Time's Fun when You're Having Flies

 

I went to an estate sale and found a few garden frogs to color. The only thing I like better than frogs are mushrooms, but I also spied some garden birds. The whole lot cost me $5 and I've just finished the first five of the ten frogs I found.

The first frog I painted and named George. I placed him under a trio of very large mushrooms growing in my neighbor's yard across the street. He's catching some shade in the summer's heat today. He is only 3 inches high, but mercy, look at the size of those mushroom caps!! If they were edible, they would have been in my frying pan and eaten already...

I painted another four frogs and placed them on the steps of my front deck. Arranging them from top to bottom, they seem to be looking and moving toward the front lawn. The next frogs I paint I plan to place them across the ramp that runs the width of my house, up against the deck. The ramp is no longer in use so I'm putting a caution tape across the ramp (temporari;y). I also bought a brass garden sign that warns visitors that the area is a "frogs crossing area" that you can see between the deck and the ramp. I have more frogs to color, which will end up  in the small garden surrounding the lamp post across the yard.

I used acrylic paints; Posca paint markers for the detailed work. Next up will be the birds, but first I've got a big garage sale for which I've been decluttering. I need to price all the craft supplies I'm letting go of (and whatever else I toss into the for sale pile) in just 2 weeks---YIKES!!'

Un-Forgetable Frogs

 

Hello, crafters! Today I feature a couple of deck decor items. Whenever I see a lonely frog figure in a thrift store, I often buy it to paint or alter it and put it somewhere in my garden, yard or on my deck. These two fearless friends are standing on front my deck, although I took their photo while still in the house. I used one of my paintings on wood as a background. 

I inherited both of them from my neighbor across the street, with whom we became fast friends. Unfortunately, she passed away and her daughter offered them to me as she cleaned out her mom's house. I gladly accepted them as a remembrance of Sharon. She had an artists' eye.

When I got them, they were not painted at all, For my little amphibian, I sponge-painted his body with a couple of greens and a little gold for texture. I gave him black arms, legs and head while keeping his eyes a shimmery green.

As for my garden-loving frog, I painted her a bright green and gave her facial features. Her watering can was black so I gave it a rusted, coppery look. I was going to use hot glue to give the illusion of water trickling from the can's spout, but decided against it. The base on which she stands is almost the same color as my front deck so it blends in with the stair step she's on...

Challenges I am Entering: