Kitchen floor mural

Living in California, earthquakes happen.  My kitchen has gotten a long hairline crack down the length of the floor.  The floor isn't very old and I am definitely not ready to tear out all of those travertine tiles just yet.  I am not new at using paint to camouflage things like wine stains on the bar top, and now cracks in tile.  It is kind of a joke in our house that if something needs hiding, I just paint a starfish on it.

I was a little nervous at first, since this isn't just a starfish- it requires more paint and more commitment.  What if I hate it?  How difficult would it be to scrape off?  When I paint a mural on a wall, I am not worried in the least since I can just cover it up.  Well, I decided to just do it.  

I started with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I have used this paint on many surfaces and have found that it definitely covers well.  I painted my sand color and then the blue base for the water and now I am too far along to quit.  I will post more photos as it progresses.  I have painted on my floor before but on a smaller scale.  I used clear sealer over it and no matter how much traffic it gets, the original crab I painted on my staircase landing still looks good!

Playing With Chalk Paint Again!

Old leather and wood stools in "Aubusson Blue" 

Weathered wicker chair now covered in "Emperor's Silk"

About a year ago, I painted my antique dining room furniture with blue chalk paint to try it out.  Most people might have started with a smaller project to experiment with, but the dark wood just didn't fit in with the rest of my beach house.  I knew if the chalk paint didn't work out, I would have to strip and sand the old finish off anyway.  Not much to lose really.  I had heard a little about Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint about a year ago, then did some online research.  To tell the truth, I didn't find anything unfavorable about this paint.  I does seem expensive, but now I know first hand that it is worth every penny.  I painted a table, six ladder back chairs, a hutch and a buffet with one quart and still had enough left to paint four of these bar stools.  

Annie Sloan's web site basically says you can use the paint on any surface- without ANY preparation.  My bar stools have been outside on the balcony exposed to sea air and rain for over a year, and were pretty much shot.  I was going to get rid of them anyway, so thought I would try the paint on them.  I painted the wood frames first- then just went for it, and covered the leather areas too.  They have been sat on, and rained on for about 2 weeks and so far, so good!  I bought a can of the red- Emperor's Silk- because I loved the color.  Didn't even know what I would use it on when I ordered it.  My wicker chair on the balcony was starting to look a bit sad, so it was the first red project.  The color is beautiful- and the wicker was a light color, so it just took one coat.  I thinned the paint a bit so it would get between the wicker spaces easier and it was a quick project.

Now, I am going to order three more quarts because I have picked out some shades for inside with  beach glass shades in mind.  Inside, outside- this paint is amazing!  I used the soft wax to seal the dining room set, but for exterior, no wax.  I can't wait to see how it lasts in the damp, ocean air- I am betting it will be great.

Ben's Dogs- Watercolor

Hurricane & Berserker

watercolor 9X12

I have had some family things going on lately and was away from home much of the time- so not much painting being done.  I have managed to fit in a few new paintings, and this is one of them.  My daughter in law posted a photo of their sweet puppies on Facebook and I knew I had to paint them.  They were in the car waiting to be let out to play- I just loved the faces and the way the sun was shining on them.  They aren't actually puppies anymore, but that is how I think of them.  They are both "scary" breeds, but couldn't be sweeter!  Now I find myself in the mood to paint more dogs- maybe another watercolor of my own sweet standard poodle.

ACEO- Art Cards & Fun Little Watercolors

Red Cherry

 Hueneme Pier and Channel Islands

California Poppies

I have been having better luck with these tiny ACEO watercolors than with larger ones lately.  Art Cards Editions and Originals- they seem to be very popular on Etsy. I guess that means there are plenty of people collecting them.  As an artist, I like that they are just fun to paint since they are so small (2.5 X 3.5") and I can work on quite a few at a time.  They are a great way to practice and get some painting time in.  I love painting on large sheets of paper, but sometimes just want to work small- in those cases, postcards and ACEO are the way to go!