French Poppy

Such Sweet Bloggers

Thank you, all of you for your well wishes about our area being on fire.  It's contained and no more lightning, as anticipated.  Sometimes when you live on a hill full of fire starters, (pine-cones, pine trees, sage brush), you feel a bit leery when lightning comes around.  But thankfully everyone is safe; and the weather has changed some to help us out.  So Thank You ALL!!!  Such Sweet Bloggers!!!

 

Last night I started my new series of paintings.  I had painted a few of these on vintage windows before and decided to bring them alive with watercolors.  I am hoping they turn out like I visualize, but sometimes that doesn't happen.  And as always on my art table, there is always a little furry creature lurking about.  I have two little munchkin cats that are always stuck to me like glue, no matter where I am.  Baby found a nook to lay in behind my tabletop easel.  They are sneaky those cats.  :)

Okay let's get to the most important part:  The WINNER for yesterdays GIVEAWAY is..... my very own Feathered Nest friend DAWN!  Congrats Dawn, I will be getting in touch with you so you can tell me which print you would like. 

Two more days left for my print a day giveaway!  Just wanted to let you know that I am going to be mailing all the winners prints off on Monday - in one swoop, hope that's okay with everyone.  :)  Thanks again for all of your well wishes and kindness!!!  

tea dying, fire, & more give away!

As I sat my tea-dyed pillows outside to dry in the hot sun, I noticed some ugly black clouds rolling in.  I figured I had some time before my pillows had to come inside before it started to rain or the wind would start blowing...as it would happen, the pillows didn't get to stay outside hardly at all when the lightning started...and then....

this happened.  Almost just that quick.  We saw the lightning touch down and then in no time at all this fire.  This morning it is still burning, and it's pretty smokey outside.  And there is a chance of more lightning today.  So my day will be mostly dedicated to watering down our hillside as much as possible, and also I will be packing up and sending all the pillows, and some artwork. 

Now back to tea dying:

Here is my tutorial for a tea bath:

4 qts. water in large pot

8 tea bags

1 cup of french press coffee

Boil water drop in tea bags, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes.  Add the french press coffee ( or any kind of strong coffee).  Stir.  Add you items to dye and let sit in bath until you achieve the color you are desiring.   

Carefully remove piece, let cool to touch, then ring out tea water.  I don't run through cold water, although I know some instructions do.  I leave mine as is and then dry.

Three ways to dry: 

1.  Lay out flat in the sun - this achieves some really pretty coloring.

2.  Place in preheated 150 degree oven and let dry.  This method you can really get a lot of aging streaks, and to add more aging, before drying, sprinkle on a little instant coffee crystals on your piece, then dry.

3.  Dry in dryer until dry. 

Hope you give it a try, and let me know your results! :)

Now for yesterdays winner for my art print a day giveway:   ALLIE!

Please keep playing for the print giveaway! :)  There are 3 more days left.  And for those of you who are new; I am giving away a print from my Etsy shop; one a day until Friday.  Thanks everyone so far, it's been so much fun! :)

Also, my daughter has opened a sweet little Etsy shop, selling some really cute prints.  Check it out here! I love the Russian Dolls, they are adorable.  Also at her other fine art Etsy shop; she is offering custom portraits! 

Teresa

Junkin' Love & Monday's Winner....

 

Do you guys love junkin, finding that perfect yard/garage sale, as much as me and my sisters??  This past weekend we hit the cash cow, the big ones, the fun ones.  I got so many little treasures, it was blast.  I have been looking everywhere for a vintage reading light, you know the one that hangs on your headboard.  I found that cute little pink one that fits perfect in my shabby chic bedroom.  So excited!!

 

and my favorite of the weekend!!!  this little dresser, old it's soo old.  and it was $15!!  It has a heavy granite, marblish looking top.  It's completely perfect.  My photos are of some of the goodies I found, but there is more, like this gigantic lace bedspread, and a few vintage tablecloths, sorry they are in the wash, so no photos of them.  And....

Monday's Winner--------Gabreial!!!  I tell ya, this must be karma for her; she wrote a sweet little piece about my art, then the number generator picked her!!  Okay Gabreial, email me with which print you would like!  Keep going today everyone, we are on day three and we have until Friday to keep giving away a print a day!!  Thank you everyone!!!!  XOXOXO

creativity, sweetness, new art, today's give away and Sunday's Winner

My daughter, whom always has visions of art running through her head, just made this cute little piece of jewelry.  People, that is a pretty tiny work of art on a small bit of canvas.   She amazes me most of the time. :)  She had a shell of a necklace and wasn't sure what to do with, but ended up definitely making it her own.  It's really pretty on, she has it posted on her blog so you can see how it's done. 

Also, Gabreial from Vintage Indie showcased my art in her Daily Swank.  Thank you Gabreial, that was really sweet of you.  Her blog is a whole lotta fun, go check it out! :)

I have a new art piece up at my Etsy shop.  And if you comment today and end up the winner, don't forget you get to choose one print, your choice from the shop.  Good luck today!!!  And please, if you commented yesterday, try again today, I am doing this everyday until Friday.  Just say pick me, or hi, you know something simple, just so I know you are there and want to play. :)

And, yesterdays winner of a print of choice is Marlene!  Thank you to all of you yesterday who left such sweet comments, and try again today if you would like!! :) 

hat cake & week long giveaway

  

*photo by Kayla

See that cute little yellow straw hat?  Well that particular hat caused me many cravings, until my daughter and I finally caved and she made a lemon cake.  Every time I turned around and caught that hat out of the corner of my eye,I thought that darn hat was a cake, each time then I wanted a piece of cake.  Thankfully my daughter was tired of hearing my craving and made a delicious white cake with lemon jello inserted inside the cake and topped with a creamy frosting.  We saw a recipe for a creamsicle cake, where you poke holes in the cake and pour the jello in the cake, then you can make a pudding/cool whip frosting.  She just switched up the orange flavor for lemon, cause well then of course it matched that darn hat that caused me hunger.  Thank you Kayla for taking such good care of your mama.  And.. speaking of thank you

Just wanted to say how thankful I am to all my blogging family for the great support with my art, my cards, my business whoa's.  Your listening ear is always there and your thoughtful comments and emails; well it's always like getting a great big hug everyday.    While visiting one of my favorite artist, she was having a giveaway, and I have to copycat that now.  It's the best way I can give back to you with what I have, besides showing up at your doorstep giving you a hug.   So here goes...

Starting today until Friday, I am giving away one print a day away, your choice, from my etsy shop.   I will be picking one winner a day everyday up until Friday.  I will be posting everyday, and from that post I will pick that days winner. 

Thank you everyone!!!  I am grateful to YOU!

Pillows

Hi everyone, first off, just want to say thank you for the amount of interest I received in people wanting to buy more of the chandelier pillows.  So, instead of not really sure how many to make, I have decided to do a pre-order pillow.  After you order, it will take me a few days to complete them, so please be patient with me. ;) 

Here is what you can order:

Ruffle Chandelier Pillow -   14" in size - $22.00 includes shipping

The pink chandelier pillows without ruffle.  14" in size- $22.00 includes shipping.  

Pillows are tea-dyed and aged; each one may be slightly different from the next.  So, if you are interested in pre-ordering just click the Paypal button.  Also, if you could send me a message that you ordered, and any questions you may have too.  Thanks! 

Available at my Etsy store.

and...if you get a chance, please take a peek at this little story.  :)  sooo cute.

....the suitcases have it....!!

Yay, thanks everyone for setting me on the right track, and for all of your kindness.  I truly appreciate all the comments I get, and just love it.  From your opinions the suitcase banner is the winner.  I confess, it's one of my favorites too.  So I will keep it up for awhile.  I changed it up just a hair, but nothing drastic.  White backgrounds are my favorite, I have tried the color thing and it makes me feel cluttered and smothered for some reason.  I love white, and crisp.  Still busy working on some new works.  It feels right to be painting everyday, you know?   It's so good to listen to music and get into the messy watercolor paints.  Yesterday I was really into listening to the Bee Gees and the Beatles, weird I know, I think it's because i know the words and can sing along!  :)   I will leave you with a few samplings of things I am working on.  Can't wait to get really messy doing some altered books that are twirling around in my head and some more mixed media paintings.  Love it all!  Oh and hey, there are a few new bloggers on the block!!  One happening to be my sister Rhonda, she shows and tells all of her vintage finds, and then Kevan, who has some really sweet things going on with her new business.  Please stop by and say hello to them!  :)

*copyright Teresa Sheeley

all my banners

Honestly I change my banners, like um socks!  I think I could make a new one every week.  Please help me choose one to stay with and make me stick to it for a few months anyway.  Thank goodness I don't have the Typepad upgrade, or I would be nuts with background, etc.  Seriously can you tell me which one you like or maybe you don't like any of them, it's okay you can tell me.

I know there are a few more hiding somewhere lost in my folders, but you get my bad habit, right?   :)  Busy week ahead with lots of painting going on.  Thanks for peeking at my banner addiction!  Au revoir! 

Illustration Friday ~ "Hoard"

  

I woke up pretty early, well way too early this morning, and had visions of clocks running through my head.  What other to do with them at the wee dawn of the day, then sit and doodle them.  This is a rough sketch of some clocks that may or may not turn into a painting.  It's just part of my sketch book, where ideas float around.  Instead of working on the paintings I should be working on, this type of thing happens where I have to sit and draw the things that are floating around in my head. 

Then I saw Illustration Friday's theme was "hoard".  This could be a hoarder of time, a hoarder of vintage clocks, or a hoarder of numbers.  Now that I have sat and sketched, I am sleepy again, now at the time when most people are waking up.  I think I need to reset my clock.  Have a happy Sunday!

Window View

Over the past few years I have accumulated all sorts of vintage windows, some with the panes as above and some without the grid.  Some with the window still in tact and some not.  Also, I am pretty good at breaking the window part myself on accident.  I am slowly but surely trying to get rid of having so many and trying to figure out what to do with the ones I want to keep. 

Besides painting on them, I have started to add to them, like the one above.  Very simple, and very easy to do. 

1.  Pick out your vintage papers to use, sheet music, dictionery pages, etc.

2.  Cut the paper to fit your panes; mine was a 5 x 7 inch size.

3.  I always go to dafont.com to find all my fonts; they are free and there is a great assortment to choose from.  After choosing the font I want, enlarge it to the size needed to fit on your paper. 

4.  Print and adhere to your panes, either with spray glue or a glue stick.

You can embellish with all kinds of goodies after that.  Me, I am kinda a plain jane girl, but it would be cute to add glitter, millinery flowers, seam binding, etc.  I just may doll mine up a bit and add some sparkle to it somehow, or maybe even antique the frame, now that would be sweet.

I am also thinking that there must be a company out there somewhere that does window decals for cheapo; so you could pick your favorite graphic and stick it to a window too.  That would beat handpainting these like I do; it's way too much work.  Please let me know if you have other ideas for making your windows a better view. :)