Let me start with a great, big THANK YOU to everyone who left comments—what fun! I'm kind of sad to see it end....which tells me I'll probably be doing this again!! (I also have more art supplies that need a new home!)

As we were drawing the winner this morning, my husband commented that it was too bad we couldn't do something for 2nd and 3rd place as well. Since that's not possible, instead I have another idea....

In way of a consolation prize, I'm be posting a "how-to" tutorial on how to turn old, fragile papers into watercolor paper that can easily be painted on! Please check back later today.

So without further ado....our lovely tin watercolor palette goes to....

This is GORGEOUS! and very practical, too! I would be thrilled to win it. - jgr

jgr, please contact me via the email box on the sidebar to send me your mailing address!

The lovely and talented Carole from Carole's Creative Corner surprised me with a "Stylish Blogger Award!" Thank you, Carole! Carole lives in Australia and has many diverse talents including painting, zentangles, photography and cardmaking. Please stop by and check her out.

And you know these awards always come with a "to-do" list and this one includes liking back to the giver, listing 7 things you don't know about me and passing the award on to others. The official "to-do" is 15…I'll probably pass it on to 5. So here goes....

1. I was raised on a strawberry farm.

2. Lime green and purple are my "power" colors. Whenever I am faced with a tough day or need cheering up, I almost always reach for green or purple in my closet. These colors make me happy thought I wouldn't call them my favorites. I have many, many favorite colors.

3. I don't much care for the taste of bananas and specifically don't like banana pudding with vanilla wafers.

4. Many long years ago, I thought I would be a pastel artist rather than watercolors. I loved the saturated colors that pastel provides. Just not the dust nor the mess.

5. When Chris and I married, we spent our honeymoon meandering around the state of Florida with no reservations or plans as to where we would go. In fact, there was only one destination and that was an antique flea market! One of the best trips we've ever taken.

6. I love old watches. There is something about the old watches that touches me deeply though I cannot say what or why exactly.

7. If I had to name a favorite fruit, it would have to be………blackberries. Did you think it would be strawberries? They're okay, but left to my own devices, I will generally pass them by. My grandfather grew blackberries when I was little. Sometimes he'd let me pick berries with him. I'm sure on those days his yield was a little low as most of them never made it into the bucket!

Now to name the other recipients.....

Myra of Simple Inspirations - this woman is a master magician with a sewing machine!
Elva of Elva's Field Notes - this blog is a treat…to read, to see the sketches, to experience nature through Elva's eyes.
Jacqueline of Art in My Heart - delightful art, fun tutorials and this woman is going to France and Greece on painting holidays and you can go with her!
Cris of Cris, Artist in Oregon - such gorgeous photos of flowers, birds and a life well lived. Always fun to visit!
Gillian of The Fading Rose - you never know what she's up to, but you can bet it's going to be fun as she's a very talented artist and photographer.

I do hope that you'll check these blogs out as they're all a lot of fun! Again, thanks, Carole!

I am thrilled to tell you that Chance of Rain won an Honorable Mention in the Open Aqueous Show hosted by the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society at the Punta Gorda Visual Arts Center!

Chris and I went down to attend the reception last evening, and as always, came away from the show impressed with the caliber of the work, the artists and the Society that hosts these shows. This was a well attended event with over 125 paintings submitted with nearly 100 in the show.

One of the things that I love most about submitting to a competition is to talk with other artists and "hear" (not just see) the interpretations of their paintings - how they came to paint it, what muse they followed, and why, not to mention the challenges they faced.

It also provides an opportunity to see our own work in a bigger venue than our own living room. What may appear too bright in our environment is not so bright hanging in a hall with 100 other works. What seemed large, or even too big, may now appear small in comparison. It is always an education!

I also learned there is another show coming up in May at Selby Botanical Gardens, and I need to get busy and get my brushes wet!!

The lovely Pam Johnson Brickell of South Carolina Low Country blog has awarded me the Sunshine Award for creativity and postivity!! Yay! (She must not have been looking on those days I was whining!!) The Sunshine Award - how perfect is that for Florida!!! Thank you, Pam, I greatly appreciate it!

I am to pass this award on to other blogs that I think do a great job on creativity and positivity which means I get to introduce you to some outstanding blogs you may not know about! How cool is that?! Now, speaking of whining, some folks roll their eyes and think this is nothing by a bunch of nonsense, but I've found some pretty cool blogs though these awards! You might too! If you ask me that's better than finding out what color my bra is!!

So let's get started, shall we.....
Clarie at Claire's Sketchbook - Claire has a wonderful style that will make you feel like you've just walked into a fairy tale children's book!
Elva at Elva's Field Notes - this woman is a fantastic artist and a lovely individual as well!
Kathy at Catching Happiness - such fun and sometimes thought-provoking posts!
Kelly at Red and the Peanut - this woman is a genius with a camera AND a brush!!
Krista at Hope in Every Day - this woman holds down a crazy busy life and still finds time for art!
Martha at Marthann's Musings - Martha is a very talented lady and a new blogger. Please stop by and say hello!
Susie at 1st Floor Flat - the woman is a wonder to behold with all of her finery and computer wizardry!
Teresa at Blueberries, Art and Life - another great artist that also happens to be a wonderful writer!

I do hope you'll go and check out all these lovely blogs as well as Pam's! You'll be glad you did!!

P.S. There's suppose to be 12 in the list and I'm to notify everyone, but since I'm the creative type, I'm not real good at following directions!

Some of the long time readers on the blog will remember when I was painting this back in the early summer - and nearly ruined it! From the brink of disaster to 1st place! This is the first time I’ve been able to show the completed painting on the blog due to different show restrictions. (And for those wondering - that’s the new ‘do, too!!) I am so very, very excited! I'm not sure I'll ever get to sleep tonight. I've known that the painting won an award since last Saturday, but we didn't find out until tonight at the reception where all the paintings actually placed. The reception was very well attended with a lot of super nice people. There was live piano and finger foods as well as wine - just a lot of fun!

The Open Aqueous Show is being held at the Venice Art Center, 390 Nokomis Avenue S, Venice Florida. The facility is one of the nicest I've ever visited and they are open Monday - Friday from 9 to 5. The show will hang until Friday, November 6th. If you are in the area, please stop by!

This painting is available for purchase. Please contact the Venice Art Center for details.

p.s. I'll be posting a much better photo of the painting in a few days!

Imagine my surprise and absolute delight when I received two blog awards today! Double Yippee Skippee!!!

Here is the last portrait of Little Miss Priss. I think this one turned out better - in some ways - than the one below. I also like parts of the other one better. You just never know how these things are going to turn out. Am I overjoyed with either one? Ummm, no, but you knew that. I can (and will) do a far better job on the next portrait. Again, so glad her mother will not be seeing this. 

Yippee Skippee! It is my lucky day as the lovely Ms. Susie of 1st Floor Flat has graced me with the Kreativ Blogger award! Susie has three wonderful blogs, and you'll find a really cool giveaway on one of them of a set of stamps that Susie has created! All you need to do is leave her a comment to enter and win!

To my surprise and delight, I've been given two more blog awards! I think one of the things that makes the blogging community so special is the support we show one another with regard to our various pursuits. Whether you're an artist, author, birder, cook, gardener, musician, a combination of these or something else entirely, there's always something to see, to learn, and to share, a kind word of encouragement, a hello, or a way-to-go to be found in the comments!