so many ideas

Yesterday I came up with so many ideas to craft, to paint etc. etc. I would start on one then go to another and on and on. By afternoon I finally just stopped. Nothing was done but a lot was started!! LOL.
Now my craft room has unfinished projects.....oh well...nothing new!! I will get it done.
I did write down my ideas so when I do get back to these projects I will know what I am doing ( I hope!).

When I decided to just stop I went on the internet.
Ha...I went on Etsy and Artfire Forums just to read.....I learned soooo much!!

The forums are so helpful.

I learned how to shorten my username for my Facebook fan page. That really made me happy because I didnt like having all those letters and numbers.
I left my Homepage as is but I needed to adjust my Fan Page.

If you have a Fan Page and you are wanting to do the same, click here.

http://www.facebook.com/username/

The question was asked by www.artgirlx.etsy.com

This answer came from http://www.perfectlypaper.etsy.com/

I also learned how to put a facebook widget here on my blog.
On Artfire you can import your etsy items to your shop..learned how to do that!
On Artfire I learned how to use my blog in my shop...need to get that started.
Like I said....I learned a lot!

Now I must enter ~~~the craftroom~~ ~ and see if I can finish what I started!!

Happy Friday everyone!

Ready to paint!

It seems as soon as Fall arrives I get the "painting bug". More so than any other time of the year! I think it's because I love snowmen, gingerbread, Oh heck~~~ I love the whole Holiday Season!

Getting started takes time,depending on what I am painting. Preparing the surface to get it ready to paint. Make sure I have all the supplies needed.

Then the base coating.

I like to paint more than one item at a time. This way while one is drying I can start on the other. Sometimes I will use a hairdryer on low to speed up the drying time. If I am using oil paint I use matte krylon and spray it on to dry.( Oil paints take a long time to dry even when using the Krylon) . Depending on time~~ sometimes I use both acrylic and oil paints on one project.

Here is a picture of two Nutcrackers that I am painting on a large clothespin. They are in the base coat stage.

Once the base coat is applied and dry I will shade in his face. From there I start to shade and highlight the rest of the nutcracker.

When I add the details my Nutcrackers come to "life".

It is always fun to see the results.

I let them dry completely before I apply Varnish.

Here is a picture of the finished piece.

helping each other

Well today is my turn on the artfire crazy train. www.craftnique.artfire.com
It is nice to help each other and promote our shops. This Crazy Train was started quite awhile ago and we have many riders. I think we have riders well into 2010. What is so nice about it is that everyone IS promoting. Either by blogging, tweeting, facebook, email, forums etc. You can tell by the increase in views. You know what? That is the way it should be. Helping each other.

It is on "a trust" thing but so far so good. Sometimes you cant promote for some reason or another aka: illness, vacation etc. but they(we) will come back. Some even make up for it by promoting more than one shop at a time to catch up.

Artfire Crazy Train was started by www.PicardCreative.artfire.com

I promote on my blog, email, craft forum and my Facebook page and I have a Facebook Business page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lompoc-CA/craftnique/67095135775?ref=nf

I dont have a Twitter account. I dont know why I dont! (LOL). If you have one is it easy to use? Is it better or the same as Facebook?

This social internet stuff is addicting!!!


Have a great day!

flip flops!

Look at these flip flops. They are so pretty. She has many more in her shop

www.fabulouscreations.artfire.com

Stop by her shop and look at all the styles. They are really nice! You can wear most of them anywhere. A variety of colors and designs.

Crazy Weather!!

We have had some crazy weather here on the Central Coast. Actually all of California from what I hear!

It was warm for a few days then cold then warm....never knew what to wear!

Friends came to visit and we had a bbq, the weather was nice. Next day it was overcast! The next day...the STORM hit and it hit the entire State. The rain wouldnt let up, poured and poured. I shouldnt complain...we need the rain. The wind well....it was very windy.

That storm lasted 3 days and now it is in the 80's to 90's in some/most areas!! Hot! Beach weather and what am I doing??? Sitting in my craftroom painting! Yup sitting indoors!

Painting and painting,......................................

I will be the featured shop on the Crazy Train over on Artfire the 20th and 21st of Oct. (http://www.craftnique.artfire.com/)

I have craft shows coming up so I need a lot of items.

Here are a couple of items I painted for Fall/Halloween.

I think tomorrow I will take a break and enjoy the outdoors...I hope the weather stays nice.....

Have a great weekend!

Fall

So many things to do. I have a lot of ideas for painting Fall items...I just need the time to do it all! lol. I have plenty of surfaces to paint on.


I enjoy painting for Fall and Christmas. Combination of the weather and the fact that I love snowmen!! Christmas! Santa!!! The entire idea of it all~~~~~~~~~





I added these coasters to my artfire shop.

I painted the background and pumpkins on plain cardboard coasters. I varnished to give them a glass like shine. I then cut and glued cork to the back. Cutting cork in a round shape isnt easy! Half way through I wondered what I got myself
into!! lol! Of course I could have used a circle
cutter ...hmmm maybe next time!!



I also painted the design on a large clothespin/memo clip to match.



I am a warm weather type person but I will admit to the fact that I do like the Fall colors!! and ...ok I kinda like the change (just not the cold
weather)









If you are living on the Central Coast California The Ride 2 Recovery riders are cycling from San Fransisco to Los angeles. Today they are riding from Pismo Beach to Solvang. Fri, Solvang to Ventura and on Sat Ventura to Los Angeles along hiwy 1. They are our wounded Veterans. If you can, stand along their route and cheer them on. Let them know we appreciate their service.

Everyone have a great day!

Artfire

I have been busy painting. I posted a couple of items in my artfire shop www.craftnique.artfire.com and I will be posting more in the next few days!.

~~~~~~~~~~~~...................Artfire Crazy Train.................~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.catinalife.artfire.com
Today our artfire crazy train artist is Catinalife. I think you can tell by her shop name she likes cats! lol
She has some beautiful jewelry in her shop. I especially like the Chain Mailli work. Awesome! What I like about her work is the variety of color. She doesnt just stick with gold or silver.
Browse on over to her shop and take a look, you will like what you see!


.http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&sc_id=57749&seller_id=569&op=new