Sunday Postcard Art - Mermaids....

Hi Everyone...I had to add some of my mermaid art to the Challenge this week over at Sunday postcard Art....I love mermaids...as you can see...the first one is a watercolour I created and the second one is an illustration I did a while back...made all new for postcards....

Happy Sunday!!!

Hugs
Diana

Paris Merci - My Arc de Triomphe gets featured!!!

Hi Everyone...what a fun collection this is...you know I love love love all things Paris...and this collection just makes me smile....I am so happy to be included in this collection curated by

PerleAmies - a wonderful shop owner from Paris!!!

I would love to be in Paris this Spring!!! wouldn't you?


Pop by this treasury collection and show us some love by leaving a comment....

Hugs
Diana

Illustration Friday - Perspective

Hi Everyone...I just finished a custom commission for a home....and it seems to fit the theme just perfectly this week....This is ink and watercolour on French Watercolour paper...

I create these for clients in my custom stuff shop....

Happy Friday !!

Canada plays Slovakia tonight!! can't wait to watch the game...GO team CANADA!

Hugs
Diana

Illustration Friday

Congratulations TEAM CANADA! The Women win Gold on Canadian Soil!

It is so wonderful to see our team win on Canadian soil....I felt so proud to see our flag raised with our National anthem playing for this wonderful team of Women who play our Canadian sport of hockey....There is something special about these games...they make us feel like dreams can really come true.....they make us try new things like...learning how to snow board....or taking up luge lessons.....they make us feel like we could be up there on that podium ...and we are there .... as a country....with glowing hearts!!!

I am always a softie over the Winter Olympics....I have never really been a lover of the summer ones...but somehow these always seem like home to me...

Here's to dreams !!!!

great work Team Canada!!!

you make us proud!

The Blues...but not the sad ones....My cupcake gets featured in a New Treasury!!!

Hi Everyone....I just love these cool member curated Treasuries on Etsy...don't they just make you smile...I don't know about you ...but this one has me longing for some blueberry pie...some cupcakes and a walk through the park....what a dreamy collection and I am so thrilled that

ChristineJonesPhotog

picked my blueberry cupcake print to be a part of it!!!! what fun!!!!

Pop by the treasury to show some love...

Happy Thursday!!!

Hugs
Diana

Theme Thursday - Flourishes

Hi Everyone....I have been busy creating some new designs for my Clear rubber stamp line...and I am all about Paris these days...so I thought I should work on some Eiffel Tower stamps...and this is the first one I created....I have used it in this fun design for Theme Thursday...the theme is "Flourishes" and I always think of Paris when I hear the word "flourishes"

Look for this Eiffel Tower Stamp and more Spring inspired stamps in my Shop.....coming soon!

Happy Thursday Everyone!!!

Some cool tools...for your Etsy Shop!

Hi Everyone....

As a Shop owner on Etsy....I always want to know what people like and how many hearts I get and what items get hearts , what made it to the front page...etc....

As a result of that ....One day I found this site called Craft Cult. It is a place where you can see some of your Etsy Stats and what is even cooler is you can see if your goods ever made it to the front page...Like early this morning when my Eiffel Tower piece made it to the front page.....

The other thing I love about this is it archives all of the front page treasuries... so you won't miss seeing the collection......Now how cool is that!!!

More Party Stuff....a new hand painted Garland for a Baby Shower.....

Hi Everyone...

I am having way too much fun creating these fun party accessories...

I hand paint these and they are so much fun and will add to your party decor...

I am off to come up with some more garland ideas....

These are all in my Etsy Shop....

If you don't see something there you can always ask me to make you a special one...

I think I am working on a Birthday one today...


Hugs,
Diana

Spring is the Air - Etsy Treasury with my Eiffel tower featured

Hi Everyone...I always love curated treasuries on Etsy...and I am always extra excited to see that some of my work has been chosen from millions of pieces to be on one....This one is all about Spring....and my Spring in Paris piece was chosen.....You can head over to the treasury to leave a comment and show us some love...by heading here.....and I also love hearing from you so please say hello!!!

Hugs
Diana

Three Muses - Architecture and some of our own Architecture for our sweet Angel Renee....

Hi Everyone...I had to get inspired by one of the greatest cities for Architecture... Chicago....Every time I see the buildings there I am inspired to be an architect...but my world is in Picture books and that just might not work out....unless you want some hot pink and bright green buildings.....

So I pieced together a few of my favorite buildings from my last trip there and made this special postcard..........

Cole and I also did some Architecture today...if you call building a snow angel architecture...this one is dedicated to our sweet friend Renee...We are praying for you and want you to know that you are in our hearts and in our thoughts each day....so please everyone...say a little prayer for Renee....

Hugs
Diana




Renee...a special snow angel built for you by Cole and I and Minnie too...we love you!!!

Stitches - My latest creation...some Bright and cheery Easter Garland

they look so cool with Cole's oaintings on our mantle....
Hi Everyone....

I am a bit late to the party over at The CAC challenge...his past week the theme is stitches...and I just made some new and fun hand painted Easter and Spring inspired garlands....I guess we can think up some pretty silly ideas in our heads....but when I finished these with watercolour paint and some glitter and ribbon.....they just made my day.....

I am adding a whole new line of garlands for all kinds of occasions to my Etsy Shop...so pop in and check it out....and pop back here to see what I come up with next....

Happy Tuesday!!!

Hugs
Diana

Dedicated to Renee - Fly in Peace and Love

Hi Everyone....

It always amazes me how many wonderful people we can meet without ever stepping foot out of our homes....On my journey I met a very special lady....Her name is Renee and she wrote and inspired us each and every day over at her blog....head over to the blog and read the comments from some of her friends...and you will see how she has touched so many .....

She is one of the strongest women I have ever met....and always inspires us with her deep thoughts and her strength and caring....She is a wife, she is a mother of 3 wonderful children and is battling Cancer. It turns out that her cancer has spread to her stomach, the lining, and the bone marrow and is causing her much pain and suffering.

We pray that she gets the best care possible in her last days with us and will always remember her...I created this piece dedicated to my friend Renee and will also sell prints of it with partial proceeds going towards Breast Cancer Research as a Tribute to her for always being so supportive and sweet to me.....

Renee...we love you and I know that we will meet one day....

Hugs
Diana

Mixed Media Monday - "laughter" ...some fun stuff for a very special Birthday....

Hi Everyone.....

When I saw the theme this week on MMM I immediately thought about the best laughter ever...the laughter of children.....and what better place to hear it...but at a special Birthday party for a wee little fellow turning one....

I wanted to do something special as a keepsake for his Birthday so I painted a special watercolour of him cheering on Team Canada at the Olympics surrounded by colourful balloons and yummy cake.....

This is wrapped and ready for giving under a special frog that I used also as a gift but more so as a fun way to wrap a bunch of special presents for this cute little munchkin.......

I hope they love all the gifts....but especially this custom piece....

If you want to get one of these made, you can contact me....or pop by my Custom Stuff shop.....

Have a wonderful day!!!
Hugs
Diana

Here is my wrapping.... I love wrapping gifts!!! and making them fun for kids....

Sunday postcard - Twins

Hi Everyone...here is my first piece for Sunday Postcard Art challenge...I used some watercolour heads from my artwork and also had some fun playing around with the design.......

I always wondered what it would be like to have a twin....

Happy Sunday Everyone!!!

Hugs
Diana

Go Team Canada! Go!!!

Hi Everyone....I know what the Olympics mean to me...and I always have to fight back the tears when one of our Athletes get their medal...it is such a proud moment and I think we also live vicariously through them.....I always watch the games and stay up late to catch glimpses of all the wonderful sports.....I am all about the winter games because I love winter and I love winter sports....I have been inspired to take up snowboarding now...so wish me luck!!!

I will not however...try the skeleton...too scary for me...going head first and all...

Congrats to Team Canada!!! you guys are doing awesome!!! This week I will work on some Olympic inspired art...so pop back!!!

Hugs
Diana

Art Creations Friday - Dresses for everyone!!!

Oh I saw the cool background on Art Creations Friday and I just had to make matching dresses....I hope you like these....

Happy Friday!!!

and don't forget to pop by and see my IF post....theme "Propagate" by heading here...


Happy Friday!!!

Illustration Friday - Propagate

Hi Everyone....

Tulip and Daffodil bulbs are perhaps one of the easiest plants to propagate as they do all the hard work themselves. I am loving the winter with all the fun festivities...and the Olympics too....but now I just want to see Spring at my door....and I love the Spring bulbs...every year they surprise you when they pop up after winter.....

Have a wonderful Friday!!!

Hugs,
Diana

Theme Thursday - Girls and Candy Apples

Hi Everyone....When I saw the prompt over at Theme Thursday I instantly thought about these cute best friends that were at the fair in my last promo...so I took them and made them new again. They are best friends and they are sharing a sweet moment together....

The one thing I love about fall fairs is the yummy treats....and I always try way too much and need a bottle of the pink stuff when I get home...but it is so much fun....I picked candy apples for these friends...a little healthy and a lot of sweet......

Hope you're having a sweet day!!!

and if you have some apples around you can make these....

Candy Apples

Courtesy of Michael Smith - Chef at Home

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 4 cups sugar
• 2 cups corn syrup
• Large pinch cinnamon
• Few drops red food colouring
• 12 Honey Crisp apples
• 12 popsicle sticks

Directions

1. Pour the water, sugar and corn syrup into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 290 degrees on a candy thermometer. This will take 20 minutes or so. Stir in the cinnamon and food coloring, and pour the hot mixture into a large bowl set over a large pot of simmering water. This will help it stay hot and make it easier to work with as you dip apples.
2. Pierce the bottom of each apple with a Popsicle stick, then dip into the syrup and roll until fully coated. Repeat with the remaining apples. Rest on a parchment-lined baking sheet until they harden.

and I just can't get this song out of my head....

Three Muses Challenge - Theme "Nature"

Hi Everyone....

I am really enjoy watching the Winter Olympics....we won another Gold today and our Team Canada hockey team scored a wonderful game tonight....I always dream when the Olympics are on....I think I am inspired to take up snowboarding now....it looks like so much fun!!

Tonight I created this piece as inspired by the prompt on Three Muses Challenge blog....the theme is Nature and I created a special Mother Nature...a piece with several Mother Nature's as she is one busy lady....all over the globe....

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!!!

Hugs
Diana

4 days of bliss...Congratulations for our 1st Gold Medal on home soil....Mixed Media Monday and everything but the kitchen sink..

Hi Everyone!!!

What a wonderful extra long weekend we just had....We packed tons of fun into 4 days that went by quicker than ever....We headed north to our cottage to enjoy some winter sports and fun and to watch the 2010 Olympics!!! We are very excited that we have a Gold medal that was won on home turf...Congrats to Alexandre Bilodeau, Freestyle Skiing...who is the first Olympian to win Gold on home turf!!! what a rush.....Congrats to our other wonderful Athletes who brought home 2 silver medals and one bronze....I love the Olympics...they always make me dream about what it would be like....


Anyway!!! as soon as I got home I created a special illustration for Mixed Media Monday...the theme is Mardi Gras!!! what fun....hope you enjoy this special Mardi Gras girl!!!


I also had so much fun this weekend with my amazing family that I had to add some photos...

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Hugs
DianaSome Major fun on the slopes tubing!!! what a rush
Cole always manages to bring me some flowers...how cute is he!!!
some Valentine's Day dinner appetizers....
The torch relay on Valentine's Day evening
Who says you can't head to the beach here.....
nothing like something to warm you up!!!
Group tubing!!! what fun!!!
Frozen maple syrup.....a Canadian treat....
soem fun evening shots.....

the beach....we walked on water and frozen waves that looked like mountains.....
Our little cutie pie!!! He had so much fun...he must have told me he loves me about 100 times this weekend...and that "I am very happy Mommy" that was my favorite quote.....
this will be the door I will work on when I get a huge studio...and gallery....isn't it the collest door handle ever....
and a little fire always helps too....
if you forget your skis...you can borrow some....lol

and snow never stops us from swimming!!! hehehehehe
park your skis.....
and it just wouldn't be the same without one or two HUGE snowmen!!!

Happy Tuesday Everyone!!!

hugs
Diana