Everything is coming up ROSES

 I thought you might enjoy going along with me on my journey of painting roses...I love to take a class. Learn everything I can, then make it my own. I did the one above right after class, I did the one below last night, from my own photos. I have a long way to go...

Looking at these pictures I see a problem...Christie had us use a limited pallet, by doing that, I'm afraid they will always be the same color. I come from a world of craft paints in every color, I may have to add a few.
I also used no white, just titian buff, that could change things up.

My Day Was Fabulous!!

 Thought I would show you my finished product first..This is what I did with 3 hours of learning.

What fun!!

 Just starting out

 Adding darks and lights

 It was really rough, this is the view I had from where I was sitting. Thats Christie Repasys darling house

 This is the pool room turned painting room. She painted a huge part of her wall with chalk board paint so she could put up notes...

Paint Brush Holder

 I want to take my own brushes to class tomorrow. I came up with this idea. I took one of the $1 journal books, took out the pages, added vintage ledger pages to both sides, inside, added book binding tape

 I use some more of the quilt that I purchased for my journal wrap ( shown in previous posts) Added a layer of lace. Then on the inside I made a pink (doesnt look pink) brush holder, then I sewed it down the middle to the book covers...put it in my journal wrap... LOVE IT!!! oh, I added some of my canvas paper in the pocket, ready to paint ROSES!!!

I am taking my 3rd on-line class from Joanne Sharpe. She only charges $35 for a wealth of information. Any of you who know me well, knows I've been painting for a gazillion years...I am learning something new, wonderful, exciting...a different way of putting color on a page...If you want some fun, check it out, I guess you can figure out the name of the class is Color Love 101, it's like getting a good book, its always there, no deadline! I even bought me some Prismacolor colored pencils, some Derwent Inktense pencils and Peerless transparent watercolors...soooo excited to use them ALL, lots of layering.

Everything Roses

I know I may sound like a broken record...but I am so excited for this Sat. to get here. I'll be making the 1 hour drive down to Temecula to take from Christie Repasy, a day of painting roses, how devine!! Right afterwards my husband and I are taking a road trip to a little cabin for a much needed vacation...I've have some things ready to paint on, I've got a mess of paints. My brushes are itching to get started. I've taken the pictures, I've traced off the roses I've been working on making designs.....I cant wait to learn then practice, then share my paintings with you all.

My latest finished journal book cover with my hand painted bird on a pincushion. I hand dyed silk that is scrunched and stitched around the painting. The pink ribbon is another silk ribbon I dyed.

Mixed Media Journal cover

The online class with Nellie Wortman started over at Artful Gathering. We are all having so much fun!! Its a class on making journal covers...you know, those inexpensive journals from 99 cent store, or walmart...
This is a wonderful way to cover it up...now the question...should I sell it??? I don't know about this one, let me make a few more then I'll list them on Etsy...I found a quilt at the thrift store, I'm letting that show on the inside. there is even a pen holder...

Painted Sewing Machine

 I forgot to show you the before of Staceys little sewing machine...shes not a big sewer, and she usually just borrows mine, she felt it was time to be a big girl (she's going to shoot me for saying that, she's 30.lol) and have her own sewing machine. She only wanted a few stitches, Of course it had to be the right color...then a little more bling...she has since added trim on the left side of the aqua. I happened to have that stencil...its one of those, "I had to have it" years ago, and never used...glad I had it now!  She went out and purchased thread, new bobbins, a few needles...yay for Craigslist!!

Painting Fun!!!

 Stacey (my daughter) has been at it again...here is what she purchased at the flea market this past weekend.

the clocks where ugly beige...look at them now!!

So if you ever thought of purchasing one of these little containers, but its missing drawers..but it's REALLY cheap...dont pass it up just because its ugly...Stacey covers the missing drawers with wood trim and a little bling, lots of spray paint...now it is sooo charming!

 I'm still getting ready for a couple of classes I'm taking...thought I would get some painting done.

I used canvas paper behind the cabinet card

 Then on the bright and cheery side...another painting on canvas paper, lots of layering will be done

I'll keep you posted

Vintage Flea Market Finds

 I'm taking a class from Nellie Wortman over at Artful Gathering...so I am busy gathering...

We started out pretty early this morning, went to the Irvine Flea Market. It was delightful, the weather was perfect...here is what I found, an adorable brown velveteen purse with this aged mirror, how cute is that!!. Love the big red buttons, I couldn't pass them up.

 Then we got finished so early, we took off for the Pasadena Flea Market...not the Rose Bowl, still haven't done that one yet, it costs $8 just to get in...I prefer free to enter. Anyway I didn't get anything until we hit the last 3 vendors...and there was a box of goodies for $1 each...this is what I came away with, I am so excited!!! Class starts on the 6th...I think I'm ready now!!

I was going through my watercolor paintings that I did a few years ago. When I came across this one, it evoked a lot of emotions. I can remember clearly the beautiful warm summer day in Oregon. I had picked up the watermelon, pear and grapes the day before...I took everything outside, picked a daisy. I set up the still life on a table, took many pictures at different angles. Then I went to a watercolor workshop I was taking. I wanted to learn more about painting with reds, the shading and highlighting staying away from pinks. I learned so much

Love my Kitty

 Sweet Poodie loving the arm of the sofa in the sunshine...heaven

I showed this to you before...its going into my etsy...a sweet 4 x 5 inch canvas, lots of texture and layers

Retro Radio Redo

 We'll my daughter Stacey has been at it again...I love what she does to the old retro goodies that she picks up for a few dollars...She found this vintage green container, the price was right, we have since found out it should be a set of for...coffee, tea, flour and sugar..pearl paint and glitter makes it a real treasure.
Then there is the am fm elec. radio...it also got a face lift...it works beautifully.

I've been hearing about this "PicMonkey" photo place so I thought

I would check it out...talk about easy to use!

As Apt. Managers...we feel that we want to make living here a pleasant experience.

Laundry...who LIKES to do laundry, especially at an apt. complex.

Sooo, Stacey had this bright idea of painting and stenciling.

We have since added a fabric valence to the windows. We have received such wonderful comments from the tenants. And guess what...tenants are keeping it cleaner! (that was the plan)

 We took the ugly entry

door off, living in So. Cal. no one ever closes the door, so why have it.

The plan is to cover the waterheater and make built in tables painted to match the aqua.

One more laundry room to do....

Two Girls Crafting

 Another round of photographing Roses...

 I love the lights and shadows...then I thought I would do a little watercolor...no detail in the leaves yet

 Stacey picked up this little yellow clock for 85 cents...she taped off the front

 Gave it a coat of spray paint

 then a stippling of pearl paint....sooooo cute!!

Happy Birthday Pink Saturday

 I have been a part of Pink Saturday off and on for years...Beverly is having a Pink Saturday Birthday

 I painted a back ground to paint a roses, I want to learn to draw my own design...

 I tried laying out the rose, with buds, moving the leaves around to see what design I like. I'm having so much fun with just photographing the roses, cant wait to get to the painting!!
I am linking up with "How Sweet the Sound" and
My Romantic Home

Happy Pink Saturday...here is a cupcake!

A Cats life

How sweet is our cat, sleeping on its paw and a mountain of pillows

Preparing...

 I have been quiet for a few days..I am preparing...for future workshops...I'll be painting Roses with Christie Repasy, I'm taking lots of pictures of roses, I want to learn to paint my own...its not easy finding a perfect rose

 I study her paintings, then I grab my camera, hop on my bike and search for the perfect rose

Then I'm taking a delightful workshop from Nellie Wortman over at Artful Gathering, Her classes are wonderful, a great teacher, she shares so much information, she uses Silk Sari Ribbon in some of her work...I love the look of the Silk Sari Ribbon!

I purchased some silk blouses at the thrift store...some were very vibrant. After tearing them into strips, I soaked them in color remover, then dunked them in a coffee bath...I love how they all look different

I know its not quite the same, but I like to make do.

More DIY projects

 The picture above...the bottom is the only thing I inherited from my grandmother years ago. Stacey and I painted it a year ago. The issue is the cats...they loved to jump up there and then jump on the heater...they dont know if its on or not...we had to figure out something to stop them. We came up with an idea of of some kind of cabinet...Stacey went out Thrift Shopping...LOOK WHAT SHE FOUND! $16. We started painting it the same yellow as the wall, it wasnt covering very well, so we painted it with spray paint, except for the drawers and sides. I think its from the same time period of the bottom piece. I would have liked to paint it the same as the bottom, but we have no idea what colors we used...it was a trail and error.

 The second project...I've wanted one of those lift top tables for when I want to watch TV and work on my birdies...even on Craigslist they were more money then I wanted to spend. At the thrift shop I found one...$25.  The only thing I didn't like was the boxy look and I still loved the top of my old coffee table.
we unscrewed the mechanism and added the top from the old one (which was broken from the move from Oregon 2 years ago. I also found the baskets at a Hollywood garage sale for $3 for both.

DIY Projects

 Heres the story behind this shelf stand...Its hard to find these vintage legs, Stacey and I were driving past a house the other evening and it "looked" like it "might be" a garage sale, it was rather a hodge podge of stuff, there was a little girl playing outside, so we figured we'd ask what was going on...as we pulled to the curb, we both spied these legs sticking out...Stacey went up to the adults and asked them if this was a garage sale, they said, yes, tomorrow...after a small conversation, they let her have the cabinet for $5. The cabinet was a piece of junk...we went to Home Depot, purchased wood, came home, Stacey whipped up this little cabinet in no time. How cute!!

 Our sweet Poodie...yes, the one that "ate" my flip flop!

Below are the vintage plastic things that have all the little drawers

repainted and repurposed. They were Harvest Yellow