Figawi Race

Saturday was a perfect day for the Figawi race from Hyannis to Nantucket. (named after lost sailors saying "where the figawi") I parked down past the hospital and watched the boats come out of the harbor. There was one after another ....after another....it seemed like a never ending stream of large, racing sailboats. I wondered how they all fit into Hyannis Harbor- it's not that big and 2 major ferry's take up a lot of the room.
And speaking of ferry's, here's the biggest one. It is so huge compared to the size of this little channel. It's always fun to watch it go by. People on the boat wave as they go off to Nantucket -or maybe Martha's Vineyard?

And here comes more sailboats....you can click on these photo's to enlarge them.

I think this is where they started the race- out past the breakwater. Hey look! I didn't even SEE that tall ship out there but I caught it on film!

I took these pictures with my zoom lens. They were way out there. People were at all the local beaches trying to get a glimpse of the start of the race. Unfortunately, you really can't see a whole lot unless you're out on a boat too, but excitement filled the air none the less and I may have gotten one or two good reference photo's, so I'm happy.

Habitat for Humanity Mailbox Auction

The Habitat of Humanity Mailbox auction was held last night at the Chequesset Yacht Club in Welfleet. If you remember from a previous post, I donated a mailbox that I painted with roses and an arbor.
You can see it in the background here.

I went with Sienna.....
and Brielle, who really would have liked to be doing something else on a Friday evening, but they did it for their mom.

The mailbox bidding (silent auction) started at $50 and I am happy to report that mine was up to $240 when we left a half hour before bidding ended. (ok, they went with me, but didn't really want to stay for the whole thing.) ANYWAY..... It really makes me happy when my art can do a tiny bit of good in the world.

My Motorcycle

Who knew a motorcycle could look so pretty? I took this photo the other day at W. Dennis Beach. I love this photo because I look at it and go Ahhhhh, kind of like how I feel when I ride.

My bike was so clean and shiney that day, unfortunately looks aren't everything. On my way home all my lights and horn went out, but I made it home without the engine going out like it has been doing. I'm still having electrical problems. Now I can't ride at all without lights so it's going in the shop on Monday. :( just when the weather is getting good.
I still managed to snap off a few more photo's while I was at the beach for your viewing pleasure.

All the beach roses are in bloom and they smell soooooo good! This view is looking towards Bass River.
And the Piping Plovers (little shore birds) are nesting so parts of the beach are closed off; not as many as usual though. They lay their eggs right on the ground and they are an endangered species.

Dragonfly paintings

Who doesn't love Dragonflies? They are pretty and they don't bite! I just painted several little dragonfly paintings all in the same color pallet so it would be easy to do a nice little grouping of them. (Ok, it was my customers idea, and she's purchased 2 of these already). There is only one left on Ebay right now. http://stores.ebay.com/Cape-Cod-Artist Looks like I'll have to paint more!

Labyrinth Land & Sea Copper Jewelry

I'm SOoooo excited!!!! Look at these amazing pieces of jewelry that just came for me unexpectedly in the mail. What a beautiful surprise! The lovely man that sent them, makes copper jewelry and sells it in Whaler's Wharf in Provincetown. I had bought a pair of earrings from him almost a year ago and I had such a nice experience dealing with him that I sent him a thank you aceo painting. I wasn't the only one who loved dealing with him though- he had a whole wall in his shop devoted to 'gifts' that people had sent him, (mostly dollar bills). This man has the most amazing energy. I felt absolutely 'high' when I left his shop last year. I could tell he was someone special. I can also feel that energy in his jewelry. He told me that he puts 'love' into every piece and it's so evident.
So, get this; I just called him to thank him, and let me tell you WHY he sent them; he said "I just wanted to make someone happy today". Unbelievable!

If you are ever in Provincetown, make sure you visit him (or go on the website), but if you visit him, you will get the benefits of his amazing energy.
Wow.

Ps, I just went on the website and it really only tells the location of the shop, so you'll HAVE to see him in person.

Prom '10

Friday was Prom night for Sienna at the Wequassett Inn in Harwich MA. It was a perfect late afternoon- sunny, warm, light breeze....but not enough to wreck your hair. (this stuff is important to women you know!) She looked absolutely stunning in her coral colored dress. She got her hair and make up done at New Image Hair Salon in Dennis. They did an amazing job too!

Here she is getting out of the limo. She was the last one out 7 couples.

Sienna and her date, Dave (it was his prom).

All the kids had to walk down 3 flights of stairs and on bricks (with high heels) for the 'grand march'. They were the very first couple which was awesome for me. I got to jump in front of them and take lots of photos. Yes, I was one of THOSE mothers, but hey- if I didn't, what would you be looking at right now?!
Sit Sienna, Sit! Good girl.

I had never been in this resort complex before. It was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!! It's a 4 diamond resort and we were kind of surprised that the school had it here (but oh so happy that they did!). Here is the pool, fire pit, hot tub and Pleasant Bay in the background. The left side of it was on Pleasant Bay.....

and the right side was on Round Cove. That little spit of land divides them but Round Cove goes out to Pleasant Bay. It's a very scenic place for pictures.

Brielle came with me and took a lot of photo's of her own, so Sienna got double the pictures.
Oh, and here she is with her Mumma. By this point she was getting frustrated with me being there, so we had to go.

As we left we got a picture of all the kids and their parents, right on Pleasant Bay. I have a feeling they all had a great night.

Chickadee

Aren't birds beautiful? Here's one of my latest paintings, a little Chickadee. (2.5"x3.5") The woods around my house echo the sweet songs of birds all day long. They come and go around the bird feeder and the water that I put out for them. I even have one little brown bird that has made a nest inside my kayak -which is upside down over the outdoor shower. What a perfect place! Of course, it's not so perfect for me, but... I guess I can wait to go kayaking for a while.
Yesterday I left the shower door open and the bird kept coming out looking at me (I can see her as I sit at my painting desk) as if to say " Shut that door! We are much safer in here if the bigger climbing animals don't get in". In fact, I could hear those words so clearly in my head that I went back out there and shut it! (Just call me Dr. Doolittle. )

W. Yarmouth Yacht Club Sailboats

"Young Sailors" 8"x10" gallery wrap canvas

A few weeks ago I came across the W. Yarmouth Yacht Club kids learning to sail right before sunset. (I'm pretty sure I blogged about it and shared some photos.) Well, here's the painting that I created from that day.
http://stores.ebay.com/Cape-Cod-Artist

Other news...it's a beautiful warm, sunny day out on the Cape. (that's very important news!) I've been working on another 8x10 painting of a beach house that I want to finish up today. I'm having so much fun lately- I think it's because I've actually had some uninterrupted time to really concentrate on my work. Hopefully I'll get lot done today because tomorrow is going to be crazy. It's Sienna's Prom day (we finally found a pair of shoes!) and I also have Beth coming over (I take care of her part time) so unfortunately I won't be able to take photo's of Sienna and her prom date. (Hopefully Brielle can). I also have Beth all day on Saturday too so.. no painting that day either.
Ok, I'm getting stressed just thinking about it so I am going to just take a deep breath (come on, do it with me....) and concentrate on the here and NOW. There is only NOW anyway.

Affirmation of the day: I choose love, joy and freedom. I open my heart and allow wonderful things to flow into my life.

Make your own Cat Bed

Here's the directions on how to make this bed for your kitty.
I make these all the time with free things I pick up at the recycle shop. All I purchased here was the duct tape. Oh, and I usually only take baby bumpers and blankets that are stained or not in perfect shape. In this case, the bumper looked great on the outside but the inside was stained and yucky, but for my purposes, it was great.

Start by taping the bumper pad to the bottom of the box. Do it as neatly as you can because this part shows. I use duct tape because it REALLY sticks to fabric and boxes.

This is the bottom of the box all taped to the bumper pad.


I cut the bumper leaving about 4". (I usually can get 2 cat beds out of one bumper)

Where it was cut I roll it over,

then tape that part to the bottom
Then I tape the bumper pad to the inside of the box. It doesn't have to be neat because it will be covered.

In this case I used some of the left over bumper to fill in the bottom. Sometimes I get a used flat chair cushion and put that under a little fleece blanket. My cat's love fleece for some reason, but I try not to use it for the summer; too hot.
And it only took minutes before Simba discovered the new cat bed and fell fast asleep in it. I was planning on donating it to the MSPCA, but......I guess I'll have to make another one now!

New Koi Fish Painting

Here's another painting I've finished recently. It measures 11"x14" and is on canvas panel. There's just something so soothing about Koi fish. Even just painting them relaxes me!

It's on Ebay at the moment:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200471854678&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Victorian Home

I've been painting up a storm this week. Here's one of my latest. http://stores.ebay.com/Cape-Cod-Artist It's 6"x6" on a thick gallery wrapped canvas with all the sides painted so it can be hung as is. I don't really think the photo does it justice though, the colors really aren't as clear as they are in real life.

I can't believe I haven't blogged in several days. Not only have I been painting like crazy, I was also in a mad rush to get Sienna a prom dress, shoes and accessories because she was invited at the last minute. (Prom is next Friday.) And all you women will know what that's been like. Anyway, to boost my serenity I took this photo of my lovely Lady Slipper Orchid. When I look at it I am reminded of how rare they are and yet, I now have 2 growing right in my yard! I feel blessed.

Brielle is enjoying her first few days home from college. Kiya was sooo happy to see her, and maybe you can tell why. Kiya loves to be carried around the house in boxes. She's such a princess!

Mother's Day 2010

Mothers Day was a wonderful day. Brielle and Sienna gave me a few of my very favorite things, one being chocolate of course. :) They are both so sweet and loving and I'm blessed to have them as my children.

Later we went over to my mom's house and found my sister (Odin) there with 2 out of 5 of her boys.

We posed for some photo's with our mommy.....

.....cracking up in between. (I just laugh every time I see this picture!) Sometimes we girls get going and can't stop (like the time at the movies when it was the really sad part and everyone was quiet and we busted out laughing!).
Anyway... Here's my lamby with her Grandmom. I had such a good time with Brielle this weekend. I'm so glad she was home for Mother's day. We picked her up (and most of her stuff) from college on Friday. I had to take her back last night for 2 more days of finals then she'll be home for the summer.
Here's the rest of the gang: Frey (Odin's youngest) Quince (Grethe's oldest) Sienna (my youngest) and Thien in the red, Odins 2nd to youngest. Do you see a common thread of weird names in our family? lol

Ah yes, let the picture taking begin. I'm not the only one who has to document life in photographs. See where I get it from? Love you Mumma!

And last but not least we can't leave out Grethe's little precious bundle of joy, Qena, (and MY little precious bundle of joy, Sienna!)