Girls Night Out

Friday night was a conglomeration of women, wine and art as three fun loving ladies gathered together in my studio for a step by step painting party.

Planning for the party:

In preparation for the party I pre-painted the image to be used for inspiration and gathered together all painting supplies.  The ladies were encouraged to bring a bottle of wine and snacks to enjoy.

 

The Art Party:

The ladies began with a blank 16x20 inch canvas and after a brief discussion about complimentary colors and composition were lead step by step through the painting process.  For this painting we used four colors:  red, green, yellow and white.

 

The Finished Masterpieces:

Acrylic paint dries quickly so at the end of class the ladies were able to take their creations home.

If you're interested in an art party, contact me here

Art washes away from the soul the dust of every day life.

Pablo Picasso

Hand Painted Wine Glasses for a Wedding Shower

This past weekend the girls got together to paint wine glasses for my nieces bridal party.  These glasses, with her wedding date hand written on the bottom, will be a unique "remember the date" gift for those attending her shower.  Glass painting is so simple and such a creative reason to gather the girls, I thought you might want to give it a try...

Supplies and Instructions:

Supplies:  Clear Wine Glasses - these don't need to be expensive, we picked ours up at Target, but you can get them anywhere ~ Gloss Enamel Paint - we used Liqitex, Pebeo and Americana  ~ Paint Brushes - Small to medium brushes and you'll definitely want some with a fine tip for adding detail ~ Sketch paper and pencils for sketching out your designs, or you can download and print design ideas ~ Isopropyl Alcohol, tissues, and q-tips  - for cleaning your glassware and for wiping off mistakes ~ Oven for heat setting the paint.

Extra Supply:  Wine - to loosen things up and to help the ideas flow - and after all - we were painting wine glasses!

Directions:  * Thoroughly wash glasses and wipe down with Isopropyl alcohol to remove any trace of dirt and grease. 

 

 * To paint your design on glasses you may free hand the design ~ which is what we did using simple shapes and repetitive designs.  

The artists were of all ages and artistic abilities and each one of the painted wine glasses turned out truly fabulous.  You can also use stencils, or place a picture that you like on the inside of the glass with a little bit of tape, then copy that image.  

 

 * Apply your colors on the outside of the glass.* If you make a mistake, dip a q-tip in rubbing alcohol and gently wipe it away.  For larger mishaps you can dip a napkin in alcohol then rub off what you don't want. 

Be creative, be artistic and just have fun.  Remember, if you make a mistake - take a sip of wine, wipe away your problem and continue with your painting.

 Use your fine tip brush and a little bit of paint to outline or add detail to your design.  To paint the bottom, turn your glass upside down and brush on a coat of paint.  We did this and once the paint was dry, added the brides wedding date.

 Allow the glasses to dry for 48 hours before proceeding to the next step of heat setting in the oven. Stand the glasses upside down on a soft surface such as a folded tea towel to allow them to dry. 

Try to keep them away from the kitchen or bathrooms, where moisture could affect the drying. Then follow the instructions on your paint bottle for oven heating.

If you paint the underside of your glasses, turn them upside down when placing them in the oven.  Make sure the glasses are placed in a cold oven, so the temperature is not too extreme which would cause the glasses to break.

Have fun and let me know if you give this a try!  Cheers to the Bride and Groom!  Viva Las Vegas!!!

Women, Wine, and Pots

Last night I hosted my second "Ladies Night Out"
Painting Party. To get ready for spring planting, the
women painted terra-cotta pots with pottery glazes.

Since many of us went through high school together,
there was much reminiscing and laughter over teenage
escapades and good times shared.


The ladies busy at work painting...

and concentrating on their pieces...


as the wine and conversation easily flowed.

And a quote from our evening together that is well
worth sharing and remembering...
"Life is too short to worry about staying inside the lines"

Thank you ladies for filling my house and soul with laughter.
The next party is Thursday, March 25 - Garden Art.
Let me know if you are interested.

Ladies Night Out - Wine, Women, Art

Offer a group of lively women an evening
away from children, homework, and dishes ~



add a little wine, and a martini or two ~



include hot and cold appetizers, a wee bit of
chocolate, the opportunity to relax ~



then throw in some paints and pottery ~



and it all adds up to an uncorked night of



great conversation, laughter, and perhaps

a few finished pieces of pottery art.

There isn't anything better for recharging the ole
"mommy batteries" then a night out with the girls!
CHEERS!

Duck's Cottage Coffee and Bookshop in Duck, N.C....

Duck's Cottage Coffee and Bookshop

This is one of my families all time favorite hangouts ~ A delightful coffee and book shop located on the waterfront in Duck, N.C. The coffee shop opened in July of 2002, but the house itself, although renovated, has quite a storied past. It was originally built as the Powder Ridge Gun Club in the 1920's by a group of New York sportsmen. Visitors came to hunt the areas plentiful array of waterfowl - hence the towns name. The house was built on a point making it the perfect location for these sportsmen.

In the 1940's the house was bought by Duck and Betty Braithwaite who used it as their private residence until 2001. The house was then moved to its present location, renovated, and is now a hunt club for coffee and book lovers.

Duck Cottage is my son's respite and dream. This is his "gotta go to" place when we're in Duck visiting my in-laws, and his idea of blissful ownership. A coffee shop like this is the perfect business for a Starbucks-loving book connoisseur. So, in order to remind him of this stress-free spot while he's away at school, I combined two pictures:

This photo of my son studying Russian (notice the coffee cup!) ~ taken from U.Va's "Week in Photos" website along with the picture of Duck's Cottage

and ~ wala ~ his perfect visual study spot!

The story continues....

I started this painting last summer and this is how far I've gotten. I was having a tough time getting the colors exactly how I wanted them....so I set the painting aside for awhile, periodically glancing at it, and thinking "I need to get back to work on that!" Well.....a few months back I hosted a "Girls Night Out" glass slumping art party at my house ~ (to view pictures from that night, click here). Lo and behold but who should be here, and looking at my painting, but the wife of Duck Braithwaite's grandson. She looked at the painting and said "I know that place, it belongs to my husband's family and that's where we got engaged!" She gave us the history of the house and the painting - although unfinished - came alive through her storytelling. Life is funny sometimes - and you have to love it when a moment like this happens.

I am really hoping to have this painting finished in time for Stockley Gardens Arts Festival next weekend ~ May 18 - 19.

So, off to paint

Wordless Wednesday....A Picture Says A Thousand Words

Girls Night Out.
Enjoying a night on the town with my mom, two sisters, and sister-in-law. My brother was suppose to join us, but ended up having to work late. So I "photoshopped" him in.

Girl's Night Out ~ Slumped Glass Class

click on the photo to see the girls hard at work!!
Girls Night Out Slumped Glass (and wine drinking) Class.
Along with my neighbor, Kim, I hosted an evening night out for the local gals. Kim invited a group of her good friends, all of whom have young children, for an evening of crafting, eating, drinking, and story sharing. After making dinner, feeding, bathing, and reading to the children, washing the dishes, kissing the husband, and making a dish to share, the ladies arrived, ready for a girls evening out. Everyone grabbed a bite to eat, and a glass of wine then gathered around the table to begin the crafting process. They learned a little about slumped glass, and the firing process, then designed a tile trivet using glass pieces and their vast creative skills. The sounds of laughter and glass breaking filled the house as wine was consumed, and art was created. The girls took full advantage of their evening out, enjoying every second up until closing time. :)