The annual Society of Decorative Painters Convention is over for another year.
This years was held in Wichita KS, the home of our Society. It was a fun, busy, and prosporus convention for all. Chieko and I were busy from the time the trade floor opened on Wednesday until it closed Saturday afternoon. Both of us were offering different Make and Takes with the clear stamps. She was working on fabric and I was doing a wood Christmas tree.

The bottom pictures was taken on the way home in Branson MO the day after Joplin just north of us at the time was hit by the tornadoes. We seemed to be just a day ahead of them all the way from the time we left Wichita until we were almost home here to KY. Prayers were answered for our safe travels for sure.

The bottom pictures was taken in the Butterfly House there in Branson MO.

Two New Pieces

This is a large resin swan I have had for at least 10 years...LOL. I decided since we are all still trying to ward off the chill of winter I would go with a quilt theme for the focal pieces on my shelf directly in the door of the shop. The price will be $38.00.

I did this bentwood basket to go with the quilt theme. It will make a nice storage basket for many things. The handle is reinforced with a metal strip to avoid breakage. I had fun painting this one. Lots of putsy work, my favorite thing. The price will be $36.00.
Now I need to do some smaller extras to go with these two pieces. I think its getting to be that time of the year where we start cleaning and redecorating our homes.
Mushy Hugs

New Painted Pieces

This  is the latest edition I just finished for sale at the shop.  Its a 15" lazy susan.  I love the look, but oh my, the dots to put on this.  The price will be $38.00.                                    

Estate Sale Continued

 
 


I purchased this large tray at the estate sale too. It measures 28" across and 23 in width. We're not sure of the metal under the paint, but a magnet sure sticks to it. It has years of dirt on, probably wasn't moved off the top of the china cabinet it was on since it was put up there. When removed it left a large white space on the wallpaper behind it. We figured the wall paper must have been from the late 30's to mid 40's and the tray was in that same place all that time....LOL. I have gotten the information from the curator of the Society of Decorative Painters Museum on how to take some of the top dirt of it. Its going to be a long haul at an inch at a time....LOL. There is no signature on it, but the stroke work on the edges are starting to lighten up and be seen. The floral picture looks lighter then it really is as I took my hand scanner and placed it right on top and then lightened it up in the program a tad. Does this look familiar to anyone?
Mushy Hugs

Opps, forgot.....

 
 

I forgot to change my pictures around. The first one is the hand done laces and the second one is of some vintage fabric that was in one of the packages. The fabric is 35" wide and there is 21/2 yards of it. The feel reminds me of Waverly brand fabric. I haven't had time to go look for it on line yet.
Mushy Hugs.

Estate Sale Finds

 
 
 

I went to an estate sale this last weekend and really found some great things. Not sure if I am going to set up and Etsy account or what just yet. I don't do a lot of sewing anymore, and not really heavy into altered art, so the hand crocheted laces and tatted laces are something I don't need a ton of. The first two pictures are of hand sewn glass faceted black beads to tulle netting. The longest might have been a risque dress front. Its long enough to start under ones neck and go to the navel....LOL. The other I don't think has been used yet. The white and pink laces are just a tiny bit of the hand crocheted and tatted. I need to clean most of it as it has a very musty odor and some bad stains on some of it too. Any suggestions as to cleaning and what to do with this find?
Mushy Hugs

 
 

Oh my, I knew I was really behind on blogging but never did I think by this much. I see I owe some thank yous for stopping by and following my blog, please hang in there with me. I did a great show for me anyway in Huntington WV last weekend, my last show of the season. You can see part of the booth setup in one picture and then there is the first time showing of the "gang"!. I was surprised, but even at $5.00 only a few went. What did surprise me big time was the sale of a large wood plate that was over $100.00 and also many of my older pieces that I was going to pull out after this show. Now I will have no problems, not much left, really down to the bare bones, now to start over. I have more pictures of what I have been and what I am working on currently and will post them later today. For now I have to get ready to go down to the Gallery studio for a few hours.
Mushy Hugs

Please Vote for my Tree

 

Its time to vote for the Festival of Trees. Please go to the following website and view
my tree. It counts as a vote. I would really appreciate your taking the time to do this.

http://www.youtube.com/user/paramountartscenter#p/u/89/foZk72pMSLQ

Mushy Hugs

The Card

 
 
 

Its time for all the festivities to start around the area and in our Central Park. The park is known for its lighting and all the light displays that are around the 1 1/2 mile perimiter and down thru the park center area. The large victorian homes that surrond the park are decked out in their finest too. My husband walks with a group around the park 6 days a week starting at 7am. They asked if I would help them submit and then paint a Christmas card to be put up with others submitted. They all brought cards and then decided on several, then my opinion on which of them would be the best to do. I did a rendition in colored pencil, they submitted it to the park board and it was approved. The work began. It had to be a certain size, built to their specs, painted black on the back, etc. Then it was ready for me. I planned out the base colors, gave them the sizes of the painting areas. They measured and drew out the under colors, then painted them the colors that were in the design. When that was finished, I drew on the dove that went over all the colors and then they painted that in. When all was done, it was brought into my family room, 8'x 4' wide of it, LOL, to warm up so I could then do the final painting on it. I did the shading and the hilights to give it dimension. The second side of the card was measured out around the edges for areas to bring in the other sides colors. On that the message they wanted and all their names were put on. So last Saturday the card was taken in to the park and put up for Mondays tree lighting and all the lights in the parks ceremony. Of course it also had to rain then too. So the above pictures are of the cards steps. My husband and his brother Bob were in the first pictures doing some of the details, while the next one is of my brother in law doing lettering. The last is the card waiting for its hinges. This is also how it is set up in the park. This was all during the time I was working on my tree for the Festival too. No pressure here....LOL.
Mush Hugs

Festival of Trees for 2010

 
 

Its that time of year again. I was really going to stay firm and say no to all donations from The Painted Gift this
holiday season, but as you can see that was short lived. With the move into a shop in our downtown Pendleton Art Gallery and Shops and several other committments the last several months I had not planned on taking on another one. I got the call the day before we left for MI just before Halloween....sigh, they got me at a weak moment...LOL, for me that seems to be all the time to please help out and do another tree as they were down some in numbers for the silent auctions. The pink tree and I did not get along from the very start! LED lighting is required on the trees, they are not made in pink cording nor that many in white yet either. So being me, I taped off all the lights and then sprayed the cords that I had strung from tree to tree in our yard. I put the first set of lights on the tree, started the next set, decided to plug them in to see where to place them, to find out they came in a true white and a warm white, which was already on the tree. Luckily I did have another set and they were the warm so then sprayed yet another cord of 32 LED lights. Had to leave for an errand when I found out after leaving the driveway and into the sunshine that all three cans of pink spray paint 'overspray' was now covering my car! What saved me was my car was in dire need of a wash and most of the overspray settled on to that and washed away in the car wash. After that fiasco and a bottle of wine things definately got better and fell into place.

Last nite was the check in for the tree, tonight are the interviews for the press and for the online voting. Wednesday nite is the judging and Thursday the evening with the press and the decorators with the public opening on Friday. I will post when the online voting is open here on my blog.
Mushy Hugs

Oh MY!

 

Well here is a picture of the stuffed witch. I have about 3 to 4 layers
under all this as it was going to be in the 40's by 6pm when the park opened
the gates to the tennis courts. We have approx 20 people from the park board
alone and then different business's set up too to give out treats. There are
two people to a 4 ft table with a full sized storage tub full of candy. Last
night mine were Milky Ways. My sister in law had Baby Ruths and Butterfingers.
Its not just hard candy, all is in boxes or wrapped so parents know its all safe.
The Chick Filet cow is there, Officer McGruff, there were also some other stuffed
dogs that were as warm as me. Of all the park people, I am the only one that
dresses for the occassion....LOL, if I can't have fun then its not worth doing it.
Mushy Hugs

Hear the Arteries Clogging???

 


Sorry about the absence....We had to make a quick trip to MI to check on some older family
members before the snow flies heavy in the Upper Peninsula of MI. We did run into snow on the
way up, but there is always one snow before Halloween so nothing new there. On our way home
this week we stopped in lower MI at Tony's in Birch Run MI. This is why there are long lines to
get into this truck stop type resturant in the summer months. Its also across from a very huge
complex of outlets as its a central lower MI area. Yes, there is a full pound of bacon on each
of these BLT's. Homeade bread to die for too. We don't stop here very often, but when we do, we
usually get this sandwich. We bring more then a pound home and I make bean soup out of the leftovers.
This way nothing is wasted. Love to see the look on first timers when they see what you have on
your plate on the way to their tables....its hilarious. Ok, off to get my witchie poo costume on
for giving candy out in our Central Park downtown. I will post a picture tomorrow, that is if I don't
break the camera, not kidding either....
Mushy Hugs

 
 
 


The Bob Evans Farm Festival has now opened for the weekend of 10/ 8/10. We're here for the three days so more pictures to come tomorrow.
Mushy Hugs

Rainy Monday

 


Its been an all night steady rain, something we need so bad. Its been such a dry September that has left everything looking either droopy or dead. Dust everywhere too. I hate facing a grey day and a Monday to boot, but the countdown has started for the Bob Evans Farm Festival. I have many things started, lots half way etc.

Todays picture is of Emily's little side table. I found this table at a small store I like to browse in our local mall. They had used it for a piece to display little things on in the windows. There were also two more a bit larger. All were unfinished and "cured" just right to paint. In other words at least 5 years old and very dry....LOL. I marblized it, then crocheted with paint her doily for her teapot to sit on. Working on the window to go on the wall behind her now. Glazed the glass panes as the old windows usually are missing large chunks, don't want them to fall out. I am still thinking on what to put on this window as it will be for sale. Watch for future postings. Mushy Hugs

 
 
 
 


We went from back to front on the weekend and by Friday it looked like the bottom two pictures. Missy and I worked our hinnies off to get ready for the weekend of festivities. It was Poage Landing Days here in Ashland, KY. Three days packed full of all kinds of fun. Our whole block in front of our bldg was all the food vendors...grooaann....yes, I did have a few things. Had to have the Gyro, not much Greek food here....then had to have the miles of shaved potatoes, of course throw in a fried bologna sandwich. Then one last stab at heartburn to its fullest and that was a mile high beef brisket sandwich! That pretty much takes care of that kind of food until next year. Now back to the dieting...
Mushy Hugs

 
 
 
 

Well she's done......I am actually very very please with the way she came out. I am now working on the little table that will sit beside her next. I am doing a pink marble top with a painted faux doilie. Her real little tea pot will sit on this....it matches her mug. Then comes the fireplace..... There has been a change in size due to a change in where I sell my stuff now. Once we find some mantles too look at , then I will be much happier...LOL. I'll tell you all about my new endeavor the first of the week.
Mushy Hugs