Putting brush to paper

I mentioned in the last post that I have also broken out the watercolor paints. So far this is the only one I have been willing to share publicly... and it too could use some work.

I have really become obsessed with youtube tutorials. The downfall is the supplies list that accompany them! I can't believe all the different watercolor sets that are now available. The colors are amazing... and you don't have to mix them. The cost, on the other hand, is out of my reach right now. You should see what my Amazon "wish list" is looking like.

I am still exploring the alcohol inks. This is crazy abstract flowers, finished with doodly, alcohol ink pen enhancements. Not sure how I feel about it, but I love the colors.

Today I finished this tree.I had a lot of fun with it. It also is embellished with an alcohol based ink pen.

One of the things that I have found helpful is to photograph my paintings with my phone, and then view them there. It gives me a different perspective and allows me to see areas that need work that I couldn't see from direct viewing. Jeff has also given some good critiques. He rarely paints anymore but is very good at it. If anyone has more painting experience than me, I am happy to receive critiques and advice. Feel free to comment.

New Year, New Ideas

When we moved into our house, this 80's style "Hollywood" light fixture, was on the CEILING over the bar in our kitchen! It looked quite silly and out of place. Since our renovations are being done on a shoestring, I had Jeff move the fixture to the main bath. It had a fluorescent light strip that was no longer working. It's not a light I would pick out, it will have to do for now.

In the kitchen, he hung track lighting that we had bought for the kitchen in the log cabin. It was a big improvement.

Of course one thing always leads to another. Once the track light was up, we started talking about pendant lights. Jeff knew right away he could make shades from porcelain.

Here is his first prototype:

On the next round he plans to have the carving consistently thinner, so that it is more translucent from top to bottom. This style pendant can hang from our track. We will just remove the small spot lights, and hang three pendants. Ideally, I would like them hard wired individually, but this works for us right now, and it's affordable.
These would look great glazed in celadon, but that might clash with our aqua wall. I think we might stick with the white.

Jeff's plan is to add these shades to his line of work and be ready to offer them at the League of NH Craftsmen's Fair in August. It won't be long before we will be doing the home show circuit with vessel sinks and lighting, and foregoing the craft shows!