Summer Brain.....

Is any one else suffering from "SUMMER BRAIN"?

Changes in routine throw me off big time.

So far we have missed piano lessons, been too early or too late to different events,

Have to be in two or more places at once, lack of communication with the car pool to Scout camp.

And the list goes on and I think you all get the picture!

This is what I call Summer Brain.

To many things to do with no routine to any of it so it seems to confusing to me.

But by far the most stressful thing to me is to have to feed and water our neighbor's chickens while they are away.

Last year on the second day of watching the critters one of the chickens up and dies.

Needless to say this devastated my son.

This year when they asked him to feed and water the chickens I suggested we sign a 'Hold Harmless" agreement....we all laughed.....

Then they added while you are there could you feed and water our turtle.

How hard could a turtle be to watch?

We let the critter out of his box to stretch his legs.

I left my son to watch him while I double checked the chickens.

I walk back and my son is standing in front of this dead tangled bush that is HUGE!

Then he says "The turtle escaped!"

I look at him blankly thinking and asking "HOW?"

 This lead to a 40 minute search, were we found him under all these dead tangled branches digging for his life to hide.  He is camouflaged so well the military would be jealous!

 I have the branches all pulled back, straining my back.  We finally see the turtle and my son refuses to "PICK UP OR DISTURB NATURES CRITTERS", as I am yelling it is a freaking PET!!! 

 Hurting my back in the bedlam.  It has been difficult to find a comfortable position. 

 *^%&* KIDS and TURTLE!

 (I must admit I was amazed to see how fast that turtle could move once he smelled freedom!)

I am hoping to survive summer--this is only the first full week into it.  

I am already wishing school would start soon, nothing like wishing your life away.

Please everyone have a nap for me!

Enjoy your day,

Barb

Chickens Ahead...

 I am not sure why I have a fascination with chickens.

My grandparents had them when I was growing up. 

I remember gathering eggs occasionally but was scarred for life when my grandpa had to cut off the head of the chicken we had for dinner.  

Grandma kept telling me it was not the one that was beheaded....it was the one from the grocery. 

My son was asked to take care of our neighbor's chickens while they were on vacation.  The second day in he and his dad came home with a dead chicken.

We were not sure if it was the heat or being pecked to death....now he, the animal lover has been scarred for life.  But the asking for chickens has some to a complete stop! 

I had a friend in Vegas who loved chickens and her kitchen was decorated so nicely with all manner of chickens. 

I think this is where I notice how colorful they could be and started looking at chickens in a new light. 

Now all these chickens are 15% off at my Etsy shop for Christmas in July. 

I will be having 15% off on everything in my shop.   So if Chickens are not your thing there is plenty of other things to choose from.

This is for everything in the shop but excludes shipping. 

Type in CIJ2013 to redeem your coupon at check out. 

I had no idea I had this many chickens---does this count for owning them but not having to feed or maintain them?  This works for me!!

Now GEESE they are a complete different critter and a story for another time....

Enjoy your day!

Barb

Beware of Chickens!!!

My brother has chickens and has been giving us some of the eggs.

I wonder if this is causing me to have a chicken painting run.

So beware this is a chicken photo heavy post!

They have been fun to paint! 

 

 

At least these don't cluck and leave a mess you have to clean up!!

Some are listed on Etsy and some are going to my next show. 

 I am not even sure how you could mail the tall stacked chickens...and with the postal rates it would probably cost a mint (not the candy kind)!

Today might be a good day to paint butterflies and watermelon in hopes of Spring and Summer!

Temp at 35 degrees!!

Enjoy your day!

Barb

What I have been working on!

I thought I would share what I have been working on.  It is amazing when you have a deadline how fast time flies and how much you can get done when forced too.

These next few photos are large piece that I have painted for a local spring show.

I do not put them on Etsy due to the fact that they are large and I am not sure how to do the shipping.

I will take any advise you have on shipping if you ship large things!

This is a 27 x 5 inch piece inch of barn wood.  Love these stacked chickens!  The original design is by Rebecca Carter then I altered it.  It is hard to tell but the chickens looking down have eggs hanging around their necks. 

Patriotic chickens!  This frame measures 20 x 13 inches.  The original design is by Susan Jill Hall-love this one! 

Love this design by Cheri Saffiote.  The frame size is 26 x 16 inches and the pattern has been altered to fit into the screen. 

This design is a Shara Reiner's pattern and I have painted it big and small.  This frame size is 15 x 15 inches.  

I love this little guy and took him to show a gal and another gal bought it on the spot.  It is a Tami Rodke design.  I cannot remember the measurements. 

This pattern by Shara Reiner is large...the inset is 16 x 20 inches.  My dad had made this frame so that was more like a shadow box so the screen sits deeper.  This one sold fairly fast too.

I am lucky enough to have a good friend that allows me to put up a little display at her Jazzersize studio.  All the gals there give me great feed back.

I will be at the Simple Treasures Boutique at the Ogden's Union Train Depot.  I did this one last year and had a great time.  It was fun to walk around the Depot and look an all the displays from years past.

Got a few more things lined up to paint so I better get to it!

Enjoy your day,

Barb