So here’s my big announcement–I’m pregnant with baby #3!  I’m about 4 months along.  Due June 30th.  We’re in the market for a bigger car since neither car we have currently will fit more than 4 passengers and we’re about to become a family of 5.

My poor little blog has been neglected!  My New Year’s Resolution is to update here regularly.  I’ll shoot for once a week.

I’ve been in my studio painting every day.  More flower paintings and this newish print:

Sophie and Her Ginger Tom

Also this print:

Raining Down on Me

Last weekend we attended a wedding requiring “Formal Attire”.  This was for Lance’s brother.  Lance was lucky that he was in the wedding and so didn’t have to do much shopping to prepare for the event!  On the other hand, I have been very busy looking for dresses for both me and the Pink Ninja Girl.  I actually needed 2 formal dresses since I also attended the rehearsal dinner.  I’m so happy that I found some nice dresses for both of us.

The first dress is from White House, Black Market.  I wore it with a bright red wool bolero that I knit myself:

The next dress I wore to the wedding.  This is a Banana Republic cocktail dress in iridescent purple taffeta.  I purchased this dress New with tags on eBay.  I wore it with a set of chunky silvery beads and a pair of crystal earrings I found on Etsy (similar to the ones shown here):

The third dress was worn by my daughter to the wedding.  Tea length in a satiny teal with glittery shoulder “straps”.  I took my daughter to a seamstress to have this dress custom altered for her.  It’s spectacular in person and very age appropriate for a 14-year-old!  She wore this dress with a set of silver glass pearls (hand-strung by me), a pair of earrings I bought on Etsy (similar to those shown), a pair of black leather ballet flats with patent leather toes (Aerosoles), and a black Cashmere cardi-wrap:

For Alyssa, I wanted to make sure I bought shoes that she could wear again.  These ballet flats are cute and can be worn with dresses, skirts, or jeans!

We had a great time at the Wedding and Reception!  However, I think we’re also happy to have it behind us and we can start focusing on new activities.  Spring is in the air!  I’m hoping to start preparing for a garden this weekend!  Yay!

Tuesday (Feb 17th) was Oscar’s 1st Birthday!

I can’t believe it’s already been a year…er, ah…it’s only been a year?!? *sigh* It’s been nice being able to embark on my new project working from home so that I can stay with him. Plus, during the day is the best time to take baby pictures! Natural daylight!

Here I caught baby Oscar playing in the curtains again. He loves to look out the window in the living room–the window sill is very low. So he can have a good view of our nutty neighbors doing all their crazy, wacky things (but that’s a story for another day).

(click on a photo to see it in full-sized cuteness)

Oscar has learned some new tricks in time for his first birthday. He was an early walker and so has progressed beyond that to things like running, running in circles, running while holding toys in his hands to bang together, running away with the remote control, and, of course, chasing after the cats. Oscar also likes to cheer (Yaaaay!) while clapping. He also says “Mama”, “Uh-Oh!”, “Noooooo!”, and “Bob” which he says all the time. I wish we actually knew someone named Bob.

Here is one of my recent additions to my shop:

Toxic — Orange Flowers — Original Watercolor Painting 4×6″

I am a colorist at heart. I love being able to play with colors and visual textures and use them in unexpected ways. I find this to be very expressive.

I just found this on eBay and had to share.  Someone has put up for auction on eBay this red paperclip.  At least I think it’s a paperclip…the picture is kinda blurry.  Only 99 cents!  Apparently, the seller is also sending along a “Mystery Gift”.  Well if the gift is as exciting as the paperclip, count me in!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my blog and left comments.  I’m so thrilled that my Orange Owl print was so well-liked by OWOH participants.  Overall my first time in OWOH has been a great experience.  I signed up a bit late so I did not get to visit every site before the deadline.  However, I will be visiting all the sites on the list in my own leisurly way.  I’ve already discovered a number of new blogs to bookmark!  Which was exactly the reason I wanted to participate–to see and be seen.  I’m marking this event in my calendar for next year.

To pick the winner I used the random number generator available from random.org:

The random number is 20.  Which means that Comment #20, Calej of Calej D’Art is the lucky winner!!!  My little owly friend will soon be flying away to its new home in the Philippines!

Illness has been making the rounds in our household.  I’ve been feeling sick ever since we had Alyssa’s birthday slumber party.  So I imagine that getting together 6 germy teenagers for the night was what did it.

Poor baby Oscar has been sickly too!

I have somehow mustered the energy to paint and have listed some new work.  These are large flower paintings all 14×18″ in size.  They have been listed to my shop over the last couple days:

In Too Deep -- Original Watercolor Painting of Flowers -- 14x18"

Passing Fancy -- Original Watercolor Painting -- Yellow Flowers -- 14x18"

I just discovered this wonderful blogging event today called One World-One Heart:

This is an annual event meant to:

bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people

I’m so thrilled to participate for the first time this year and look forward to meeting you all and visiting your blogs!  So while you’re here, please take a look around.  Hope you like flowers and cupcakes!!!

So now for the Giveaway!  To enter, simply leave a comment to this post including your email address.  The cutoff to post a comment and be entered for a chance at my giveaway is Feb, 11th at 12am PST.  I’ll select a winner at random and make the announcement on Feb, 12th.

Here is what you may win:

Little Orange Owl — Print 8×10″

This is a print of my original watercolor illustration featuring a little orange owl against a vibrant aqua-colored sky.  One of my favorites!  It has been printed on my fancy-schmancy printer using pigment inks on a heavy-weight velvety-finished paper.  I created this illustration for my baby boy and he has a copy of it hanging in his room!  I love owls!

❇

We hosted a 14th Birthday Sleepover Party over the weekend…and survived it!  I knew there were a bunch of kids staying here but I didn’t realize just how many until they were all sitting around my dining room table the next morning at breakfast eating bacon-and-eggs and I got a chance to count heads.  SIX!  Six teenagers!!!  Ha-ha!  We were totally out-numbered!  Of course, it all went fine and without incident because they’re all good kids.

I made and decorated cupcake for the occasion.  My daughter is very much interested in Japanese culture so I decided to make them Cherry Blossom Cupcakes (aka Sakura Cupcakes):

These special cupcakes are made from a box cake mix (Funfetti Chip) and frosting from a can (one in chocolate and the other vanilla).  I knew I didn’t want to end up with cupcakes that looked like they belonged at a 5-year-old’s party.  I think that making the design a flowering cherry tree as opposed to pink blossoms up close really made them all-grown-up.

The color scheme is 3 colors:  aqua, pink, and brown.  Looking at it now, I think the photos really don’t do it justice.  The aqua on the cupcakes is pretty close to a tiffany blue even though I was not trying to match this color.  The tree design is all hand drawn using a piping bag.

I also did some in the contrasting brown and pink color scheme.

I finally had an excuse to buy a cupcake stand!!!

Oscar’s Birthday is up next!  It’s his First Birthday.  I’m trying to decide what type of cake to make for him or if I should just have one made at one of the local bakeries.

Today is Pink Ninja Girl’s 14th Birthday!  zOMG!  I can’t believe it’s been 14 years!

Tonight we’ll go out for our annual birthday dinner at the Benihana’s.  Only this year we’ll be taking along an extra party-guest:  Baby Oscar.

On Saturday we’ll be hosting a sleepover party  for a gaggle of giggling girls.  It’ll probably end up like last year:  They’ll be downstairs playing Wii until the crack of dawn and I’ll fall asleep on the couch before 9 o’clock.  Oh but wait…I was over 8 months pregnant last year at this time, so maybe this time I’ll be able to stay awake until the news comes on.

Oscar will be having his 1st Birthday next month.  Ooooh…I’m starting to look forward to having little kid Birthday Parties again!!!

Oh by the way…Oscar is a “handful” (Only in the best possible way, of course)!  He started walking at 9 months old without needing to hold on.  He’s now working on running!  He also knows how to say a few words.  “Hey!”  “Oh no!”  “Uh-Oh!” “Mama”, “Yay!”

Here is some eye-candy.  The painting below is currently available in my shop:

Subtle Sunshine — Original Watercolor ACEO

I took these pictures of baby Oscar while he was busy watching Sesame Street.  This is a new outfit–he’s so adorable in a little hood!  Oh my!  Couldn’t you just pinch those cheeks???  ( Don’t worry…I’ll do it for you )

I just listed this painting in my shop over the weekend.  I call it “Heart Throb” because the colors remind me a lot of Valentine’s Day.

Heart Throb — Original Watercolor Flowers 8×10″