Hi!

Thanks for all the encouraging words about my painting.  No takers just yet.  Haven't a clue why though.   Not enough pics?  Need some props to spur creativity and whet an appetite?  I do know that I was anxious to post the pic with the hope that someone would snatch it up..didn't happen.

I have a witch and another ghost, a cat and a pumpkin 90% complete. I hope to post them by Monday.  Then I am on to Christmas painting, snowmen, santas, sleds and ornaments.  This painting gig is cutting into my stitching though.  I am having serious needle withdrawl especially because I have all that cool new stash just begging to be started.

Jan asked about Bea.  I stitched Bea on 32ct Antique Ivory with AVAS 4612, one strand of silk over 2 threads.  It's what Needleprint recommended.  I wanted a reproduction sampler so I stitched it as it was recommended.  Didn't change a thing.  Oh, I toyed with the idea of personalizing it but in the end, my purist heart won out.  I usually don't mess around with repros but I've been known to tweak other patterns here and there to make them my own.  I am getting better about that too and trusting my judgement.  After all, what's 5 years of fine arts with a BFA in graphics design going to buy me?  If nothing else, the confidence to trust my judgement on changing it up a bit.

I started Prairie Schooler's, Sweeping Cobwebs, on 35 ct Lambswool linen but I don't like the way the 3371 is covering the linen even though it's a higher count.  I think I'm going to start it over on something else and finish this piece as a big pin pillow.  This weekend is a finishing weekend.  I've got a number of things waiting to be put together and I must finish off my BBD exchange piece and pop it in the mail on Monday. 

So, I hope you have a wonderful day today, I have a bit of laundry to do and some housework to catch up on.  Then I hope to get creative.

Thanks for stopping by.  Love when you show up and leave comments.  They make me smile!

Show and Tell!

Hi Everyone!
I hope you all are having a great day. I can't believe that it's August already.  Where has the summer gone?  I don't know about you but the days just fly by and it's making me dizzy.

Well,  I've got a couple of things to show you and something to tell you.  First, the Show:
I got Bea framed!!! Squeal!!!  I had a 60% off coupon for Michaels that was burning a hole in my pocket.  So I bit the bullet and marched my hind end down there last week.  A sweet girl named Heidi did the framing for me and she did a wonderful job.  I will be requesting her to frame for me again.

Here she is in all her beauty!  (Click and the pics will get big so you can see the details)

Detail of the frame:

So I got on a framing kick.  I had a 60% off coupon for AC Moore too.  I took BBD's Summer House down there to be framed.  Let's just say I am not impressed and I won't be going back.  I am a bit worried about the piece cause they are sending it away to be framed.  Michaels does it in-house.  The employee I spoke with was fairly knowledgeable but really tried her best to influence the style and type of frame that I wanted to buy.  I bought along 2 other pieces to be framed that weren't stretched yet (The City Stitcher's, Lucy Minton and Autumn Leaves from The Prairie Schooler) and asked her to cut foam core for me so I could stretch them but they don't do that.  So, I asked if the foam core they had to purchase was acid free and she couldn't tell me.  So needless to say, there was no sale at ACM. I'll just wait until another 60% off at Michaels and give Heidi my business.

And now for the (show &) tell part. 

I am starting to paint again.  I've painted for profit about 15 years ago and I enjoyed it.  Did a bunch of craft fairs and sold at home shows.  It was when Mike was a little boy to supplement our income and to get me out of the house.  Well, since things will be tight in the coming months financially,  I decided to try my hand at painting again.  Here's my first piece to sell:

BOO- from the book, A Folk Art Fancy by Myra Mahy 

A close up:

The piece is approximately 11"long by 12" high, hand painted in acrylic (by moi!) and finished with 2 coats of polyurethane. 

Here are the particulars:
I am asking $25 + travel expenses:  $30 total in the US.  If you are in NY, please add 8% sales tax.  International folks, please contact me at J24D29@stny.rr.com for the total price.  Payment can be concealed cash, paypal (no credit cards just yet) and money orders.  If you pay by check, I will hold the piece until the check clears.  So if you are interested in BOO, please email me at J24D29@stny.rr.com.

I will be posting more painted pieces as a get them finished.  I probably will either set up another blog or sell through Etsy.  I'm not sure yet.

I hope you love Bea (as much as I do) and my painting too.  Stay tuned for more pieces in the days to come!