I just love days like this!

We Have a Winner!

Our contest winner for the three prints "giveaway" is Diane from Lavender Dreams! She guessed the exact number of guests that we would have for Thanksgiving dinner! We had 27 sweet family members and friends over and we had a wonderful time. Diane, please email me with your address and I'll get these in the mail to you.

Since I'm exhausted from eating way too much over the past two days, I'm going to simply lounge around today and get rested up. Here is the latest painting that I've added to my eBay auctions. This Fruitcake Cupcake painting has glitter on the white snowy frosting, but it doesn't show up in the photos.

Thanksgiving Print Giveaway and Christmas Sale

The above three prints will be given away on Saturday morning, November 30th. All you need to do is leave a comment on this post telling me how many people are coming to my home for Thanksgiving dinner. Sorry, but family or friends who are invited to this dinner are excluded from this contest because it would be cheating. I will be taking a head count and will let you know on Saturday how many guests we had.

Also, starting on Thanksgiving day, November 27th, I will be having a sale for my prints in my Etsy and eBay stores offering "Buy Three Prints and Get One Free." This sale will run through Christmas Day, December 25th. After you purchase three prints in one of these stores you will need to email me with the name of the free print you want me to include with your order. My email address is in the right sidebar of this blog.

Wishing all my blog readers a "Wonderful Thanksgiving" to you and your family!

Log Cabin Christmas Folk Art Painting

Tonight I listed this little painting on eBay. I've had several requests lately for a log cabin scene which is right up my alley since I've always wanted to live in a log cabin. I just love the pioneer spirit that went into these buildings and the primitive charm. One of my favorite bloggers, Shelley, has a blog about building a log cabin. You should hop on over to her blog, Building a Log Cabin, quickly because she is having a giveaway that ends at 11 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22nd. She is giving away a beautiful loaf of Cranberry Pecan Bread made at a place called Zingerman's located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Every year on Christmas Eve Mr. Henson drags home a tree through the snow. As he walks through the forest he is reminded of all time spent cutting trees to make their cozy little cabin. Dragging it up on the porch he wraps it with some canvas before taking it through the door. As he anchors it in the tree stand, his wife directs him until it's perfectly straight. The smell of evergreen fills the air along with the scent of Christmas cookies baking in the oven. Mrs. Henson lights the candles on the tree as everyone gathers round to sing "O Holy Night".

Let it Snow and Sweet Potato Casserole

"Owl Creek Print"

Mr Hadley closed the Owl Creek Mill early and let his employees go home. After a hearty meal prepared and served by his sweet wife, Lucy, he retired to read the paper by the fireplace. Lucy decided to finish the sweater she had been knitting for the past month for her grandson for Christmas. Laying her knitting aside, she reached for the granny square afghan to cover her sleeping husband and gently removes his glasses. This evening ritual is a comfort to her soul as she continues her knitting knowing her husband has provided for their daily needs.

Here is one of the dishes that Lucy served her husband that evening. It's one of his favorites!

"Sweet Potato Casserole"

3 Cups mashed sweet potatoes (3 cans if your lazy like me!)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 Teas. salt

1/2 Stick butter

1 Cup milk

1/2 Teas. vanilla

Mix all above ingredients and pour in a casserole dish or cake pan.

1 Cup brown sugar

1 Cup chopped pecans

1/2 Cup flour

1/2 Teas. vanilla

1/2 Stick softened butter

Mix all together & sprinkle on top of the sweet potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. You'll get a big kiss from the hubby if you serve him this yummy crunchy dish; just ask Lucy!

"On a Cold Winter Evening Print"

Frosty stands ready to greet Christmas Carolers who will be arriving from the village church on this cold winter evening. Every year the Kieffer family hosts the carolers in their home for hot spiced cider and cookies. It is a night of celebration with lots of singing around the old grand piano with Mrs. Kieffer, the church pianist, at the keyboard. A full moon shines brightly lighting the way home as the evening ends.

"Oh Christmas Tree Print"

Frank, the mayor of Richmond, owns the Hungry Mule Cafe where he and his wife Ellie make the most wonderful food in the county. His sister Letha owns the Blue Moon Trading Company and has been dating Hank from the hardware store for 5 years. They are going to be married in front of the Christmas tree in the center of town on Christmas Eve and everyone is invited. This will be the biggest event of the year and people were beginning to think it would never happen. Everyone has done an extra special job of spiffing up the town with evergreen and red bows to help them celebrate this momentous occasion!

New Cupcake Painting and Christmas Print

"Johnnie's One Stop Shop" folk art print was added to my Etsy and eBay stores today. This is the photo featured in my blog header. I had so much fun painting this last year and have to admit that it's probably my favorite. It is always so much fun to start a new painting with new ideas spilling out quicker than I can paint them. Christmas has always been my favorite because I love adding all the special decorations and drizzling snow on everything like frosting. I remember as a child the large colorful lights strung on the trees and houses and really enjoyed adding them to this old general store.

Johnnie's is the "One Stop Shop" in the small town of Melville. It houses a general store, post office, gas station, and gossip corner. Johnnie O'Brien is also the town's mayor, head of the decorating committee, and the postmaster. He and his wife Clarissa live in a farmhouse just a hop skip and a jump, (with snow shoes on) from the little store. Thelma Clemens has sent her husband Frank Jr. to pick up a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread from the store. He has not been seen since before sunset and she is sure that he and Johnnie have gotten involved in a checkers tournament. Thelma can see his old blue pickup parked in front of the store from her window. Looks like she'll have to put the oldest child Betty Lou in charge of the other children as she heads out to corral him back home.

I finished this "Christmas Cupcake" painting today and also added it to my eBay auctions.

Decorate your home for Christmas with this colorful cupcake painting. A yellow tree shaped cupcake is topped with green butter cream frosting. Fluffy white frosting is applied to give the appearance of freshly fallen snow and colorful ornaments top it off. Black "Christmas" letters are dripping with white snow.

Decorating My Blog For Christmas

I've been trying hard to get my blog all spruced up for a new "Christmas" look. I tried to figure out on Photoshop how to make my header have falling snow. My version of Photoshop is old and I evidently can't do that. I then went to www.picturetrail.com and made a cute little blinky of this picture with falling snow. It looks cute, but I can't figure out how to insert it as my header. You should be able to see it in the sidebar. It's times like this that I wish I were more computer savvy. On top of being computer illiterate, my computer is running as slow as molasses. I'm still cheerful though because this is my favorite time of year! I just love the holidays. Keeping watching because I'll keep tweeking my blog until I am happy with it's new Christmas touches.

Below is a new print that I've added to eBay and Etsy shops. My links are in the sidebar. You may have noticed that I've closed my MySpace page and my Yessy shop. I'm trying to simply my life and prefer to do just a few things well instead of halfway doing several.

Now, for a real shocker. Yesterday while driving to Independence, MO look at what I saw!

Can you believe those prices! I live about 45 minutes away and it's 20 cents higher. Thought some of you might enjoy this since the news keeps saying that the average is still above $2.00.

Silver Lake Christmas Folk Art Painting

My husband and I worked the election polls for the first time this week. I will hopefully recover soon. Ha! I almost fell asleep in the middle of a painting today.

I just want to share a couple of very cute "Trick or Treaters" who showed up at my door on Halloween. Cutie Pie and Cinderella are my nieces, Kira and Gabby. I love taking pictures of all the adorable faces that come begging for candy!

I've been pretty busy with some custom orders and have gotten behind on listing some new paintings on eBay. Tonight I listed "Silver Lake Christmas" on eBay.

Mrs. Purvis asked her husband when he finished his third cup of coffee to bring up her big boxes of Christmas decorations. While she decorated the tree inside the house, he spent the day hanging a large wreath on the front of the house and draping garland across the front of their fence that faces the lake. Their grandchildren and the rest of the family will be arriving this evening. They love to hear the children giggle with delight when they see the beautiful decorations. Mrs. Purvis and her daughter Ellen and her granddaughters, April, May, and June, always spend the following day making gingerbread houses and cookies. They frost some of the gingerbread cookies with royal icing and let it harden so they can hang them on the tree with all the other handmade ornaments that have been cherished over the years.

Kreativ Blogger Award and a New Little Painting

I'm so sorry that I'm having a hard time keeping up with my blogging. I feel like I'm running around with a brush in my hand all the time, but that's what I truly love! Tonight I added this new little 4" x 4" painting to my eBay auctions.

"Beloved"

Description from the Bible Concordance: a title of endearment

Bob and Mona have known each other since they were little children. They were neighbors and walked to school together. They started dating in high school and were married not long after they graduated. The two newly weds purchased a little cottage and made it their own where they raised two children and a variety of pets. They know that their "Beloved Lord" has blessed their lives and hope they can be worthy of his grace.

This past week Tammy from Art and Inspirations, sent me this Kreativ Blogger Award. Thanks Tammy! Please check out her blog she is the creative one and I was lucky enough to be a recipient of one of her giveaways.

I have to list 6 things that make me happy:

1. My sweet loving family

2. The blessings that God gives me each and every day

3. Chocolate

4. Chocolate chips

5. Chocolate truffles

6. Chocolate pie

Did I mention chocolate?

I am passing this award onto all my readers out there. You can snatch this up by clicking on the award and saving it in a file. Add it as a photo to your blog and then list the 6 things that make you happy.

Reindeer Cove Folk Art Painting

Two very sweet diet coke drinking sisters, Kari & Kijsa, gave me their "Designing for Life" award. This was such an honor coming from two of my favorite designers! You can check out their blog here. I've been asked to pass this on to two other blogs that spark creativity in others and they are:

Fannie at Fannie Narte

and

RuthAnn at Warm Pie, Happy Home

Tonight I finished and listed my first Christmas painting on eBay for this year. I know you'll think I'm nuts, but I really do have to start painting these early.

"Reindeer Cove"

Christmas has arrived in all it's wondrous beauty in Reindeer Cove. Families travel by ferry to watch their children's performance at the village church depicting the birth of baby Jesus. Voices ring out through the night as the congregation sings "Silent Night","We Three Kings", and "Away in a Manger". When the whole church joins in singing"Jingle Bells", in the distance they hear a faint "Ho, Ho, Ho". To the delight of giggling children a jovial Santa appears handing out candy and packages.

Candy Cane Cove Print and Big, Scary Spiders!

I know what you're thinking. It's way too early to even think of Christmas, but if I am going to get all of my Christmas prints listed, I have to get started now. Christmas paintings have to be started now as well or I won't get enough of them listed. I listed this little "Candy Cane Cove" painting in all my stores today. You can find links to my stores in the right hand column or check it out on Etsy here.

Mr. McDonnagal is the lighthouse keeper in this quaint little village. He hands out candy canes to everyone he meets during the month of December and greets them with a "Merry Christmas". He and his family have lived in the light house for 35 years. His father was the previous owner who inherited it from his grandfather. The candy cane tradition has been going on for many years and thus the name "Candy Cane Cove." Children for miles around have always thought that the lighthouse beam was meant to guide Santa and his reindeer to the families of the village.

I had just settled down with a nice cup of dark hot chocolate and lit my vanilla mint candle...

....when I spotted these big scary spiders creeping out of my clock. I caught one under this glass cloche.

I'm still trembling but thought I'd quickly tell you that I made this pedestal from this german made piece. I turn the cup upside down and placed the plate on top. The glass cloche was not a cloche at all. It's really a glass candle holder with the wire hanger removed.....now back to the creepy, scary spiders....
I found them hanging from the wire urn and on top of my ceramic pumpkin....
then, in the living room I found them on the coffee table and on my magazines...
Oh, my goodness, this bag is full of them! Someone call an exterminator!

Maple Leaf Festival

On Saturday my husband and I went with our daughter and her fiance, Scott, to the Maple Leaf Festival in Baldwin City, KS. We got to hear great fiddle music played by these young students. They were fantastic. Secretly, I've always wanted to learn to play the fiddle. I need to put that on my "Bucket List!"

This quaint little town had charming older homes and great brick streets. My husband, the brick salesman, is always amazed that most towns have asphalted over these beauties. We still have two brick streets in our hometown, but they are on the streets less traveled.
This is my daugter, Amber, and her fiance, Scott. We took a neat little train ride where we were held up by train robbers.

Amber and I were overwhelmed by the huge mums that were for sale. She grabbed this one before I could get my hands on it! It almost covers up her beautiful face.


There's my little cutie pie and my other cutie pie is on the right searching for the perfect mum for his hmmfff, perfect wife. Just kidding!
Aren't they beautiful! We decided on a yellow one for the front porch.

We had a lovely day and will definitely return next year. My daughter was scoping out the craft booths to decide if she wants to have her own booth next year. It was extremely well attended and I may just have to get a booth next year too or see if she'll share one with me. I haven't done a craft show in years.

Giveaway Winner, New Print, and Recipe

I bet you thought I dropped off the face of the earth. Actually I've been pretty busy painting custom orders and then I got some kind of stomach bug. I'm feeling better, but cautious this morning. I'm moving slowly, but decided I better let everyone know who the winner of the "Giveaway" is. Using a "Random Number Generator" the winner is lucky #4, NancyK. Nancy, I need your email address so I can contact you. You can email me at caholman1@yahoo.com.

I am beginning to add some new winter prints to my stores and listed "Bridgeton Lane" recently.

Snow gently falls from the wintry dark sky as lights twinkle from the windows of a cozy cottage perched high on a hill. Karen and Clyde Owens are busy making a hearty stew to warm the tummies of their four children. Earlier in the day Karen mixed up her dough for "Cottage Cheese Bread". The timer that sits on her old gas range is now buzzing away announcing that dinner is about ready. As she pulls the hot aromatic loaf from the oven their oldest child, Clara, whips the butter out of the frig to slather on this tempting treat. Smiles around the table on the faces of their youngsters fill their hearts with joy as Clyde says the blessing.

Here is Karen's recipe for this tasty bread:

"Cottage Cheese Bread"

1 pkg. yeast

1/4 cup water (warm)

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon melted butter

1 Teaspoon salt

1/4 Teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cottage cheese (warm to lukewarm & mash with fork)

1 unbeaten egg

2 1/4 cup flour

Soften yeast in water. Combine all ingredients & knead. Let rise till double. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Makes one loaf.

Yesterday I received another surprise in the mail. Once again I was the lucky winner of a "Giveaway"! This is what I found when I opened the box. I knew that I had won the little angel ornament, but sweet Melissa also included a snowman and a retro style mouse ornament! What a sweet lady! Check out her blog, Honey Girl Studio, here. She is one talented lady. Thanks Melissa!

I will be doing another "Giveaway" for Thanksgiving and Christmas so keep watching!