My painting today...

Mirror foods

 12" x 12"

acrylic on canvas

For a very long time, I've been wanting to do a 'painting a day', like so many fellow art bloggers in interwebland. I think about it constantly, attempt it frequently, and fail usually. Until today. 

Started and finished a painting in an afternoon.
Whew. 

No school today, kids are all (sorta) dressed, fed and happy. House is, well, worse than yesterday, better than Monday. ;)

I'm so excited. Yes, I see much, much room for improvement -- but, this is not a-painting-in-all-my-waking-hours-til-I-pull-my-hair-out. One day. :)

Overall, I'm very pleased with the experience. And I will try desperately to not touch it again. Even at midnight when the mistakes are shouting at me from another room. 

My real life prevents me from actually doing this every day, but maybe, just maybe, I can do a 'painting a day' once a week. 

Keep an eye out for more! 

(When I've caught my breath, and have a few of these under my belt, I'll be adding them to my etsy shop.)

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs...

Bergman Ruler

 I've been wanting to make a growth chart for many months -- in fact, I had one nearly completed -- and then I found Pinterest. (Follow me here, if you like.) 

Mine was white and gray and sorta cute, but when I saw the ones that actually looked like a ruler - I knew the white one was a goner. (Well, it actually still exists - it's on the back side of this one - but, it'll never again see the light of day.) 

Anyway, thankfully, I had only put a light coat of primer on the back side of my 1" x 10", so I sanded it a bit to bring out the wood grain, and then rubbed on a mixture of yellow, red and brown paint and semi-gloss glazing medium to make it look like natural wood again.

Century Schoolbook font had the exact number style I wanted, and after successfully installing it onto my computer (with minor self-congratulations), I printed, traced and painted. The 'Bergman Ruler' part was inspired by the design on an oldish ruler I found in my stash. 

(I'll add a photo once I get it installed and all the old measurements transferred.) 

Hometown

I saw a cutesy, vintage-y version of a hometown sign in the background of someone, somewhere's Facebook photo...and off I went. I thought about making one for myself, but there are two things I know -- 1) my sister Greta loves Sebeka so very much, and -- 2) it's always better to give than to receive. 

She lives 1537 miles from our hometown, and from this post on her blog, Gretabag, I gather that she likes the sign as well. :) 

I wanted the letters to be authentic, so I was thrilled when I found the Roadgeek fonts. (I used Roadgeek 2005 series 4B, if anyone cares.) 

I also discovered a new term: 'roadgeek'. One who is interested in roads and road trips. I am a roadgeek. (A stay-at-home roadgeek. See below.)

Let's go home already.

I first saw this phrase on HGTV's Secrets from a Stylist and for some reason it resonated with me. Well, several reasons, actually. 

a - It sounds like something my mom would say, therefore, it reminds me of her and brings back fond childhood memories. 

b - It's the thought most often running through my brain when I'm not at home -  even though I like to think of myself as super adventurous, spontaneous, ready to get up and go at the drop of a hat - well, I'm just not. Someday I'll become that super-fun free spirit, ;) but for now, I'm pretty content being a homebody. 

And c - it has deep spiritual significance. A little reminder that this world with its ups and downs, highs and lows -- this world is not my home.

And I like letters. And fonts. And signs.

 By the way, font is My Own Topher. And yes, my font collection has grown significantly in the last few weeks. :)

It's the one finished thing on my 'to finish' wall. :) 

By the way, I welcome comments and followers, fellow housework avoiders  and lurkers. :) 

What have you been creating lately?