Reflections

   I love this time of year. The leaves are off the trees except this one flaming beauty at the pond. The hills look like they have been stroked with a soft brush loaded with blues and sienna. The deer have changed to a darker color  and are well disguised as they walk through the forest. The north and the south wind continue to fight but the north wind is winning now dropping the temperatures more after each encounter. The shorter days make the chickens want to get fed and to bed much earlier. The garden is put to rest with the vegetables put up for winter use. The hay is stacked in the new barn for the horses.I find myself as usual sleeping an hour longer falling into the natural rhythm of the season. It is a time of year that brings about allot of reflection and gratitude for the last year.
   This is also a busy time of year with all the shopping and preparations for the holidays. For us artists and crafters we are working doubly hard in our shops and studios just like Santa's little elves. Take a cue from mother nature and try to get a little more rest. Enjoy this beautiful season.
               
                       The sale continues at Lancaster Art.
  

Friday Favorites

DoxieDoodles

Marsha Neal Studio

Glitz Glitter

DoxieDoodles

Barbrie777

Pretty Racoon

My Great Big Sale

The Birthday Holiday Etsy Free Shipping Sale
 I moved out of the tepee and back in the studio less than a month ago and already I'm feeling claustrophobic.
Two galleries have closed this year. I have ended up with so much work and so little space I decided to have a sale. I listed some things on clearance and they sold. Listed a few more and more sold. I put 24 more paintings and prints on sale and will continue to add more throughout the sale.
Then I read about the Etsy Holiday Sale for black Friday weekend. And the free shipping weekend. So what the heck. I'll have free shipping on everything that is not on sale and run the sale until my birthday Dec. 18th.

Some of this is work I did quite some time ago with a few recent paintings mixed in. Many are framed. Prices are 25-50% off. If it's not on sale the shipping is free.
         Come take a look around for amazing bargains Lancaster Art

Tusdays With Tonka The Thanksgiving Story

Synco and Grandma both crossed the rainbow bridge the year before I was born. I heard a lot of stories about them both and feel like I knew them. I wish I would have.

Grandma was in the nursing home four years before her passing at 95. Synco and mom went to stay with her every night. Grandma loved Synco very much and Synco felt the same way about Grandma. Grandma would feed him ice cream off a spoon and Synco a 130 pound wolf would crawl into bed with Grandma every night until she went to sleep. Everyone thought he was an angel, but mom told me he was a thief. It was just the wolf I him.

And that brings us back around to the Thanksgiving story.

The whole family was gathered up for Thanksgiving Day.

The house was full of people. There were lots of kids and a bunch of dogs following the kids waiting for a handout. And then there was Synco cruising the tables of food right at nose level. Football was on and chaos was reigning. Grandma was in the living room in her wheelchair. Close byin the dining room a large table was set up with a huge turkey and right next to it an equally large ham. The family was standing in a line that curled around the table. Synco eyes the ham. His favorite. He weaves his way through the people, works his way to the table and in a flash snatches the whole ham. He makes a run for it, straight to Grandma. We all knew in that instant that if he made to Grandma he would get to eat that whole ham. One of the girls, the fast one, intercepts the wolf, grabs the huge ham out of his mouth and tosses it back on the table in one fluid movement. The crowd went wild. Grandma laughed until tears streamed down her face. Everyone agreed it was better than the game.

That’s the way I heard it anyway.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Sublime

Sublime Blue and Lime treasury

Spirit Guides in this beautiful treasury by AJewelryBoxx

Giclee prints of this soul stirring painting Spirit Guides are available at my Etsy shop LancasterArt.

Check out my Etsy Holiday Sale and Etsy Free Shipping.

Treasures and Treasuries

Today I am in two treasuries and an alternate for another. I swear I'm gonna learn how to do that one of these days.

Fine Artist's Autumn by OneWithWings features the ever popular Spirit Guides.

I still have prints available here.

Critter Creations by SlapHappyDrums.

Flaxen Mane Flying is the Spirit horse here.

And this is my treasure and the source of much inspiration, Miami. She has been at NE Horse Training. Elise has done a wonderful job with her.

 I have been going down this week to practice with her before I bring her home this weekend. Yeehaw.

Tuesdays With Tonka

It was back to work for me on this rainy Monday.There ought to be some sort of puppy labor laws or I ought to get a doggy union card. But one good thing about working for mom is I get good health care. And cookies.

Off we went to the bank and I had my backpack on with my deposit. Honestly I think I could carry ALOT smaller pack to deposit mom's money. But she tells me I carry it for practice. Practice for what? That much money going to the bank? I doubt it.

Anyway I like visiting with the nice ladies at the bank and they know I like the little dog cookies and not the big cookies they bought just for me. I got my banking finished and saw it.

There was the prettiest bear in a box. I started nibbling on it's ear.

Mom says "no that's a Christmas box for the children."

Oh that must be for the grand people. I asked mom if we could bring a bear for the grands and she said yes. We will have to find a very special bear.

How to Make Native American Leggings

How to Make Native American Leggings
Today I am posting instructions on how I make leggings for my moccasins.

The goat hide leggings.

The leather leggings with cuff.


Materials: 2 pieces of leather or hide
6 leather thongs 12” long
6 conchos



I cut them in length to go from a couple if inches below the knee to almost the ground or to the ground in the back. They are a bit narrower at the bottom.
Add an extra two inches if you want a cuff.
Mine are 15” wide and 16” long without the cuff. I am tall and have thin calves.




Cut two little slits with an exacto knife ¼” long and ½” apart.

These need to be three places along the leather which is BOTH the height sides. Through the cuff you will be cutting through on both sides (not at the same time).

The top outside should point to the back, so it’ll be reversed on the other one.
Start on the back side, the side closet to your leg. Go down from the top 1” and in from the side 2”. Mark your slit with a pen.
Measure 4” from the bottom and mark there. Make your third mark in the middle of these.
Cut the slits.
Now comes the tricky part. Fit them around your leg with the cut (the sides with slits) on the out side. Stick your pen in the little holes and mark the other side. The top hole has to be snug to hold them up so you might want to make it a little bit too small and let the lacings make up that difference. Cut those.




Put the lacings in the inside side and then through the outside part.





Slide on the conchos and tie a knot in the end of the lacing.

Now you are almost done. Do the other side reversed of course.

*** I have two cuts (settings) in the top of mine. One for wearing with skirts and one for wearing over jeans.


Hope you have fun making the leggings and enjoy wearing them.

Leggings are great for those cool nights at the powwow and for kicking around the farm or the city.

Spirit Guide Fine Art Prints

The beautiful soul stirring painting “Spirit Guides” now in a signed and numbered limited edition giclee print


Spirit Guides has been one of my personal favorites and  many people agree. It has been featured in numerous etsy treasuries, 43 people on etsy have added Spirit Guides to their favorites and I have received some wonderful comments.


I would like to offer you a chance to own one of the first of these high quality giclee prints of Spirit Guides right off the presses. This is number 1-14.

Your Spirit Guide 9" x 17" giclee is printed on Somerset Velvet acid free archival paper made specifically for fine art prints. It will last for generations. Only 200 will ever be printed.


There is a half inch white border for easy framing. Each print is numbered, titled and signed in pencil by me. This print will arrive with a dated and numbered certificate of authenticity.

Spirit Guides will be mailed flat. Insurance will be included for customers in the U.S.




The Spirit Guides giclee prints for sale Lancaster Art.

Etsy Front Page

SOLD

My sweet little horse Spirit Keeper made the front page of Etsy yesterday. Thanks to Cheap Boutique for letting me know. I was out pounding nails at the barn. It was a great suprise after a hard day.

We only need a few more followers for the giveaway. I can't wait to see who wins the Spirit Horse painting.
You can see more of my artwork at Lancaster Art.

Tuesdays With Tonka

We had a very good week. Mom was working on the new pony palace but took time out to take me hiking. I got to wear my backpack just for practice. We hiked along the river. The water was loud and fast so I didn't go swimming. The leaves were all colored like the paint mom gets out of the tube. I had my leash on but still caught a chipmunk.  Mom made me put it down. It sure looked cute running off to the bluff all wet and slobbery. I found a very big bone. I got to carry it home in my pack and I am having fun with it.

Like my new collar?

The nice humans at Rogue Collars made it for me. I think it makes me look handsome.

And now I'm a model for for Rogue Collars on facebook and etsy.

Mom told me I was a working dog and I was getting old enough to start working.

I think male model is the job I like.

Monday Meditation in Honor of Native American Month

The Dancing Sky

Lancaster Art

Give Us Hearts to Understand

Great Spirit, whose beautiful earth grows ugly with misuse,

help us to find the way to restore beauty to your handiwork.

Great Spirit, whose creatures are being destroyed,

help us to find a way to replenish them.

Great Spirit, whose gifts to us are being lost in selfishness and corruption,

help us to find the way to restore our humanity.

Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind,

whose breath gives life to the world, hear me;

I need your strength and wisdom.

May I walk in Beauty.

This prayer is but a part of the wonderful Native American prayers and blessings and awesome photos at

Elan Michaels windwalker

I am so thrilled. I won the Imagine print in the charades game at Another Bright Idea.
And Felicia did a wonderful feature of my paintings. Go take a look.
 Thanks Felicia!

Moon Dancer Treasury

Origins of the Moon Walk Treasury
This is such a wonderful treasury. The video link is truely amazing.
Check it out.

Moon Dancer

5"x 7" print

Lancaser Art

Five Fabulous Friday Favorites

FashionTouch

Kristen Stein Fine Art

Crazy For Collars

Cantrix

Momma Goddess

Another Fabulous Five for this week with a fall theme. Aren't they terrific?

I had a really hard time choosing this week. I started looking around in these wonderful shops and drooling all over my keyboard at all the wonderful handmade artistic creations.

Then I found IT.

The perfect Christmas gift for my 76 year old dad who is impossible to buy for. I mean impossible! I know y'all can relate.

 But he loves poker and his little Yorkie Buddy so...

Wala

And the best part is I know he will love it!

Thanks to Suzanne at Crazy For Collars.

You just made my shopping a heck of a lot easier.

I would love for you to be included in my Fabulous Friday Favorites. Please leave me a comment.

            Don't forget to push that little follow button for entry to the Spirit Horse painting giveaway

and sign up for my newsletter for another chance.

The Giveaway

                                    
The giveaway is in full swing. The lucky winner will have a choice of these two spirit horses. Both are 6"x 6" gallery wrap canvases. They are ready to hang without a frame or can sit right there on your desk.  Perfect for daydreaming!

We are now well over halfway to our goal of 100.

Thanks a bunch to all our new followers.

To enter:

*Just push that little follow button for your entry.
*Sign up for my  newsletter for another entry.
*Become a fan of Lancaster Art on facebook

See more paintings at Lancaster Art on etsy.

Good luck everyone!

Spirit Guides

Spirit Guides was featured in a lovely green and blue treasury today. http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=74191
Check out all the beautiful handmade items in this collection.

Thanks to the awesome curator ArzuMusa. http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArzuMusa

P.S. Here's a little secret.
                         A limited number of giclee prints of Spirit Guides will be available soon. Please join my newsletter for updates and a special offer before they are available to the public.

Tuesdays With Tonka

We had a sad week. My friend Smokey hurt his leg real bad. Mom said he was so old he could not get well and she did not want hm to hurt anymore. So the doctor came over and gave him a shot. He left us and his pain behind. Evey one cried, even me. Then I licked Mom's face.

 Mom said Smokey was 15. I guess that pretty old but I think Mom is older than that. Maybe 16 or 17.

Smokey told me he was abused and abandoned. He said it was allot worse than getting a spanking for playing with the chickens. He got hurt real bad and was afraid of people for a while even after Mom found him. He told me he didn't have any food, not even breakfast.

He got to go and travel with Mom. They went to art shows and had lots of good snacks. He was the guard dog at night, but during the day he did tricks. At one show they had a contest for best dog trick and he won. Smokey said he laughed because all the other dogs were little poodles and stuff and he was the only one-eyed dog there. Mom was proud of him.

He worked as a nursing home pet therapy dog for a long time too. He said he had to be very good all the time, but liked the way the people all smiled at him.

Smokey went on long trips in the woods. He carried a backpack with his food and some of Mom's. They would go in the mountains and get to swim everyday.

Smokey told me I need to be a good boy and listen to Mom. So I'm trying. Mom is really sad and so am I.

Terra said we would plant flowers on top of his grave in the spring. I think he would like that.

Rest in Peace

Monday Meditation

Scarlet Flutter

9.5"x 9.5"

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lancasterart

SOLD

Monday Meditation

A great way to harmonize with nature is to meditate on a leaf. Gaze gently at a leaf and consider the different stages a leaf goes through. From the first delicate buds of spring to the brilliance of fall and finally floating gently to the ground. Note how it reflects the many stages we pass through  in our own lives.

Focus on the color, texture and  of the patterns the shape and veins produce.

Feel the energy of nature resound through your hands and throughout your body.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway. Just push that little ol follow button.

Sign up for my newsletter for another entry.

Have a great week.