A Sign of the Times

I've been doing these signs for house warming gifts for friends and for a Realtor, she has me paint one for home buyers as a thank you gift. Everyone seems to really like them.

So I thought I would post one here and if anyone is interested you can contact me for more info.

thefurbandi@msn.com

They are painted with a good exterior paint and then several coats of varnish on top of the design. Some folks like their names on them and others prefer just to have their house number and a design.

Summer Harvest

I've been working on this piece for some time now, didn't think I'd ever finish all those leaves...LOL. I thought this would look nice in a big country kitchen or in a dinning room. This pattern is by Veda Parsley I just love all the colors. In the book it was painted on a large tray, well I didn't have a tray that big so I just cut a piece of wood 14 x 24 that it would fit on. I did lots of dry brushing on this one, still haven't done the crackle effect on it yet. I think that will add some character to it.

Snowman Ornaments

It's getting to be that time of the year when you can feel summer slipping slipping away. The nights are getting a little cooler and the days are getting shorter. The air has a different smell and feel. So it's time for me to settle in and paint a lot more then usual to be ready for my shows in a few months. Ornaments still get the most attention at the shows for me and the Snowman faces are popular. Here's a few that I've done in past years. To do these I've used the large clear glass ornaments.

Frosted them like I would to paint anything else ( see Tricks of the Trade for Glass Prep ) and then the messy part. I pounce on two or three coats of white paint the last coat I pounce on I add a touch of blue to make him look cold. Then he's ready to add your features.

If anyone is interested in placing an order for ornaments or any of the pieces shown here you can contact me at thefurbandi@msn.com for prices and other info.

I'll except money orders or checks once they have cleared I'll ship to anywhere in the US.

My Latest Project

I've been bad, it's been a while since I've been here to update and add anything. But today I'm here to knock down the cobwebs...LOL and add something new.

I just finished this piece. It's a Karen Rideout design. She has some really nice pieces that show the old stoneware jars that I remember from back when I was a kid. My Mom and Grannie Kate had these stone crocks in their kitchens.

The goose and the apples are carved from wood. I'm thinking if I do this piece again I might use a crackle effect on the goose. I put cherries in the stone jar instead of apples.

Joyce's Tole Painting

Lots of Little Detail Work

I have been working on this piece for what seems like forever. And I'm pleased with the way it turned out. It's a 50th Anniversary gift for a couple in New Hampshire. Wow, married for fifty years, that's as long as I've been alive.
Any back to the piece, this is a Betty Caithness design. She has some of the most beautiful scenery patterns out there. Lots of little details that will keep you looking at her work for hours just to make sure you didn't miss anything. When you have time you really should check out her work.

This Rooster Rules the Roost

I finished this piece last night. I like this Rooster he was designed by Trish McMurry. She has several beautiful pieces with Hens and Roosters. This is a good piece to practice with your script liner brush on. Also all those tail feathers are great to practice floating color. That seems to be the one thing everyone struggles with. So if your having a hard time with side loading your brush to get those nice shades and highlights don't worry it's NOT just you. Everyone has to work at it to find just the right brush and right amount of water or floating medium to leave in their brush. The best advise I can give is if you have some time during your day take 30 minutes to practice, that's the best way you'll ever figure it out. Once you do get the hang of it, you'll be able to do it with out even thinking about.
So Practice, practice, practice and when you think you got it, go practice SOME MORE...LOL.
That's how we all learn. Believe me when I say I didn't just wake up one morning and think I'll go paint something and float in my shades and highlights. I worked at it every day to learn.

I truly believe every piece you do is a learning experience the ones that come out nice, that you can show your family & friends are a plus. But even the ones that get hidden way way back on that back shelf in your craft closet have been a learning experience to. We learn from our mistakes, I have a few of those stored away for a good laugh every once in a while. Some of them were just sad and were filed away in the trash.

Now if painting really is your passion then you won't mind putting in the time to practice. Don't take it so seriously play with it and have a good time. When a friend calls and ask what I'm doing I tell them I'm playing. That's how little kids learn to do things they play. So pick up your brushes and find a pattern that you like and PLAY it's good for the soul.