I understand that the Etsy Treasuries are something of a moving target, so I’ve included a screen shot here for prosperity. My painting included in this treasury is the ever popular “Blue Fireworks 04 Over Water” oil painting. Thank you, Natalie! One day someone is going to be lucky in purchasing this painting.

An Etsy Treasury by Natalie Murphy, aka Killeracrylics

You may want to review my previous posts of this painting as a Work In Progress to see other close up images of this painting as it was created. I already have another Adventure painting percolating in the back of my brain.  Something about robots, squirrels, metal music, and science labs are all swirling around in my head. Every artist needs a theme by which his or her work is identified. Maybe mine might be my Adventure series paintings since they are received so well.

Today I helped my oldest son as he worked his artistry on my back deck. I’m pleased at how the repairs and rebuild are coming along. Afterwards, I walked my dog through the neighborhood. The guilt I carry for having the most over grown yard in the neighborhood was really pricked today when I saw not one, but two little old white haired ladies push mowing their half acre yards. So I used that guilt to impel my husband onto the back of the riding lawn mower. Wasn’t that a good use for guilt?

Earl Geared up for Mowing

While hubby donned his gear and began his bronco riding, I began digging up the overgrown weed bed with a large shovel. It was starting to look an actual flowerbed, when I saw a brown three-quarter inch thick snake. I began to scream for my husband, and jumped up and down in panic with the shovel in my hand. My husband never heard me. I finally got tired of screaming. I looked down again, saw the snake was dead in pieces, and I decided I was done with guilt for the day.

I came inside, showered, and created a few more incarnations of an image that will be used for Desperado Penguin’s upcoming No Ruts Reading Challenge. If you enjoy reading, and want to avoid the ruts this summer, check in with http://desperadopenguin.blogspot.com/ .

The image, with the challenge, are coming soon!

And I’m still percolating the next Adventure painting.

On Saturday my boys took me out to lunch for an early Mothers Day. Afterward we wandered around a few stores. Then we came home, and oldest son replaced some fans in youngest son’s car. Oldest son took a shower, then boys took off to do the town.

I found out that my niece might be coming down to visit us this summer for a couple of weeks. I haven’t seen her since she was a baby, but have followed her on facebook for over a year now. I’m excited and hoping the visit will happen and that we will like each other.

Earl and I then went to our friends’ house and played some wicked mean card games (Spades). Challenges and strategic plays abounded. We had great fun until 3:30 am. We finally stumbled into bed about 4 pm.

Today I got up, sketched out some ideas for a Reading Challenge project that I’m involved in as the creator of the art for advertising the challenge. After emailing off the rough sketches, I then put some finishing touches on the Adventure II: Coming Of Age painting.

I took the wet painting over to my friends’ house and the Dad hung the art for their 10 year old daughter. Both parents seemed pleased with it. The young lady had not seen it until that moment, but she knew the painting was due to be unveiled. She had cleaned away everything from the wall on which the painting hangs in her room. Her first words on seeing it were, “I love it!” The son exclaimed to his sister, “Hey, that really does look like you!” Then there were some discoveries, “Oh look! There’s our cat!”, etc.  Interestingly enough, the 10 year old girl thought the painting had enough value to feel moved to ask me,  “So what do I have to do in return?” LOL!

It is now hanging on the wall in her bedroom. Good thing I know where that painting is located since I forgot to take a finished photo! I’ll need to go back and get a good photograph of it. While at my friends’ house, I was told that the private school might be expanding into a new-to-them school building. And a mural might be in the budget.  I think it’s time to practice buon fresco techniques.

Came back home to find hubby nearly finished mowing the yard, so I went inside and  cooked baked Malibu Chicken, steamed zucchini, and smashed potatoes for supper. It was delicious. And now I’m resting up for tonight’s push to get the weekend’s orders pulled and ready for packing tomorrow. Yes, a very good weekend.