Time For An Art Giveaway!

January is a great time to host an art giveaway.

Don't you think so?

I cleaned my studio and have put aside 3 art prints to offer for the giveaway.

It's super duper easy....

All you need to do is visit my  ~ Facebook Art Page

and leave a brief comment on the pinned post at the top.

You don't have to do anything else, just leave a little comment.

Here are the 3 prints included in the giveaway ~ 

"The Keeper of Odessa's Hymn"

"Rabbit's Curious Day"

and....

"Portrait of Mayor Ricarda"

I would love for you to stop by my Facebook Art Page and enter to win.

A winner will be picked at random on Tuesday, January 13 at 10:00 pm Pacific time.

Hope to see you there!

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

A Late Halloween And a Facebook Give-Away ~

Well, I can't believe it....

It's October 10th and our Halloween decorations are all still safely tucked away in the garage.

This is the latest we've ever decorated for Halloween.

It's just been too hot and not at all autumn-like.

But, they are going up this weekend, hot weather or not.

I am craving the glow of Halloween ~ 

Spooky foggy nights ~ 

and ghoulish visitors ~ 

Last year, I was so lucky to find a conjoined pumpkin at my local grocery ~ 

Wonder if there's any chance I'll ever find another one.

Probably not.

Gathering the Halloween decorations ~ 

Adorning both inside ~ 

...and outside ~ 

We will make the best of the warm weather and dream of the cool and orange flavored days ahead.

Also, during this decorating weekend, I am having a give-away on my Facebook Art Page.

If you'd like to participate, all you have to do is stop by my Art Page and leave a short comment.

No need to share it on your page or do any such thing.

Simply leave a comment.

I am giving away a tiny tale print version of "Let's Gather the Stars."

Along with the art print, I am including the short story that goes along with it.  These two lovely ladies, Alice and Junie, are characters from the middle grade fairy tale I am writing, so I am including a short excerpt from the book, nicely printed on high quality calligraphy paper.

Here's the little story:

"Alice and Junie are gathering stars on this clear and warm April night. Junie is curious and ready to collect so many stars in her wooden bucket. She hesitates, but Alice assures her that all is well and the collecting night is upon them. Junie knows that tomorrow morning when she wakes, she will have a bucket full of wishes. What will she wish for?"

Stop by my Facebook page and say hi and enter the contest!

I will be choosing a random winner Sunday evening, October 12th.

I'd love to see you there.

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

An Unexpected Visitor...

Have you ever had so much to do that you end up by doing nothing?  That's what I've been doing....nothing.  Mainly because I don't know where to start.  Isn't that a funny and curious thing?  I have an art piece due on July 1st....haven't even started it.  I have huge areas of bareness in my garden.  They need to be filled with color and life...haven't planted a thing.  Well, the list goes on and on.

Poor Juniorbug needs to go to the groomer...he's a silly mess... 

Although my garden is still suffering and in need of more nurturing, I am seeing little signs of life. Plants are blooming this year that haven't bloomed since "My Great Depression of 2008"....

Vibrant pink Four O' Clocks ~

Soft and velvety Lamb's Ear ~

Roses, Salvia and Toadflax ~

Secret prettiness that stayed hidden in the soil until now ~

My little plum tree has managed to offer a few plums this year...

Even though my white picket fence needs re-painting...

it is always a welcome sight to see my purple Sweet Peas winding themselves around the picket fence...chipping paint and all...

My front path is coming along nicely.  With the cooler than usual weather we've been having in Southern California, my Impatiens are happily blooming...

Over the last couple of months, there have been some sad times.  In April, we finally had to say our last good-byes to our sweet, 15 year old Labrador Retriever, Homer...

She was a strong and loyal part of our family with an amazing spirit and a giving heart.  We miss her terribly...

On the lighter side....just a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet with a childhood friend...

We met when we were 3 or 4 years old.  We lived next door to each other all of our growing up years.  Like so many people, we lost touch and hadn't seen each other in over 20 years.  Thanks to facebook, we re-connected and met for a 5 hour lunch!  Can you believe that?  I don't recall ever sitting in a restaurant for 5 hours just talking.  We still have a lot to catch up on!  And we will.

During all my "doing nothingness",  I have managed to get a few art pieces done.  This piece in particular is by far my favorite...maybe my favorite ever!

"An Unexpected Visitor"

As you can see, it is based on "Little Red Riding Hood".  My intention was to hold this piece back for my "Connecting Spaces" show at The Riverside Arts Project in September.  But....I have listed the original in my art shop for a few days.  If you have any questions regarding this piece, feel free to email me.  If you like the piece, but don't want to invest in the original, I am offering a print version as well.  

Ohhh....I almost forgot.  Look what I found in my garden!  It's the teeniest, tiniest snail I've ever seen...

Can you believe that?  Nature is truly breathtaking!

Until Next Time:

Kim

Gerushia's New World

Detours and Good Intentions.

Well Hello There:

Try as I may, I haven't been able to keep Gerushia's blog updated on a daily basis (yet). I want to, I try to, I have intentions of doing so ~ but life's little hitches sometimes cause me to take a detour.

This weekend, I had heartfully wanted to visit here...but one thing led to another, and I ended up creating a "Fan Page" on Facebook just for Gerushia's New World. Have a look over to the right...in the sidebar. Do you see the Facebook Badge? Click on it and it will take you right over to Gerushia's new Fan Page. You're welcome to become her friend, if you like. There will be lots of shop updates and fun stuff going on there.

For example...in celebration of Gerushia's new Fan Page, every print bigger than ACEO size in her Etsy Shop is now $10.00. (Only for a limited time).

All the old stand-by prints are there...

Dog Girl on a Journey


and we'll be listing a few "retro" prints throughout the week as well...

Rabbit's Recital


Fashionable Fiona


Rabbit's Stormy Day


Airmail for Emmy


Stop by and have a look, if you like!

Oh, and....can I share something wonderful with you? When I saw them, I became so giddy and inspired...



I happened by these Tulips yesterday while at the grocery. The colors are Heavenly! Can you imagine these colors in a Gerushia Sky?...



I'm working on two custom pieces right now, and really, I should be working this very moment...



but I accidentally found my way to the "cutting garden"...



I have vases that are crying to be filled...



Oh but it is lovely outside today. My faithful companion, Homer, kept me company while I picked bouquets...



My baby is getting so very old. She's just turned 14 and she's weak, but eating and happy. We are watching her closely.

So, as you can see, I've been very, very busy with my simple Everydays.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World

Special Days and Everydays....

Oh, I've had so many fabulous happenings over the last few weeks. Some happenings were unique and some were simple.

Where to start? Well, I think I'll start in chronological order, how's that?

I had a re-connection with a neighbor from my childhood...



Thanks to Facebook, I was able to "find" Betty. Betty was one of the neighborhood moms on the little street where I grew up. Much like a second mom to me. She and my mom were good friends as well. Oh how I've searched for Betty through the years. Three days before my mom passed away last summer, she said to me ~ "I sure wish you could find Betty. She needs to know about me." I promised my mom I would find her. Unfortunately, I didn't find Betty in time. I didn't find her before my mom passed away. But...I DID find her. Oh what fun we had together...



Betty is a fabulous woman, filled with spirit and life. We will meet again, very soon.

Another Facebook reunion...I am working on a very special watercolor/collage right now. The vintage photo that the piece is based around came from an old friend from High School. (We reconnected on Facebook). He's Indian...from the Karuk Tribe in Northern California (along the Klamath River). This beautiful old photo depicts his Grandmother and Great Grandmother and was taken sometime between 1918 and 1922...



He has graciously granted me permission to use this piece in my work. Such a beautiful photo.

(PLEASE forgive the over the top watermarkings, but I've had a terrible run of image theft on my blog lately).

I adore my simple Everydays. The bits and pieces that hold memories and smells and beauty. My Plum tree is in full bloom and smells Heavenly...



Gary and I planted this tree before my "Great Depression of 2008." The Plums have a deep, dark purple flesh and they taste like pure magic.

Last week, we put up our Spring decorations. (I like to use the term Spring decorations, because I keep the Spring celebration separate from Easter). I adore the freshness and new hope of Spring...





Just about now...I am looking forward to decorating our Spring eggs. Each year we try something new. Last year, we used Bubble Wrap to create some unusual designs...



Oh...and last week, I actually took a fairly good picture of myself à la "Myspace"...



Gary and I always giggle when we try to take our own photos like the "teenagers" do. The young folks on Myspace have this way with taking photos of themselves. I always feel like the biggest goof when I smile into a camera and no one else is in the room with me!

And...yet another Facebook meeting. Oh, and I'll just give you a little peek into this special day, as I will do a post all about it very soon, but...

Severals years ago, I was selling art on eBay and I participated in many art groups through eBay. One of my eBay artist friends (Shell) became my Facebook friend...



We realized that, not only did we have many things in common, we even shared a friend outside of our art world. We discovered that we live close together AND that we grew up close together. Back in my doll making days, she even bought a Humpty Dumpty Santa from me as a gift for her mom...



Well, last week, Shell and I met for lunch and hit a few museums. We had so much fun. But...I'll tell you all about that in a few days.

One of my simple pleasures is a freshly groomed dog. My Miniature Schnauzer, Junior, was ever so shaggy (but cute)...



He needed grooming, and how! But...when he's freshly groomed he looks ~ well ~ like a sausage on toothpicks! He's stocky and odd and alien-like. But, we love him!



Yet another simple pleasure is working in my garden. Unfortunately, during my "Great Depression of 2008", I let my garden die. There is nothing left of the beautiful color splashes and tangled greens of my previous desert cottage garden...



Only bare dirt and dried, fallen leaves from the neighbors trees...



This weekend, Gary and I officially started cleaning the garden with plans to bring it back to the beauty of "Before".

Also...just a little blurb here ~ I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on every item in My Etsy Shop through Friday, April 2nd.

So, as you can see, I've had Special Days and Everydays over the last few weeks. I appreciate each day and look forward (finally) to many more.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Gerushia's New World