My Adventures in Painting Roses and Other Fluff!

I am one who can poke fun at myself and not worry. I have a pretty good sense of self-worth so I can do this. I rarely care much what other people think of me. In other words, I’m pretty confident of my abilities. No, I’m not prideful, just confident. I know what I can do and what I cannot do. And there is much I cannot do. Trust me!

Anyway, today I’m going to tell you my adventures in trying to paint, in particular—roses. Please don’t laugh; it’s not funny that I am a total flop at painting.

I saw this image on the internet and it brought back memories of my pathetic attempt at trying to learn rose painting. While this painting doesn’t show frustration, which I felt, it shows the beginning of a beautiful painting. Mine never did. Sigh.

This is about as good as I ever got. You’d think I’d be embarrassed to show it, but nope, I’m proud of how far I had come before I decided I’d never be a rose painter.

Then I thought about painting bird nests. I wasn’t much better at that. However, these two paintings hang on my front porch. They may not be sellable but I sure as heck tried and I’m proud that I did.

Okay, here’s the story on this one.

I bought two folding wooden chairs for our patio out back and painted these roses on the back. One of the chairs broke and I wasn’t about to let my “art” go to waste as these roses were rather pretty. So I took the back piece off the chair to salvage the roses and they now hang in my laundry room.

This rose turned out pretty well so I made some decals out of them. My granddaughter wanted some to put on her place cards for her wedding dinner several years ago and we did. She loves me much you understand, so I think she was just being kind to me, but they were used and for that alone, I’m eternally grateful to her. Caroline is the other thing for which I’m grateful to her. ;-) And if you look at the URL at the top of your screen if you’re reading my blog, you’ll see I made it my avatar also. Pretty unique, huh?

Now, here you can see I’m truly NOT an artist by this little caricature I drew of me. It’s my place-holder. What is a place-holder you ask? Well, I work with templates. When I make one for a person to use, I color code them for text and photos. In other words, when they see red they put their text in there. When they see blue, they put the photos in that space where the html is. Makes it much easier for them when using the template. So my place holder is this little caricature of me. If that pops up, they know they need to change it to the photo they want instead of my photo. This is what I see all the time when I’m creating a blog post. If I see that little caricature, I know I need to change it to another photo. But this is in here to show you my creative endeavor. Stop laughing!

This is another shade of pink I really like. More of an orchid color, but beautiful.

Another sweet thatched cottage in the UK somewhere. I believe they are allowed in certain places in the U.S. as I’ve seen them, but I doubt many places would allow them. In Ireland, one of the B&Bs we stayed in didn’t allow me to use my blow dryer. You should have seen me. I got under the electric blanket and just started running my fingers vigorously through my hair until it dried. Turned out pretty dang good though!

Another stunning lamp for you. This is one I would like to copy on one of my lampshades, but I’m not sure I’ll do it any time soon.

Some really pretty lampshades here.

Love the feather trim around this one. Elegant. I would definitely buy this lamp.

Yes, these are the colors of my “Dream” house. While it’s not winter yet, I thought you’d like to see this gorgeous home now. Ooooooh, huge sigh.

Sweet little cart. I really like how they use it for decoration around their home.

Just eye candy to make you drool.

You can go and make some chocolate and pink macaroons now. ;-)

~*~

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Pink Saturday 5/14/2011

Another Pink Saturday has come around. To view all of the participants, hop on over to Beverly's blog by clicking on the icon below:
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I cannot tell you how good it feels to simply take a shower or even just wash my hair over the kitchen sink. Having this boot on my foot has lost its luster, let me tell ya. To update you, I had a doctor's appointment 3 days ago. When he walked into the room he asked me where my boot was. It went downhill from there. :-(

Through miscommunication I thought I didn't have to wear the boot. He had a fit when he found a lump on my heel incision. He thinks he may have to go back in if that lump is an injury. We'll know next Tuesday. I was furious with myself for believing I wasn't finished with the boot. Plus he had told me not to drive and I drove there! Love Bunny was teaching and couldn't get out of it so feeling pleasantly well enough I drove. I didn't drive home! I called a friend to come and get me.

Then when hubby called me that he was on his way home that afternoon I told him what happened. I figured he'd come home and get someone to go with him to fetch my car. Nuuuuu, Mr. Macho drives his truck to the doctor's office, switches to my car, leaves his truck there, comes home, rides his bike over there, pitches it into the back of the truck and drives home. What is it with men having a problem asking for help?

But anyway, I'm having to wear the boot even to bed and can only take it off if sitting and watching videos on my laptop. I've now watched over 50 videos from friends and the complete collection of James Bond movies for which my daughter sent me the DVDs. Okay, enough of my travail.

I was in WalMart on Tuesday with hubs—me in the riding cart—and a woman stopped me and said she loved my hair. What is it about my hair that so many women find appealing? Her appeal was its fluffiness. Sometimes it's the color. For Pete's sake, it's only gray sprinkled around a light brown, nothing special I assure you, but her compliment came as a surprise. I said thank you, always the best response, and drove away in my electric cart. But I was still astounded by the flattery, albeit, pleasantly. This photo is today after washing it and feeling marvelously better.

This little shelf was one of my very first attempts at painting. I'm sharing "old stuff" as I simply don't feel stable enough to go out much wearing this boot.

Another attempt at bird nests.

My bouquet will be 50 years old in about 3 1/2 more weeks. I couldn't just stash it away. It is part of my wall decor in the living room.

My Mother's Day rose is finally wilting but I won't throw it out until the petals drop.

~*~

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Rose Painted Rustic Star and Gazebo

By now most of you have become acquainted with my quest to paint gorgeous, if not decent (I'd take this in a heart beat!) roses. I've mentioned that I purchased this 30" star recently and painted it pink. I finally got the rose painted on it. Not quite as I'd like to have done it but passable. I may put some more roses on it. Painting on a pointed star that is three dimensional is rough, chicks! I finally gave up but trust me, the photo of the finished star so far is better than actually seeing it in person.

I tried!

Then I tried again. Passable............
Impatient to see it hanging on our garage wall by the front porch, Love Bunny put the screw in the wood and I hung it out.

Ya just don't wanna get too close, my sweet bloggers. *Smile*

Can I hear a few hands clapping, please! For fortitude!!!
~*~

To answer a few bloggers questions about our gazebo, yes, I'm finished with it for now. It's been too hot to even go outside lately with the daily temperatures exceeding 100° here in the desert. I've hung 4 hanging lanterns I made out of old canning jars and added tea lights but I haven't lit them yet. Faux greenery and mini lights go around the bottom of the dome but haven't sat out there yet to enjoy them. But soon the temperatures will be such that we may be able to sit out at night and if so, I'll get pictures then.




That tree on the left in my neighbor's yard is just 4 years old. Isn't that amazing that it could grow that high in such a short time? The owner offered us a sapling 4 years ago but hubs said no since it grows up to 70 ft. tall.

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Sharing the Gift

I've been looking at some beautiful art prints to buy to supplement my favorite wall in our living room and came across this one a while back by my all time favorite artist, Susan Rios. Just about all the prints on this wall are by her so it was wonderful to add to my collection. I love her art and we've been emailing back and forth. What a sense of humor this woman has. I am astounded by her beautiful paintings and showed her a picture of my wall. I think she liked it, but I would truly love to be able to paint like this little chickee. Oh my, how gorgeous is this one! It is called "Sharing the Gift" and I'd love to have a patio like this one on which to sit with lace cushions, smell the roses and dream of my garden.

This is how it looks on that wall above the biggest painting
Closer view of it.

And a little mosaic table my daughter made that I confiscated while down in California last week. It fits just perfectly there by my chair. I've been looking all over for a side table to sit in that area but wasn't able to find anything. Thank goodness I found this in her garage while down there.
~*~

Random Thought

If you can't forgive your hubby or wife of anything, then you don't love them enough.

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Painting Pink Continues..........

Yep, and so it does continue...........

It's very difficult to show colors and differences on the internet but you can get the idea of how much difference there truly is. Beige to pink. Beige is the hardest color to paint over actually. It will always need at least 2 coats with anything else other than more beige. It might look like I'm overloading with photos but there is a purpose for each one - closer, farther or showing the contrast between the two colors.

Here you can see the contrast pretty well from the living room wall and the hallway wall not done yet. Pink, anyone?!?!?!

Yep, still a mess, but some things will go back into "position" today!! Yippppeeeee, kitchen next.........

~*~

I received this award from Gina at catnipinnprimitives and she's a sweetie for giving me this award. I enjoy her blog and invite anyone to visit it.

Now, while Gina is wanting me to select 6 chicks to spread this love around, I think this little puppy needs more help than this! I know this is atrocious for an animal to be treated like this and it may turn stomachs for those of you who are animal lovers but this needs to be stopped. Nothing on this earth should be treated like this. Animals or human beings. So please go to this blog and help do what you can. I will personally email to my family for donations to help this sick puppy. Follow your hearts,chickees. Angie at this blog lovetheprimlook so go see what you might be able to do.
~*~

This second award comes from Raggedygirl who lives in the desert. I just happen to love the desert and live in one but I've lived in the Yuma, AZ and 29Palms, Calif. deserts also. There is a stark beauty you don't find anywhere else. It speaks to my heart. I'm supposed to give it to 8 bloggers but my life is pretty hectic at the moment - when is it NOT?!) with the painting and my home being so disrupted, so I'm assigning this award to each of you who read this to pass it on. Please pass it on some blogger you know and love. I'm countin' on ya, chickees!! ;-)

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Being Home #1

I was recently talking on the phone to a good friend who was a bit down and lives about an hour away. She's a stay-at-home mom - 4 kids, one boy on a mission, one daughter newly married and girl, 14 and boy, 17 still at home. She's feeling the soon-to-be empty nest syndrome and fretting about it somewhat. She's one of the best moms I've ever seen. She's very diligent and one child is her trial in life! Hah..... I know that feeling. But she's trying to figure out how to make her life mean more or as I put it to her the other day: finding her passion. And that's not yet within her reach or grasp - that Passion.

I talked with her for about an hour throwing out suggestions but she kept saying "no, that's not it." She paints in watercolors and is very good but that isn't a passion. We never did hit upon it and I know her pretty well. She doesn't give herself enough credit even when her wonderful hubby DOES. He loves her being home for their kids.

I have many passions. I think the strongest passion is decorating my home to be a refuge from the world in the coming times. My second biggest passion is painting a rose. Ooooh, I'd like to paint just about anything but roses were a true passion! I've finally produced one that I can "live with" (my old english teacher would cringe at that clause - ending with a preposition!).

But that got me to thinking about a lot of things I do.

I love being home and love having my time mine. Well, I do for the most part. When hubby went to San Diego for 4 days I missed him - especially at night. But my days were free from having to stop doing something and get dinners, etc. While pondering on this today I thought I'd post a little about "being home."

I love the freedom being here gives me. I didn't realize this until I chose to stay at home when we moved to Idaho several years ago. It's absolutely a choice I'd make again! I do realize it isn't for everyone, but I absolutely love it after all those years working at a job and trying to keep up a home while hubby and I shared duties and child raising. But bear with me for a little while, my sweet chicks.

Ironing. I love the sereneness it gives me. While ironing is a chore I put off until I absolutely have to do it, it still brings me pleasure. I love the iron gliding over the white shirts and pillowcases (when I iron them), the steam rising up from the iron and the way it looks in my linen closet. And the pride I get when I look at a "job well done." And the pleasure it gives Love Bunny when he puts on a crisp white shirt. I love the look of freshly laundered clothing hanging in our closet and peeking out at me from the shelves in our armoire.

Okay okay, so it ain't so neat; live with it!!!! ;-)

He's very picky about his collars since he's a retired Marine. *Sigh*............

You can see here I'm a very "colorful" chick. :-)

Okay, truth???? His white shirts that he only wears with a suit I only iron the collar and front. He never takes off his suit jacket so no problem here and it saves me time.

Fresh sheets with fabric softener just smell so good in the closet. Mmmmmmm....

I love the blue dials on the iron. I select things for color if at all possible and was fortunate here.

I think I am going to do a series of articles on this and what I do each day so you might want to stay tuned.

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