Technique Tuesday

Howdy, Peeps…I hope you are having a wonderful day!

I’m just getting going. 

Something/Someone has been outside that Charcoal doesn’t like and now he is being clingy!

I am the only person he ever sees and he has been without me in his sight for very few hours of his life with me…sigh

He likes to ride in the car, so yesterday, against my better judgement, I let him ride with me during the daylight (it is almost always late when we go riding), knowing he would see…PEOPLE!

He rides really well, but was a nervous wreck seeing so many other cars.  He did his “half bark” at the first couple of cars, but soon decided that it would take too much energy to “half bark” at all the cars, so he stopped…LOL He did NOT like those cars driving by HIS side of the car…he was so funny as he inched to the edge of his bucket seat closer to me.  THEN, when we had to stop in the turning lane, he REALLY didn’t like that truck being next to him, so he climbed to the back seat.  The lady in the truck laughed as I mouthed to her, “CHILDREN”…He was ready to be back home, because he climbed out behind my back when we got home…ROFL…So, I am left with the sadness of trying to figure out what is best~~leaving him home to be afraid, or taking him with me to be afraid…it is a tough decision. We continue to work on his phobia.  I hate that my lifestyle has caused him to be this way.  He is so funny!! ♡

This weekend, a lady from my etsy group who sews, posted a sketch of a future doll. INSTANTLY, I fell it love with it, and I KNEW a friend who would also love it, so I asked if I could buy the sketch to paint.  She graciously said YES, and I was thrilled.  Since I am in the habit, I wrote the instructions and gave them to her as my attempt to always try to go above and beyond what is expected, so she would be HAPPY to sell it to YOU!!

I am no good at designing Primitives.  I wish I were, but at least, I am learning to paint them and that is a big accomplishment for me.

I thought I would show you how I created the background.  It is not a new technique at all and is one of the favorites among Primitive painters, but it can be used with any color combination.

copyright is held by Becky Thompson McKinzie of Cotton Picking Folk Art...Please honor her ownership!

Backgrounds are tough for so many people.  When someone approached me about possibly publishing something, I asked what she thought I could do to improve my designs.  She said BACKGROUNDS.  Even though that opportunity didn’t pan out, I have taken that advice to heart, and continue to try to work on doing my backgrounds.  Sometimes, I fail, but other times, I succeed!

I have learned so much about backgrounds from following Tracy Weinzapfel on Mixed Media Mondays.  Don’t ever be afraid to learn other techniques, because so many of them can be incorporated into our normal decorative paintings.  Yes, I have heard some “grumble” that they do NOT like Mixed Media, and I honor their opinions.  I don’t like when all those flowers, sugar skulls (ick and eeeek) and weird things are added, so I understand.  I DO like the backgrounds, though.  And shoot, if you put a happy PAINTED daisy on anything,  you pretty much have my heart! 

So, the lesson I ask you to learn is, LOOK at other styles and see what you can learn from them.  See how you might be able to work what you like into what you create.

For this background, I gathered, what else, but my DecoArt Americana Acrylics and an old candle!

I used: Deep Midnight Blue, Winter Blue, Sand, and Tuscan Red

I based the piece with Deep Midnight Blue.  Allow to dry.

I added candle wax where I wanted the paint to look chippy.  I concentrate on the edges, because this is the natural area for peeling, and I also wanted to leave the center for the design.  I did put some smaller places in the middle to keep a consistency.

Learning moment: You can use just about anything to create a barrier.  I think candle wax is the easiest, but you can use: Vaseline, chap stick, soy candle~~anything with a “waxy” nature.

Paint Winter Blue on Top and let dry completely.  Do NOT use your hair dryer, because it will melt your wax~~honestly, I don’t know what that would do, so, just don’t do it!  =)

When the Winter Blue was dry, I took an old piece of sand paper and sanded, especially where the wax was.

 

Learning moment: It is best to use an old piece of sand paper, because the wax is going to clog your sand paper, and you won’t be able to use it again, so use a piece you won’t mind throwing away….don’t use you good little sanding pads!  

When you finish sanding, make sure to wipe the piece well, to remove all traces of the wax!

After this, I randomly added stars in Sand and some in Tuscan Red.  I sanded these to make them look old, too.  I used a stencil, but you can easily paint them.

I used the awesome stencil from DecoArt: Personally Yours~~Between the Lines.  This Alphabet stencil comes with 8 awesome background stencils.  It is a great addition to your collection.

This is the finished product…I just love him!!

I added stain and crackle to make the background even more primitive.

If you want to paint him, Contact Becky, and I know she would be tickled primitive red to sell you the pattern!  She is on Facebook and on etsy.  If you can’t find her, let me know and I will get you in touch with her.

I hope you will try this technique, if you haven’t.  If you do, again, share it with me…I love to encourage others.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world…I hope I have inspired you in some small way.  May you find all the good that life has to offer!  I am simply blessed to create~~charlotte♡

Oh, If you like to munch while you paint, I want to share our favorite “munch”.  I was eating some Bugles yesterday, and thought you might like to have this recipe.  Mother got this from a friend when she traveled with them to the Cumberland Presbyterian General Assembly…I have made BUNCHES and BUNCHES of it.

A Note about the Bugles:  I use 2 BIG BAGS of Bugles, but they are tough to find.  I have only found them sometimes, at Save A Lot…AND the paper bags, I can only find at Aldie…To give you an idea of how many bugles I use, the sack is about half full…AND if you can’t find a brown paper bag, make one out of the brown paper mailing wrap!  It works!!  I hope you like it! We also use the plain fish crackers, and not the cheese.

Bugles Mix

Well, now, Charcoal, I need you to move your head a bit!

As I moved the cookbook over so you could see the recipe, He put his paw on it to stop me!

HOW could I get angry at this lump of love!! 

Giveaway

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After Church Dinners, Sunday, January 26, 2014

Sundays take me back to times gathered around a table sharing a meal with friends or family.  When I was younger, people would go to each other’s homes after church, but as we got older, this practice stopped…a lot of things have stopped from the “old days”.

I can remember the hustle and bustle of Mother in the kitchen trying to get things ready for the meal after church as she tried to hurry us along to get up and get ready.  At my house, the meal wasn’t the problem, the CLEANING of the house was the problem…As a FLETCHER, I BELIEVE it is our heritage to NOT throw anything away…sigh…

In TRUE SOUTHERN form, a meal was not merely a meat and three, but at LEAST a two meat and eight…HEAVEN forbid that one should serve SOMETHING that was not liked by SOMEONE…In my family alone, choosing two meats was not easy for I had a brother who ate NO chicken and NO soup or Gravy and another brother who ate EVERYTHING, EXCEPT liver…My Father liked what he liked and he had NO problem with the things he didn’t eat, he just left them for others, BUT he DID want his gravy with EVERY meal that warranted gravy!

Country Ham, Roast and Chicken were staples at my house.  Hot Chicken Salad was gobbled down as LONG as nothing crunchy was put in it…sigh…yep, that was DADDY…Personally, I love water chestnuts as long as they are cut into smaller pieces…I don’t like the BIG pieces…Celery just adds to the flavor in my opinion!

Mother was one of the BEST bread makers around and thought NOTHING of getting up and making biscuits…and her yeast rolls were some of the best things to EVER be placed in your mouth—EVER…That was most everyone’s favorite part of having company, because she would have at least four pans of rolls…Toasted Buttered rolls the next morning is a TREAT that I still miss.

Two of my favorite things to have when we had company was a spinach salad with HOMEMADE Poppy Seed dressing and then to have Homemade Shortbread served with fresh fruit…oh my…I’m hungry JUST thinking about it.  Oh, and frozen Cranberry Salad is ALSO one of my favorite things too…it is SO pretty on a plate.

Mother taught me that making food PLEASING to the eye was just as important as it being healthy AND if you would choose foods from all the color groups, then usually you would have most of your vitamins covered.

I thought I would share some recipes today for quick and easy things that I LOVE…To me, taking time to prepare a HOMEMADE meal for those you love is just one of the best things you can DO…AND when you place your feet together under a table, I think there is NO PROBLEM that can’t be solved by sharing the burdens of the day…TOGETHER really is the BEST place to be…Enjoy being with those you love and don’t FORGET to tell them that you love them…Blessings to YOU…~charlotte♥

Poppy Seed Dressing

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon grated onion

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon celery seed

¼ cup vinegar

1 cup salad oil

Approximately 1 Tablespoon Poppy seed (optional…and LESS if you don’t want as many…well, duh, huh!!)

Combine all ingredients except vinegar and oil.  Beat thorough as you dribble oil and vinegar alternately.  This makes a grand glossy dressing to serve over fresh or canned fruit.

My favorite SALAD to use this dressing on is:

Baby Spinach Leaves

Slices of well-drained Mandarin Oranges

Pecans that have been toasted

Scottish Shortbread

1 cup of BUTTER (NOT margarine), softened

½ sugar

2 cups of flour

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Gradually add flour and beat on medium until smooth…It will take about 5 minutes to beat this with your mixer.  Spread evenly in a ungreased 9x13 pan.  Bake in 300 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until lightly brown.  Immediately after removing from the over, prink all over with a fork and cut into small squares.  BEST served at room temperature.

Avis’ Chicken Casserole

1 cup cooked rice

½ cup chopped celery (finely chopped)

2 cups cut up cooked chicken

2 Tablespoons of chopped onion

1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup

¾ cup mayonnaise or salad dressing.

Mix all together and place in a baking dish.  Top with

1 cup corn flakes (crushed)

2 Tablespoons of melted butter…Mix these two together and place on top of the chicken.

Bake 40 -45 minutes at 350.

Frozen Cranberry Salad

1 can of WHOLE cranberries—mash with a fork to break up the big pieces

1 large can of crushed pineapple, drained well

2 large Bananas, mashed

1 Regular Sized contained of Cool Whip, thawed (the original recipe called for REAL whipped cream, but Mother couldn’t have dairy food, so I made this change)

A couple of hands of mini marshmallows

A dash of salt

IF you wish, you may add chopped pecans, toasted

AND if you really like SWEET, add a can of Eagle Brand milk…I don’t, but it is good!

Mix together and place in cupcake wrappers placed in a cupcake pan to hold their shape…You can also place this in a square container…just be sure to remove for a bit so you can cut it!

This recipe can be served frozen…BUT if you want to make it a refrigerator Salad, use a can of Cherry Pie filling INSTEAD of the Cranberries…My niece LOVED this and she called it PINK SALAD…for some reason, I don’t like the cherries frozen as well as the cranberries!

Happy cooking QUICK and EASY!  =)

Both of these patterns can be found as INSTANT downloads in my etsy shop...click  HERE to go directly to MY SHOP...=)