The entryway table

Since we moved into this house I have been on the lookout for "new to me" furniture that I could turn into a work of art.  My friend, Marcia, and her husband, Bobby had a truckload of furniture.  Some of this furniture needed help.  When Marcia saw this she knew this was something I was looking for and was she ever right!!  I knew instantly what I would do.  Another friend of mine has an Americana entryway table and I wanted to do my own little version because my living room is all about America and travels. The table was a drop leaf table, one side worked perfectly, but the other not at all, I think that is ok because I am using it as an entryway table and not a regular table.  I dreamed of painting the flag on one of the drop-downs and on the other side I planned to do another painting just in case I wanted to change the decor from Americana to something else.  The first thing I did was de-gloss the table and sand it a bit. 

Next was adding a layer of white paint.  My jar of white paint was rather old and while I was opening the jar it just shattered!  I spilled paint all over my carpet and spent about 2 hours cleaning up all that mess.  After that, I painted about 2 layers of white paint on the legs and then brown paint on the leaves and tabletop.  Once all that was dry I free handed a flag. I wanted it rough looking like it was 70 or 80 years old.  Once the flag was dry I dry brushed the whole thing in the same brown paint that I used for the top and I brushed the white legs in the brown too.  On the other side, I freehanded a tree branch and a bird.  Kind of like a cardinal in color, but a completely made-up bird.  Once the bird and the tree were dry I did the same dry brush with brown on top too.  

As I was setting up the table the cat brought me an orange fish which is featured in the photos :)  

Review: Who Is Greta Thunberg?

Who Is Greta Thunberg? by Ann Leonard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Art Journal Prompts

Hello friends!

How many of you have an art journal?  I guess I have always done an art journal because I have always kept a sketch pad of random artwork, I just didn't realize it was called an ART JOURNAL.  I use it to keep artwork that goes with feelings, sometimes that is a rush drawing or quick sketch because I am just needing a creative outlet and sometimes it is a long process because I need a stress reliever.  

Last year I wanted to do an art journal that was more like a memoir, I am not going to show you too much of it, because I want my kids to be the first to read it (you know afterward).  The inspiration for this memoir book were two books called The War Bride's Scrapbook by Caroline Preston and Century Girl: 100 years in the life of Doris Eaton Travis by Lauren Redniss.  To say I love these books would be a gross understatement.  The illustrations are incredible and Lauren's book is EXACTLY what I have always dreamed of a book looking like, and how I make my scrapbooks.  Century Girl is non-fiction and  features a lot of photos from Doris's life and wraps them around illustrations. War Brides is a fiction book and features ephemera and lots of colorful artwork.  Both book are completely worth a gander (also check out all of Caroline's books).

My first illustrated book is my life from "birthish" to present day. 

Since I have gone about as far as I can go right now, I have started a second illustrated book.  This one has the theme of Michelle's Musings (that may be the title).  The "brand" is all about being random,  FBSP (fly by the seat of pants) and completely off the wall, this book will be full of that type of stuff. I have started with a "Strange Alphabet".  I call it that because each letter is an odd topic and not your typical "A stands for Apple" kind of book.  Sometimes the topic makes sense and other times you may think I am a lunatic (wait, you may already think that of me). I am more willing to share this one with the world in it's entirety where I am keeping the other one for my kids.  

If you art journal I would so love to see some of your work.  Remember there is no right way so if you don't journal, why don't you?  This is a non-judging, don't show anyone unless you want area where you can be free, creative and honest. If you are struggling with an issue, draw or paint it!  If you are excited about that promotion, draw it.  If you love that song and want to create about it, do it!!! You can use as little or a much supplies as you want.  You really only need to start with a pencil and a piece of paper...let your imagination take you from there. 

 

Review: Old Lovegood Girls

Old Lovegood Girls by Gail Godwin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: The Brave

The Brave by Nicholas Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Nothing to See Here

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: The First Actress

The First Actress by C.W. Gortner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have been a huge fan of C.W.'s books for some time and I will read every one that I can find. I am not really sure how he finds the voice of his female leads, but for me, he captures each of his leading ladies and makes his characters real. Of course, I was going to read this one, but I was not sure about the subject. I knew who Sarah was but that was about it. She had been mentioned in a few books I had read anything about her.

At times I found myself forgetting what time period I was in, I am not sure why I think it was just me. I found myself hating Sarah's mother, but loving another relationship that Sarah had, I won't spoil that. There were many times when I just wanted to hug Sarah and tell her it will be ok.

I felt like we spent lots of time on Sarah's younger years and rushed up the ending, maybe there wasn't much to talk about, I just wasn't ready for it to end.

Thank you C.W., see you for the next one :)

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