Happy Monday Everyone!!!!

Are you ready for the week? I have to admit, I'm starting off really slow today! My son kept waking up last night with fears of spiders in his room. Hopefully the coffee will start to kick in soon.

On an art note, here is a little pencil drawing I did last night. She is "The Heart Seeker." Looking for love anywhere she can find it; who knew you could find it hanging from trees.

Peace

A few works in Progress!

I am now taking two online classes with Monica Zuniga and I am having a great time. Monica is an amazing artist who does mostly realistic portraits. Well, I'm more into the whimsical style girlie (as you know); So these classes are a little out of my comfort zone. She shades waaaay different than I do too, but it is really interesting and challenging to learn different techniques. Her backgrounds are beautiful as well. I really like the new techniques I have been learning so far and I enjoy a good challenge (which I am definitely getting). Check out Monica's work here if you get a chance.

"Be Kind" and an Award!

Here is the latest painting I just completed. I painted the girl, birds and tree on watercolor paper and then collaged everything on a 12X16 canvas panel. I was inspired by my childhood on this one. I am an only child and so I often had to play by myself. I used to go in my backyard and just sing with the birds for hours. I used to pretend that they could understand my "bird" talk and I could understand them. To this day, birds hold a special place in my heart. I think you will be seeing more of them in my work in the future.


I was also given this cute award by Darla of "Artistic Accents by Darla." Please check out her blog, she is an amazing artist.

The "Love Ya" Award states: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.


Rules of this award are:

Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to other bloggers who must choose to pass it on and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award!

Now I will pass it on to seven more amazing bloggers.

Cottin Pickin Ranch

Distracted By Design

Flor Larios Art

Hands and Heart

Heavenleigh Art

Lisa Lectura Creation

Witchetty

Please check out these artists blogs; they are some of my favorites!!!

Commissions complete!

Here are the three commissions I just completed. They are all siblings and my client wanted the backgrounds to be similar because they may hang them in their livingroom. I am very pleased with how they came out. I especially love the tree. What do you think?

Works In Progress

I have 3 commissions I am working on right now. Here is one of them. I rarely show works in progress, so I thought I would start doing it more often.

Also, my addiction to online classes continues. I am taking one of Monica Zuniga's online classes. This one is called "In My Garden." I have been a long time admirer of Monica's work and have always been curious as to her process, so I was delighted to find out that she was offering online classes. The only problem? She has FIVE of them!! It was very hard to choose one and I am scrambling to try and figure out how I can gather enough money to pay for ALL of them (LOL!!). The really cool thing is she shows you how to alter a book and then each class will be painted on the pages in the book. I really love this concept. I took one of my son's old "Blue's Clues" Board books (shhhhh don't tell him) and am using that for the classes. You have to check her NING site out; it is super cool (and so is she).

Here is my work in progress for the Garden class

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things...

I had more fun in Hawaii than I ever expected. I'm really not a beachy, hot weather type, but I could see myself retiring there some day. Hee Hee.

I didn't realize how long it would take me to get back into a routine. The time difference is only 3 hours, but man has it thrown me off. Today Jordan and I went back to "Mommy and Me" Pre-school, so I feel like we are getting there.

Here are some shots I took of the trip (good times).

This was the view on the walkway to our condo.

A waterfall on the Road to Hana.


Jordan playing the Ukulele that was in our condo. Can you believe that was our Lanai?

Reeana standing by the Huge Banyan tree in Lahaina.

I did some painting yesterday and feel much better. Here is my latest piece...

I miss you Hawaii....until next time!

Shonna

Coming Home Tonight...boo hoo!

Aloha,

We had such a great time in Maui and do not want to leave. We are sitting here in the condo right now enjoying the sound of the waves crashing for the last time. We loved watching the sunset every evening and watching the sea turtles playing on the reef below us. The people here were so nice and we just enjoyed every part of our trip. We went shopping, swimming, and went sight seeing to the most beautiful places .

I do have to say that I really miss painting!!! I brought my sketch book and did a little drawing, but I can't wait to get back to my paintbrushes, canvases and paint!! I also miss my online art friends and can't wait to get back and see what I have been missing!!

Well I better finishing packing; we are driving on the road to Hana today and then our plane leaves tonight at 9:55pm (Hawaii is 3 hours earlier than California).

Mahalo my friends!!

Shonna

And I'm off!!!!!!!!!!!

Aloha! My family and I are leaving tomorrow for Hawaii and I'm so excited. I have never been to Maui, but have heard nothing but wonderful things about it! I hope everyone has a great weekend and week. I will have plenty of pictures when I get back..

Shonna

Lesson 3 and 4 and "Bloom"

Here are two more lessons from the "Layer Love" class I am taking.

Also, I was missing my girlies, so I painted a simple watercolor. The title of this one is "Bloom."

Have a great week!!!