home decor and garden are very famous in the world

I tackled a different kind of painting project.  I should be working on furniture, based on the size of my stash…but a bit of a sore throat and a cough seemed to indicate that staying inside was in order!

It’s well known that I love signs and quotes in all their varieties (you can see my Etsy shop if ye doubt).  I’ve been pondering ways to make mine unique and separate from the many other lovely versions that are available.  I thought about using some ombre backgrounds, and that idea morphed into this:
Here is an 18” x 24” canvas that I painted Sunday night.  “What is it?” you may rightly wonder!  Well, lacking the skills to actually make a painting that looks like something…I decided to settle for reminding you of something!
To me, the reds, yellows, and oranges are reminiscent of a sunset.  But I suppose it could be a sunrise, too...although if it is, I keep thinking, “Red sky the morning: sailor take warning!”  And I don’t even sail!

I over-laid the scene with a favorite quote from Mother Teresa:

“We can do no great things; only small things with great Love.”

I used my Silhouette to cut the lettering out of vinyl for this project.  I used the negative space for the canvas, which left me with the “positive” space for another go.
This time I applied the quote to a piece of beadboard, and then painting another sky scene right over top of it all.  This time I used many different blues, as well as black, white…and a little pink.  Is it sunrise?  Is it dusk?  I’ll let you decide! 

I can’t really decide which I like better.  I like the softly faded, worn look of the beadboard (I had to distress it a little, naturally). 

Domestically Speaking	Elizabeth & Co.
	The CSI Project
Friday Remodelaholic	2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special	The DIY Show Off
Beyond the Picket Fence	Someday Crafts
Knick of Time Mod Vintage Life	My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Perfectly Imperfect	{Primp}
Common Ground	My Repurposed Life
From My Front Porch to Yours	All Star Block Party
Cowgirl Up!	{aka} design Coastal Charm

 

Two years ago my daughter pushed me to stop drooling over other people’s blogs, and start contributing to my own! 

So I did!

It didn’t stop the drooling…but it gave me a constructive outlet for my own projects!

Not only has blogging proved to be another great time-waster (like I needed another??), but has also inspired my creativity and encouraged me to learn new skills (like power tools!).

I’d like to say THANK YOU to all of you who make blogging worthwhile through your

kind comments,

genuine praise,

helpful suggestions,

and gentle good humor. 

I feel blessed by the “virtual friends” I have made over the last two years, and I look forward to getting to know more of you!

Now for the important part:

To celebrate two years, I will be giving one reader a FREE 24” x 8” beadboard sign of their choice, OR a $20 credit toward any other item in my etsy store.

TO ENTER

Leave a comment telling me of a favorite past project.

That’s it!  Giveaway will end Friday, July 20.

If you don’t want to wait…use coupon code TWOYEARS for 10% off any item in my etsy shop!  Code valid through Friday, July 20.

Yesterday I showed off the Flea Market Canvas I created for my living room, based off this beautiful artwork by Mandy Lynne.

You didn’t think I could stop with just one, did you?

Well, I was happy enough with the Flea Market canvas, so I started sketching for the next one…

Ever drawn a bicycle?  Me neither.

My style is definitely not as “refined” as the original!  I wish the colors translated better to the computer screen…the border and the lettering are actually a brick red color, and the background is a pale green.  And again…flowers are not my strong suit!

So here’s the set…the original, gorgeous, Mandy Lynne’s:

And the debut artwork of the amateurish Red Hen:

Am I happy?  I think so!

(Photo courtesy of Chicklet #3)

Are you excited to see how they look in my house?  Coming soon!

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This project has been featured at Elizabeth & Co., DIY Showoff, and Knick of Time Interiors. 

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Linking up here:

Domestically Speaking	Elizabeth & Co.
Sisters of the Wild West	No Minimalist Here’s Open House Thursday
Friday Remodelaholic	2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday	Miss Mustard Seed’s Furniture Feature Friday
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special	The DIY Show Off
Beyond the Picket Fence	Someday Crafts
Knick of Time	My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Perfectly Imperfect	{Primp}
Simply Klassic Sundays	My Repurposed Life
From My Front Porch to Yours	It’s So Very Cheri
Cowgirl Up!	{aka} design

I have been keeping a secret from you.

In addition to working on my front-room-to-office transformation (you can see the latest installment of that here), I have also been working on a major living room redecorating project!  I never know if I’m “supposed” to show it off in bits and pieces or with a major reveal…so forgive me if I’m not doing it right!

So while it may be a bit backward, I’m going to show off the most recent project for the living room first!

I fell in love with these vintage-y canvases from Mandy Lynne when I saw them at an upscale furniture store.

There are posters available through her Etsy shop for about $65/each (canvases are considerably more expensive), but that was both out of my price range and not the look I was really after.

So I spent a lot of time scheming how to “knock-off” her work.  I created a whole Silhouette design, but the thought of the layers of stenciling I would have to do to recreate the color scheme intimidated me more than a little.

Then I had the great idea of using the overhead projector, like I have on so many coffee tables, but on the night I wanted to do it—I found that I couldn’t get the image to be the right size for the canvas I had prepared.

So…I took a leap and just started sketching.  And to my great great great surprise…it wasn’t all that bad!  My layout differs slightly…it changed as I filled up spaces too quickly 

In fact, it was good enough that I took the next leap…painting!   I was able to choose colors that complemented my home better than the gray of the original.

Here’s how they look side-by-side!

I won’t lie to you…I’m super excited with how this turned out!  It’s my first EVER real painting!  (We’re not counting furniture!) 

I hung it on the living room wall today, and I’m not embarrassed to have it there…I think!

I’m proud at myself for attempting something so new and different.  I have a mother and a sister who are incredible artists, so trying anything remotely like painting or drawing has been very intimidating for me. 

But at least I can say now…I tried!

Updated to add:  Yes, I had to make the Farmers Market Canvas as well!  You can see it here.

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This project has been featured at Elizabeth & Co., DIY Showoff, and Knick of Time Interiors. 

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Linking up here:

Funky Junk’s One Scary Thing Challenge

Domestically Speaking	Elizabeth & Co.
Sisters of the Wild West	No Minimalist Here’s Open House Thursday
Friday Remodelaholic	2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday	Miss Mustard Seed’s Furniture Feature Friday
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special	The DIY Show Off
Beyond the Picket Fence	Someday Crafts
Daisy Cottage Designs	My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Perfectly Imperfect	{Primp}
Simply Klassic Sundays	My Repurposed Life
From My Front Porch to Yours	It’s So Very Cheri
Cowgirl Up!	{aka} design

No, it’s not MY sun room; I don’t have one!  But I got to have the fun of helping—in a very small way—to decorate one, and that’s almost as good, right?

Lisa asked me to make one of my “You are my sunshine” canvases for her sunroom.  She believes in the motto, “Go big or go home!”

Although I had only ever made this one in an 11 x 14” size, she wanted a 24 x 30” size.  I was pretty happy with how it turned out!

However, I’m even happier that she sent me a picture of it in it’s new home.

OK, so I lied before. 

Just helping to decorate a sun room is not at all as good as having your own!  <sigh>  Isn’t it a lovely space?

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I love to make signs and canvases!  Please e-mail redhenhome@gmail.com if I can make one for you!

Linking up here:
 

Coastal Charm’s Nifty Thrifty Tuesday	Elizabeth & Co.
Friday Remodelaholic	2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday	Someday Crafts
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special	Domestically Speaking
Beyond the Picket Fence’s Under $100 Party
Perfectly Imperfect	{Primp}
Simply Klassic Sundays	My Repurposed Life
	It’s So Very Cheri

Do you have a little sister? I do. I didn’t get her until I was 10 years old. I thought she was a live baby doll for the longest time…I could rock her, dress her up, take her for walks, have tea parties with her…so many fun things. Now as adults we are discovering a common love of all things old, vintage, and a little bit shabby. It’s great fun!

We also share a love of books…so when she asked me if I could make a canvas for her with a Virginia Woolf quote on it, I couldn’t resist!

I kind of misread her instructions…it was supposed to be OFF-WHITE with BLACK lettering, and she got the reverse…whoops! Good thing she’s pretty easy-going

You might think someone who loves reading might have read the instructions a little more carefully…

The pictures above were taken before I “shabbied” up the canvas a bit. I really love the high contrast….

…but I also love the look (above) which is a little bit faded, and dirtied up a little with some brown glaze.

Which one would you choose?

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Linking up to these great parties here.

We welcomed a new addition our family on July 25. My nephew and his beautiful wife had a beautiful baby boy!

I was 14 years old when his father was born, and he looks SO much like his dad did that it tugs at my heartstrings!

I sent this canvas as a baby gift:

It’s my favorite reminder that babyhood—and childhood—should be enjoyed, because they are over too quickly.

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

For babies grow up, we’ve learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs; dust, go to sleep,

I’m rocking my baby, and babies don’t keep!

So hug those babies today…no matter how old they are!!

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This project has been featured at Day & Age Design.

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Linking up here.

I got to do a fun little project for a reader this week. Kara asked me to re-create my “You are my Sunshine” canvas for her little girls (you can see the original ones here and here). The previous two projects were made using a recycled canvas, and this one was made with a new canvas…may I just say that new canvas is SO much easier to work with??

Here it is displayed on the Gradient Dresser:

Hope your day is filled with sunshine!

I will make custom canvases! Click on the Available Items tab up top for more information.

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Linking up here!

The weather hasn't changed a bit here today. In fact, we woke up to snow on our cars this morning! (I live in UTAH, not Alaska!) It has been a cold, wet, gray day. But...look what's blooming in my front yard!




The first of my many iris have bloomed. In a week or two, my front yard will be beautiful with all shades of purple, blue, and yellow flowers. Iris make me happy; they remind me of my dad. So no matter what the weather...there is a little sunshine in my soul today!

And I would like to share a little sunshine with YOU! I noticed yesterday that I now have over 300 followers. THANK YOU to all of you who give me support, encouragement, and praise for my little projects. In appreciation, I would like to send one of you a little "You Are My Sunshine" canvas that I finished today.

Do you remember my BIG Sunshine canvas(es)?

...well, I'm sorry; you don't get one of those! But I did make an abbreviated version.



You get to make a choice. Both canvases are 11" x 14", and are soft yellow (probably not quite as bright as they look on your screen) with off-white lettering.




I found this roll of "Clear Cover" at Hobby Lobby a couple of days ago. It's meant to be used for book covers, but it said it was re-positionable and clear, and it was only FOUR DOLLARS for a huge roll! For that price, I decided it was worth trying. Well, I am happy to report it works great! Hope that helps someone else out. :-)

....otherwise entitled, "You Are My Sunshine," Take 2!!

I love my recycled sheep-to-Sunshine canvas so much I decided to re-create it.

It actually wasn't a bad painting...just not what I wanted. I took the canvas out of the frame, and I have saved the frame for another use!


I followed the same process as before, using some latex paint, some spray paint, and some acrylic paint! Here's my second creation:

This canvas is 24" x 30", so not quite as large as the first one...but still pretty big! This one also has more of a gently distressed finish. I have gone back and forth over whether to keep the bigger canvas or the smaller one...and I think I will keep the huge one.