You are so right, Kraftymom, I heard Michael's will no longer have painting classes taught at their stores after the end of March. I guess that means they won't sell the paints or brushes. The bigger stores like Michael's and Walmart sort of pushed aside the small shops to the point that there are only a few left.

By the way, welcome to the painting forum. I would love to see some of your work. We have some very talented people here I know you are just going to love.
B

Welcome Kraftymom, I love your forum name! Makes me think you will have lots of great projects to share with us.

I get so excited when I see a new poster on here--there are a few "regulars" that keep this forum "alive", but at times we get pretty slow.

You and PF are so right about there being very few little shops left, and let's face it, the selection of books and paints at stores like Michaels, Joanne's and Walmart seem to be dwindling more all the time. Gosh, I used to love going to the little shops for supplies and ideas (and to chat with other painters!). They always had so many finished pieces on display to ooh and ahh over--then want to make for yourself! I really miss them.

I think it is great to be able to combine painting with other crafts like decoupage and scrapbooking. There are a couple of blogs where the blogger used her painting on some tags she had put together using paper scraps, lace, jewels, etc. If more start doing this, perhaps it will revive the interest in painting.

Anyway, just wanted to welcome you, will look forward to seeing pics of your projects. And don't be hesitant, there are no "critics" here, just painters with all levels of skill who enjoy painting.

Luvs

Hey Kraftymom~ I just did a shout out to the newbies this morning so glad you posted! We are always so happy to have new painters join us. If you have pics of any of your older projects we'd sure like to see those too. If you go over to the gallery section you can see alot of our old and new things. There are a few pics in this section too. If you need any help with anything just ask!! Glad to have you here and look forward to seeing your projects! ~Anj

Hi Kraftymom, welcome

IÂm a newbie too. I love sharing new ideas.

My sons are now 16, 16 and 18 and I find myself having more time for fun projects now.

As far as the local shops, we have a store in South Florida "Pearl". (I donÂt know if they are anywhere else in the country) but sometimes I just go there to window shop. Their selection is great and they still offer classes. I have never taken a class but plan to in the future. We also have a studio in South Beach where the artists have their little space and you can actually watch them work.

Anna

Thank you all for the warm welcome!
I too have been hearing that Michael's is shutting down their classes. I don't know if that means they'll stop selling painting supplies though. I have access to some 'serious' art supply stores in my area but I always like it if I can find the same thing at Joann's or Michael's with the use of a savings coupon.
As far as books go, I have a HUGE library of decorative painting books - the majority of which have been bought online over the years at great sale or clearane prices at several on-line merchants I like to shop at. I am a self proclaimed decorative painting book junkie. :-)

Me too on the books and mags, Kraftymom--but I KNOW Paintingfool has me beat! She used to own her own shop, so I'm sure she got every good book that came off the press! ;o)

I always try to check Walmart for paints, brushes, etc. because their prices are usually lowest--but their selection has certainly decreased in the last couple of years. I know you can find anything you want online--but then you have to add in those darn shipping charges, and wait for it to arrive as well.

Luvs

Hey Luvs,

When you're finding books at $1.99 - $3.99 each that sell at the stores for $10.49 and up, $2-$4 S&H is nothing (I always buy several books at a time) and I am a patient woman. LOL Most of the books I own have never even seen the inside of a store around here.
Artists Club has savings on shipping if books are the only thing you order and most places I order from are outside my state and don't require sales tax. Don't think for a minute I'm not a smart shopper! :-) Getting 5 great painting books for a grand total of $13-$15 is a bargain no matter how you look at it.
Unfortunately my brush collection is almost as big as my book collection. After 30+ years of painting and collecting I need more space! LOL

Kraftymom, you sound so much like the rest of us. I am a very organized type person so I have all my books in a 4 drawer file cabinet, all of my back issues of the Decorative Painter (started in 1985) in a rubbermaid container - but I paid full price or wholesale price when I had a shop. I am at the point where I don't buy the books as much anymore - I end up looking at them rather than painting from them. But no matter what, I wouldn't give them up for anything. I still have some of my very first brushes back when I did only oil painting. And paints --- well, the last time I counted I had over 700 bottles of paint!! Last week at a class we were told to divide the paint between the three people at our table - I just said no way, I have more than I will ever use!! And that is just counting the acrylic - I still have my oils, watercolor paints, color pencils, and pastels, So Soft paints, patio paints, paper paints -- and the list goes on. But you know, I don't feel like I am an odd one - I bet yall are the same way - Please say you are the same - I don't want to be the only one out here with this odd obsession.

Okay, PF, you have me waaaay beat on the paints. ;o) I only have around 150 or so bottles. You have a nice big craft room, I only have some wall and cabinet space in my laundry room--so can't go too overboard on it. And I learned early on to substitute colors in my decor for many of the ones recommended in the books so that saved on the number I needed. In addition to that, your more "realistic" style of painting probably requires more layers of shading and paint mixes of colors too.

As for books, you have me beat there too--I only have two bookshelves packed full of them, and have FINALLY reached the point where I am passing a few of them on to others when I've painted the projects I want or my interests have just changed and I feel I won't use any of the patterns in the book.

Kraftymom, you are getting good deals on the books. I often find a few on the clearance area of Artists Club, and those prices are great. I also still look for books when I go to a thrift store, have found a few good ones there for only 25 or 50 cents each. And I still have subscriptions to Painting and Quick & Easy Painting magazines, so I use the patterns in those as well.

When I was working such long hours at the bank, I used to think I was more of a painting book "collector" than a "painter". LOL I just love to look at all the wonderful ideas for projects and the work of the painters/designers, so will often pull out a handful of books and just sit down with a hot cup of coffee and browse through them again for the fun of it, usually find something I just "Need" to paint now too. ;o) Sure fun isn't it?

Luvs

Painting Fool,
I'm right up there with you. I have 500+ 2oz bottles of regular acrylic paint mounted on the wall in front of me at the painting table but only because I try to keep just 1 bottle of each acrylic color in each brand I have out there at a time. That # doesn't include the multiple storage boxes of more acrylics (for when I run out of a color), enamels, outdoor, plastic, fabric, metallics, glitter, holographic, 3D and other specialty paints in assorted sizes I have stored between 2 rooms in boxes and cupboards - It's nuts! And my books are right up there in that number too. I keep a written index file of my books and also have a Word file on them which is at the moment 31 pages long and I have 4 more books coming as I write this. I keep a different binder file for mags. And both those lists don't include the library of books I have for my OTHER favorite hobby - Needlepoint.
I do love my books! Even though I may never use a pattern from each and every one in my lifetime I love to browse them and my mags for inspiration and ideas.

*I also have some of my original brushes (and projects!) from my teen years when I too first learned how to paint with oils. I guess that just goes to show you what die-hards painters are. :-)

Well I am also a newbee to this board....as u can tell I must have pushed the wrong button and I have a "post a follow up at the end of each subject......or is that the way its suppossed to be....lol......I kept my aol account because I loved the message boards......when I finally found them again after a couple of years I found that hardly anyone posted there anymmore......what a shame.....they were so informative.......u could get any question answered.....and I just found this board today.....lucky.......I also have been painting for about 20 some odd years......lost count on paint bottles and brushes.....looking forward to participating

Want to jump back in here to say a big WELCOME to Brenda Starr. This is so exciting to have some new painting friends to chat and share pics with us.

Okay, Kraftymom and Brendastarr, if you've read any on here at all, you know we LOVE pics of everyone's projects, so please start posting some as soon as you can. You can post here in discussions, but if you want them to remain longer, you can post them in the gallery. And if you want to chat about things other than painting, come on over to the conversations area on this forum too.

Can't wait to see some of the things you've created, I'm sure they will all be good for inspiration to all of us.

Luvs

THANKS FOR THE WELCOME LUVS......WOULD LIKE TO LEARN HOW TO POST PICTURES....IF ANYONE COULD HELP IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED......M SO GLAD I FOUND THIS BOARD.......DID ANYONE BELONG TO THE AOL MESSAGE BOARDS....THEY WERE GREAT AND THEY HAD A CHAT EVERY THURSDAY NITE CALLED BRUSH UP.....ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH IT???...oops...sorry for the caps....was not yelling.............

Brenda - there is a tutorial by Anjabee on the On Topic Discussion Page under Messages. Go down about midway of the page and you will see several posts on "Posting Pics". It was a very easy way for me to learn to post pics, hope it is the same for you. Anjabee is on vacation in Hawaii (yeah for her) but if you have any questions, Luvs and myself should be able to help you.
B

thanks for the post B....I found all the posts on pics......sounds a little confusing...I just bought a mac so its a little different from my old pc.....but I'll give it a shot......thanks......

Brenda, I'm on a Mac too. If you have any questions on the picture posting, just ask, and we'll try to help. Can't wait to see your pics. ;o) Luvs

Hi Luvs.....thanks for the reply.....I do need help....I uploaded the pictures to photobucket but I can't seem to get them from there to the message boards......my brain is tired from trying to figure it out....this mac was suppposed to be easy so I thought I could just drag and drop the photos from IPhoto...that didn't work either.....any help would be appreciated.....thanks

Hey Brenda, I just posted some info for you on your other post here on how to get your pics on your message here. Give it a try, I think you will find it really easy.

I don't find using the Mac any easier either--my husband's idea to get it, not mine. I was just so used to my other one.

I can't even figure out what to do when I want to delete one of my "bookmarks" on this computer. Makes me so frustrated with it. ;o(

Luvs