Today has been a day of comings and goings. As for the goings...I finally thinned out my catfish family to a more reasonable number. I gave 44 of my cory catfish to a local pet store. I hated to see them go but it was getting really hard to keep the water clean and besides that it's only a matter of time until Butterbean decides they look like food.

 

As for the coming...I finally picked out my new ukulele. Yes I know it's becoming somewhat of an obsession. My collection is definitely growing.  So far I have my little sopranos (Pinky)

 

Hamano

 

 and the one I custom painted (Shellie).

 

Sea turtle on front

 

Mermaid on back

 

Those are what I consider my "fun" ukes. I also have a beautiful tenor Oscar Schmidt.

 

Oscar Schmidt OU6

 

I decided I wanted a concert size which is in between soprano and tenor. So I set the GPS and off we went on a little road trip to Richmond. I've never actually been to Richmond except to drive through. Very interesting place. Lots of cool architecture and paintings on buildings. I have heard about a great ukulele store there so we went to check it out.

 

The store is called Fan Guitar and Ukulele.  I have watched some of their YouTube videos and was really impressed with them.  I also had a friend tell me I just HAD to check out their selection.  So with all that I really had my hopes up that I would be able to find something I loved.

 

Wow! Talk about walls of ukes! I have never seen so many in one place.  It made it so hard to pick one out. I went in there with a certain Kala in mind and ended up leaving with an Ohana!  I probably looked for an hour and changed my mind several times.  The owner was so helpful and full of information.  He even played them all for me.  I finally settled on an Ohana ck-50wg.  It's so beautiful.  The pictures don't do it justice.

Ohana cedar and willow ck-50wg

My so far unnamed Ohana has found a new home and I have hopes that all my little baby cories will find good homes as well.

I also got a Fitbit Blaze today but I'm WAY more excited about the new ukulele!  Hmmm.  Wonder if it's possible to get a workout while playing the ukulele?  Might be worth a try!

 

#ukulele #paintedukulele 

Getting In The Christmas Mood

I'm a bit late getting into the Christmas mood this year.  I'm not sure why.  I've listened daily to Christmas music, watched an extraordinary amount of Hallmark movies, made 12 pounds of fudge and I've even begun to delve into my holiday DVD collection.  But I'm still feeling a bit Scroogish.  Maybe it's the fact that there are no children in our house.  Whatever the cause I fear that Christmas will come and I won't be ready for it.

To combat that possibility I plan to go to Christmas Town as much as possible.  Hopefully there will even be a snowy day here and there as well.  So far we've only gone once.  We braved the opening day.  The park opens at 2 and we got there at 3.  You would think the traffic would have thinned out by then, but no.  The main parking lots were almost full already.  It actually took us 1 1/2 hours to park, redeem our passes and get in.  All in all not too bad for opening day.

I have 29 days to get ready!

The first place we headed to was Holiday Hills.  It have a retro them that brings me right back to my childhood.  Lots of Rudolphs and large Christmas bulbs.  Great music as well.  We normally like to eat the buffet in the Dasher's Diner.  But this year they moved the traditional Christmas food over to behind the Festhaus.  They put up large heated tents and have the buffets in them.  It's probably best as it has a greater capacity.

Love the retro theme!

The Pompei was spectacular as always.  According to Busch Gardens there are 1,584,000 lights in the Polar Pathway area.

More beautiful than can be captured in a photo

We had a lovely day at Christmas Town.  The ice show 'Twas The Night was fabulous.  We also saw Scrooge No More and enjoyed it very much.  The actor playing Tiny Tim was different from last year, I think.  The one last year was missing several teeth and was completely adorable.  He was perfect for the part and really seemed to enjoy performing.  The boy this year was good but I kind of missed that toothy smile!  Hopefully I can get some good photos in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime I have several more pounds of fudge to make and Christmas cards to prepare.  I am determined to get them in the mail earlier than Christmas Eve!  If you have any suggestions on how to get in the hap, hap, happiest mood please leave a comment.

Sharon

Update On My Pets (Children)

I haven't had much time to blog in the past few months.  We have been in the midst of a remodeling and home addition project.  After many years we finally fit the bullet and added the detached garage.  This gave me the ability to move my art studio out of the spare bedroom and into the attached garage.  What a difference!  Actually I took photos of everything with the intention of blogging about the project but that didn't happen.  It was so much work I didn't have time to do anything else.  Hopefully I will get the photos done soon and can post some do-it-yourself goodies!

For now I'm just update my pet situation.  First for the sad news.  My beloved Boo Boo died on July 17.  It's unbelievable how much that cat meant to us and how our lives revolved around him.  It was totally unexpected.  He was playing up a storm that morning.  We left to get lunch and when we returned he had passed away.  Even though he was 13 years old I was hoping I'd have at least 5 more years with him.

Boo Boo (left) and Marvin (right) in March 2016

We waited about a month before finally deciding to get a kitten.  Of course Boo Boo can never be replaced.  He was definitely one of a kind.  But in my experience a new kitten helps to ease the pain.  It just so happened that our local shelter was having a kitten special!  We named her Josette.  I'm such a nerd I had to name her after Josette Collins from Dark Shadows!  I only say that because most people do not get the reference.

Josette (Josie)

Josie is such a loving kitten.  In fact she is a bit too loving.  Talk about the kisses!  Unfortunately she has the strange habit trying to stick her mouth in my mouth and when that is not allowed she goes to work on my nose.  And after a mad flurry of kissing she bites me on the end of my nose!  It's not hard enough to draw blood.  It's more like a little nip but until you've been awakened by kitten teeth up the nose you haven't really lived!

In other news Tootsie has decided that her catfish resemble food.  Naturally I had to move them quickly into Butterbean's tank.  Butterbean is still such a little girl the cory catfish should be safe for a few months.  She was afraid of them at first but is adapting nicely.  Enjoy this quick glimpse of our turtle antics!

A New Addition To the Family

My Tootsie's birthday is coming up.  I found her on March 31, 2015.  I've been thinking about the time I found her.   Turtles are territorial so it's likely that Tootsie's mama might have laid some eggs in the same area.  So with that on my mind I've been kind of keeping my eyes open for any baby turtles. In the last two years I have found two baby turtles in our store.  I always check out the floor in the warehouse anyway since we have numerous frogs in residence.  Don't want to step on one!

So I was hauling a battery out the front door to my car.  Then as I was returning with the dolly I just happened to look down in front of the door.  I saw what passed for a little dirty rock.  But you can't fool me since I've been down this road before.  So I naturally picked it up.  It was a hatchling turtle all right, but I wasn't sure if it was alive.  It looked really dried up.  I quickly took it inside and put it in a tiny bit of warm water.  The little guy came out of his shell and had a drink.  Within an hour he was quite perky!

I was in a quandary.  I really wasn't ready to commit myself to another turtle.  But then again I couldn't bring myself to just put him out in the cold.  The survival rate for baby turtles is not good.  So I bit the bullet and took him home.  Luckily I have all of the supplies and equipment that I used when Tootsie was a hatchling.  For the short term I set him up in a small reptile bowl till I have time to prepare the 10 gallon tank.

Presenting Butterbean!!

You can still see the belly button!

He actually looks larger in the photos than he is in reality.  I think it is because of the lens I used.  It's not easy to take photos of something this small while you're holding it!  And believe me he did not like it one bit, especially the flash.

I set up his tank this afternoon.  So far he's very happy in it.  He has a heater, heat lamp, UVB bulb, filter, log, cave and lovely moss to hide in.  He has already eaten his first meal of hatchling pellets and has figured out how to get up on his log to sleep under the moss.  Quite an accomplishment for a little fellow that's only a few days old.

Here's a look at the birthday Tootsie from a year ago right after I got her.  See if you can find the little booger!

Where in the world is Tootsie

Sharon
#mudturtle, #babyturtle, #babymudturtle, #hatchlingturtle,

Spring Is Upon Us At Last!

Last week it was snowing.  Today I'm wondering where I put my shorts!  Most likely they're packed away in the attic.  I'm too lazy to look for them so I'll just have to suffer (enjoy) the heat.

It's hard to believe it's time for Busch Gardens to re-open.  I can't tell you how much I'm so ready for it.  Around here the kids are going on spring break and Busch will be open next weekend.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good weather.  There is a funnel cake with my name on it.

Busch Gardens is so pretty in the Spring.  They really put a lot of work into the decor and landscaping.  They always open just in time for Easter.  The Easter Bunny is in residence in one of the shops by the Festhaus and the kids line up to have a turn at sitting on his lap.  Maybe one of these days I'll give it a go myself!  NOT!

This isn't a bunny but he's definitely a cutie.  When I grew up in the mountains we had an owl that stayed by our house.  I've always had a love for them and I especially love the little ones they have at Busch.

Wishing you a wonderful Spring and Happy Easter.
Sharon

World of Pets Expo

This time of year it's kind of hard to find things to do.  For the past few weekends the weather has been particularly nasty.  But this weekend is fab!  It was actually 74 degrees yesterday.  We busted out of the house and headed over to the Hampton Convention Center for the World of Pets Expo.

I really wasn't intending to go this year as my interest is mostly in turtles these days and I didn't see anything about turtles on their website.  But a co-worker told me that they were going to have a reptile section with turtle displays so I quickly changed my mind.  I was so looking forward to seeing some cute little fellows and also I'm searching for a local reptile vet.

The entry line was amazingly long.  And almost everyone had their dog with them.  Dogs of all varieties and states of dress abounded!  Of course I took some photos.  Not my best work as the dogs were quite excited and I had to work in between lots of human legs!

I think she was the prettiest

In line for the contest

A crowd favorite

Coolness!

What a cutie!

There was also a show called Johnny Peers Muttville Comix.  The dogs were great and the crowd loved the show.

Johnny Peers Muttville Comix

Here we go!

Brave little guy

One of the most popular events was the Dock Dogs competition.  I have seen the Dock Dogs in the past and it's always a good time.  I always get a kick out of the doggie "swimsuits".  I'd love to get one for Chloe but it might be best to not draw attention to her full figure!

Color coordinated team

All in all it was a fun event.  There were snakes, mice, miniature horses and even some camels in addition to the cats and dogs.  The petting zoo had just about any animal you could think of to pet.  I especially loved the baby goats and miniature horses.  I would be very happy to bring them home with me.  The only disappointment I had was in not seeing even one single turtle.  Guess I need to look for a Reptile Expo.

Sharon

#worldofpetsexpo, #petexpo,

New Whimsical Candlesticks

Here are my newest beauties!  I really love the colors on these.  And I enjoy painting the whimsical patterns.  It's very soothing.

I like to paint while I watch TV.  I say watch but I really mean listen.  I concentrate on painting and only look up when something interesting happens.  It's amazing how little there is on TV that's interesting enough to draw my attention!

I have developed a work flow for my painting.
Step One:  Stare at object to be painted for hours trying to get an idea of which way I want to go
Step Two:  Pick out a couple of patterns I want to include for sure
Step Three:  Pick out my color scheme
Step Four:  Get to painting!
Step Five:  Fix anything I don't like

Originally I intended to go with a Christmas theme in blues and either gold or silver.  But I never could decide on a shade of blue.  So I ended up with green, tomato red and a custom mixed gold.  I have some other candlesticks that may end up a wintry blue.  Maybe I just have to stare at them a bit longer!
Sharon

Available at http://www.etsy.com/shop/sharonstrouddesigns

#whimsicalart, #whimsical, #paintedfurniture, #aliceinwonderland, #wonderland,

A New Whimsical Jewelry Box

Here's my latest creation!  I really enjoyed painting this one.  Actually I've had this box for a year and just got around to working on it.  I've been concentrating so much on the scrapbooks my painting has kind of taken the back burner.  It seems to be good for my creative juices to alternate between scrapbooking and painting.  Keeps me from getting burned out.

I really love the detail on this piece.  I will admit I resorted to wearing my magnifying glasses a few times!

I normally don't paint anything on the back.  But I decided to add a bit of pretty detail and besides that it makes a great place to sign my work!


I finished this jewelry box over the weekend while I was snowed in.  At least one thing good came from that snowstorm.  On a sad note my beautiful guppies were casualties of the storm.

We lost power on Saturday and the temperature drop stressed the fancy guppies.  I never realized they were so fragile.  The guppy tank is in my studio which is the coldest room in the house.  The power was only out for 3 hours but it was mighty cold outside and hubby was having some issues getting the generator started.  I wasn't worried about the turtle tank as it sits in the den right next to the gas fireplace which I had blazing nicely.

When the power came on I thought everything was fine.  The water temp had dropped down in the 60's but warmed back up quickly.  But the very next day my newest guppy which I just got last week wasn't looking so happy.  When I looked closely I could see that he had the dreaded ick.  I then had to brave the icy roads to get some ick medicine from the pet store.  I started treating them right away but it didn't help.  Alas within 3 days all the fish were dead.  Poor little things.

OK enough of the sadness.  On a happier note this jewelry box sold the very first day.  I had to quickly take photos before I sent it off.  A lucky lady received this for her wedding anniversary.  Another satisfied customer!

I have two more jewelry boxes to paint.  Hopefully I can get started on them this weekend.  Right now I have two whimsical candlesticks and a scrapbook to photo and list.  I think need a longer weekend.

Sharon

#whimsical art, #whimsical painting, #jewelrybox, #sharonstrouddesigns

Back To Work After The Holidays

I took most of December off as far as creating new pieces.  I didn't really want to stop working on projects but I knew that it would be best to just enjoy the season and come back refreshed in the new year.  So I've got a couple of projects I'm just finishing up.

The first one is a whimsical trinket box clock.  This one is actually a reclaimed clock.  I wish I had taken photos of the original.  It was quite cheesy!  I really like the way it turned out and it was so much fun to paint.

It's listed on my website as well as my Etsy Store.  I call it Whimsical Trinket Box Clock.  Inventive, I know!

I have another jewelry box in the works and it's 90 percent finished.  As I'm waiting for the blizzard of the century (not!) I intend to wrap it up today.  My plan is to get into the studio, crank up the space heater under my desk and work like a madwoman!

Stay warm wherever you are,
Sharon

Last Photos of Howl-O-Scream 2015

Much as I miss the fun of Howl-O-Scream I'm totally looking forward to the opening day of Christmas Town!  I figured I needed to finish up my Fall photos before moving onto Christmas.  Here are a few of the highlights.

Dr. Frankenstein

Wendigo Monster

Christmas Town opens the day after Thanksgiving.  I'm really looking forward to the yummy peppermint fudge hot chocolate!  In the meantime I'm trying to get prepared for Thanksgiving.  I've got a 23 pound turkey in the freezer that I can almost taste.  Sounds kind of bloodthirsty now that I've put it into words!

Sharon
#Buschgardens, #howl-o-scream, #halloween, #busch,

Fall Photos and a New Topaz Labs Filter

I am so far behind!  Not that that's anything too unusual but the pressure is starting to build up on me.  I took lots of photos this year but unfortunately real life and two jobs have taken up a great deal of my time.  I have barely scratched the surface on my processing tasks.  What a bummer.  Hopefully after the holiday season I can take a break and just work on my photos.

Topaz Labs has just released a new special effects filter called Texture Effects.  I should mention that I LOVE Topaz Labs products.  So when this new one was released I just couldn't resist.

I played around with it the other night just for fun.  These products are so easy to use you can just jump right in there and get some cool effects.  But they are also very powerful editing programs that can give you some amazing effects if you take the time to really work with them.  There is a bit of a learning curve because there are so many options and effects but fortunately Topaz Labs has many webinars and videos to help you get the most out of the program.

On this first picture I had had some difficulty with my camera settings.  I seem to have trouble at night under red lights.  Hopefully I will figure it out some day!  It was much darker than it appears and the area was lit with red spotlights.  Very creepy but didn't translate well in the photo.  I wanted to see if I could salvage this mess and get a usable image with a dark, old world vibe.

Scary ladies at the Busch Gardens Unearthed Haunted House

This next one is just a standard amusement park shot.  I do love the carousel horses at Busch Gardens.  They are painted authentically and the park really keeps them in great shape.  I thought I would give it a somewhat grungy neon look.

Here are the original photos.

 

If you like to play around with special effects you might like to give Texture Effects a try.  They offer a free 30 day trial version.

I'm really hoping to get my fall photos posted before Christmas catches up with me!  It's not likely to happy but I can dream, can't I?

Sharon