Playing with paint & paper
Boy, today is a good day to sit indoors and play. I’ve really taken a liking to art journals over the past couple years. I’ve been teaching art journal classes as well. I think what I enjoy most about the craft is the freedom to play. There is no right or wrong, no special tools required, and there are no steps to follow to get it right. I tend to play with the myriad of products already in my stash. Those can include scrapbook paper, old book pages, acrylic paints, Distress Inks, Alcohol Inks, etc. Lately it’s been the Americana acrylic paints from DecoArt. They’re relatively inexpensive and they’re readily…
Creating is good for the soul
I never claimed to be an artist. I couldn’t tell you which colors will play off each other nicely, how to draw a face, the fundamental concepts of composition and design (heck, I don’t even know what that means!). What I do know is how to sit and create (play with my stuff). I also know that when I take the time to sit, create, and play, I can lose myself for hours and totally forget about the world around me and just totally relax and let go. It’s something I feel a lot of us feel guilty about the taking the time for. We need play time, whether that…
It’s creative playtime!
It’s been nearly two years since I’ve taught classes in our studio/shop. I enjoyed the break but recently felt that urge to jump back in. I’m happy to say a terrific opportunity just opened up and I’m taking it. I’ve joined the Brighton Art Guild, a group full of so many talented artists, and a perk of membership is the availability to use their classroom alongside other teachers from the Guild. I’ve been able to prepare for a couple of classes quickly and you’ll find them listed here: Linda’s Shop. It’s quick and easy to purchase a class and you’ll also see the dates, times, and supply list. All of these…
Mid-century Modern up-do
My sister called me recently because they’d been out looking for a new dresser with her adult son. They weren’t finding what he really wanted – never mind the fact that most of it was made of pressed board – so she decided to call me to see what I had. The only dressers we had in our stash at the time was a set of MCM chest and dresser – solid wood. We went back and forth about sizes, colors and what we could do. I sent over several Pinterest pictures of what my dressers could look like with an up-do. He settled on the 9-drawer dresser. Trust me,…
Farmhouses and wildflowers
What’s with this weather this year? I’m waiting for it to warm up just a tad so I can get out in the garage and get going on some new projects. Rachel is having the same dilemma. We’ve both been painting what we can indoors but then I have to sacrifice the living room and even though the old guy doesn’t complain about it I know he’d rather not have furniture sitting around on drop cloths. What’s a furniture flipper to do? I’ve been working on small paper-crafting items and signs for the new booth space Rachel and I moved into in January. We have a great space in The…
Booking custom painting orders
You know that piece of furniture that serves its function, but every time you walk by it you just wish it would go away or that you could somehow hide it? Maybe its the sturdy little side table that is just the right size to sit next to the sofa but the color is so off? Or the china cabinet that just looks so very dark? I can fix that! I’m getting back into custom painting and scheduling orders. After the holidays is the perfect time to freshen your home furnishings. I can help you fall in love with your pieces again! Let me break down what goes into custom…
Making new paint look old
I love the look of old, aged and worn. It shows in my scrapbooking and mixed-media projects and I’ve managed to carry it over to my furniture pieces that I redesign. I’ve tried to do clean and neat – honest I have. It just doesn’t work for me. It never feels finished. So even though this vintage cabinet looked so dang cute once the paint was done I knew I was going to distress it and add some age to that new paint and stain. This little guy was pretty darn sturdy but the back flap was loose and when I removed the door from the cubby the framing on…
Picking violets for grandma
Can there be anything more beautiful and refreshing as the bloom of spring flowers in Michigan? At the same time, is there anything more daunting than a yard and garden full of weeds? The older I get the more I appreciate the beautiful spring blooms and the memories that accompany them – like the violet. The lovely lavender and blue blooms of this beautiful wild flower seem to spring up everywhere this time of year, their delicate little faces nearly hidden from view by their green leaves. As I was facing the daunting task of weeding and prepping my garden bed surrounding my little backyard pond I kept coming across…
