How lucky can a girl get!

This package arrived yesterday. Lots of fun inside!

I won Kimberly Shaw's generous give-away! I NEVER win anything
... but not this time. I hit the gorgeous greeting card jackpot! You have to click on this picture to see these beauties enlarged.
Kim's work is so lovely & she picked out the perfect ones for me.
Did you see that bluebird one!
They were wrapped like presents in lovely blue tissue.

Look at her stickers!! They're so pretty!

I am framing my very favorite ones for my painting room.
Thank you Kim for sharing your wonderful talent!
Now go visit her blog: http://kimberlyshaw.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Birdies in the house

There are little birds nesting in our bird houses

...much to the delight of these two!

Inside, we have birds on windows

and a nest in the foyer.

A bird on the sill

and one held by an angel.

A bird on a sweet little book

and on a table top.

On a orchid pot

and a tea pot.

These beautiful birds are on my favorite set of dishes.

... and, last of all, a bird from my paint brush.

Sea Shells

There's a beach party here at Shabby Chic Cottage!

I have a passion for sea shells.

These are in my living room.


I have a large collection of Margaret Furlong shell angels.


This bowl of shells is on a desk.


These are in a curio in my dining room.


.... and in my bathroom on thrift store glass.

You have to be careful not to overdo...just a little here and there.

I painted this shell awhile ago. It was the first time that I painted on
hot press and really liked the outcome.

A peek in my room

Sometimes, my painting table looks like this...neat, organized & ready to work.


Then something like this happens! Who can work like this?

The occasional foot on the palette...the quick stealing of a brush.


I love blue & white!

Inside my wonderful closet, thanks to the help of my talented daughter!

This chair was covered in black snake-skin textured leather (?) at Home Goods. I had the legs cut down, added wheels & then I sewed the slip-cover.

My Painting Room

We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.

Author Unknown

I finally have time to play! I'm newly retired from teaching and really enjoying my new life. This painting by Jesse Wilcox-Smith hangs above my painting table. It's a reminder of why I started painting...because I really love to paint. It's also a reminder to just play and enjoy the process.