My Kind of Town...

Frank Sinatra sang it well in the 1964 movie "Robin and the Seven Hoods". The song, "My Kind of Town, Chicago is", was nominated for the Academy Awards that year, but lost out to "Chim Chim Cheree" by Dick Van Dyke.  That song and a new-to-me painting technique inspired me to create my canvas today. It features the Chicago city skyline and a sky exploding with fireworks.

I started with a white canvas, using a free clipart of the Chicago skyline to cover the bottom before painting the top of my canvas black. Using metallic acrylic paints (copper, gold, silver, green & blue), I created a "stamp" out of a cardboard paper roll, snipping its end with scissors and fanning it out before dipping it into various paints and pressing onto the canvas (this is the new-to-me technique).  As I worked from top to bottom, I rolled smaller versions of my "stamp" so the fireworks looked smaller as they neared the cityscape.

I really think it turned out well. I'm going to seal it with gloss vanish before hanging it up in my house. 

Happy 4th of July, everyone! And Happy Birthday, Wendy!

Challenges I am Entering:

Little Red Wagon - Light It Up

DL Art -  July

Halloween & Other Occasions - celebrate your Country

The Four Seasons - July

A Birthday Gift for My Daughter

 

My daughter is all about positive mantras and self-love (in a good way)> He birthday is coming up next month. AS a matter of fact, she was born on the 4th of July. She's into crystals, Ghibli anime and spreading kindness like confetti.

I chose to create a canvas for her. She likes mushrooms, hedgehogs, and all things dogs. An occasional frog will catch her eye. So I stalked Pinterest for some ideas and found a cute pin that included both a  frog and mushrooms. I drew my own take on the pin, using colors I thought she would like. 

I painted over one of my older canvases due to a shortage of canvases in my house! I have done a LOT of decluttering, but have not got rid of any canvases, so they're either leaving of their own accord, or I've been painting more than I realized! I used acrylic paints on a stretched canvas. I think she'll like it...

I just ordered something from EBay to add to my gifts for her, a little something she has expressed a desire for. And I plan to take her to her favorite restaurant to celebrate. How blessed am I that I am able to give her these gifts! That's about all for now. I'm working on a large metal wall hanging that will go out on my back deck, in addition to adding to my craft fair inventory for this Fall. Hope you'll come back to see the results!!

Challenges I am Entering:

Through the Purple Haze -  Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Anything w/an animal Goes

Critter Crazy - Anything w/a critter Goes