Best week ever! and Paintworks Magazine

So..I just got the newest Paintworks Magazine, August 2011, and I had 3 articles in it! The first article (on page 10) talks about how you can change your summer decorations outside with your use of paint and really make your tables, dinnerware and even furniture look new!

The second article (page 29) is a box that I painted using stencils

for my initial pattern and then acrylic washes to complete

the painting and then detail. I used the Loew Cornell Fine Line Painting Pen

to do the "weaving, or stitching" that makes it look like a tapestry. If you have not used this tool, you just gotta DO IT! Such a fun piece for any level painter!! I got the wooden box from Smooth Cut Wood and it was sanded so great that I just got to start the painting without alot of prep. (SmoothCutWoodproducts.com)

The third is such an easy pendant (painted with the new Double Filbert brush) that you could paint a bunch of them in a short time for gifts and all your holiday gifts would be DONE! I got the pendant from Della (at Dellaandcompany.com) and it could be embellished with some hanging beads or fancy rhinestones.

It can be painted using 2 brushes!!!

The cover features some gorgeous poppies painted by my friend Kathi Hanson and the background is amazing. I will definately be trying that technique.

So many wonderful things to paint...so little time.