IF - Double

Sorry to post this again so soon, but I thought it was perfect for the theme.
Leaving for the lake in just a little over 24 hours!

Just a reminder that I am keeping the shop open, but won't be shipping again until 8/2.
Enjoy your week! I know I will!!!

My Pretty One - 4 ways

Thanks to Photofunia!

My new/old collection

I'm pretty bad at collecting things. I often fall in love with something and think...oooh, I love those! I'm going to start a collection. I acquire one or two, and then fall in love with something else.
But I'm thinking maybe this time I can stay focused. This collection has a beginning and an end. I'll know just when I'm done.
The September one...the one with no hand...is the one I've had forever. I don't mind that she has no hand. I won't replace her. She's mine. :)
Anyway, 4 down, 8 to go.
Wish me luck!

Getting ready this week to go on vacation next week.
Deep Creek Lake, here we come!
(i think i'll keep the shop open, but won't be shipping from 7/23 - 8/2. just sayin'.)

My Pretty One

My Pretty One - photo
Originally uploaded by dudadaze3.

As promised!
Just added "My Pretty One" to my etsy shop.

Must concentrate!

It took me all day, but I finally settled on a sketch that I want to work on.
It's so hot and sticky here that I'm finding it hard to concentrate.
Hopefully this will be a full-fledged painting by the end of the weekend.

Also wanted to share that there has been another sighting of The Diane Duda Collection.
This time by the talented Lisa Graves.
She happened upon them in a shop on Cape Cod.

She snapped photos,


sent me a lovely message, and even did a blog post about it. Oh yeah, and she took one home and hung it in her kitchen. :)
Thanks, Lisa!

As you can see, I'm still not over the excitement.
Please let me know if you spot them anywhere.
(not the one in Lisa's kitchen. i already know about that one.) :)

IF - Diary

Dear Diary,
Today was a good day.

Celebrating 20 years of marriage tomorrow! :)
"A Good DAy"

My Quiet Spot

Weathered old wood. Not the easiest thing to paint on.



But I gave it a go.



The result: "My Quiet Spot"
Do you have one?

The plans have changed!

Well all of my big plans for getting something done changed when the UPS man delivered this yesterday.


It was suddenly all real when I opened the box and saw this!

I was the only one home, but I couldn't wait. I opened them anyway. Carefully, so as not to damage any of the beautiful polka dot boxes.
And now my dining room table looks like this.



I have no idea where we're going to eat. But I don't care. I'm not putting any of them away just yet.





It's still unbelievable!

Won't have much time to think about it today, though. I have a lot of running around to do with Eli to get him all ready and approved for a 5 week job program he hopes to start on Monday. It's going to be a long day...hopefully not as hot as yesterday.
I did get started on a new painting, but didn't get very far. Can't wait to get back to it.
Happy Friday!

Too Hot!!!

I'm finding it hard to concentrate on any one thing for too long. I blame the heat!
I did manage to get this Penguin Queen redo done. You may remember the original that I made for Aaron's Taylor's 21st birthday. This one is pretty much identical, but I swapped the snowflakes for stars.
Art-wise that's about it. Although I do have a cute sketch on my desk right now just calling for me to come and play.
Maybe today. I hope.

So yeah, we don't have air conditioning in this old house. We did put a window unit in Aaron's room this week because his little room gets about 3 times hotter than all of the others. The computer is in his room too so at least I can blog hop in comfort now.

I've been having to keep to-do lists so that I can stay focused.
One of things I've been doing is looking for a little house to buy for Aaron, Taylor, and Ruca to live in. They want to get an apartment near Cal U, but with a new puppy that's pretty much impossible. So they were looking for a small house to rent without any luck. So we are toying with the idea of buying something they can live in while we fix it up. Our situation being what it is will probably make this fairly impossible, but that doesn't stop me from wasting hours online looking now does it.
I even made an appointment to go and see this one.

Probably not ideal since a lot of the work has been done. But I must see it!
Hmmm. What else.
Josh and I got celebrity haircuts yesterday. He now looks like this:


and I like this:
We are so ready for the red carpet! If it ever comes to Union Street. :)


And, of course, we've been spending lots of time with Ruca...aka Rucs McGuc...aka The Gookster.
I love this picture of her and pre-haircut Josh.

Okay, off to get something done. Hopefully.
Or maybe I'll just head out to Mom's and jump in the pool.

-revised-
Just went over to ebay and listed Simply Red and Goldilocks for 1/2 off what I'm asking in my etsy shop.
You can find them here if you're interested in a bargain.

IF - Giant

I remember...

...summers by the shore.

I won't jinx this by calling it (yet another) new series.
But I do have lots of ideas for an "I remember" series.
We'll see what happens.
It's in my shop now.
And also I've reduced the price on my little sheep painting to match this one.
Just click on "originals" when you get to my shop and you can see what's what. :)

I can't thank you all enough for the lovely comments about my Demdaco line.
Sounds like some of you are almost as happy as I am.
And that's pretty happy! :)