Dec 21, 2009

January Class Full!

I'm so excited about my first "Coffee, Tea, and Paint Therapy" class being filled!  Thank you to all who have signed up!  We're going to have so much fun!  I've opened up the February class for sign ups for those of you who missed the January one. (See the sign up through PayPal over to the right).  I'll get busy figuring out what we're going to paint in February.  Should be something about love I would think...chocolate and roses come to mind, maybe some champagne glasses...hmmm.  Send me a photo if you have an idea!

Wow, I can't believe Christmas is 4 days away.  I still need to make sure I have everything and figure out what to cook for us here.  My Murrah family will be in Nashville Christmas Eve so I'm headed up there to visit and cook (and paint a little with my Sister-in-law Lissa).  Gotta have Mama's cornbread dressing, sweet potatoes, green beans, fruit salad, Mrs. Smiths rolls, sweet tea and hopefully Lissa's coconut cake...yeah!  Add a few more pounds.   Bill is so busy managing the Athens Railroad Bazaar I have hardly seen him this week. Go by and see him if you get a minute and pick up a guitar or two : ) Looking forward to a little time Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to celebrate with our daughter. We started a little early with our trip to Denver for her Dec. 2nd birthday.


   

We had a great night at the Red Caboose Saturday night.  Thanks to all who came and celebrated the season with Sister Grace !  Our next event will be in February at the Guntersville State Lodge with a group from Vestavia Hills UMC in Birmingham so we're looking forward to working on some new songs to share with them.  We may even play our own instruments again.  Let us know if you would like us to come and sing at your church service or if you're planning a ladies retreat in the spring. We'd love to share our ministry with you.

Wishing you all a cozy Christmas and rich blessings in the year ahead!

Tina
P.S. (A day at home today with no one to talk to so I'm a little verbose, sorry!) Here's the latest artwork...tried out charcoal drawing again.  That's fun too but I do love my oils! This was a commission for a sweet friend, Charlotte at work.  The photo this was taken from was very special to her....

Dec 20, 2009

Only 3 slots left in the January Painting Class!




Sign up today over on the right side of this page and secure one of the remaining slots in my January 9th "Coffee, Tea, and Paint Therapy" classes.  See my story of how I became a painter on my website under "about Tina" and learn why I think everyone should try it!

Dec 15, 2009

Don't forget - Saturday Night - The Red Caboose in Elkmont


We're counting down the days now 'til Christmas!  Looking forward to Saturday night and hoping to see lots of good friends...including YOU!  Be there!

Dec 3, 2009

Swindell's Still Kicking! (What a morning!)


Ok, so I'm home today packing for this quick little trip to Denver for my daughter's birthday. All excited, can't wait to see some real snow (though we may miss some here in Athens)! So I'm, as usual, doing about 40 things at one time...packing, drawing, framing something, cleaning the kitchen, taking the dog out, reading about SG in the local magazines (check that out below), cleaning out the Thanksgiving food from the fridge...etc. when I go to check the dryer. Bill is so sweet to always do the laundry...well, except for the folding and putting away part which I take care of...so, he's thrown in a load this morning and left the dryer running. I open the door and what do I find...one little brown bear ((Ellie's toy), some towels, a black pair of socks, my two brand new 40%modal/60% cotton long sleeve Gap t-shirts in a pale golden and deep royal blue...yes together, AND...along with assorted socks and underwear from the blackest black to white....MY BRAND NEW SILKY BLOUSE AND CAMISOLE FROM CHICO'S!! Well, thank the Lord, it all came out perfect some how or another so he's still living! I was about to go down to that Railroad Bazaar and pick him up by the collar and tell him a thing or two! Mercy, after 30 years you'd think I'd ban him from the washing machine...but then we'd never have anything clean would we? Whadya think? Would you let him keep it up?

Check out "Athens Now" and "Limestone Living"!
                              




Yep, that last one is Ellie after a bath on a cold day : )

Later!

Tina

Nov 29, 2009

Great Time at the Red Caboose last night!

Thanks so much to all of the wonderful friends and family who came out to the Red Caboose last night in Elkmont to hear us.  Special thanks to our guest, Adam Henly who added some great saxophone to some of our songs including our original "It's Just Not Christmas". That one is slowly but surely becoming a classic Christmas song...what all writers hope for!  It's been recorded by Ronnie Milsap, Kenny Rogers, Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell (I even got to sing on that one!) and, most recently Bonnie Bramblett. Oh and yes, we did get to hear it on Muzak in an elevator....so, we're very thankful  for the success of that song and for our opportunity to work with Johnny Sandlin who produced the Allman Brothers back in their heyday among a host of others.  "It's Just Not Christmas" was co-written with Johnny's wife, Ann Sandlin and Debbie Cochran. 


Join us again on December 19th!  Gary Compton at The Red Caboose says he's getting lots of calls already on that show so call soon for reservations @ (256)306-6201 or e-mail theredcabooseonline@gmail.com.

See you then! 

And btw.... Take the time to enjoy all your blessings right now, and if you're spinning too fast, Slow Down!

Tina

Nov 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!  I'm so thankful for SO many things that I've been blessed with in my life, my family, a beautiful daughter, a husband who is there for me, my brothers, my church family, my work family, my music families and so many wonderful friends who are there for the good times and the tough times.  God has blessed me beyond all my expectations.  I pray for those in my world who are struggling through various things right now, illness, marital problems, loved ones overseas, loss of jobs and other things that I may not even be aware of.  May we all remember all the ways in which we have been blessed today and enjoy special moments with those we love.


Tina

Nov 20, 2009

Register for "Coffee, Tea & Paint Therapy"



Register at the top right of my blog and we'll paint this scene in our January 9th "Coffee, Tea and Paint Therapy session. Every second Saturday of the month!  

Sep 19, 2009

Latest Portrait - Elizabeth




Here's pretty little Elizabeth that I just finished. I took the sunflowers from another photo and added the fence as a backdrop. She was such a joy to paint. I learn more each time I paint a portrait. I truly learned my lesson this time about measuring prior to starting and sketching to assure that the eyes, nose, mouth are in the right spot. I've started a new portrait of two little girls and I'll post those soon. Please sign up to be notified of my posts and I'd love to hear your comments!


Jul 19, 2009

Thank God Dreams Survive


In honor of the 40th anniversary of the moon landing I'm posting our song "Thank God Dreams Survive" on our website and hope that you'll go out and listen and honor those who've dedicated their lives to the space program. NASA is a positive force in an otherwise mixed up world. I'm proud of all we've done and continue to do that helps mankind the world over. Join us tomorrow at the U. S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville for our moon landing celebration. My band "The Valley Cats" will be performing from 1:00 to 5:oo. I'm very proud to be a NASA Girl!




Jun 10, 2009

The Latest From My Easel




Check out the latest few paintings I've done and let me know what you think! Crazy mixture but someone wanted a Sundrop, someone wanted a dancer for a child's room and then I was inspired by a painting I saw in a window a few years ago and found out it's by a Russian artist. I have wanted to try a different style and it turned out sort of interesting. If anyone is interested in any of these or something similar give me a call. 256-497-3838.

May 22, 2009

Davis Family

Here's an oil paintin that I finished recently as a wedding gift. 36" x 36" oil on canvas.
Call me at 497-3838 if you're interested in a commissioned painting.

Apr 12, 2009

Easter Sunday


I decided to try painting Jesus today. Couldn't let Carole & Claire post theirs without seeing what would happen if I tried. He developed on the canvas as I watched. I'm so thankful that HE LIVES!

Jan 11, 2009



Yea! My client came to pick up her portrait and was very pleased. I'm so happy that she liked it! This is an oil portrait on 20" x 24" canvas. I've worked on it on and off for about 6 months. I hope it's one that she will treasure. I feel that I did capture the sweet spirit of these two young boys. They were a delight to photograph...so full of energy but so well mannered.
Looking forward to my next portrait challenge! (Below you can see the photograph that I painted from.)


Blog Archive