Project

 So, I'm a big fan of Martha Lever. She is inspiring me to get back into oil painting...on small
substrates. One of the classes she just took, said that these boards are fabulous to hold onto your small board then the whole thing can set in your easel...It comes from Carol Marine, she sells them, but...

being the impatient person that I am...I had some boards and a saw and I got to work. Its all glued up

I painted mine black thats a small canvas board in the center...anyway, I'm a happy camper! Now I need to get an easel...I sold mine when we left Oregon,

 I have been on Craigslist...Craigslist down here is hard work.  There are 3 cities that I have to check, one is on either side of us and then there is one below us.

L.A., Inland Empire, OC (orange county)...then I have to see how far away, sometimes its an hour and half, and with gas the price it is down here (highest in the country)...I want to find one close...I'll let you know if I get one tomorrow...that my plan.

Canvas Day 2

Here is the beginning. I have to fix the upper right sunflower. the pumpkin on the left has hints of purple the one on the right is cream and yellow.  This is going on a yellow wall. I'll take a photo on the wall tomorrow after I play around with it some more.

Canvas in Progress

 I thought I would document my large canvas. It is going in my office, which is yellow and purple. I have a canvas I painted for spring/summer and for winter...but nothing for fall. Here is my first installment ....

 I tried Martha Stewart's crackle medium...no crackles. weird

 So, after I glazed over the crackle, I added Deco art's 1 step crackle...no crackles...again

 I went ahead and glazed over it with Burnt Umber and Raw Umber. I like the finish, but I'm so disappointed in the crackles I used. I LOVE the 2 part system...I went to 5 stores and cant find it. I did find it online, but by the time you pay shipping it is soooo expensive.

This is what I got done yesterday, I did get my design sketched on with chalk...on to the painting today.

Fall Colors: Cream, Aqua, Yellow

 I'm working on a pumpkin canvas for my mantel. It has lots of texture and shimmer and shine from a glazing of metallic paints

 I stenciled the patterns on the pumpkins

 I have hints of yellow throughout and realized I had intended to put a vine around the short pumpkin

Much better. Now I have to redo my mantel...my fall is going to be aqua and yellow

It looks a little bit boring, but it wont with all the stuff around it...books, candles, etc.

Painted Pumpkin and Black Bird

8 x 10 canvas. I wanted lots of texture. I put down a layer of scrapbook paper with mod podge, I put a layer of gesso over that and it started lifting when I has drying it with a paint remover gun. (should have just used the reg gun) Anyway, I put the whole thing underwater and scraped off what would come off. Which really left me  with a mess. I slathered on gesso, then layers of paint, following with 2 step crackle which I put on real thick. Burnt umber was used to define the cracks. Then I painted with acrylics. I am still going to a banner of sorts to the top. I just dont know if I should write "FALL" "HARVEST" "AUTUMN" any ideas?

From Sketch to Painting

 This painting was done on a watercolor paper postcard. I changed the nest to a pumpkin

 Hope you can see it on these close ups. I used  glitter pens to add a bit of sparkle

Lots of Sketches

 I've been busy filling up my sketch book journal. It was 110 yesterday...I'm remembering the fall days of Oregon!  My sketches look light, I should probably do them in ink, like the snowman one.

 I did turn one of these sketches into a watercolor postcard. I'll post that tomorrow. My plan is to start being a better blogger, I've been slacking a bit, but when I've been taking vacations every month, it cuts into crafting time.

I decided to put this collage in the book I made. After smearing paints on the background, I cut the apple, pear and pumpkin out of brown craft paper, painted it over clear gesso. Used scrapbook paper for the leaves. If you want to see where the inspiration came from...go visit Junelle at Yes and Amen, she has the best video and classes.

Pumpkin, Apple, Pear oh my!

Fun little sketch then a watercolor...I should have tilted the pumpkin to the left so the
stem didn't look like it was coming out the side.lol. I'm going to be doing a mixed media piece with this design next.

Tourists For the Day

 What a fun day Stacey and I had. She didn't tell me where we were going, it was just going to be a fun day and boy was it!!  We started out going to see Rascal Flats get their star put on the Hollywood street. We were so close, they didn't sing, but they had their music blasting

 Look at all the photographers, the bottom right is what the crowd looked like

 The wife of one of them was on the Apprentice with Donald Trump, Look at those HEELS

 After that we went back to our car and saw that we were parked in front of this restaurant that belongs to Boogie from "Big Brother". We saw they were filming down the street..".Hello Love"

 Then we drove a little further and came across High Voltage, " LA INK" these are painting on the outside walls, incredible,
This is the tattoo shop that Kat Von d owns shes the one with the red hair. we went inside, Stacey recognized the guys that were working . After we left there, we passed by where they were filming Dennis Quid's "Vegas" we didnt see him, but they were filming.

 Then we had an hour before our next stop, so we ate at this "Shakey Alibis" made famous by "Paris Hilton"
It was a waffle topped with homemade ice cream, it was really good...Then we went to the "Grove" Where Mario Lopez tapes his Extra show...It was a hoot

 The new dancer Psy was going to be a guest...we didn't have time to wait to see him, but we did watch this huge "gangham style" FLASH MOB. I've always wanted to see it...fantastic! They practiced 3 times.
Mario front and center...so cute.

 Well, I hope you enjoyed your trip with us, it is just so much fun to be a tourist for a day!!!

My Fun Sunday

We started out going to the Santa Monica Farmers market. Love all the colors

The picture below was fun...we decided to go to Rodeo Dr. there were so many people hovering around this corner. As we stopped for a red light, I hopped out...it was a party to launch "100 years of the Beverly Hills Hotel."  Sadly, this where Whitney Huston died.

 After lunch we walked around the 3rd Street Promenade. This gal was so delightful...She was yelling on the phone in French...for at least 10 mins. But she made for a great photo op. lol Her arms were waving as she paced back and forth. 

Ok, this picture doesn't look like much, but I had to take it...So, when I was dropped off at the Beverly Hills Hotel, as Stacey drove around the block they saw the "Sprinkles" (Cupcake) big Mercedes cargo van...the engine was smoking, then the fire dept came and blocked off the street. So much for seeing Rodeo Drive!

Art projects in the works

 My new art journal is ready. Glued pages together then gesso...

 My latest endeavor... preparing vintage linens for a "fresco painting" learning what works and what doesnt

 New Old linens, you can never have enough... I love the grey and lavender colors

 While at a thrift shop in Big Bear, there was a basket full of linens and hankies...what a find!

I did a drawing on paper, copied it on our printer, added gel medium, left it overnight and rubbed off

the paper...I've never tried this kind of transfer, worked great...now its ready for color!

Now I cant wait for next week...I can start working on my many art projects!

It was 109 here today, thank goodness for air conditioning.!

I'm afraid to look up Vegas to see how hot it is going to be next weekend...ugh

This Past Week

 Laguna Beach...

Big Bear

Everyone is blogging about Fall coming up...not here!! it is going to be 105 tomorrow. Summer has been crazy fun. I've been so fortunate to have a ton of mini vacations. San Francisco to San Diego from the beach to the mountains. Just got back from the beautiful Big Bear. Next week Stacey and I headed to Vegas, we have a friend getting married and Stacey is their photographer.

I've started many craft projects over the summer, but I cant seem to get anything done. I have great plans to finish things, but I had to make the decision to just enjoy summer and not stress about what I'm not getting done.

A Lovely Day

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Sometimes I get so frustrated with the way new blogger works. I guess if I want to write something between pictures I have to do it one picture at a time??? Anyway. I had a wonderful day down at Rainbow California...went to "flea Market" that Christie Repasy puts on. Lots of vendors. Lots of painted roses. The carts are handmade, but they are also hand painted, how cleaver. The umbrella is all decopaged papers...how cute!! Christie painted roses on this burlap covered chair!!
This last picture is a book that I have gotten all prepared for art journaling, glue, ripping, gesso, now to get busy!! 
Going on another mini vaca...up to Big Bear, I cant wait to relax!!