30 in 30 Challenge Wrap Up.

Looking Back on the Last 30 Days

I really can't believe it's over.

I made it through another 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

This is the third one and before it began I was sure there was no way I could do it.

And yet, I did.

Need some proof.

They're not all on here.

The template I use for these does not have one with 30 spaces.  

But it has been great

and I learned more this time than the other two challenges I participated in.

I learned to draw or sketch out my painting first.

I changed the composition of several paintings once they were on paper and I could see some of the problems.

I learned a lot about brush strokes in oil,

I learned a lot about shadows in acrylic,

I learned to let go and have some fun.

I can almost look at every painting and point out something I learned.

I even have some I want to explore further and others I want to go large with.

This month has been stressful with the marriage of my daughter,

5 family birthdays, and the final days and death of my sister in law, Ann.

But painting every day actually kept me focused and on track to not waste my time.

Thank you all so much for following me on this journey, for commenting about my art and encouraging me to keep going.  Every single comment lifts me and makes me want to keep working.      

Day 30 Birthday

Day 30 Birthday

On one of the coldest days of this miserably cold winter,

out pops this little guy.

He actually was part of a set of twins, but the girl did not make it.

But this little guy stood up right away,

nursed right away,

and then made it through another brutally cold night in the barn.

  You can tell he's small,but most lambs are small at birth,

but they are so strong.

One funny thing about them is their head are so large and their body is so small at birth.
In a few days or weeks, it all evens out, but it looks a little weird at first.

They will be up walking around within minutes of their birth.

By the next day they are hoping around, 

and by the third day they are all over the place.

We raise a lot of animals here at JumbleBerry Farm

and lambs by far are the strongest,

and maybe the cutest.

7" x 5" unframed acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Hopefully you've enjoyed going on this painting journey with me

in the last 30 days as I have painted a painting every single day.

Many, if not all of these paintings were of things I've never painted before.

I've had a great time and I've learned so much.

Hopefully this will carry on into the future.

I'm heading to a 4-H conference in Lexington, KY on Thursday

and will have many of these paintings available there for purchase.

Thank you all for following me and taking the time to comment on here about the work produced.

I appreciate every single comment as always,

but especially those by other artists who are also participating and painting every day.

Thanks again.

Day 29 Just Kidding

Day 29 Just Kidding

Just Kidding

7" x 5" unframed acrylic on a panel.

$50 + $6 shipping.

This was painted from a photo I took last year when our goats were kidding.

They were popping out all over the place.

This little girl stayed in our house for a few days while Mom got with the program.

She was just an hour or so old when I took the photo for this.

We have some super cute spotted goats

This is Day 29 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

And I can't believe I'm really going to make it.

I thought before the challenge started "there is no way I can do this, again".

As the challenge started, I got excited yet decided I was sure I would participate, but I didn't think there was a snow balls chance I would complete 30 paintings.

 About half way through the challenge I was having a wonderful time painting things I'd never painted before, such as still lifes of some interesting antique items.

Now as the challenge is coming to an end,

I feel like I'm just hitting my stride.

I have learned so much this time.

I've painted so many things I've never done before,

I've painted:

food,

animals,

kitchen stuff,

sewing stuff,

a basketball,

teddy bears,

a bridal veil,

snow,

hay bales,

and finally

hydrangeas.

Quite a few hydrangeas.

And now it's almost over.

I think you're really gonna like tomorrows final painting.

He was just born yesterday.

Day 28 Blue on Blue

Day 28 Blue on Blue

I had a few flowers left from my daughter's wedding this past weekend.

So of course I had to paint them.

Delphiniums and Hydrangeas are so beautifully blue

in every shade imaginable.

I love how all these colors meld from one into another.

They are in my favorite antique green bud vase.

 Blue on Blue

7" x 5" unframed acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Day 27 Missing You

Day 27 Missing You

Yesterday, my sister-in-law succumbed to her battle with cancer.

She passed from this world into another at 6:22 p.m.

Ann Smith Durbin

married my brother in June 1968

and we have been great friends since the day we met.

They had three daughters who I have adored

and five grandchildren.

She always, and I mean always,

put her family first in every respect.

She also was an avid dog lover.

Tim and Ann always had dogs, usually rescue dogs.

They loved them and they were definitely were family.

She had a love of bulldogs

and Daisy is her latest love.

Today in honor of Ann, I painted her dog Daisy.

Anyone who knows me, 

knows I am terrified of dogs.

When I went to see Ann last week all the dogs were outside for me.

Then Daisy came in.

There were people all over the house, 

in every chair,

on every sofa,

in every corner of the house.

Where do you think Daisy had to go?

That's right.

She had to come straight to me and look up at me with those sad eyes.

I'm sure Daisy is missing Ann today.

So am I.

7" x 5" 

unframed acrylic on a panel.

NFS  

  

       

Day 26 Snow Day

Day 26 Snow Day

I've done pretty good so far not painting snow.

 But,

yesterday when I went to my studio to paint, 

I looked out the window and there was just a beautiful scene.

I can say beautiful, 

because I didn't have children home from school for the fifth day in a row

for a "Snow Day".

We have been inundated with snow, blowing snow, ice storms and extremely cold temps.

   Snow Day

7" x 5" acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping

    

Day 25 Veiled

Day 25 Veiled

I've said this on here before

but here goes again.

You can learn anything on Youtube.

My daughter is getting married this Saturday.

It's a second marriage for each of them,

so it's going to be a very small affair,

but she wanted to have a fascinator veil.

That's where Youtube came in.

I'm a former florist and I had an idea of how you could make those cute little hats,

but some of the details I gleaned from watching several videos were priceless.

I made the fascinator and then I made a ring bearer pillow for my grandson to use.

Once I finished the hat, I needed a place to store it until the wedding.

I popped it on top of this teddy bear.

Isn't she cute with her flower, feathers and veil?

I made the pillow and then embellished it with ribbon roses I made. 

Aidan, my daughter's son is five,

and he's going to look so cute.

Then because I'm in the last days of the 30 paintings in 30 days,

yep,

that's right,

I had to paint it.

 

How fun is this.

10" x 8" unframed acrylic on a panel.

NFS

Day 24 Fresh Picked

Day 24 Fresh Picked

Don't I wish.

It's a mere 8 degrees here and we just got another 6" of snow.

So I don't guess I'll be picking any hydrangea blossoms anytime soon,

but,

hey,

a girl can dream.  

 Day 24 Fresh Picked
10" x 8" acrylic on a panel
$100 + $6 shipping 

Day 23

Day 23 Water Garden Party

This water garden is from a photo I took in Florida.

I've painted several water lily paintings and they get more fun all the time.

This one was painted with water mixable oils and a palette knife.

Just floating along looking beautiful.

Water Garden Party

7" x 5" unframed water mixable oil on a panel.

$50 + $6 shipping. 

Day 22 Welcome Home

Day 22Welcome Home

These potted geraniums welcome all who enter.

It's always good to be welcomed home

and these geraniums welcome all with their beauty and scent.

 

You have to wonder what is behind that beautiful blue door.

 
Welcome Home

7" x 5" unframed water mixable oil on a palette.

$50+ $6 shipping.

 

Day 21 Hydrangea Vase

Hydrangea Vase

After I painted Hydrangea Blue I couldn't resist doing another one.

I simply love these colors.

They could be a matched set.

There's a new variety of hydrangeas that have all three colors on each blossom.
They are fabulous.

Hydrangea Vase 

unframed 7" x 5" water mixable oil on a panel.

$50 + $6 shipping.

Day 20 Dahlia Drama

Day 20 Dahlia Drama

Dahlias are nothin if not dramatic.  

We have raised dahlias for florist shops for a number of years.

Some years are better than others.

Even grew some for our sons wedding.

   Dahlias come in a zillion colors and some pretty incredible sizes.

This was painted with water mixable oils and I used a palette knife.

Dahlia Drama

7" x 5" oil of panel

$50 + $6 shipping

  

Because this is oil it will not be ready to ship for a minimum of six weeks.

Day 19 Hydrangea Blue

Day 19 Hydrangea Blue

 I love hydrangeas.

They have such rich vibrant colors.

Pinks, blues, purples, and even greens.

They look so lovely together.

I've seen several similar paintings in the challenge like this,

that I thought I'd give it a try as a learning exercise.

I used water mixable oils and a palette knife.

I love the colors in this painting.

Day 19 Hydrangea Blue

6" x 6" water mixable oil on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping

     

Because this is oil paint, it will take up to six weeks to dry before it can be shipped.

Day 18 Seed Catalog

Day 18 Seed Catalog

It's spring time and our mailbox is full of new seed catalogs.

They are beautiful and open us up for a new hope of spring plants and flowers.

It is packed with beautiful glossy photographs of the most perfect flowers.

I was inspired to paint this gerbera daisy.

This needed to be painted in water mixable oil I thought.

I wanted to achieve a really loose vibrant look and feel.  

  Day 18 Seed Catalog

6" x 6" unframed oil on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping   

Because this is oil, it will take a minimum of 6 weeks to completely dry before I can ship.

Day 17 Market Day

Day 17 Market Day

Market Day 20" x 16" 

unframed acrylic on a stretched canvas

$200 + $20 shipping.
 

 We have two market days in Carrollton, KY.,

Wednesday in the afternoon and Saturday morning.

We also have a huge variety of products at our market.

But these two were spectacular this past fall.

Beautiful hardy mums and every kind of fall decorative imaginable.

Great job Monica and Mandy.

 

Day 16 Beauty on Display

Day 16 Beauty on Display

We're on the down hill slope in the 30 in 30 challenge.

6" x 6" unframed acrylic on a panel
$50 + $6 shipping. 

My husband and I have been farmers marketers for years.  We have raised everything you can grow, including four kids, in Kentucky accept for tobacco.  We've raised vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs, flowers, and even peanuts.  We've had green houses, gardens, and even built our own market on our farm in another part of Kentucky.  We belong to our local RiverView Farmer's Market here in Carroll County, KY. and have for years.

This is not our booth.  This belongs to another fellow farmer, Mandy, and she had the most gorgeous booth this past fall.  She brought in corn shocks, hay bales, all these pumpkins, squash and other kinds of fall decorations.  Mandy does all this work with two small boys who come and "help" her at the market.  They are old enough now they really do help, but she's been bringing them since they were in diapers.  Give a shout out to Houston and Patrick.  If you know them, leave a comment.

Hopefully where ever you live you regularly visit local farmers markets in your area.  Your food will be fresher, last longer, much longer, and have delicious taste you cannot get in a grocery store.  Besides, it is beautiful.

Day 15 Young and Lovely

Day 15 Young and Lovely

I've made it to day 15!

Can I hear some applause?!?

This time the challenge has been more fun for me.

My theme will seem sort of odd to some,

but I am going to a conference in late January for 4-H

and most of my paintings in this challenge have 4-H projects in mind.

My husband and I are both going and we will be learning how to teach projects

and how to work with the 4-H program.

 I have also been asked to set up a booth of my art 

and other attendees will have some time to shop among all the vendors.

Young and Lovely

was painted from a photograph I took at the 2013 Kentucky State Fair

and she was just that,

very young and very lovely.

She was much more cooperative than many of the old and wiser cows I photographed that day.

She stood there and let me photograph her as long as I wanted.

I don't know if she won anything that day,

but she won my heart

and that was enough.

Young and Lovely
5" x 7" unframed acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Day 14 Bella

Day 14 Bella

Meet Bella, she is one of the sweetest goats on planet earth.

Bella is one of the Nubian goats we raise.

Nubians are dairy goats and she is a great mama and a great milker.

My husband milks our goats and makes many varieties of goat cheese.

We can't sell the cheese because of the USDA and all the regulations involved.

We are a small producer so it would be cost prohibitive to build a cheese house,

install another septic system, 

as well as many other rules and regs,

so we eat some pretty great cheese.

She was named Bella because she has the markings of a Holstein cow

and one of our grandsons wanted to name her Bella after a cow bell.

She is just such a sweet goat but she is not as nosey as other goats.
FYI, goats don't eat tin cans, but they will try to lick out anything in a tin can.
They don't eat every plant, there are plants they don't like, but they will eat the bark right off some, but not all, trees,
They love cedar. 

They all have their own personalities and she's a sweetheart.

I'm really happy with this painting.  

I've been studying other animal paintings, especially the cats done by Diane Hoeptner,

and how she gets her cats to have that velvety look.

I asked her how many variations of gray does she use on her cat Cocoa and she said she starts with three but usually ends up with about five shades.

I studied the photographs I have of our goats and definitely saw a minimum of three shades of black, so I mixed up my black, took half of it and added white, and then took half of that and added more white,

and you can see on my palette where I also mixed some of the shades in varying amounts to get some of the highlights and shadows on all that black.
Naturally I had to do the same thing with white.
Whenever I paint white, I always start with gray and lighten it up in stages.
 

Thank you to Diane for your direction.

Click Here to go to Diane's blog.

Bella

5" x 7" unframed acrylic on a panel.

$50 + $6 shipping.  

Day 13 - Left My Comfort Zone

Day 13 Cuties

Lots of new firsts in this painting.

None of which were in my comfort zone.

Never painted fruit before  -  check

Never paintedfruit with a palette knife before  -  check

Never had my props roll away before  -  check

What comfort zone?

I had these cute little cuties

A whole box of cuties

And they are delicious,

So I thought, while we're doing things we've never done before, 

and completely out of my comfort zone,

Let's paint fruit.

And just to make it more difficult,

let's go for fruit painted with a palette knife.

And just when I thought I was getting the hang of the cutie on the right,

it rolled right off my table.

Then it lost its cutieness when I couldn't get it to stand back up where it was.

Absolutely out of my comfort zone.

So I worked on the cutie on the left.

Finally, right cutie decided to behave and return to its original position.
And we all lived together happily ever after.

It wasn't too bad being out of my comfort zone.

Day 13  Cuties

6" x 6" unframed acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping

Day 12 Rooster Power

Day 12 Rooster Power

I don't really know why I like painting chickens,

because I'm afraid of them.

This guy was so fun to paint.

I got the photograph from my go to website

Paint My Photo.com.

Gary Jones is the photographer

and you can click here to go to his blog.

What he posted on paintmyphoto.com can be used to paint from,

but I'm pretty sure he doesn't want anyone doing that from his fabulous

photos on his blog.

Copyright, ya know.

Anyway,

give my rooster and him a look if you can.

Rooster Power

6" x 6" unframed acrylic on a panel

$50 + $6 shipping 

Day 11 Popcorn Memories

Popcorn Memories

If you were a bride in the 40's, 50's or 60's

you probably received a set of these bowls as a wedding gift.

My parents did.

In fact the yellow one of this set, is THE bowl my parents received.

I don't remember breaking the others, but I know they were

and I found the rest of the set at flea markets and yard sales.

I was so excited when I finally found the last one, the green one.

When I was a kid, on Sunday night we would all gather in the living room

to watch

The Wonderful World of Disney

and then

Bonanza.

 My dad would make popcorn and bring it into the living room in this big yellow bowl.

We never ate in the living room and we usually only ate at meal time.

 So this was a big treat for us.

I'm sure everybody out there has a memory or two connected to something similar.

Post it in the comments here and give us all a chance to walk down memory lane with you.

Popcorn Memories

6" x 6" unframed acrylic on a panel

 $50 + $6 shipping