My son Easton and the Dancing Elves

The Season of Treasured Decorations!

Walking into the attic today... a feeling of joy captured me! 
 It is that time of year when you open boxes of holiday cheer from yesterday! 
 We all seem to collect and cherish those ornaments from year to year.  We add new ones annually. 
 Our treasured decorations become our memories of our lives. 
 The boxes follow us from home to home and may be handed down from one generation to another.  They contain our life's memories from childhood and through our adult life.  
You open each one like inviting an old friend back into your home.

I try and find new ways to decorate with these old friends every year.  Some have aged well and some of them are starting to look a little aged like me. 
 Our homes change, families change and holidays change.  However to me the decorations old and new provide you the story of your life and it is a time to Celebrate !

In the 80's I renovated a home that was built in 1906.  It took several years to complete .  The home had a wonderful front porch that my son and I would decorate.  We came up with a new themes every year.  We would decorate the porch at night so all the neighbors would be surprised in the morning.  We told them that it was the elves that decorated the porch.  The themes ranged from the dancing elves to the snow queen and her forest animals.

My home starts out like a blank canvas every year.  I try to change things up.  I wish all of you "Happy Decorating" and treasure all those memories and the new ones yet to be made!  This year I am using a red and white theme!!  I will  post photos as the season progresses!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Your Artist Friend,
Jennifer Lake

My son Easton

The Snow Bunny

My son and I loved playing together in the snow as he was growing up.

  His favorite snowman to build was a "Snow Bunny".  He built one every year. 

 We started a fun tradition when he was around three years old.  He would get very upset when the snow bunny would begin to melt.  I don't where I got the idea but we would take part of the snow bunny snow and freeze into a ball.  Over the years Easton would take the snowball out of the freezer when it snowed and add it to the fresh new snow and build the snow bunny all over again.

The snow bunny varied from year to year.  It would all depend how much snow we would receive each year.  The tradition went on and on throughout his childhood!

All the snowmen looking into the kitchen during a snowstorm!

The holidays bring back so many wonderful memories and wonderful new ones to be made!

I am pretty sure the painting I did called "The Magical Night in the Snow" was inspired by all those days in the snow with my son!

Check out all the fun products with this image on them in the

" Ms. Elizabeth's Day Off Boutique"!

Just CLICK on the store on the front page of the BLOG!

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!

Make some Memories!

Your Artist friend,

Jennifer Lake

                           

Grandpa George

The Amazing Sled Ride!

I cannot get over the amount of snow we have had in the past few weeks! 

It has reminded me of growing up in the mid west. 

 My brother and my sisters and I would spend hours outside building forts, sledding, and building snowmen.

We had a very large sledding hill on our property.  We would climb up to the top and sled all the way down crashing, bumping, and rolling.  If you were real lucky you were the one that went the farthest!

One day we were at the bottom of the hill and heard a voice yell from the top of the hill

 "Look Out Below"!. 

 We all turned to look to see who it was...... and there on a bright red flying saucer was my

 Grandpa George!

 Flying through the air like a bird.  You could hear him laughing with great joy!  

We all stood watching him spin through the air.....Our Hero!!

Our Grandmother however stood in horror!

Grandpa made it all the way to the bottom of the hill and we screamed for Joy!

Little did he know ...he taught us a lesson that day.  Your never to old to bring out that child in you!  What a gift he gave us that day.  I am sure that is the reason I truly love winter.

I am off to go sledding!

Enjoy the Season Everyone!

Go be a KID!

Your Artist Friend 

Jennifer Lake

The MAGIC TOTE BAG!

Yes its that time of year again!  The holidays and Christmas are fast approaching.  I like you, have to shop for many people! 

Each year I buy more and more on line...almost everything!

I can sit in my home with a cup of coffee and search over a wide variety of stores.

I was thinking how I could help YOU shop my ON-LINE stores.

Over the next few weeks I will provide you with some ideas for all those "Special" people on your list.

The first one is called "The MAGIC TOTE BAG" !

I designed this originally for me for a couple of friends that I have to buy for.  It is a "Theme" tote filled with a variety of gifts that are all similar.  Each gift is individually wrapped and placed in the tote!  No exterior wrapping required. 

The tote bag acts as the box!

So easy and so fun for that "Special" person!

The image of the "Chickadee in Apple Blossoms" is located in my On-Line "Jennifer Lake For the Love of Birds" Store!

http://www.zazzle.com/jenniferlakebirds

There are many other bird images within the store.

I hope you will enjoy shopping all my stores.  

You will find items for just everyone!

Enter my GIFT WORLD by Clicking on the LINK Below:

http://jenniferlakeart.blogspot.com/

Have a Wonderful "Season of Joy"!

Your Artist Friend,

Jennifer Lake

The Second Holiday Treasure Hunt

Are you ready....On YOUR MARK....GET SET....GO!!

There is a cup with my mouse logo located in one of the stores!

If you find it...YOU WIN!

Be one of five lucky WINNERS!

Over the years I painted myself painting the painting at an easel.

When I started painting outdoor scenes I became a mouse at the easel!  Have fun finding me in each painting! 

Good ~ Luck!

Winners will be announced on Tuesday!

Always remember to LIKE my Facebook Page

 and

 JOIN the BLOG!

Let the Holidays Begin!

Have a Wonderful Week Everyone!

Your Artist Friend,

Jennifer Lake

                                                     

Home Portraits

Beautiful Home in Oregon

The Ultimate Gift ~ A Family Home Portrait

Over the past 30 years I have painted many homes throughout the United States, Canada and Japan.

Clients ask me to paint a story of their family.  I try and capture as much minute detail as possible.  The family themselves are all included doing their favorite activity.  Lush gardens are captured in all their glory.  Clients include everything from their favorite car, dog, cat, and architectural details.

Fall in New Hampshire
You can select the season in which you want your home portrayed. 
You can even select the holiday. 
 I have painted everything from Christmas (with the outdoor lights on) to the Fourth of July.
Its your story and your painting.
You first create a list of everything you want to be included.  I have discovered over the years that kids love being involved in this process. They enjoy selecting what they will be doing.
Then you select a size.  Painting sizes start at 18 X 24 upwards too 4 X 6 feet.
The home portraits generally from take three months.  
There is a waiting list for up to six months.  The list vary's from year to year.
I highly suggest to clients that they give the "Home Portrait"  as a Christmas, Anniversary or a Birthday gift .  This will allow the recipient to help in the process.
  I provide a wonderful card for the lucky person.

For pricing and further information you can contact me through this blog.
I hope you enjoy all the small details that follow.

Your Artist Friend,
Jennifer Lake

                                                                               

A Beautiful Country Home

My Gingerbread World!

When I was a little girl, a "Gingerbread House" was part of the annual Holiday Traditions.

My Mother changed it around a little to make it easier for us kids to produce a master piece.  
We would all help her cut a cardboard shoe box into a shape of a house. 
 We made frosting in a wide range of colors and applied it to the base of the house.  We used graham crackers instead of Gingerbread for the siding of the house.  
Mom would buy a wide variety of holiday candies that would be applied in between the crackers and on all the corners.  The roof was usually round mints of some kind.  The house was placed on a board and all of us kids would design path ways to the front entry door.  The paths were of course made of candies.  Surrounding the entire perimeter was a fence made completely out of suckers. 

When my son was little we carried on the tradition and made the same house year after year.

We added small animals here and there and Easton would come up with a story that fit the house.  The one below was the "Candy Cane House"!

The Habit for Humanity organization where I live host an "Annual Gingerbread Competition".  Some of the entries are huge and elaborate.  I have entered many times and always tried to make houses that a parent could easily build with their kids. Following in my Mother's foot steps.

The photo on the top of this page is of one of mine called "The Gingerbread Snow Globe".

  A fish bowl is  turned up side down and placed in a sculpted bed of gingerbread.

  Gingerbread can be used just like sculpting clay.  Underneath the gingerbread sits an upside down plate that becomes the platform. I laid the plate on top of one of my cake plates.
  I am obsessed with cake plates!  I use them for everything!  You can also use a shallow bowl.  

You add figurines using a glue gun onto the platform.

 The inside of the fish bowl is sprayed lightly with vegetable spray!  Lightly!  Let dry just a bit.  Then add 1/2 tsp of glitter to the bowl and roll around.  This will provide an illusion that there is water within the globe.  Place the bowl over your interior creation. 
 Push it into the sculpted gingerbread and allow it to dry.  My bowl had a flat surface so I glued some interesting holiday figures to the top. Sprinkled it all with glitter ! Complete!

I created a "Gingerbread Teddy Bear" one year.  The body of the Teddy Bear is sculpted by using newspaper and masking tape tape.  You then tape the bear onto a foam core platform. Start adding  the gingerbread mixture onto the form just like clay! Move the mixture around so you cover the entire body.  Create some cheek bones, ears and feet by sculpting. 
 When you think your bear is complete....add candy eyes ( I used licorice) candy cheeks, candy buttons.  I used wide grosgrain ribbon for his scarf.  I covered the platform the next day with lots of powder sugar to give the effect of snow...added more candies all over the snow.
  I made a sucker tree out of gumballs for guests. 

Allow your imagination to run wild!  Most of all have the entire family participate!

Happy Holidays!

Your Artist Friend

Jennifer Lake

   The First Holiday Treasure Hunt!

On your MARK GET SET!!  GO!!

Somewhere in one of my stores....is a Cup with MY LOGO!

Be one of the TOP FIVE to find it and you WIN!!

Over the past 30 years I have always placed myself "painting the painting" in some location. 

Collectors have had fun trying to find me in the painting.  The outdoor pieces I am a mouse painting the painting.  Have fun and share with your friends.

GOOD-LUCK!

Each Monday the 5 Winners Names will also be added to the BIG GRAND PRIZE DRAWING in 2015!!.....NEW YEARS DAY!!

Have a Wonderful Monday Afternoon!

Enjoy the MAGIC!

Your Artist Friend,

Jennifer Lake

            

 

                                                 

A Magical Night under the Moon!

The Holiday Shopping Season has Arrived!

Here are a few of my Favorite Things!!

The Holiday Shopping Season has arrived.  Just like all of you, I find myself shopping more and more on line in the comforts of my home. 

 There is nothing better then shopping on line in your robe with a wonderful hot cup of coffee!

I created 10 on line stores just for you!

 They currently have over 5,000 products and more are being added daily. 

 The stores represent over 30 years of my art. 

 I have enjoyed creating these products just for you.  

You can shop all of them by just clicking on each side of the blog and enter the store and world of your choice!

The photographs below are just a few of "My Favorite Things". 

The products below are all located in my Holiday Store!

Starting Monday November 10th I will kick-off the FIRST 

"Holiday Monday Treasure Hunt!"

Every Monday now through the New Year! I will place a clue on this Blog of what you must find!  The first one to find it WINS!!

Make sure you sign up and join the BLOG! So you can participate!

Have a wonderful HOLIDAY SEASON!

Enjoy your Sunday Evening!

Your Artist Friend,

Jennifer Lake