Preparing for Christmas On Etsy

Preparing for Christmas on Etsy. Trying my hand at the most popular trend right now…coloring pages for adults ( and/or children) Right now, I am getting a package together of 9 assorted designs. I am also loving creating sock snowmen…and may put a few on there as well. They are so cute! Renewing some older prints and trying to get some new Santas painted. We’ll see how much I can accomplish….

My coloring pages cover

One of my coloring pages

Love my snow couple!

An older pic slightly softened

One of my sock snowmen…this is Jack!

One of my new pictures

Dog Angels, Paintings for Pet Loss

Hello!  I just wanted to share with you a new idea I have been trying for friends that have lost their pets.  I have taken a picture of their pet as a reference and painted them with wings and paired them with angels.  I do this so that it is a reminder to the owner that their pet is in a better place.

When I lost my dog, Max, I went searching for that perfect gift out in the stores to bring back home with me something that would comfort me or know that Max was in heaven, but I never really found anything.  There were a lot of rainbow bridges plaques and doggie ornaments with wings and halo, but it wasn’t my Max. I settled for a miniature pinscher ornament and shelf sitter, but still felt untouched.  I would have loved a painting  of my own Dog with an angel in the heavens!

And so, when my friends lost their dogs, I painted their images and made it look like they were welcomed to their “new home” in heaven and they would be safe and waiting for them when it was time.  Just seeing their faces when I gave them the paintings was enough. It was the best feeling.  I hope you like these two paintings, one is in watercolors and the other in pastels.  Both are inspiring.  If you are interested in having one done for you or someone you know, please e-mail me at mcprop@cox.net, and we can discuss it further.  Thanks and have a good day!

angel with Max, a golden Lab in Pastels

angel with Lucky, a springer spaniel in watercolors

Portrait of my daughter, Kelsey

I have been wanting to try my hand at portraits of my own kids, since I have so many pictures of them I can choose from.  I figured this would be great practice while I come up with more picture of angels, amish children or other paintings for my portfolio.  So here is Kelsey.  I just love her profile….she looks like she belongs in the victorian era.  I would love to try her in a large victorian hat!  My other daughter Caitlin, looks like she could have been from the 1940’s.  I am going to do her next and you will see what I mean.  But for now, here is Kelsey.  Hope you like it. 

A New Pastel Drawing – “Angel In The Garden”

I finally finished my latest drawing.  I wanted to do more angels and to do this one in pastel was a treat.  I really enjoyed creating this piece.  The blending of colors is just amazing, and I love the  soft, finished look.

I hope you like this one.  There will be more coming. Enjoy.

Angel In The Garden

Keeping Watch

There is a cemetery down the road from my house.  It’s not like the one that sits across the railroad tracks behind my house that I can see.  This one has more statues of angels that you can see from the road as you pass by.  It  always bothered me that I could never really stop long enough to study the faces or the poses of the stone angels keeping watch.  I kept telling myself I was going to go there one day and just take pictures of the solemn statues, that even though are haunting, look somewhat beautiful and even peaceful.  And so one cloudy day, I did just that.  My daughter came with me and drove me around that cemetery and stopped when I needed her to, to take just the right photo.  Here are those photos. See if you don’t get the same feeling, that they are beautiful, but haunting as well.

In Deep Thought

 

I'll Watch Over You

For The Babies

 

Grieving

 

Mother and Child

 

Beautiful Angel 1

 

Beautiful Angel 2

 

I am so glad I decided to finally take these photos.  Just beautiful.

 

 

 

Angels Unawares

Here is  an illustration that is still in sketch form at the moment.  I have been holding on to this for awhile because I am not sure if this is how I want to illustrate this quote from the bible.  This is how I picture it in my mind.  I figured it would just be kind of neat to show you how a picture starts out in sketch form, and then maybe you can compare it with the finished piece when I am done.

This is from the bible  Hebrews 13:2

“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: For thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Picture sketch for "Angels Unawares"

Here Is Another Angel

Here is another angel to guide you.  I did this picture a few years back.  It is rendered in black ink and a grey, watercolor wash.

I like the very peaceful look to her face.  Enjoy!  🙂 Cheryl

Peace Angel

Angels

I love angels.  I like to believe that angels are around us and guiding us everyday.  I like hearing the strange events that have happened to certain people, and then hear those same people explain that what happened to them could only be explained as “heavenly”.  I’ve even experienced that.  

There’s something about angels that make me feel more at peace, even safe.  When I draw them,  I am lost in the moment.  I forget everything that is bothering me and am just so intent on getting the right look…the right feeling out on paper.

Here is another angel picture I completed not long after the one that is on my header and avatar.  I will definitely try to do more of these because it is so therapeutic to my soul.  Enjoy. 🙂  Cheryl

Angel

The number 111-This Is Getting A Little Scary

Okay, now this is getting a little scary.  For almost 5-6 months now I have been seeing the number 111 show up on everything.  I first realized this when I was out in my car.  I would glance down at my digital clock, and suddenly, it always seemed to read 1:11.  Another time, I was so happy that this didn’t happen, when I noticed the license plate of the car in front of me had the number 111 on part of the plate!  Another day, I went to pick up  the kids at school like I always do,  and I’m driving through the back streets to the school.  I look to my left at a random house ,and  there right on the overhang of the front door-111!!!  Okay, now this was getting too creepy.

Then there as the time the powerball jackpot was 111 million.  I just had to play-but nothing!   Unfortunately,  I guess 111 doesn’t mean I’ll win powerball.   Again, I played the Wii with my sister -in- law the other night and we were bowling.  My score board read 111-I freaked!  About a couple of weeks ago,I went looking through my pictures of long ago trips to Lancaster County, PA.  Ahhh, I was just enjoying the beauty and reminiscing, when I came to an old picture of my husband  coming out of a gas station.  The gas price behind his head read $1.11. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Now I’m seeing the number when I’m just relaxing in my living room.  I’ll just happen to look up at the tv screen when the digital clock changes instantly from 1:10 to 1:11, as I’m staring at it!  It’s even freakier when I see 11:11!!  One time, I was driving down the road toward home and looked at the clock in my van and saw 1:14 and after I let out a sigh of relief, I look up and there on the digital clock on the liquor store, in bright red numbers-1:11!  My clock was off!!!

What does this mean for me?  Of course I had to look this up, hoping it was “good” news. I guess other people have had this happen to them, too.  They say it has to do with a “higher purpose”, angels and the like.  Actually, I just realized there are more articles out there I didn’t see before, so I’m going to have to read these.  Let me know if any of you reading this has had a similar experience.  I am just hoping it doesn’t mean something bad is going to happen to me on January 11th, or November 1st.

 I’ll let you know if I see this number in the future.  Very interesting!  Good…I just looked at my word count and it’s 415…and the time…2:02.  Whew!!! So far I’m safe. Take care.  Cheryl