Announcing the Winners of my Giveaway!!!!

Yes, it is a bit late, but we are dancing as fast as we can over here!!

Drumroll please.......................

(Yes, we went to a rock star birthday party last night. My little ones aren't usually sporting skull fingernail polish! But man, did we have fun! )

With assistance from my three little helpers, we have selected the winners (yes, we decided to draw a second and third prize too, because I have three little helpers), and here they are:

Third prize winner of a matted 4x6 print, "Finny," is Taylor of CurlyfrySC's Collage! (Her awesome etsy shop is here.)

Second prize, one of my "little red shoes" magnets, is Susan of The Redhead's Homestead! (Take a look at her wonderful etsy shop, Yaffa Dreams.)

and the grand prize winner of the Happy Holiday Pepper card set is Melanie of Whimsical Creations! (Be sure to visit her etsy shop, MelaniesCrafts . You will be glad you did!)

Thank you so much to all who participated! Tune in again soon for my next giveaway.........

BOGO Sale - Black Friday through Cyber Monday!!!

As usual, I have learned something new today....I have learned about Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, traditionally a very busy shopping day in brick and mortar shops. And Cyber Monday is basically the same thing for on-line shops and markets. The thought is that people return to work on Monday, but continue their shopping on-line. So.....in celebration of my new-found knowledge, I am having a BOGO free sale on all the prints in my shop, allieart4children. Buy one print and receive a second print (of equal or lesser value) absolutely free! Just leave your choice of a second print in the "notes to seller" section when you check out!


For other etsy sellers: leave a comment under this post with a link to your own Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales! I will post a link to this announcement on Etsy, Twitter, etc. during the weekend. Hoping for many sales for all of us!


Some of my newest listings for you to enjoy.....

Little Bird No. 1



Reflections
Carmel Mission No. 1


Market Pinks

Meeting Place

New in my Etsy Shop! Tufted Titmouse Trio

As most of you know, birds and birdwatching are some of my very favorite things. All my life, birds have been a sort of companion to me, always nearby, making me feel less alone and hopeful in the tough times, and lifting my spirits even more when I am happy. To me, there is something almost unearthly about their gentleness, one of God's greatest gifts. They amaze me with their beauty, agility and tenacity. They are incredibly strong and amazingly fragile at the same time. As someone who is naturally drawn to the tiny details, birdwatching is perfect for me. And photographing birds was just the next step in appreciating and trying to capture a little of that ethereal beauty to keep.


I have had these photographs for quite a few years, and have been tossing ideas around lately about how to group them together. I love this set, because it displays the feeding behavior so well (see that little seed he's holding between his tiny feet?), and also because the photos really show off this little guy's details, from his crest to the beautiful rosy color of his feathers under his wings. So, here it is, my Tufted Timouse Trio.....

Unanswered Questions

There is so much I still want to ask you, but I can't. Actually, I guess I can, and I do, but I just can't hear you answer me, at least not with my ears. In my heart, I think I hear you sometimes.

The hardest is when my children ask me things about me that I don't remember, but that you would never forget...

What kind of birthday cakes did I like to have?

What was my favorite thing about first grade?

And in moments when I find myself wanting to pick up the phone and call to ask you~

Can you go over with me again how to make your shepherd's pie that he loves so much?
Did I handle argument # 1003 between the older two as I should have?
How do I talk to her about not letting other people define her?
How do I let them know how much I love them?

I know that you are fine now, and that is what I prayed for - mercy for you - it's just tough for me.

I can keep trying to hear you. I can eat my soup from your bowl, sleep under your quilt, try to catch the scent of your favorite pot pourrie. I can keep trying to remember how it felt when you touched my face. I can keep picturing you laughing and happy and safe, because that is where you are. I love and miss you so much.

Featured on Felted Treasures!

Yesterday, one of my etsy friends, Valerie of ValeriesGallery, was kind enough to feature my etsy shop on her blog, Felted Treasures, as her weekly Etsy for Charity artist. Etsy for Charity is composed of etsy artists who donate a portion of their proceeds to various charitable organizations. In addition, each month, members of Etsy for Charity select a charity of the month. The proceeds from the EtsyforCharity shop are all donated to the charity of the month. November's charities are Feed the Children and National Alzheimer's Association. Check out the EtsyforCharity shop. Find something wonderful for someone you love, and help someone else at the same time.

Valerie and I are also both members of FabulousArtisticMoms, another incredibly supportive Etsy team. Definitely visit Valerie's etsy shop for amazingly beautiful felted treasures. Valerie's attention to detail, and the incredible workmanship seen in her creations makes each of her pieces truly unique. Here are a few of my favorites that Valerie has created...

Old and New in my Esty Shop

As I mentioned before, I have been looking through some of my older photographs. It has been so much fun, and I have found a few to list in my Etsy shop. Please stop by and check them out! Here's a sneak peek..........

Olema Farmhouse Cat

Garden Mary

Stepping out

Lovely

Blessings

I had a wonderful time last night looking through some older photographs. Wow! How time flies....In celebration of the Thanksgiving season and in preparation for advent, I am focusing on blessings, and on ways I can serve my family.

To start, I want to say a very special thank you to my amazing husband. He is truly my best friend, my partner in crime, my biggest supporter, and the person who understands me better than anyone. I am so grateful to have been blessed with someone who understands me so well, and loves me anyway. We have weathered alot together, and he has been my joy and strength. It has been an amazing 16 years, and I look forward to many, many more adventures together. Looking through those old photos last night took me right back to our early days. What fun we have had!

My First Blog Giveaway!

As a kickoff for the holiday season and as a celebration of how incredibly thankful and proud I am to be living in this country today, I am having a giveaway! The winner will receive a set of my Happy Holiday Pepper blank greeting cards. To enter, simply visit my etsy shop and post a comment here letting me know what you like best from my shop. I will place the names of all who post into a basket and draw a winner on November 27th, Thanksgiving day! Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you in case you are the lucky duck!

Family Fun on Election Night

Our children, well, three out of four of them anyway, have been very interested in and excited about this presidential election. They have enjoyed learning about how we vote, and why we choose a certain candidate. It has been great to be able to talk to them about making their own choice, and how fortunate we are in this country to be able to make that choice, and to be able to express our opinions and beliefs. Here they are, enjoying some outside time this evening:

Treasure - A Very Unusual Mockingbird

On Sunday, I heard a mockingbird singing. I was amazed when I finally spotted him (or her). He was unusually white. His face and breast were completely white, instead of the usual grey. His back looked a bit like a pied cockatiel He was definitely a mocker - you can tell by his wing bars and song. He sat still enough for me to take quite a few photos - several of which I have posted below. He doesn't look like an immature to me either. My thought was a variation of the normal color, or a partial albino. His eyes look a bit orange. I have also posted a short video. I apologize for the bumpiness - no time for a tripod! Any birders out there have any ideas?

And the video (please turn off my playlist to hear his beautiful song):

A New Permanent Section in my Etsy Shop - Breast Cancer Awareness Section

I have decided to make the Breast Cancer Awareness section in my Etsy shop permanent. It is a cause dear to my heart, as two of my aunts and one grandmother have been affected by breast cancer. 50% of each purchase from this section goes to the Susan G. Koman Foundation. Thank you for checking it out!



I love you, Mom.

Blush

Closer

Wrap you up

All of the above prints are available here.