Valentine’s Dessert 2 – 4.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie

The more you love, the more love you are given to love with.
–Lucien Price

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Valentine’s Dessert 2 – 4.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie


Happy Valentine’s Day!  Here is your second calorie free dessert for Valentine’s week.  The pastry was from a reference photo by Mo at WetCanvas.  The plate and doily are  all me! 
Sophie at Just4Crafters has a cool tutorial for a Valentine’s Day card.  I may try my hand at it today.  It looks like so much fun.  She had a cool birdhouse (The Love Shack)  tutorial before that, if you have a little more time on your hands.  Thanks Sophie!

Junius Lucien Price (January 6, 1883 – March 30, 1964), who also published under the name Seymour Deming, was the author of more than a dozen books and a writer for publications such as The Boston Evening Transcript and The Atlantic Monthly. At the time of his death at age 81 he was still writing for the Boston Globe.  Source:  Wikipedia

With love comes promises of sentiment as rapturous as fall’s splendor of color and as delicate as a crystal of snow. Love empowers us to handle the struggles that bind us, the struggles that stretch us to grow. The familiar sights and muffled sounds of each moment vibrate with greater intensity when we’re giving and receiving love.
We’re deluded to think the love of others will complete us, so we strive for it; we long for it. But we receive love only when we’re unselfishly offering it. It is one of life’s wonderful mysteries that we must first give love away if we hope to get it.
Loving another tests our patience, strength, and security. Love spurned is dreaded and perhaps too familiar, but we must risk it once again if we are to find the love we deserve. 
The gifts of love are many and guaranteed when the act of love is honest, unselfish, whole, and unconditionally offered.
– Karen Casey

Karen Casey

Millions of people around the world spend a few moments in quiet reflection with Karen Casey every day. Karen is the best-selling author of Each Day a New Beginning, the first daily meditation book written expressly for women in recovery from addiction. Published in 1981, Each Day a New Beginning has sold more than three million copies and has been translated into ten different languages. Over the years, readers around the world have come to regard Karen as a trusted companion on the recovery journey. Among her other best-selling inspirational books are Keepers of the Wisdom, A Woman’s Spirit, Fearless Relationships, and A Life of My Own. In her newest book, Serenity (Hazelden, 2007), Karen shares favorite passages that gently convey simple lessons for living with greater peace, hope, and trust. Karen enjoys golfing and riding her Harley with her husband. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Naples, Florida.

Valentines Dessert Art 1

“We each need to let our intuition guide us, and then be willing to follow that guidance directly and fearlessly.”
– Shakti Gawain

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Valentines Dessert Art 1 – 4.5″ x 4.5″ Watercolor

It’s Valentines week, so I made you sweet treats that won’t put a single inch on your waistline.  There’s one for each day of the week.  Mo from WetCanvas posted a tray full of yummy treats from York, in the UK.  Rumor over at WetCanvas has it that these treats came from Betty’s Tea Room.

About Shakti Gawain

American New Age author Shakti Gawain was born in 1948. Raised by atheists who taught her to question everything, she went through an existential crisis after a romantic breakup, which led her on a pilgrimage to India. Her experiences inspired the book Creative Visualization, which became an international best seller. She has been featured in Time magazine and has appeared on such shows as Oprah, Good Morning Americav and The Larry King Show. She currently lives in California with her husband Jim Burns.

Winter Wheat – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Sharpie

Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life.
–Burton Hillis

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Winter Wheat – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor & Sharpie

I saw a black and white photo of a tractor in the midst of some Kansas winter wheat crops in a newspaper and it spoke to me.  This is what came from my brain, while thinking about the wonderful winter wheat crops in Oklahoma.  When we drive from Eufaula to Oklahoma City, I love seeing those bright green fields of color, surrounded by all that is a dull wintery brown.  This is going to be a larger acrylic painting.

Burton Hillis seems to be an elusive fellow.  I couldn’t find much of anything on him.  I did find the statement below, which I like very much… even if I can’t whistle.   Hey,  I can hum!  

Burton Hillis speaks of whistling as an outlet for the joy and peace that well in the heart. Moreover, he strongly believes that one who whistles cannot be harboring any meanness or malice deep in his heart. Whoever hears an angry person whistle?

 

Read more: http://purpleslinky.com/humor/burton-hillis-and-others-on-whistling-and-humming/#ixzz1lzGLF1Ph

Kitty in Bloom

“When you cannot make up your mind between two evenly balanced courses of action, choose the bolder.”
– William Joseph Slim

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Kitty in Bloom – Sharpie on Vellum

Here’s another flowerdy critter.  The cat and the daisies are from Dewi’s references at WetCanvas.  It’s so fun to combine the two and end up with something oddly wonderful.  I guess I took today’s quote to heart.  

About William Joseph Slim

The courageous British commander William Joseph Slim, who led forces during both world wars, led an impressive turnaround of the so-called Forgotten Army in Burma during World War II after he trained them how to fight in jungle conditions. He was born in 1891 in Bristol. He joined the army as a second lieutenant at the outbreak of World War I and was wounded in the battle of Gallipoli. He served as governor-general of Australia, a ceremonial role, from 1953 to 1960. He died in 1970.

Another Flowerdy Dog

“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.”
–James Matthew Barrie

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Another Flowerdy Dog – Sharpie on Vellum

This is the same dog as yesterday’s post.  I know it was unexpected to have such a “normal” looking dog on that post, so today I can reassure you that I am still a little nuts.    The photo reference was from Dewi at WetCanvas.

James M. Barrie (1860-1937), Scottish author and dramatist, best known for his character Peter Pan. The play Peter Pan or, The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up was first performed in 1904 and published in 1928;

All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, “Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever!” This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.

More on James M. Barrie here.

Soulful Doggy Eyes

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
– Winston Churchill

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Soulful Doggy Eyes – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie ATC

Don’t dogs have the most soulful eyes?   He looks like a Ralph to me.   I played this one pretty straight.  No flowers or quilting here.  But….. tomorrow you’ll get to see another version of this dog. 

Ralph was painted from a reference photo by Dewi at WetCanvas.

About Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill was an extraordinary British prime minister; he laid the groundwork for welfare in England, helped set the boundaries in the Middle East, became a symbol of the resistance against the Nazis in Europe, and was a central force in the Allied victory in World War II. He was born in 1874 near Oxford. He was known for his courage, his stubbornness, and his powerful personality. He was also an accomplished painter and writer. He died in 1965.

The Flowerdy Dog ATC

“Whether you’re up or down, whether you’re confident or unsure, listen to your heart. For your heart knows why you are here.”
–Ralph Marston

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

The Flowerdy Dog – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie ATC

This little painting was done from the same reference photo (a black dog) as The Quilted Dog I posted last week.  There’s just something about his big old snout that is appealing.

You may wonder why I am so late this morning.  Well… the hubby and I didn’t watch the Super Bowl yesterday, so this morning we watched a Super Bowl commercial marathon we found on msn.com.  Hubby had a bad night and I thought it would cheer him up.  It worked!  By the time I was ready to leave, he was sleeping peacefully…. no doubt dreaming about Coke drinking polar bears. 

Ralph Marston is author and publisher of The Daily Motivator, one of the web’s most popular and enduring destinations for original positive motivation and inspiration. Since 1996, Ralph has published a new, original, positive message every Monday through Saturday without missing a single publication day (the archive of more than 5,000 messages is available on The Daily Motivator website).

In the fall of 2001 Ralph first created the beloved “Right Now” video presentation which has given a sense of peace and hope to millions with its simple, profound message. Since then, he has created several more similar presentations, all available for free from The Daily Motivator website.

Ralph is the author of three books, and his words of wisdom have been quoted countless times on thousands of websites, in books, magazines, newspapers and other publications.

Hard Cider – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie ATC

“Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
– Nathaniel Hawthorne

 Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Hard Cider – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie ATC

Okay, I know this one is not that exciting, but it was a quickie I did while taking a break from some logo design work.  The original photo was from Susan (surob) at WetCanvas.

Have a good weekend! 

About Nathaniel Hawthorne

The novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), famous for his dense prose and allegorical undertones, is perhaps best known for The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. He was born in Massachusetts, and his New England upbringing permeates his work. Hawthorne achieved fame late in life: his first work, a collection of short stories, was rejected by publishers, but he continued to write even as he worked at the Salem Custom House.

Little Pink Tennies

“Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing.”
– William Butler Yeats

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Little Pink Tennies – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor & Sharpie ATC

I fell in love with these shoes!  Susan (surob) posted them at WetCanvas last weekend. ( Well…. not exactly these shoes.  They were pink and white.)   If you’ve been following me for a while, you may have seen my 24 ATC shoe series I did for an exchange.  They were so fun!!  After I looked at this one on my monitor, all I could see was big blue olives! 

About William Butler Yeats

Irish author William Butler Yeats, known for his mysticism and Celtic imagery, won a Nobel Prize for his plays but ultimately achieved more renown as a poet. He was born in Dublin in 1865. Co-founder of the Abbey Theater, he served as its resident playwright and worked with actress Maude Gonne, who inspired the romantic longing expressed in many poems. He married at age 52 and co-wrote A Vision with his wife, a book with occult roots that explores the mythology in his poetry. He died in 1939.

Larry the Yard Ornament

“The individual is capable of both great compassion and great indifference. He has it within his means to nourish the former and outgrow the latter.”
– Norman Cousins

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Larry the Yard Ornament – 2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

Susan (surob)  posted a photo of this guy, she calls Larry, in her WDE for WetCanvas.  By the time I finished painting him, I was in love! 

It’s hard to believe it’s the first day of February.  We were being buried under 14″ of snow on this day last year.  Today, I’m wearing flip flops and it’s going to be in the upper 60′s.  I think it made it to 70 yesterday.  LOVE it!!

About Norman Cousins

American writer and editor Norman Cousins is best known for his book, Anatomy of an Illness, an account of how he used nutrition and positive visualizations, including laughter, to heal from an illness diagnosed as fatal. He was born in New Jersey in 1915. He served many years as editor-in-chief of the Saturday Review, a job he loved. Under his guidance, circulation increased from 20,000 to 650,000. He received the UN Peace Medal for his world activism. He died in 1990.