A new snowdrops painting....

is in the works for 2018!! 

I LOVE WINTER...AND SNOWDROPS! Basically, anything including the word "snow" is usually is enough to make me happy. :)

Been working on a new snowdrops themed painting these last few weeks with a serene color scheme of soft sage green and a bevy of gorgeous grays. Different than my usual bright and colorful color palette, yet I must say I'm thoroughly enjoying it. 

Progress pics below as well as January 2016's "Silence of the Snowdrops" painting (still my favorite painting to date) with links to PRINTS and a sweet pendant necklace featuring that painting.

Wishing everyone a blessed and happy New Year!!

PRINTS 

PENDANT NECKLACE

first painting of 2017...DONE!

winter's keepers
8x10, acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2017

every year i try to pay homage to my most favorite season of all (WINTER) with a painting or drawing. this year, i thought i'd create a whimsical self portrait of sorts because who loves winter more than this big brown eyed girl?! some cute little snow bunnies, perhaps....:)

PRINTS available for now. my S6 shop is still a work in progress but eventually i will be adding her (and some other paintings from last year) so that mugs, wall clocks, phone cases, etc can be purchased....'cause you know you want a coffee mug with those CUTE little bunny faces staring back at you while enjoying your morning cup of sunshine! :)

SCARF INSPIRATION....because i LOVE me a PLAID BLANKET SCARF!

throwback to my favorite season....

silence of the snowdrops
8x10, acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2016

WINTER!!!

with almost triple digits temps going on here the last few days (ugh!) well, i thought we could all use a friendly reminder of a much colder time....you're welcome. :)

{ps and btw, this is my favorite painting. must be the winter theme...}

PRINTS HERE. OTHER GOODIES HERE. and for a little Eira (that's her name) in the making, visit my Facebook page HERE.

so, these arrived the other day...

well done, Society6. well done.

you know, it's always such a rush to see my finished paintings on products such as tote bags, wall clocks, tech cases, etc. really. it never gets old. to say it's rewarding is well, an understatement. NOTHING makes me happier than painting/drawing. COUNTLESS hours go into building up a painting....from the initial sketching process to the layers of prep work for the canvas and then the of course adding the COLOR with layers of acrylic. every single brush stroke is a joy to make. then, to see it all done is overwhelming. (i must confess, i cry sometimes when i finish a painting...there's just SO much emotion and passion that i put into each and every single one. finishing one is definitely bittersweet...whether it's a commission or just one that i've painted that will sit in my studio until it sells one day). so back to Society6 and the A-MAZ-ING printing job they do....

the above pic shows the tote bag (sized at 16x16) and the really awesome "carry all pouch" (as they call it-available in THREE sizes-this is the medium). love love love how these turned out. so true to the original painting (which is FOR SALE-contact me if interested)...just lovely.

also ordered a few mugs for Mother's Days gifts that impressed me as well (pic coming soon). they have everything from wall clocks to throw pillows to duvet covers to stationary cards. click on over here to the homepage and check out some other really great artists and their products. you won't be disappointed.

the making of "silence of the snowdrops"...step by step!

i thought it would be interetsing and fun to take a look into the creative process of my paintings...from thumbnail to sketch to paint palette(s) to the finsihed piece. i know i absolutely geek out looking at other artists WIPs so i thought i'd create a new album after each painting of the step by step process i use (and have used for YEARS) and share it with everyone. i work traditonally...pencil, paper, paint, canvas. i have much respect for the digital artists of the world yet for me, the passion and love will ALWAYS be in the traditonal tube of paint. old school...and proud. 

for a look at the full album and step by step instructions, please click on over to my Facebook page...and perhaps give it a "like", if you would be so kind! :)

PRINTS of this beauty here. ORIGINAL PAINTING is AVAILABLE. contact me, if interested. 

first painting of 2016...done!

silence of the snowdrops
8x10 acrylic on canvas
©the enchanted easel 2016

winter, my favorite season. meet Eyra...."silence of the snowdrops".

this is my most favorite painting i have ever done. i am a winter lover through and through and nothing will ever change that. snow, icicles, cold air, snowdrops....i love all of it. tried a softer color palette for this piece to (hopefully) convey that frosty feel that winter brings and i also tried a bit of a new technique (which i am currently obsessing over)...

MULTIPLE coats of gesso on an already pre-primed canvas. i. am. smitten. i wanted something smoother, something that didn't *eat* the paint like the very lightly pre-primed canvas did. i tossed around painting on wood but then didn't want to have to go down the road of heavy shipping rates being that the wood is considerably heavier than canvas. plus, i love canvas....painted on it since i was a little girl when i got my hands on my first paintbrush so i kind of have a sentimental attachment to it (big surprise, what am i NOT sentimentally attached to?!). anyhoo...i have found that 6 coats (yes, 6) got me the texture (or lack of) that i was seeking. applied in alternate directions (one app-vertical, next app-horizontal...and so forth) with LIGHT sanding in between...paint applied like a dream. time to start buying gesso in buckets...:)

beautiful little Eyra is for sale as a PRINT here  with other novelties featuring this lovely here.

see, winter can be beautiful...:)

*ORIGNAL PAINTING IS FOR SALE. EMAIL ME HERE IF INTERESTED.

SNOW, multitasking...and SUPER BOWL BOUND!!!

crazy couple of weeks (hence the lack of blogging-*hangs head in shame*) but i've been busy and that's a very good thing!

another good thing? i FINALLY got my SNOW!!! over 30"....not too shabby! 

and what's the greatest thing that's happened to me in the last 2 weeks? wait for it, wait for it....PEYTON MANNING IS SUPER BOWL BOUND!!! (should have just done a whole separate post for this one....LOVE THIS MAN) i cried like a baby. EVERYONE who knows me personally knows how much respect and love i have for this man...and have (loyally) for almost TWO DECADES. never wavered once. knowing this may be his last rodeo, well i want him to go out BIG! no one is more deserving. prayers and fingers crossed for a SB WIN on 2/7/16....although this man will ALWAYS be a WINNER to me! love you, Peyton Manning.

2016's first week....

so sometime this winter, i'd really love to see some snow...until then, i'll have to paint myself a beautiful winter muse. and that's exactly what i've been working on....

  

DECEMBER DISCOUNT DAYS...DAY 22!

so, today is officially WINTER!!! well, i am ecstatic about that as it is and always will be my favorite season. however, i may have a bone or two to pick with Mr. December. this month has been more like spring than any December i can remember....and that bums me out. hopefully, at some point. Jack Frost will decide to pay me a visit. i miss him.

on a happier note....today is officially the first day of WINTER!!! and this beauty is today's FEATURED DRAWING! the lovely and pristine, Crystal.

{on a side note, i'm wearing RAIN boots to the post office today instead of SNOW boots. can i just say how wrong that is?! :( }

***last year on this day, i was snapping pics with Jack Frost....my forever love.***

DECEMBER DISCOUNT DAYS...DAY 9!

40% off day 9's FEATURED ORIGINAL DRAWING....the happy little Glacia.

{proof indeed that winter is wonderful! :)}

DECEMBER DISCOUNT DAYS....DAY 2!

this beauty is TODAY'S FEATURED DISCOUNT piece....an ORIGINAL DRAWING (and one of my favorites, if i do say so myself). 

click here to purchase the beautiful, Icelyn...and here to read a bit about DECEMBER DISCOUNT DAYS.

{check back tomorrow for Thursday's featured piece...}

throwback....

to last WINTER and these two cuties....they put me in my HAPPY place! :)

'cause this girl has had ENOUGH of this rainforest-like climate and disgustingly high levels of humidity. i just was not made to handle such conditions. perhaps that is why i am known as the "ice princess" amongst my friends. WINTER is MY season! 

ahh, Mr. WINTER...how i miss you so. your pristine beauty from freshly fallen SNOW to clean, cold temps. i await you anxiously, my dear friend....overly anxiously perhaps....i digress. and with that being said...

these two bits of adorableness known as Alaska and her little buddy, Aspen can be found FOR SALE here. they are ORIGINAL PAINTINGS, NOT REPRODUCTIONS.

however, since i like to offer up choices, reproductions and other bits of deliciousness with these two featured can be found here and here as well.

why not get yourself in the WINTER spirit now?! i surely am every. single. day.

{i need to write/illustrate a kids book about the wonders of winter, i'm thinking....}

warm winter wishes...

crystal~graphite on bristol
©the enchanted easel 2015

love, crystal

xxx

ORIGINAL DRAWING FOR SALE, IN MY SHOP, NOW!

{little crystal is 2015's first drawing....and she has two friends to join her....COMING SOON! :)}

stripes and bows...

©the enchanted easel 2014

©the enchanted easel 2014

and a sweet little penguin named alaska!

that's what's been on the easel this week...in honor of my favorite season, which is right around the corner...WINTER! :)

detail of my painting "the wistful ones"
©the enchanted easel 2014

what's that you say, mr. polar bear? you'd like to take me away with you on an ARCTIC adventure? well, yes sir. i would happily oblige you, mr. polar bear...as we seem to have a true love and appreciation for the same type of climate. :)

{it's NO secret...i loathe summer, heat and humidity. not one bone in my little august born body likes this weather...especially once the numbers hit triple digits. add in the words "oppressive" and "heat warning" and yeah, nicole is not a happy camper. so.....

AC is pumped up, Christmas music is on (after all it is Christmas in july) and i'll be dreaming of snowflakes and Christmas lights while painting at the easel. speaking of "Christmas lights"...(sorry, couldn't resist attaching the video below) which leads me to some wishful thinking...perhaps a little Chris Martin under my preverbal Christmas tree. hmmm..;)}

***ps and btw, here's a link to the painting above...FOR SALE as a PRINT***

https://www.etsy.com/listing/180804870/the-wistful-ones-reproduction

illustration friday~spark

the wistful ones
©the enchanted easel 2014

ahh, the look of love...

who could resist a baby polar bear with that *spark* of magic in his eyes? ;)

PRINTS AVAILABLE HERE:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/180804870/the-wistful-ones-reproduction

the wistful ones

my latest painting, entitled "the wistful ones" is now FOR SALE as a REPRODUCTION in my shop.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/180804870/the-wistful-ones-reproduction

the second painting in my *new* style. had planned on having this done a couple of weeks ago, in time for valentine's day, but mother nature and some winter storms had other plans (power outages and no heat mean no painting). but, better late than never. 

besides, who could turn down a sweet little baby polar bear with such a "wistful" look of love in his eyes...? ;)

finishing touches...

this weekend on this little piece of loveliness. :)

©the enchanted easel 2014

©the enchanted easel 2013

"the wistful ones"

this lovely little piece of cuteness was slated for a release this past friday, february 7. that was my plan anyway...until a fierce ice storm rolled through here and left most of chester county without power...and without heat. really tough to paint with gloves on (although let it be known that i surely did try). i so wanted this to be for sale for valentine's day, but mother nature had other plans. :(

been working on it as much as i can (obviously it won't be done in time for hearts day this friday) as well as working on some other things for a donation for a sick friend from high school. as well as working on another painting for a sick friend from high school. will always put my own work aside to help anyone in need as much as i possibly can....even if it's just donating some art for a good cause.

hoping to have this piece done in a week or two. providing mother nature cooperates, that is...(from my mouth to God's ears!)

feeling wistful....

a sneak peek at the sketch for the next painting on the easel.

fulls sketch posted SOON! :)

such a boot girl....
©the enchanted easel 2014

hats and snowflakes...
©the enchanted easel 2014

with a wistful look in his eyes and his heart in his mouth...
©the enchanted easel 2014