GOT YOUR CARROTS OUT?

JUST ST-HOPPIN' IN TO SAY HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I ATE THE WHOLE THING!"

Have a Wonderful Day!

Charleen

BUTTER UP! (I KNOW ... IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE BATTER UP!)

THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM MY MARCH NEWSLETTER.  I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE IT WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T RECEIVE THE NEWSLETTER ...

The little fellow above usually comes and visits us every year at this time. He is our 'Easter Lamb' and he is made of ... butter. Butter Lambs are a Polish tradition usually found in the homes of Polish Catholics. Now, I would love to tell you that this tradition is something that has been handed down for generations in our family, but truth is, I found the story of the Polish Butter Lamb in a magazine many, many, (hold on) MANY years ago. Since my Fathers family was from Poland I decided to embrace the idea and start my own tradition. I made the one above (he is actually a lot easier to make than he may look) from scratch.  You can actually buy molds for the Butter Lamb (they look very different and aren't very wooly ... or, if I may say so, as cute!  :) I also just recently found out that in the East and Midwest they are actually sold in grocery stores, pre-made at Easter time, so a lot of you may already be aware of this tradition. Personally, I think that's cheating but then I buy pre-made 'Carrot' Cakes (you know ... Carrots/Easter Bunnies, etc.) so I guess I cheat too. My children grew up with one of these on the table every year at Easter. No one ever wanted to be the first one to cut into the 'wool' so their Dad usually wound up with the honor. There was always this sad little "ohhhh" that went around the table when he made the first cut. After that, it was like permission was now granted and everyone else could dig in without feeling guilty. Obviously, our little fellow doesn't hold a grudge because he keeps coming back year after year. :)

HAPPY EASTER!

Charleen

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE ?

MORE FROM THE FAMILY TREE ...

'THE FAMILY TREE:  TOGETHER IS OUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE.'

12 x 12" Acrylic on Textured Wood Panel
For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

HEAVEN GOES BY FAVOR.

IF IT WENT BY MERIT, YOU WOULD STAY OUT

AND YOUR DOG WOULD GO IN.

~  Mark Twain

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

WELL ... I DO KNOW I'M BEING WINKED AT!  :)


CHARLEEN

READY. SET. GO! FOLLOW ME.

IN WHAT DIRECTION ARE YOU HEADED?

"THIS WAY.  FOLLOW ME."

12 x 12 x 1.5"  Mixed Media on Wood Panel.

Second one in a set of two.  More information can be found HERE .

IF EVERYBODY IS DOING IT ONE WAY, THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE

YOU CAN FIND YOUR NICHE BY GOING EXACTLY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

~ Sam Walton

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I see 'The Man in the (Quarter) Moon'.  He's laughing and

he's over on the right.  :)

Charleen

HAPPY SPRING!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE! 

FRESH FLOWERS TO HELP CELEBRATE THE DAY . . .

Just wanted to share a smile with you ...

'SMILES IN BLOOM'

4 x 4" Acrylic on Wood Panel

WHAT'S AROUND YOUR CORNER ...?

'ROUND THE CORNER, CATCH THE PENNY.'

12 x 12 x 1.5" Mixed Media on Wood Panel.

As you can see, I went a little abstract.  This is one of two that are quite similar and could easily be hung as a set.  Can you find the Penny?  :)

Both of these can be found on my Website at www.charleenmartin.com

IN THE SPRING I HAVE COUNTED 136 DIFFERENT KINDS OF WEATHER

INSIDE OF FOUR AND TWENTY HOURS.

~ Mark Twain

(isn't that the truth!)

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I see Oscar the Grouch!

Charleen

LET'S TANGO!

DO YOU LIKE TO DANCE?  (I LOVE TO DANCE!)

TANGO PARTNERS

6 x 6" Acrylic on Textured Wood Panel

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE


'NEVER GIVE A SWORD TO A MAN WHO CAN'T DANCE'
~  Confucius

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

Well ... I know this is more than just the clouds but it was such a beautiful photo I thought I would include the whole picture.  (You never know, someone out there might want to paint it.  :)  This is a recent Sunset on Hayden Lake, Idaho.  My Grandson took this photo (I know, we might as well get the whole family working on my cloud photos, right?  :)  He was out fishing with friends.  What do I see?  I see all this through his eyes.  Certainly makes me feel good!  :)

Charleen

QUIET.

NO PEN, NO INK, NO TABLE, NO ROOM, NO TIME, NO QUIET,

NO INCLINATION. 

~  James Joyce

EASILY IN TO THE QUIET

6 x 6 x 1.5" Acrylic on Textured Canvas

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

I do have to say, I like the Textured look much better in real life than in a photo.  Photos just can't do it justice. 

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

Let's see now ... How about a pair of Sunglasses, a grove of trees, and a 'Shadow Bunny' ~ you know, one of those little animals you make with the shadow of your hands and a light shining on the wall.  :)   Can you find them?!

Charleen

WE'RE ON THE WAY ...

IT'S REALLY NOT MUCH OF A WALK ...

'BETWEEN YOUR HOUSE AND MINE'

6 x 6 x 1.5" Acrylic on Textured Canvas

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

My granddaughter Kaitlyn took this photo.  She is often seen these days carrying a camera around as part of her photography class.  She knew I was doing a 'Cloud of the Day' for this  Blog so she took this great photo for me.  I should have asked her what she saw in it ...  :)  I see ... an Angel, leaning gently forward, holding a baby.   :)

ALL GOD'S ANGELS COME TO US DISGUISED.

~  James Russell Lowell

Charleen

CAN YOU TELL I'M THINKING WARM WEATHER LATELY?

O.K.  SPRING IS OVER ... now I'm on to Summer!

'DOWN PAST THE SUMMER HOUSE'

6 x 6" Acrylic on Textured Canvas

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

'PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE WHETHER IT'S WINTER

OR SUMMER IF THEY'RE HAPPY.

~  Anton Chekhov

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

I see a little piggy laying on his side ... soaking up the rays.  :)

WE ALL HAVE AUDIENCES, BUT NOT QUITE LIKE THE SKY DOES ....

WE ALL WATCH THE SKY ... whether we are daydreaming, following the birds, checking on the weather, counting the vapor trails, or ... the Stars.  The sky is like a giant walk-in closet for our dreams.

'THE SKY HAS AN AUDIENCE'

12 x 12" Acrylic on Wood Panel

For more information on this Piece Please Click HERE

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CLOUDS OF THE DAY ...

This is actually last weeks Full Moon taken at about 10 o'clock at night from my back yard.  I see an Ethereal feeling of Possibility, Floating ... through a Sea of Whispers and Wishes. 

'THE MOON IS A FRIEND FOR THE LONESOME TO TALK TO.

~  Carl Sandburg

Charleen