Lavender posy

MINI Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting my dear friend Iris who lives in an enchanted German cottage. Everywhere you gaze, you find something of beauty: fossils and coloured stones hidden among the plants, golden paper stars, colourful stitchery, calligraphy and paintings tucked in all corners, stacks of antique books, and one of my new favourites - an antique rocker that until quite recently belonged to a ghost who used to sit on the side of the road and gently rock away the day. Okay, the ghost bit may be a bit of an embellishment, but I swear the rest is true : ) When I left she handed me a lavender posy wrapped in golden cord. 2.5" x 3" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Strawberry cheesecake

Ahhh....another stop at the deli. Today I bought this mini cheesecake. I love how they package each in their own box, a little treasure. When I lifted it out I was about to remove the paper wrapping but then thought it looked quite fanciful in its ruffles. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Grassy Path at Lennon Road

Welcome to the Sunday post. On Sundays I showcase a larger painting from my collection and today I'd like to dedicate this entry to David. It was quite a story I heard yesterday. It's always lovely to share a conversation with someone who has maintained a sense of wonder, optimism and humour despite having gone through some seriously rough days. I raise a Guinness to you : )

"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life" ~Rachel Carson

Grassy Path at Lennon Road / 24" x 30" / acrylic on canvas

Across the street

MINI A struggle today. I'm really tired and it's just not coming. Today's painting is a view across the street. The sunlight was good and strong this morning, casting nice shadows across the lawn. The tree in the foreground is a black walnut that grew from seed. 2.75" x 3.5" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / Won in draw

Watermelon rinds

The remnants of supper. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Two green apples & drunken plums

I love this jar of plums in liqueur. My parents gave them to us last year and we eat them sparingly because we really enjoy them and want them to last. The colour is so warm and rich (as is the taste!). Maybe we'll have a few tonight to celebrate Canada Day. I thought the green apples would look good beside them. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Sunset on the last day of June

MINI I was doing a lot of brushwork today - mainly repainting one of my children's bedrooms : ) When I finally got everything put away and supper cleaned up, I went outside to the porch and painted this colourful sunset. Fitting, as we usher in July. 2.5" x 3.5" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Guinness toucan

MINI I'm sure this will elicit a smile from those of you who enjoy a pint : ) My nephew was in Ireland last year and brought me home a Guinness toucan salt and pepper shaker. I believe the toucan made his advertising debut for the brewery in 1935. I love quirky things (note: see "shot glass" below : ). 2.75" x 3.5" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Seedy berry

MINI A strawberry. Red and luscious and a little bit seedy. The season has almost drawn to a close and I haven't yet had my fill. 2.5" x 3.5" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Lily

Yesterday I found these lovely orange lilies blooming in the garden. Close to the common daylily. Isn't the colour great? It's seriously making me crave a tall glass of orange juice : ) 5" x 7" / acrylic on canvas board / $45 / SOLD

Night lights

Tonight I tried something I've never done before - a night painting. Our neighbour's son was having a graduation party and had a few strings of lights in the backyard among the trees. It looked so festive, I wanted to take a stab at it. 6" x 6' / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

2 lemons and a tomato

MINI I've had these lemons and a tomato in my fruit bowl that need to get eaten. When I picked them up I loved the colour combination. Hot colours on a hot day. 2.5" x 3.5" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / SOLD

Barn at Concession 6

This evening I was painting in the country and decided to paint this beautiful barn on the hill. The sloping shadows down the hillside, and the golden sunlight hitting patches of grasses made for a beautiful contrast. 10" x 30" / acrylic on canvas / SOLD

Peony bud

Okay - I'm going to have to stop making promises regarding subject matter : ) I loved the shape of the bud and all the layers of the petals. 6" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / n/a

Blue spruce

This is the piece I finished up today. Gorgeous blue spruce! It was refreshing to be surrounded by these magnificent trees in a meadow filled with tall grasses and wildflowers. The air was so sweet. I painted this at a property in Flamborough, and as I was working away a woman on her horse galloped by on the hill behind me. No kidding. A lovely experience. 24" x 24" / acrylic on canvas / n/a

June field

I painted two pieces today but I'm not quite done the second one so I will work on it tomorrow and then post it. This one is of a field down my road. I drove all around town looking for something to paint this morning and ended up back at home for my inspiration : ) It was a beautiful morning - the colours were rich. When I got home tonight from painting, I had a lovely email from Elizabeth Fraser. She is a terrific painter, and it was coming across her blog that inspired me to become a daily painter and set up my blog. You can view her work at http://www.paintsquared.com. June field: 4" x 6" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Salt and pepper

Today's painting was challenging. An old pink depression glass salt shaker and an antique white pepper shaker. A mismatched couple but they looked nice together. I'm not happy with the result. It is fussy and over painted, and the composition is poor. I guess some days are like that. You give it a good go but it just doesn't happen. I will try them again at a later date, practicing what I now know I did wrong. Better luck tomorrow!

Shot glass

This is a Russian shot glass I got from my grandparents. When my Grandmother was downsizing, she had it in a pile to give away, and I nabbed it. It came as a set of six with a large fish decanter to boot! Who could resist? 4" x 6" / acrylic on canvas board / $45

Irises and peonies in vase

With the garden being crammed with flowers, I cut some peonies and irises and stuffed them in a glass vase. The next painting will not contain flowers! lol 5" x 7" / acrylic on canvas / $45 / SOLD

Iris

MINI "Iris" is a wee little one. It seems I can't stop painting flowers right now. I guess after a long winter and feeling starved for colour, it's understandable. And they bloom for such a short time. 2 3/8" x 3 1/8" / acrylic on canvas / $14 / Won in contest draw