WHAT a FEBRUARY! Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Look at those EARS flying in the wind...

Oh, my furbaby is SO SO HAPPY!!

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This is the wheat field that is behind my house...just a few feet from our back door.

What a difference a few days can make...MANY people say that IF you don't like the weather, just wait and it will change...WELL, of COURSE it will, but sometimes it REALLY changes...

Charcaol was having SO MUCH fun running...

This was a BEAUTIFUL Saturday in Middle Tennessee...The weather was 67 degrees and not a cloud was in the sky!

There is ALWAYS time to stop and smell the roses when you are a

 puppy...OR at least sniff at the ground!

These pictures were taken on February 6th.  The next day, the temperature FELL to freezing...it remained COLD all week and the ground was frozen...THEN this is what happened on February 15....

This is the back porch...hmmm...I think BIG FOOT came to visit

At about 3 am EARLY on Monday morning, sleet started to fall...Then some ice...then some sleet...then some snow...then....sigh...

Big Foot STRIKES again!

This is the same field...but OH, how beautiful!!  

We ended up getting about 4 inches of STUFF~~ice, sleet, snow!!

This is the BIG Tobacco barn...

I LOVE the look of freshly fallen snow...
everything is so CLEAN and CRISP!

This shows more of the same field...our property goes into the woods...There was a tenant house at the edge of the woods!

That is our road...see it? huh, huh?  Nope, me either...LOL...

crunch....crunch...crunch...ROFL...

I LOVE to see the bird's footprints in the snow...

it is a reminder to BUY birdseed...LOL...

This is day 5...This was after an ENTIRE DAY of weather above freezing!!  It looks like there is NO HOPE!!

I am ONLY about 1 mile from the STATE road that is CLEAR all the way into town, I am sure...but THERE is a BIG curve on a slight hill to get to the end of the road!!  HOLD ON TIGHT!!!

This is the MORNING of Day 6...It looks pretty HOPELESS, still...BUT IT DID melt and I got to go to town that evening!!  It was like seeing a NEW WORLD!  People who didn't SIMPLY TALK TO me...roads with the freedom to go MOST anywhere I wanted...Fast FOOD restaurants...It was WONDERFUL...

I LOVE living in the country and would have it no other way, BUT there is ALWAYS a swap-off!  I get frustrated at those who CHOOSE to live WHERE they want (on big hills, curves, outside the city limits) and THEN complain when things don't go their way...We as humans tend to be that way...We WANT what we WANT when we WANT it...sigh...EVERY choice has a consequence!!

I am SO THANKFUL for all those who worked so hard during this time of inconvenience!  Thank you to the Electric Company who worked to keep my lights on and who got out in this AWFUL weather to repair the problem...I was ONLY without electricity for about 2 hours and I am SO GRATEFUL...

To the Policemen, Firemen, EMTs, Road Crews, Medical Personal, Water Company, and THOSE who had to SACRIFICE their time, sleep and SAFETY because of so many SELFISH people who thought of NO ONE but themselves...THANK YOU...I APPRECIATE YOU!!!

To the Mother/Son who was killed on the interstate when a truck hit them as they were stopping to help someone else, I PRAY God will send someone to stand in the gap for the husband and sister (daughter)...NO GREATER LOVE hath a man than to lay down his life for his fellow man...

I pray for those who are STILL in the path of the storms...

Those who are weary...

 

LIFE is filled with storms...I HOPE you each KNOW the MASTER of the WIND...Thank You, God, for the BEAUTY of the EARTH...for the SEASONS, and for LOVING ME when I am SO VERY unlovable...I wish...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

Treats for my Sweet...Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Some people JUST don't understand...

He is PITIFUL licking that empty bowl TRYING to get my attention...PITIFUL!

I was in the baby food aisle at Walmart...I was searching HIGH and LOW for the PERFECT treat for Charcoal...

A lady ASKED me IF I knew if they STILL made some kind of contraption that pushed the baby food UP because the SPOON just was NOT working!

I laughed and said, I don't know anything about babies...I'm buying this for my puppy...sigh...

She laughed BUT I don't think she REALLY understood, but in all fairness, neither did I!!  ROFL...

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour and 2/3 cup Rolled Oats

I was laughing with my friend tonight AS she was making a PIE to put on her blog...I was making Dog treats to GO on my blog and I said, YOU KNOW, Charcoal is coming out PRETTY good because of my blogging and I pointed out that HER husband was pretty lucky too...

You see, I MADE Mindy BLOG two days ago and I THINK I have started the CREATIVE juices flowing!  She is having fun trying to get her blog back up and in shape...HECK, it has ONLY been four years since she made the FIRST attempt!  

She needs some FOLLOWERS, so Go FOLLOWER her blog at
The Woodshop in WV  One follower is DEAD and 2 more are inactive and for the life of me I don't know why but, she took down her google plus...sigh...BUT I KNOW she has FOLLOW by email...LOL...oh Min Min!  Why ya gotta be so difficult!! 

Since Valentine's Day is coming up, I need to remind you to MAKE some gifts for those you LOVE...SO Here is the recipe:

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2/3 cups Rolled Oats
2 4 oz. jars of Baby Food (your choice of flavors)

Mix together...it will be REALLY stiff...I just mashed it out on a plate and didn't worry so much about them being even, but TRY to get them similar in thickness so the thin ones won't burn.  Cut out with a cookie cutter OR just cut them into strips with a knife or pizza cutter...Bake for 35 minutes at 350...

The first batch I made was TOO stiff and couldn't absorb all the flour, so I just added another 2 ounce jar of Chicken and all was well!

I looked at the ingredients for Oats and they are ALL ROLLED oats and YES, it is the SAME for the QUICK ones and for the Old Fashioned ones, SO I just used the Quick ones that I had in my pantry!  If you have old fashioned oats, then use those.

I used Sweet Potatoes and Chicken for my first batch (the heart shapes) and I used Apple/Blueberry for the second batch  (flowers)...Charcoal LOVES them all...NOW, to be fair, I think 
Charcoal just loves FOOD!!

Charcoal's TREAT will be the BAG with one or two in there...the BOY LOVES to CHEW!!

I hope you have a WONDERFUL time getting ready for those you love...YEP, it is a COMMERCIAL holiday, but isn't EVERY holiday??  And to be fair, I think the world could USE MORE DAYS to CELEBRATE LOVE instead of bashing those you supposedly love...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

Let the CELEBRATION Begin! Sunday, February 1, 2015

Let's have a SHOW OF HANDS for those who are TIRED of WINTER already...

Then, LET the CELEBRATION BEGIN!!

My Etsy Team, The Folkart and Primitive Team is CELEBRATING TWO YEARS in existence...You KNOW what people say about the TERRIBLE TWOS!  WE MIGHT just do SOMETHING CRAZY!!

And YES, we ARE...We are having a GIVEAWAY...
Go to our our TEAM BLOG, The Folkart and Primitives  
and sign up to WIN...
Do NOT comment on MY blog, but on the TEAM BLOG, please!!

We have 23 gifts to give away!

There will be 7 (seven) winners 
On February 9th all 7 winning names will be selected
Then all prizes will be written on a paper put in a basket
and drawn out to go with the winner

First place will win a total of 7 prizes
second place will win 5 prizes
third place will win 3 prizes
and 4th thru 7th place will each win 2 prizes

To Enter you must follow our Team blog, 

and leave a comment on the post that shows all the Prizes...
*New followers are always welcome! *

For an extra chances, 

you can share this giveaway on your blog sidebar 

or do a blog post

Or Share on Facebook, Twitter etc.
just mention it in your comment
REMEMBER to include a contact email if you do not have it
for us to easily get hold of you

These are just SOME of the prizes we are giving away

This is donated by Kim of Valley Primitive Stitches

Cynthia of Cynzplace

 

Donated by Joann of Painted Panache

Leeann of Charmed Confections

Mindy of The Woodshop in WV

ME...

 Be sure to go to our TEAM BLOG to sign up NOW

Also, be sure to go to the etsy shops of the individual members...MANY are offering discounts!

I am giving a 20% discount on ALL SALES this week OVER $10 

Type in SPRING20 at checkout 

Visit my SHOP to see WHAT I have been doing!

My goodness...what TALENT we have on our team...I HOPE that YOU are using the GIFTS you have...Thanks for your support...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

The Art Challenge~~Day 5, Saturday, January 31, 2015

HOLY MOLY…I just spent a big bulk of time getting these 3 patterns into pdf form and I FORGOT how much time it took to resize stuff and check for words/symbols that didn’t scan…ROFL…NOW I don’t feel so bad that it took me so long last year to get most of my patterns into the pdf format!!  Yep, patting myself on the back!!  

 Today is my last day of my Art Challenge…It has been SO MUCH FUN getting to see the pictures that people have posted.  It has transplanted me, in some instances, to a place where I REMEMBER meeting so many of my Facebook friends!  

 I KNOW that I have never SEEN you in person and probably never will, but let me assure you that your friendships are REAL and I treasure each of you and what you have brought to my life…Thank YOU for accepting ME~~warts and all and I HOPE that you KNOW what you mean to me…

And that brings the reason I was converting pdf files into focus…to SHARE these 3 meaningful to me, Designs that I created to HONOR our Military.  

Our country is NOT perfect, our leaders are flawed, JUST LIKE each one who reads this is, BUT I APPLAUD the HONOR of living in the United States and I SUPPORT our Military and I PRAY for our leaders instead of BASHING them and spreading UNTRUTHS about them…we NEVER know what ANYONE deals with UNTIL we have walked in their shoes, SO THANK you to our MILITARY for ALLOWING us the FREEDOM to disagree, EVEN when we are WRONG and I send my heartfelt GRATITUDE to the families that support our military…Your sacrifices do NOT go unnoticed…GOD BLESS AMERICA and those countries who stand alongside us helping to protect FREEDOMS of ALL PEOPLE! 

The First Pattern is Called: I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.  It has a light behind it.

The Next Pattern is called: 'Til You Come Home...this is another light design that could be left on while a soldier is away... or to simply help brighten a dark corner in HONOR of your soldier.

The last Pattern is Called Dandy Andy...It includes the line drawings for the 4 branches of the military...

 

 All of these patterns are available as INSTANT DOWNLOADS

 in my Etsy Shop. Go Visit and see what I have been doing!

I have enjoyed sharing on my Facebook page these past 5 days and I hope others have enjoyed seeing the pictures as much as I have...I HOPE that each one who has posted has FELT THE LOVE…I APPRECIATE YOU and your gifts…♥

Never be afraid to SHARE your ART!  We have been given gifts and we need to share them...we can never underestimate the doors that might be opened or the JOY they may cause someone...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

Art Challenge Day 4, Friday, January 30, 2015

This was Day 4 of the Art Challenge.  I was NOT going to finish this challenge because of the RUDEST comment that I saw on a fellow artist’s posting by the person who “supposedly” started this challenge saying that it SURE had morphed into something else than what SHE intended it to be...

 WELL, I PERSONALLY am thankful that things MORPH and that people see a GREATER GOOD for inspirations and how simple IDEAS can become SO MUCH MORE than we originally can fathom by OURSELVES…

I am THANKFUL for ALL who have taken the time to SHARE their ART…no matter WHAT type of ART it is~~thread, oil, acrylic, designer, painter, photographer, mixed-media…For you see, the MOMENT any of us ATTEMPTS to put OURSELVES above someone else, THEN YOU WILL ALWAYS become a failure…It is ONLY through SHARING and SUPPORTING each other that we become ARTISTS…

GOD is the MASTER CREATOR. No matter how beautifully we paint, WE ALL are mere imitators of the MASTER…NONE of us can create something that is NEW because GOD has it all covered, BUT what he has done, is to give us a DESIRE to improve…to DEVELOP the skills He has planted into our lives…whether we create or admire ART, we ALL play a part in the appreciation and the furtherance of ART, so Today, I took my friends advice and decided NOT to let ONE MEAN-SPIRITED WOMAN ruin the JOY of SHARING the gifts that I have and that are DIFFERENT from any one else because we are ALL UNIQUE BUT we are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made…

I am THANKFUL for those who have inspired me to work harder, paint longer and delve deeper into my creativity in WHATEVER form it appears on a surface! 

THANK you GOD for being MY MASTER inspiration and for giving me the GIFT of ART...it is to GOD that I give ALL GLORY and HONOR for the gifts he has bestowed on me and it is my prayer that I will be SUPPORTIVE and that I will be an ENCOURAGER for those who work diligently to get their art noticed…we ALL need each other and we have NO room for pettiness or selfishness…

SO since I am on my SOAPBOX (again…sigh), I guess it is ONLY fitting that I share a pattern that I designed for painting on SOAP! LOL (yeah…I DARE anyone to come up with a BETTER transition than THAT one…BWAH…see there I go, patting myself on the back…sigh). 

Next, is a simple sign designed as a reflection of what I believe…

and the last just about sums up my faith…we are the sheep of HIS pasture and we should LOOK UP for guidance, no…we need to look in our hearts and ASK, BELIEVE and we WILL receive…

I design QUICK and EASY designs in hopes that EVERYONE who wishes to paint can see that THEY CAN...I use BRIGHT colors and HAPPY faces because life is hard enough and I WANT to be HAPPY and to spread CHEER...

Be a SUPPORTER of Art...Be an ENCOURAGER of ART...

Be the BEST YOU that YOU can BE...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

Art Challenge, Day 3, Tuesday, January 27, 2015

This is DAY 3 of the Art Challenge.

Today, I share the reason I got on Facebook…A friend told me I NEEDED to join because EVERY business in town is on and it could help me…

WELL, once again, keeping the theme of BEING LATE, I got on Facebook in 2013, but it has opened doors for me and friendships beyond belief.  My desire was to help get my pattern business going, but I have gained so much more through the friendships that I have made and the support and encouragement that I so needed after a difficult time in my life…

I am sharing 3 of my favorite patterns…ALL of these are painted with MY FAVORITE paints...DecoArt Americana. GO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE to see their wonderful products and their projects to inspire you.  You will ALSO find a list of shading/highlighting charts and other helpful files under LEARN.

The Heart is my newest pattern…The front of this pattern is what I shared on my last post...This original piece is NOW at my friend's house in New York...

the Bunny is my first Painting with Friends Pattern…

and the scarecrow and crow are doing my FAVORITE pastime~~sitting around and eating!  LOL…

All of my patterns are available as instant downloads in  MY ETSY SHOP

BE an ENCOURAGER...Leave someone a NICE note for no reason at all...LET people know that you are thinking of them...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥