Mosaic Monday...

I know we are yet to face the coldest weather of the year here in the South.. February and March.  But dang I want Spring to hurry up and get here ASAP. (I miss my flip flops)  The new merchandise in the Gillyweed booth makes me happy just thinking about it. 

 Did you know that the Monarchs are known for their lengthy annual migration. In North America they make massive southward migrations starting in August until the first frost. A northward migration takes place in the Spring. The monarch is the only butterfly that migrates both North and South as the birds do on a regular basis. Since the average lifespan of an adult Monarch is 4-6 weeks, no single butterfly makes the entire round trip! Female monarchs deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations.

So to celebrate their short life.. Gillyweed has some beautiful butterfly themed accessories at The Vintage-Flea right now.  Butterfly & turquoise gold drop earrings, ceramic pots & boxes with butterflies (the pots would be great for forcing bulbs indoors),

and these incredible butterfly embroidered pillows! 

Found this quote from Terri Guillemets.. "The green grass and the happy skies court the fluttering butterflies."  So I guess for now, I will just wish for Spring to get here lickity split.  Happy Monday!

This mosaic has been linked up to Little Red House.  Butterfly inspired photos were found on Pinterest, Google, and Etsy.

Enjoy!!

When Life Throws You a Lemon....

We all know the quote.. "if life throws you a lemon, make lemonade".  Well how about a Lemon painting?  This Encaustic class will show you how to use decorative papers in your art, stencils to help make your shapes, and of course.. we will drink some lemonade!!  Your finished piece will be a 12"x12" colorful bowl of lemons to hang in your house.  Cost of class is $50 (includes a 12" cradled board, paints, and brushes).  Students are responsible for bringing decorative papers to use for their backgrounds such as lightweight scrapbook paper (12x12), wrapping paper, and/or printed tissue paper.  The workshop will be offered on Thursday, February 9th from 10-12:30pm and again on Tuesday, February 14th from 10-12:30pm.

 

Only 8 per class so please contact Corner Arts Gallery to reserve your spot or call 678-633-5705.  In the meantime.. enjoy this recipe for the perfect Lemonade found here!

Perfect Lemonade Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

Method

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Yield: Serves 6.

Faux Encaustics... Faux indeed!

The one thing I DON'T like about doing Encaustic paintings is the cost... seriously it adds up.  Each small brick can cost up to $20, and medium brick up to $50.  So I love it when I have the opportunity to teach "tricks" that can either save on $$ or time.

The first such trick is using Gesso specifically made for Encaustic painting.  Another technique involves white tissue paper and chalk pastels... together they equal Faux Encaustics.  It's simple really.. draw your design onto a sheet of white tissue paper.  Prep your panel by painting a thin layer of Gesso, then a few layers of clear medium.  Fuse your layers with a heat gun.  Turn your tissue paper over (design down) and place it on top of your warm panel.  Paint another layer of clear medium on top of your tissue paper.. the design will show from behind.

Fuse your layers again with a heat gun.

Begin to carve into the wax using assorted tools.. basically you are outlining your design.

Then you are ready to add oil paint into the grooves and lines that you just etched.

Wipe off panel and excess oil paint with cheap vegetable oil... much better than mineral spirits!

Taa Daa.. your Faux Encaustic!

Kathleen & Leslie... great job!!

Lynn, Jan & Denise.. you make a teacher proud!! 

So there you have it.. the look of an Encaustic painting for 1/10 the price.  Now who could resist a bargain like that???

Enjoy!!

Upcoming class ideas are Bowl of Lemons, Spring Leaves (gold leaf method), Nesting, Photo Encaustics, and Landscapes.  Make sure you are a Gillyweed fan on facebook to find out class times and prices.

Week 4... The Color of A Finished Project

To actually finish a project around here is a milestone!

Enjoy!!

Celebrating 100 at the Bone Yard....

100 POSTS!!!  Hot Dang.. I actually did it.  I've mentioned before that I am not a writer so keeping this blog up has been a real struggle for me.  (pat pat pat on my back)  Today I visited a new Antique store in town called The Bone Yard.  I have been told about this little gem from several friends, customers, and co-workers so many times that I finally had to see what all the fuss was about!  Man I am glad I did!!  What a fantastic, inspiring place to visit!

I found so many things that I wanted to strap to the back of my car and take home with me.. I should have asked about their layaway programs!  For starters this beautifully hued storage cabinet... love love love.

Velvet chairs.. in PINK! 

A fun booth called Coastal Colors greets you when you walk in the door.  Another fantastic booth in the back on the shop that I adored is called Urban Farmhouse. (I forgot to take a picture but trust me it is amazing).

 

I might have to go back for this poster...

 

Salvaged Letters were found all over the building.. G*I*L*L*Y*W*E*E*D

 

This amazing table is made from 2 antique doors and rests on top of a custom iron base.

 

So there you have it!  If you are in the area, I highly recommend a visit to this unique store.  Lisa, one of the partners, even told me about their new line of Chalk/Clay paint that they are expecting any day now from Ce Ce Caldwell.  You all know from here about my love of Chalk paint!  Happy Days!

Enjoy!!

Mosaic Monday...

I've received some fun new accessories for Gillyweed this past week that have me already thinking of Valentine's Day.  Heart cuff bracelets, pink & red scarves, beautiful earrings and necklaces...

 

It has also started me thinking of new projects that I wanted to try to make over the next 3 weeks.  Most of them evolving from this wonderful book Layered, Tattered, and Stitched.

and if my creative sparks fizzle.. I can always rely on Carolyn Saxby's blog to get me right back on track!

So check back in a few weeks to see my heartfull creations! 

For now, enjoy these little hearts for Mosaic Monday. 

This mosaic has been linked up to Little Red House.  Heart photos were found on Pinterest.  Love that site!!

A Fish, A Dress, An Eiffel Tower... and a Tornado!

The day started out innocently enough... small class of 3 for my Faux-Caustics workshop.  Easy Peasy!  We started prepping our boards with faux white wax (gesso made for Encaustics), then several layers of medium (clear).  While everything was drying we started doodling on tissue paper with chalk pastels.  When the happy campers were satisfied with their designs, we embedded them onto our panels and started the fusing process....

 

 

until the sirens went off!!  Sirens.. OMG!  There are apparently 8 outdoor weather warning sirens in downtown Newnan that warns you of a possible tornado within a 1 mile radius.  Not only did the sirens start to ring but everybody's phone was blowing up, telling us to get to safety ASAP!

 

Safety to us was a 8x8 art supply closet in the center of the Corner Arts Gallery.  Jenny, the owner, had the smart idea to take out the ladders first before we all piled into it.  Here are Olivia & Ansley saying their goodbyes!  Gail said we should all put our ID's into our pockets!  Jenny was talking on the phone to her son-in-law who happens to be a firefighter... "it's coming" she kept saying.  Then, just like that, it was over!  Back to work everyone.. time for oil pastels!

 

 

And there you go.. what a memorable class!  Thanks to Gail, Carol, Ansley and my helper Olivia for making it extra special (and fun).

Enjoy!!

Week 3... The Color of a Book

I am ashamed to admit that I do not read much.. I am a movie girl myself.  My last book, embarrassing as it is, was the "House of Night" books.  (Yes, I read all 8 books of the teenage vampire series) However, I am proud to show you my new book that I am going to be starting very very soon...

week 3.. The Color of a Book

Poseidon's Steed, The Story of Seahorses from Myth to Reality.  Did you know that the seahorse is the only species in the world where the males give birth?  Gotta love it!

Enjoy!!

Gillyweed Style...

I haven't had too much time to show you all the goodies that have come into the Gillyweed booth lately.  Believe me.. it looked pretty bare in there after the Christmas holiday.  To say you wiped me out would be an understatement!!  But shipments are arriving daily now and I am unpacking, pricing, and merchandising as fast as I can.  I couldn't NOT show you some of my new bracelets that have come in...

especially after they were featured in the recent InStyle Magazine!!  Love these beauties..

 

I have them currently in Aqua, Black, Gold, Red, and Orange.  $24 each.

 

They'll become your new favorite accessory this year!!  Pick yours up at the Gillyweed Booth located inside The Vintage-Flea in downtown Newnan, or by emailing me at vdumas@numail.org.

Enjoy!

Camera+ Wednesday

I just love our historical courthouse.. it sat empty for the longest time but now it has been restored and houses the Visitor's Center and a few other government offices.  I was downtown today fluffing my booth inside The Vintage-Flea and couldn't resist taking this picture for Camera+ Wednesday.

Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

"You're my brown eyed girl..."  I absolutely love that song from Van Morrison and of course it is my daughters' theme song!  Do you remember theme songs from Ally McBeal??  Anyways.. my beauty turned 13 today.  An official teenager.. let the fun begin!!

Hard to believe she was once this small!

 

 

Such an amazing spirit!  Happy Birthday Princess.

This Mosaic has been linked up to Mosaic Mondays at Little Red House. 

Enjoy!!

Week 2.. Color of Your Bedroom

My bedroom is probably one of my most favorite rooms in my house.  I feel like I am in the French Islands.. a little creole mixed with colonial accents.  Oui Oui.  Many different shades of blue are in this room...

Week 2, The color of your bedroom.

My new bedding that I blogged about here, is my new favorite blue in the room.  But I also have-

blue shutters as window coverings, milk glass turquoise blue drawer pulls,

 

2 sitting chairs with dark velvet blue fabric, my favorite clock, and

my artsy fartsy mantel.  What colors are in your bedroom?

Enjoy!