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Showing posts with label acrylic painting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acrylic painting. Show all posts

Monday, June 17, 2024

Inspired by C. S. Lewis and the Path of Positivity challenge blog

 Hello, crafters! Today's make is an 18" round wooden canvas. Using acrylic paints, I created several layers by painting and pressing leaves from a neighbor's tree onto the wood. I used a wash (water and green paint mix) in between each layer of leaves. The covered layers of leaves were painted with Titanium white paint, while the top layer has a mix of white and green leaf imprints. It gives the canvas a lot of dimension, don't you think? I finished off the canvas with a coat of loss varnish.

The Path of Positivity challenge blog offers a challenge this month with an optional twist: be inspired by a few quotes regarding Dreams and/or Goals. I chose one by C. S. Lewis:

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ― C.S. Lewis

I've always wanted a summer getaway ever since Girl Scout camp when I was younger. Just before COVID hit (and after turning 60+), my dream came true. I now own an RV in a park close to Starved Rock State Park in Illinois. I've spent many enjoyable days at the pool, met wonderful park neighbors and toasted many a marshmallow around the campfire on summer nights.

                                       Enjoying s'mores with nephew and his family last Fall

My trailer overlooks a small ravine so that I can hear the water flowing past after a good rain. It's hard to find as it's completely surrounded by trees. and i can't wait to get out there again! It's a dream come true, even if I did have to wait a few decades...

How do your dreams or goals inspire you?  Come show us at the Path of Positivity challenge blog this month!!

Challenges I am Entering:
Simon Says - Let's Paint




Monday, July 3, 2023

A Happy Little Accident - Dollar Store DIY/Upcycle Project #1


 Okay, peeps, by now you know that I enjoy thrift shopping, or as I call it thrift therapy. (Believe me, when I see the prices at retail stores, I need true therapy!) So I scored a whole bag of Dollar Store wooden signs that all said "Happy Easter". There were 15 in the bag, and I got it for $5 - that's less than 50 cents apiece! See the photo below for what these signs looked like

I just pulled one out of the bag and took off the Easter print from the wooden "canvas" with water and a small scraper. Once clean, I set it aside because I often do more than one craft at a time. with that said, I was cleaning off my table where I had just painted. I dropped the palette paper with excess acrylic paint all over it, and it transferred onto the wooden canvas I had cleaned and sanded.

After taking a good look at the mess, I decided to create an abstract painting by painting white dots around the paint splotches. It became one of Bob Ross's "happy little accidents" that was salvageable. I added a die-cut sentiment and I have new wall decor to hang!

Before I completely cleaned up today, I cleaned and sanded five more of my Dollar Store wooden canvases (but I'm keeping them off the table for now!). Expect to see more wall decor this summer...

Friday, June 9, 2023

Perfect for a Fairy Garden


 My daughter's best friend (and my daughter-by-another-mother) is getting married this year! I'm so happy for her. Besides planning for a wedding, she's designing her garden. She asked me if I could make a few mushrooms for it. Well,  I can't "make" mushrooms, but I dug into my stash and found some from  Hobby Lobby on clearance last winter. There were six plaster mushrooms, so of course I bought them all! LOL

Once home, I put a base coat of white on each. I used acrylic paint and ended up with these five. Don't ask about the sixth one (Taps playing softly). Besides, unless you're arranging them in a specific pattern, an odd number is best, don't you think?

I also have a small gnome figure from Dollar Store that has been gathering dust. I was going to paint him, too, but does anyone know if gnomes and fairies even like each other, let alone share their living space? Please leave a comment and let me know...I don't want a turf war! LOL

Challenges I am Entering:

the Crafty Addicts - Anything Goes (A/G)
Crafting from the Heart - A/G (no cards)
Use Your Stuff - Anything Goes using your stash


Friday, June 15, 2018

Anything Goes at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog

I've been waiting for an Anything Goes challenge so that I can incorporate my two favorite crafting techniques into one project - fluid acrylic painting and digital image coloring. Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog opened the door to the canvas above.

I had just created the painting and started to varnish it for that shinier than shiny finish when I decided to use it for my DT make for Scribbles Designs. I thought the white paint looked like waves in a choppy sea, so I colored up "Sailboat 1" from the Scribbles Store with my trusty Copics. The sentiment is a favorite of mine, and seemed perfect for my canvas.

I used Liquitex Gloss Varnish (two coats) to seal the cardstock image and painted words. That sailboat just pops from the canvas, don't you think? It's 10"x20", so makes a nice focal point on my wall. I love how my acrylic paint flowed around my canvas, creating an intense background for my scene.

The sky's the limit at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog, and you have until the 14th of July to create and link up your cards and projects for your chance to win some awesome digis from the Scribbles Store. Hope to see you there!
Challenges I am Entering:
Worldwide Open Design Team Challenge - Anything made for DT Goes
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes
Classic Design Team Challenge - Anything for a DT Goes
Eclectic Ellapu -  Anything Goes
An Inky Mess - Anything Mixed Media Goes
Altered Eclectics - Anything Mixed Media Goes
Art*Journal*Journey - Inspired by...(I live just outside Chicago, which borders quite a bit of one of the "Great Lakes", Lake Michigan. Seeing the boats docked and others with their sails unfurled inspired me to try acrylic fluid painting, matching it up with a digi image from Scribbles Designs)

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Fireworks in the Grass

Had my granddaughter over the weekend and she showed me things that inspired me. Here, a white on black art journal page and a Haiku poem:
Dandelions
I dared to find joy
Looking down upon the lawn--
Fireworks in the grass.
-Pat Martin (c)7/23/14