Another Recipe Box . . .

I am really enjoying this style of painting. It is fun to think up different motifs to paint.

The other day I decided to make things from now on that I like to make and not worry about selling them. I want to have fun, instead of always thinking of a way to make a buck.

Here's a couple more views of the box above:

A Really Wild Recipe Box!!!

Here is a pic of the Recipe Box I just finished painting. The photo is a little dark, but it kind of gives an idea of what it looks like. I really had fun painting this box. I have one more that I made last summer that I am going to paint next.

Below is a pic of the inside of the box. I painted it up as well. I hope to take this box to a craft show soon and see if it sells.

Finally Made the Move -- Farewell Co op!!!

Well, last Saturday my daughter and I moved my stuff out of the Co op and brought it home to my house. I hemmed and hawed for many months as to whether I should stay or leave. I would change my mind 20 times a week. I finally made my decision last Friday, and made the move Saturday morning. Thanks Val for your help . . . I couldn't have pulled out without your help.

I will still make stuff to sell, but am going to try Craft Shows instead. Crafts didn't really sell all that well at the Co op, although I sold the black Kidney Shaped Bench and another brown bench last week. It seems that plain ones sell there real well -- the ones with painted flowers sit there for ages and ages.

I am working on a Recipe Box and hope to post that in a day or so. I made the box last summer and have finally got around to painting and finishing it.

Mary Engelbreit -- Eat Your Heart Out!

Here are two views of a small stool I made (only 6-1/2 inches high) and painted in the Mary Engelbreit style. I am going to try to sell it at the Co op -- yes, I decided to stay at the Co op a little longer. I really enjoy painting in this style and have a few more things I am going to do this way to see if they sell -- including a Recipe Box, my next project. I will be anxious to hear what my daughter and sister have to say about this project.

Well, I don't have any projects to report on that I have been working on lately. It seems like nothing I take to the Co op sells. I guess I'm feeling pretty discouraged. My daughter took the Latchmaker Table and put it in her living room -- I'm glad she likes it. We put two of the flower benches in the living room rather than give them to the Salvation Army.

I have decided to pull out of the Co op this week. We are just not making enough money at it to make it worthwhile. So, as soon as I make something I will post it on this blog. My daughter is the only one who reads it, so I guess I don't really need to hurry, as I can tell her on the phone what I am up to.

Back to Basic Painting

I didn't like the way I painted the kidney bench (see last post) so ended up painting the whole thing black. I think it looks better this way. I also painted the little white footstool that had forget-me-nots on it -- I painted it a deep red. The footstools weren't selling painted with flowers, so i am going to try just painting them solid country colors. If they sell, then that is the way I will paint them from now on. I figure that simple colors will appeal to alot more people than the flowers. I am going to take these two to the co op tomorrow and set them out and see if they sell.

A New Look for the Kidney Bench

Well, after a few unsuccessful paint jobs on the kidney bench and a few weeks of sitting at the co op with no buyers, I decided to give it a new look.

I did the top in a faux finish and painted the bottom of it black. It looks better than in the picture at right, though. My benches with painted flowers just don't sell all that well, so I have decided to try some experiements. This is one of my experiments. I will be interested in hearing your comments Val.