(UPDATE: THIS SET IS NOW IN THE STORE AND YOU CAN GET THERE BY CLICKING ON THE FIRST IMAGE TO THE LEFT)  The second set in the "Hummingbirds – Winged Jewels" series is being released on Friday at www.daisiecompany.com.  I wanted to show you the previews of the art kit today and the paper pack probably tomorrow. 

When I first saw this antique wheelbarrow I absolutely fell in love with it, it reminds me of the "Velveteen Rabbit" of a gardener, well-loved, patched together and still useful!  I painted this image quite a few years ago and it still is one of my all-time favorites.  It was fun to pull elements out of this painting to create these two kits.

I’ve also included a text art piece that can be used for greeting cards, accenting scrapbook pages or many other uses.  I wrote the quote on it after watching how early my hummingbirds begin their days – they’re up before dawn at my feeders outside my bedroom and often awaken me with their "trash-talking" at one another!  If you’ve never heard them, they’re actually very loud little critters.

The main two hummingbirds included in this kit are Rufous (the brown with green and red throat) and Ruby-throated.  Both of these frequent my feeders so I’ve had a great selection of photos and real life experience to paint from , the green hummingbird is a tropical variety that I’d love to see in the wild one day.

I’m planning on painting quite a few more hummingbirds later this spring.  Those of you that have read my blog for a while know that I feed about 100 hummers during the summer and I have a wealth of photos to work from.  They are such fascinating subjects that bring back wonderful memories of my childhood.  My mother planting hummingbird attracting flowers in every home that we lived in and we would sit for hours watching the winged jewels flit and play in our gardens. 

I hope that you’ll sense some of that wonder and enjoyment when you’re crafting with these art kits!  This will retail for $5.98 for the digital clip art kit and will be available on Friday, April 18th, 2008

THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:  Song 2:12-13  Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. 
The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.  Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."  NIV

PRAYER:  Lord, as I lift my eyes up and see the hills filled with the beauty of your creation this spring, my heart leaps thinking that you have made all of this for my joy and pleasure.  You paid attention to every detail in the "painting" that lies before me.  I am reminded that you also pay as careful attention to the details of my life and that I can trust you to paint a picture of beauty in it as well. 

Blow away the dinginess of winter and put a new song in my heart, give my a fresh joy and a eyes to see all that you have blessed me with in my life.  Thank you that you delight to spend time with me and that I too am a beautiful creation in your eyes!  Show me how to grow into a deeper more loving relationship with you, it’s my heart’s desire.  AMEN