Wooden Decorative Cross

At Hobby Lobby you can now find wooden crosses in different shapes and sizes.  They are designed to be stackable so you can interchange shapes and sizes with each other.  Now I can give you the basics here, but it is up to your creative energy to do the rest!  I am blessed by Jesus with the ability to paint - but you do not have to be an artist.  You can glue cut outs or scrap booking paper to the cross with and seal it with Modge Podge.  If you want to use paint and are unable to freehand scroll work, etc...you can also use stencils.  Hobby Lobby has a great selection of decorative stencils in all sizes.  I used acrylic paint...just the cheapest kind they have at Michael's or Hobby Lobby...usually American brand, I think.  I did sand the cross and put a solid base coat of acrylic paint in white.  I sanded once more, and then added color.  I sprayed it with a sealer at the end, and I attached the crosses to each other using a 2 part epoxy.  In this case, I also put glued on acrylic stones, and rusted them.  I did this particular cross for my niece who just got into the Alpha Chi Omega Sorority.  So, take a peek, and go get you some!

Have a great day!

Nee' Nee'

Pay Phone??

Yes, a pay phone in Austin, Texas!  I had to get a picture of this. 

There was a pay phone in my junior high lunch room....I called my mom every single day during lunch!  Some of you younger readers, have probably never used one of these!  I think it was .25 cents.  I sometimes wonder how we used to meet up at the Astrodome, or find each other without our cell phones.  GOOD TIMES!

Take some time to think about nostalgic things in your life today. 

Have a great, reflective, Monday!

Luvyameanit!

Nee' Nee'



Pumpkins!

My favorite time of year is NOW!  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE pumpkins and all things autumn!  I just cannot get enough pumpkins!  I used to make a big voyage to the farmers market to get a truck load every year!  Now I collect funkins so I don't have to do that, but storage is a problem!  I mean, try getting your bike out of a garage full of pumpkins!  Sometimes I will keep my pumpkins and paint them gold, and put them under my Christmas tree!  Let me tell you...PUMPKINS ROCK!  and all things orange!  So, happy harvest friends!  Here is a cute project from Michael's....quick and cute!  I think I will add some glitter to mine...because I also like all things sparkly! 

Pumpkin Project

Have a great day!
Luvyameanit!
Nee' Nee'

Lampe Berger

Pronounced Lamp Ber-Jay (well rhymes with ber-jay...the j is more of a zyu sound - that is the best I can describe it in writing!) 

These things are wonderful.  The concept is that of a catalytic converter.  It takes air and transforms it into wonderfully scented delight.  The reservoir holds fuel - fuel - not oil.  This is an alcohol based fragrance.  There is a wick that soaks up the fragrance fuel, and feeds it into a stone.  The stone is porous and soaks up the fragrance.  You light the stone and let it heat up for about 2 minutes.  You then blow the flame out, and the stone remains heated.  It continues to feed the fragrance to the stone, and when it is heated, it turns into a fragrant smoke.  It isn't really detectable, but you know it is there by just a little sniff.  One lamp will fill your home with wonderful smelly good!

The original  Lampe Berger is French, but they now make other lamps in the U.S. by other companies.  One company is La-Tee-Da.  They run anywhere from $200.00 to $50.00.  The French lamps are on the higher end, but the American made lamps are more affordable.  Beware!  You will be hooked, and the fuel runs between $15 and $20 per bottle.  I gave one to a friend and she calls the fuel liquid gold!

This is a picture of a Lampe Berger:

This is the stone and wick, see how they are connected?  That is what feeds the fuel up into the stone.  Also pictured is a cap.  If you want to snuff out the fragrance before the entire bottle is finished, just put the cap on.

Close up of stone and wick.

One thing, some people complain about the stone getting "clogged".  This means it doesn't stay hot.  If this happens, soak the stone in alcohol overnight or let it burn for about 5 minutes in the initial light up process, either of those should un-clog it.  You can also make your own fuel, although I am sure the companies that make these lamps would not recommend any other fuel but their own.  To make your own fuel, take 90 percent Isopropryl Alcohol, and add a small bottle of fragrance oil.  That is is!  Bath & Body Works makes fragrance oil.  I have tried this, and it does work.  If you aren't big on fragrance, but just want to take odor out of the air, you can use plain alcohol. 

I hope you try one of these, you will not be disappointed!

Have a smelly good day!
Nee' Nee'

Professional Decorative Painters Association

I took a blog hiatus, I was in Golden, Colorado getting in touch with my inner artist! This was a wonderful event.  Breakfast began with a bongo player and viola player creating beautiful music while we dined.  Then we would enjoy live performances pertaining to art history, along a running creek.  The remainder of our days were spent learning new techniques from artists around the world.   I have some pictures below, but they cannot express the peace and inspiration gained from this event.  What a unique group of people, and I have David Lusk to thank for getting me there.  Thanks, David!

Breakfast music!

The Clear Creek Theater....so awesome!

Artwork of Steve Shriver from Los Angeles.

Gilded Gold Art

The Wood Grain Techniques of Pierre Finkelstein

Wall art in process

I came back refreshed and inspired.  I will have to share some other items I brought back with me such as my singing bowl.  I am SO at peace!!!

Have a great day!
Nee' Nee'

Traveling

Traveling this week for a painting  convention.  I will tell ya all the neat stuff I learned when I return.

Have a great week!

Luvyameanit!

Nee' Nee'

Faux Aged Plaster with Paint

My sister found an Axis Deer head statue that she liked, but she wanted a more rustic look.  This is where I took over!  To take an item and plaster age it, you will need four things.

Primer
Paint
Crackle Medium
Dark Wax

I first sprayed the deer head with primer so everything would stick and not chip off.  After that, I painted one coat of Modern Master's Crackle for Latex Paint.  When that dried (about 20 minutes) I took a tiny trowel, you can use an icing knife if you have one, and started slapping paint on! 

Literally, I just apply it randomly using different directions and motions.  Then, I applied another coat of Modern Master's Crackle Medium.  I took a different color of paint, and slapped on another coat!  I repeated these steps with three more colors of paint.  I used Tyler Taupe by Benjamin Moore, Rattan by Benjamin Moore, and Cork Wedge by Sherwin Williams.  These are all coordinating colors that I had laying around.  After that dried, I decided to glue on some acrylic jewels to make it look like nail heads around the border of the statue.  I painted over those jewels around the border with Pale Gold by Modern Master's.

  After that dried, I applied Annie Sloan Dark Wax.  When I brushed this on, it stuck in the cracks and crevices for low lights and highlights.  Voila, aged "plaster".

If you have something you have given up on, try to salvage it by updating the look.  I bet you would be surprised!!!

Have a lovely day!

Nee' Nee'