March 1st

I am amazed that it is already March 2013.  This year just seems to be flying by.

I am looking forward to Spring, here in the south daffodils have already popped up and I can't wait to see more green. I grew up in Northern Nevada which is beautiful country but it really is a big cat box. Dirt, dirt and more dirt.  Oh and sage brush.  lol

Well to finish of February, I finally re-upholstered my dining room chair cushions!!! This is a project I first started planning out last Spring so I am thrilled I finally completed.  I am still working the rocker I keep sanding and changing colors on it...maybe it will be a never ending project.  

This months projects:

• rocking chair
• sand big rocking chair and design pattern
• cut spring wood projects
• paint paint paint!

This and That

Hello all,

I've been keeping busy playing in my studio, and now I have a few photos to share.  

The sunflower painting was Java Paint Night at Coffee Tree Books & Brew in Huntsville, instructed by Deborah Taylor.  I've included her website link so you can see more of her art and learn more about my friend.

The butterfly painting is a gift for my neighbor.

The two photo frames were just quickie designs for fun.

I'm still painting the children's rocking chair.  I keep changing my mind on color and accents hopefully I be done soon because I have so many other projects I want to start.

Please leave me comments and don't forget to visit Deborah's website.

1 art project, 2 art projects, 3 art projects....4

I am so excited to create new things that I never have just one project going.  What about you?

My newest creative love is crochet!  There are so many adorable patterns for the wee ones that I can't help but save them all on Pinterest or Ravelry (or my hard drive).  I bought a couple patterns yesterday that I can't wait to play with.  Check out http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheHatandI for some cute patterns!


And then...upstairs in my studio I have 3 projects in progress and my brain is already thinking about several spring projects to create and market.  

Getting back to those 3 projects: 

1. A small antique rocking chair perfect for a doll or stuffed animal.  I'm getting a little crazy with lots of color and scribble paint.  My inspiration comes from a fellow artisan I have met online http://lauriemillerdesigns.blogspot.com/  I love the whimsy and color in her designs.  
2. A sketch I want to paint.  A tribute to my father who died shortly after he turned 46.  This is my 46th year and it saddens me to think his life ended so young.  I may or may not proceed with the painting...it is very emotional for me.
3. I started a drawing of my son this month. I set it aside to work on the rocking chair. I need to get back to it...it's almost done!

I am also a new member of the Madison Arts Council!  I'm very excited to be getting more involved.  Good things to come.

So that is what's happening in my art world, what's happening in yours?

Hello 2013!

Alrighty, another year and a renewed attitude and focus in exploring my creative side.

Art studio is almost organized (a never ending battle) it never really is all the way together, kind of like me :)

I'm currently working on a drawing of my son from a picture taken when he was about 5.  I can't wait to finish and post a picture but it may take a while.  My inner child is telling me to put it away and get painting two small chairs I picked up last year or was it the year before?

My goal is to get some children's pieces together.  I think the market here is perfect for some heirloom pieces that can be passed on.  I'm just going to fly by the seat of my pants on this and see what happens.  Wish me luck!

Butterfly...restoration part 1

I picked up my butterfly this past weekend, she has a lot of damage from being in the garden all spring and summer.  I am glad I outbid everyone.  I would be mortified to have someone pay several hundred dollars for her and find out after the fact that she is damaged.  I wonder how the other butterfly winners feel about the damage on their butterflies?  We looked at a lot of the butterflies waiting to be picked up and most had moderate damage. 

The base on mine has the most damage as she was located in a mostly shady area with lots of humidity and moist soil.  I haven't decided if that part is worth restoring - maybe I will just bury the metal pole that the butterfly sits on in the ground?  Too soon to tell.

The butterfly needs some TLC.  The seal I put on did not weather well.  I'll need to carefully sand and seal with a boat type of lacquer/sealant.  I haven't determined what if any other restoration on her is needed.

Regardless, I'm happy to restore her and give her a grand spot in my yard.

I won my HSVBG Butterfly!

Call me silly but I couldn't resist the chance of owning the butterfly I painted for the Huntsville Botanical Garden earlier this year. 

The garden set up an online auction for all of the butterflies and it has been open for about 30 days now.  Maybe I should have bid on someone else's butterfly, or let my monarch slip through my fingers but I just wanted her back.  That's the thing with creating a piece of art...sometimes the piece speaks to your soul and you just can't let it go.

Regardless I am happy to say my butterfly will be returning home and she will be a permanent piece in my own art collection :)

More before pics

Before Pics-Dogwood Diner

My art in a public forum! Get outta town!

Is just high on life right now!!! My newest adventure is fixing up and designing/painting whimsical mural scenes inside the "Dogwood Diner" tree house at the Huntsville Botanical Garden!!!! Sketched out some ideas yesterday taking measurements and "before" pics this weekend! Woot Woot!

Good Wednesday Morning

Today I am visiting the Huntsville Botanical Garden for the first time.  Regretfully I have put this off but the time is perfect.  The weather is in the 60's, which for me is lovely...it gets so hot here in summer.

I am actually meeting with one of the directors to discuss an art project for one of their tree houses...I can't even put into words how excited I am to volunteer my creativeness!!!  The tree house is called the "Dogwood Diner" how fun...my inner child is running and skipping and singing.  I hope this will be the start of some other creative opportunities.

...in other news, I have been busy doing Spring cleaning and home projects this month so I haven't finished any paintings.  I do have one painting in progress and I am loving it - it's about 2/3 complete.  I will try to remember to get a picture of it posted. 

Greg and I completed a makeover of our foyer HOORAY!  And we did it in a weekend!  the original eggplant color is now a warm fawn/tan and all of the molding is a fresh warm white.  We added a little table, mirror and floral arrangement and VOILA!  Greg also revamped the french doors so they now stay open or can be properly closed...before they were hung but could not close due to missing hardware.  It really looks fabulous!

The master bath is still in progress but we pulled down the 3 huge mirrors over the sinks and the walls are now primed and ready for paint.We also need to replace the bathroom window, tile/grout the shower and buy the panes for the enclosure.  On the bright side art is now on the walls in the master bedroom!

Next is the main guest bath (which is hideous).  Pull out the carpet and lay down new indoor/outdoor carpet (because this it the bathroom that connects to the back patio and pool...this way no one will slip), Greg is picking up a new sink vanity and toilet, a coat or two of fresh paint and new towels and misc accessories and it will look AWESOME!

So exciting to see the house becoming more and more our home :)

Friday 4:20pm

Some people may get the title and others not.  Actually it's 4:24pm...but enough silliness.

I got my surface (canvas board) prepped, paints selected, brushes ready and basic pattern on the canvas but that was as far as I got yesterday.  I took a lunch break and never made it back upstairs.hrrrumph.

Today has been to busy running here and there, and dinner out with the family tonight.  I doubt after 1 or 2 margaritas I will be ready to paint but who knows, it could happen.  I'm hoping the hubby will be busy with his stuff Saturday so I can start my painting.  I'm actually using a pattern from a book so it won't be an actual original but it helps me practice different techniques.  It is a country bird theme.  I can't wait to get painting!

OY! February is flying by

Brrrrrr!  We got snowed on again here in Northern Alabama...maybe our summer will be a bit cooler this year, I'd like that.

I've managed to get the studio organized -hooray!  I also spent a couple hours wandering up and down the isles at Hobby Lobby yesterday and picked up some new paints, and a couple new books which I am excited about.  So what better way to spend this ccccold winter day than getting creative and painting!

How lucky I am!!!

February 6th already?

I fell into a black hole this past week between the grey weather and just not feeling well. By Thursday I was back to myself but was playing catch up.  I painted a couple cards on Friday but my lack of experience with watercolor type media ended up being a blurry mess.  On the up-side I have a new design for a painting for my niece. 

My art studio needs a good organizing too so that will be my goal for today.  And then hopefully this week I can get some real painting done :)

January has flown the coop

It's hard for me to believe that today is the last day of January, where did it go?  I think I need to take inventory on artsy things I have dabbled with this month:

1. Started an art blog
2. Completed 3 paintings
3. Took a painting class
4. Met new artists
5. Volunteered
6. Sketched a koi painting, and meezer kitties
7. Created my own Teddy Bears to use in paintings, cards and who knows what
8. Picked up 2 wooden children's chairs to paint, currently primed and drying
9. Started thinking and actively searching for a venue to teach art classes.
10. Watched painting videos and learned some new things

Wow, for me that's quite a lot of artsy this and that. I think it's going to be a great ART year!

The best of both worlds

Followed up on volunteering at the 16 Main Gallery and have agreed to volunteer when needed.  Which means I'll be rubbing elbows with the artists.  Call me a geek but it's exciting to me.

Wine and Cheese

Well, here is the latest.  I spent some time today tweaking the painting I did Friday night at 16 main.  For the most part I like the painting...I really struggled on the cheese which should have been an easy part but from the angle I was sitting it just didn't look like a wedge of cheese so of course I had to keep messing with it.  I finally gave up - the cheese won! ha  I really liked my wine bottle except it looks a bit stubby and the neck isn't perfect.  I really need to use more "painterly strokes" and techniques.  A piece of advice given to me by a well known painter was "the harder you try to make it look real, the less it does".  I really need to hammer that into my head...practice practice practice.

16 Main wine painting class

I went to a painting class tonight and did a wine, bread and cheese painting which I found very soothing.  I'll post a pic tomorrow.

Feeling Artsy!

Well it has been a great week of meeting new people and making friends.  Now if only Mother Nature would turn up the heat a little! Brrrr and I live in the south!!! (Of course I'll be complaining about the heat and humidity come May or June...but that is what the pool is for!)

I've been so busy doing this and that, that I haven't painted at all this week.  I'm headed upstairs to get creative and tonight going to "16 Main" for a painting class.  I am so happy, it seems I've finally found my creative spark again. Yippee!

Art Play Date

I visited http://16maingallery.com/ 16May yesterday, it was a lot of fun talking with other artists.  I am hoping to start teaching some childrens and adulescent art classes at this location and be able to give back to the community and share my passion of creativity with others.

Resident artist Dianne Hart - http://www.artbyhart-dianne.blogspot.com/ Art by Hart invited me to come in today and play with DecoArt's Traditions Acrylic Paint.  I can't wait to try these!!!  And I am so excited to be rubbing elbows with some very talented local artists.

So much to do, so little time

Well, I finished my last painting several days ago and have been busy with the family, cleaning, organizing, and planning.

My friends who can do a painting a day amaze me.  (applause)

My art studio is a crowded with frames and photos and picture albums I have purchased and never done anything with.  Boxes of ready to paint ceramics I purchased from Craigslist last year.  Canvas, papers, books and patterns, paintings, paints and pencils...a shelf of teddy bears because well, I love my teddy bears.  And oodles of other miscellaneous crafty things.  (Art Attention Deficit Disorder...seriously ha ha).

I started working on getting my photos in chronological order yesterday, beginning with photos from the 1940's up to 1979, talk about a time warp!  It was rather humbling as my grandparents and parents were typical working class people most with really bad fashion sense ha!  Not that I'm much better but I don't wear plaid pants with floral tops.

I have to get back to the studio to get a feel for a painting this week.  I think I have an idea!