2015 Calendar Peeks!

"Outside My Window" by Michelle L. Palmer

Legacy Publishing Group

My artist samples have arrived!

Legacy does such a beautiful job with my original watercolors~

A peek at the 12 months of 2015!

This month reminded me of vanilla-cherry!

The colors!

How I love blue...

Especially vintage & antique blue!

Cheery little wren posing in a patch of happy daisies~

The graphic designer in me...

How I LOVE old type!

American goldfinch, potted geranium...

All brought to you by the letter G!

Wishing your heart joy~

Thank you for stopping by, Sweet Friends!

New color!

With soft morning sunshine streaming in the studio...

It's color time!

A new watercolor to share~

'Dark Brown' by Winsor & Newton

It is a muted, matte~ cool brown.

I think I will use it as a warm gray!

Hope your day is filled with 'warm tones!' ;)

Western Journey~

Hello, Sweet Friends!

Hope your summer has been filled with relaxation, joy....

Laughter and fantastic memories~

Traveled across through this beautiful country with our daughter...

From New York to Arizona!

She will soon be starting classes 'Out West!'

We have family in Arizona...

It is so much fun to explore when you're with people who can

share in similar interests and find their way back home!

We lost a few hubcaps in three different states...

Broke down in Illinois due to a rusted radiator hose clamp...

We had brown dust on our car from the East.

Golden-brown dust on our car...

Red dust on our car...

The torrential rains from wild storms washed some of it away!

Met the most AMAZING people along our journey!

Enjoyed seeing the desert and its inhabitants...

The flowers...

Saguaros, prickly pear, barrel cactus~ so many more!

The days were filled with gorgeous landscapes...

Laughter, reflection, old memories & new memories with Alaina!

The colors are so inspiring!

Although I left our girl in the West to learn, grow & follow her dreams~

I brought home a vision of new colors!

A rich palette!

When the desert shares colors---

They are unfiltered!

They are brilliant!

They are rich!

On one of my last days in the desert it was 117 degrees~

It went down to 50 degrees here last night!

Brrrrrr....

The most amazing journey with the most wonderful girl!

I'm so thankful we made it across the miles safe & sound.

So thankful to have seen more of America~ how I love this land!

It was a joy to meet beautiful and kind people at every stop~

Off the beaten path is filled with wonder!

Hope your day finds you exploring~

My studio 'needs exploring!' 

What a mess!

Wishing your heart joy~

July 4th~

Wishing you a safe, relaxing & memory-filled holiday!

Watercolor palette tutorial...

Every now and then I share about a new color that I have added to my palettes.

I enjoy colors...

Some palettes have very few colors & the aritsts create stunning images!

I love to share my colors...

This new palette is for our daughter who will soon leave the nest!

Start by laying the tubes near the wells...

I recorded the paint names for her on the back of the palette information sheet.

Just-in-case there is a PERFECT color for the PERFECT project &

she needs to purchase more!

I was commissioned to paint a large collection of baby-themed pieces.

Instead of trying to mix the perfect 'baby' blue...

or find the right red for a soft, pastel pink----

I purchased tubes so that I could keep the collection consistent.

My first palette was set up for landscapes with a few basic colors:

(Example) Winsor Red, Winsor Yellow, Hooker's Green,

Cobalt Blue, Indigo, Sepia, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber.

Then I added an Cadmium orange, Sap Green, Leaf Green, French Ultramarine Blue...

Then I added Phthalo Blue, Violet, Quinacridone Gold, Green Gold etc. 

Today, my palette choices are often based on collections I am working on.

'Warm Wishes' (my latest snowman fabric collection through Red Rooster Fabrics)

had aqua backgrounds that would have been impossible for me to make 

with my very first palette colors.

I don't paint with the color directly from the tube...
I always mix something with it~

I wrote little notes on the palette images...

Please click on the photographs for a closer look~

I am often asked...

Winsor & Newton is my favorite watercolor paint.

Holbein is my 2nd favorite.

Good paint is expensive.

Permanence is very important.

Choose lightfast pigments, acid-free papers & archival storage/framing sources.

Hope your days are filled with creative!

A new red!

To paint the sweetest strawberries & cherries~

To find the exact 'red' in Americana and darling little red hearts...

I keep adding to my palette!

This new color is 'Pyrrol Crimson' from Daniel Smith.

It is a little 'cooler' than some of my reds...

The perfect touch that I often look for in the shadows!

Inspired by the season, I'm sure!

Hope your week is off to a great start, Sweet Friends~

Patriotic Sparrow!

I met this little love in the garden this morning while I was weeding...

He sang me a beautiful song!

I came inside and sketched him...

Then I drew this!

Hope you have a song in your heart today~

Strawberry Patch...

Do you suppose they are sharing strawberry recipes?

The mouse looks like he's catching his breath!

That's a big berry for a wee little guy to carry all the way home~

Hope your 'strawberry season' is sweet and sunny!

Flag Day~

"You're the emblem of... the Land I LOVE~"

~Flag Day~

Just frogging around...

Spent the day playing...

Getting lost in the country with our sweet girl~

It was nice to have sunshine on our shoulders as we visited with pond friends~

Some have their legs...

The wee-ones were just zipping around taking in the glorious sunshine, too!

Hope your weekend is filled with happy surprises, Sweet Friends~

Memorial Day Remembrance~

We remember and honor you~

Bird song~

With the first peek of light... the choir started!

Singing from their nests!

Tucked in the eaves troughs... singing.

Waiting on limbs for their chances at the feeder... singing.

Perched on the feeders... singing!

Peeking out of their birdhouses... singing!

Hopping through the lawn searching for worms---

singing to their babies, "breakfast is on the way!"

Good Morning, Friends! Hope your day is off to a musical start~

ArtWalk & Watercolor fun~

Good Morning, Friends!

We have had a very busy week~ filled with wonderful blessings!

We enjoyed our son's Senior Recital mid-week...

I participated in Seneca Falls, NY 'ArtWalk' on Friday evening...

Our daughter graduated with her AAS degree in Graphic Design yesterday!

'Spring is busting out all over!'

It is absolutely beautiful here and green as far as our eyes can see.

Keeping our friends to the south in our thoughts and prayers as 

they clean up and rebuild from damaging waters & flooding...

Praying for all in CA... hoping the weather will help calm the fires.

Little bit of blue...

Little bit of yellow...

Little bit of orange...

Whole lot of nature!

It's wonderful to be in the gardens again~

I tucked some little watercolors in each of my Etsy shops yesterday...

Hope your day is filled with happy moments!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope your day is filled with sweet moments...

Love...

Fond memories...

Remembering so many dear women who have been a part of my life...

Each one taking time to love, shape, mold, encourage, lift me up!

Many have passed without knowing the impact they had...

Some continue to walk beside me today & I treasure them!

Giving thanks to each of you~

As women we share our hearts, minds, experiences and ideas!

We share with our children...

We share with all children...

It isn't about giving birth... it's about giving love.

Wishing you a wonderful Mother's Day~ everyday!

Blue Jay!

This little guy caught me taking photos!

He was kind enough to pose and turn, tilt his head and lift his crest~

Dip down, look to the left,

Look up... tail up... tail down....

Great reference photos from a beautiful & smart friend!

Hope your day is filled with WONDERFUL!