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luvstocraft

Happy New Year!

luvstocraft
17 years ago

Wishing each of you a wonderful New Year! Can't wait to see all the wonderful projects our forum will showcase in this new year. Luvs

Comments (12)

  • diarich
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Happy New Year!
    My to do list is growing LOL
    Now to just get started.
    Hugs
    Diana

  • craftylady-2006
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Happy New Year to all from me also. It's going to be a good year, I plan on it. More crafting and sewing for me, I have a ton of projects to complete and new ones to make.

    Sal

  • anjabee
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Happy New Year!! Hope everyone had a safe and fun night! Did you all stay up to ring it in? We watched the ball drop at Times Square and counted down with the crowds in NY.

    I've been watching the Rose Bowl parade this morning on tv and working on my NY resolutions. Does everyone else have theirs yet? Mine include exercising more consistantly, feeding my family healthier meals, spending more quality time with my DH and kids, getting out of debt, stop swearing and taking a "real" vacation. ha What are yours?? ~Anj

  • luvstocraft
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Anj, I thought I posted an answer to you earlier, but it's not here. Maybe I did it on another post--or hit the wrong button AGAIN! Love your resolutions and could add most of them to my own list. But I don't anymore--too much of a let down when I don't accomplish them. Ha ha I can't even tell you how many resolutions I've made to eat healthier or lose weight! I know you have enjoyed your time with the family during the holidays. However, it will be nice having you back on here with us more now that the holidays are over. I've missed you.

    Sal, I know you are going to enjoy the New Year. You'll be anxiously awaiting that new grandbaby! Hope they live close enough that you will get to help decorate the baby's room--that's always fun!

    Dianna, I know what you mean about getting started. We've all been so busy getting things ready for the holidays--sort of nice to just take it easy and curl up with a good book or magazine for a bit, isn't it?

    Okay, let's see who gets a project finished first! Ha ha

    Luvs

  • anjabee
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have missed being here too. Need to find a fun Easter project to work on since I won't get around to the Valentines ones I'm sure. The kids went back to school today so I need to get my house back in order and then I can get to painting. I have a few last Christmas ones that I didn't post yet so I'll try to get those up today.
    It was nice to take a little break after all those rush projects I did right up until christmas, but now I'm ready to find something to paint and start practicing my one stroke too. ~Anj

  • paintingfool
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Luvs, you and I are the same - I don't make resolutions anymore, life is too short. I do what I can when I can and some days that will be just to sit in my swing watching the hummingbirds. I would love to lose some of this weight and exercise more - what am I saying, I don't exercise at all - but I hope to start walking a bit more. My husband walks 4-5 miles a day, plays golf and can't stand to sit around. He told me when I retired to just not do anything for a few months - well I took his advice to heart but it is now six months, time to get off my butt.

    Anj, you sound very young so you still have time - all of your resolutions seem to be on a good track and I wish you luck. I rarely do Easter projects except a few painted Easter baskets. I did see Donna Dewberry a few months back with a newer style of painting. It looks a bit like the Russian Zhostova style. I see Donna at our convention every year but I won't be able to attend this year in California. She also has a mini convention in Orlando, have you ever attended? Are you familiar with Zhostova painting?

    Sal and Diana - Happy New Year to both of you. I wish you a paint brush in one hand, a palette in the other, and time to complete all of those projects you have been putting off (don't we all have those?)

  • anjabee
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I hadn't heard of Zhostovo before, but I googled it. Very gorgeous. I'd love to be able to do that. I've never attended D.D.'s conventions.

    I'm creeping up on 40, btw. Is that still considered young? ;) ha I don't usually tell my age so shhhh! :D

  • luvstocraft
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Paintingfool, you are so outgoing. I've never been brave enough to attend a convention--always afraid I'm not a good enough painter to keep up. Maybe if my painting buddy were still alive--she was so outgoing and never worried about her ability or lack thereof! Ha ha One time we took a little class together at the Park & Recration center--ended up with only the two of us in class! Loved it! My friend really made the instructor slow down--asked so many questions that I was embarrassed--but our projects turned out great! Ha ha

    I've always thought I'd like to go to the one in Las Vegas--just to see all the samples, new books, and watch the demonstrations. Guess I need to talk to my friend/neighbor and see if she might like to go--she's not a painter, but she loves to stencil. She might enjoy a convention.

    I've only seen Donna D. on television and in the videos. I enjoy watching her (or any other painter for that matter--wish I had more videos.) So where is the one in California this year? I hadn't heard about it.

    Anj, you are STILL young--enjoy it--the older you get the faster the years seem to slide by! Isn't that right PF and Sal? Ha ha

    Hope the other gals chime in here too. Love hearing everyone's plans for the New Year.

    Luvs

  • paintingfool
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This year the Society of Decorative Painting Convention will be in Anahiem California. I have not been able to go for the classes because it lasts a week. I go to shop - like I really need another brush or book. But they have a huge exhibition hall with vendors for decorative painters and even some for stencilers. My friend and I went this year to Nashville, took seven hours from my home by car and we absolutely talked the whole way. We spent two days looking at all the stuff and also the Decorative Arts Collection (from regular painters like you and me but with more practice).

    Donna Dewberry usually has a booth and she does demonstrations for Plaid Industries. I don't think she teaches any classes. Zhostova is a small town in Russia where they have the painting factory. These people work all day long for about $50 a month. Anyway, Priscilla Hauser was instrumental in getting some of their painters to come here and teach, it's painting with a multiloaded brush and fun to do but not the thing I want to do all the time. Donna has a mini convention I think in April every year. I may try to go this year since they invite teachers from all over. I would love to go to the convention in Vegas, hopefully next year. This year I am going to the one in Houston and The HOOT convention in Ohio.

    You know, Donna isn't my favorite painter but I still watch her anytime she is on TV. I feel you can learn something from everyone and I like to watch painting shows no matter who is teaching. I think she is out there getting people interested in painting and that is more than some of our "Big Brushes" (the ones who are more popular). I never understood the technique she invented because this type of painting has been around as long as I have been doing decorative painting and that is 25 years to be exact and a member of the National Society of Decorative Painters for 21 years and I never heard of her until the year 2000. I just think you have to appreciate whatever a persons talents are and I do appreciate what she does for the industry.

    Luvs, I know how you feel. I still feel intimidated by the people I consider better painters. But if you like what you do and your family appreciates it, who cares about the others.

  • luvstocraft
    Original Author
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I can tell you why Donna became so popular--she makes it seem fun and easy. Not so much emphasis on perfect strokes or where the shading/hilites go. Almost as if she is just slapping it on there and it turns out fine.

    Most people realize that Donna didn't invent double loading the brush or using specific strokes, although when she started painting--she may not have known that others were already painting that way! LOL

    She was just business savy enough to sell her painted items, then when demand increased--she went into the business of promoting her style and products. From the way her things sell out on QVC, she's done it very successfully too.

    You are right--I am so glad she is keeping painting popular. Only when lots of people are doing a craft do we get more local stores and new and better products.

    I always loved it when Priscilla Hauser was on the Carol Duvall show. She was so fun and the two of them always kidded around allot. She is a wonderful painter and has done so much for the industry too.

    Have you heard of Marlene Stevens? She has a few published painting books. I go by her house everytime I drive to work. Have never met her, just thought it nice that someone local was a published painter. ;o)

    I find it interesting how the styles of painting cycle too--all the fruits and flowers and detail painting sort of took a backseat to the primitive and cutesy things for a few years, but now it seems to be back and more popular than ever. I think that allot of the Tuscan style things are popular right now, and the shabby chic and tea party type things too. Birdhouses and garden items seem to always be popular too.

    I once signed up for a TOLE painting class at a craft store. There were about 30 people there. Two of us were brand new, didn't even know each other--they stuck us in a corner with a picture of some brush strokes and told us to fill our page with practice strokes like the ones on the page. Didn't explain why or how we would benefit from it--didn't spend more than five minutes with us even. Needless to say--by the end of that class, neither of us wanted to go back again! Thank goodness I later got to take some DECORATIVE painting classes with a small group with lots of attention from the teacher. I knew I WANTED to be able to paint my own projects--she gave me some tips and techniques and the encouragement to keep at it. The rest I have learned on my own--I think of myself as a CRAFT painter--don't care as much about the techinique as long as it comes out looking good. Ha ha

    I live about 40 minutes from Anaheim--guess I should check into the convention dates and see if neighbor would like to go too. Don't need anymore books or brushes either but think it would be fun.

    Wow! I have really enjoyed these conversations. Hope we are not boring all the other forum members! Ha ha

  • gram_NH
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Happy New Year to everyone!!!

    No resolutions here...learned this summer, with my sons transplant, to just "Take one day at a time"!

    I am so glad that I found this forum and all you lovely people. Luvs, I like that term...CRAFT...painter. Yup, that is what I will call myself this year....and maybe with lots of practice...I will become an AR-teeest!!!!

    For years, I admired things that were tole painted. Trays and all kinds of enamel ware. I always thought that they were all drawn freehand. Then one day, at a craft show, I saw a woman transferring a pattern! Duh, I said to myself, I can do that!

    I love Priscilla Hauser. She was just on Carols show the other day, painting on vases. Beautiful!

    I, too, love watching any painting shows! I watched a man doing watercolors the other day on PBS and was mesmerized, watching the paints flow together. Also use to watch that guy with the beard and the big paint brushes. His voice drove me crazy, so I use to turn the volume down, but it amazed me to see how he could tap that brush..tap, tap, tap and all of a sudden a tree appeared!

    And now I have new Ar-teeest's to watch....you all!!

  • paintingfool
    17 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Luvs, I have never heard of Marlene Stevens. Wonder if she has a website. Did I tell you I took classes from Priscilla? She has a studio in Destin, Florida not to far here. This was in 1986 and I spent a week doing tole strokes, etc. I even have a certificate. But tole painting is too restrictive for me. I can't stay within the boundaries and I, too, am not a "technique" person. I have learned a lot from so many teachers and with that I have came up with MY technique which is a combo of everything. I think that is why I have such a hard time teaching a rose. My roses never seem to be painted the same because I am not hung up on the technique, some have more petals, some are more open, etc.

    I actually tried to do the primitive and cutesy type of painting but it didn't work for me. I like the cutesy for holiday especially Christmas but it is not my style in my home. I love Tuscan and shabby chic but not too shabby. And I absolutely love tea party type things - very soft and pretty. I am a tea lover and have collected tea cups for years. I have a collection of old battenburg lace, crochet tablecloths, and damask table linens. I would love to have a few of my painting friends over for a Painting Tea Party so I can dress up the tables, similar to what Judithva does. I will probably use some of her designs for inspiration. At one time I had planned to open a gift shop with a tea room but since I have had a shop before and worked full time at the same time, I remember the hard work and not sure I want to do that again. Remember I told you I feel I could do anything and I want it all, my idea was to have a painting studio to teach, a Tea Room to serve lunch only, and a gift shop where handcrafted and handpainted items could be sold along with the regular gift shop items. In my mind I have it all planned out but I live in a small town and I am not convinced the business would be there.

    The more I learn about you, the more I like.

    Anj - the big 40, huh? That still sounds young to me. I was actually 40 for about ten years. I never hesitate to tell someone my age - I just said I was close to 40 - and when they raised their eyebrows, I continued with, just not as close as I use to be. Now, I say the same thing about the 50's. It's funny how my mind and spirit thinks I am still in my 30's but my body keeps trying to tell me different. I use to be able to paint until 0200 (am) then get up at 0700 to go to work. Then I would think about painting all day long and draw in my notebook. In the evenings I would work the shop for the night classes. Finally, I got smart and realized the 2 partners I had were not bringing in the amount of revenue as my classes did so I told them I was quitting. They decided not to go on with the shop and we closed down. I reopened a gift shop with all handcrafted and handpainted items. It was great but the state came through and widened the road which took the little blue house I was in so I decided to close after three years. And I was just pooped!!

    My, my, am I talkative today or what. Better sign off for now.

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