Count your blessings

Yes, I have lots of blessings to count! Sorry about the bad lighting, it was late and I wanted to get the photos up! Two wooden signs with collage (old romance novel pages....quite humorous actually) $35 each.

Manly fort

I found this this slightly girlie play house at a garage sale and the dude said if I could haul it, I could have it for free. FREE!! So my friend and I strapped it to the top of her mini van and drove 5 miles an hour home. It was a little too girlie for this family of two boys, so I went and bought me some plastic spray paint and VOILA!

Camo man fort.

Going to go play in it now......

Happy spring windows!!

This bad boy (Teal is the new black) has found a home into my kitchen. It looks marvelous and I might have a hard time giving it up :) ($125) It's on a very tall double paned window from an old Victorian house.
This one did not turn out as I wanted, but the tree as flecks of gold and red and the birds are made with scrapbook paper....the photo isn't the greatest, sorry! ($100)

Princess

This is the hole in our 100 year old shed....probably has lead paint...probably has mice....but it's a shed. Since we don't have a garage (SHRIEK!) it serves it's purpose. This hole however, serves as a nice place to stick rocks, sticks, gummy bears and army men.
This is an almost done sign.....almost. Sorry the birds didn't show up very well, they need to be outlined. I was thinking this would be a great gift for a family of four....hmmmmm
Another almost finished sign......waiting for some inspiration.
This is for a princess.....really. I think the princess this is four might be 30 but would look pretty cool in a little girls room!

Be Merry

This is a sign for a dear friend who ran a marathon relay with me this past summer. This was her theme verse!
Be Merry. ($35) Wooden sign/collage

Where the art is....

I was lucky enough to have some of my windows on display right down the street at Just Jill's Espresso 134. There are five or six windows on display and for sale. Stop in for a coffee or some amazing cooking and then come home with a window! I hope to rotate them as they sell.

Friday Five: Creative websites to visit

It's Friday.

Not like that means anything to this artist/stay at home domestic goddess lady. The days all blend together like my beloved watercolors.

To celebrate the end of the week, here they are in no particular order:

1.http://notwithoutsalt.com/

2.http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&navAction=jump&id=16754335&search=true&isProduct=true&parentid=SEARCH+RESULTS&color=00

(okay, totally busted on this one, I can't help it, I love this thing! Si if you are looking for the perfect gift for yours truly, here it is)

3.http://www.centsationalgirl.com/

4.http://ephemeralalchemy.blogspot.com/

5.http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

and since I owe you, here is number six.....

6.http://ohhellofriend.blogspot.com/

Happy Friday!

Summer house

The beginnings of a piece called Happy House.....I really have no idea where this is going, but it seems like a good idea given the day I'm having.
Just a photo I took of a smashed clock (thanks to the short one) I love the gears and thought it was a pretty cool shot.
Summer House, dreaming of warmer weather! Watercolor and pen, 8x10 and unframed ($50)
I bought new watercolors and still seem to come back to my old ones.....the ones I have had since high school. I'm not sure what I'll do when they run out. Cry I suppose.

Perfect Paisley

I left the background on this clear but it can be painted to match a room. The frame is a little more maroon than the photo shows. ($100)

Three Trees

Friday Five: Creative websites to visit

Here is the "new" bakers rack in the kitchen. It needed some updating and I love color, so red it was.
Maybe an investment in some rubber gloves next time would be a good idea.
I used red Krylon spray paint (two cans) and besides painting the rack also painted my arm, fingers, hair and the grass. Sorry dear, it will grow out !

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for......THE FRIDAY FIVE.

In no particular order.......happy creative browsing! Since I'm in the decorating mood.....

1. http://www.kerismith.com/blog/index.html

2. http://aubreyandlindsay.blogspot.com/

3. http://lynnsonelove.blogspot.com/

4. http://purestylehome.blogspot.com/

5. http://design-aholic.blogspot.com/

Where birds live....

Bird houses! ($125)

Some of the window's I scored yesterday!

Ready for some ideas and inspiration!

New watercolors

Just enjoying my new watercolors today and dreaming of flowers!

Before and After: Stairs

Oh yucky stairs. Here is the before. I tore up the nasty carpet and pulled out all 1.234 staples. My carpal tunnel is not thanking me.
Here is the white scratched up wall (before) You can't really tell from this photo but it's pretty icky too.
Ta Da! Here is the finished wall and painted stairs. Looks SO much better. I have some touching up to do and the duct tape at the top is now a piece of wood.
The best part is I went to Sherwin Williams and asked to see their miss mixed paint. I found this high quality $50 a gallon paint that I liked. There was two gallons for $4 a piece! Major score. The color is a light greyish tan and is very neutral. I couldn't say no do $8 for two gallons of paint. I used high gloss black and white on the stairs. I'm hoping no little boys slip and slide down them though!

Friday Five: Creative websites to visit

Think SPRING!

Here are five websites that have me thinking of SPRING and new projects!

1.http://www.sayyestohoboken.com/

2.http://www.eagerlittlemind.com/

3.http://meandmyinsanity.blogspot.com/

4. http://www.sistersgardeniowa.blogspot.com/

5.http://designdazzle.blogspot.com/

Here's to hoping for more 60 degree weather!

Empty....

These windows are empty....and so is my brain. Ideas?

Spring Symphony

Here is a close up of the "flowers" that are made with watercolor on vintage sheet music.

Spring Symphony ($100)

Friday Five: Creative websites to visit

Today's blogs are brought to you by the letter M as in MELT. We are having a gloriously sunny day and the ugly brown snow is melting. In no particular order....

1.http://www.vanessachristenson.com/

2. http://www.brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com/

3. http://theidearoom.blogspot.com/

4. http://faithfolk.blogspot.com/

5.http://web.mac.com/kjurick/iWeb/Site/painting%20a%20day%20gallery.html

Enjoy! Happy Friday!

Tree Mural

Here is the mural I just finished (almost, I'm going to add bugs and birds per boys' requests ) this afternoon.
The ceiling is blue with clouds and stars and the tree fit in quite nicely!
Here is the naked tree and a non-naked (thank goodness!) little boy.
I can do most anything on walls! Kids rooms or play rooms or even adult rooms! Just let me know.

Think Spring!

Can you tell that I'm sick of winter? I am very much looking forward to seeing all of this brown snow melt away and little flowers peeking through! This is a larger window that can be hung or leaned up against a mantle, bookcase, floor, etc. The background is clear to let the wall color show through. Think Spring ($125) Let me know if you need dimensions.

Kitchen table "studio"

I just finished this in my kitchen table, "studio" while my oldest was outside playing. It's great to have a window that I can watch him from the warmth of inside! This one will be framed at some point!
I'm really not sure how I feel about this one. I love my state of Iowa and the beautiful landscapes, especially in the summer months. I guess I was just dreaming of spring!

These watercolored dots will become something else later. They are painted on vintage sheet music.

Here is where I sat today while watching my kiddo outside. It was marvelous.

My kitchen table is my favorite studio.

Etsy shop Monday

So I am a little scared to open up an Etsy shop and not really certain why. I LOVE browsing through the thousands of amazing works of art and getting inspired. So I thought I would showcase a few shops that I thought were pretty cool!

1.http://www.etsy.com/shop/barkingbirdart

2.http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaiAutumn

3.http://www.etsy.com/shop/stilettoheights

4.http://www.etsy.com/shop/matteart

5.http://www.etsy.com/shop/Catalin

Maybe this will give me enough guts to actually get my own Etsy shop!

Happy Monday!