atwhim.com Blog

I’ve just been reading this fantastic book called The Mysterious Benedict Society. As you may know, I work in the kid’s room of a fabulous book store (Powell’s) and the only books I seem to read these days are for age 4 to about age 14. But anyway, The Mysterious Benedict Society!!! I do have a horrible tendency to pick up a book because I like it’s cover…. Just look at this wonderful illustration.

How could I not pick it up? Not only does it look cool on the outside, but I absolutely love the story. Four orphaned child geniuses, an evil scientist brainwashing people with secret messages in your TV’s (I always knew there was something evil about my TV.), a narcoleptic kind old man that brought the children together with his two quirky assistants. It’s so much fun!

And for my book loving collectors, I finished “Red Book Tree no.2″ I painted a peach tree this time, because peaches symbolize Longevity. And a good book lives forever…

Take care everyone, and go read a good book!

I spend way too much time staring at my chickens.  I never knew they were so entertaining! But every single cat in my neighborhood has decided that my yard is the best.  I used to love kitties, but now they are the bane of my existence.  There’s just too many!  And they’re everywhere, marking anything and everything I leave outside.  It’s so frustrating.  I’m not sure what to do about my kitty problem.  I just chase them away when I can, and spread pepper and coffee grounds all over my yard.  My little chicks don’t know any better and just walk right up to them.  They’re cute, but not too bright.

Not too long ago I painted this and named it Maude, after “Harold & Maude”.  I can just imagine her leading the group in a cemetery with her bright yellow umbrella.  I’ve been working on a piece for Harold, but he has turned out to be harder to capture.  Maude was so simple, bright and cheery.  Harold is sadder, and more introverted… But hopefully I’ll get him done soon.

I’ve been working on my chicken coop on the non-rainy days.  For having absolutely no carpentry experience, it’s definitely a trail & error process.  It’s slowly getting there.  I wish not so slowly, because the chicks are growing fast, but they’ll at least have a roof over their heads soon.

Etsy seems to be having some speed and image issues, so I’ll wait till later this afternoon to put “my favorite chickadee” and a few other prints in my shop.  Until then…

Happy Monday!

These aren’t exactly new works. It’s been so long since my last post, and sadly these are all I have to show from the time elapsed. But that’s not to say I haven’t been busy!

Since Spring hit I can’t seem to sit still. I’ve been so busy digging in the dirt, chasing after chickens, obsessing over August’s birthday party, shooing Bunny away from things that she finds delicious (books, magazines, table and easel legs); that unfortunately my little shop hasn’t been updated for a few days. My other job has reeled me in with more hours too, so that times when I would be painting… I’m shelving books. But the next Harry Potter book is coming out, and I must admit I am a devout Harry Potter fan, so soon I’ll be painting decorations for the store and painting young little wide eyed faces for the midnight sale. I can’t wait!

I did get some painting done for a friend and her sweet sad eyed dog. Usually though I was digging in the garden.

It’s starting to look good and not like giant freshly dug graves! I also built trellises to hide the ugly metal poles we have holding up the covered concrete area and planted snow peas to climb up them.

But my absolute favorite thing to do is let my chicks out in the garden and watch them hover around me as I dig up tasty worms for them. I never knew chickens were so entertaining. My favorite one is feathering out nice and is going to be so beautiful when she’s a full sized hen.

Ain’t she pretty?

Well, the birthday party chaos is over. My garden is almost done. The chickens are almost old enough to live in the coop. Soon things will be calming down, and I’ll get to do some serious painting again. But today it’s raining outside so I’m going to use that as my excuse to try to do as little as possible and just relax. I recommend you do the same.