Merry Christmas....It's Friday Freebies

Merry Christmas Eve everyone....what a busy week it's been. I totally dropped the ball when it came to blogging this week. That was not my intention but real life just happens, I'm sure you all understand.

I do, however,  have a freebie for you today that you might use if you have small children of your own or will have them in your home for the holidays. One of my favorite websites is the Trail of Painted Ponies. Probably, you know about the pony figurines that are artist designed and collected all over the world. You see their images too on other products such as calendars and ornaments this time of year.

This holiday season they have a cute coloring page for you to download and print. I'm thinking a fun idea would be to print enough of these to have for your children, grandchildren or others that you will have in your home and let them color their own place mats for the kid's table. The photo is only a portion of the whole thing...here is the link to the page....http://www.trailofpaintedponies.com/pdf/holiday_coloring.pdf

My fellow WHOA Team member from etsy, Jennifer MacNeill Traylor, has 2 new Christmas ponies you will want to check out too...http://jensponies.blogspot.com/

Painted Ponies by Jennifer MacNeill Traylor

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a blessed Holiday Season!

Friday Freebies

Do you love to draw? ...or would you love to learn to draw?

Years ago when I taught drawing to children, the little ones five to about 7, were my best students ever. They never questioned me when I asked them to try something and they were always successful. By about third grade they were already buying into the idea that they couldn't do it.

When I tell people that anyone can learn to draw I'm serious. It doesn't mean that you will love it, just that it is a learned skill. If you have raw talent it will then blossom and be enjoyable. If not, then you still know that if needed, you have the ability. Sometimes, it's necessary when trying to explain to a builder, landscaper or even a custom furniture maker what you are thinking.

Today I have a freebie for you with 26 beginner drawing lessons. How great is that? They come in E-book form and you can do them at you leisure. This offering is from Artist Daily. I hope you will check them out and enjoy some nice winter evenings honing you new talent.

Click here for your free art lessons.

For you locals, please stay tuned for art and craft workshops coming up in January here at my studio.

Vintage Trailer Art

How cool is this? I know!

Months ago, before the shop was even near finished, I began planning "our" next project. Hubs had a look of actual fear in his eyes when I began talking about finding a vintage trailer, a Sisters on the Fly kind of trailer. I want one to use as a guest house and for taking on short trips to the mountains and when I get to a point in my life when I have some free time...hahahaha....I may even join the Cowgirl Caravan myself.

So, I of course had to show Rick the Sister's website and one thing led to another until I had discovered a wonderful Texas artist, Paige Bridges. I immediately contacted her for permission to show her art on the blog. I'm sure she must think I have forgotten, but I could never!

These are only some of her Christmas prints, also available in cards.(I'm too late for this year, but now is the perfect time to get them for next! You'll be so glad you have them when you find them in your stash next December.)

And here are a couple more of my favorites...

How will I ever stop choosing favorites? They are all my favorites...and guess what? In January I'm placing an order for the shop so that I can carry her work here. They are perfect for Ranch Dressing don't you think?

In the meantime, I hope you will read all about her and order something for yourself from her website. She has all kinds of things from calendars to checkbook covers.

Oh, and I will let you know when "we" find our trailer and when "we" start our next project. It doesn't look like it's going to be anytime soon, but I'm working on it.

What is Your Favorite Art Magazine or Blog?

I love art related books and magazines. I used to have the time to pour over them and really read them from cover to cover. Now, I still get them and will always look through them cover to cover only to pick them back up from under a stack of more and say to myself, "When did I get this?". Honestly, it's that bad and has been since I started planning and working on Ranch Dressing Handmade and Vintage.

Studios Magazine

In my inbox today I received some pretty nice promotions from INTERWEAVE that they asked that I share with friends. I really love this company and if you aren't familiar with them I hope you will check out their website. They offer books and magazines with all kinds of information on crafts and fine art. My favorites are Studios Magazine and Cloth Paper Scissors. They are offering a 20% discount with the coupon code: JOLLY. 

Thankfully, we are approaching a new year, the store is open and I am feeling a little less pushed. With the new year will come a new focus...my art...for the first time in a couple of years and more time to look at other's art and to try new things. There's nothing I love more than designing and painting floorcloths, but I am really intrigued by all the things artists are doing with "junk".  My 8' x 8' worktable  now has 64 square feet of  "potential art" stored beneath it. Anything I find that has an interesting shape, texture, or color has been saved for future use. I am now officially a hoarder.

I want to share this cool little Christmas tree made from a bedspring as an example of what I'm talking about. I found this on Daffadowndilly's blog...and she has instructions if you want to make one yourself. I think it's really clever and if I had one I'd put it in my wintering herb garden.

Do you have a favorite art or craft magazine or junking blog? Leave me a comment. I'm all ears!

Party Season is in Full Swing...Got Jewelry?

Last Friday, I pulled out my egg cartons (jewelry storage boxes) and stocked the shop with a  fresh selection of costume jewelry and purses. I'm loving having loads of jewelry to choose from for my own holiday parties, but, I realize the idea is to actually sell it.

Cute little cigar box purse

Inside of cigar box purse

Colored bead necklaces and evening purses

Assortment of party necklaces and bracelets

Beaded purses and trinket boxes

Clip on earrings

Brooches and pins

Come by and see what we have. I promise you won't have to pry it out of my hands when you make your decision.  I will let it go peacefully and wish you well wearing it! 

It's Crunch Time Again

Chico was the first to investigate the pumpkin

We got our first snow this past weekend and while I was decorating the fence with garland and lights I threw the old pumpkins over the fence for the horses. I loved the contrast of the orange against the new white snow.

Who knew a pumpkin would cause such a ruckus?

The horses weren't playing very nice, and this photo doesn't do justice to their noble breed the American Quarter Horse,  but again, I liked the backdrop the snow presented. I love vivid color as you may have noticed already in most of my floorcloths.

Cheyenne with her stolen pumpkin

And lastly, I just loved this photo because it's typical Cheyenne! She only liked the pumpkin because I gave it to the horses. When they got tired of it she left and found someone else to annoy. 

It's crunch time again for me this week. I had a week to re-coup from the Grande Opening and catch up on some of what I had neglected for the last month. Now it's Christmas decorating and shopping time. Our daughter comes in on Saturday night and we will be celebrating a little early before she leaves to go back to Oklahoma for Christmas there. It's been a crazy year. I don't remember much of it actually...glad I have the blog!

Vintage Costume Jewelry 

I'll be in or around the studio during work hours most days this week and Ranch Dressing will be open for your shopping pleasure. You will want to call or email first to make sure I don't miss you. I really want to encourage you to take me up on the private shopping appointments. This allows you to have my full attention...if you need me...and if not, I will continue to paint or whatever I was doing before you arrived and you can shop at your leisure. 

What are you doing this week?