Friday, May 25, 2012

Trophy Puppy


Trophy Puppy on his first birthday.

Sporting his trophy and ribbons.

STAR Puppy Medal
AKC Good Citizen Medal & Collar Tag
1st Place German Shepherd Baby Puppy Class Trophy when he was 4 months old.

Now if he would only stop chewing MY shoes and the remote controls, I would be a happier person.  We may as well add in stop barking at one of our cats, the bicycle riders, and walkers that pass by the front of the house.  Then and only then, I would believe he was a good citizen.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Twitter Art Exhibit in Moss Norway


Mystical Dew Drops
by Artist Rita Squier

Original Watercolor Painting
Size: 4x6"

SOLD Today!

Donated to the 2nd Twitter Art Exhibit
at the Moss Library
in Moss, Norway

Tomorrow is the last day of the charity event.
If you're in Norway, go to the library and buy a small painting!

This charity exhibit is raising money for the Women's Crisis Center.  An extremely good cause!

Run don't walk!
Get there as soon as the library opens.
The exhibit closes tomorrow, May 25th.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Reflections in Water 

Three Posts
by Artist Rita Squier
Original Watercolor Painting
Size:  11x15"

The first post tips towards you, the reflection in the water will be longer.

The second post tips away from you, the reflection in the water will be shorter.

The third post stands tall, the reflection is same size, a mirror image.

The reflections in the water can be no darker than the local color.  The colors of the reflecting object combine with the colors of the sky and the local color of the water.

The colors of reflections are often lighter than the object itself except when the object is lighter than the local color and it hangs over the edge of shallow water then it will be darker than the light object.  This is because you are not seeing the reflection, the object is blocking the sunlight and you're viewing the bottom of the shallow water.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Friday Feature


So many jewelry designers are inspired by a simple little bead and create amazing pieces.


I wanted to do a little recap on my Friday Feature.  

Click here to
Search "Friday Feature"
on my blog. 

Give them all a second look or a first look if you just found my this blog post.  Click the links into their Etsy shops to view more of their fascinating work.  

You'll find jewelry that is perfect for everyday and special occasions.  You'll even find some have other creative inspirations as well.  

The talent is awe-inspiring. 



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Sunset Blend 

Creating a sunset in watercolor is magical.

The lovely blue sky that fades to a glowing yellow setting sun.

Add a single swipe of Primary Red Magenta in between your blue paint and your yellow watercolor paint to avoid creating green in your sky.

The red will mix with the blue to make a red-violet.
The red will mix with the yellow to create an orange.

This little trick will help you create that special glow at sunset.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Friday Feature

Mint Drop

Erin from ItsyBeadsySpider on Etsy created this fabulous necklace with one of my torch fired beads.

Art nouveau meets paisley on this lovely antiqued patina 16" chain.  The enamel is a beautiful shade of mint which complements the patina perfectly.

Browse through Erin's ItsyBeadsySpider Etsy shop, I think you will enjoy her charming little shop.  You may just find something you absolutely have to have!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Tuesday's Tips and Techniques for Watercolor Painting

When painting with watercolor on Yupo paper, if you need to draw your image first sketch carefully and lightly with pencil.  It's a one shot deal.  You do not want to erase the pencil lines, doing so disturbs the unique surface of the Yupo.

Be very careful handling the paper as well.  The oils from your fingerprints will cause the watercolor paint to not adhere to the surface of the Yupo paper.

No fingerprints.

No erasing pencil lines.

Yupo is a synthetic paper, watercolor paint floats on the surface creating very unique and spontaneous reactions.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Friday Feature

Pink Tiger Earrings

Meredith who runs VenerablePastiche and MersFolly on Etsy created these fabulous earrings for herself using my torch fired enamel beads.

Although this particular pair of earrings is not for sale in either of her Etsy shops, Meredith makes jewelry for sale.  She has fabulous handmade necklaces, earrings, bracelets and glass charms in her MersFolly shop on Etsy.  I love her style!

If you love vintage check out her VenerablePastiche shop on Etsy.  She has vintage home decor, vintage jewelry, vintage holiday items and more!

Take a look today!
http://venerablepastiche.etsy.com
http://mersfolly.etsy.com

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Tuesday's Tips & Techniques for Watercolor Painting

Water Control Tool

When learning to paint in watercolor or improving your watercolor painting skills, controlling the amount of water in your brush is very important.  The ratio of water to paint, paint to water, water to paper, etc. is one of the more difficult things to learn.

Years ago, I took a number of Zoltan Szabo watercolor painting workshops.  I learned this little trick in his workshop.  It's in several of his books as well.

Create your own blotter.  With this blotter, you will learn how to control the water in your brush faster than you would trying to use a sponge or an old kitchen towel.

1. Take a cheap roll of toilet paper.  Yes, toilet paper.  Squish it flat once or twice to crimp the inner cardboard tube.  Pinch the tube with your fingers.
2.  Twist and pull out the cardboard tube.  Completely remove it.  Recycle it.  :)
3.  I prefer Bounty paper towels.  You will need 5 sheets in length of regular paper towels or 10 sheets select-a-size (my favorite!).  Take the long length and fold it in half lengthwise.  Then fold in each short side half way to the middle, this will end up about the width of the toilet paper roll.  Wrap and roll the toilet paper with the paper towel.
4.  Stuff it into a square plastic container.  I used an old square Tupperware sandwich container.  Charge or pre-wet the top of the surface with a little clear water.

You now have the perfect watercolor paint brush blotter, cleaner and water control tool.

As you paint, blot your brush on the top to decrease the amount of water in your brush.  Swipe a paint filled brush across the top if you have too much paint in your brush.  Or swipe a dirty paint brush across the top before cleaning it in your water, this will help your water container to stay cleaner longer.

The top gets dirty, swipe a wet wash brush across the top a couple times with clear water and the paint seeps into the middle of the roll.  If it gets really dirty, twist the entire roll until a clean portion of paper towel is a the top.  This little tool lasts quite a long time.

As silly as it sounds, it really is a good learning tool and extremely handy!

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