There Was a Little Girl

"There was a little girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was good
she was very good indeed,
but when she was bad,
She was horrid."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

You are probably surprised to find out that this little ditty was written by Longfellow! I know I was when I discovered that fact myself. I had always thought it was a Mother Goose rhyme.



I fell in love with this little girl as soon as she sprung from the end of my fingertips. It's really not her fault that she isn't always perfectly well behaved. She tries, she honestly tries, but, well . . . you know how it goes . . .





This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, inks, and coloured chalks. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or loved one.

All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks. Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.



There was a little girl . . .

First Faith . . . and then . . . The Miracle

"Oh how lovely was the morning,
radiant beamed the sun above,
Bees were humming, sweet birds singing,
music ringing through the grove,
when within the shady woodland,
Joseph sought the God of love . . . "
~Joseph Smith's First Prayer

Sitting in church yesterday morning as we sung this hymn, I had inspiration to do this picture. A simple and faithful boy, an honest and heartfelt prayer, a miraculous answer . . .

I am a great believer in faith working miracles. We experience them every day. We only have to stop and listen . . . and then expect and believe that they will come to us . . .



This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, inks, and coloured chalks. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or loved one.



All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks. Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.




First faith . . . and then . . . the miracle.

A Surprise For You

There's naught so special to behold
it's worth it's weight in gold
A lovely flower so bright and gay
to help lighten up your day
to bring some joy into your eyes
a beautiful sweet sunflower surprise!
~Marie Rayner


This is my latest piece. A lovely little girl with a beautiful surprise tucked behind her back, just waiting to be presented to someone special! It matters not that it's quite obvious what exactly the surprise is, it only matters that it is a gift from the heart, and as we all know, those are the very best kinds!



This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, inks, and coloured chalks. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or loved one.



All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks. Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.



A Surprise For You . . .

Wherever Two Are Gathered

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
~Matthew 18:20



How wonderful to know that He is only a whispered prayer away from any one of us at any time, and that truly whenever we gather together with other believers He is indeed there in the midst of us.





This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, inks, painted scrap star accents, and painted words. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or loved one.



All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks. Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.

Always Kiss Me Goodnight . . .

One thing my mother told me before I got married many moons ago, was to never go to bed angry with my husband. (Having lived through three marriages, it has always puzzled me how anyone could sleep while angry anyways!) Happy to say the third time's the charm and I am quite happily married this time around and we have a rule . . . a kiss last thing at night, and another one first thing in the morning. Next to my daily prayers, those two things are the highlight of my day!



I present my latest piece of work, "Always Kiss Me Goodnight." Another one of my ballerina fairies. I have fallen quite in love with her.




This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, inks, painted scrap star accents, and painted words. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or loved one.

All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks. Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.




Always, always . . . kiss me goodnight . . .

Make A Wish . . .

A fairy danced upon my brow,

on a lovely springtime day

a soft tickle upon my nose

and cheeks pink as a newborn rose

Make a wish, make a wish

her little wings seemed to say

and so I blew a whispered wish

and watched her fly away.

~Marie Rayner, 2009



This is my newest painting, entitled "Make a Wish." A charming little fairy, right from the tips of her head to her cowboy boot clad toes!



I love her delicate wings and her fairy princess tutu!



This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, inks, and scrapbook paper accented leaves. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or loved one.



All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks. Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.

Make a wish . . .

A Postcard From Heaven

Postcards from Heaven,
That fall like the dew
Little gifts from God
just for me and for you.

The song of a bird,
the dew on the grass,
the stars in the night sky,
daffodils en masse.

Beauty surrounds us.
We see it each day.
All ours to enjoy.
In God's special way.
~Marie Rayner, 2009

Excuse my cheesy little poem, but it is the way I felt when I was painting this newest piece of mine. I can't help but see God in all the beauty that surrounds me and the miracles that I experience each and every day . . . from the smallest blessing to the largest grace. They are like postcards from a loving Heavenly Father. Isn't it amazing!! We are NOT alone!



This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, and inks. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend or loved one.



All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks.Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.

Love Is Blind

"True love is a blessing from life, something that cannot be secured by effort. It is a gift of the spirit, not the consequence of action. It is not an objective that we can target, it is a treasure entrusted to our care."
~Daphne Rose Kingma



I for one am glad that Love is Blind. Otherwise with all my shortcomings and faults, who could ever love me?? Well, I do know of one who would love me no matter what. How can I do any less for another than that . . .

This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, and inks with scrap book paper accents. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend, a friend of the heart.



All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks.

Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.

Love In a Garden Grows

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."
~Marcel Proust



Amidst Holly Hocks, Pansies and other garden delights, the butterflies flutter by and dragon flies buzz. This garden is filled with love.

Original painting has been done in acrylics, prisma markers and pencil crayon, with scrapbook paper accents.

This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend of the heart.All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks. Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.

Side By Side

"When I have opened my heart to a friend, I am more myself than ever."
~Thomas Moore



When you are with a friend of the heart two minds work as one. When one gets weary, the other one willingly steps in to carry, or lift, or pull . . .



Though good times and bad times, friends carry the day. I think that God made them love in that way . . . Side by side in the journey of life . . . they enjoy wherever the journey takes them, together.



This latest piece is available as an A4 size print or as a greeting card. The original piece is done in a mixture of water colours, prisma markers, prisma coloured pencils, and inks with scrap book paper accents. This would make a lovely gift for a special friend, a friend of the heart.

All artwork is printed on A4 sized Somerset enhanced Archival 100% cotton paper. Cards are 6 inches by 4 inches and mounted on linen textured card, left blank inside, waiting for your own personal message to be inscribed. Printed in Archival pigment inks.

Feel free to contact me on mariealicejoan at aol dot com to find out more.