Pet Portraits

Here are my most recent pet portraits. I was commissioned by my friend Cathy DuPuis via facebook (I love my facebook) to paint her whole pet family. This was my first time painting cats, I thought it'd be super easy as cats are more angular but it was harder than I thought. My favorite one is the cocker spaniel painting. I like how it's loose and reminiscent of a paint by numbers. The pet portraits have been a great experience. What started out as a whim has really blossomed into a viable market. People love their pets and they are a part of our families so why not have a painting of them? I have yet to tackle people portraits. All in good time, for now I'll enjoy doing animals, they don't talk back, they are always happy and they have fun fur. Humans can't touch that.

Tuesday with Kae, Abby and Olivia

Today was a birthday play date for Kae and I and we happily included Abby and her friend Olivia to join the festivities. We went to Piedmont to explore and shop, two things we do very well, and I had never been to Piedmont so I was intrigued to explore this new town. Piedmont is near Berkeley, Rockridge and Oakland. It's an upscale town with a rich history and the downtown had plenty of cute shops. We started at a retro looking shop where I got the most sparkly, drop dead, gorgeous earrings that you've ever seen. Next, we went to our most favorite place, the thrift shop, this one is a "Discovery" thrift, proceeds helping the American Cancer Society. They had amazing merchandise and a fabulous white hat that tempted me, but it's price was too steep ($45). After the thrift we went to an antique shop that was PACKED with stuff everywhere, it was kind of creepy to be honest and we kept going up more and more flights of stairs to more and more piles of stuff. I marveled at how they sell anything, it was so dark, creepy and sad. Of course this made it an adventure and we love the unexpected like creepy antique shops... But happily we left to the beautiful flower shop and another blingy jewelry store with fun hats. I loved the blue one with flowers but again too pricey for me (this one was $105.00!) We left Piedmont and decided to travel to Rockridge, all of 5 miles or so and had lunch at Pasta Pomodoro. Kae had all the party supplies, a party "Queen" crown, party horns, sparklers and even a cupcake in her bag of tricks!! She's like the ultimate bag lady, you never know what she's packin'! Our waiter "DJ" was a hoot, he joined our frivilous mood and showered us with great service. After all this we shopped some more, after all there were a few more thrift shops and we had another hour before we had to head back. Armed with packages we came home and unloaded our treasures. Another over the top birthday celebration for the hip chick. It just amazes me how much goodness is around....

Abby's birthday, fun customers and random pics

Last week was a big week in our household, we have our anniversary, my birthday and Abby's birthday all within days of each other. I showed all the gluttony of my birthday and our anniversary so now it's time to show some of Abby's celebration. My sweet daughter Abby turned 14 on April 2nd and she got 'kidnapped' by her friends at 7am and taken to breakfast. (This is a new 'norm' for teens) Then she went to school and came home with many cakes from all her friends, she went to see the new Miley Cyrus movie "The Last Song" and then Ben and I took her out to her favorite Thai restaurant for dinner. She opened pressies and got plenty of goodies. The next day was her birthday party, she wanted to go to Great America and she invited 3 friends and they rode on rides all day. Not my idea of fun but they all had a blast, Kendyl, Marina and Ashly all came over after and had cake and ice cream, they went to the hot tub (a birthday tradition) and had a sleepover. So Abby had quite a celebration herself!

Saturday at the store was quiet til about 3:00 and then Megan Freedman walks in with her bright clothes and smile and lit up the place. I grabbed my camera of course and took some pics, she matched the store so well and she purchased a wall sconce that fit perfectly with her dark corner. Yipee! Just before closing, in walked a fun family who was attending a nearby wedding and Lucy found some bling to compliment her outfit. Lucy, Patrick and Marty hammed it up for the camera before heading back to enjoy their festivities.

Easter was a wash of a day as it was raining all day, and Ben had to go on a trip. Abby and I just hung out and I finished two more pet portraits for Cathy DuPuis. I have done 5 in all as she has commissioned me to do her whole pet family. I am pleased to be able to paint her 'children' for her, I love painting people's animals as they are so much a part of our families. Now I am going to build a series for open studios, I might do some more trucks, or countryside paintings, along with some giant flowers. I know one thing, I will be busy creating as that is what this hip chick likes best!

Rain, Rain, GO AWAY!

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!! This hip chick is a fair weather girl to be sure. I say when it's sunny, I'm sunny...when it's cloudy I'm cloudy....basically I am a tried and true California girl. I could never do harsh winters in the East, in England or places where they have actual 'winter'. So I was GRUMPY yesterday with the torrential storm that blew through, freezing my ass, blowing the cow hook off my door and breaking it and generally making my mood as gloomy as the skies. Phew. Just need to get that off my chest. So after this next rain, which I am dreading...rain on Easter? I am ready for the sun, for which we pay top dollar as Californians, to shine....On a frivolous note I have some fun new sundresses I want to wear, wildflowers I want to shoot and suntans I want to absorb. hahaha.. I know it's the weather and what can you do, right? I marvel at people who actually enjoy the gloom and rain. I mean a day of rain ok fine, but we have had BUCKETS and not a week off for quite awhile. I'm just saying "Mother Nature thanks, we're good now." For today I will enjoy? the gray skies and chilly temperatures as a respite from the howling wind of yerterday. Maybe I can even open my doors at the shop? I know, now I'm talking CRAZY!

Hip Chick Birthday Extravaganza

Wow, what a birthday! If you can't stand to read about how spoiled I am then read no further...if you can stomach it, read on, don't say I didn't warn you though. Ok so today was my birthday and for those of you who know me you know I love to make a fuss, have a lot of fun and be the center of attention...(humbleness isn't really my strong suit). My day started wonderfully with breakfast in bed made by my doting husband, a mushroom-sun dried tomato-mozzarella omelet with some yummy fruit and coffee of course...I was lucky enough to open one of my birthday presents which was a macro lens and a wide angle lens. I am SO into photography as you may have noticed, documenting everything I do ad nausem, so this was a total score of a present! I got dressed and was picked up by Sandi the gorgeous, in her finery, (jazzy skirt, bonnet, bling etc..) and away we went to see what trouble we could find in Santa Cruz. The only glitch of the day was when her engine light came on, de-railing us temporarily while she called her mechanic who assured us it was ok to drive. Phew! The weather cooperated too, the skies were clear and the sun was out so I was relieved. We thrift shopped til the cows came home (odd expression actually) and I have fabulous frocks for the spring weather and for hip chick's new 'vintage' rack of clothing. All that shopping made us hungry so I took Sandi to Aldo's for her first time...many, many years ago I waitress ed there, back in the olden times of 1988 or so..I had my usual fish sandwich and Sandi splurged on the fisherman's platter...well stuffed, we rolled on outta there and searched for flowers to photograph. I needed to try out my new birthday lens' after all. We found some wisteria and playfully photographed the foliage, I switched lenses and shot the beach getting full use of my new equipment. After all the hoo-ha we came back to town and my family took over the celebrations.

Only seconds after being home there was a doorbell ditch splatter from non other than Sandi! Geez how did she manage it, there were PILES of goodies! The splatter included art pencils, a Frida book, movie passes, body art and I'll just stop at that before you puke from all the decadence. Sandi isn't known for doing things subtly. As I recovered from the splatter, my daughter Abby made me a wonderful collage of pictures and mom 'sayings' such as "Don't cha just love it" , "woo-hoo it's part-tay time", and the like. A precious keepsake, and my son Alex also made me a Bass lake collage which is hanging in my bathroom, the creativity abounds in this family....I also want to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday on face book, I felt so loved and I really appreciate how it keeps us all connected...

For dinner my husband presented me with a gourmet feast of Alaskan king crab legs, wild rice and asparagus. I know you are barfing by now from the gluttony, I don't blame you....this was alongside more presents, the best being "TICKETS TO TOM PETTY" my idol of all time, June 5th. After all this, I blew out the candle on my cupcake and thanked God for all my blessings. It was an over the top celebration of love. I know how fortunate I am, I try not to take it for granted, and I channel the good to inspire me. My wish is that this goodness spreads, that I can reflect the love and generosity I receive, back. All the people and energy I receive love from, are all part of hip chick's story. I love to share this happiness through blogging, it's like a living journal of my journey. So I'd like to thank each one of you who have supported me, loved me, and helped me. It's because of you that I am so blessed. My birthday is just the icing on the cake...