A pet portrait
dogs, paintings
This is a sweet girl that I painted for a friend.
I have enjoyed doing more paintings this fall and hope to continue the trend into the new year.
paintings
Pink Roses Galore
flowers, Painting with thread, paintings
I’ve been on a pink roses kick. This one was done this week.
(The rose on the left side, second row down needs work, huh? A bit wonky)
Here is a close up. I like the layers and depth in this one. It’s a little different than the others I painted before my trip.
This shirt got an embroidered rose. But not pink!
I didn’t get a final picture before giving it away, this is a “during” photo. You can see the drawing, done in water washable marker, but as I work on these things, I don’t always follow my sketches, so it turned out a bit different.
I can’t remember if I showed you some of the other paintings.
As you can tell, they all kinda look alike. I showed one to Kia and she said, “Didn’t you just paint that one last week?”
Rock Chalk
paintings
Years and years ago, I painted a couple of “Jayhawks on Parade” as part of a fundraiser involving the local collage mascot. Here is one of them, a peacock. Mugs, books, shirts and other stuff were sold with the pictures of the birds too. This is a coffee cup I’d give to my MIL, that was recently returned when she moved into a healthcare facility. This mug gave me a big smile. I’d done the painting part and participated in the mosaic with good friends.
A whole box of stuff came back, including a painting I will not show that makes me want to apologize to anyone I’d gifted artwork to in the past.
Oh my.
Somethings you just don’t want to revisit, do you? At the time, I must’ve liked it, but with hindsight, I realize it was a mistake.
Much as a lot of things from the 80s for me! Let’s not talk about that big headed perm. Some things, like that badly done watercolor should stay in the past.
Summer Style
cottage, paintings
We may live far from the ocean here in the middle of Kansas, but I still need some beachy-ness in my surroundings.
This carnival glass bowl was picked up for $3 on an antiquing jaunt with pals. It felt very oceany to me, so I filled it with shells and a matching candle. Everything sat a bit too wonky, so I removed it all and added moss inside before arranging the shells again.
That helped.
Of course, I didn’t do a before photo of this junky, old tray I had. It had been used to hold kid’s supplies in the studio and was splattered a lot of different colors. So, I painted it white, then drizzled on some beach tones and swirled them about. While the paint was still wet, I sprinkled in some sand and a little hint of glitter.
Typically, I can’t keep anything displayed on this coffee table because Sugarwings takes over that area in the living room and she fills the space up with her own assortment of doodads and accessories. But she is visiting her dad for a few weeks, so I went for it and sat out my tray of pretties.
There are multiple layers of varnish over my swirly paint, so later on when the teen returns and I lose my window of decorating time, the tray can actually be functional to use in the kitchen.
A little bit of painting
dogs, Goldendoodle Puppies, paintings 
While the cuddle bugs have kept me very busy, I still have managed to do a few creative moves. I spent time pour painting again, and tried something very different. I enjoyed crafting this circle of women so much, I think I could repeat the theme with winged fairies in pastel colors too.
I’ve been doing puppy portraits too.
And I turned some pours into landscapes. Although this one looks alien.
This one is soothing.
And here is a masterpiece! Although, I haven’t sat it out yet, 8 of the 9 pups were spoken for by the time I got the sign ready. I used this sign on a door in my yard for Sugar’s first litter and sold most of the pups this way.
It needed repainted a bit because of changes and touched up from storing it, but was a minor task to fix up. Now, I need to set it outside and see if I sell that last, sweet boy.
Painting a cement floor entryway
cottage, dogs, Dorkies (Yorkshire Terrriers), how-to projects, Kitchen remodel, paintings
Years ago, I covered my steps in mosaic, on a whim. Not much planning went into it, and very little skill. My dad was ill, I was waiting to hear his diagnosis, and needed a big project where my fingers were busy, but my mind could wander. I didn’t have a design or the right supplies on hand, I just used what I had, and then had to make runs for more marbles and squares to complete what I’d started.
My dad was a lifelong gardener, and I think the abstract vine pattern just sorta formed itself while thinking of him.
Luckily, it hasn’t fallen apart, at least not too much. Even though it wasn’t done correctly. There are a few tiny cracks in some tiles, and a couple marbles popped out, and were glued back in.
The 100+ year old cement floor by it also had some issues. The paint on it had started to peel.
So I thoroughly scrubbed the floor and while I was at it, I went after the steps with a brush and vinegar and got the tiles to sparkle again. Then, I added a big scoop of plaster of Paris into some exterior latex paint and repainted the floor.
That gives the paint some “tooth” help it adhere to the cement.
I hope that it works, because I got carried away and started to paint vines on the floor to coordinate with the steps. That won’t be an easy patch job if the paint wears off, it will need a total redo.
We are not able to use rugs on the floor here because of this critter, Dorothy happily tinkles on any rug she sees, thinking I generously supplied her with a pee pad.
My design makes this into kind of a painted, pee proof rug.
Yep, I know it’s pretty busy. Especially when you add in the hand painted roses on the wall. But it is a very small space and not visible from the rest of the house.
(by the way, there is only a small window of time when the hooks are not layered four deep in jackets, backpacks, hats, leashes and more, I just did spring cleaning and the re-piling up has not yet begun)
After the vines dried, I brushed on a brown glaze and wiped it off, let that dry and coated the floor with semi gloss Polycrylic. I’d rather have used a stronger topcoat but I was worried about the odor and my baby puppies. So, I stayed with water based.
Fingers crossed that the paint lasts a few years!
Puppy Portraits
dogs, Goldendoodle Puppies, paintings
Last year, when Honey had 8, look-a-like pups, I did diagrams of them so I could learn their markings and try to figure out how to tell them apart.
The diagrams were used for watercolor paintings and I ended up putting them into their puppy books. I didn’t have time to do Sugar’s litter then because, well, 16 pups kept me hopping.
All 16 got baby books, and I am doing that again for the latest litter. I also thought it would be nice to paint the little guys, but 9 pups is still quite a few to do, so I found a shortcut, with my friend, Beth’s help.
When I did the previous paintings, I’d posted a picture of one of the drawings on Instagram. Beth saved the photo and printed multiples for me on watercolor paper. Ta-dah! What a great shortcut! I was able to start painting the drawings with help from photos I’d taken of the dog’s markings.
I used acrylics instead of watercolor, so I could make adjustments and cover up lines when needed to change the pup’s appearance a bit. Basically, they look a lot as tiny babies, but there are more differences than just color and markings. This little black one has a more narrow face and was thinner.
Four done, five to go. It is nice to have the drawings on my art table, ready to work on when I get a chance. It’s a slight cheat, but hey, it’s a copy of my own drawing, so not a big cheat, right?
I’ll leave you with some of the latest pictures of my babies. We still have four boys available if you are looking for a new family member.
Part two, old art pictures
paintings
While flipping through my scrapbook of old artwork, I came across some pieces from years ago that I thought I’d share. There were even some of the actual originals in the book like this one. It was a sketch for a series of hand painted tee shirts I did for Silver Dollar City. I should take it out and pop it into a frame.
These are all pictures taken of the album, so the quality isn’t great.
Mostly, I painted a lot of flowers, especially iris.
But there was an assortment of subjects in the book.
Even a few not so great portraits.
And some meaningful ones.
It’s funny how few I remember doing, or know what happened to.
Recently a friend posted this photo of a painting she got from me ages ago. It was so nice to see and to hear that she still had it hanging.
Then, another friend posted this one. It felt good to see them.
Pictures from the past
paintings
The other day, I had an idea for a thank you card, but needed a photo I remembered being in an album. I thought I’d search through the books to find it to use. While doing that, I came across some other pictures I thought I’d share.
There are multiple scrapbooks of my previous work.
I used to do a lot of murals, and tried to keep a record of them all.
It had been a long time since I’d looked through these and it took a while to even find the books. I finally remembered tucking them into a hidey hole cabinet in the guest room wall.
Flipping through page after page, I was impressed by my prolific production!
Here are a few pictures that I took of the photos in the album.
I wish I’d had a good camera back when I took the originals, but I am glad that I have the photos that I do and that I took time to create an album to have now.
Some, I barely remember. I had to think about this one, then recalled it was a basement laundry room in a KU apartment building.
And this was at a snack bar in Florida by a tennis court. I had some fun jobs! And was lucky that the people who hired me let me come up with my own design and trusted my ideas.
I also had a job painting a chain of daycare centers across the Midwest. I used to do four to five rooms in one day. Each room had its own theme and no two ever came out the same even though I repeated the themes a dozen times.
The daycare murals were done lightening fast because I was on a tight schedule, and not paid much per painting. They aren’t as detailed as some of the other work, but were quick, colorful, and fun.
The book had some watercolors in it that I’d forgotten about too. I’ll, show some of those next time.
(By the way, I still can’t find the photo that started the search!)
The importance of finding time to create and just enjoy yourself
Corona virus, dogs, Goldendoodle Puppies, paintings
Sugar’s puppies have been so easy to are for, that apart from keeping Shuggie fed and getting some cuddle time with the babies, I have been pretty much free.
They don’t keep me up at night, she keeps them perfectly cared for.
There has even been time to get the baby books done and completely updated. One litter at a time, is certainly the way to go! I was frazzled and exhausted last fall with two at once.
Plus, Honey tends to lay on or step on her babies and I was constantly responding to terrified squeaks from puppies in danger. Sugar is very gentle and these little sweeties have been a pure joy to have around.
In addition to the last round of pups needing more care, it was in the middle of a major puppy shortage and I was getting dozens of applications for a baby every day. I was overwhelmed and not ready for such a huge response.
That made me decide to slow things down with these guys. I haven’t actively marketed them yet. I wanted a week of enjoying them as newborns and learning to tell them apart from each other before FaceTiming so many people a day, it is nice just to be with them, not try to sell them.
It has been an ideal interlude, a time to relax and just be happy to have these new, little lives to love.
And I have had time to host some paint pour parties. The paintings above are all done by the participants.
This is one of mine.
So is this one. Acrylic pouring is such a relaxing craft.
Typically, when I paint, I get too detailed, like in the rose behind these landscapes. I decided to try pours to loosen up and get more abstract. It’s not only been good for my style, it has been good for my soul.
Following the paint as it swirls and glides around the canvas can be rewarding and zen like.
Watching family and friends create is every bit as refreshing as doing it myself. I love sharing the technique and watching their colors slide around to form arty creations. Fin and I did this one together.
My friend, Shanna did these two.
Friends are coming by today to see the pups and have a craft date. Soon the puppies will become more demanding, I’ll be training and caring for them more each day. I’ll be finding their new homes, interviewing families too. And I love doing that.
But this last week, when they are all still just mine, not anyone else’s? It has been just what I needed. And thank you to everyone who came for a craft day or to paint with me in the last couple of weeks, I sure have enjoyed it.