It's about Time

Good Grief, it's been forever since I've taken the time to come here and update what's been happening. Things have made a change in my world. My job has ended after nine years. The owner had the business up for sale for four years but in this economy no one came up with the money that it would take to purchase the business and a franchise. So he decided to close and at the age of seventy five I can understand that. But in the mean time that has left me job hunting, no fun.

But since I couldn't find a job in the area where I want to stay I decided to make one. So I'm trying to get classes going at the local Craft Guild of St. Mary's County near by. Of course that's not very easy to do in the summer months when everyone has summer time plans. But that's ok I'm setting up some painted items to sell in the shop. Hopefully people will have some interest in the classes in the fall once the weather cools down and the kids are back in school.

Anyway I'll tell you a little about the shop....It's a nice size shop with a lot of varied artist's / crafter's everything from hand made quilts , wood crafts, beautiful jewelry, watercolor artist, fabric crafts and the list goes on and on. Each month a member or artist in the community is featured as an Artist of the Month this month the artist is Pat Troiani. Pat is a watercolor artist who has some beautiful pieces for sale in the shop. If that weren't enough Pat also makes jewelry, very pretty pieces with sea glass and beads.

I have just started to get my space set up and for right now I'm doing small signs with cute saying mostly related to the summer season. With time I'm going to be painting table runners and cookbooks that will be personalized with whatever anyone would like on the front cover.

And the ornaments, can't forget the ornaments, tons of them. So you know what I'll be doing, painting and more painting. But it's what I know and they say stick with what you know and do what you love and you can't go wrong.

Now if your traveling this summer and find yourself in Southern Maryland look on your map for the small town of Leonardtown and drop by and check out the Craft Guild.

Have a Happy and Safe July 4th weekend and until next time Happy Painting.

Happy New Year

As I look back over this year I think of all the things

that I have to be grateful for. There are the friends that stick by me no matter what.

I have my home and I manage to keep my vehicle running with the help of good mechanics.

I have a job that I like. And I have my classes with the best students that keep me on my toes or they at least try to...lol.

And I still enjoy painting and learning new techniques and teaching.

And there's the fact that God and the Angels watch over me and keep me going every day.

Now really what more could a gal ask for.

I hope that you have this many blessing in your life to be grateful for every day of the New Year.

Have a Happy & Blessed New Year

Good Grief it's almost Christmas Charlie Brown

Merry Christmas Everyone. Can you believe it's the weekend before Christmas already. The fall season sure did go by in a hurry seems just the other day we were having Thanksgiving dinner.

I have to say this is the best holiday of the year. Not just because we buy gifts for friends and family and decorate our homes and have parties but because of the real reason for the season...For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord.""And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.""That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

So while you've been making your list and checking it twice have you spent any time painting this season? I've been painting like crazy this fall. My shows went well this year, I'm so grateful to all those that come out to shop with us every year. It was great to see everyone.

And my classes are doing well, I have a great bunch of ladies that make up my classes and we do have a good time together. They have learned some new brush skills this year and have improved their painting skills and I'm so proud of them. Just another thing on my list to be grateful for.

As for me I'm learning the technique of oil roughing, and I like it. It's fun.

I'm doing the pen and ink technique then adding the oil roughing that Mary Owens teaches you have to check out her work. She has some really pretty patterns and the DVD's that teach you more then you can imagine. I haven't worked with pen and ink or oils for thirty years and a lot of things have changed over time new products are great. Who knew that you could use oils without the nasty oder and what blew my mind is I'm cleaning my brushes with soap and water not those stinky solvents of the past. Oh well who says you can't teach a old dog new tricks...lol.

Always keep your mine open to learning something different it keeps life interesting.

Well I have some baking and wrapping, painting, cleaning and laundry to do today so I better get busy. Until next time, Happy Painting.

Happy Halloween

I hope your ready for the ghost and goblins that will be out and about tonight.
If your out tonight travel safely and watch out for those little candy snatchers.
I'll be staying put tonight,maybe doing some painting. I spent last evening with friends at a Halloween bonfire, it was a nice night not to cold but a little windy, the warmth of the fire felt really good.
I haven't done much painting for fall, I've been working on ornaments for my shows.
But I did get one fall item done. I took a black canvas handbag and painted fall leaves on the front and back. You can do this on hand bags , jackets, tote bags ,aprons or shirts the skies the limit. I transfered the leaf design with white wax free transfer paper then base coated all the leaves in with brown , two coats drying between coats. Then your ready to paint your leaves multi colors. I used some fabric medium to do the shading and highlights and paint the veins of the leaves. When your done you can lay the piece in the sun for a while and that will heat set the paint. It's just that easy, give it a try.

It's a quick easy project that you can do in a afternoon.

Until next time Happy Haunting & Happy Painting.

Fall is in the air

Well good grief the summer has gone and now it's time for those leaves to start changing colors and the cooler temperatures. I know that I have neglected my blog terribly this summer all because I've been working on my house. I've painted wood work till I don't want to see another piece of wood work. Now my painting is on ornaments, I'm getting ready for the fall craft show season.

I just have two shows the weekend before Thanksgiving so I'm painting on my days off like there's no tomorrow.

Now that it's getting dark earlier in the evenings and it's getting cooler it's time to snuggle in and start getting ready for the holidays. I always look forward to the holidays, the rich warm colors of fall the smell of fireplaces in the evenings and the smell of cinnamon and apples reminds me of years past. Isn't it funny how a smell in the air can take you back to a time long ago and warm happy memories of making pies and craving pumpkins. I did take the time to pull out a few fall decorations and some scented candles.

Oh and I went to the County Fair a few weeks ago. You know how some things just never change well this county's fair hasn't changed a bit it's always been in the same place for the last 50 plus years and each year there are the same great sounds, sights and smells of good food. Check out some of the pictures I took while walking around that evening. Wouldn't you like to have one of those pretty quilts to snuggle down in. The Clydesdale horses preformed that Saturday evening , they are so pretty when they are all decked out in their harness's. They do like to struck their stuff for the crowds. We had beautiful warm weather that weekend and the place was packed with people.

Well I need to go prep for my tole painting class that's tomorrow morning so until next time enjoy the rest of your weekend and happy painting. Take care.

Feels Like Summer

Are you ready for Summer? I sure am , in just a few more days it will be officially SUMMER!!!

I like the long evenings when it's light long after 7pm. These are our longest day light hours of the year. It's nice to have warm days with the windows open again.

I've been painting but not the cute decorative paintings as usual but painting my house inside. Since 1962 the woodwork in this house has always been natural wood well it's time for a face lift

and a change. So all woodwork is being painted white, it's amazing how much it brightens the rooms.

Just that little touch of white paint and the rooms look so much lighter and brighter. Also I've taken out all the carpet and I'm back the oak hardwood floors, I'm thrilled at how nice the floors look after so many years of being covered with carpet.

So you see I've been busy and a with work and yard work my decorative painting has had to take a back seat the last thing I did paint was some cupcakes with a cute saying...

Everything is Better With Frosting on It.

The cupcake design was in "Painting" magazine the designer is Linda Hollander she painted them on mugs with Folk Art Enamels check em out.

It's going to be a beautiful day so find something that you enjoy doing and make it a great day.

Until next time Happy Painting

It's been a while

It's been a long time since I have taken time to update here so I think it's time to get with it. I'm so grateful that winter has moved on and things are green again, it makes my heart happy to see nice green grass and leaves back on the trees.
I've been getting a lot of spring cleaning done and trying to do some decluttering along the way.
I did do some spring time painting the watering can and tulips were part of a pattern I found in a magazine, it's a Judy Diephouse design. I'm painting the whole design from the magazine and I'll post a picture when I get it done. The azaleas are a design by Barbara Hillman the painted lace boarder was just something I added to the piece to make it stand out a little more. I've done painted lace on Christmas ornaments but I've never done it on a flat surface before I think I like the look and will try to add it in on other pieces when I can. You can find patterns for painting lace on Patty Rawlinson's site. She's very good at lace painting go check her out.

Have you tried the David Jansen Decorative Designs with the Heritage MultiMedia paints?

I have a few of the DVD's / patterns looking forward to trying them. I've been working so long trying to make everything nice and smooth for shading and dry brushing and the Jansen technique wants me to leave lines an ridges in the paint to make it look painterly. I hope I can do it...lol, seriously I'll have to work on that I'm sure.

Well until next time happy painting y'all.