Whew! I am amazed I was able to do so many collage pieces this month. Thank you Lord! They were so much fun, and I learned so much. Fear made me delay starting them. Stupid fear.
Spoonflower Design Challenges
I completed all of challenges this month. Again, Lots of learning here. I learned how to make a check and a plaid. And my speed is improving. Very happy about that.
Along with each challenge design, I was able to create a small collection with pattern variations and solid coordinates. I may also add a ditsy print, textured solid, stripe or other coordinating pattern to them.
For the Ikat Cross, I am going to make some slight changes before working on a collection. More fun ahead. I also will work more on the two Circle pattern Ideas. 🌻
Thanks so much for following along with me this month. Your encouragement is a blessing. And thank you so much, for voting in the design challenges. Thank you! 😊
You knew I would paint him sooner or later. When I worked up the courage.
Calling this a study, as I feel I learned a lot in the process. I am going to paint him again. It was fun. I lightened the image I used as a reference after I did the painting. So you would be better able to see details. He appeared much darker before.
I botched one of the ears. And I edited the lighter ear areas digitally, as they looked much lighter in the scan. But, not thinking, I should have gone back in and darkened the outer edges more. My values are muddled a bit as well. But I am really happy with how he turned out!
Bunny on the run. SMD
Finally did the color chart for my larger palette. This small task was very meditative. I have three colors on the lid. (center top row) Not so clean after today’s painting. Haha.
Color Chart.
After many months, I finally finished painting this small table. My plan was to do a wood grain effect, to compliment my bed. But the raised panels would have required extra prep work. I applied the base coat and then put it off.
I wasn’t sure which direction to go next. When I bought it, it was a distressed, rustic white. It was a perfect size and a bargain. And I knew I could easily change the finish. I had an abundance of this blue, more indigo than a royal. And in a fit of wanting to get it done, that is what I went with.
I can always paint it again if I change my mind.
Three layers of paint. Two of a satin varnish that turned out to be much too glossy. And an additional layer of matte varnish to fix that mistake. Thankfully, I was chatting online with Sea Dean. I was bummed about the finish and decided to ask her opinion. I knew she would have some helpful suggestions. While we talked about the options, I remembered I had the varnish I used on the legs to my desk. Well, If I could find it. Haha. Being organized doesn’t always help when you are forgetful. Hahaha!
Blessedly, thankfully, after a few minutes’ search, I had my hands on it. Yes!!
THANK YOU, Sea!!!
I painted the “antique brass” handles a crisp metallic silver. And then aged them a bit with a watered layer of brown craft paint. Sealed them with the matte as well. Three full days of painting. Whew! And WOO WHOO! Laughing here. The table is only about a foot by two feet. I am so pleased with how it turned out. All of this with what I had on hand.
Side Table Refinished.
Satin is too glossy.
I am not sure if you can really see the difference, but the glossy is above, and the matte is below. I highly recommend this product. It is creamy and easy to apply. It dries quickly as well. It feels wonderful to the touch.
Soft Sheen.
Waverly Matte Varnish
Stay strong, stay safe. Hugs & prayers. 🙏
I am happy to be alive, as long as I can paint. Frida Kahlo
Don’t be an art critic. Paint. There lies salvation. Paul Cezanne
Love Notes postcard exchange helped to pass the time. Haha. Is it the end of the month already?! This round we had the option of going digital. I chose that but found a stash of stamps, so I mailed the cards as usual. I was offered a side swap from Kelly, and eagerly agreed. For the side, I painted the Prickly Pear. Thank you, Priscilla Martin and Kelly Collin-Coulter for brightening up my mailbox and month!
Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one. – C.S. Lewis
My good friend has asked me to post his call for help. He is working on two awesome applications. If you know anyone with the skills he has listed (below in bold), please share this info with them. Thank you for taking a look 🙂
A Call to Arms for Designers! With the threat of Covid-19 affecting us all, many of us are trying to find ways to help stop the spread of this pandemic through various methods. At Pandemic-Watch we are in the process of developing a mobile app that allows users to opt-in to providing anonymous location data. That data can then be compared to reporting known and suspected symptomatic users and notices sent to those who have crossed paths (with-in the possible transmission time) with a known or suspected person. In addition, we also have a project (Medic-Watch) to aid our Medical Heros! Most medical facilities require exposed staff to phone in and answer a health questionnaire each day. Many of the exposed staff are overworked, short on time, and exhausted! So many fail to report daily. This leaves the administrative staff to initiate calls or physically track them down to gather important health data. Our Medic-Watch project provides a mobile app to collect this data on a given schedule, thus making it easier and less time consuming for the staff to comply. The user can provide a schedule of days and times for the app to open and request their health status. The data is then provided to the medical facility(s) they choose on first use or add later. Our two projects are in great need of volunteers. One of our most significant needs is for designers and UI/UX designers to help in the design of our products. If you can design a mockup of a mobile screen given some criteria (such as input fields, and text to display) and make it look modern and professional, we need you! Both projects are open source and seek to help stop the spread of the pandemic. The anonymous information they collect will also be provided to medical researchers to help in understanding the spread of future epidemics. So far, our team consists of software developers and epidemiologists. We need web developers, designers, and marketing people, pandemic experts, etc. The projects are both open source and free to anyone to use, modify and further develop for their own use. As long as it is not for profit. If you would like to take part and have any talent that could be of use, please contact me at pandemic.watch2020@gmail.com
