Paris and Postcards

Charles Perrault Monument, Paris, originally uploaded by christydekoning.

I realized this weekend that it has been almost a year since I strolled through the beautiful gardens of Paris, or meandered the winding streets of Montmartre.

A year is too long!

On a day like today, my heart longs for Paris. To sit across from Puss in Boots, immortalized forever in a tribute to Charles Perrault, while children bounce on trampolines behind me.

Or perhaps I would set up my easel on the Pont des Arts to absorb the atmosphere and paint en plein air?

My day might end atop the butte Montmartre, peering over the shoulders of portrait artists and savouring ice cream from Tutti Sensi.

Where would you be?

If you happen to be the winning commenters, High on Craft, Glenda, or Alcatmom - you'll even have a pack of postcards ready to record your adventures!

Congratulations and thank you for commenting last post!

No News is Good News (for you)

No news is good news (for you, anyway!)


I'm busy playing catchup with some portraits that I should have finished by now, so here's the good news for you:


I will send a pack of Cat Postcards to a random commenter on THIS POST ONLY!!!!

For every 5 unique comments, I'll add another pack of postcards. So if there are 10 unique commenters, I'll pick 2 winners, and so forth.


As usual, I'll use random.org for picking the lucky winners. And I'll see you with more news next time I come up for air.

Stormy Skies and Distant Trees

A "pleine air" offering today.

I went to the park, 

watched sparrows build nests,

laughed at the two ducks enjoying the water on top of the liner in the public pool,

soaked up the sun,

(relishing each ray)

and painted a little 5x7 landscape:

"Stormy Skies, Distant Trees"

5x7 inches

watercolour on 140lb cold press paper

I hope it draws you in, making you want to stay a while 

(despite the threat of rain)

Love, Bunnies, Quilts and Sushi

Love, originally uploaded by jnmerrit.

How could I not share this?

These beautiful animals live with my good friend, Jen Merritt.

I was browsing her Flickr stream today, wondering if she'd like to collaborate with me for a community arts initiative project coming up with the theme:

"Small Animals, Big Spaces" (or something like that)

... and of course her bunny came to mind. I just love Bernie and Bunny. 

You can also check out Jen's fabulous new quilted pillow in her Etsy shop, PersephonesPlunders

I'll leave you today with my favourite item from Jen's shop. "For the Birds" mini sushi set.

So sweet, tiny and full of spring!

I'm off to work on some portraits so I can make time for this project.

I feel like Cinderella,

hurrying off to do her chores

so she can go to the ball!

Trouble downsizing my display.

Aaaargh!!
I don't know how to downsize.

I have an event to attend tomorrow night and I need to downsize my display to only FOUR FEET.

Yup, half a table.
I'm able to bring an easel but it's just not enough.
The event is the first of its kind in Chatham-Kent, and the purpose is to introduce/connect the business side of our community to the arts & culture side. In other words, it's a "Business - meets - Arts" networking event.

I am including the large work-in-progress of Anna Pavlova so that I can paint while I'm there (when I'm not talking too much lol)

So yeah, this is my day today. I feel like I haven't accomplished anything other than fighting with my field easel for an hour or two. But it will all work out. Breathe in.... Breathe out....

So in other news, please tell me what you think of my mixed media here. It was one of those days for experimenting with different types of paint in an attempt to express the emotion of the hour.

(and remember - your comments get entered into the April draw for a custom mini portrait!)

"Blue Vase Virtuoso"

original mixed media

Watercolour, fluid acrylic and gouache

2.5 x 3.5 inches

$15 at Etsy

March Portrait Giveaway Winner

At 11:31am today, I tweeted that I was about to draw a winner for March.

41 names were entered, the list was randomized, and Rebecca of SMELLY RHINO STUDIO won herself a sweet little mini portrait.

Congratulations Becca!

Here is a screen shot from today's draw. The names are entered in the order they appear on my blog, plus at the end of the list I add on the extra entries for tweeting, blogging, or otherwise social-media-hyping my blog contest! Remember if you promote my blog contest elsewhere on the web, to come back and leave a post letting me know.