JULIE'S JOTTINGS
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February 20, 2009
Well, the Pinellas Park class was a wonderful experience!! What a great bunch of gals and what a fun time we all had! Is there anything more fun than being with other people who love to do what we do!!??
We painted the "Watermelon Kitty in Sunflowers". Since that piece is no longer made, the chapter has a great "wood guy", Tom, who made the paper plate holders and they were really nice! Thank you, Tom!! I have always thought that piece was a great idea, and so many things would look great on it.
You can find a full page ad for him on the Pinellas website newsletter.
I would like to thank the Pinellas chapter for the great day! And I invite everyone to go to their website newsletter and see all the great things they do. They are a very active chapter and maybe you can get some ideas for your chapter!
Also, I have heard of a new chapter in Frostproof, Fl., the Citrus Ridge Decorative Artists. Look for them to be "up and coming", as their charter members are from the Pinellas chapter, and they are helping them get a handle on running a chapter. I may be going there to teach a "Back to Basics" Class, so I will keep you updated on that.
And I can't leave this blog today without bragging about my great chapter
Gulf to Bay Decorative Artists!! Check out our website and newsletter while you are at it.
March 3, 2009
Well, the "Back to Basics Class is all set for April 25, 2009, in Frostproof, Fl., so I will be venturing out North and East! I really look forward to doing this class as we painters can always use a refresher course in the basics and to present it to a brand new chapter is such an honor!!
I also got my latest Decorative Painter, and my Candy Corn Rolling pin is in there!! What a thrill to see my second article in the Decorative Painter! And what a beautiful job they did setting up the picture taking session. The collander they picked for my rolling pin is a beautiful turquoise color and really brings out that color in the "candy corn"!! In fact, this whole issue is gorgeous! If you check my pattern packets page, you will see a picture of a rolling pin like the one in the magazine. I did this new one a little different on one handle, but you can get the idea.
Until next time....Paint, Paint, Paint!!!
Julie
April 25, 2009
Citrus Ridge Chapter
Frostproof, FL.
What a great day with brand new chapter!! Those girls are so enthusiastic!!
Is there anything more exciting than starting a new bunch of painters down the road to a painting hobby or career!! If there is, I don't know what it would be.
My friend Stephanie Robinson went with me and she was a tremendous help!
It would have been hard to get to everyone without her. She even painted (before the class) the Beginner Cherries on a set of coasters with a green trim for everyone to see how those versatile cherries can go on anything with any color trim. The set was such a hit that some of the girls did the same trim and Steph was very pleased!
We had 29 girls and a lot of them were "One Stroke" girls who have never had the very basic things that the rest of us know already. I love teaching the basics and they just soaked it up like a sponge! They did a wonderful job and I was very grateful to have been able to help them. I feel so strongly that Donna Dewberry has brought in a whole new group of painters and we should all help them along.
Check out the Citrus Ridge Class page for the pictures!
I will be returning to Frostproof to teach the "Watermelon Kitty" in February, 2010. They fell in love with that, so back I go and I look forward to seeing them again. It is a nice easy drive out there in the country.
I also have some new projects coming up. I am having accent lights cut in two different designs. One for painters and one for sewers, so watch for that to come up on my website.
In the "NEW" section, check out the "Jar/Candle Wraps"!!! Those are really fun to do, easy and they make very nice QUICK gifts!!
Until next time...... Paint with a Happy Heart!!
Julie
May 14, 2009
NEW PUBLICATIONS COMING UP
I have three new publications!!
On Tolefriends , up now, I have a new Pen & Ink on watercolor paper for the front of 3 ring binder. It is called "Pattern Packets" , a beautiful floral with brushes that are 3-D.
Watch in Paint Works this fall for a Poinsettia grouping and in the first issue of the Decorative Painter in 2010 for my Cherries on a grouping !!
If you have not heard of Tolefriends, I suggest you check it out! It is a wonderful place to receive the latest hints, tips, news etc about painting. We have a lot of Big Brushes on that site, and you get free lessons every month. Go to
I am so excited about my publications because I have always wanted to publish my work. But, I never felt that I could draw, so I didn't have a chance. But I learned to draw, and here I am!! Drawing isn't as hard as some might think. I followed other artist's patterns for so many years, that it stands to reason some of that might rub off on me. And sure enough, I took a few drawing classes and slowly began to see that I could put my ideas into a design. I am not saying that I am a great artist......far from it....but I am able to get my ideas down on paper now. And you can too!!
Try it and you will be amazed. Just take a simple item, for instance an apple, look at it's shape, and just draw it. Remember, all fruits, flowers and veggies will be a little differently shaped. They are not all going to look perfectly shaped. My first drawing design was lemons. How differently shaped are those??!! And cherries? Do any two look the same? I think not!
Please try!!
Other news....Wood Cutters!!
Tom at Wood Creations will cut anything you might want and his wood is wonderful!! He is in Palm Harbor, Fl, email him at woodbytom@aol.com
If you are looking for the large wood Brush Holder that Wood Concepts used to make ("Magic Brushes" on my Pattern Packets Page) is now being made by www.warekare.8k.com Some nice pieces!
Also the Checkered Cherries Round Top Candle Box is being cut by Smooth Cut Wood in Oregon. (1-888-982-9663). Sorry, no website, but you can order a catalog.
Until next time, Paint Happy!!
Julie
July 2, 2009
My goodness! Here it is already July!!! Can you believe it? The older we got, time passes faster!!
I just got back from vacation and am glad to get back home! Good to see everyone, but good to be back home!
I have designed 3 new wood pieces, cut by Tom at Wood Creations...see above. They are night lights! I don't want to spoil the surprise, but think....Brushes, sewing, paint bottles, poinsettias. I am working on them, so watch my site for them.
Until next time, Paint Happy!!
Julie
July 9, 2009
Recently our chapter, GBDA, decided to paint "Treasures & Memories" boxes for the Florida Baptist Children's Homes. These will be for keeping their treasures/memories in. I decided that I would paint the wooden photo storage boxes they sell at Michael's. If you use your coupons on them, they are very in-expensive. I had such fun painting this little rabbit pattern from Renee' Mullin's "Home is Where...Your Flowers Bloom". Inside the lid I did a little matching daisy and the outside of the lid was first covered with Mary Engelbreit's Cherries fabric. I then painted the rabbit etc over the fabric and left the collar and the top with just fabric on it. What FUN!! Here are the pictures!!
Until next time....Happy Painting!!
Julie
October 15, 2009
Where has this year gone??!!
Steph andI took a class from Jillybean this summer in Ocala.
We did a 12" X 24" canvas in acrylics with a Mama and Baby
Giraffes! How cute they are! And we love them!!! But then I
love giraffes, with their long necksand graceful strides.
Did you check out my NEW PATTERN PACKETS page?
I have several Website Specials there with the wood pieces
too!!
I have been working very hard on a series of 4 lights, one of
which is on that page. All wood pieces (and pattern packets)
are my own original designs, cut by my "Wood Guy".
Watch for the others to come. I am trying to get them
published.
Our chapter is busy working on TRASHIQUE for March-2010,
and if you will go to our website GBDA.US, you can see some
pictures of what the girls have done so far. We still have
quite a few pieces yetto come in, and mine are some of those
not done yet. I am a terrible procrastinator! :-)
Here is a Shara Riner pattern I did for Trashique. It is painted
on a piece of canvas and goes into a large white metal tray with
a little cut out heart design on the sides. It is
about 20" round.
Below that is a porcelain angel that I got at
Artist's Club a long time ago and I decided to
give it as a raffle prize for our chapter
Christmas party. It is a "Harvest Angel" and
has the Candy Corn on it that was published
this last year in the Decorative Painter.
Well, that is what I have done with my Summer!
I hope yours was as productive and fun!!
Until next time...
Paint with a Happy Heart and Enjoy the Journey!
Julie
