Charlie O'Shields

Wow! That does sound like an amazing Christmas! I know I would have been over the moon. I had one similar when I was about five and it’s my clearest Christmas memory. My parents had bought me a doll on sale, shortly after the Christmas before, and my mother sewed her about 25 dresses over the course of the year. The funny thing was that I saw her sewing them, and asked about it, and she said she was sewing them for a little girl who’s doll didn’t have any. I knew all my dolls have dresses, so it never once occurred to me that the dresses were for me. I was truly surprised that Christmas!

what a beautiful story! what an amazing mom! <3

Wonderful memory and wonderful mom! I can just imagine the excitement of Little Charlie and the joy your mom must have felt. Today’s painting is another all-time favorite for me. Way too cute for this world.

Oh my gosh! Your bear is darling! Your story is even more wonderful! I think I will go ask my son if there was a Christmas that stands out in his mind. (I’ll probably get the answer, “Last year.” Ha ha, not funny. Santa has always wrapped his presents in Santa paper and left them in a pile in front of the tree, along with the “magic key” that he uses to get into our home. We do not have a fireplace. He is almost 20 and Santa still does it! 😉

What a wonderful thing for your mom to do! My best gift ever from Santa was an easy bake oven. I loved those horrible little cakes made with lightbulb power. Lol

This painting is my all-time Charlie favorite! I love the mouse and his reflection. The reflection in the ornament is outstanding.

I think someone needs to makes a six-ft tall lava lamp. But then it would be cheaper to just visit a place that receives huge machinery and ask if they have any 6 ft boxes you could have. Easier to get rid of later, too. Just sayin’. We’d have a better world if we had the Holiday spirit every day, but then there would be nothing special about it, or reasons to have the holidays!

such a beautiful message. <3

So adorable! I have some mice stories, but none of them end happily I’m sorry to say. But I did have and angora hamster as a child and he had long tan and white fur and was so cute!

Aww thanks, Sarah! 😃💕 Glad you liked this bit. And also my little mouse! hehe He was fun to sketch!

Wonderful painting, Barbara! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

What beautiful art and backstory. Thank you for sharing with us.

Beautiful paintings!
And… all those ‘great masters’ do use tricks to get great results. The difference is that they don’t tell they’re doing that. 🙂

Lovely, absolutely lovely!

I love the variety of styles in your work, and the textures and colors. It’s all amazing. Thank you for sharing your creative journey with us!

Wonderful story and art! I especially love the rainbow animals.

Barb, I think you know how I feel about your art, your paintings. You’ve been a great source of inspiration for me throughout the last year. I am thrilled to see you showcased here on Doodlewash! Your paintings carry much love of color and subject, and I’ve always been a fan of yours. As a sister “art associate,” I am enormously proud of you! Congratulations for being a guest artist, and for your incredible and dynamic love of all things watercolor. My husband, as you know, goes to sleep and wakes up with your ethereal Adirondack chairs to greet him. We are both fans of your work, and I look forward to watching you further grow as a talented artist!

Fanna (Frances) Turano

I love your jingle bells! Ooh. Why does that sound vaguely obscene? English is such a strange language! I’ve never ridden in a one-horse open sleigh either. The closed I’ve been is a hay-ride. Since I turned out to be allergic to the hay, it was less than enjoyable. You version of a sleigh-ride sounds much more fun.

I had a horse named Chester when I was young. My dad traded a cow for him. He was lame in one leg when we got him and after a while he wasn’t getting better. My father said that he was going to have to put him down because we couldn’t let him suffer any more. I cried and cried until dad finally gave in and said he would wait one more day. Then I went to the barn and cried on the horse. The next day he started to get better and I was thrilled. All my tears had cured him! When he was 100% we began to ride him and discovered two things: first, he was a naughty horse and would run under low branches to knock his rider off, and two, I’m kinda afraid of horses. I like to look at them and pet them and feed them apples and carrots, but I don’t like to be on them when they are moving. 😁 Eventually Chester was traded away for a goat and some muscovy ducks. I missed him in theory, but in reality, I was happy that I didn’t have to ride him any more.

I also dreamed of dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh! I did go on a sleigh ride once, in one of the mountain towns east of L.A. Unfortunately, the horse walked at a slow pace, so I never got to “dash”.

Such wonderful memories and imaginings!!! I love your childlike fascination and descriptions! I, too, would love to ride in a one horse open sleigh. I did love riding in a sled pulled by husky dogs in Alaska, but that’s the closest I’ve come.

Yep, I’m right there with you. Never been in a sleigh, a sled flying down the hill is the closest for me. My inner child lives very close…..daily. 😛 That is why I enjoy reading your ramblings, so fun, honest and real. Something a lot of people could use.

Loved your doodlewash of jingle bells! 💕I was definitely curious to know about your dog..How he managed it in your absence…There are two superstar dogs in this doodlewash family…One is William and other is Phineas…

hehe! Thanks my friend! 😃💕 Yeah, it’s totally a beautiful way to live! I can’t imagine waking up one day and feeling like I’m only an adult. That would be a very sad day indeed.