Who has more fun than Grandmas?
Playing dress up
with tutus and bows
and lipstick kisses
in the morning.
Trips to the grocery store
in the afternoon
being caught singing in the aisles
about cucumbers and strawberries and tomatoes and cream.
And in between…
there’s dancing and bouncing
and tickling and giggling
and cuddling and snuggling.
Nobody has more fun
than Grandmas!
(at least not this one) ❤
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
These Little Piggies
When I kiss them
and rub them
and tuck them in
her little jammies,
I think about
the first wobbly steps they will take and then the walks that will follow holding mommy’s or daddy’s hands and later with a beloved friend or pet or me.
I think about
the times she will stand tall and proud on them for important things she believes in.
I think about
the times when she will vehemently “put her foot down” about something important to her.
I think about
her skipping on a hopscotch game chalked on the pavement or into the house with her heart fluttering from her first kiss.
I think about
her jumping rope in the playground or jumping off a diving board or from a plane.
I think about
her dipping them in and splashing at the edge of a pond or kicking them in the vast ocean.
I think about
her marching in a band like her mommy and daddy or in an important protest that could change the world.
I think about
her putting them gingerly on top of her Daddy’s trusting, sturdy feet learning to dance.
I think about her slipping them gracefully into delicate ivory wedding shoes to dance with the love of her life.
But for now,
I just kiss them
and rub them
and tuck them in her little jammies.
And I am thankful
for these little piggies.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Pink Orange & Gold Abstract Watercolor with Hearts 11×14 on 300 lb Arches Cold Press
In love with…
Pink and orange and gold
and dots and lines
and hearts and swirls.
In love with…
Fridays with my little C
and smiles and snuggles
and happy times.
Happy Friday!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Abstract Watercolor done using: Opera Pink, Quinacridone Rose, Cadmium Orange, Dr. Ph. Martin’s Iridescent Copper Plate Gold, and Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleedproof White, Salt, Twine, and Black Micron Pen.
I am having so much fun creating a nursery at “Grandma’s house” for our new granddaughter.
A sweet little haven for her to rest if I ever decide to let her out of my arms when she is at our home!
I promised I’d show you how I turned bumper pads into a window treatment valance. Didn’t it turn out great?!
Almost everything in this room was a passed on from a friend, was given as a gift, is something I made, or something I re-purposed.
Thanks to our friends Sue and Rodney for “gifting” us with this beautiful crib they had outgrown from their two beautiful granddaughters.
And thanks to our BFFs Jill and Todd who gifted us with this beautiful rocking chair when we learned we were going to become grandparents. (Hope you don’t mind I painted and distressed it!)
And thanks to our sweet Joyce and “Oh Rob” for this darling antique child’s art desk with paper roll that will be so fun in coming years!
And a dear friend, Diane, who sent this sweet little hanging pillow months before our granddaughter arrived, but made me wait until her birth to open (and I really did!). What truth there is in this message! What joy!
I’m looking forward to reading many, many books – over and over and over – in the years to come.
And playing with the basket of toys generously passed down from a sweet friend and incredible young Mom, Stefanie.
Sometimes I just walk into this room and smile… thinking of the memories that are going to be created and the love that is already there from the sharing of so many.
I remember the days when this was a little boy’s room with blue marbled walls and baseball trophies. I reminisce about the two boys who shared a wall between their rooms and secrets I still don’t know about… Two boys who were best buddies when they were little, didn’t like each other very much when they were teenagers, and are back to being each other’s “bests” as young adults.
Creating a nursery at Grandma’s house…
It is so very much
home sweet home.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
My Sweet C – 8 x 10 watercolor – 300 lb Artistico Fabriano
I am typically a more “impressionist” style amateur watercolor artist. (At least that is what I consider myself.) I don’t necessarily try to exactly replicate something, but more try to interpret my impression of how it makes me feel.
As many of you know, I am a new grandma for the first time, and ECSTATIC doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about that!
So you are probably not surprised that the first subject I chose to attempt a watercolor portrait of is my sweet little granddaughter.
I didn’t do her beauty justice, but the process of looking at her picture and painting her brought me a lot of joy. It was a fun experiment. I was hoping it would be nice enough to give to my son and daughter-in-law for a Christmas gift framed, but I am not happy enough with how it turned out, so that idea didn’t work out.
I decided to post it anyway, though, as my first watercolor portrait. Hopefully I will look back some day and compare it to something much better.
My sweet granddaughter, on the other hand, is absolutely perfect!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I’m not much of a seamstress,
but I have always admired those who excel at this craft.
When I learned I was to become a grandma to a sweet baby girl,
I had to make her something special….
Something soft…
Something pink…
Something to love…
Something to show my love.
So I went to Jo-Ann’s and bought a pattern,
and I gave it my best shot.
And while I pinned and cut and stitched…
I dreamed of being the Grandma my Grandma was to me.
I dreamed of our little girl falling asleep in my arms,
and I dreamed of her falling asleep with this little lovie in her arms.
and while I dreamed,
Ellie the Elephant was born.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Watercolor Pink Hot Air Balloon 8×10 140lb Arches Cold Press Quin Magenta & Quin Gold – Rekab 320s Brush
Oh the places we will go….
Oh the things that we will do….
Oh the beauty we will see…..
Oh the love that there will be.
Dreaming of the the places, things, beauty, and love that I will experience upon the arrival of my first grandchild – my granddaughter – in just a few short months…
Oh how happy I will be!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This watercolor was done using 1 brush (Rekab 320s Size 2 Squirrel Mop that Debi Riley creates magic with), 2 paint colors (Quinacridone Magenta and Quinacridone Gold), and a splash or two of rubbing alcohol on Arches 140 lb. Cold Press Paper using a wet on wet technique. I added the words by simply writing with a Stabilo Aquarellable #8046 Pencil.
When I originally bought this Rekab 320s brush after reading how much Debi loves it and uses it (and which I could only find via mail order from an art shop in Australia), I liked it, but basically only used it as a “mop” for big, wet washes. It was the second “good” brush I bought. It holds an amazing amount of water and paint, and I was amazed at the difference painting with such a high-quality brush makes.
After inquiring a bit more about how Debi does so much with it, she mentioned it can be used in many ways, even to create fine lines by simply flicking off the excess water and allowing the hairs to form a tight point. Well… Wow – was she right! I have discovered the magic of this amazing brush and am so thrilled. Thanks Debi! I still can’t create amazing painting like you, but I sure do understand why you love this brush, and I plan to play with it a lot more.
And PS – do you see my awesome #WorldWatercolorMonth mug in the photos above?! Isn’t it pretty sweet? You can have one too, as well as a number of other fun #WorldWatercolorMonth SWAG at Charlie O’s Doodlewash Society 6 Shop. And the BEST thing is – 100 PERCENT of the proceeds from your purchases go to the The Dreaming Zebra Foundation, where you can provide art and music supplies to under-privileged children throughout the world.
Research has shown that art education has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the learning field across socioeconomic boundaries. Unfortunately, arts education programs are too often the first to be cut when cuts are necessary, so more and more children each year are missing out on the important benefits of art classes.
Please keep in mind that beyond having fun and sharing our watercolor painting adventures this month, a bigger and higher purpose is to help affect real change and begin to reverse this trend. Please consider even a $10 donation. Imagine what a difference we could make if we all gave just the cost of a lunch out.
the creative life in between 