Not feeling very talkative...

I haven't been feeling very talkative in the past week or so. I think that maybe it has something to do with the scare my Granny gave us the end of last week and over the weekend. She seems to be doing somewhat better, but its really just a wait and see....and with her in Florida and me all the way up in Oregon....well, it's hard. I can't just jump in my car and run over to visit. Your prayers would be much appreciated.

I'm including a couple of pics from my and Aiden's little outing yesterday. I posted a pic from our lunch at Quizno's yesterday and afterwards I needed a recharge so we went over next door to Starbucks for a coffee for me and a chocolate milk for Aiden. Then we went to the library for videos and books. And the other pics are of a new painting I'm working on and my new easel. It's not the one I posted about earlier....they are giving me a refund on that one (still haven't seen it on my credit card). And even though the refund hasn't come through yet, I decided to buy one locally because my back just couldn't take hunching over my work table anymore.

Hopefully I'll feel back to my old self in the next few days. I just feel kind of introspective at the moment....as I've probably mentioned before, when things get tough or stressful I have a tendency to just withdraw inward, which means I disappear for a while. I've become okay with that....it's how God made me and it's how I best deal with stuff. I've been talking to Him quite often this week and that always helps more than anything....wrote some in my prayer journal, did some sketches, and worked a bit on the new painting last  night...her face and hair are pretty much done and now I need to work on the rest of the piece. I already know what it needs to be finished...it came to me while driving to pick up Aiden from his last day of VBS last week, so it's just a matter of doing it.

There have been many bright spots in my week...of course one of them being lunch out with my little guy yesterday....all your sweet comments on my "Etsy Art Goodness" video (thank you!!!), a wonderful surprise package from the sweet Suz (Thanks so much Suz!!! It really made my day and came just when I needed some joy :D ), and snagging another one of Jenn's sweet Lulette houses last night (WOO HOO!), then some time to do a little sketching and painting. My house may be a mess right now, but oh well....I'll get around to it eventually. ;)

Hope you're all having a wonderful Thursday! I'm hoping to be back to my chipper, rambling self soon....I've got lots of ideas for new videos and other fun stuff, but just not feeling in the right frame of mind to do anything about it. If you've emailed me recently, I'm behind on emails....waaaaaaaay behind.....and I've become just awful at keeping up with them. I do read each and every one as soon as I get it, even if it takes me a month to reply. Thank you all sooooooooo much for your encouragement and support!! Much love to y'all!!! xoxo

Frequently Asked Questions

I get so many emails asking similar questions that I thought to save everyone time I'd just create a page with my answers to some of my most frequently asked questions. :)

Please ask any other questions you may have below in the comments and as I get time, I'll try to answer them here. I'm so awful at returning emails, as I get many a day and so many just get lost in the shuffle. Honestly, I read each and every email...I just can't possibly answer every one because my inbox fills up so quickly. Asking art/photography/print related questions here will help me keep better track of them and increases the chances that you'll get an answer. Thanks so much y'all!!!
God's blessings to you all!!!! xoxoxo
~♥ Paulette ♥~

Tips on photographing

I use a Canon XT Digital Rebel (which is a digital SLR) mounted on a tripod to take my photos for online and for art prints. I use a collapsible light tent from Tabletop Studio and three full spectrum bulbs at 150 watts each.

Here's a pic of my light tent setup below...

Tips on making your own art prints

I create my own fine art prints by taking my digital photos into Adobe Photoshop and adjusting the colors until they are as close to the original painting as possible. Then I use my Epson Stylus Photo R1800 printer to create my giclée art prints on Epson matte photo paper.

I've been featured!!!

This week I had the honor of being the guest artist over at the Creative Therapy blog! Yea! I created a painting especially for this (you've seen some work in progress pics here on the blog) This was the creative catalyst I chose:

What’s the one lesson you’d want to teach your children? (If you don’t have them, what would you want to teach them if you had them?)

creativetherapy.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/catalyst-fourteen/

So go on over and check out the finished painting and the story behind it. Thanks so much Karen for asking me to contribute!

A sunny bike ride

New stuff in my Etsy shop!

WOW! Before I could get everything listed and organized in the shop, the new originals were GONE! Man y'all are fast!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you Emma and Lorraine!!!!!! Now for those of you who weren't as quick on the draw, there are prints of the now sold originals in the shop along with many other new prints too. :) So scoot on over and check out all the new goodies! And be sure to sign up for my super special list so you don't miss out on the next batch of originals. ;)

"Be Still"

She stopped to listen,
she could hear Him say...

Be still...know that I am here.

It was then that she felt His love surround her,
...embrace her.

She felt a peace unlike anything she'd felt before,
...even with the chaos surrounding her.

And that was enough.
~~
God is always with us. All we have to do is call to Him and He is there...to surround us with His love, to help us, and to comfort us.

**************

"Be True"

Her soul filled with song.
Her spirit singing...be true

To who you are...
To who you were meant to be...

No matter what those around you say
...you must share what's in your heart.

What are you waiting for?

**************

"Cherish"

The smallest moments are some of the most precious ones of all. Cherish them...capture them within your heart, to keep with you....for those moments are gone in the blink of an eye.

**************

Other new prints