Luvs, I haven't subscribed to any painting magazines for 20 years but sure want to see what your going to end up painting. Maybe you can start tomorrow.LOL

Punk

Luvs,

I (like probably most everyone here) subscribed to all the magazines I could get my hands on, 20 years ago. Not so much recently. BUT, I ran across "Painting" recently and could not belive how much they improved their quality of choices. I did subscribe and in every issue find at least 3-4 projects that I truly get excited about. "Painting used to be my least favorite, but now I really look forward to each issue. Did finish one their "surprise" painting and hope to post it when I have time.

I am not familar with "Quick and Easy" please share a project from them so we can all see what they have to offer.

Joan

Luvs...I have subscribed to various magazines over the years but stopped until just after joining here. Your projects for Q & E just grabbed me and out came the wallet.

I now take PaintWorks (thanks to a school fund raiser)but will not renew.....beautiful designs but just not my style.

So we are down to "Painting" a magazine that is online or hard copy. I like the online version as I don't have all of those copies to store.

As to what I would like to paint....Q & E October cover is a winner!!!!!!! Where in Anj? And there is a sequel to her bunnies on page 80. But my fave is the canning kettle on page 83. And I have a kettle I no longer use....

Luvs....pg 87 looks just the project for your cutter, so what else are you going to do?

Joan, below is the online site for Q & E

http://www.quickandeasypainting.com/

Belle

I now get Painting, Q & E Painting and Paintworks. I used to get so many others as well but all of those were discontinued at one time or another. I quit getting Painting for a while, it was my least favorite. But they did improve on their projects later on so I subscribed again. For me Paintworks has always been my favorite.

I don't know why I subscribe to magazines. I have a library of painting books with projects to keep me busy for several lifetimes but I like the magazines because they keep you on top of new techniques, brushes, and other tools.

I'll be waiting to see what projects you paint. :-)

Nice to see I'm not the only one who spends money on magazines! LOL I just love it when my magazines arrive and can't wait to sit and see what's new in each one.

I usually only find two or three that I just really love, but I also try to remember to look at the designs to use on something other than what the book shows. And like Kraftymom says, it's nice to read about new products and see new techniques.

Just got the Quick & Easy Christmas Ornaments edition. It has lots of cute designs--but I probably won't make ornaments, but might use the designs on tags and such. The birdhouse ornies on page 67 by Renee Mullins were my favs, but I also like the bird ones on page 35 by Trudy Beard. There are even sea shell ones on page 43 that are really cute and different.

I'm really loving the cute Halloween design in the October issue on page 73 by Chris Haughey. And Nancy Wood has a cute design on one of those big sized clothespins. I usually like her designs, but don't have any of her books! Not sure why not???

There were several I liked in Painting too. Cute banner painted on that Roc Lon fabric that Belle told us about. It's on page 32 by Diane Kellogg. And the scarecrow windchime on pg 41 by Betty Bowers really caught my eye. Karen Wisner's designs are usually a little too "busy" for me, but her Haunting Halloween Express on page 25 is darling. Maybe I think that because DH is a retired Train engineer. ;o) I'm not a very fast painter, so even if I started now, I doubt I'd have it finished by Halloween! LOL

I've not subscribed to Paintworks although I've bought a few issues when I see them. I've found some really cute designs from time to time, but most are not the style I prefer or within my ability to paint. Would love to run across some past issues at a TS or YS just so I could buy them cheaply and have the fun of searching for designs I like! I get so excited when I run across painting magazines or books like that. ;o) However, I did find some recently at a little TS--grabbed the whole stack and found a chair to browse. I only actually bought a couple because most were the country cutouts like we all did back in the 80's and nothing I really want now.

Belle, I'm going to check the pages you mentioned to see which ones I might expect to see from you! Don't hold me to doing the ones I mentioned--I have the desire, but I've become the world's worst procrastinator!

Luvs

I also like to adapt designs to other surfaces.
Some of my favorite things to paint are seascapes, landscapes, and animals, so the seashells in the new ornament issue were one of my favorites. I'm actually thinking about putting one or more of those designs on boxes and might even do a switchplate.

I also liked the seascape/landscape ornaments by Charlene Barlow, the cardinals by Trudy Beard, and the mice by Lydia Steeves (love her animal designs).

In the current Painting I like the Homestead Clock and the Wine Box Cover designs.

KM, I loved those little mice ornaments, not sure I'm a good enough painter to do them well. Love all the birds too, just never sure what I can paint them on and how to use them. I've never tried landscapes or seascapes, but I do enjoy seeing them when other people paint them. I have an old magazine I've saved with seashore designs in it, one is a bottle with a letter inside laying on the beach--so romantic, I just love it! (No, I haven't tried to paint it, I'm sure I could mess it up real good!) LOL

Belle, I saw Monika Brint's bunnies in this issue and thought of Anj too.

Luvs

Bele, thanks for the tip on Q&E. I went directly to their site, saw that they have some of my favorite artits, things I would enjoy painting and subscribed immediately..

Every night before falling asleep I think of the things I am going to paint in the morning. Being retired, I have all the time in the world. Then morning comes, life happens and I put off painting for another day. Maybe today I WILL paint. Gotta paint all of the stacks of ideas I have, to make room for the new ideas that will come with the new subscription LOL.

Joan

Luvs.....I think you can do both birds by Trudy beard as well as the cute little birdhouse chime.

KM... I noticed the mice and candy canes and I don't know if I could do the mice. It takes better talent than I have to do fur. But might be fun trying.

Joan....glad to be of help, did you join online or hard copy? Either way Q & E is a fun one...thank you Luvs!

I am stuck again on my 6 piece project. Just can't get the feather on the bird right, so I have stopped for a couple of days. Might can the birds and just do butterflies!

As it rained yesterday I spent the day going through all of my old books/magazines and putting them into Will Paint, Might Paint and Won't Paint. Then I listed the Will Paints into seasons so that I can them done. There are a couple of Karen Wisner pattern I want to do including a candle holder with lots of snowmen on the sides, but I am removing some of the "stuff" on the hats. Just to busy! And of course....lots of fall stuff! Just love the fall colors. I found three cute tags by Sharon Chinn that I have altered for this years Christmas Ornament - year 18 or 19, can't remember which.

Another question; If you have DVD's which ones are really good? I have been looking for some on techniques and just don't know which to buy. I found a great shading one on YouTube, but ? What about the ones on flowers ... like roses, I would love to do roses! Any suggestions?

Belle

I chuckled when I read your last post Belle because after Luvs said she had earmarked some projects I also went back and scoured through my magazines to mark some projects. lol
It was fun finding projects that I had forgotten about.

Belle, have you checked out Patricia Rawlinson's site at

http://www.creativeartslifestyle.com/ ?

She has a LOT of DVD's and of course her Tole TV which has a library of videos you can watch and learn painting techniques and other things.

Belle, I agree about maybe leaving a few things off on a Karen Wisner design--sometimes just too busy for me too!

I have several Donna Dewberry ones which are mostly flowers including her "famous" one stroke rose. I have one on roses by Delane Lange and a water color one by Donna Spiegel. I'd love to have more, but the ones I've seen are sorta "pricey" IMHO.

Belle, thanks for the vote of confidence on my ablility to paint the birds--I might give them a try someday.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with stacks of books marked with the projects we'd like to do. Isn't it fun to look back through and either find projects that you wanted to do and didn't get around to, or projects that didn't really appeal to you "back then" but are just the perfect thing now! LOL

Okay, I need to go get a picture taken of my latest little project and figure out what to work on next.

Luvs

Don't forget to go "outside" the box when you are looking for ideas. Every craft has crossover ideas. I do counted cross stitch, and some of the books have great ideas that could be painted also. I also have done tole in the past but have other interest. Check the scrapbooking books and magazines along with the ones that have several crafts within one issue. Check Barnes and Noble and look for the magazines from England and Australia--whole new area.
Look for magazines at some thrift shops, garage sales, estate sales.
If I had more room, I would do more.
Good luck
Marie

Marie, nice to have you joining in here. You make a good point about finding designs in different places. I've never tried to use a cross stitch pattern, but I have used coloring books and even found an old rubber stamp catalog at the TS one time and enlarged a couple of the pictures to use for a painting pattern. I love finding painting magazines and books at the TS, so much cheaper and even if there is only one or two designs I like, I can buy it because it is so cheap! Please feel free to come chat with us anytime, we love hearing new ideas and perspectives. I visit a blog of an artist in Australia. She is often published in one of their craft magazines. If anyone wants to check out her blog, let me know and I'll post the link for you.

Luvs

"Don't forget to go "outside" the box when you are looking for ideas."

I totally agree. I also do needlepoint, woodworking, and woodburning, and love looking through those books for ideas. :-)

*I have several past issues of FolkArt magazine out of Australia. It is one of the most beautiful decorative painting magazines I've ever come across.

Kraftymom, how do you get Australian magazines? If you subscribe, is the postage allot? I've noticed that there are quite a few painters and crafters from Australia with blogs too. Luvs

Hello All!
I just discovered this site and am so excited to have other painters to share and chat with! LUVS mentioned using cross-stitch books for inspiration and I wanted to add that I have recently started cutting out pics from Christmas card catalogs that I plan to use for inspiration on future pieces. Once you start looking at things around you a little differently you'll discover inspiration everywhere.

Luvs,

Many MANY moons ago when Artist Club first appeared on-line they had issues of the Australian Folk Art magazine in their clearance section for $1.99 a pop. As long as they carried them, I kept buying. You can still find them on e-bay.

http://books.shop.ebay.com.au/Books-/267/i.html?_nkw=Folk+Art

I want to say a warm welcome to Heartsandcrafts, so glad you found this forum and will look forward to having you join in with comments, ideas, and pics of your projects. We are not always very active here, but most of us keep coming by to chat on the conversations side even when we don't have a project to share or a question to ask.

When you have time, you might enjoy looking at the older posts here and on the Gallery side. Just look about a fourth of the way down the page and you will see the red words for the Gallery and the Exchange side of this forum. And come on over to the conversations side to tell us more about yourself and to talk about even non painting related things.

Kraftymom, I'll take a look at the link you provided. Not that I NEED more patterns--I NEED to work on all the ones I already have earmarked! LOL

Luvs

Marie and H&C's.....Welocme! It is always nice to have new member and all of the new ideas you bring along and share with us.

I remember back in the good old days....saving pictures was call having a "morgue." When you wanted to paint a rose, you went to your morgue and picked out several photos and this helped in painting a rose. Now we have instruction books, is that moving forwards or backwards? Either way it is still a fantastic aid in painting.

Hope you both come back often and let us know what you are doing.

Belle