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Friday, May 29, 2009

Let's Paint Red Geraniums

Welcome to my little kitchen garden. The red geraniums are in full bloom and Bentley and I would love to take you on a little tour to look for inspiration for a geranium painting for us to paint together.



Make yourself a cup of tea and let's get started.


Finding inspiration . . . .



Here . . .



There . . . .





Everywhere . . . .





Now that we found our inspiration, let's get started painting a very simple little geranium painting.



We are going to paint a single pot of geraniums.


First, I painted an 8X10 canvas a light green and then sketched the pot and geranium. You are welcome to copy my drawing.
Next I painted in the darks. . . note . . . look at the photo of the geranium and paint the darks first. I also painted the right side of the pot darker as this will be the side with the shadow. Paint the flowers a solid color - I used brown and red to get a dark color for my flowers. Later we will lighten up the flowers and develop the petals.

I paint the background as I am painting . . . pulling in the colors of green in the leaves, some of the reds in the flowers and added a little yellow to the top of the background to give a hint of sunshine. I also added the shadows.





I then added light highlights to the leaves and petals as well as to the pot. I also added a flower blossom and painted a few petals to add a little interest to the painting.

The finished painting.
Thank you for visiting. I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your comments.
It means so much to me that you have taken time to leave me a comment and to follow my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special.

Have a lovely week. Blessings, Erin


Saturday, May 23, 2009

Art Show


Welcome and Happy Memorial Day

Pour yourself a glass of ice tea and join me and Bentley for a tour of the 2009 Balboa Island Artwalk. Each artist has 20 feet of sidewalk space located on the beautiful Newport Bay in Newport Beach, California.




This year the theme of my space was "Seaside Cottage Garden" and I decorated one side of my space with a coastal theme and the other side with a cottage garden them.


Seaside Cottage Garden










Cottage Garden





Let's wander down the walk and look at more art.








The show features all kinds of art. I loved the colorful display of "Pop" art.












There were lots of our dog friends enjoying the day.











As well as a feathered friend.

Flag flying at the entrance to Balboa Island in honor of our Service Men and Women who give up so much to protect our freedoms both here and abroad. God Bless you all.


Thank you for stopping by. I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your comments and followers of my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special. Have a wonderful Memorial Day.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Give Away Winner and Gifts From The Garden

The Winner Is . . . . . . .


Thank you for your response and comments to my give away. I loved hearing from all of you and wish I could have sent everyone a gift. The random drawing winner of the Welcome Garden Painting and Jo-Ann Gift Card is:

Lou Cinda. Lou picked the Welcome Garden Bunny painting. You can visit her at her
delightful blog -http://lumnroe.blogspot.com/ - Tattered Hydrangeas.


Mother Day Gifts From the Garden for Under $5.00



With the down turn in our economy and high rate of unemployment in our country, my sister Leslie and I thought it would be fun for us to share with you some of our "thrifty" ideas for Mothers Day gifts from our gardens for under $5.00 Let's take a little tour and see what we have been up to.



Looks like Bentley is ready to take us on a little tour.


FLOWERS AND PLANTS


First we need to gather the ingredients for the thrifty gifts. Your local grocery stores and farmers markets are great sources for inexpensive flowers and plants.








CONTAINERS


Next we need to find some charming and inexpensive containers. You can easily find containers at garage sales, the local 99. Cent Store or flea markets. You will also need a few buttons, ribbons , and scrapping papers.


Let's get started.

Nine seed packets found for .99 cents at the 99 Cent Store.




Flower pot and saucer purchased at garage sale for $1.00. With the addition of the 9 seed packets this makes a great gift for a gardener. . . place the seed packets in the flower pot and place the saucer on top of the flower pot . . .this makes an adorable container for the seed packets . . next tie with a bow and you have a charming gift for under $5.00.








Leslie, purchased terra cotta flower pots and saucers from Michael's with a coupon. First she spray painted the pots - turn pots upside down so you don't get paint on the inside. Spray both sides of the saucer.


Now for the fun part. Decorate using lace, ribbon, scrapbook paper, buttons, etc. and attach with a glue gun. If you use scrapbook paper, it is best to attach it to the pots with modge podge and cover it with another coat of the modge podge (a foam brush works great). You can also decorate with stencils and paint a little squiggle on the saucer. Best to seal the pots before planting them. They are darling on a porch or inside the house - they will not hold up well outside for a long time as the paper will not hold up in rain or in bad weather.



Next plant your charming little pots with an inexpensive plant purchased from your grocery store or farmers market and you have a wonderful gift for under $5.00. The pots are so easy and great fun to make with your children and grandchildren.








Tiny pots and plants purchased at the .99 Cent Store for a total $2.00 make the perfect little gift.


Looks like Bentley found another little gift to show you.





A darling green watering can purchased at the .99 Cent Store filled with daisies makes a very special little gift for a gardener to use in the garden after the flowers are gone . . cost - less than $2.00.

Looks like Bentley has another little gift to show you.




A sunny yellow tea pot and cup purchased for $2.98 at a garage sale makes an adorable container for flowers - this is a wonderful little gift for a tea drinker.


Wishing everyone a Blessed and Happy Mother's Day.



" All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother" Abraham Lincoln.


One of the fun things about having my give away was meeting so many new and inspiring bloggers. A lovely new blogger is featuring ideas for "Free Mother's Day Gifts" You can visit her at :http://freemothersdaygifts.blogspot.com/ She is a floral photographer an has several great blogs on Floral Still Life and hints for taking great photographs at http://photographyhints.blogspot.com/


I love hearing from you. Thank you for visiting and for taking time to leave me comments and e-mails and for following my blog. If you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special, please leave me a comment or send me an e-mail. Have a lovely week.

Blessings, Erin and Leslie