New Cupcake Folk Art Puzzle

I'm busy working to clean up my yard and flower gardens.  What have you all been up to?

I have a new puzzle, Cupcake Cafe,  available from Cobble Hill puzzles.

 "Cupcake Cafe"

Original Folk Art Painting by Catherine Holman

If you are looking for a bargain after Christmas, I have three original paintings that are on sale for 20% off until midnight January 3rd.  Simply click on the title above the painting and it will link you to the item in my Etsy Shop.

"A Star Filled Halloween Evening" 

"Sunflower Lane"

"Ladybug Cupcake"

Hope you all were blessed with a great Christmas and not trapped in an airport somewhere.  Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas!

This year I painted this wintery Christmas scene called "Christmas Magic".  My prayer for my readers is that we stop and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas as we fill our busy days with decorating, baking, and shopping.    

Nothing can give us the peace, hope, and joy that we so long for than turning to our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Remember our country is a nation under God.  

Spread the good news! 

It looks like many of us across the country will be having a white Christmas this year, so I pray for traveling mercies as well.

Help someone in need this year because there are so many.

Hug your families and be thankful for each and everyone of them.

May God's mercies bring you renewed hope this year!

Wishing you and your family a joy filled Christmas!

Thanksgiving Folk Art Painting

Wishing each of you a very happy Thanksgiving day with your family and friends.  Remember to pray for those who are serving our country and can't be with their loved ones.  

 

We will be going to my daughter, Amber's, house to celebrate and I just finished making pecan pies to take along with Sweet Potato Casserole, and dinner rolls.  I'm so looking forward to time with family and friends.  

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies With Brown Butter Frosting

These are my husband's all time favorite cookies!  They are perfect for this time of year and that Brown Butter Frosting makes them even more delicious.  As a substitute for self-rising flour just add 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt for each cup of flour.   

"Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies"

2 1/4 cup self-rising flour

3 tsp pumpkin pie spice

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (12 oz. bag as far as I'm concerned! I used chocolate chips because that's what I had.)

Whisk together flour and pumpkin pie spice.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter.

Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla.

Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined.

Add flour/spice mixture to sugar mixture in three additions.  Alternate with pumpkin in two additions, ending with flour mixture.

Stir in chopped pecans and chocolate chunks/chips.

Drop on cookie tray lined with parchment paper.

(I use a cookie scoop)

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Makes about 4 doz.

"Maple Brown Butter Frosting"

3 cups sifted confectioners sugar

1/2 cup butter 

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp. maple flavoring 

Sift sugar and set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat until golden brown.  Watch closely so it does not burn.

Add butter to sugar, scraping all the butter into the bowl.

Add milk and maple flavoring.  Stir until smooth.

New Halloween Folk Art Original Painting

 It's a day behind schedule, but it's finally finished and listed in my Etsy Shop along with some prints.

I had a vision while vacationing in Buena Vista, CO in September of three kids riding bikes wearing pumpkin heads in front of a spooky house.  It's funny how things get into my mind and just won't go away!

"A Star Filled Halloween Evening"

On a dark, yet starry night a parade of costumed goblins meander from house to house chanting “Trick or Treat”.  Over the hills and in the glow of the full moon they make their way to Mayor Adams house where he and his wife Sasha hand out candy apples and popcorn balls.  Their children, triplets Henry, Heather, and Harvey are heading out on their bikes with their pumpkin pails stowed on the back eager to fill them as the go door to door.  Their mother has knitted them new Halloween sweaters as part of their costumes.  Heather in an act of childish rebellion, recently decided she was tired of wearing matching clothes, so her mother listened to her request and knit her a green sweater.

Now I'm off to enjoy this wonderful weather and do some garden cleanup!

 

Halloween Folk Art Painting Progress

 

I'm moving along at a spookily, slow pace with this new Halloween painting.  Lots of little trick or treaters dressed in costume need to be added along the winding road and tons of autumn leaves yet to paint.  

The leaves can be painted rather quickly though.  

My plan is to have this listed by Friday in my Etsy shop.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Halloween Painting in the Works

 I'm having fun working on a new Halloween Painting for 2022.  There's no guarantee it will be done in time but when it's done I will be listing it on Etsy.  I can't wait to start painting all the children dressed in costumes!  There are lots of ideas running through my head and I'm looking forward to seeing them come to life.

Mansard roofs seem to give an eery feel to a house don't you think?

 

Be safe out there this Halloween!

Christmas Magic Original Folk Art Painting

"Christmas Magic"

My new painting is finally finished and off to it's new home.  
The prints will be available in my Etsy store.

Dragging their Christmas tree toward home, the McKinley family sings carols with their children Alias, Abel, and Alice as a snowman tips his hat to them.   Snow gently falls and glistens like sugar poured from a shaker.  Puffs of smoke rise from the chimneys as everyone settles down for the evening. The children are out of school and have spent their days bundled up in the cold skillfully building jolly snowmen dressed in hats and scarves giving a magical feel to the village. Pastor Phil and his son, Ezra, are busy hanging lights on the evergreen trees by the church to be ready for the Christmas program.  A lone tree decorated for the holiday floats in a boat anchored off the shore by the little church.  A gold star perched on top of the tree represents the light of Jesus as they celebrate his birth on Christmas day.

Progress of Folk Art Painting Christmas Magic

Progress of Folk Art Painting Christmas Magic

In between camping this summer in sweltering heat, I've been working on this painting.  To keep me motivated, I've been adding the Christmas decorations as I go instead of waiting until the end.

I've always referred to this stage as the icing on the cake and it's my favorite part of painting!  This is when the painting seems to take on life and I start writing the story in my head.
 

I can also see at this point where changes need to be made.

Adding the teeny, tiny people hanging decorations on the evergreen by the church put my eyes to the test after vision correction and cataract surgery several months ago.

This doesn't seem like the best choice of location according to the look on the snowman's face.

Hope everyone has enjoyed summer this year because I can honestly say that I'm ready for a long fall season!

Brushes Creating Christmas Magic

Nothing beats painting a Christmas snow scene in the middle of a hot summer.  We started out with a cold rainy spring keeping me inside instead of gardening and then we went straight to hot with temperatures in the 90's and high humidity for days on end.    

Then came Covid.  I'm out of quarantine and Rick will be soon.  How's your summer going?

I'm done complaining since the weather has been much better the last couple days and I'm out of jail!

 

Shull Family Farm Original Folk Art Painting

 We've started our camping season once again and it was a rainy, windy, and cold trip.  But we were still able to get away and relax while camped beside a beautiful lake at Pomme de Terre.  We got in a little walking between the rain storms.  I also spent time crocheting an afghan and reading.

Before we left I finished this painting for a dear, long time friend.

"Shull Family Farm"

Rick and I both came home with a cold but had a great time on our trip anyway.  Daisy enjoyed it too.  What have you been up to lately?