Thursdays Musings

  We had to leave our dog Maggie at the Vets Clinic yesterday.  She was really sick Wed AM.  Her white counts are thru the roof and so was her enzymes.  He feels its pancreitis.  They have kept her and on IV's and meds for the infection.   I will know more later this morning.  He feels Friday will be the day that will tell just how all this is working.  We really don't know Maggies true age.  We are assuming she is 9 to 10 yrs of age, but the Vet said she could be older.  She was a pound puppy rescue. Only the puppy was 3 to ? years old.  I just called and they are keeping her today.....still pushing fluids thru her and meds.  We will know more later today.  Its just so quiet around this house without her.  I find myself looking for her in one of her many beds.  Sigh.....we get them then when things happen we say "no more after this".  LOL, that lasts about 3 months at the most.  Its just the love they bring into our lives.  I think they enable us to love in ways we wouldn't.  Mushy Hugs

Continuing Monday

This shows the pile of angels. LOL, the mailman asked if any more boxes of angels were still due and I told him, there sure is! He smiled and just carried the large box up to the
house for me.











This is the current two projects finished for the shop. Both are Kim Klassen patterns. I am in the process of doing more of both pieces, but they will be put away for this years
upcoming shows.

Angels from Washington state

They're here!! The last box of three from Nancy in Washington state.
Now to seal the metal to let it meld. The longer its on before painting
the better the adhesion and less chance of scratches. I couldn't just
spray seal or prime these angels as there are parts like the wings, head
and candle cup that are permanent and I didn't want them sprayed.

I have a class set up with the angels for my chapter, then the others will
be used for shows and for a few door prizes. Thank you Nancy, your an
"Angel" to do this for me. I still have a few more that will be coming later
from Elaine in MD. I will add more to this blog a bit later as I have almost
finished several new things.

Work Ahead......

Boy do I have some work ahead of me. Angel land, some will be painted for sale, others metal sealed for a class in April. Several of Kim Klassen's de-signs to be done. Then there are the birds on top of ornaments of Judy Westegaard's. She has one more to come out in a magazine soon, so I bought the birds for all three. I also have two lamps that came with shades, one burgandy and the other the dark green. Those came from a popular office/workplace catalog a few years back. I bought them for our motorhome and never got them painted over. The stuff on it was just glued on, but they are a nice surface to paint on. Oh, and one of those tin boxes to try out. So I would say my week ahead is going to be busy. Mushy Hugs

Completed Valentine Pillows

Here they are....already to be placed in plastic bags so not to get glitter over everything else around.
I plan on having them in the red basked on display at the shop. Terrye French does such cute designs
for those fast to work up gifts. Well, fast might be pushing it a bit.......I had to get out the sewing machine
and dust it off. Then to find thread, needles, stuffing, why doesn't that stuff stay where it belongs?
Mushy Hugs

These are the finished pieces. Its hard to get the glitter and everything into one picture. Of course my camera doesn't do will with closeups either. Keys, buttons, charms and glitter are all added to the pillow.

Time for Valentines Day

I fell in love with a pattern by Terrye French. Its the sweetest little pillow to place on a bed, dresser, or if ties are added to hang from a door knob. They paint up easy and fast. A neat little project.

New Tin Box Finds

This little tin with the snowman is the last of my set of tin items that I purchased this last summer.  Of course its a design from Shara Reiner.  There are so many darling designs by so many that I just love.  I am going to sure give it a try to do them all.  This tobacco tin needs a twisted black wire handle and a little metal puffed heart tied to the side of the handle.  Della was out of the hearts so next order I will get one for it.

These are the three sizes of tins I found on the holiday markdowns at our Walmart. They were $9.00, but the markdown
was 1.25 each. The tall narrow one has a window in it, lots of uses for this one come to mind. Pet treats, cookie or cocoa mixes.
There are labels on the top and bottoms. If you use a hair dryer they come right off. Start a tiny corner and keep it under the hot
air and keep pulling in one continues motion. Make sure you use an all purpose sealer or metal sealer and let it dry over nite. You
could spray paint it too.

Comparrison

Several people have asked to see what the original color was when I bought the angels.
The two in the picture are the ones my hubby managed to resuce with the broken votive bottoms still in place. I found if you put a little water in the bottom of the little pan that held them, it loosened the glue enough to take the rest of the broken glass out. Anything could replace the votive if you didn't want to put another one there. The angel is a mustard gold color with raised line work. I didn't put any metal sealer on the wings nor the head area. Every thing that would be painted was sealed with metal sealer first. If possible let it dry over nite. If not then use a hot hair dryer to dry and set the paint. Will send pictures of the metal boxes later.
Mushy Hugs

The Sun is OUT!!!!

Looks like its going to be a great day.  I finished the large sized tobacco can and need to spray today for sure.  I have some of the candy cans ready to prime and spray too.  I found on the candy cans, the easiest way to get the top and under labels off was to use the hot settings on a hairdryer and pull steadily off.  Comes out super clean.  I used an all purpose sealer on a can and found that the paint I put on last night scratches off.  So now I have several of the cans with different sealers on them currently drying.  I will put a coat of paint on and use the hot setting on the hair dryer to dry them.

Plugging Along

This is what I have done so far........not much. Lazy days for sure. I love Shara Reiner's designs. They are simple to do, yet require some of your skills to get the look. I finished the lunch box, needs to be varnished, then a strip of fabric wrapped around the handle. I believe she as lime green with a print on hers. Good thing its spring, now the fabric stores will have some good fabric to choose from. The tobacco cans are coming along too. Hopefully they will get done today.

Behind the tin pieces are the finished angel and the two adoptes my husband managed to get the day after he brought home Pozy. He needs to take the other two outside and break out what is left of the glass votive cups that are firmly glued to the metal holder. Sure.....the one time the glue sticks! It was a let down not to be able to get more, especially since several of my chapter friends loved them and wanted to do a class.

WELL.....Taaaaa Daaaaaa.....I had an Angel help me out! Yup, a wonderful angel off of my Brush Bunch internet group. I have belonged to this wonderful group since its beginnings, I believe somewhere going on 12 years. The angel is Nancy Carroll from the state of WA. She and her wonderful hubby went to Walmart and piled into their buggies 30 of these angels for me. Can you believe that? I called her last night and her hubby answered with Angelville, or Angels unlimited......LOL, it threw me off guard and I can't remember what exactly it was, but I loved it. What a great couple. They have them packed and ready to send out.

Mean while I went to Walmart and found in the same area some marked down tin boxes of candy. There were 4 different sizes. When the plastic wrapper comes off, they are the basic tin color, light grey. Well.......yup.....I filled my cart this time, no turning back now. Oh the candy was originally $9.00 each, I bought them for 1.25 each. Of course I started a frenzy of customers grabbing what they thought this must be a really good tasting cookie candy. They really aren't bad, come in a separate sealed bag inside. If you look close there is one next to the back angel. Nothing but a few labels on them to take off with a hairdryer. Sigh.....more surfaces. Anyone want a class???
Mushy Hugs

New projects....

  Started 3 projects on tin.  They are from Della's Tinware in Texas, the patterns are designed by a great designer and wonderfully sweet person, friend too......Shara Reiner.  Shara also does stitchery patterns oh sweatshirts.  Her designs are clean looking and funky.  Its her personality through and through.

I take each item outside, small areas at a time.  I leave the tin in the screenroom till the fumes are gone off it.  I bring it back inside to rewarm up to room temp to then take it back out and repeat the process.  Spray and items have to each be the same temp, room temp the best for a nice even finish.  I am just sealing what is completed so far.  The black areas mark up so easily that I find I like the items sealed.  Will keep you posted as they are completed in the next couple days.

The Silent....but very very very COLD Garden

Oh boy is it ever cold here......has been for over a week.  Snow every day in beautiful lightly falling flakes.  One thing here is they haven't caught on to how much those small flakes are piling up. 

My poor little fenced in side garden is so pathetic.  My winter pansies are patheticlly limp.  I wonder if I have lost them all.  My birdbath even with the electric water heater in it can't catch up melting the snow because of the temps so low.  Might have to look into one of thos larger heated dog dishes to put in there next winter.  Thats it for this mornings whine....temp is 16 with a high today of 20.

Oh we're going to the Paramount Theater, one of just a couple left standing and in use in the US.  Paramount Productions built many of these theaters, but one by one they have been destroyed because of cost for upkeep and updating.  Ours has been restored even to the gold leafing on the ceilings and walls, by the perserverance of many dedicated people in this community.  The Festival of Trees that I was involved in this past Christmas was just one of the money makers that is used for community projects in this theather.  We are going to see Gone With the Wind......even a half hour of pre newsreel films.  They show one of the golden oldies on Sunday a mnonth.  What a treat to see it on the big screen and also in an original theather it was shown in many years ago. 
Mushy Hugs

Bring on the Snowstorm......

I sure didn't accomplish much today. I have my shopping bag with the 3 chickens all based on...but lost interest pretty quickly. It is building up to a big snow front coming this way. It left me at odds today....everything I picked up to do, never got done! So this evening I rummaged around and found 3 tin surfaces and basecoated them with White Lightning, black. Tomorrow they will get the colored basecoats first thing in the morning. I picked out 3 of Shara Rheiners patterns for them. Two are the tins that are shaped like the old tobacco tins. Two different sizes. They will have those crystal knobs on them too....... The third was an old lunch tin, but a reproduction. I love Shara's funky designs and gorgeous colors. Now these projects are exciting and I can't wait to get into them. Tomorrow will be a stay at home as we can get another 6 inches of snow easily according to the news report a bit ago. All the schools are already closed, this makes day 3 and for some day 4 this week of no school. Kids are having a ball sledding down all the hills around here in KY that we would have died for in MI when we were their age. Local ice rink in our Central Park has been doing a booming business this year. The ice may be man made, but its still the same, ankles in and ankles out.....shrieks from the young ladies....laughs from the boys. The picture is dark as it was taken in the evening, but its all still fun.

Mushy Hugs

Too Late.......

I sent Hubby back to Walmart this morning....no luck. Some one else had a lightbulb moment and scarfed them all up but two. The votive glass candle cup had been broken on them, so he did buy those two. Its just one of those things....do I or don't I have a use for it?

Working on a new project. Chickens.....In the new Create and Decorate there is a pattern that has been designed by a friend for ATV Trading cards, but she did them on wood and put them on a wreath. Debby Harris (Dingle we affectionately call her) did a cute job on them. An online painting group I belong to is having a "checken fest". Its sort of a challenge, we all do the design on what we want and what size. Then we post to the Yahoo Group Pictures so we can see everyones interpretation of the design. So I am off to decided just what I am going to do. Maybe a picture or two later tonight will be posted here.

Fast Project

My husband brought me this tin angel home from Walmart this afternoon. He was browsing the markdowns and found they had quite a number of them on hand for $1.00 each. I saw them at their original price in November and figured they would end up in this area after the holidays since they were priced $9.00 each then. I forgot all about checking out the sales the other day, but he surprised me and did today. Originally they were all gold, no color added. Where the green area is on the dress is all raised, so I just blended it to look like it was leaves and vine work. Finished off by using gold on the remaining raised areas. I think I may just have to go back tomorrow and rescue some more of them. Hmmmmm possible fast class?

New Beginnings for 2010

I'm not going to do the usual resolution thing, as I don't make it much past a week and its out the window. I am going to try to BLOG on a regular basis on what I am currently painting or working on. My one promise to myself is to organize, organize, and organize. With that will be lots of purging. Some for the garbage, while other things I will find homes for somewhere else. Lots of unused painting supplies will find new homes. It's time for this.....there is so much I want to do, and do it all now!

Am I alone doing this or are you wanting to do this also? Life has gotten in my way and taken over everything. I need to do this for my peace of mind and for my soul.

Later today I will post what I am working on at present. Both what I am painting, which is a sewing box, and my studio in the mess it is right now. So hang in there good friends......I need to follow through with the things I do, not put them by the wayside with excuses.
Mushy Hugs