Seaside Sidewalk

Dreamy
8x10
oil on canvas panel
on sale at
Blue Giraffe
Watercolor, Florida
850-231-5112
Sold

Hi! I am so glad you came by today. I am hanging out in the kitchen today it's too cold outside to be on the porch. Something you should know about me, I don't do cold weather. I am a summer girl! I love love love summer. I love sun, sand, and water. In fact we just got back from the beach and I took lots of photos to paint so I can introduce you to my favorite place in the world. Seagrove Beach. This painting is from a photo I took in Seaside, FL. Seaside is a dreamy beach community in Seagrove. Seaside has fabulous homes and cottages, open air market, galleries of art and jewelry, amphitheater for movies on Friday nights, ice cream, bikes with big baskets...the list goes on and on. This particular photo is one of about 5 airstreams parked on the sidewalk in Seaside selling all sorts of fun things ranging from shaved ice to cupcakes. Menus on chalkboards. Umbrellas and chairs inviting you to sit and people watch. And glorious sunsets every afternoon! Dreamy. If you have ever visited Seagrove you will never forget it. If you have never been to Seagrove, you need to go! Every time I leave I feel like I leave part of me there. And when I go back it's like going home. Do you know a place like that? Please leave me a comment of your home away from home. And if you don't have one you can borrow mine until you find one. It's truly dreamy! Thank you so much for coming over today. Please come back, my door is always open. I will be dreaming of summer tonight. love love love, Ruthie

Dare to be Different

Perfect Petals 
16x20
Oil on deep edge gallery wrapped canvas
To be auctioned at
The Montgomery Academy Art Gala
Sold

I'm so glad you dropped by! Come on in, I'm on the back porch. I love to sit on my screened porch. It is one of my favorite places. We are blessed to live on a little land and so I sit and dream about beautiful things to plant all different colors and shapes. This past week when we were in Orlando, I was struck by the spectacular gardening in the theme parks. You all know what I am talking about. Perfectly manicured and absolutely NO stray limbs or flowers. They all look exactly the same. While we are being honest I am a stray limb kinda girl. I think that is why I love this painting so much. All the leaves and petals have their own personality and march to their own beat.
When I was 4, I went to a vacation bible school. There was a woman their named Mrs. Joseph. She had eyes as bright as stars and her smile wrapped me up like a warm blanket. She was different. I liked it. That week she taught me my first bible verse, John 3:16. She not only taught me about Jesus' love for me she showed me His love for me. At the end of the week, I will never forget, she prayed with me and I asked Jesus to come into my heart. Though I did not fully grasp the depth of my decision to follow Jesus, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus loved me and that I would one day get to live with Him in heaven. Until that day I want my life to look different. Like Mrs. Joseph...like Jesus. I must admit being different and marching to my own beat is not always easy. Sometimes it is lonely...sometimes even hurtful. But when I think about Jesus enduring death on the cross for me, a cruddy day is nothing.
So dare to be different. Speak to the girl in line at the grocery store and ask what she is cooking for dinner. Be kind to the guy at the fast food window. Hold the door for a stranger and if you are really feeling brave tell him to have a great day. Thank you Mrs. Joseph for being different and showing me Jesus.
I so enjoyed this time on the porch. Come by anytime, my door is always open. love love love Ruthie

The Lady at the Park

Traveling

SOLD
12x12
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Welcome back! I am so glad you dropped by. I am so sorry I have not been here, I have been on spring break with my family. Have I got some stories for you! There is no way I can tell them all in one day so grab a spoon and your favorite Blue Bell and I will share just one story today.
We spent eight very long hours in the car to reach our destination of Orlando, Fla. Since we arrived so late we went to an outlet mall near our hotel (how convenient) for dinner. We shopped a little and then got to bed early anticipating a long but fabulous day at Universal Studios flying around with Harry Potter. We got to the park very early and ran directly to Hogwarts. Dueling Dragons. dementors. broomsticks, butterbeer, magic wands...an amazing adventure! Truly amazing! However, at the end of the day, the thing that stood out most of all ... believe it or not... the bathroom attendant. I am not kidding. I actually try not to drink anything so I don't have to go to the bathroom, do you know what I mean? It really is kinda gross if you think about it. Anyway, I did drink a huge water and by 10:00am I am looking for the bathroom. I prepare to go in. I take a very large breath, try desperately not to touch anything, push the door open with my sleeve,and would you believe, this precious woman, about my age is in there dressed like a Harry Potter character and she is constantly sweeping and mopping and checking each stall for availability and cleanliness. When the stall was open she would sweetly look toward the line and open the stall door and say "next". When I went again later after a huge diet coke, she was still there. still serving, still smiling. When we left the park at closing time, my feet aching and all of us complaining of basically too much fun, I saw her again sweeping the street outside the bathroom still smiling, still serving. I can't really put into words what my heart feels. I had the day of my life with my family on rides that would blow you away, and yet my mind is focused on this precious woman who served thousands of people she did not even know in kinda the yukkiest place in the park with a sweet smile all day long. All day long! Wow! Humbling! Truly! She blessed me! She challenged me! She reminds me to be thankful! To serve others with a sweet heart! To be kind! The list goes on. You know it does! I hope her story encourages you to live outside your bubble and serve someone else. It takes time. It takes effort. Sometimes it even takes courage. But the reward is great! It's worth it!
I know that was a lot to take in, but it's been heavy on my mind. Thanks for stopping by. I love love love seeing you. Come any time, the door is always open. Leave me comment of job you had that may not have been your favorite, but one that brought with it lessons and rewards.  love love love Ruthie

Spring Break

8x8 
Oil on canvas panel
on sale at
Blue Giraffe
Watercolor, Florida
850-231-5112
SoldSpring Break

I am so glad you dropped by the house. Please come on in and make yourself at home. Does this painting make you want to sit outside and drink lemonade and soak up sun, or what? I love that. I took this photo in our favorite place in the world, Seagrove, Florida. If you have never been there I highly recommend it. Lots of sun, white sand, and crystal blue green water as far as the eye can see. Oh my word I wish I was there right now. Anyway, I took this photo during our last spring break at one of our favorite little places to eat in Seagrove. Can't you just picture yourself there? Me too.  Anyway, speaking of spring break, I love it! Who am I kidding? I love holidays. But spring break just seems to get here every year at just the right time. Do you know what I mean? You just think you can't make it one more day and spring break just breathes life into your soul and gives you exactly what you need to make it to the end of  the school year. I will never forget my first spring break after I got married. I was teaching school and the first friday of spring break I practically broke speed laws driving home. I raced in the back door to find my husband hard at work and I said "babe its spring break!!!!!" and he looked at me with those sweet brown eyes and said "Babe I don't get spring break." Wow, the real world.  I was one sad little girl. But don't be sad because once my children reached school age Spring Break was back!!! I love it! And with 5 children spring break will be around for a while. I know it will be different when they are gone, but that is another blog for another day!

     I so enjoyed talking with you today. Thank you for dropping by. I hope I have put you in "spring break" mode. Tell me your favorite place to go for spring break! I love holidays! Really and truly every day is a holiday. So enjoy your holiday today! Come by anytime, my door is always open. love love love Ruthie

Welcome Home

WELCOME HOME
8x8
oil on canvas panel
$300

I thought for my first post it would be a good idea to paint my front door and invite you into my home! I am so excited about my artful journey and so happy that you have chosen to take this adventure with me. So please come on in and make yourself at home. You can probably find me in the kitchen. My husband and I have 5 amazing children so I can honestly tell you that the majority of our lives takes place in the kitchen. Yes I prepare alot of meals in here, but my most favorite things are the millions of conversations that happen spontaneously around the table. You know the ones...at dinner or after school or after the football game or after a date. Oh yeah, and usually with a big bowl of "Blue Bell" and chocolate sauce. So grab a spoon and sit right down. There is never a dull moment around our kitchen table. Just last night my oldest son enlisted all of us to blow up about 25 balloons and tie them on a string. With balloons in hand and a bouquet of roses and shoe polish and a note and a bag of flour he was out the door dressed in black at about 10:45pm.  He reached his destination and decorated a precious girl's car in shoe polish and balloons. He somehow attached roses to her car with a note inviting her to the prom. Is that so fun or what. I wish I could tell you that it was my idea, but he came up with all that on his own. Oh, what did he do with the bag of flour? He spelled out the word "PROM?" in her yard. So when she got up this morning she woke up to that! And if you were wondering, She said Yes!
I know you have many kitchen table memories. Please share one of your favorites with me!!! I'd love to hear from you. And I know you've got a prom memory or two! Definitely share one with me!! Thank you for coming by today! I loved visiting with you! Please come by anytime, my door is always open.
Love love love, Ruthie