Tutorial Thursday

The elves have been at it again…

I just looked and saw Charlie inside the printer and Chester was sitting on top, grinning his silly grin.  Again, the green power light is ON.

WHAT are these guys up to?

Oh, look…Charlie was scanning his face so you could have a free line drawing!!

The original size is 4.5 inches wide and about 5.25 inches tall.  To get this drawing, right click on your computer and SAVE to your computer.  You can then print it and resize it as you wish.

AWWWWWW…so sweet!

Sometimes, it is tough to know what to do with a line drawing without having instructions.

Thinking outside of the box is tough for lots of us.  I shake my head at what I do NOT think about.  Once someone posted a piece of wood turned another way than I envisioned.  It didn’t dawn on me to turn the piece of wood that way…WHY would I not see that? 

I keep telling you~~the whiter my hair gets the more Lucy moments I have!

SO now, when I pick up a surface, I turn it different ways to see if it will inspire me.

I cut my own wood, and love to design easy cut outs…it never dawned on me that some people don’t have someone to cut wood for them, so I have started using surfaces that can easily be bought.

IF you cannot cut wood, then paint the design onto a surface~~a plate, teapots, coffee pots, old trays, recycled wood.

Also, you can paint simple designs onto cardstock.  Seal it with DecouPage (Mod Podge) or DecoArt All Purpose Sealer and paint it.

Mixed Media Paper is even better to paint on than cardstock, or watercolor paper~~you can usually purchase these at Walmart, but most definitely at craft/art stores.  Give them more body by painting them with Gesso, paint as you normally would, and seal with several coats of varnish.  Just a note~~it is easier to cut them out AFTER you paint them.

If you don’t paint, there are so many markers, colored pencils and crayons out there…

You can even stich the designs~~a simple running stitch would be a great way to teach the young ones how to sew.

I believe in getting children involved in the arts and it doesn’t have to be painting and sketching~~acting, music, writing~~just make sure they have good teachers so they can develop good habits.

This would make an adorable tag for your Christmas Gifts, and then can be used to hang on the tree~~two purposes! 

SO, I hope this will help to get those creative juices flowing…If you make one, please share it with me.  I would love to see it!

We will be watching YOU…

Create with a Happy heart~~I am simply blessed to create~charlotte♡

 Click here for the link to purchase the Painted Clipboard from yesterday...This is for the finished product

Click here for the link to purchase the PAINTING PATTERN from yesterday 

Whacky Wednesday

Two of my special friends appeared this week...it has been a long time since they stopped by to say HEY to all of you.  

Some of you have NO IDEA who they are, so let me introduce you to them...

The larger guy is named Prince Charlie, the fairest in all the land...

The little guy is Chester the Jester Elf...

They are funny...

I guess I need to also give a little bit of history on them.

One of my favorite FB people, Lynn, had an elf that another FB friend, Miss Brenda, had made.  Lynn has put some of the cutest posts with her elf and it is always fun to see him make an appearance.  

Lynn's first elf perished in a fire at her house, but soon, she got another one....Let me be clear, you can NEVER replace someone that you loved, but sometimes, we just have to go on, and go on, she has...

Before too long, most all of my friends had gotten an elf.  OF COURSE, I was not going to miss out, either.  We have had lots of fun sharing our elf capades,  and it is time to start sharing again.

My two little mischief-makers probably took a vacation when the big dinosaur appeared (Charcoal)...

BUT, the other night, I went to the computer to type a pattern, and WHO was sitting above it, starring a hole through me...

Then, the next night, Chester was on my computer...

To the left, Prince Charlie, was sitting on top of the printer with the green light beaming...

WELL, I got them away from the computer, but when I opened the lap top, a line drawing appeared!!

I did ONLY what I knew what to do, I decided to paint it!...

NOW, to find a surface... 

 

 I have to admit, when I see these clipboards, I have mixed feelings.  Maybe that is why I haven’t painted them very much.  I know, it is silly, but that is what feelings do~~confuse you!   

I was in the Dollar Tree, buying several of these.  It was the winter, around Christmas.  The line was long, but that was ok, because it usually goes quickly.  Behind me was a man and his son, or grandson~~it is hard to tell with a man~~ROFL…Anyway, he was loud, and yes, I am loud, so I am not being mean.  

 Somehow, this loud man said to me something about me having so many of the clipboards.  I think I had about 8 or 10. I  told him I was an ARTIST and was going to paint them.

Let me tell you, I have been practicing being PROUD when I say I am an artist, because EVERYBODY has an opinion about WHO is an Artist and what kind of ART is called ART and not a craft…sigh…Gosh, we all want the world to see EVERYTHING though our eyes, don’t we…

Ok, sorry, I got distracted.  In my telling the man that I was an Artist, he said, “You sure aren’t a STARVING ARTIST.”  

 My entire soul wanted to cry.  The man was proud of his humor in front of the young man and the group of people and smiled and laughed, while I simply wanted to cry.   

Let’s be clear~~I KNOW I am FAT…I have a mirror and I have done this to my body and no one else is to blame for what I have done to me, but I feel like my life STILL has worth, just as much as anyone else’s life.   

I WISH I could have, at that moment, come up with one of my witty sayings, but I honestly wanted to crawl under something BIG to cover my BIG body.  I said, not out of love, “I KNOW I am fat, but at least I don’t say mean things to people out loud in public in front of a young man and show him how NOT to act…at least I TRY to be a good example.”  

The rest of the night is a blur…I went home feeling really crappy….

SO, I have decided to start painting HAPPY things on these clipboards, and This "found line drawing" is being called: 
                                 I LOVE ME…

IF I don’t learn to love ME, then why should anyone else?  I hope it will make YOU smile…it did me!  Hey, just in case somebody hasn’t told YOU, You are pretty AWESOME!  AND YOU ARE LOVED.

Being Kind sure is hard sometimes, BUT it is so important.  Always remember how you felt when someone was unkind to you, and try your best to NOT spread that feeling to anyone else.  We never know the pain that someone hides behind their smiles.

 Of Course, this was painted with my favorite paints~~

DecoArt Americana Acrylics

I KNOW, you will all be knocking yourselves over trying to get to etsy to buy this pattern...ROFL...I am being silly, but IF you are interested, this is the link to the pattern in my etsy shop.

OR if you would like to purchase the original clipboard, click here to go to my etsy shop where you can purchase this!

OR, if you would like to see what patterns and finished products I have available, click here to go to my etsy shop.

 

Have a wonderful day, and take every chance you get to SMILE and LAUGH...spread sunshine and find all those blessings that are around, just for you~~I am simply blessed to create~~charlotte ♡

A CELEBRATION is about to HAPPEN! Tuesday, January 20, 2015

A CELEBRATION is ABOUT to HAPPEN!

I am a PROUD Member of the Folkart and Primitive Team on Etsy.  (FAAP)

What is a team, you may ask...It is a group of sellers who ban together to try to HELP each other SELL more items...

And just HOW do you help OTHERS, you may ask...WE do treasuries, a group of items from each shop, and post them in Etsy.  We do NOT include our own items in a treasury, so we are in fact, PAYING it FORWARD...People HEART our items and then they appear on other's FAVORITES and THAT is how we help each other to SPREAD THE LOVE!!  We also have groups on Facebook where we SHARE helpful hints that have worked for us and NEW ideas...We have CELEBRATIONS throughout the year and we are about to have a BIG ONE!!

February 1, 2015 will mark the 2 year anniversary of The Folkart and Primitive Team (FAAP)

It was started by our FEARLESS leader, Miss Brenda Griffith!  You can find her blog at The Rusty Thimble.  Go FOLLOW her. She has a giveaway each month.  She is the seamstress of my elves, Prince Charlie and Chester the Jester Elf...

We will have a GIVEAWAY, but you will have to WAIT for more details...BUT Get READY...it will be FUN!!

Visit our Team Blog

I think that we should CELEBRATE every day that we are given LIFE...SO get a SMILE in your Soul and ENJOY the MOMENTS you have been given and make the MOST of them

...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥

oh by the way, Be sure to visit My Etsy Shop

and

My Facebook Page

Let the MAGIC BEGIN, Monday, September 29, 2014

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old…

We grow OLD because we STOP playing…”

I THINK that My Friends and I are going to be JUST FINE!  We have been playing.

My friend, Lynn, had the first elf that I knew about and it was not very long before several of my friends wanted an Elf…

Our friend, Miss Brenda Griffith, of The Rusty Thimble, is the maker of our elves, well except for ONE that Miss Ramona made when Miss Brenda had to take a break to care for her mother who had a HORRIBLE fall…so He is NOW one of us, TOO!

She has an etsy shoop and a blog, so be sure to get the links on her page and VISIT!  The Blog link can be found on the left side of my blog.   She is so very talented!

Click HERE to visit The Rusty Thimble on Facebook 

A funny thing happens SOMETIMES when the season’s change…our ELVES awaken and start to explore and to see what they have missed while doing other things in preparation to MAKE THE MAGIC HAPPEN!!

On Sunday, I heard chairs being moved, things being knocked over and a lot of scampering...This is WHAT I found...Poor Charlie…I don’t think he UNDERSTANDS taking a drive to see the fall leaves…He got the car down from the mantle, found some Flower picks, threw them on the floor and had Charcoal to take the picture of his FALL Sunday afternoon drive…He said he had HEARD me talk about taking Fall Drives on Sundays with my family to see the leaves…oh, Charlie, you ARE a Prince, and the FAIREST in ALL the Land, but this is TOO early for the leaves to change colors and this is NOT how we do it in the South…we go OUTSIDE to take a drive...sigh…Oh, Well, He DOES wish you all, Happy Fall!

Sheila’s elf,  Edgar, was helping her decorate on Sunday! He LOVES halloween! She is going to  have to make him a mask that fits!

Sheila is a WONDERFUL artist and does beautiful scroll work.  This is the link to her Facebook page and you can also find her blog link on the right side of my blog. 

 This is the Link to go to Sheila's Facebook Page

Levi Winston III was helping my friend, Linda, pack up an order last week. He's such a great helper! He helped her make a pot of pintos…we ALL hope he didn’t get gassy….eek! 

This is Willie and his first day of fall…Willie was created by Miss Ramona since Miss Brenda had to take care of her mother, but we love Willie and welcome him to our GROUP of Elves…He is doing his very best to keep the CROWS away…

This is the Link to Mindy's Website
She cuts wood for those who can't! 
This is the LINK to Mindy's Facebook Page 

Bernard,  is another member of the group…he was out RIDING the Flamingo’s (doesn’t EVERY ONE do this) on the first day of fall!

Wendy is one of the most AMAZING sculptures that I have seen…She specializes in gourds and had EDUCATED all of us in “gourd sex” to teach us how she pollinates the blooms in the summer…Oh dear me, the things I have learned that I NEVER KNEW I needed to know!  Please go visit Wendy’s page on Facebook.

This is the LINK to Wendy's Page

I’ve introduced all of you to Hinkley in a previous blog post…Hinkley has had a tough year…He was created to replace the original elf when he was lost in a housefire on Cape Cod…It has been a TOUGH year for Lynn, but it is WONDERFUL to see the journey she has shared with us to FINALLY be HOME AT LAST…You will want to visit Lynn’s Facebook page to keep up with her WONDERFUL documentation of the struggles and JOYS…You can also find her blog link on the left side of my blog…

This is the LINK to Lynn's Facebook Page 

No, there is ONE elf we are STILL trying to find…His name is HOMER, but oh dear me…This PICTURE shows his Momma, who is searching for him and NOW we KNOW why he is HIDING…

 

Don't expect to see Homer this year...can you BLAME him??

Oh dear me…My friends are CRA-CRA, but I would NOT have it any other way…

Have a great week and I HOPE that I have put a smile on your face…Blessings to YOU…~charlotte

April Fool's Day...NO, these people are REAL and ARE NAUGHTY!...Tuesday, April 1, 2014

I SEEM to have started a DEBATE among my friends...SOME of them DISAGREE that I am the GOOD one...

NOW SEE, that just SHOWS how NAUGHTY they are!!

BUT despite them being VERY bad, THEY STILL are VERY GOOD at being Friends...

SO, I thought I would show you just a few of my friends and some of the work THEY DO...NOW other friends that I don't include, don't get mad...just PLAY NICE and SMILE..AND PLEASE Take your MEDICATION TODAY!!

Kathy Cosford Kristinnson is the FIRST one who made a smarty remark about STILL laughing at the THOUGHT of ME being good...

Katie Cow, as I sometimes call her, lives in a TINY town in Canada and I don't think they will EVER see SPRING!  SO, who is laughing NOW!

She and I both have the experience of living on a dairy farm where Holsteins were milked...AND we both have tales of working in retail and inventory horror stories and employees who THINK that breaks START when you get to where you are going!!

I've asked for prayers for Kathy since her granddaughter struggles with major heart issues...PLEASE keep them all in your prayer...

She and her family have a HEART full now and she is so very special to me...my day isn't complete UNLESS I at least get to say HI to her every day...I love my Katie COW!!

This is a pattern she painted that was inspired by one of my designs...you can find this pattern in my etsy shop...♥ it!

Click HErE

 to go to Kathy's Facebook Page, Katie's Cows & Udder Things

 

Lynn Smith Barbadora...ay-yi-yi...those Italian names...I'm finding they are NOTHING BUT TROUBLE...I am still laughing at HER because she said SHE was the good one in my circle of friends...RIGHT~~NOT!!

Lynn has a WICKED sense of humor and does some PRIMITIVELY  PERFECT Designs with Terrye French's Painting with Friends...Lynn's patterns can be found on her blog...

Lynn and I seem to have lived parallel lives in so many ways...

Lynn and her husband, Pete, had a heart-breaking fire in their Cape Cod dream house and are STILL fighting to get it back to its MARVELOUS state so they can be HOME AT LAST really soon...

they STILL face obstacles such as finding ANOTHER rental to live in until their home is complete, SO prayers are also needed for this precious friend of mine...

Below is a pattern I painted of Lynn's...I LOVE IT so MUCH!!

Click HERE

to go to Lynn's Facebook Page, Painting Thyme Needfuls

Oh, another Friend of Mine lives in Australia...She is CRA-CRA...

She is trying to sell her house and thinks I NEED to buy it for my summer home...it isn't too far from the Ocean in the lower right side of Australia...LOL...I laugh at Niomi so much...

She is always ONE day ahead and I keep warning her NOT to tell me what happens so that I can be surprised...

She is a delight and I just love her!!

This is one of my FAVORITE designs of hers that I have painted~~I still have some more to paint and will get to them one day...I'm looking forward to the day when she gets settled in a new home so she can start designing again...She is so talented and I do NOT want to see her talent NOT SHARED!!

Although Niomi has taken down her website and page, you can STILL send her a message on Facebook and she will sell you her patterns!

 

The last friend I will share today is TRULY the craziest of the CRAZY...Something is SERIOUSLY wrong with her...MAYBE because she was born in Oklahoma...She moved to Eastern Tennessee, but even THAT could not help her...

BUT I have to be kind to her because she just did something REALLY awesome for me...she made this AMAZING ELF when my friend, Miss Brenda, the MASTER ELF MAKER, was unable to make him since she is having such a tough time dealing with her elderly mother who has a serious elbow injury...

SO THANKFUL that Ramona was able to step right in and create Willie...isn't he AWESOME!! 

 I am SO THANKFUL for my crazy friends...I KNOW they will NEVER make it to Santa's NICE List, BUT I will share with the what it is LIKE to be one of the NICE KIDS...♥

Thank you, my friends, for being in my life...I will share some MORE of my crazy friends at a later date...I don't THINK you could handle them ALL at once!  =)...Blessings to YOU...~charlotte♥