Design Gives Back/ Helps Lost Dogs Scarf Project

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DESIGN GIVES BACK: DECORATE A SCARF AND HELP LOST DOGS

Bentley and I are participating in a wonderful and fun project to help raise money for lost and abandoned dogs . The project is sponsored by Kelee Katillac http://www.katillacshack.com/2009/05/design-gives-back-decorate-a-scarf-help-lost-dogs.html, who's design gives back projects help the world through creative action. Kelee is a "reformed interior designer," artist, creative therapist and author. Her first book, House of Belief: Creating Your Personal Style, was an Amazon best seller and featured on the Opra Winfrey Show. Her beautiful life story is truly an inspiration and you can lean more about her remarkable life by visiting her website http://kidssacredplaces.com/

Kelle and Friends

You are probably wondering where I found the inspiration for painting a bouquet of daises on Bentley's scarf to help lost dogs. It all started when I read a heartwarming article on Kelle's blog about Kim of Dear Daisy Cottage http://deardaisycottage.typepad.comand her adorable dog, Maggie. It seems that Kelee's dog, Oliver Wendell, had a big crush on Maggie and so began the Blog Land puppy love story. Well, my studio assistant, Bentley, is a friend of Maggie (they were in the same issue of a Country Sampler Home Tours magazine) and have been sending each other "tail wags" since they met. You can read all about the romance on:
http://www.katillacshack.com/2009/04/guest-blogger-kim-mccole-maggie-of-daisy-cottageget-their-own-room-at-the-katillac-shackwelcome.html.


After reading the article about Oliver and the lovely Maggie of Daisy Cottage, it came to me that Bentley could support Oliver in helping him raise money to help abandoned pets and at the same time support him in winning the fair Maggie by painting a bouquet of daises on his scarf. Surely the lovely Maggie would be impressed!!!

Finding Inspiration . . . . .

Here . . . . .

How could the fair Maggie of Daisy Cottage not be impressed that Oliver's buddy was wearing daisies on his scarf . . . . . . .

There . . . . . .

Everywhere . . . . .

Bentley looking for inspiration . . . . .

Bentley wanted to share his inspiration for helping with the scarf project with you. . . . in hopes that you will be inspired to help out the lost and abandoned pets by decorating a scarf . . .he was adopted and wants you to know that he is so happy that he was not abandoned like so many pets, and was placed in a loving home and given an opportunity to become a "studio assistant" and help find inspiration to share with you for his Mom's art.

He wants you to know that you do not have to be an artist to decorate a scarf - you can glue rick rack, fringe, glitter or anything you want to on the scarf - why heck - you can use colored pens or sharpies and just have fun decorating the scarf - how fun would it be to decorate the scarf with your children or grandchildren, neighbors kids or do it yourself.

Please go visit Kelee at http://keleekatillac.com. All you need to do is send an e-mail to Kelee with your name and address and she will send you the scarf to decorate. And then take a picture of your favorite pet wearing the scarf and e-mail it to:kelee@prodigy.net.

Now for a little more inspiration . . . . check out these adorable scarfs that have already been sent to Kelee.

"Nitro" a Hurricane Wilma rescue dog found wrapped in barbed wire.

Please get in on the fun. By simply decorating an Oliver Wendell "Play Strong" scarf and sending a photo to :kelee@prodigy.net of your creation on your pet - you will earn a $10.00 donation to help these abandoned pets. A sponsor will make a $2,000 donation if we decorate 150 scarves by July 6th - There are prizes for the craziest fun scarves. . . . 100 scarfs have already been decorated and we need 50 more - please help Oliver Wendell and Bentley make the goal of 150 scarves. Oliver Wendell




Bentley

Thank you for visiting. I love to hear from you and it means so much to me that you have taken the time to leave me a comment and follow 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

Let's paint Spring pansies

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Pansies are considered Winter flowers in Southern California and I love mixing them with early Spring flowers for a fresh look. I am painting a series of tea cups with flowers called "Tea Thyme" and thought it would be fun to share with you the progression of a simple painting.

First, let's look around my garden for inspirations.


Finding inspiration . . . . .

Here . . . .

There . . . . .

Everywhere . . . . .

Bentley, My Studio Assistant is helping me look for inspiration.

Hmmm . . the pansies smell good!

"I think we have found our inspiration"

I think the pansies would look very nice in a blue and white tea cup with some of the pink inpatients to add a touch of Spring.

Now that we have decided what to paint, let's get started.

The first step is to base coat the canvas with a light coat of Naples yellow and then sketch in the tea cup and pansies. Next I paint the cup and saucer with a light blue violet. This will be the base coat for the white.

Next I paint in the dark greens as I paint from dark to light -this gives me an idea of where the flowers will be placed. The tea cup will be blue and white, but first I need to base coat the tea cup using blue violet. This will give depth to the white.

Then I paint the flowers in using the colors I want them to be. This gives me a feel for what the overall painting will look like - notice I paint in the flowers in solid colors. The next step will be to develop the flowers using lights.

Here is the finished painting.

Wishing everyone a lovely week. Thank you for visiting my blog and for taking time to leave me a comment and 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.

Garden Inspirations

>Welcome. I am so happy that you stoppeded by. My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of tea while I share with you the inspirations for my art. The breeze is blowing in from the ocean and it is a lovely day to sit in the garden and look for inspiration.

Let's join Bentley, my helpful Studio Assistant, to look for inspiration.

Can you tell that I collect BIRDHOUSES? I just love them as they remind me of little mini cottages. Does anyone else in Blogland land collect them? I almost feel like a "hoarder" as there are 6 of them in this photo.

I also like Adirondack chairs. Hmm - I am starting to see some inspiration already.

Finding inspiration . . . . . Here . . . .

There . . . . . . .

Everywhere . . . . . . .

I ended up painting a little garden painting using the Adirondack chairs and bird houses for inspiration.

"And the time of singing of the birds has come". Song of Solomon 2-11-12

Thank you for stopping by. I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, comments, e-mails and those who are following my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special.

GIVE-AWAY AND MIRACLE MAKEOVER BLOG PARTY NEXT WEEK

PLEASE STOP BY MY BLOG FOR DETAILS ON AUGUST 5TH FOR THIS INCREDIBLE DESIGN GIVES BACK MAKEOVER OF CHARLIE'S ROOM and DETAILS ON RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITY and WINNING GREAT PRIZES

WHO IS CHARLIE??? - Charlie Grady is 8 years old and has life threatening brain tumors and just started a grueling course of 60 weeks of chemotherapy. His first round of Chemo started at age 5. Does this stop Charlie ???? - NO - he started his own Santa toy drive so he could help the children of St. Louis Children's Hospital - he received so much media attention that he has been able to help supply the hospital with toys ALL year long.

Please come back next week for the partyand to learn more about Charlie. Blessings, Erin

Getting Ready for Fall with a Scare Crow Painting

> Welcome. I am so happy that you stopped by. My garden gate is always open for you to come in, sit and relax and sip a cup of tea while I share inspirations for my painting. Would you like to paint a fall Welcome Scare Crow painting with me?

Bentley, my helpful Studio Assistant, is already in the garden looking for fall inspirations. It is a little early in Southern California for our change of season, even though Fall is right around the corner. I was able to find some "faux fall inspirations, stored away from last year. I call my stash "early fall gatherings"

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Finding inspiration . . . . . .

Early Fall Gatherings

Here . . . . There . . . . .

I like to start my early Fall decorating in my garden.



The little welcome scare crow has been around for several years and I like to find a new place for him every year. The little garden grouping will be the inspiration for our Welcome painting.

Everywhere . . . . .

You are welcome to copy my drawing if you would like to paint along with me.

I have red and blue accents in my garden and decided to use blues and red in my painting. I always paint the entire painting with a light coat of paint to get the feel of the colors before I start darkening up the painting. That way, if you do not like the colors, it is easy to change your color direction.


I paint with water based acrylic paints as they are non toxic. I like to use Liquitex paints. I base coated the entire canvas before I sketched the painting. Once you have decided on your colors paint in your darks first and then high light the lights. I use two screw eye hooks on the back of the canvas and tie a coordinating ribbon to use as a hanger. I also put on 3 coats of a matt - non yellowing varnish on the canvas to protect it from the sun. You can paint on a board, piece of slate or purchase a canvas or wooden plaque from your local craft store. Michael's and Joanne Fabrics carries wooden plaques.

The completed painting.

I call these little paintings "Door Hangers" as they are perfect to hang on your door or garden gate. They also look adorable on a picket fence.

Have fun and enjoy your Fall "Door Hanger".

Thank you for stopping by. I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, comments and those who follow my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see me paint something special for Fall.

Have a lovely week. Blessings, Erin