Welcome to my blog

If you enjoy finding a lot of different outlets for your creativity, then we may just be kindred spirits.
This blog is an outlet for my interest in miniatures, crochet, plastic canvas, and many other various arts and crafts.

I also love walking, taking digital photos, and most recently, have rediscovered an old love...bike riding! I purchased an amazing new bike, a comfy Townie by Electra this summer, and have been having a grand time exploring the area as though for the first time. It's like being a kid again!

If you enjoy any of these things too, pour a cup of coffee and tea, sit down, and join me.


Take care!
Kat

Thursday, December 29, 2022

My First Acrylic Painting, 8 by 10 sunset couple on Canvas Panel

 My First Time 

My first time doing an acrylic painting on a canvas panel, #Aham Art

Monte Marte Acrylic Paint on Dollar Store Canvas Panel

I am sooooo happy with the way this came out.  It is my first time painting with acrylics on a canvas panel.  

I used Monte Marte paint, and a dollar store panel.  I gessoed the panel the night before, and then today followed a great tutorial by Aham Art, which you can find here:A Romantic Couple in the Sunset by Aham Art

I started with the background, which was a yellow to orange-red Ombre for the sky, and a more orange to red ombre for the water.  Then I added the clouds and the sun and some ripples on the water, and darkened the skyline.  If I could do it over, I would do the sun before the clouds, but that's not how it was in the tutorial. I watched the tutorial several times but felt a bit anxious painting because I'd never done this before. My only experience is with the little ornaments I did for Christmas.

I seriously thought about stopping here, because I liked how it looked and was afraid I might ruin it if I kept going.


I next added the black at the bottom and the tree trunk.  Again I thought about stopping at that step because I was worried about adding the leaves.  I also added more yellow to the sky and the sun and to the lake.  Finally I did the leaves.  They were easy, once I found the right brush (I tried 10 different brushes on a tester before choosing one, lol).   Again, I considered stopping here as I liked how it looked and have never painted figures before. I was worried about painting the silhouette of the man and woman so I drew it with a chalk pencil first, then painted it in.  The finished image is at the top of the page, and I'm so happy with it, for my first try.


Here's my little art area.  I have my laptop next to me, an air conditioner under my table, and a very slanty roof that I kept hitting my head on, but I love it, lol.

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Beautiful Candles and Poinsettia Diamond Painting for my Parents' Diamond Anniversary (tomorrow)

 Tomorrow is my Parent's 60th Anniversary

So I did this diamond painting for them...60 is diamonds.
Diamond painting for my parents diamond anniversary, 60 years

It took me forever to finish this because I also did a large Christmas diamond painting for them, plus a coaster set, and several keychains, ornaments, and cards.  My shoulder and back are killing me, but I'm done in time, woohoo.

I know it's a Christmas pic, but they had a Christmas season wedding (Dec. 29th), and red candles are special in our house. Mom always puts one big red candle on birthday cakes, anniversary cakes, etc., it's tradition. I'm telling her each of the candles in this pic represents 20 years, for a total of 60.

I'm really pleased with how it came out, and it looks much better in person. Super vibrant and sparkly.  I did bling it up a lot with some AB drills in the highlighted areas, and I did the flames with rhinestone drills.

I bought this diamond painting at Michael's last year and didn't have a chance to finish it then; I'm so glad as it was perfect for my parents anniversary.

I have a few even bigger diamond paintings that I thought about doing for them but with all of the Christmas arts and crafts, I just didn't have time. 

Anyway,I think they will like this. I love it.

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Today's Art, Merry Christmas, 2022

 Merry Christmas!

Procreate Art, from following  James Julier Art Tutorials


Wow, where does the time go? HOW is it already Christmas day?  I thought I started early enough with my Christmas prep, but here were are, Christmas Day and I still have ONE more thing to finish.  Not gonna happen, lol.  Oh well; I did enough.

I am so behind on posting here because I've been painting and drawing and crocheting and diamond painting up a storm.    I made loads of decorations and gifts and had a lovely time doing it.

There were so many Christmas art tutorials that I wanted to follow, but I only had time to do this one, today, lol.  I also made some hand painted ornaments and can blog about them later this week after the last gift is opened.

We had  blizzard here, for the past two and a half days and we've gotten so much fresh snow that it took my poor Dad 3 hours to clear out the driveway today, and it was cleared yesterday.  My Mom even helped for an hour. I feel so bad that I can't help with that sort of thing but I've never been able to do that because of my severe asthma.  Every year I offer to pay to have someone come do snow removal and every year they just get mad and say no.   One year I did hire someone anyway, as a Christmas present and that did not go over well and the poor guy refunded my money after trying to do the driveway for 2 weeks.  My parents either beat him to it or they stood outside criticizing him, lol.  It was funny, but sad too.

Anyway, we finally opened our stockings and Smokey (my parrot) opened her gifts.  My Dad  is on the phone with our family in Austria right now, so when he's done we'll open our gifts and I'll be back with photos.  It will only be the 3 of us for dinner, and possibly our neighbor, if she can't get to her brother's house. THe roads are bad.  Our cousin was supposed to come to dinner but she can't get out of her driveway.  So much snow, and it's still snowing!  

Anyway, wishing you a very Merry Christmas!