Branching Out

I decided to mix things up a bit by taking a break from lettered signs and moving in the direction of paintings.

  

Like, actual paintings.

But other than high school art, and one drawing class in college, I haven't had much in the way of instruction.  So I was a bit timid  when go-time came a-callin'.  So yes, I painted a picture, but no, I used no color.  Is black a color?  

Still, I found my first attempt none too shabby, so I girded my loins and put some colors in my little plastic palette.  I picked up my paint brush, took a deep breath, and tried again.

Much to my surprise, this goat appeared out of nowhere on this scrap of barn wood.  Like he had been hiding in there.

  




Confidence bolstered, I tried a few more.

I was having fun!  I was finding my fair share of frustration, too, but that's to be expected, I should think.  Being pretty new to this and all.

And so I gathered up my newly minted animal paintings on barn wood and slate and other odds and ends canvasses, and brought them with me to an artisan's market I was signed up for.  They did great.  They flew off the shelves!  I sold just about everything.

I have some custom signs I'm working on right now (lettered pieces), but once they're checked off my to-do list, I will turn my attention to exploring this animal thing a bit more.  I've signed myself up for a beginner's acrylics class this summer, and I'm anxious to learn more about this and looking forward to expanding my abilities.

And I welcome any tips or feedback from any artists!

Makeover Monday: Ladder Display Shelves

I bought a couple of old ladders through the online yard sale sites. Ten bucks a pop.  I wanted to use them to make display shelves for the vendor fairs I'll be taking part in.
(First one coming up May 6th, yay! )

So today, being the drop-dead gorgeous day that it was, I took my beat-up ladders out to the driveway, and I gave 'em a good old-fashioned white wash.  Just watered-down white paint.  I wanted a nice chippy weathered look, and I had some milk paint, so I used that.  It wasn't enough to do both, so I used chalk paint for the other one.

Then I pawed through my stash of barn boards and found enough to use for shelves.  I measured, pulled nails, and cut down till I had what I needed.

And it's perfect!  Exactly what I was after.

I can't wait to put them to use!

(The) Makeover Monday (That Wasn't)

So per my new schedule that I created only like a week ago, I'm supposed to do a post today of a furniture flip.

Problem is, I haven't done one in the last week.
(Hangs head in shame)

What have I done instead?  I don't even know.  I know I've cleaned up an awful lot of poop.  Our foster puppies went back to the kennel because they're ready for adoption, but we still have Mama dog until she can get spayed, and she's still learning the ropes of how to be a civilized house pet instead of a running-in-the-back-alleys-of-Kentucky-poop-where-you-will kind of dog. I think we're finally turning the corner, but my LANDS!

And I've been trying to do some research on vendor fairs.  I'm registered to do my first one in May, so I'm looking for ideas on how best to display things, and trying to figure out what I'll need to have on hand.  I ordered a Square so I will be able to take credit cards, which is exciting, and I have a bunch of things in my cart on Amazon, like a cash box, paper shopping bags, tissue paper, etc.  If anyone out there has advice, I'm all ears!  Help a Vendor Fair Virgin out, will ya'?

Though I didn't do any furniture makeovers this week, I did finish up a house sign for a friend.  She asked if I could make her a house number sign that had a little box incorporated into the bottom to put a small planter or two.  Since I know she has a thing for wish flowers, I decided to personalize it by adding a wish flower painting onto the flower box part.

So anyway, that's that.  Hopefully I'll have a furniture piece made over for you next week.  If not?  More shame.