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Abstract Art with Ellie and Mr. H

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Mr. Handsome has been experimenting with abstract art this fall, as different art shows have different clientele with different tastes. Last week, we spent a few late nights in his “studio” creating paintings together as a couple. (His studio is a tiny room off our garage that is devoted to his painting endeavors. It has been very handy because in our previous apartments, he has had to paint in our living room or kitchen.)

The couples painting sessions were a blast. I held a hairdryer, while Mr. Handsome dripped acrylic paint in front of the airflow to create splatters….

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Easter Weekend

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A few readers have asked how we celebrated Easter. We had quite the weekend! Mr. Handsome is an avid fisherman, so we spent some time fishing and were able to provide a meal for 17 friends and family members. Mr. Handsome and I each caught a 20-inch large mouth bass.

Mr. Handsome also did a painting party for his youngest sister, Lena, and her three closest friends. Lena was celebrating her 15th birthday with a sleepover and had “reserved” Mr. Handsome several months prior. He was honored that his sister wanted him to be part of her birthday celebration.

(Mr. Handsome is the oldest of seven, and it’s neat to watch him interact with his younger siblings. He takes his role as firstborn very seriously and is a great leader. There is a big age gap between the oldest five and the youngest two, which makes for a neat dynamic.)

The girls were very sweet, and their paintings all turned out really well. One accidentally dropped her painting on the new hardwood floors that my father-in-law had recently installed. He heard it fall and had a minor freak-out moment but was thankfully able to wipe the paint off the wood. And Mr. Handsome was somehow able to help the girl fix her painting.

oil painting lesson
oil painting lesson
oil painting lesson

Since Mr. Handsome and I have been married, we have always gotten together with both of our extended families (his parents, siblings, grandparents, and cousins and my parents, brother, and sister-in-law) for Easter. Everyone enjoys that tradition because it allows both sides of the family to have more time with us, and it prevents Mr. Handsome and me from having to travel to multiple gatherings. We sang Easter hymns, ate BBQ, and played cards. The guys, who are huge basketball fans, watched the March Madness semifinals.

And, of course, we dressed up in our Easter best and attended church. How did you celebrate the holiday?

The Latest from Mr. Handsome

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Mr. Handsome has added a new subject to his painting repertoire! He has recently started painting musical instruments and has already built up quite the gallery. He plays the guitar, banjo, and violin, as many of you know, so it has been fun to see him combine music with art.We have had his masterpieces displayed at multiple art shows in the Nashville area and have sold several. To give you an idea of what he has been up to, below are a few photos. So far, he has painted landscapes, birds, ships at sea, and now musical instruments. Stay tuned to see what he gets into next. (I’m certainly curious!)

 

Mr. Handsome’s Great-Grandmother

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Mr. Handsome and I spent Easter weekend with family. We saw both our immediate families, as well as both sides of Mr. Handsome’s extended family. All the ladies attended a bridal shower for my almost-21-year-old sister-in-law, who is getting married in early summer. (Remember when I posted pictures of her engagement party?)

Last week, my mother-in-law called and informed us that her grandmother (Mr. Handsome’s great-grandmother) would be at the shower and suggested we bring one of Mr. Handsome’s paintings for her.

Almost 102 years old, Great-Grandma lives alone, and she is a spitfire. She and Mr. Handsome have a special bond because they both have a dry sense of humor and enjoy poking fun at each other. When I handed Great-Grandma the wrapped painting, one of the great-aunts, who has a similar sense of humor, exclaimed, “I think it’s a baseball!” As she was leaving, Great-Grandma reminded me to be sure to thank my husband for the baseball.

Amidst all the joking, Great-Grandma truly was touched to receive such a heartfelt gift. She has a dozen grandchildren and a few dozen
great-grandchildren, and she gives all of them (plus their spouses) presents  at Christmas, but very few of them acknowledge her. We’re not sure how much longer she will be with us, but we want to make her feel special while she’s here.

*Have you been down the Oregon Coast? The scene pictured in the painting is Heceta Head Lighthouse, located in Florence, Oregon. It is based on the photos we took of the lighthouse when we visited last October.