Christmas Paintings in My Studio

Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by.  I know how busy you must be this time of the year and I want to  invite you into my studio to sit and relax for a few minutes with a cup of tea while I share with you some of the whimsical Christmas paintings I have been working on for The Heart of the Island Gallery located on Balboa Island. Balboa Island is located on the beautiful Newport Bay just a ferry ride away from the Pacific Ocean.  The gallery sells a lot of coastal art and most of the art I paint for them have the bay or ocean in the background.

                    Bentley, my Studio Assistant is waiting to welcome you into our studio.

I love flags and like to add them to my coastal cottage paintings for the gallery. This painting is called " Santa's Bicycle".  I was inspired to add the Gingerbread men from my previous post when I baked Gingerbread men.

My red garden boots inspired several small paintings as well as ended up in the above painting.

                                     My vintage bicycle welcome paintings are very popular with the islanders and can be found hanging on front doors, garden gates, picket fences and various places!

Thank you for stopping by.  I sincerely appreciate your visits, e-mails, comments and those of you following my blog.  I am putting away  my paintbrushes for a few weeks to enjoy decorating and baking for Christmas.  Next week I will share with you "gifts from the garden" and the article I wrote for Southern Guide to Life  magazine -  www.southernguidetolife.com

Have a lovely week.  Blessings, Erin

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, and faithfulness".  Galatians 5:22

Baking Gingerbread Men for Art 101 Inspirations

Welcome.  I am so glad that you stopped by.  Today you are invited into my kitchen for a cup of ginger tea and a Gingerbread Man cookie and a very, very simple Art 101 lesson to paint a Gingerbread Man or Lady. We have had rain and cool weather in Southern California and it is beginning to feel like Christmas and the weather is perfect for baking and painting.

Bentley, my Studio Assistant, is waiting patiently by the oven for the gingerbread to bake in hopes of getting a taste!

My friend Lynn is coming over to paint with me - she wants to paint a Gingerbread Lady for her Cottage 
 kitchen -P.S. - she does not paint and I thought it would be fun for her to take the art 101 lesson!

                          Let's look for a little inspiration and then start painting.

I drew a pattern and you are welcome to copy it or make up your own.  I put a dress on Lynn's pattern as she wants to paint a Lady. We are using a 5x7 canvas - you can paint them on a board or block of wood or canvas.  Most craft stores sell wood blocks and canvas in all sizes.  I like to paint them small as they are charming to put on a shelf or lean up against something in your kitchen. 

First base coat your canvas in a color of your choice - you can even leave the canvas or board unpainted.  We used apple green. Then draw the shape on your canvas.

I use Liquitex paint and mixed Burnt Sienna and Raw Sienna to get the color for the gingerbread. I also used a little Burnt Umber to outline for a painterly effect - this is not necessary.

Lynn painted her dress red.  Once the gingerbread has been painted and the dress painted it is now time to decorate them with paint - just as you would decorate with icing on the cookies!

I added a red bow tie and white "squiggle" lines just like icing - red buttons and painted the eyes and mouth.

                     So fun to add the little canvases to a shelf - window sill or where ever you want to!!

Lynn added polka dots and a little white collar to her Lady - then painted the eyes, pink cheeks and mouth and added white squiggles.  I think her Lady turned out adorable and will be perfect for her cottage kitchen. I am so proud of her and think she did a great job.  She asked me to share with you - "if I can paint one anyone can paint one."

If you would rather paint your Gingerbread Men in a stocking you can find this one that we painted last year under Art 101. Please let me know if you have any questions.  Have fun and enjoy! Blessings, Erin

               
             "How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity."  Psalm 133:1

                   I am having a sale at my ETSY shop and everything is 35% off until 12-30-13.
                                          Use coupon code SALE35OFF

  

35% off Original Art/Shop Small Business Saturday

Welcome.  I am having a Shop Small Business Saturday sale at my ETSY shop - ALL ORIGINAL  ART IS NOW 35% OFF UNTIL 12-30-13.  

                                              Use coupon code - SALE35OFF.

Click on above button marked SHOP to reach my ETSY shop.  I just added some new painting just in time for your Christmas shopping.

I will post the Art 101 lesson next week.  We will paint a fun and easy Gingerbread Man and Gingerbread Lady.

Thank you for stopping by and supporting Small Business merchants this year.

Blessings,  Erin

Fall Gatherings

Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by on this beautiful cool Fall morning.  After a mini blog break to write my Christmas article for Southern Guide to Life magazine my garden gate is open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of hot tea while I catch you up on what has been going on at My Painted Garden. Today I am gathering up all of my pumpkins, Fall decorations and flowers to take to my church to use to decorate the Hall for our annual Thanksgiving dinner for those in need.

Bentley, my Studio Assistant, is always a little puzzled when this happens every year as I start stacking everything from the garden up on the front porch to sort.  We give the pumpkins out after the Thanksgiving dinner to anyone who wants to take  them home to cook and it is a wonderful way to recycle them . 

I like to arrange flowers in my vintage watering cans, jelly jars, ball jars or anything that is plain and simple.

I don't  usually have enough flowers to make 20 arrangements and add  leaves and  silk flowers where needed.

I found this sign at Michael's last year and felt it was so inviting to use in our decorations.

I volunteer to decorate the tables with flowers and another family helps  with the addition of tiny pumpkins, handmade turkeys, pine cones, etc.  The children at the church school decorate place mats and our team efforts make for a very festive table.

Thank you for stopping by.  I really appreciate your visits, e-mails, comments and those who follow my blog. I will be back after Thanksgiving and we will have an Art 101 lesson to paint Gingerbread Men and Gingerbread Ladies.

Wishing you and your family a Happy and Joyful Thanksgiving.   Blessings,   Erin

"They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness"  Psalm  145:7

Let's Take a Trip to Roger's Gardens

Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by.  I am going to Roger's Gardens this morning and thought you would like to go with me for a taste of Autumn after you have a cup of tea with me on this beautiful chilly Fall morning.

Roger's is a fabulous destination home and garden shop located in Newport Beach and one of my favorite gardens to visit. I wanted to share Fall in their garden with you before the garden changes over to Christmas which is equally as beautiful.  Their website is lovely and you may want to visit it for even more photos  and information about their classes -  www.rogersgardens.com

                                   They have several beautiful fountains and are on about 5 acres.

                                        They always have beautiful planted pots on display.

Thank you for you for stopping by. During this season of gratitude I am so thankful for my readers and sincerely appreciate your visits, e-mails, comments and those who follow my blog.  I am still painting some large works for The Heart of the Island Gallery as well as writing a new Christmas article for Southern Guide to Life magazine and will share more art with you in a few weeks.  In the meantime - I will share with you photos of some of my favorite gardens and places that I love.

Have a lovely week.  Blessings,  Erin

                               " The meditation of my heart shall be understanding."  Psalm  49:3