An artist friend of mine was genius enough to bust out the tape and paint on some lamp shades and curtains recently for a big impact!

I really love the impact of a darker ceiling as well, seen here:

Color or Pattern (HA!) has huge impact!!!  So–be bold…use orange whatever colors speak to you–its’ your space….

What are floor cloths, you might ask?

Well–they are custom sized and custom designed “rugs” basically made out of canvas that can be placed on the floor, like a rug.  They can be cut to fit the exact size you need and colors and designs are completely customizable to coordinate with fabrics or decor in the room.

When possible, I typically purchase already primed canvas, but for the really large pieces, I normally have to purchase un-primed.  After the canvas sizes have been purchased (stresses me OUT, due to math and measurements, BLAH–you need to account for extra on all sides in order to fold under the edges and make a nice creased edge) they are layed out in my studio and the process of using materials to make it appear as though the edges are smooth and neatly folded under.

Joanns’ fabric store is where I purchase a product called “Heat and Bond” which acts as a sewing machine without the stitching–all with the help of an iron.  It’s awesome!!  I burn my fingers here and there, but its a life saver.  This is also very tedious and you must be detailed in order to keep everything straight and keep it from “bunching” so that the piece will lie flat.

Then, its on to priming, and finally painting after you get your layout mapped out with a watercolor pencil.  I use levels, yard sticks and rulers to make sure measurements go according to plan.  These are also very handy when cutting the piece in the first step of all these shenanigans.

If you’re not scared off by the beginning steps, it can be fun to paint these, just like it is to paint a canvas.  The material is the same, its’ just lying flat instead of upright…so I recommend a garden kneeling pad or knee pads.

Once your design is complete and 2nd and 3rd coats of color have been applied, you can do a coat of polyurethane to protect the artwork and color from the wear and tear of shoes and traffic.

Done!  For a fraction of the money, and a little midnight oil and good music you can have a custom “rug” or piece of artwork for your floors!!

I’m exhausted…til’ next project….final product photos coming soon….

Normally, I shy away from working on top of someone elses’ artwork, but this was a friend and making something more girlie is right up my alley.

The before and after….

I was able to tone down the color palette and add some pink and white stripe motifs from the crib bedding and it did the trick to soften the colors.

Sprucing things up with color is an easy fix, and freshening up a room with a new paint color gets a lot of bang for your buck.  You don’t necessarily have to re-decorate an entire room for a change.  An easy whole room transformation can be accomplished with paint/color.  You can change your trim color or paint a mantle.  There are also some cool things you can do with tape that can mimic the look of installing expensive trimwork or paneling to a room.  Gloss paint can also have a huge impact if you are repainting a mirror frame or a piece of furniture.  So think about color first when you tackle your next decorating project.

I am also “sprucing up” Pattern Design a bit, by changing our logo….here is the new and improved version of Pattern Design thanks to Thinctanks Design.

We are excited to start offering green options in the decorative painting industry and promoting green paint options.  Tell a friend!

Decorative finishes really complement rooms and add another dimension.  Most of the time, I am asked to do simple finishes on cabinets or walls that will accent an area.  These basic finishes have become a little monotonous.

Everyday life sometimes isn’t super exciting–there’s a lot of ritual and routine involved but, I’m trying hard to keep myself on track for more creative endeavors in the future. I’m not snubbing my nose at my bread and butter, but I’d really like to focus more on kids rooms, furniture pieces, and canvas artwork in the future where I can get a little crazy with color and patterns.

My hope is to participate in arts festivals during the summers.  I’m trying to come up with subject matter for my first “series” of artwork, and there are so many things that inspire me that its’ hard to nail one idea down, but my goal is to complete one series of paintings/furniture/accent pieces before the year is up.

I am intrigued by mixed media, I’d love to incorporate vintage wallpaper prints/patterns, recycled print, as well as, include mod color combinations and different stylized subject matter.

Here are some pieces that have been inspiring me from Etsy.

I love the color and concepts of these pieces…oh if my bills were paid and there were 40 hours in every day, alas, my day job wears me out.  I suggest going to Etsy.com to look for your next gift though, there are truly one of a kind pieces on there and I admire every artist that has taken the time to create them.  Support your local artist today!

I recently finished up a couple canvases that I’ve been working on, off and on for awhile, and Van Goghs’ quote sums it up for me.  I did them for me.  I remember in art school feeling sick to my stomach on critique days, and still to this day I always feel like something is missing in my paintings.  But, I’m trying not to focus on whether I feel like a painting is good enough or whether someone else will like it, but rather to simply paint as an act of self expression.

Artists use all types of materials for self expression, not just paint and canvas.  I came across these photos recently that made me smile.  One is called self-contained (I’m gonna let you guess which one), and the other is somebody with a pretty good sense of humor.

I love how the sculpture piece is made from shipping containers mostly.  Sustainability is high on my priority list lately, so I’ve also been gardening more recently.  Its’ so exciting to see tomatoes ripen on the vine or flowers burst with color.  Color, sustainability, expression….these are my mantras this week.

I’ve been reading more lately, checking out other blogs, and I’ve found www.thegapingvoid.com and I’m in love.  Hugh McLeod is an artist trapped an enigma wrapped in a day job, but he has managed to really find an outlet for his creativity.  He has inspired me. 

I get wrapped up in the day-to-day of trying to be commercial and mainstream in hopes of increasing sales and maintaining customer satisfaction to what else…add more sales from referrals, and I’m not going to stop doing that, BUT I need to practice thinking outside the box.

Van Gogh rarely painted with more than six colors on his palette, Hugh MacLeod draws on the backs of business cards.  It only takes the exercise of practicing art to let your creative juices flow.  It doesn’t have to be a Rembrandt every time.  It doesn’t even have to be an actual picture.  I am embracing the doodle.

SO, the Creativity Experiment begins.  I will  sketch one drawing of whatever everyday.  There are no rules to art.

Next step will be to paint more for pleasure, not just when commissioned.  I’ve used the excuse of materials cost for a long time, but I think that this is going to lead to a healthier existence with my creativity.

My first inclination was to say “Yuck!” ….it looks cheap, but there are some that I would actually use, however, its’ cheaper for me to paint these looks than to order them and pay shipping and hope that I can install them correctly.  I recently finished some small canvases with the same tree concept, and I love them.

Etsy is such a find and has some of these  classy “stickers”, if you’re into that and have a limited budget, the link for Nouwall is http://www.etsy.com/listing/49928124/vinyl-wall-decal-sticker-art-winter.

Check em’ out!  And, if you don’t find what you’re looking for, then I can paint it for you, of course

I certainly don’t pretend to know everything about decorative painting, there are some serious materials involved with professional woodworking and I learn as I go, but this month a designer introduced me to “Cerused Oak”.

Dating back to the 16th century, ceruse was a white lead derivative used as a cosmetic by luminaries such as Queen Elizabeth I. Highly toxic on human skin, it found favor with cabinetmakers,  who used the paste to fill the porous open grain of oak planks.

Outdoor rooms are all the rage right now, and everyone wants to make outdoor living areas that bring people together in a pleasant environment.

My backyard is quite small, but has plenty of space to enhance with color and whimsy. An outdoor garden party or just reading the Sunday paper, its not really size that matters here.

I ended up not going the garage sale route, but bought new instead because it was so affordable.  Then I added lots of colorful pillows, candles, and flowers to go along with all my yard art that I find at arts festivals every year. Its’ hard not to get carried away, but there is a fine line between tacky and chic.

I’ve also added lights and torches to add ambiance. The space is now fully functional for a backyard hootenanny or a cocktail party with friends.

Well, I’m OCD, and the closer the event draws near, the more outlandish and excited I get.  I’m thinking about how to have valet parking, a fireworks display, and an outdoor movie screening, but back to reality I’d just like to jazz up the backyard a bit.

Its’ also getting close to my birthday so I dream up all the cool stuff I could buy for my backyard, but the budget is not unlimited despite my enthusiasm.  So, how can I get patio furniture without breaking the bank or blowing all my birthday money in one shot?

IDEA (insert lightbulb here)

Why not go the garage sale route?

I’m normally not a fan of garage sales, but wicker is kind of vintage, right?  I happened upon this great custom furniture company called Maine Cottage, but their prices are a little crazy…..BUT, they also sell a fun line of spray paint….http://www.mainecottage.com/Product.aspx?prodType=2&cat=80&step=NAVIGATION

For a lot less money, I can find some cheap-o wicker and update it with a fun, outdoor color.  Home Depot, Lowes, Michaels, and even Walmart actually  have a selection of spray paint in different colors.  But, color is definitely key….bright, vintage, mod colors and adding sheen can dress up a gently used piece of outdoor furniture in a hurry.

So, I’ve got 30 days…I’m on a mission, guess I better set the alarm this weekend.

To Be Continued….pics to follow

I studied studio art at the University of Georgia on a lark.  I literally thought it “sounded fun”….I had never had an art class previously.  Following college, I also happened upon a job with a decorative painting company in Atlanta.  They had a large focus on artistic ceiling work and most were very detailed and intricate.  This is where I encountered my first 8 foot ladder, my first set-up and build of masonry scaffolding, the first time I ever painted a room.

I learned everything I use today.

Art is a gift, but it can also be a discipline.  The more you do it, the better you become.  The more comfortable you become with it.   So, here I am.

My business, Pattern Design, affords me the opportunity to be creative at times and practice the art of painting.  Its a lot of blood, sweat, and tears…a decorative painter can perform back breaking and labor intensive projects on a daily basis, but every now and again be given the privilege of doing something as fun as painting whimsical animals for a baby nursery.

One job at a time–I will take you on my journey, the pitfalls, and the pleasure.