Baby Dabal

And I am done! I will let this sit upstairs for awhile. No baby (NOR Jamie) needs to smell these fumes! I have to say, I can't take credit for this painting. It is a 'copy' but it worked too well for Jamie's lamb themed nursery. She doesn't know exactly what I am doing but has an idea! I will surprise her in a week or so!

My friend (and coworker) Sarah and I were talking about brushes this week. I have to be honest. I am not picky at ALL on brushes. (Well, until I used one tonight that frustrated me when the bristles started to fall out.) I usually pick out what is on sale and stock up. I have a variety of synthetics and animal hair. I use SO many brushes when I paint that I always have a tough clean up job. I use some for detail, some for the large canvases I love to paint, and some for blending.My brushes don't get complete TLC. I read one woman's blog recently where she hung hers with closepins to dry on line so the ferrel of the brush (part where the bristels are glued in) doesn't ruin. Not me.

(I have recently become concerned for my plumbing...cause gosh knows I have gone through that mess lately.) I am currently using Master's Brush Cleaner and many shop towels to squeeze and capture the paint before it goes down the drain. If anyone has any better ideas/solutions/tips I would be HAPPY to hear them.

I've lost my right arm...

Ok, not really. But those of you who know me know that I LOVE taking pictures and I love my camera that gives me those pictures. Well, I lost that camera this Friday night along with some pictures on it I REALLY wanted.

Some of them were the before and after pictures of me "painting" my bathroom ceiling....the result of a hot water leak. NOT the type of painting I would have chosen to do. So you are spared from those photos.

But for now I will have to resort to my blackberry camera. I have an old elf digital camera I am going to punish myself and make myself use. Serves me right. It was a good old camera but it is just that...old. And it is STILL charging.

I started on Jamie's painting tonight. I think it is going to turn out perfect. Here is a sneak peak....

Bakerella

Some of you may have noticed my baking blog I listed on the side bar. Meet Bakerella. I may not know her and just stalk her blog but she and I have a something in common. We both like to bake. :) So I pretended to be her this week...in preparation for Gin's shower, of course. Here is my version of her Red Velvet Cake Balls.
Wallah:

I sacrificed one for a picture:

I test out on my coworkers:

Muted Fruit

I'm back in the game and feeling 100%. I never thought I would apprecaite the smell of oil. But it's nice. It's nice to be able to breathe. Time to finish some projects. I am going to touch this up some tomorrow after it sits.

And then when I'm done...it's time to tackle this....which scares me.

Ready for Spring

Today is amazing weather! It makes me realize how ready I will be for Spring. I took advantage of the opportunity and opened the windows to let the oil smells "air out."




I have done NO painting lately due to a TERRIBLE cold. Did I mention it is terrible? But that is ok. At least it waited till I was home from this:



I guess that is another reason I haven't been painting. I took many nighttime light pictures to use for paintings, though. WHEN I finish all I have started!

Off to the outdoors!

Catch-up collection

I have some catching up to do...

First off, remember back when I made my first ribbon rehearsal dinner bouquet for Nancy's wedding last April? Well, Carol got to reap the benefits from my experience. She plopped a HUGE bag of bows on my bed so I had plenty to work with... Here is the result. Her boquet...and one for each 7 bridesmaids.

ALSO, this is my first try at video posting. Pictures didn't work out so well. My upstairs is looking fabulous. My sweet parents made a quick trip to deliver a beside table/chest that Santa brought me for Christmas. I also recruited their help in hanging a million pictures I had yet to hang. You will see some newer additions in my art room!

Last but not least I am working on a fun fruit painting. I have the background but keep changing my mind on the fruit. Do I have a reason to paint this? Nope. I just have fruit withdrawls now and then. A fruit painting is so forgiving.