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Front of Valentine box.
I’ve painted or decorated many small boxes from jewelry boxes, to like this one, purely decorative containers. My nephew gave me this box filled with calligraphy inks, and it has set for a number of years. Then I remembered some old Valentine’s Day cards (100 years–from 1917 to 1924) from some of Bill’s ancestral family. They are starting to wear out, so I decoupaged the box with them hoping the urethane coatings will help preserve them. They are mostly from Vincent to his sister Margaret. It took forever for the clasp to be found, bought and delivered. Most I found were in the UK. The one on the front here came from Canada. It arrived three days ago.
Top of Valentine box
Side of Valentine box
Side of Valentine box
Back of Valentine box
These were the relatively flat Valentine’s Day cards. Some from this era are incredible fold-out designs both beautiful in beauty and imagination.
This was a gift and is on its way to the recipient in today’s mail, but was not conceived as a Valentine’s Day gift. That it is finished now and will be delivered so close to that day is circumstance.
My big brother Jim is a wonderful carver. He gave me some of his work that wasn’t up to his standards, so I’ve painted them and hung them on my bathroom wall, which is painted as water as seen in two of the photos.
Rainbow SnozFish
Perch SnozFish
Rock Bass SnozFish
Finished up another painted gourd. This one just in time for Halloween. She/he came off friendlier than I anticipated, but someone said she looks total evil, ready to eat you. I believe my sister Juli grew this gourd in her garden. I have some I have planted but I’m too far north for them to ripen reliably. Right now the fruits are just beginning to develop.
The Witch Front
The Witch Back
This summer has been devoted to getting many things on the ‘list’ completed. I’ve had this gourd for a bird house and was going to paint it as a bird, but couldn’t figure out what bird. It sat for a long time before the below image popped into my mind. Then it sat waiting for me to actually do the painting. I did it this week, then I had to find a place to put it. When hung from fishline it twirls around and no bird would inhabit it. I’m not sure if they would now, either, but being tied to a chain seems to hold it in place. 
It’s that time of year. While waiting for snow to melt, taking care of my houseplants and making a wish for spring planting, I’m spending some time making pin dolls. I don’t know why but I enjoy it. It started with an acquaintance learning she had breast cancer and me making her a Hope Pin. I’ve been adding more ever since.
Gold Angel Doll Pin
Witch Doll Pin
Hope Pin
A second Hope Pin
Pet Pins
Missed Christmas with the family because of my flu-cold, whatever it was. So I’m about to stick things in the mail. Here are the painted gourd-birdhouses ‘Moonflowers and Luna’.
Painted gourds for Christmas 2013.
This is the final group of letters in my calligraphy envelope exchange for 2013.
2013 year of letters
This is the last portion of the mural covering the staircase and side entry room. Since work resumes tomorrow, I can say I have my summer project finished. It’s been painted in fits and starts for a couple summers, but now I’m waiting to see if there are any adjustments to be made before I urethane the walls. This is the largest wall section…
The heron and fox section of my mural.
I’ve been fooling around with old handmade dollhouse for granddaughter. She is helping. But I didn’t have a place to put it when I stumbled over my Great Grandma Kitty’s old travel trunk. It was mahogany, but the outside gray with age and nail holes all over. So I painted it to go in the guest bedroom. And the doll house fits on it perfectly!
Great Grandma Kitty Lynaugh McLaughlin Broderick’s travel trunk.
The back of the travel trunk with unfinished dollhouse on top. Window overhead throwing too much light
This month’s calligraphy exchange was the letter ‘T’. I was very late getting it together, so reworded an anonymous quote to go with it, and then had to make envelopes to the unusual size. They went in yesterday’s mail.
The ‘T’ Exchange
Rhobin's Garden 