Blogging Rut.....

In case you couldn't tell by my lack of blogging posts the last year I'm in a blogging rut.....
I suppose I have plenty to write about being that I have three loud and busy kids at home and myself having spreading my eggs in lots of different baskets (church, painting parties, substitute teaching, library board, etc......that's an exhausting list.) But none of the things going on lately inspire a lengthy blog post, though I feel like I have enough stuff rattling around in my to keep me up at nights. Some of which......

• We've lived in SW Kansas for 4 1/2 years now. The longest DR and I have lived in one place together our whole marriage. Honestly, I'm getting a bit antsy! We had a good wet summer this year in SW Kansas but I'm not sure if it was enough to start celebrating the end of a 5 year drought. It was odd though to drive down roads this summer and not recognize where I was because of all the green. Other than that life in SW Kansas is still pretty much the same; dry, windy and plenty of tumbleweeds.
• Yip and Yap aren't playing football this year (4th grade). They lost every game last season and were pretty bored since they played on the line and barely touched the football. I love sports but I'm totally fine that they aren't playing football; it's made for a pretty relaxing fall so far! Our Saturdays are open and I'm not rushing them to practice once a week. They are looking more forward to playing basketball...me too!!! 
• Yahoo is in Kindergarten this year and it's meant a big change for me. I'm home all by myself days I'm not working and she's suddenly has independence she didn't have before. Last week was the first time she went to the library program without me. I have to admit that it made me a bit uneasy. Not because I was worried about her but because, for the first time in ten years, I don't have the feeling that I have a child who can't be without me. It's odd. That's just something that takes a bit of time to get used to. I'm learning to like it!! 
• Speaking of Library....I'm on our public library's board. I love my librarian (she's awesome) and other board members (so supportive) but working with other government entities (that will remain nameless) is exhausting. Sometimes I just can't figure out how people in leadership positions can be so stupid and irresponsible. *heavy sigh*
• Substitute teaching is same old same old though I may be busier this year considering the new respiratory virus going around. The school sent home a note about it but really, it was hard to get too worried considering the beginning symptoms were the same as a common cold. So we stocked up on orange juice.....
• Painting parties are keeping me busy too. I'm having so much fun doing them and now that school is back in session I'm averaging about one a week. I could write about them all the time but I'm sure you all would get bored hearing about them. The best part is painting parties gives me the opportunity to teach people who really want to learn!! 
• I could say that I'm also busy cleaning my house while my kids are at school all day long but there's better things to do!!! 

Painting with The Peanut Gallery, otherwise known as "My Family"

I know, I know....it's been forever since I've posted anything. 

I'm in a blogging rut....(I'll worry about that later..) 

Though a couple of weeks ago we had a GREAT family event!! My brother got married and our whole family came from Indiana for the wedding!! All my brothers and sisters, their kids and spouses, were in one picture! That happens only every 3 years or so...

( I LOVE this photo!) 

Most of us got together the week before the wedding and camped out at Lake Scott State Park. They have some really nice cabins. Not only did we camp out and climb hills and roasted marshmallows, we also had painting parties! We split up the guys and the girls because someone had to watch the kids while we painted! 

First two of my three sisters, my two sister in laws, mom, grandma and cousin painted outside in the campground shelter. It was great, despite the 95 degree heat and breeze. 

I've never had paint dry so quickly! 

Painting with these ladies was great! It was just as I expected it would be. They painted, asked questions, and came up with some really great ideas! 

Overall it was a great painting party! Very much like all my other painting parties. 

We painted a pasture with a barn, trees, a fence row and some flowers. 

But then the next day I painted the very same picture with the guys.....

...oh boy...

You know, sometimes when I host painting parties I tell folks that having a beer or a glass of wine before helps some people relax and paint. But I think my brothers took that advice just a bit too far. They came in pretty rowdy! (I had to have two beers right off to get through the night!!) 

Our family had rented two cabins for the week and we crowded the guys into one cabin for an evening of painting. 

My dad (on the left) and my three brothers...

...my two Okie cousins who had just arrived. We didn't even let them eat! 

(Thanks for being a good sport guys!) 

..and my brother in law. Yeah, he painted a fish...I ran out of big canvases!! 

All that was left was a little fish.....whoops. 

(Yep...that's my crazy husband in the background ....I'm not sure what that face is all about!) 

I've done about 40 painting parties and they've always been pretty relaxing for me! I've always enjoyed teaching people and coming up with new ideas for paintings. I love working with people and helping them solve their painting problems. 

But painting with my brothers was not relaxing. They sure know how to rattle my cage! 

My brothers were "The Peanut Gallery"!!  I chugged two beers just to deal with all the heckling!  

Though they were loud which was a lot of fun!! Sometimes painters can be a bit too quiet. 

But not my family of guys !! 

I guess maybe I deserved it though....

I'm the oldest...and I guess maybe  I was kind of bossy growing up. Especially to my brothers. 

Heck I'm at least ten years older than all of my brothers so they probably got tired of me (a second mom) a long time ago. 

Maybe they got it all out of their system though. I sure hope so.

I'm not sure if I ever want to paint with guys again if guys in general act anything like my brothers!! 

I was proud of everyone though! For as crazy of a week that we had with all wedding stuff I thought the painting parties went really well. My whole family did a great job painting! 

Normally I take a group photo of artists and their paintings but we were pretty tired by the time we were finished and didn't get around to it. 

I'm hoping they will all send me pics of themselves holding their paintings...

...HINT, HINT!!! 

...(9/22) and my mom just sent me a couple more pics!! 

My brothers Mater, Mountain Man, John Deere and my dad. 

And my mom and two sister in laws (sorry, no cool nicknames for you two...yet!) 

I'm really not ignoring you.....

You probably wonder where I've been. The month of May was SUPER busy for Painting Parties! Yay!! Most exciting, for me, was that I was able to paint with a lot of kids this month!  So here's a not so short run down of my month of May!

 

My month started off with a Sunflower party but this group of ladies really went above and beyond with their flowers to make them so unique.

Then I led my library ladies in painting Sunset (or Moonrise) on the lake. This has become a favorite for many painters and it's especially a good one for first time painters.

My next party in May was a birthday party for a mountain loving gal! Everyone went home with a present. What a lovely group of ladies. And most of them hadn't painted before and they did just marvelous.

But my favorite party for May was painting Pigeons with Preschoolers!! They were awesome!! Really, I could paint with kids all day long. They are just the best!

 

 

Then I painted clovers with my boys 4H Club. I won't lie, it was more chaotic than I was used to and there was no way we could get a group shot, but I think they all had fun!

Whoo....are we done with the month of May yet??? Not quite...

Towards the end of the month I led my first Peacock Party..also the first time I've had to break out the flashlight on my phone to paint by!! We were painting in the hostess' photography studio which has awesome windows that allow in wonderful light. Great for photos, not so good for a late night painting party!

Then a very ambitious three hour party of an old farm truck that went extremely well! Even though we were rushing around the last 20 minutes as we were expecting a hail storm to hit...that never materialized.

The very next night we painted (and drank) wine to celebrate a friend's retirement. Congrats!! This ladies were a blast!! I could paint with them every week.

And FINALLY I ended the month painting seasonal trees with a brand new group (all newbies!) from a nearby town.

Whew!!! That's alot for one month but I loved every bit of it. Thanks to all you lovely painters!!

So I'm really not ignoring my blogging here, it's just that these painting parties have become a real hit and it's keeping me jumping. In fact I'm leaving for one more in a couple hours to round out my month of May. This is sure never something I ever expected to be doing when I became an art teacher 16 years ago but I must say that this is so much fun. I get to meet all kinds of people with all different backgrounds and these painting parties are so flexible!

 

But the greatest reward has been when one of my artists go off independently and paint without me. My greatest goal is to teach myself out of a job. If everyone I meets gains the confidence to create on their own then I've done my job!

January Painting Parties!

I just have a few minutes to write up this quick post, but I wanted to share the photos of two painting parties that I led yesterday.

 

In the morning a class of 9 did  another grain elevator...who knew they'd be so popular?

I love this painting because it's quick, normally completed in less than two hours and it is also a very low stress painting...for the most part!

 

For my friend Cass, this was her first painting party and she came away friend it saying, "It was so relaxing!!" Yay! I'm glad it's not always stressful for folks!

 

Though they loved the sunrise, a few women decided that they'd prefer something else for the silhouette. How awesome is that!! I just love that they feel free to break away from my instruction and do their own thing!

 

Sue took a photo of the barn and bins at her house and painted that with a sunrise behind it. It was voted a success by her husband!

 

In the evening I led a class of 10 ladies (with 3 newbies!!!) quite a bit more involved. Our nest took about 2 1/2 hours with more sketching time than normal to get all of the lines of our window planned before painting began.

 

Everyone did a GREAT job, like always!

Thanks ladies for a great day of creativity and companionship!

Grain Elevators and Snowmen

I've been busy, busy this week! 

Tonight I had my very first home painting party! I had so much fun. 

Miss Cassandra was a wonderful host and she picked a grain elevator to paint. I love this painting because it is much more low stress than some of the other paintings I've led. 

Another funny thing about this painting was how all the ladies were worried that their husbands/fathers would be picky about their paintings if they weren't just right since this is a painting of the elevator in our town...a site we all see everyday! 

Then Monday I also led two snowman painting parties! 

Let me tell you too, that having two sisters paint together can be just hilarious! 

These two sisters bickered and bantered and were great entertainment for me. 

These paintings have been great to do and I'm having so much fun. 

Santa Success and my first Private Party!

This past week I taught two painting classes in one day, one in the morning and one in the evening. During both sessions I led the ladies, and one very brave teenage boy, in painting a Santa Claus. 

Our painting parties have become so popular that we outgrew our library and had to move to our town's Senior Center next door. 

We had some crazy Kansas State fans that painted Santa's iconic hat purple! I thought that was great but I told them I would absolutely refuse to help them draw Willy the Wildcat. I have to uphold my allegiance to Purdue Pete you know!! 

Altogether we had 23 Santas created on Tuesday. One woman even attended both sessions and she's planning on painting a Santa for each of her daughters for Christmas. 

With this group I led my first pair of sisters in painting together, the two ladies on the right. Talk about fun! Those two were egging one another on and laughing all evening. I get to lead these two next week too as the lady in the middle is hosting my first private party! We are both really excited! 

Leading these painting parties have been so much fun. You'd think that after leading a class for two or three hours I'd be exhausted but I find myself coming home after these classes excited and energized! 

What I really enjoy is that so many different and individual paintings can come out of the very same instructions. 

I'm finding too that some of these women who are attending these classes keep coming back again and again. I even asked them why and some of their answers were surprising. Some said they do it because it helps out our town library and it's local. It's nice to have something to do in our tiny town and not having to drive an hour to do something. Some ladies enjoy it as a challenge that is forcing them out of their comfort zone. Others have realized that they can paint and it was something that they never thought they could do. I've always been convinced though that ANYONE can create art!! I've also found that it seems to be a really fun way for women to spend evenings together. Most evenings are filled with just as much relaxing and laughing as creative painting! 

My library ladies, that's what I call my core group of women who return time after time, have already told me they are expecting a painting next month. The librarian in our town has been choosing the paintings so I'm excited to see what she chooses! 

P.S. - Next Friday I'm doing my first private painting party at my friend's house and we'll be painting a Grain Elevator at Sunset! I'm am beyond excited!!!

Our Pumpkin Painting for October

The Painting Party, where we all painted a Sunflower, that I taught at my town library a couple of weeks ago was a such a success that we are doing it again in October. The ladies I first taught requested a fall theme for our next painting and requested this painting that my librarian found on Pinterest. 

I tried finding the original source of this image but didn't have any luck. 

This is my version of the chevron pumpkin. 

When I teach the class I'll probably do it a bit differently; more orange and less red. I think I'll get rid of the spirals in the background and maybe do polka dots instead. 

I'm loving these 2 hour painting classes. They are just too much fun! I've been on the Internet looking for ideas and I've found that these painting parties are quite popular, especially in the big cities. They have painting parties with thirty some students. I'm not in a big city but maybe I could make this a business! Maybe I could travel around and lead these painting parties. I could see a bunch of women wanting to do this instead of Tupperware!