Still at it....buying and painting.

I'm still at it. I am so slow I know. I have ordered the knobs and I finished the painting. Now I need to sand off some of the edges and wax it. It is turning out so beautiful. My mom is going to be happy.

 

                           I'm not even sure you can tell from this pic that it is a soft pink color
     Bought a wonderful old buffet today. The best one I have seen in awhile. I'll post soon.

 

No more stripping.....

  In my last post I told you I had picked up my vintage buffet. A redo for myself. But I had a piece I had to finish first. Well here she is ready to paint. Ready as she'll ever be. Thank goodness for chalk paint. I don't think I could want to get anymore paint off this beauty. There are so many coats of paint. There was white , orange and a lime green. This thing must of been a hot mess in the 70s....kinda like me..

  I have not used chalk paint before (I'm a late bloomer) so I'm hoping all I hear is true and it will adhere to this piece. I'm going to give it an aged look so it need not be perfect. I love things when they are a little imperfect....me again. lol  OK you got me... maybe a lot imperfect.

 This is for my mom and it is going to be a very soft pink color. It is so her. She is such a girly girl...♥ Southern Belle...♥

 

Before the stripping.

Camera another set of eyes for my work,,,...

I'm still working on some pieces that I thought were completed. Subsequently after snapping some pics and looking at them on the computer it shows something different. I realize now my camera is one of my best tools in judging my work, at least for myself. For some reason I see things I somehow did not when looking at it on my easel. Almost like another set of eyes.

Do you find you have another set of eyes that help you see and if so, in what way.

 Here is the latest one and I am finally happy with it, and can see that through my lens.

I can see through my lens that I need to repaint my walls too. Maybe a buttermilk color. I've always had colorful walls but now I think its time to lighten the walls and let the art do the talking.

Painting Redo....or just a WIP



Before



 When I first did this piece I was happy and deemed it finished but after staring at it for a few weeks something kept nagging me. So I picked up some glaze and paint and went to reworking it. I really do like the way the glazes and new colors softened it. Evoking more of the feeling I was after. Colorful but with a softness and depth to it. You can really see the colors in the close up pic.

How many of you redo your work? Maybe its not redo just a work in progress. They just sit in the corner patiently waiting to be finished.

 Went to Michaels yesterday and SCORE... 8 cradle boards on the clearance table. Sizes range from 8" by 8" to 16" by 20" as deep as

                                           3" and all for $38.00.



after



 So ready to get started on the small ones. I think it will be a challenge for me as I usually only work larger canvas. I need to make some more painted papers as the patterns I already have painted are to large for these small cradle boards.

 Its a gloomy rainy day here so a good day to paint.



close up



         

 Everyone have a colorful weekend.









Learning to promote your Art...

  I claim here and now I know nothing about promoting art and I would much rather be in my studio immersed in art ... ButAfter 45 years of dabbling in art I'm more willing than ever to give it a good try. I have many times gotten excited about a piece of work I was doing but this time I am excited about the prospect of pursuing the not so pleasant part of promoting your art...This has come from reading the advice of  Alyson Stanfield the Art Biz Coach . I'v been encouraged just by reading her tips and what she has learned over the years she has been doing this.  Her facebook page is chocked full of info and an easy way to keep up with her blog too. So nice when others share thier knowledge.
  I have lots to learn but a place to start and wanted to share this place with those of you like me that just did not know what to do or where to start. Please feel free to leave a comment about what you have learned  to help myself and others in the art of promotion.

 I finished my mixed media piece. I had to paint in the budgie and I added more glazing and color to the top. I think it gives it more depth. I'm so happy with my finished product.

I'm back and ready to paint paint paint...

  I've been absent here for 6 months. Many reasons and none matter. But I'm back and ready to go full force.
  I am so happy about my latest works and can't wait to share them with you. I've been working with a Gelli plate in the last week and trying to get a good hang of that. I've also been hand painting paper and doing collage with them. This is my passion right now. Here are a few pics of the progress and some that are finished.

These are the hand painted papers that were collaged to a canvas. These were the background for "Pink Roses with Budgie"

This is one I am working on now. Its titled "Pink Roses with Budgie" I will be putting the Budgie in next.

                            This one is finished and it is called "Ann's Roses"

These are the hand painted papers for "Ann's Roses"

This is called "Patchwork"

Hope you have enjoyed seeing what I'm up to now. I will be better at posting and try to post at least once a week. I get so ingrossed in the work I forget everything else. I will post more in a few days . Let me know if you are interested in seeing the steps as I work.

Frida and my sons first work for sale.

I finished Frida and have listed her on Etsy here.

But here is what I really want to show...My sons first piece for sale . He is so good at free hand lettering and numbers. I am pround of him and his antique sign. You can find it here.

Now for sale....

Finished and for sale here....

New works and a new project.

Well I got a new toy, a black and decker soldering kit. Thanks to my neighbor who gave it to me. I was telling his wife I wanted one and just so happened he had a new one he was going to sell at his yard sale this week. How lucky can a girl get....I've been wanting to make jewery and now I can. I need to get some more supplies and learn some things and off I go. I love doing new things. Don't you.

I also have some new prints and art work in my etsy shop so check them out.