2011 Woodpile Projects

In January of 2011 I challenged myself to paint one project a month from my extensive woodpile.  I can proudly say that I rescued twelve pieces from a dusty old shelf life and brought them into the world of decorative living!

Some of these projects were unfinished pieces from as long as 25 years ago!  Others were designs that I had admired by other designers, and after all these years, I still wanted to paint them.  Still others were pieces that were painted to finish out a set of place settings or were seminar projects that I had designed myself.

Decorative Art is an art form that has existed from early man and has evolved as our tools and skills have improved.  Leaving a cache of unfinished projects and all the painting surfaces that I have collected over the years would be a real shame!  I want to add my "2-cents worth" to the history of Decorative Art so I am setting my goal again for the new year.  Paint one project a month from my woodpile!  I have found a real sense of accomplishment and inspiration to design and create more!  It is exciting to anticipate the pieces that I will be painting this year!

My Christmas Card Box

Something decorative with pink roses, of course, is called for to keep Christmas cards during the holidays or to treasure at any time of year.  This is a lid to a wooden box, with a cut-out so that the cards lying in the box can be viewed through the lid.  I purchased the box over 15 years ago, and finally painted it just this last week.  The design is from the book, Country Gardens from Cedar Crest.  I love Mary Jo Leisure's designs.  I admire how the line of her designs flow...with such ease and grace.

Roses are a favorite painting subject of mine, but I also like to paint blackberries, raspberries, and mulberries.  I remember fondly the mulberry trees at my Aunt Eileen's house in Kansas.  My cousins and I used to pick them and eat as many as we threw at one another.  We all would have mulberry stains on our clothes, but I don't remember every getting in trouble for that!  Everytime I see a mulberry, I think of Aunt Eileen and the fun we cousins had forming clubs, building club houses and mulberry fights.  This Christmas, Aunt Eileen will remembered with every Christmas card I store in my new card box.

Thank you to Beverly for hosting Pink Saturday!

Jot It Down

It's Pink Saturday!  I thought I would share a book cover design I have created to help me collect my thoughts and ideas for color schemes, painting designs, etc.  It is pink, of course.

I dream in color.  I often work out paintings, color schemes and even patterns in my sleep.  I find that if I stick to the color I 'see' in my dream, the color of the design works out perfectly.  This booklet helps me to remember to jot it down.

I also keep sticky notes in the booklet too.  Though sticky notes are handy, they have become a plague in my office.  I have them everywhere.  After a short time, I can't remember what they are about, and I am afraid to throw them away.  So I tape them in my booklet.  There, a pretty office organizer too!

Something pink and pretty to write in!  I have these available on my website.  I also design unique, one-of-a-kind covers for others.  Interested?

Thank you to Beverly for hosting another grand Pink Saturday!

A White Hot July Day

A white hot July day presents the perfect opportunity to paint something cool.  My thoughts immediately drift to delicate cool, soft pink and lavendar English roses.  Of course!  The background selection is easy.......white.  Now it is time to find the right design to paint.....something loose and flowing.  There it is.  Just the right surface, a "peek-a-boo", stand-alone frame.  Roses and ribbon.

On my palette, I squeeze out Burnt Carmine, Radiant Violet, Raw Sienna, Naples Yellow Light, and Titanium White.

With a crystal glass of ice cold violet and rose tea, I am ready to paint the roses.  Warm and cool whites create the delicate pinks and lavendars as I pull the rounded petals through the undercolor placed in the flower form.  Layering on petal by petal with more white or naples yellow light.  A touch of burnt carmine.  A speck of raw sienna.  An accent of radiant violet.  Add some depth.  Accentuate a light.  Value creates form.  Warm up a petal, cool one down.  Play with  the temperature of the color.  Temperature creates depth.  It's hot outside.  My brush is "smoking", but I am lost in a my pink zone creating cool, soft, delicate beauty.

Now the leaves.  They should be cool greens with a warm tone here and there.  I'll use chromium oxide green, a little cadmium yellow pale, black and some white.  Add an accent of burnt carmine to relate them to the roses.  Maybe a touch of radiat violet.  Oh, and some raw sienna, but not too much.  I don't want the leaves to look too much like autumn.  Vary the values of the leaves.  Create interest among the leaves with warm and cool tempertures within the leaf colors.  There, just right.

The ribbon is next.  Maybe I will make it a littler warmer than the roses.  I will use the same color as I used in the roses, just more radiant violet and naples yellow light.  Maybe more burnt carmine to blend with the radiant violet.  That makes a pretty, cool pink.  Twists and folds, flips and turns.  Play darks against lights to get the ribbon to flow through the design.  Again, work with the temperature of the colors.  That looks good.

Finally, assess the design again, as a whole unit.  Add some intense color here and there.  Burnt carmine.  Some white, maybe.  Now it "pops"!  Oh, tone down a rose petal with a light green used in the leaves.  Ok, that is better.  Maybe one of the pinks on my pallete would look good on a leaf.  Yes, that works.  I am loving it!

The final touch.  Add stems and tendrils.  Fleck with a soft, cool green.  Sign my name.  Done!

I can truly say that this painting was inspired by the heat.  A white hot July day.

Happy Valetine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!  I found this vintage card several years ago and added my own touch (the painted roses) to entice you to be my Valentine. .
Thank you to Beverly for hosting this very special Pink Saturday.

          Happy Pink Saturday

A Valentine Setting

Valentine's Day is approaching, and I wanted to show you a simple centerpiece on my dining room table.  I painted this heart-shaped hatbox many years ago.  It has always been one of my favorite pieces.  I finished the inside of the box with gathered fabric, ribbons and lace.  This centerpiece has served for a many Valentine tea and a few romantic dinners.  My Father made the gorgeous  Tiffany lamp.  I leave it on 24 hours a day.  It is beautiful at night through the front window.  Yes, the lamp is roses in sumptuous reds and pinks.  It all goes so well with the pink carpet!

Another wonderful Pink Saturday here in Colorado.  Thank you to Beverly for hosting Pink Saturdays!

2010 Shelf Projects

Last year I challenged myself to paint one thing a month from my 'wood pile'. I can proudly say that nine pieces were saved from a shelf life and brought into the world of color! These are the items that were brought to life to be enjoyed and used.  I am now working on my first piece for 2011.  January is not over yet!