My cute little Artist....Cole's first fine art painting!

Hi Everyone....

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend with family and friends...

I wanted to post Cole's 1st fine art painting....He finally graduated from the "Diana Evans Art Institute" and now has started using fine art watercolour paper and intense liquid watercolour paint.....

He is so excited to create with water....

Here is his first finished piece we have titled..."fiery bark"

I was so proud of him I had it framed and it is on our fireplace mantle ....

I can't wait to see him create more wonderful things....and I love that he has a love for art like Mommy!!!

Hugs

Diana

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Illustration Friday - "Balloon"

Hi Everyone....

I was inspired by all the great balloons at the Parade and wanted to create a special Santa one...

Tis the Season to be Jolly!

Have a wonderful weekend....

Hugs

Diana

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My latest snowmen...hope you like them!!! and Happy Thanksgiving to all our friends in the USA!

Hi Everyone....

I just created a new project and you guessed it....it's all about snowmen!!!

I was listening to the radio station last year and a lady came on and spoke about her family and their wonderful Christmas traditions....she went on the say that when they got married 35+ years ago they didn't have any money...but they managed to get their first Christmas tree anyway.... and after that year they cut a piece from the bottom of that tree and created an ornament for next year with it....

They did this each and every year....

hearing this story made me cry and really touched my heart. Last year when I was in the paper as the "Green Artist" I thought about this and was so inspired to do something ( my heart is so sad when all the trees are tossed)....so after Christmas when all the trees ended up at the curb, my husband and his friend drove around and picked up some stumps for me and my project....I wanted to make special ornaments from these trees....so that they would mean more then just one Christmas...one tree....that they would be around for years to come....so this is what I decided to do.....

The instructions for this snowman ornament are on Daily Art Stop ...so I hope you make some in the coming years from your trees....and share in new traditions that will make each season even brighter.....

Hugs

Diana

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Daily Art Stop - Challenge Wednesday - "Mermaids"

Hi Everyone...

I don't know about you...but when I was growing up I wanted to be a mermaid...I thought it was the neatest thing to be able to swim under water without coming up for air...perhaps why I am fascinated by Scuba Diving now...

This week on Daily Art Stop the theme for Challenge Wednesday is "Mermaids" and I made a special watercolour one this morning and added a few from years passed....The new watercolour piece will have some papercut details that I will finish this week...I will post it again once it's totally finished with all the details....

Hope you enjoy them!!!
Hugs
Diana

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Arty Girlz Challenge - Favorite Colours

Hi Everyone...

This week's challenge is "favorite colours" on the Arty Girlz Challenge Blog....and I just had to add my Christmas Tree lady....her party dress was a big hit in shades of green....one of my favorite colours....

Hope you enjoy her!!!

and don't forget to pop by Daily Art Stop Wednesday for this week's challenge....oh and pop by everyday to ensure you get as many chances as possible to win the Monthly Giveaways.....

Hugs

Diana

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In the Mail...

Hi Everyone...

It is amazing how many wonderful people you can meet blogging...

Lisa M Griffin is a wonderful blog friend that just opened up her Etsy Shop called "Pieces of me" ....what a clever name for a very cute shop! you have to pop by and check out her cute puzzle piece charms...she hand paints them....

When she opened the shop I requested a custom piece...and she was more then happy to make me a special cupcake....

She also made me a special cupcake card...
thanks Lisa!!!! I love them....

Hugs,
Diana

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A little about me...Tagged ....

Hi Everyone...I am so lucky to know so many wonderful blog friends...I was tagged by a few wonderful people....

Honor Bowden

Marianne

Lisa M Griffin

Kelly B

Edrian Thomidis

We are to identify some 7 boring facts about ourselves..or 6 as requested by Honor....and then tag our friends...to do the same...I have a few photos from the past here to help with my list.....

I will identify the following ....I am one of the best Baristas around...I love making lattes the most...and decorating them for special people...like Brad!

I love the winter...and especially love using my sled...I am a sled chick!

I love cake...and have had the same Birthday cake from Sam's Bakery since I was a wee little girl...I still crave it each and every year and always get it...(I hope he never closes or retires...lol)

One of my favorite things is sitting by the bon fire and listening to some great music with friends. We do this all summer long...

I love Chicago Style Pizza and luckily a family from the windy city opened up an authentic restaurant within 40 minutes of our home...

I started painting as a child and my first copy of a famous painting is this one...I still have it and it hangs in our master bathroom....

When I was a child I loved horses and took riding lessons. I also wrote a letter to Santa one year that got published in the local paper. My Mom still has that letter. In that letter I asked for an easy bake oven....and some other barbie stuff....I never did get that oven and I bring it up at every family dinner ....my Dad always laughs and laughs but he can't believe I still bring it up...I think that is part of the reason I love to cook....and create recipes each and every day...letter...lol

me on my first horse...

Well there you go...some boring info about me...

Have a great day!!

Hugs

Diana

p.s. It is Foodie Monday at Daily Art Stop so pop by Monday!!!

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Illustration Friday - "Opinion"

Hi Everyone....

"I prefer cupcakes...."

This is my opinion....Great prompt this week...this was the first thing I saw in my head when I read the theme....What about you? what do you prefer? or maybe we can start a whole debate on whether or not cake and cupcakes are the same...lol

Hope you have a wonderful weekend....

Hugs

Diana

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Happy Birthday to my Dearest brother!!! and our first snowman of the season!!!

Hi Everyone...

Today is my brother Ignatius' Birthday!! and we wish him a wonderful day and can't wait to see him on the weekend to celebrate....

Cole sang Happy Birthday for the first time over the phone to his special Uncle....

We also had some snow fall over night so we were able to head outside and make our first snowman of the season....

Here is the cute little "Snowman" we made today....Cole helped Mommy make him...that's why he is so small...plus we need more snow!

Cole and Minnie...and Mr. Snowman!

The boxwood garden and my snow covered rose....My roses have been blooming all summer and still are going strong....

Well that is it for today...

May you have a wonderful day filled with family, friends and inspiration....

Hugs

Diana

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Daily Art Stop - Challenge Wednesday - Theme "Friendship"

Hi Everyone...

This week is the first Challenge Wednesday on Daily Art Stop. The theme is "Friendship" and here is my submission....

They were so happy to have such a wonderful Friendship!

Hope you enjoy it!

Hugs

Diana

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Some vintage finds and a project....and my latest award!

Hi Everyone....

I had some old vintage Christmas cards and wanted to up-cycle them into some new cards...and these are the two cards I made...

I added some gold paint details to the Vintage Santa and tons of sparkle to both of these...

Hope you enjoy them!!!

I also want you to remember that on Wednesday Daily Art Stop hosts it's first weekly challenge...so pop by and check out this week's theme and start creating!

I also received a fabadabadoo award from Soulbrush

I nominate all my wonderful blog friends!!! I so enjoy each and every one of your visits....

Have a wonderful day!!!

Hugs

Diana

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New Mini Paintings....

Hi Everyone....

I finished some of my mini paintings today and they are in my Etsy Shop! Just click on each painting to head there.....

Hope you enjoy them....and remember to pop by Daily Art Stop!

Hugs

Diana

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My latest Snowmen...I just can't wait to make a real one...

Hi Everyone...

I made some special new cards for my Etsy Shop this weekend....

I always wanted to create cutout cards for the Holidays and finally can say I created my first set...

Here is my cute little snowman....he is embellished with some wonderful glitter and makes me smile just looking at him....

I hope you enjoy him!!!

I am also donating a set of these as part of the great giveaway on Daily Art Stop

so don't forget to pop by that blog and leave a comment!!! and see all the other sweet treats that could be yours at the end of November!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Hugs
Diana


I think I may use these as decoration sthis Holiday Season too....

They look so sweet all in a row....or half circle.....

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Daily Art Stop is OPEN!!!

Hello Everyone....

I am happy to let you all know that Daily Art Stop is open!!!

This blog is dedicated to bringing you a wide variety of topics...so make sure you pop by each and every day during the week...

did I also mention that there are monthly give aways...all you have to do is comment to participate....

Pop by and say hello!!!

Have a wonderful weekend...

Hugs
Diana

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Illustration Friday - "Pretend"

Hi Everyone....

This week's theme on IF is "Pretend" and I am submitting my last promotional piece...."Glenda the 4 Seasons Butterfly"....Everyone knows that she is pretend...but they all truly want to believe she can be real....
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend...may it be filled with family and friends and inspiration...

Hugs

Diana

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It's beginning to look a lot like....

Hi Everyone....

ok...well it's not snowing yet....but you know how much we love our snowmen....

I started working on my original handmade Holiday Cards....

The directions and patterns of this card will be available when I launch my "Daily Art Stop Blog" The trees are felt freehand cutouts, then I decorated them with faceted jewels....the snowman is a paper cutout I designed and then watercoloured him.....all with a bit of glitter for fun!!! These are available for purchase in my Etsy Shop....

Have a wonderful day!!!

Hugs

Diana

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My latest creations....Gratitude Boxes

Hi Everyone...

I have been tagged by several blog friends ...will have to work on that post for the weekend....in the meantime....I have been so busy with projects.....

I would like show you my latest creations...These are called "Gratitude Boxes"

Years ago I got a special box and gave it to Brad on one of our Anniversaries....Each week we would write down one thing that we are grateful for and fold it up and place it in the box....at the end of the year we would take them out and read them together to share in all the great things that are in our lives...it is so much fun to do and made us so much more aware of how truly lucky we are...being grateful is vital to living a full life....I created these as an inspiration to our little family tradition in the hopes of sharing it with all of you....

I have 2 cupcake versions of the box in my Etsy shop and have more on the way....they make the perfect gift for someone or a couple that have everything....cupcakes because of all the sweet things in our lives...I also would love to create commissioned boxes that can be personalized....

Each box comes with this card I made..."The Gratitude Box"

I hope you all get inspired to live each day being grateful and truly takea moment to see all the wonder around you...

Hugs
Diana

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Arty Girlz Challenge - "Blog Inspiration"

Hi Everyone...

This week's prompt on the Arty Girlz Challenge Blog is "Blog Inspiration"
I was so inspired by the wonderful art of Elsa Mora....She is an amazing artist and her specialty blog on "Papercutting" has inspired my new pieces ....I create watercolour and ink paintings then work on my hand cutting to add to each piece...I love that changing the background to each piece changes the whole look...This piece is titled "Zinnia Dreams" I also love to garden and add tons of Zinnia's along the edges of my vegetable garden....and they are such an inspiration....

The web site is called "The heART of Papercuts" you have to check it out...you won't be disappointed

Have a wonderful day!!
Hugs
Diana

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Get inspired - My Artist friends....and my sweet sweet Husband Brad

Hi Everyone...I am so grateful for so many wonderful things in my life...Family and friends make everyday wonderful and I wanted to post today about some of the sweet people I am blessed to know.....

Firstly, I would like to say thank you to my Dearest Husband Brad...who makes my life a dream come true...he is the reason I can live my dream to create art each and every day...and he came home last night with some flowers for me....(for no reason other then he is happy to have me in his life) ....Bless his heart....
He always blows me away with his kindness and loving nature....


and now I will introduce you to some wonderful and talented artists I have met through blogging...I am grateful for their friendships and love that we can network and share our lives no matter where we live....


Marianne is from the Netherlands...but she travels the world each and every week it seems...Her blog is on my daily list as she has the most wonderful posts with her art, her loves, and her travels...

She is as sweet as they come....and sent me this Mandala she painted...She had it on her blog and asked that we all take a moment to try and name it....I titled it..."Lunar Eclipse" and she sent it to me!!! how sweet of her....she was in South Africa when she created this piece and sent it to me...

I was also lucky enough to meet the talented BJ Lantz....

You have all probably seen some eye catching art in shops all over...and more then likely the amazing artwork was the work of BJ....she has so much insight into the world of licensing your art that I am blown away...not to mention that she is one of the sweetest and most sharing souls out there...she send me e-mails with all kinds of wonderful information and I love her work...she is truly an inspiration...you have to pop by her blog and introduce yourselves to her...just say I sent you! She sent me all kinds of colourful goodies...I love her art!!!



and last but not least my dearest Kathleen, who is one of the most amazing illustrators out there....her work and style are warm and comforting. She has so many books on the go and you have to pop by her blog to check out her artwork...Whenever I feel down I just head over there and right away I am awakened to a new look on everything around me....

We keep in touch with e-mails but I sure wish we lived closer so we could sketch and drink lattes together.... She sent me the cutest note card with one of her wonderful illustrations and a cute mini card....I love it!

All this art will be framed and in my studio where I can be inspired each and every day....

Make sure you pop by their blogs and say hello...you won't be disappointed! if anything you might make a new friend that will inspire you!

Have a wonderful day!!!
Hugs
Diana

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