A Little Fur in the Paint...

Daffodils in Cobalt Blue...

2012-02-12T23:22:00.001-06:00

More daffodils, this time in cobalt blue vases (the little round one is vintage and was my Mom's, and the taller vase is a thrift store find...Mr.B is always looking for cobalt glass of any kind, so of course this caught his eye right away)...and, for his encore performance, Duckie ~ :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

♥ ♥ ♥

Anne

More Springiness!

2012-02-11T23:41:00.003-06:00

Since I can't seem to have even a little "Winter Wonderland" here (just gray), I'll keep going through last Spring's photos and painting set-ups, and keep dreaming! Every day brings Spring closer!

This was such a fun still-life to set up and photograph! All the different Spring flowers come so quickly, and the window of time that I have to get them arranged and set up for a future painting is short ~ sometimes I think I'm going to run out of ideas; then I discover a little family treasure...or maybe even a Goodwill find...that sets me off on a whole new direction...:)
This little duck planter was one that my Mom had from the 40s or 50s...it may have even come from my Grandmother's house...and at one time I would have thought it was way too "kitsch-y"
to include in a painting. The older I get, though, the more I find I love incorporating little things like this into my watercolors. Now I think it brings a sense of fun and whimsy to the painting (I always thought the little duck looked so surprised!)...Who wants "serious" stuff, anyway?
Not me, anymore!

I started the set-up with some pretty floral fabric (destined to be curtains for my kitchen at some later date), and added some of my have-to-have laciness...this time in the form of a little vintage tea-tray cloth. The Golden Delicious apples and juicy pear are in a little green Depression-Glass bowl that belonged to my Grandmother, and then of course there are the daffodils in a little crystal vase. And Duckie. (I had never heard the phrase "less is more" until it was way too late and my personality was already set!)

The hybrid Daffodils and Narcissuses (Narcissi?) today are just amazing! The different colored cups (I love the peachy-apricot-coral-y ones) are so beautiful, and so different from the "old-fashioned" kind...though I still love seeing those...(my Grandmothers and Great Aunts called them "jonquils") ~ you know it's really Spring when you see them start to pop up in the most unlikely places, along roadsides and where long-gone farmhouses once stood...

More tomorrow! Have a wonderful Sunday!

♥ ♥ ♥

Anne

Photo Booth...

2012-02-10T22:25:00.015-06:00

Looking through some scans of vintage family photos tonight, I came across this one of my Grandfather, Elisha Launius (right), taken in a photo booth in 1904, when he was 10 years old...(that's his younger brother Walt on the left) ~ I think it is SO cute...I wish it was larger (and clearer), but I'm glad we have it...the original was tiny! (At one time there were more images in this strip; at some point someone cut them apart.)

Though they are small, I really do like the "photo booth" format...usually more formal photos of that day and age were so solemn...I think these little strips of candid photos showed the sitter's true personality!

Now, here are some more "brothers"...
I couldn't resist.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
~Anne~

North & South...

2012-02-09T21:15:00.004-06:00

I made a discovery a few days ago that just thrilled me! As some of you know, we lost our home and animals to a fire almost two years ago ~ I won't dwell on the details now, but we also lost lots of original photos and heirlooms ~ items that I would have been devastated to have lost any other way, but under the circumstances, those "things" meant little when we were also faced with the loss of our sweet pets...

We did, however, have quite a few boxes still in storage (we had not lived long in the house that burned, and not everything had been moved there); in one of my "keep-boxes", along with school papers, newspaper clippings and other ephemera, was this scan of my Great-Great-Great Grandfather's Civil War discharge order... (The Grandfather on my Mom's side fought for the North (just because he lived in Southern Illinois at the time; he was an Alabama-born Southern boy; this is his discharge order) and the Grandfather on my Daddy's side fought for the South (in the 8th Missouri Cavalry ~ Ring, the dog in the photo with my Dad in a previous post, belonged to him)...but I doubt either of these teen-age boys-made-men really had any political leanings, one way or the other...their "loyalty" depended on the area they were living in and the people around them at the time).

But, back to my "find"... I was so happy! No, it isn't the original, but good enough quality to print out on archival paper and frame. I just sent copies to my children and a cousin interested in this side of the family's genealogy ~ I'm sure they'll be surprised and pleased...let this be a "cautionary tale", though...be sure there are mulitiples of all your precious photos and documents...(I thought I had this pretty well covered, but not well enough). Of course there can be only one original, but the more excellent-quality scans and copies spread around, the better!

♥♥♥

Anne

Wishing-for-Spring Wednesday...

2012-02-08T19:29:00.002-06:00

It is CHILLY in Southeast Missouri today (quite an admission from someone who wears sandals all year...and doesn't own a coat!)...it's supposed to be in the twenties in the morning...I wish we could at least have a little snow, if it has to be this cold! It just rarely snows here anymore; however, 3 years ago we had a major ice storm (which affected most of the mid-south) and had no power for 10 days...I guess I'd better be careful what I wish for...:)

I titled this post "Wish-for-Spring Wednesday", and so it is...the photos I've posted today (from Spring 2011) are beautiful flowering quince (love the coral-y warm color!) and some "super-springy" daffodils and lovely peach-cupped narcissus blossoms in an 1860s Romantic Tranferware pitcher...again, there's that lace I love to paint!

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Wednesday!

♥ Anne

Life is Just a Bowl of...

2012-02-07T17:41:00.007-06:00

Our day here in Southeast Missouri started out sunny, but by the time I had my cherries, crystal and lace all set up (more future watercolor paintings), the clouds had returned...and out came the incandescent spotlights/worklights; (the inexpensive, silver-reflectored ones from Walmart...what would I do without those in winter?)

I love cherries...eating them, decorating with cherry-themed items and painting them... Lace has also been one of my favorite things to paint, as well, ever since I discovered the fun of painting all the little "negative" spaces, years and years ago! Crystal, however, is a relatively new challenge ~ it looks so incredibly difficult, but broken down it's really just little geometric shapes...(yes, I keep telling myself that!)

We will see! July and the Depot show loom closer every day!

XOXO ~ Anne

Leo, Calendar Boy ~ Re-visited!

2012-02-06T19:25:00.001-06:00

My Leo is "Cover Boy", but he's just one of the 12 wonderful animal models featured in California artist Wendy Dewitt's (aka "Golders") fabulous calendar benefitting Art For Critters...it's only February, plenty of time still to enjoy this great calendar...or buy it just for the fantastic art! ~ (See Golder's Zazzle shop link in the sidebar) ~

I had written about this at the end of last year when I first started blogging again, but I thought it was well worth a "revisit", especially now that I've been posting larger photos!

Thank you again, Golders...Leo and I were SO honored!

Super Bowl Sunday...

2012-02-05T21:12:00.002-06:00

"Super Bowl" Sunday evening...I'm passively listening to the football game while the guys are intensely involved in it...I had planned to be down in the basement this afternoon going through "keep" boxes that we just brought here ~ things saved from all six children ~ "yours, mine and ours"~ and myself ~ but decided that the option of being upstairs with them (though on the computer) would be more socially acceptable...:)
These photos are ones I set up and photographed last summer...there has been a "three woman show" planned for some time now (with a few extensions due to some scheduling conflicts ~ THANK YOU, GOD ~ I was NOT ready!!)...however, the show is scheduled now for July, 2012, at "The Depot" Cultural Center in Sikeston, Missouri. I have to get busy!!

These heirloom tomatoes make a fabulous still-life, I think!

GORGEOUS Oriental Lilies, "After Eight"...

Lilacs and Earl Grey in one of my Grandma Launius's teacups (she had a 50 year-plus collection)...♥

Sweet Cyrus...one of my all-time favorite guys...

I hope everyone has had a wonderful afternoon/evening, whether you are "sports-minded" or not...
Have a fabulous week, all! ♥

Saturday Afternoon with Kitties...

2012-02-04T20:31:00.003-06:00

Another dreary day here...I'm thankful for a cozy room in which to curl up with my cats and look through photos...planning future watercolor paintings...(the irises in the crystal bowl are Miss Ruby's, of course) ~ :)

Miss Ruby's Irises

2012-02-03T23:14:00.001-06:00

Today was so rainy and gloomy ~ really dismal ~ that I decided to at least "think Spring" and go through some photos I took last year for future watercolor references. I'm so glad I did! ...I had forgotten just how wonderful Miss Ruby's irises were! (Mrs. Ruby Oliver, actually, but here we say Miss or Aunt before the first name if we're not being "formal"; it's just polite).

We had a very rainy spring last year, and I had been watching the weather forecast for days, worried that the rain and wind would ruin the irises. Sadly, Miss Ruby had recently passed away, and I asked permission from her family to take photos of her beautiful flowers (she was known for her gorgeous irises)...I had taken to driving by daily ~ sometimes stopping ~ checking on them (to the concern of some of the neighbors)!

Slowly but surely, some of the earliest bloomers began their show...and still it rained. Finally, most of Miss Ruby's vast iris beds were in full bloom, and I wanted to try and get photos while they were at their best...I took photos between rain showers, although it was still gray and drizzly. The photos were okay, and I figured it was as good as it was going to get; there was absolutely no sunshine in the forecast for the week ahead, and after that, it didn't matter...they would be withered by then.

I was getting ready to leave...(from just how many angles could I take photos of each color of iris?...I always seemed to need "just one more" shot)~ when the sun broke through the clouds...brilliant, glorious sunshine, the likes of which Southeast Missouri hadn't seen for weeks, it seemed! Though I had already photographed each color of iris, now with the sun shining through the translucent blooms as through stained glass, the first photos paled in comparison. I spent the next hour re-photographing the irises; pretty before, but now exquisite in the sun. I like to think Miss Ruby had something to do with that. :)

My Three Muses...

2012-02-02T22:26:00.000-06:00

Maybe that should be "mewses"! These are my fur-babies again, Leo, Cyrus and Tallulah...they're always with me, helping with whatever I'm doing...;)

Rabbit, Rabbit...

2012-02-02T18:02:00.000-06:00

"Rabbit, rabbit!" ~( Just a day late)! Do you say this for "good luck" on the first day of the month? When my children were younger, we always did...over the years, we added silly little things to it... depending on what we thought we needed "extra" luck in at the time. Now, we are back to the traditional version...someone still always asks, "Did you say "rabbit, rabbit" this morning, Mom?"

This is what Wikipedia says about it ~ (and this is just a small exerpt; you should look it up and see...there is a lot!) ~

The exact origin of the superstition is unknown, though it has appeared in print at least as early as 1922:

“Why,” the man in the brown hat laughed at him, “I thought everybody knew ’Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit.’ If you say ‘Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit’—three times, just like that—first thing in the morning on the first of the month, even before you say your prayers, you’ll get a present before the end of the month.”

However, some reports place its origins even earlier, into the 1800s. Today it has spread to most of the English-speaking countries of the world, although, like all folklore, determining its exact area of distribution is difficult. This superstition is related to the broader belief in the rabbit or hare being a "lucky" animal, as exhibited in the practice of carrying a rabbit's foot for luck. Some have also believed it represents jumping into the future and moving ahead with life and happiness.

The photos above are of two of our bunnies...Warren (white) and Betty Lou (calico)...they were such sweet babies! (I don't know how anyone could carry a rabbit's foot!)

A Boy & His Dog...

2012-02-01T16:54:00.001-06:00

I had to add this cute picture of my Dad and "Ring", a dog that belonged to Daddy's Great Grandfather (who had been a Confederate cavalryman (8th Missouri Cavalry, CSA) in the Civil War) and had come to live with my grandparents ~ and Daddy ~ when Great-Grandpa passed away in 1924. This photo is circa 1926. Love vintage children's photos with animals...so much more relaxed (and that's still true today)... I think Daddy looks especially like Jerry Mathers in "Leave it to Beaver" in this one!

In Memory of my Dad...

2012-01-31T23:52:00.009-06:00

Today, January 31, would have been my Dad's 91st birthday, and I've been thinking about him all day, even though I didn't get started on this collage I did in his memory until this evening ~ I'm not the most tech-savvy person, so things take me a bit longer to do...but I do usually finally figure things out without having to ask my children! My dad, John Launius, was born in Essex, Missouri, on January 31, 1921. He went to grade school and high school there, excelling in basketball (he would later coach high school basketball in Morehouse, Missouri, after the war). After graduating in the spring of 1942 from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture, Daddy immediately enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He told me that his folks ~ my grandparents ~ were supportive of his joining the Armed Forces ~ the attack on Pearl Harbor had been just months before, and patriotism was running high ~ as long as he "wasn't in an airplane"...he told them that he was sorry to cause them concern, but that was exactly what he planned to do!

Daddy had an eventful stint in the Air Corps; the plane in which he was navigator was shot down in April of 1943, barely making its crash-landing inside the Swiss border. My grandparents received word that he was "missing in action" ~ I can only imagine how they felt... Before too long, though, he was able to get word to them that he was safe ~ he just couldn't leave Switzerland. For the next year he and the rest of his crew lived in a hotel requisitioned by the Swiss government...(they'd all escaped the crash basically unharmed)...Daddy became a librarian for the Red Cross, and was also given the responsibility of making sure that all the "guests" ~ they were actually referred to as Swiss "internees", instead of "prisoners of war" ~ were in their rooms by the designated curfew time! (I don't think he always did...:) Though it was still a troubled time in Europe, the internees did have the luxury of exploring and enjoying the Swiss countryside and the Alps, even though it wasn't in their original plans... Daddy told me they were treated extremely well by the Swiss people.

After his release and the end of the war, Daddy came back home to Essex where he taught English for a year (then coached basketball in Morehouse, just a few miles away) before settling in Bloomfield, Missouri, where he taught agriculture on the G.I. Bill to returning servicemen, and began farming himself.

I was born in 1957 (Daddy's meeting and marrying my Mom played a part in this, though they would later divorce), and would be an only child...however, not long before he passed away, Daddy told me that if he had known how well I would "turn out" ~ he would have "had a dozen more" ~ I took this as a supreme compliment! I don't think Daddy ever quite knew what to do with a girl-child ~ I'm sure it would have been much easier for him had I been a boy ~ but I sure am glad he was my Dad. Happy Birthday, Daddy ~ ♥

1. Lt. John E. Launius; 2. Daddy and my Mom's dog Taffy, whom he taught to "pray", among many other things ~ my Mom later told me that she thought Taffy was the reason he'd married her. 3. A "Taffy-sandwich"...looks like there was a little rivalry going on here! 4. Daddy at 6 months old, June, 1921; 5. Daddy, 1st row, second from right, and the air crew. 6. Daddy, a Stoddard County "Little Rascal"! 7. Daddy and moi (hamming it up!) 8. With a glider in the Swiss Alps...9. Daddy and Mom with me, at about a year old, 1958. 10. Daddy with his little cane...I always thought he looked like "The Beav"! 11. At his Alma Mater, Mizzou...12. College graduation photo, 1942.

Inspiration...

2012-01-30T21:50:00.000-06:00

Today was another sun-shiny day for late January, a welcome departure from all the "grayness" of the past couple of weeks...it's still winter, though (although no snow, except for the little bit that landed on my still-blooming petunias in November), and still at least another 5- 6 weeks before the daffodils start blooming...

So, my inspiration for today came in the form of blue transferware and luscious yellow pears...I'm thinking a "smallish" pair of watercolors...maybe 11x14's...using these photos as reference.

Still looking forward to "the first of March"...♥

Wendy, Chocolate Molds, & "Victorian Homes"...

2012-01-29T22:51:00.003-06:00

My dear friend Wendy Mullen e-mailed me with a sweet surprise last fall...the magazine Victorian Homes had contacted her about doing an article featuring her antique chocolate molds, and she wanted to know if it was okay to use photos of the chalkware (plaster composition figures cast in the chocolate molds) I'd done for her...Okay?? Of course it was okay! I was so excited...this wasn't the first time I'd had the delightful experience of working with Wendy, though. A few years ago, when working on her second book, The Comprehensive Guide to Chocolate Molds ~ Objects of Art & Artists' Tools, she asked me if I would consider painting some chalkware figures to be photographed along with the molds they were cast from...I told her that I would be happy to! Wendy sent some of her molds, and using those as well as some from our collection, my husband Nelson cast the figures for me, and I went to work. Wendy had given me carte blanche to use whatever colors and designs on the castings that I pleased ~ I had such fun! Then, the icing on the cake...when the book came back from the publisher, there were two of my molds, along with the corresponding chalkware pieces, on the back cover...I was so honored!

Since the Victorian Homes issue is no longer in stores, I think it would be okay for me to put the text in this post...

"Elegantly clad, trim and stern, The Victorian Santa, or Father Christmas, was adored by well-mannered children and feared by naughty ones. A favorite collectible, the dapper Victorian Santa depicted in antique chocolate molds arrived via many modes of transportation. He was seen riding on the backs of pigs, horses, donkeys and rabbits; sometimes skiing into town or arriving atop the traditional sleigh - or simply catching a ride on a shooting star.

The first known metal chocolate molds were manufactured in France as early as 1820. By 1866, the Hermann Walter Company in Germany began manufacturing molds quickly, followed by the world-renowned Anton Reiche Company in 1870. The Anton Reiche Company was headquartered in Dresden, Germany. In fact, Milton Hershey had many of his molds custom made by his favorite chocolate mold manufacturer and friend, Anton Reiche, who had more than 50,000 chocolate-mold designs encompassing every holiday, event and occasion. Anton Reiche chocolate molds are exquisitely detailed and were meticulously manufactured, which make them highly sought-after. Chocolatiers, artists and collectors continue to be enchanted by these molds and find many innovative uses for the molds well beyond molding chocolate.

BEYOND CHOCOLATE

Today, these molds are not only collected and displayed on shelves, but artists employ a wide range of materials to make these molds come alive. Plaster chalkware, porcelain clays, paper mache, beeswax, soaps and hard candy are just some of the mediums that can be formed using these wonderful antique molds. New, inventive techniques include using antique chocolate molds to cast plaster as an intermediate step for making molds to form antique-looking blown glass Christmas ornaments, tin toys and solid glass figurines.

The beauty of the antique chocolate mold is in its detail. True works of art, each design has been hand-sculpted in the tradition of Michelangelo and many of the Great Masters. Making art from art is not a new idea; molded chocolate pieces produced in 1820 for the king's table in France were every bit as detailed and exquisite as the molded chocolate available today by many gourmet chocolatiers. Antique chocolate molds are so inspiring they have found their way into artists' paintings. Once you hold and feel the curves and admire the details of a gorgeous antique Santa chocolate mold, you will be captivated for life. These tin treasures have the ability to mesmerize the beholder and bring joy to the world."

(By Wendy Mullen ~ Photography (in the pages pictured below) ~ Patrick Mullen)

1. Wendy's ad in Victorian Homes (I want to give all of them a home!). 2. Holiday Issue cover. 3. A rare Kutzscher Santa on a pig! (He couldn't find his reindeer that night...) 4. "A Little Art" ~ This was the head of a HUGE, gorgeous "window display" Santa mold that Wendy sent for Nelson to mold and me to paint for her second book...). 5. The first page of the article "Santas that Break the Mold" ~ Wendy lent me the top mold last spring to "play" with, and in return I painted her a chalkware casting, never imagining it would end up in a magazine! 6. An Anton Reiche teddy bear. 6. A wonderful Hornlein mold of Father Christmas and two children...used for...molding chocolate!

Left to right; The Comprehensive Guide to Chocolate Molds; Objects of Art & Artists' Tools; front cover; back cover, Wendy's first book, The Collector's Guide to Antique Chocolate Molds; Wendy's book on antique candy containers (the Comprehensive Guide and the Candy Container books are available from Amazon.com). All Beautiful!

Left to right; Wonderful Anton Reiche "Puppet" Santa mold; "Wanderer" Rabbit and Chick from the T.C.Weygandt Company, and my "Pointy Hooded" Santa, also Anton Reiche.

Thank you so much, dear Wendy, for allowing me to be a part of your "Sweet Obsession"!

Quackers, Anyone?

2012-01-28T00:20:00.005-06:00

Whoa! These are some BIG photos, aren't they? They look even bigger with my little duck salt and pepper shakers magnified so, but I like big and bold (it took me several days to learn how to accomplish this), so I'll leave them alone...
I have to tell the story of these little ducks...when I was little, my Grandma Launius in Essex, Missouri, had a set of these ~ more like the ones in the last photo. I remember playing with them (I was not a baby-doll-playing child; I preferred animals, so I probably made up little scenarios for the ducks to act out)...Grandma DID have a Shirley Temple doll that belonged to my aunt (left in Grandma's care when my aunt left home and got married)...Shirley had an elaborate wardrobe, little shoes and socks, the whole shebang; but she also had little tiny TEETH, and she creeped me out. I politely played with Shirley occasionally to please Grandma...(as that's what little girls were supposed to do), but I was always more than ready to put Shirley back in her box (with her little teeth) and find something less nightmare-inducing to play with. But I digress...back to the ducks. Anyway, they lived on a little knick-knack shelf in my Grandma's kitchen, and after I outgrew playing with them, I didn't give them too much more thought. When Grandma's health declined and she moved in with her sister, I remember she took me (newly married) around her house, offering me whatever I'd like. The ducks were no longer my taste (my sophisticated, 1970s, 20-year-old taste), so I passed on them...I don't know what eventually became of my little ducky friends.
Fast forward to 2008...I was looking online at watercolor artists, and came across Chris Beck...I couldn't believe it ~ there were Grandma's little ducks! Well, at least some just like them. Chris had used them, as well as other whimsical little figures, as still-life subject matter in many of her vibrant watercolors...I immediately e-mailed her and told her how happy it made me to see them, and she kindly sent me a pair! Sadly, those were lost in the fire, but as soon as I had my wits about me again (sort of) and began to accumulate art materials and "inspiration", the ducks were one of the first things I sought out on eBay (yes, there are many of the funny little fellows still around).
Now I have several sets again (both of the sets in the above photos are from the 1940s and were made in Germany), but I also have some in "lusterware" that were made in Japan. I still haven't fulfilled my goal of doing a watercolor of them, but it's on my list for this spring!

Yum...

2012-01-26T22:44:00.001-06:00

My husband, Nelson, is the cook and baker in this household (I paint and sculpt and piddle)...this afternoon he made this wonderful "Cream Cheese Pound Cake", originally a Southern Living recipe...

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, softened at room temperature

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablesoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy (do not over-beat);

Gradually add sugar, beating well.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined. Crack eggs into a bowl first before adding to the mixture, to make sure you avoid getting shells in the cake mix.

Sift 3 cups of flour. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Pour mixture into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.

Smooth the top of the cake or bottom of the cake (depending on how you look at it) with a spatula to even it out.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack. The cake will have a crusty layer on the bottom that you can trim off if you want to, but Nelson left it on ~ it was good!

That's it! Enjoy!

OurTaffy...

2012-01-26T01:13:00.001-06:00

Our baby Taffy...she was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and just the sweetest thing! She passed away a few years ago; too soon...sadly, this adorable breed can be very prone to congenital heart disease. We just have kitties now (inside, that is), but for the past few days my daughter Katie has been "pet-sitting" for the cutest tri-color Cavalier named Nicholas...and I'm afraid I'm getting "puppy fever"! I tell myself that the heart problems are such an issue; heartbreak waiting to happen...and that taking a dog outside to potty in all sorts of weather is such a pain...(I'm spoiled now, to kitties who use litter boxes!)...still...♥...I said I wasn't going to get another dog for a LONG time...(fingers crossed)!

Daddy's Barn...

2012-01-23T13:55:00.001-06:00

My Dad's barn isn't there anymore, but my memories of the interesting, arched structure built in 1952 haven't changed...
Seeing this photo reminds me of Daddy always saying he was "looking forward to the 1st of March"
about this time of year...not only as a respite from the cold...to him, March first meant the time to start planting his crops
and green grass in the pastures for the cattle, instead of their winter diet of hay...

The Artful Life...

2012-01-22T19:09:00.002-06:00

...sure can tucker a fellow out!

Photo Shoot...

2012-01-21T15:32:00.003-06:00

This afternoon I decided it was time for a new look for "A Little Fur in the Paint"~ I had a trio of helpers...Leo, Cyrus and Tallulah were more than happy to assist in my "photo shoot", basking in a ray of cool winter sun on an antique quilt (made by my Grandmother, Elphia Edmondson Collier, in the 1920s) and playing with my watercolor brushes...it was a tough afternoon, but they valiantly persevered in the name of art... Of course, it was only fitting; since their "fur in the paint" ~ always, at least a little bit, no matter how hard I try to avoid it ~ was the inspiration for the blog's title ~ Yes, I did set this up for them...but it's truly exactly how it is, every time I paint...

My Helpers...

2012-01-21T15:04:00.002-06:00

My sweet kitties...constant companions...Leo, Cyrus and Tallulah.

A Few More O'Kringles...

2012-01-19T16:47:00.002-06:00

Okra Santa Tutorial

2011-12-29T00:35:00.031-06:00

1. These are all the supplies I used to make my okra-pod Santa ornament ~ (1.) okra pod; dried naturally on the plant (or in the oven at the lowest setting); the pod is thoroughly dry when it no longer feels cool to the touch. (2.) Icy Flake mica/glitter (www.blumchen.com), (3.) Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic; Light Blue Violet, (4.) Golden Fluid Acrylic; Carbon Black, (5.) Golden Fluid Acrylic; Titanium White, (6.) Valspar Spray Enamel, Satin White, (7.) Pearl Ex pigment powder; Flamingo Pink, (8.) Premo polymer clay, white, red, and flesh-colored; (9.) Various wooden sculpting tools (my husband made these), (10.) McGill burnishing tools (Hobby Lobby) ~ meant for shaping paper flower petals; (11.) 'Christi Friesen' set of sculpting tools (www.sculpt.com), (12.) Small brushes ~ these are Lowell Cornell sizes 00 and 1, (13.) Not pictured; a small piece of wire ~ I used copper, about the thickness of a pencil lead (1 1/2-2", and (14.) cord for hanging. The paints, polymer clay, and Pearl Ex powder are all from www.dickblick.com. However, almost all these supplies can be substituted; specialized tools are handy, but there are a wide array of household items that make fine sculpting tools ~ you can experiment with crochet hooks, swizzle sticks (the round end is practically the same as the burnisher), brush handles, etc. ~ most important are your fingers, anyway! 2. Spray paint the okra pod with several coats of white satin enamel; this not only provides the base color, but helps harden the pod for durablilty. Condition (knead until soft) a ball of the flesh-colored clay about the size of a large gumball, and another about the size of a pea.

3. Shape the larger ball of clay into a flattened oval, and press it into the ridges of the pod. It will stick to the pod just fine without glue as long as there is enough texture for it to adhere to. Roll the smaller ball into a sort of tear-drop shape, and position it in the middle of the 'face' ~ this is Santa's nose.

4. Smooth the sides of the nose into the face; if it is conditioned and soft, it will blend right in. Do the top and bottom of the nose the same way.

5. Here is the nose all blended into the face. I also 'squished' the clay from the top and bottom of the face to make him some little chipmunk-cheeks, and then smoothed everything with my fingertips.

6. This part is always fun! I used one of the small burnishers, but you can also use a not-too-sharp pencil. At the bottom of the nose, make a hole for a nostril, pushing up and out. If the clay is soft and pliable (which it will be if you've just kneaded and warmed it in your hands before starting the nose...don't put it aside and let it get cold!), it will make a perfect-looking nostril on the outside. You can sculpt such a realistic-looking little nose like this; it looks so difficult, but is so easy! Now do the other side.

8. Next I pinched the bridge of the nose to give him even more chararcter...again, an easy trick that gives such a realistic look! I used the larger burnisher to make the eye sockets.

9. I used the slanted-blade end of one of the sculpting tools to shape a smiling mouth ~ an Exacto or craft knife would work just as well.

10. Use the edge of the blade to press in the suggestion of an upper lip.

11. Use your fingertips to smooth the rough edge of the bottom lip.

12. I used one of my wooden tools (but a brush handle works just as well) to press into the clay a little ways down from the mouth and give Santa a bottom lip ~ roll your tool upward to re-emphasize his smile...start the upturn of the bottom lip fairly close to the middle of the mouth ~ as so much of this area is covered by beard, you don't want him to appear too somber!

13. Use a pointy tool (again, a sharpened pencil or a nail would work fine) to give Santa crow's feet and laugh lines! I used the round-tipped burnisher to make the little indention over the upper lip. Before adding the white clay in the next step, get a miniscule amount of the Pearl Ex powder (just use a little bit of what sticks inside the lid) on a brush and give the lips just the slightest hint of color.

14. Condition the white clay (be sure to wash your hands well before working with the white; it picks up other colors extremely easily!) Roll a 'snake' about the diameter of a drinking straw, long enough to wrap around the face, and press it on, just outside the face; again, it will adhere to the textured pod. Take a piece about the size of a large gumball and flatten it, forming a long oval shape. Fit the top of it under the bottom lip, curving it slightly to fit. Don't let any of it cover Santa's mouth! Press the rest of the 'beard' onto the pod.

15. (Detail)

16. Blend the softened, warm clay down and into the pod.

17. Take a tool (a crochet hook or knitting needle would work here) and make 'hair' and 'beard' texture ~ lines ~ in the clay.

18. Take more of the 'snake' of white clay and pinch off 2 pieces the same length for the moustache; here you can make it long or short, curling the ends up or under...it really gives Santa personality! Smooth and round the ends and flatten slightly before pressing onto the beard. Two pea-sized balls are rolled into eyebrows and pressed on, as well.

19. Texture the moustache and eyebrows in the same way as the beard.

20. Use just a tiny amount of the Pearl Ex powder on your brush to blush Santa's ruddy cheeks and cold nose! Less is more...and it's easy to build up if you want them rosier...

At this point, bake Santa in a pre-heated 275 degree oven for 45 minutes. I place mine on a paper towel on a baking sheet. This makes it easier to finish the ornament without disturbing the work you've done.

21. On the cooled Santa, use a small brush to paint the eyes, and an even smaller one to give them highlights (you can also highlight his cheekbones)...

22. Condition the red clay well, so that it's warm and really pliable. (Use a large-gumball-sized amount.) With it still in a ball, stick it to the top of the okra pod. Using a gentle pulling/twisting motion, bring it up into a point. This is another opportunity to give the Santa a unique personality ~ curl it, make it pointy, etc. (I kind of did both.)

23. Wash your hands REALLY well after using the red clay and before going back to the white ~ baby wipes or alcohol work nicely to remove all traces of the red. Take another piece of the white 'snake' and press it around the bottom of the hat, then texture it. I used shorter texture-lines in the 'fur'. Roll another pea-sized ball of white clay and press it into the hat where the point curves around, for the pom-pom.

24. Use a brush (I used a larger brush here) to press the glitter into the unbaked clay; it will stick just fine ~ no glue needed. I then gently pushed the piece of wire through the hat, about a third of the way from the top. Bake Santa again at 275 degrees for another 45 minutes. When he's cool enough to handle, pull the wire out of the hat(it comes out easiest when the clay is still slightly warm). Thread a piece of the cord through this hole for hanging.

26. The finished Santa! Enjoy!

Early Snow...

2011-11-29T16:42:00.003-06:00

So strange to see snow covering my still-blooming (and full of buds) petunias...

Great Deal on Art for Critters Calendars!

2011-11-27T16:33:00.004-06:00

Wendy let me know that there is a coupon for discounts on calendars right now, good through 12-31-11: 2012ISCOMING (25% off) or GIFT4THEYEAR (50% off 2)...Leo and his fellow calendar models would love it if everyone did ALL their holiday shopping here! ♥ (http://www.zazzle.com/coupons)

Calendar Boy

2011-11-26T18:18:00.000-06:00

Leo, my silver Persian boy, and I were delighted this past spring when California artist Wendy Dewitt (aka Golders) asked him to be in her 'Art for Critters' calendar for 2012...we sent Miss Golders photos, and after a suspenseful summer (we knew only that it would be a whimsical portrait, involving a bird's nest on Leo's head, which was fine with him ~ being a whimsical sort of kitty and all) the calendar was unveiled earlier this fall. What a wonderful portrait! Leo and I couldn't have been more pleased, and so honored when Golders sent us the ORIGINAL art...♥

The arrival of the portrait caused quite a stir, as you can see in the photos, with all the kitties inspecting Leo's portrait (the box and packaging were of great interest as well) ~ I must say that Leo kept his composure very well and didn't lord it over the others, despite his fame. Here is where you can find Golder's beautiful and fun calendar...http://www.zazzle.com/goldersfora4c (oh, Leo wants to say that he is 'Mr. April'...quite fitting as his birthday is in April...and Miss Golders didn't even know!) ~ :)

Art for Critters is a fabulous group of fine artists dedicated to helping animals in need, and 100% of the profits go to that cause...here I have taken a portion from their artists' statement on Zazzle..."What do you get when you combine talented artists with animal charities in need? Art for Critters. Artists from around the world, with a desire to help animals in need, have committed to donating a portion of their art sales to help animal charities. Every little bit helps and each donation will mean another day of food, medical care or just a peaceful night's sleep for some needy critter. Please take a moment to browse the many fabulous works of art by outstanding wildlife artists and photographers on gift items. And remember, ALL the profits from this shop go toward helping the animals!!! For more information, please visit our web site at Art for Critters."

We know where we will be doing some holiday shopping!

The Leo Portrait

2011-11-26T18:05:00.003-06:00

I'm ready for my close-up now, Miss Golders!

"Calendar Boy" Photos...

2011-11-26T18:01:00.001-06:00

"O'Kringles"...Okra~Pod Santas

2011-11-23T19:49:00.002-06:00

You never know what guise the jolly old elf will appear in next.....(tutorial to come!)

Meet the Kitties...

2011-11-22T19:30:00.006-06:00

Tallulah

Leo & Cyrus

Cyrus

Leo

Hello Again!

2011-11-22T19:11:00.002-06:00

A year and a half has passed since the devastating fire which took years of (tangible) memories and the lives of our nine sweet kitties, and I've finally decided it's time to blog again. I received so many kind and encouraging messages, but I felt the need to delete previous posts and comments (some were just too sad) and start fresh...I will never forget those heartfelt comments, though, and I have saved them, just not here. To all of you who were my salvation in those dark days, and to the sweet spirits of our pets, I dedicate my daily musings and occasional silliness, once again. Here I go!