An early Christmas gift!

a gift to you

Hi to all my blogland friends! I would like to give you this Christmas card as a gift for your loyalty and support! You mean so much to me and have touched my life in so many ways. This is my way of saying thank you! So please feel free to download this image for your own use (no mass producing as the image still belongs to J Beaudet Studios) You can make cards to send to your friends or just enjoy it in your own home:) If you do accept it please help spread the word about my work! Please post this on your blog if you have one and mention following my blog. Sharing it is so appreciated just as long as you give a link back and mention me:) I would be forever grateful! 

Happy Holidays!

#twitterartexhibit in L.A.

I did this little painting for a charity exhibit in Los Angeles called #TwitterArtExhibit. This is their 3rd year and it just keeps growing. Each entry can only be 4x6 inches or smaller. This was a little difficult because that's usually the size use for my sketches. I also did it on paper instead of canvas because I don't have any loose canvas on hand right now. I chose a reference photo I took on my trip to Maui last Spring. Just another beautiful road in the upcountry area with beautiful jacaranda tree lined roads.

If you're interested in joining the cause you can find more information here.

Have a great weekend:)

Still Life Study in Blue

no longer available 

I did this study for the weekly challenge on daily paint works. I haven't painted anything in over a week 

so I wanted to keep this one loose and spontaneous. I think I'll have to retake the photo because it was dark when I took this shoot. Actually it was dark all day. Dark and rainy. This painting shows the mood I've been in for the last few days. I've been feeling tired and achy, maybe fighting something off.

Also here
frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com

And here

Stuff and Nonsense

Lovely Etsy Shop!

Gorgeous

It's been a while since I've posted about other products that I love. I've been so busy concentrating on 

painting that I've been neglecting my beautiful blog. I'd like to highlight a wonderful shop on Etsy that I've recently purchased from. So I can tell you first hand of the quality and beauty of the items in ShopPretties. I even love the name. The owner of this lovely shop is Deb Lonergan. 

She is so gracious and her customer service is top notch. My package came wrapped in a pretty bow ready to give to my mother for her 70th birthday!

love this one!

This is the one I gave my mom!

with these to match!

My mom is very high fashion, always has been. She has great taste and knows what she likes. She's kind of a jewelry snob. Boy does she ever love her latest additions and even got her nails done to match! She also just purchased a new Judith Ripka piece to go with her new set. Now it's complete! We had a surprise party for her and was she ever surprised! It was great! Her friends from across the country came, as did all her family members! It was so touching to see her crying for joy! We had a wonderful dinner catered at a local Bed and Breakfast called The Whitmore Inn. It's a victorian home all decorated in that era. It was a wonderful way to celebrate. Her husband had planned everything...he's so special. 

New Cards and Studio News!

On Etsy Here

no longer available

I'm now offering a whole new line of greeting cards with images of my paintings on them.

These are notecards and they're blank inside so you can use them for anything. I've signed each one and have hand embellished some of them with paint, pen, pencil, and can't forget the glitter!

I'll post those here when I have them ready. I'm selling some in sets but you can select whatever images you want. I'm flexible, just convo me on Etsy or email! 

This is the just the beginning. Eventually I will be offering larger cards and more. 

Now on to the news! Last Friday, while on Facebook, I stumbled upon a contest at Fine Art Tips. It's called Favorite Friday and is graciously hosted by Lori McNee, an amazing artist and social media guru. All you have to do to enter is pick your favorite painting (your own art) and whoever gets the most "likes" wins a 15 minute consultation with Lori. As soon as I posted my painting (the one in the post below) the likes started rolling in! Then she liked it, so her fans saw it and I got more! Then I shared it with my friends. Anyway....I won!!!! I really can't believe it but it's true. So I am having a meeting (on the phone) on Monday! So excited!

This is Home...

Here's the painting I just finished for the December Art Cruise in beautiful Weaverville, Ca. This is about 15 minutes away from my house and a very popular fishing spot. 

While I was taking the photos

a man was just reeling in a big salmon. I took a picture of hime but probably should have got his email or something because now I have a nice pic of some guy and his catch of the day.

 It sold within the first day of posting so I guess there's a market for this. I'll be doing more in between my Hawaii and vintage ladies and Italian architecture...

ps I was just admiring my beautiful blog. I love how it looks and owe it all to Julie at 

BeingRuby.blogspot.com. If you're reading this Julie, thank you! I never get 

tired of it:)

Peonies!

please click here to view on Etsy

I've done this little painting several times for custom orders. I recently did one for an order and at the same time painted this painting. I had never completed two paintings at once. 

I liked how I didn't have any leftover paint. It also helped keep the colors similar. 

The background and jug is a little washed out in this photo. 

I haven't had a chance to work on my cloud paintings yet but plan on getting to those

and my piece for the gallery this weekend. Christmas time is coming soon and I want to offer some small gifts at a local shop. I just have to come up with some ideas. Do you think art is something 

people buy as gifts or is it more a personal item?

Hope you have a great weekend!

First Sunset

no longer available 

This study of a sunset in San Clemente was done as one of the weekly challenges on Daily Paintworks. I'm donating this painting to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. The challenge was to paint the sky, which seems easy enough but I have some things to learn yet. I'm taking a workshop from Richard Robinson and this month is dedicated to painting clouds. Just what I needed. I was fortunate enough to have him choose my Hawaii painting (see earlier post below) for his critique last month. I learned a lot from it and am looking forward to many more workshops. I'm still going to post photos of my paintings in the local gallery but haven't gotten to that yet. I'll be getting another piece in another gallery this month. Stay tuned...

Have a great weekend!

New Vintage Lady Painting

sold

It's been awhile since I've painted a vintage lady. This piece was done for last weeks challenge on DPW, "paint your undies".  This was fun to do. I'm going to have to retake the photo though because some of the details got a little washed out, such as the table. 

Thanks for your visit and your comments!

The Path to Fall...

I just finished this painting of some more beautiful fall colors. I used a palette knife for most of this. Lots of texture, which I like. My next one is going to be something different. 

The challenge is "paint your undies", so we'll see. 

Tranquility...

sold

This nice little barn was for a challenge on DPW to paint an emotion.

 I thought about doing a figure or face but

I've been enjoying the fall theme so much and had to just go with it. 

This barn is in a beautiful place about 15 minutes from my house. 

The emotion I feel is tranquil, if that can be considered an emotion, I think it is. 

I'm working on another fall tree painting right now and it's giving me some

struggles...if you don't see it posted in a few days, it didn't make it. Or should I say I didn't make it.

Dreaming of Hawaii...

sold

Ahhh...that's how I feel when I think of Hawaii. I wonder if I would still feel that way

if I lived there. Would that feeling go away? 

I did this painting for an online workshop I'm doing. It's called The Complete Artist and is

taught by Richard Robinson. This was a challenge for me because of the sloping sand and shadows. The beach is called Turtle Beach on the island of Oahu. The official name is Laniakea. 

Beautiful place. 

New Fall Tree Painting and new catalog...

sold

I thought I'd give do another birch tree painting for the DPW challenge since my last one has a bid! I'm loving the fall colors that are emerging. I think next week might be a good one for taking pictures around town and in the mountains. 

I like how this one turned out. It has such a fall feel to it and when I was painting it I was totally thinking...Halloween. It's one of my favorite holidays even though I haven't done anything for years. I used to love dressing up and then there were the costume parties. So much fun! After I had my daughter, I enjoyed taking her trick or treating and sneaking her snickers she got. (shhh don't tell her) haha! Now she's in her third year of college and going to her own costume parties. I always make sure she takes a pic on her phone of her costume so I can see it.  

Here's a new catalog from a blogger friend of mine. If you love French items, antiques, jewelry, etc. you should definitely check it out. I couldn't figure out how to put the mini of it on here but here's the link

Le Boutiques

Birch Trees Fall Foliage!

sold

This was a painting I just completed for the weekly challenge on DPW. This is my first attempt at painting these trees and it was definitely a challenge with so many vertical lines! 

I used both a brush and palette knife for added interest. The painting isn't quite as dark on the bottom right in person, I think the easel gave it a shadow. I'm going to fix the tree in the middle so that 

the top isn't so pronounced. I just need to blur it a little 

because right now it's almost smack in the middle, which divides the painting in half.

A Bouquet of Roses...

ROSE BOUQUET

no longer available 

If you'd like to purchase or just learn more you can click here.

Little Gull Guy

sold

I did this for a challenge and didn't think I would like it but I do. It's cute, don't you think? I added a slight point to the tail because it just looks a little too blunt here. I'm planning a new floral piece right now and also thinking about some umbrellas. This weekend flew by and I can't believe we're in fall now. I can really feel it in the air. I'm looking forward to the beautiful fall colors around here. I was in L.A. at this time last year so I missed the colors.

Kauai!

in private collection

Kauai is one of my favorite islands in Hawaii. I really love them all but I've been to Kauai three times now and never get tired of it. It's everything I think of when I think of paradise. 

I took this photo a few years back and just found it when looking for another. It's a beach called Salt Pond Beach Park. I remember we almost had the whole beach to ourselves. 

It was magical, just like every day is in Kauai. 

French Country Decor...

sold

Well my Trinity County scene has gone through a lot of changes. I almost trash it all together but

I think I like it now. I haven't posted it yet because i'm still thinking about it. I may have chosen the wrong view to use.Anyway, I painted this little guy today outside. I'm trying to get my plein air equipment together. I had some help from a post by a fellow painter. Here's her blog with a link directly to her directions on making a pochade box.I have the tripod but still need to attach the box. I used eye hooks on one side of the box and put wire through itso it won't swing open all the way. I still need something to keep it from closing. Lauren used a hanger wire which sounds like a good idea. There's some drilling involved and something I have to get at the hardware store soI'll have to finish it in a few days. I've pain tined outside before but at a table.I'm trying to get set up so I can paint anywhere. It's only taken me about 2 or 3 years to do this; I think it's definitely time.

Just a few small changes...

nfs

The changes I made may not even be noticeable to you. 

I took the yellow out that was in the top

right corner, toning the background down a bit. 

Now it has pinks, blues and grays which may be go

with more decor. 

So, I've lived in "the woods" off and on, for over 10 years. 

Since then I've dealt with a lot of creatures in my house that

I would really rather not have to deal with. We've had frogs, millipedes, big, big, spiders,

mice, scorpions, and bats. Last night a bat came in and flew right at my face as I 

was trying to run down the hall and shut my door. I turned around to see where it was and there

it was right in front of my face! We couldn't get it out because our ceilings are so high so we shut

the door and went to bed. It was gone in the morning and now I'm so freaked out that

it's going to pop out at me again. I know they can have rabies but don't think I 

was bit. I think I would know.  I really, really, want to move back to the

beach right now!