That's what I keep telling myself - that I'm a writer, not a painter - but the urge to paint was so overwhelming before Christmas that I asked my husband, Patrick, to PLEASE buy me painting supplies for Christmas.  By 'painting supplies' - I meant a cheap $12 easel from WalMart, some starter acrylics, a few canvases, and some brushes.  What arrived under the tree was a far cry from that. 

I used to paint.  Honestly, I'm terrible at it, and I've never had any formal training.  I did paint a picture of some flowers for my grandma about seven or eight years ago, framed it, and gave it to her for Christmas.  She loved it.  LOL...she HAD to!  She was my grandma! 

Anyway - there is something freeing about just standing in front of a blank canvas with a brush in your hand.  I have these CRAZY ideas that I will choose my favorite Amish pics that I took in Lancaster County, then paint them.  I'm sorta laughing as I write this and thinking I better just start with a single rose in a vase or something. 

So, about my Christmas present.  Big, heavy box under the tree.  I got some really cool presents for Christmas, but my 'art supplies' were my favorite.  HOWEVER, Hubby did not take my advice and go to WalMart, and I'm scared to know what he paid for the requested supplies.  I opened the box to find a beautiful wooden easel (like something a REAL painter would use!), a set of oils (I've never painted with oils), a set of watercolors (again, never painted in watercolors), and a box of acrylics (which is what I used to use).  All of these tubes of paint were in pretty boxes - unlike WalMart, where I used to buy various colors of bottled acrylics for .99 each.  There were five or six packages of paint brushes in every size imaginable, along with a color dial for mixing colors (huh??), and canvases in varying sizes. 

I would love to show you my beautiful easel.  Patrick set it all up for me, and I stored my paints in it, and it folded into a nice 'suitcase-like' structure that you can carry anywhere you might want to set up and paint.  I'd show it to you via picture, but I don't know how to set it up. 

I have a book due the end of this month, so I certainly don't have time to paint, but it's going to be my reward when I'm all done.  You know - hit my word count for the day, paint a picture...LOL.  I think Patrick actually thinks I might paint something 'framable'.  He set up my easel one day after Christmas, and I propped myself up on a stool in our kitchen near the window.  I was actually baking a snitz pie at the time.  I began to layer the paint on...and the pic started out as a landscape, then turned into something unrecognizable, then 18-year-old Cory got a look of fear on his face.  Patrick raised his brows, but tried to be encouraging.  Ultimately, I threw it away, and was glad the snitz pie turned out good and all was not lost.  So...there was only one thing left to do... Buy myself a Christmas present. 

I am thinking that if I purchase a hat like this woman that it will all come together...

Have a wonderful week everyone!  Any painters out there??