Pure Hokum

Sneak Peek: Viansa Wetlands Series of Appetizer plates

2012-01-12T08:09:00.000-05:00

"Ladies and Gentlemen.... it's SHOWTIME!"

2012-01-07T11:02:00.003-05:00

Special order yacht platter....brightening up my winter looking at the sunny tropics!

2011-12-22T10:40:00.001-05:00

a very special order

2011-12-13T07:36:00.002-05:00

North Pole Production Mode

2011-12-02T13:28:00.000-05:00

Sweet Sixteen gift for Tori's good friend having a Hunger Games Party

2011-11-20T15:59:00.000-05:00

Ganesh, Kali, Shiva, Hanuman, Krishna, and Vishnu

2011-11-08T08:41:00.001-05:00

Ganesh is a deity known as the remover of obstacles.

Kali is the goddess of time/change.

Shiva is a deity known as the auspicious one, kind and gracious, he purifies everyone.

Hanuman is a deity who is unable to remember his abilities unless reminded by another person, he teaches there is nothing in this world too difficult for us.

Krishna! Avatar of Vishnu, he is a divine hero, model lover, a prankster... the Supreme Being.

Vishnu is the preserver of the universe.

African animal special orders

2011-10-25T10:35:00.000-04:00

Inspired by henna tattoos

2011-10-25T10:34:00.000-04:00

Special Order house platter

2011-10-14T07:57:00.000-04:00

A customer ordered this platter to give to her parents for Christmas. It is their former home. The present owners have changed the yard and house displeasing them. Now her family will have a permanent image of their home as they remember it, always spring with their garden in bloom.

I have a Ruth Cox painting of my childhood home, it was a gift from my mother one Christmas and it does the EXACT same thing for me. I can let the real house go, because I have this beautiful reminder, and the memories that go with it.

Harvest Moon Homecoming Silent Art Auction

2011-09-29T08:24:00.000-04:00

Saturday October 22nd Locke, CA

El Dia de los Muertos

2011-09-26T08:06:00.000-04:00

Bridal Shower gift

2011-09-14T19:13:00.002-04:00

Hand tinted light bulb covers

2011-09-08T12:38:00.000-04:00

Special gifts recently painted.

2011-09-07T10:33:00.003-04:00

Viansa Winery Sonoma, CA

2011-05-11T09:18:00.002-04:00

Sushi anyone?

2011-05-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

Life is Sweet!

2011-03-30T09:15:00.002-04:00

Empty Bowls Auction

2011-03-03T10:06:00.000-05:00

The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is having a fundraiser March 6th. Some items are up for auction online...check it out.

Lincoln Carnegie Library

2011-02-15T08:46:00.000-05:00

A black and white set of plates and a couple of mugs just for fun.....

Fresh out of the oven and ready to ship.

2011-02-10T14:34:00.000-05:00

2011-02-03T15:33:00.002-05:00

Lincoln Carnegie Library est. 1909

2011-02-03T14:54:00.000-05:00

Tanya, Michael, Malbec and Myle's former house

2011-02-03T09:21:00.000-05:00

Steps 1,2, and 3 of a new project.

2011-02-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

Jane Tahti provided me with wonderful images of the Lincoln Carnegie Public Library to chose from, these four made the cut.

The images are sketched onto the surface of the plates.

A black paint outline is applied right over the sketch.
Next steps are color and shadows....

Finishing Christmas

2011-01-28T10:30:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas Cina...they're on their way!

Painted napkins

2011-01-12T10:46:00.000-05:00

Here are my mom's first two peppermint napkins....now that Christmas is past I can post these :-)

My sister's fleur de lis napkins, her set is still in the works too! You know what they say about the shoemaker's kids....geez!

My mom's next two napkins...

2011-01-12T10:35:00.000-05:00

These are part of my mom's Christmas gift (late)...the first two were red and white peppermints for Christmas time...

I couldn't do a lavender conversation heart! (her LEAST favorite color) and white wouldn't show up very well, so I just repeated the same three colors. Next two for Easter, one with a chocolate bunny and one with peeps!?

The Hidden Treasure Shop in Walnut Grove, CA

2011-01-11T08:05:00.000-05:00

Life's necessities.... A bungalow by the beach, a penthouse in the city, a cabin by a stream and a fort in a tree.

Bird bowls

2011-01-06T14:42:00.002-05:00

Pure Hokum meets Voila! .... a match made in heaven!

2010-12-24T08:54:00.000-05:00

Now there are eight....

2010-12-15T09:53:00.000-05:00

Thank you Kerri for your gift order! Kathleen

VIntage Platter with renovated farm house and barns.

2010-12-10T13:09:00.000-05:00

2010-12-04T08:51:00.000-05:00

Winter came down to our home one night

Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,

And we, we were children once again.

~Bill Morgan, Jr.

Egg Nog cups

2010-11-30T11:33:00.002-05:00

may it be half full

We'll take a cup of kindness yet....

It's Coming on Christmas they're cutting down trees, putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace....

2010-11-16T07:17:00.000-05:00

Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on, I wish I had a river so long I could teach my feet to fly.....

Christmas Quote Mugs

2010-10-17T13:37:00.000-04:00

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful" Norman Vincent Peale

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time" Laura Ingalls Wilder

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick- even when you're home." Carol Nelson

"May peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessings all year through."

2010-10-17T12:45:00.001-04:00

words added.

puff on hat stitched in.

embroidered olive and toothpick in glass.

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
It makes no noise at all,
But softly gives itself away.
Eva Logue

still on the drawing board....

Tea Towels for Husick's in Clarksburg

2010-10-15T11:37:00.000-04:00

Set of Six Mistletoe Luncheon Plates

2010-10-07T14:47:00.001-04:00

Voila
3920 Washington Rd, Canonsburg, PA 15317-2537

Great little hostess gifts, just top with homebaked items!

2010-10-07T12:31:00.000-04:00

Vintage Diner Plates

2010-10-07T12:28:00.000-04:00

Embellished with mistletoe

Kitchen towel part stitched partly painted.

2010-08-19T19:51:00.000-04:00

I like to call this one "November 1st"

Buddha and Sushi

2010-08-19T11:45:00.000-04:00

Some are heading to The Hidden Treasure Shop inWalnut Grove, others to the Point in Rio Vista for Julie Griffin's fundraiser on Sept. 12

Love making my own stamps at Zazzle.com!

2010-08-07T10:04:00.000-04:00

Mom dinnerware and dishtowel

2010-08-04T17:44:00.000-04:00

Avez-vous soif?

2010-08-04T17:26:00.001-04:00

Summer at the shore

2010-08-04T16:38:00.000-04:00

coffee ninja

2010-06-22T12:00:00.001-04:00

Our daughter Tori came up with this design.

Hand Painted Eco-cups for The Hidden Treasure Shop in Walnut Grove

2010-06-14T09:19:00.000-04:00

Painting even more of them today....bought black, pink and green ones too! Ceramic cup is dishwasher safe, silicon sleeve and lid are included.

Light Fixtures for The Hidden Treasure Shop in Walnut Grove

2010-06-04T11:56:00.000-04:00

Dip Bowls

2010-05-14T12:30:00.000-04:00

Couldn't resist these strangely shaped bowls...perfect thought bubbles! These are going to the Walnut Grove Presbyterian Church Wine Tasting Fund Raiser at the Ryde Hotel.

today's watercolor

2010-02-24T12:11:00.000-05:00

the other side...

2010-02-13T14:27:00.000-05:00

Alice in Wonderland

2010-02-13T12:54:00.000-05:00

Our daughter Tori suggested I use some lines from one of her favorite books on a set of mugs.

"but it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

"...why sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

"Fan her head!" the Red Queen interrupted. "She'll be feverish after so much thinking."

"I can't remember things before they happen." "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards," the Queen remarked.

(gotta love Lewis Carroll!)

today's plate....YUKON

2010-02-10T19:30:00.000-05:00

Spring has sprung

2010-02-04T07:08:00.000-05:00

The jasmine on the porch rails decided to bloom, which inspired the white roses and agapanthus.

Congratulations, TWINS!

2010-02-01T15:30:00.000-05:00

The lucky new owner of this sweet old house bought one for herself and one for the family they bought it from as a gift.

January 31, 2010

2010-01-31T16:20:00.000-05:00

Bravo Graciano!

2010-01-28T10:09:00.000-05:00

Backside of Paris mugs

2010-01-18T13:34:00.001-05:00

"The truth is more valuable if it takes you a few years to find it"
"Nothing is real but dreams and love"

"There is only one happiness in life, to love and to be loved"

"We only love what we do not wholly possess"

(As Steve Martin once said..."those French have a different word for everything!")

Mugs for International Studies fundraiser Walnut Grove, CA

2010-01-18T13:03:00.000-05:00

Remember this December that love weighs more than gold.

2009-12-23T17:45:00.000-05:00

" It's not in the holding on but in the letting go that we learn to live"

"You won't find Christmas out in the air....it is found in your own heart..."

sweet little prints on our porch

2009-12-21T10:22:00.000-05:00

Korth's Pirates Lair

2009-11-30T14:45:00.000-05:00

If you've never been out to Korth's Pirates Lair on the Delta Loop, go. It feels like you've stepped back 50 years. Tiki torches, mature trees everywhere...charming!

What's Cookin' today....

2009-11-30T13:28:00.000-05:00

for Shirley Hobart

For my mom

For Liz Bokisch

For Beatriz

2009-11-07T09:24:00.000-05:00

Here's the group together..... K

2009-11-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

Tori and Kitty Kit Kit

Molly

Kitty Kit Kit (aka Schmiddy)

Max

Jerry

Nancy Tillisch's Holiday Show

2009-11-03T16:36:00.000-05:00

On Dec. 7th in Rio Vista, Nancy has her annual holiday open house and showing of her jewelry.

A really cute Christmas card inspired me to paint these plates. They'll be winging their way west pretty soon and available for purchase at Nancy's show.

A limited group of six square Apilco France porcelain plates from the Delta Food Bank (snagged them when they were getting Williams Sonoma stuff) There will only be one set of these square ones!!! (maybe I should keep them!?) jk ~K

Yesterday was a good day!

2009-10-28T12:35:00.000-04:00

I am working with a woman in Spain on these. Her name is Beatriz, she supplied me with images for inspiration. Fun wine plates....just need to fill in the colors. (remember to click over image to make them larger)

This is a special order for Jan in Sacramento. Decided to put some "soy sauce" with the wasabi in one of the dishes... I like it.

A Happy Accident

2009-10-28T12:32:00.000-04:00

I was cooling these in the oven and forgot, went to preheat the oven for rolls AHHHH! 400 degrees! It got darker and looks sort of vintage. I like them more now! (probably won't be able to repeat it though...)

New to my blog?

2009-10-17T18:12:00.001-04:00

February 2008 is the very first post, if you haven't scrolled all of the way down, you may miss one! Please click on Older Posts when you get to the bottom of the page....lots of gift ideas to help this time of year. Thanks! Kathleen

Wine Terminology

2009-10-17T18:04:00.000-04:00

Your guests will love their wine persona for the evening....is she young? complex? a tart with great legs?! Imagine the possibilities for fun wine sets!

BUNKO NIGHT

2009-10-17T18:00:00.000-04:00

Hard-to-Buy-For Gifts

2009-10-17T17:46:00.000-04:00

Liz Diede needed a gift for someone hard-to-buy-for..... Lupe is a martini drinking, sensuous, skiier who also happens to be a doctor.....how do you ever find a really personal gift for someone so unique?! (you ask Kathleen what she has in her studio to paint on and give her some ideas!) Lupe loved her Lucious gifts! (she's also very social)

btw. Linda Korth said she actually recognized Lupe when she met her from seeing this gift!!!!

Must be the Carmen Miranda hat Lupe always wears ;-) jk

Yesterday in the studio

2009-10-17T13:47:00.000-04:00

"I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year" Dickens

"Never economize on luxuries"....

Wishes(outside), Do come true(inside)
"when nothing is certain, everything is possible."

INDIVIDUAL TRUFFLE DISHES

"Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful"

My mom's husband's 75th birthday party is coming up this month. I am doing saloon glasses to match the theme of the party.

My cousin's son is getting married in November. These Salt and Peppers are being painted to match the invite.

Carol and Bruce Wilcox grow pears....these mugs are a special order request from Carol :-).

Jackie's Lake house special request.

2009-09-30T08:39:00.000-04:00

This is an older order, but a fun thing to think about for the holidays. We did their cabin on four mugs, each a different season. Beach towels on the railing in summer, snow on the ground in winter, etc. Fun gift for her husband!

Kerri's Koffee Klatsch Kups

2009-07-20T22:09:00.000-04:00

One of the coolest things about our small delta towns is the pace. On Wednesday mornings Kerri's friends know she is doing laundry. It has become an unofficial coffee hour for her neighbors there in Courtland. She had me paint a likeness of their homes onto mugs to surprise them with on their next visit. thanks Kerri! xoxo k

As an aside... my pet peeve is when they spell C words with a K on signs or in ads.

That and: ugly front doors, Betty Boop, Unicorns, beards without mustaches, styrofoam squeaking against the interior of the car while you're in traffic.... I could go on and on. My best friend Karen hates relief maps and walking on grass barefooted... another friend can't stand cellophane wrappers rattling at the movies~ or even on the phone!
Email me your pet peeves purehokum@hotmail.com

HUSICK'S IN CLARKSBURG

2009-07-09T20:38:00.000-04:00

Look at how darling this store is!

Norm's dentist office

2009-07-09T10:10:00.000-04:00

Nextdoor to my studio in Barbara's house is Norm's dentist office, his wife Flora has been patiently waiting for me to do a plate with this on it....thank you for being so patient Flora!!!

It is almost done :-)

They're GOOD for you!

2009-06-25T18:25:00.000-04:00

A few more Delta scene bottles

2009-06-17T20:16:00.000-04:00

This is the last of the old bottles to paint. The bottle on the far left has such cloudy glass, it really looks like a foggy delta day!

Antique Bottles

2009-06-10T10:34:00.000-04:00

Scroll down to the post just before this one to get the story on these bottles.......

I am going to paint a bunch more today, I can't wait! The imperfections of the old bottles are so fun to work with and incorporate into the images.

I grew up in an old house and attribute my love of all antiques to this. I don't like new perfect things. Give me worn, soft stuff with character any day!

Old books, jewelry, suitcases....I love to think of all they have seen. My dad gave me a jar of old coins when I was little. Actually, the old tobacco tin they are in is almost as precious to me as the coins themselves.

Maybe that's what I love about the delta. It is rough around the edges. Not too pretty, like some moist tropical place. The weeds get dry and scratchy this time of year.

There's a subtle beauty here, the sky reflected in the still river at sunset....you can take a deeper breath and relax. Life is a bit slower in the delta. (not just when you get behind someones tractor on the levee road either!)

One farmer had a bumpersticker I loved. It said:

"Don't like sharing the road with farm equipment, don't EAT!"

To Remember the Delta

2009-06-10T09:36:00.000-04:00

These bottles will soon be lovely souvenirs sold at the Summerwind Gallery in Isleton, California.

Se souvenir....the French verb: to remember.

Karen Franscioni owns Summerwind with her husband Ross Peters. She bought a bunch of antique bottles and asked me to put a delta image on the back of each one. She explained "I'm going to go outside and run around with them, then put a cork in it, seal the cork with wax and put a nice tag around the neck explaining that it is full of delta air"

My love for the delta went into each one. I painted them last night after a long walk on the levee soaking in all of the images around me.

The progress of Kerri's house plate

2009-05-26T19:07:00.001-04:00

Pears!

2009-05-07T11:30:00.000-04:00

WORDS TO LIVE BY

2009-05-07T11:28:00.000-04:00

Enjoy the little things.....

2009-05-05T10:42:00.000-04:00

Special Orders from the past

2009-05-05T09:42:00.000-04:00

The wedding invitation below inspired a sushi for two set for the newlyweds.....

Citrus dipping bowls

2009-05-05T09:33:00.000-04:00

Robert Hubbell's boat

2009-04-29T10:37:00.000-04:00

This is what the finished gift looks like. I sandwich the painting between a piece of glass and a matboard, then encircle the three with silvered copperfoil tape and put a hang tag on the back.
You can use a stand or hang on the wall with a group of stuff (it's small....5" sq.)

I know this is not as good of the boat painting, but you can see Marty's photo in the background, right side. He used to give me his glass and mat scraps. Marty's paintings were so big, I could get dozens from the leftovers of one of his! We were both satisfied using up each little bit....less waste.

Leah's babycup

2009-04-27T18:17:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our world Leah Harumi Shimazaki! (Leah joined us April 14th, 2009!)

Marcy's Special Order

2009-04-27T17:57:00.000-04:00

A special order for a special individual....we will miss you Robert!!!

(Marcy's the one who had me do Margaritaville quotes on margarita glasses)....this time she came up with the idea to do a watercolor of this friend's boat as a going away gift. Thank you Marcy!

Faux teabags

2009-04-21T09:53:00.000-04:00

Husick's Country Store in Clarksburg has great food, atmosphere and soon....Pure Hokum!

These mugs are for their retail area.

Julie Sandino's annual Easter dog show prizes

2009-04-03T16:25:00.001-04:00

This is what I've been working on today.... "Beast in Show" (large breed) is still being done, there's a Saint Bernard on the other side....

" Beast Dressed", "Beast Behaved", "Beast in Show" (small breed) and "Beast Overall"!!!!

I imagine the winning dogs will use these for their food or water (or get treats from the jar!)

Happy Birthday Kip!

2009-04-02T11:59:00.000-04:00

Fresh out of the oven, a collection of Tiki Bar glasses for our good friend who is having a birthday today!!!!

Tea Time continues!

2009-03-05T16:26:00.000-05:00

More folly

2009-02-25T20:10:00.000-05:00

Ok, I think this one is finished. I love the mice and the door in the tree...I bought a bunch more rectangular platters today to keep going with these characters. The birds below are for a show I am participating in at Summerwind this weekend. Come to Isleton and see!

a work in progress

2009-02-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

I love story-telling whimsical images. The squirrel is pouring milk into the owl's teacup. The owl is obviously hard to please....

This will eventually have a big tree at the right. A bird may be delivering a napkin (checkered as per Karen Chaddick) to the grumpy owl...a mouse climbing up the trunk (also Karen's idea...wearing shorts?) will have something in its mouth for him. (sugar cube?)

Just a little something fun to play with between special orders. K

Chicago Wine Glass for Beth

2009-02-12T11:10:00.000-05:00