|_ () S + and |= () (_) |\| o|

the Lost Earring that is...

I just couldn't wait to use that as a Friday Find so Happy Friday on Wednesday night...it is Wednesday isn't it?

citron green film negative

white on black colored pencil

japanese maple seed

these one of a kind items are so AWESOME! Thank you Lost Earring for finding me...

[pretty trashy pictures]

My first garden made from my Goodwill clothes and old buttons was a hit

so I have made another pretty trashy picture...

...this time I took my trash up a notch using [for real] trash.

I will be selling my "upcycled" paintings at a local marketplace...starting tomorrow!

Here is the sign for my booth...so trashy ♥

Psssssssssssssssssssstttt!

Meet Scrappy Sweet Dreams and Scrappy Bloom...my newest little friends.

I know where you can find these - for FREE! Go check it out!

...birds of a feather are flocking outside...

I am a follower of this great blog:

Just recently Sherryl, the creator of these cute handmade hair goodies and accessories, caught my attention with a post about a precious little girl named Cici. Please check out Cici's story here:

There I found out about Bids for Cici and created "Cici's Owl" pictured above. The bidding for "Cici's Owl" begins tomorrow.

Please go check it out...there are tons of great items up for bid, including some Happy Flowers from Skylar's Candy Clips!

friday finds are ♥ in the bag ♥

Bone's Bags, that is!

You can find these awesome, affordable bags here, created by a fellow Busy Mom of Etsy.

Buy Bone's Bags, buy reusable, buy handmade, buy from fellow busy moms!

♥ your drinks

i ♥ this one

♥ your produce

♥ your food

I WON I WON I WON

I can't believe I won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For those of you who "never win anything"...that is so not true...enter a contest and you might win. WOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!

Stop what you are doing right now and go to Spearmint Baby, become a follower...maybe you can be like me and WIN!

PS...yes, I know what I won is for a girl...there are always hopes of a girl in the Hop family...but until then I know a bunch of mommies-to-be who this would make a great gift for!

Thursday Thoughts

“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

~Forest E. Witcraft

This was taken when Mr.C was just one week old! I can't believe he is 8 months old already. It has been wonderful, trying, exciting, and adventurous. We are blessed.

More pretty finds...

Spearmint Baby is hosting a giveaway for Bird in Flight Boutique.

Isn't this pretty? Go check it out!

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Mommy of Lily. Thanks everyone who participated the contest. Double thanks to those who helped spread the word! I think there may be another giveaway in store soon so stay tuned!

PS!!!

QuertyO will give a free wash bag (can also be used as an extra produce bag) to go with your produce bag order. Just mention Paint me a Picture in the message to seller. This special offer applies to an order of 3 or more bags and ends October 4th. Hurry don't miss it!

Isn't that nice? Happy Fall!

One Happy Customer

A few things you should know about me:

• I loathe plastic bags...grocery plastic bags especially
• I enjoy cleaning, but don't like mopping...about just as much as I don't like plastic bags
• I have sensitive skin

I share those things so you can understand why I am truly one happy customer.

reusable produce bags from QuertyO (I actually won these :)

~ I got compliments on them at checkout ~

reusable Swiffer Wet Jet pads also from QuertyO

~ my kitchen floor is very happy and very clean ~

natural soap and lip balm with a little goodie of goat's milk lotion from CottageGardenTherapi

~ happy skin and happy lips and I smell great too ~

I ♥ Etsy and the great shops I have found. Check them out and buy handmade!

LAST CALL

TODAY ends the chance to enter to win a FREE painting. Click here to enter if you haven't already.

Oh, I forgot!

I got my MOO! Yay! I got my Moo Minicards and forgot to share them.

I received them just in time to send with 2 of my recent orders, and of course when I was at the post office shipping one of the orders I had the perfect opportunity to give one to a potential customer. Unfortunately, I didn't have them with me :( and a Post It Note had to suffice...lesson learned, always take your Moo with you.

Stu, stu, studio

As you may have noticed by now, I have a favorite spot in my apartment where I take pictures of things I have created or am working on...

...it is my kitchen which has windows covering two walls, allowing for great, natural light. Not only is my kitchen where I take my pictures, but it is my little studio.

Maybe some day I will have a studio like this...

For now I will dream and paint and dream...back to painting.

this little piggy...

This little piggy needs these shoes so he can go to the market...

Aren't these so sweet and precious?!? You can buy them here, handmade by Catherine.

Seeing Red

“The one red leaf, the last of its clan,

That dances as often as dance it can,

Hanging so light, and hanging so high,

On the topmost twig that looks up at the sky.”

~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

See these pretty, red creations by ReLoved Designs

Pistachio Shell Flower Brooch

Black & White Window Necklace

Red Flower Bib Necklace

Pass the cantaloupe please...

Friends and family,

Please don't be surprised if you receive cantaloupe for Christmas...

Where else can you find these hand printed, ink free, super-cute creations? I absolutely adore everything in Cantaloupe Corner's shop. So, you can buy my gifts there too. Check it out...it's, shall we say, sweet.

♥ ~ Lindsay

New &hearts little &hearts Treats and Tweets

Find them in my shop!

Where were you?

Where was Spearmint Baby when I was pregnant a year ago?

Not that I can't/don't use their great ideas now, but how I spent my time, money, and creativity would be so different.

Well, there is always baby number 2...you never know.

I feel pretty...

Baby girls are...oh so pretty...

I love my Charlie and wouldn't trade him for 100 baby girls! That being said, he can't wear these pretty things made by DolceVitaMia. So if you have a baby girl or are expecting one check out Mia's blog and shop and dress those baby girls in something pretty!

Win A Free 12 x 12 Painting! - CLOSED -

This contest is closed. Congratulations to Mommy of Lily!

Thanks to all of my Facebook friends who participated in my last Free Painting Giveaway. It's time again to enter to win. This time I have expanded the contest to Etsy and Blogger.

Enter to WIN a Free 12 x 12 canvas

OF YOUR CHOICE (this means you pick what I paint)

handpainted by me.

There are 2 ways to win -

Please leave a DIFFERENT comment for each entry:

1. Become a follower of my blog using the FOLLOW button to your right (if you already follow me please note so in comment). --------------------->

2. Post a comment here.

*** If you win I have to let you know so please leave contact info in your comment: ***

• Facebook fans - please leave your name so I can message you on Facebook.
• Etsy Members - please leave your usename so I can convo you.
• Blogger members - note if your email address in your profile.
• OR you can simply leave your email address in the comment (example: paint.me.a.pic [!at] gmail.com)

Good luck and thanks for entering! Contest ends Tuedsay, September 22nd, at 12 AM EST. Winner will be determined using Random.org and will be announced on Wednesday, September 23rd.

Going and going and going...

What makes you keep going? I'm not talking energy level here. What inspires you to keep going?

Back in May I had a few things that inspired me to go forward with my art:

1. I quit my day job ~ I began staying at home once my first child was born. Not that I had much free time, but I wanted a way to contribute to our family financially.

2. A very talented friend set up shop ~ A friend who purchased a painting from me started selling her own paintings on Etsy. A fire was lit under me and I thought, "Why aren't I doing something to promote what I create?"

3. I checked out Etsy ~ I had heard about it, I had read about it, but I had never done anything about it. In my search I came across a great shop, Bopbop Designs. I liked what I saw. I was inspired by what I saw, and I wanted to share my art too.