Technique Tuesday

I read the other night that the success to a good blog that grows, is to be consistent…

Ok, I understand that, and I get it…BUT really…ME?  Consistent?

I have been thinking about this “blog thang” for a while.

You know, I have STUFF to share with people, but get frustrated trying to find a way to share…

I was very consistent in posting on my FB business page, but when I get less than the 100 of the 1800 who see it, and am lucky to get 15 LIKES, then why bother?  Don’t get me wrong.  I value those 15 LIKES and who sits behind them because they are somebody who took the time to see what was happening in my little corner of the world.

I want to reach people who NEED to hear what I have to type…who WANT to stop for a moment to visit.  If I can help one person, then that is success in my book.

I realize that if I would simply share my art, and not my faith, I would probably get more people to stop by, BUT you know what, that is NOT my goal.  My faith is every bit a part of me as my art, and if doing one or the other means having to quit doing one or the other, then my FAITH is going to win because without it, there is no art.  My art comes from the gifts that were given to me by God and it is to HIM that all glory and honor belongs, so you see, not sharing ME and my beliefs is not possible.

I get frustrated with blogging because it is kinda silent and gets very little feedback.  I can’t seem to buy a follower, and let me be clear, I have NO DESIRE to have this blog saturated with ads so that it is impossible to read the blog.  I don’t know if I should respond to comments, because I am not sure that people ever see the replies, so what to do about that?  BUT, the numbers show that every post I do gets at least 100 visitors, so I think this might be the winner winner chicken dinner for awhile.

SO, with all these thoughts in mind, I have in my head, come up with a Daily Schedule.  SURELY, I can post at least ONCE a week on ONE of those subjects…I don’t have the goal of posting every day, but would LOVE to have the discipline to post once a week.

These are my thoughts, so far, and yes, they are apt to change if I don’t like them!

Sunday Serendipities~~I remember when Mother discovered this word and its meaning.  I was probably around 13, but it made an impression on me…unexpected blessings…so, when I find an unexpected blessing in my life, I will schedule it for Sunday.

Monday Musings~~This can be anything that comes to my mind…Now, STOP IT…it isn’t that scary~~shame on YOU! ;) (I really do get it, though…ha ha ha ha )

Technique Tuesday~~A day to share how to do something!!  WOW…I know, right!

Whacky Wednesday~~I will try to be Witty…(oh, this can go wrong on so many levels)

Tutorial Thursday~~Yep, same as Tuesday, but on Thursday

Food Friday~~BUT WHAT if I cook something that I want to share on another day?  (tough…it will be Friday!)

Saturday???~~ Oh, dear, I don’t think I got that far…do you see a pattern yet?  I need an S word~~NOOOOOOOO, not that WORD, but it would make me GANTSA, Sheila!  =)  Ok, I will work on that one…

SO, Today is Tuesday, and if I keep going, I will have already blown my attempt at being consistent, so quick, let me share SOMETHING…not just SOMETHING, but a TECHNIQUE.

Remember my friend, Erin, that I told you about last post?  Well, she was buying art supplies and said having a kid in school sure is expensive with all the “extras” they have to do.  I told her, and I meant it, that if she needed something ARTSY sometime, to let me know, and I would help her out…crap…she already asked…BWAH…I don’t mind.  My only problem is getting it where it belongs at the proper time, BECAUSE I have discovered that not everyone is up at 2am on purpose…What is up with that??

SOOOOOOO…grab yourself a piece of scrap wood, and join me.  Grab DecoArt Americana Tuscan Red, DecoArt Americana Lamp Black and DecoArt Americana Titanium White and a piece of dry wall tape~~yep, the kind that you use to repair dry wall. (OK, if you grab different colors, I won’t tell, and I won’t know, unless you tell me.)

JoByrns School colors are Red/Black (I hope, still, cause they are the Red Devils, maybe still?). 

I thought I would show you an easy background to make for a sign.

First, I stippled (this basically means that I pouched the paint on without brushing it on…this helps to give it some texture)Red all over the little sign.  I bought these pieces of wood at one of the craft stores.  It is about 3 x 7…This would be a great sign to tie on the outside of packages.

Since I didn’t want the colors to mix, I let the red dry, and YEP, I used my ever faithful hair dryer to speed the process along…Patience in not one of my virtues, at all.  I have accepted that. IF you are using other colors, and not keeping your background to specific colors, by all means, let the colors blend together to form other colors~~that is more fun that I can explain!

Next, I took Lamp Black and stippled it randomly on the piece, but not too much since the lettering was going to be Lamp Black also. Again, out came the hair dryer to speed things along.

I took the dry wall tape and used it as a stencil to add Lamp Black…Dry again…Then add the Tuscan Red, being sure to stencil over those Lamp Black blotches you added.  This ensures that the Red Texture will show, and yes, stencil some Tuscan Red over the Tuscan Red.  It adds texture.

I pulled out a stencil I had gotten as a gift in an order from Laurie Speltz.  I used a make-up sponge (those rubbery triangles) and used them to stencil on the words…whew, it was a tight squeeze, but was just perfect!

Now, this is the word of advice that I will offer to all who want to create with paint.  ALWAYS have a NICE LINER.  This is the work horse of doing good painting.  I don’t think anyone has to ever be able to draw a straight line, but I do think one must learn to use a liner.  Learn to properly thin your paint and then, you can conquer the world, as long as it means knowing how to use a liner brush (see, I’m trying to squeeze Whacky Wednesday in here, too…I see trouble ahead.)

My other word of advice~~if you mess up, make it look like it was MEANT to be that way.  I did a HORRIBLE job of stenciling, and I sure wish I had taken the picture to prove how bad I am at stenciling, but you might get the idea by just looking.  To cover up this mess that I didn’t correct with my liner brush (see, gotta have a good liner), I thinned my White paint and outlined the letters.  I PURPOSELY (wink wink) made broken lines to look like it was on purpose and to hide where I really messed up by having a broken line where I didn't want it broken.  If my brush went splat and made a thicker line than I wanted, I was sure to add some more of those thicker lines on other letters.  I added lots of lines around the letters, so you wouldn’t know where I really did mess up…get it??  I finished by adding more “hashtag” type lines around the lettering to tie in the white with the other two colors.

I will drill two small holes in the top and add wire for hanging.  Finishing will involve me painting DecoArt DuraClear Matte Varnish on top for protection. 

This should work for either a girl or a boy who might get this little sign…simple and easy.

I hope this will help you in seeing that we all can create with paint…and that texture is SO FUN to add to our art.

So, I am ONE for ONE this week~~score!

Thank you all for visiting my little corner of the world…Blessings to YOU…~charlotte

I am a proud member of the DecoArt Helping Artist Program.

I get some products free or at a discount, but really, that is not the reason I use DecoArt Products.  I have used them for over 20 years and they are my favorites, and the best products that I have used.  I encourage you to give them a try when you get the opportunity to do so.