Monday, December 30, 2013

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Trunk Makeover with Stenciled Numbers

My Christmas tree is already down

and I am on to rearranging furniture!

I love the "new" this time of year.

When I found this "old" metal trunk in the trash

I knew it would find a corner somewhere in my home.



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Since it was rough and rusted,

It wasn't really important to keep anything original.


After a good sanding and cleaning,

I sprayed the entire trunk with Rustoleum Hammered Black.




Then I brush painted the insets creamy white

and shaded with Folkart Camel.






I had some number stencils that I had made





I used those to make some graphic black numbers

on the trunk.

I shaded those with camel too.




And dry brushed white over the top.







Stacking two trunks in this corner makes 

a nice height for my lamp.



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Imagine the fun I had the night 

I found this old trunk roadside by the trash!

It was 10:00 at night and raining

when I asked my husband to pull over.

He doesn't even hesitate anymore.

It's a way of life!



Always appreciate your visit,

Deb



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Friday, December 13, 2013

Rustic Winter Art Group

This time of year

our skies are so clear light blue.

Combine that with the bright white snow,

and it is a fresh happy color way.



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That's my inspiration for this art group.

-Cheery light blues and greens-




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Here is the "How -to"

so you can paint art for a happy winter wall.

Using fence board,

I built my pieces

11" x 11" for the squares

and

11" x 29.5" for the long tree.



Base painting everything in a brown wash,

then brushing on one coat of white primer,

lifting up on the edges to leave rough brown reveal.




Here are the paint colors.

Think pale - adding lots of white to mix these.








Dry brush white over all colors.




Here are the templates I used.

You can save image

and then enlarge print to copy.



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Starting with the tree,

use a mushroom color and flat brush

for the trunk.

Then paint in the mushroom branches

with a flat brush, pulling.




I used leaf green with white for the 

pine greens.  This is what my old brush looks like,

irregular and thin - great for branches.

You could use a new brush too, 

but you will get a little more texture with an old one.



Here's the pine needle brush stroke demo.

This paint application will make the project speedy.

Just use a pouncing up and down action.




To deepen browns:





Shading the white snow dots with blue.




Then I dry brushed white overall.



Birdie on Branch gets the same tree treatment

except with some white line detail.





Then use the bird pattern like a "paint by number"

filling in the areas with camel, white, and gray.

Then with some watered down black,

take your finger and blend some of the gray edges

to soften.




Sweet little eye deets.




And a cheery note to go on the mint green:








Maybe this can be your

"After Christmas" project! : )



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Here's to happy art and handmade homes!

Have a great weekend my creative friends,

Deb




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