Dinning Room Part 5: the finishing touches

 All DONE!!! Napkins and candles from World Market. Candle holders and China from our wedding. Yes people, I did use it and LOVED that I had it. Hurricane candle holders from T J Max. The paintings I did in 2007. It amazed me how the colors matched today. I guess I have a palate and stick with it. Napkin rings and mirror at Old Tyme Pottery. All in all it didn't cost as much as I thought to complete the dinning room. Now our home feels complete. At least down stairs.

Dinning Room 4: Filigree Ceiling

 Finally the paint it complete. I am really ecstatic about the way the ceiling has turned out. It is by far my favorite thing that I have ever painted. And I have been painting for a while now. In ever category. There are things that have sentimental meaning, which this has none. But other then that..... 

Oh, is it bad to love something that you did so much? I guess it is something that I have dreamed of doing for over 7 years now. Long before I even owned this house. I always wanted to do a filigree/flourish in a trey ceiling. I even did it in my brother's house for free just because I wanted to do it. Now, this was before kids and time to paint was only limited to a work schedule. Then we moved in this house with this beautiful architecture I was really excited to do it. And low and behold, what couple in a new house with an ever expanding family has the money for a dinning room suite. And I refused to do the ceiling until I got my furniture. I wanted to make sure that it fit perfectly together. If you see the almond shapes echoed in the design, I pulled that shape from the back of the chair's wood work. So having this ceiling I guess is a dream come true. 

shhh sneak peak...(Dinning Room part 3.5: the filigree ceiling?)

Okay, so I am horrible at secrets, surprises, Christmas presents whatever. If it is good news, don't tell me because I am going to tell everyone! I couldn't wait to show off my ceiling. There is more to do in the corners of the trey. Which are designed and ready to go. I haven't even cleaned up the drop cloth and I had to post this. I am SOOOO EXCITED with the way this is turning out. Sometimes putting in the extra effort in the design really pays off. And thank goodness my hand wasn't too shaky and that I was able to paint almost smooth lines. I might add highlights in a metallic or maybe just cream. It isn't quite done... But too happy not to share. I plan on doing a tutorial with this one too. It is really simple to transfer a design and create your own custom mural... Now on the ceiling, that isn't for the feather weights. OUCH!

Big girl's room. Forever Spring; Trees and animals

My big girl's room.

When I found out I was pregnant with my second child we had to consolidate my guest room and my "studio" into one room. And then when we found out that our third was coming we had to do some major shifting. The studio and guest room were no more. My paints and other art paraphernalia went to my sons closet and the guest room was now going to be my oldest's new home. 

I felt kinda bad about kicking her out of her room to make a spot for baby sister. I made sure the first room on my makeover list was her's. I wanted her to feel like she was getting something better then what she had. I wanted it to be magical. And unlike the dinning room, it was a spiritual experience. When I was painting I was able to tell my daughter I loved her in a way that I hadn't before. Unlike painting a nursery (which I love, don't get me wrong), I knew my daughter. I knew what she liked and what made her happy. For this moment in her life, I knew her better then anyone else on this entire earth (well, her daddy might argue that one). She loved animals and recognized the beauty in her surroundings, like an old soul. So beautiful and innocent. I knew that she would love her room. I was right... She still says, "Mommy you are the best painter ever." and I return the complement "and so are you sweetie, so are you."

It did feel a bit weird, it was winter and snowing when I painted this room. Forever springtime. 

This is her view looking up into the tree as she lays on her bed. As if she is laying under a tree. 

And who can forget popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

Dinning Room Part 3: the ceiling design

It is always a love hate relationship coming up with a design. I want it to be perfect. Sometimes I get too far in one design that when I see an error I don't want to start over. But this design, this room, I think I started over four times. I didn't want it to look like a cross, not too many swirls, not too many leaves and so on. 

Now mapping it out in the actual size. I did the drawing on graph paper then drew grid lines on the larger white paper. The design needed to be flowy but intentional. Slight variations to show that it isn't a stencil, but not sloppy. 

The next step, transferring the image on the ceiling. Out comes the ladder. (you do know that it will be symmetrical, right. I will just turn the paper and draw it on the other side. No need in drawing everything twice)

Big Truck Room

This is the big boy room for the family I mentioned previously. Love these little boys! Twin boys and a younger brother. This is the younger brother's new big boy room. 

I love this room. It already had the picture molding when the family moved in. When I saw the bedding that we would pull the images from, I immediately thought of doing the trucks around the top of the wall. And when the mom said that she was thinking the same thing... that was that and I got to work.

This is the wall you see when you enter the room. The mom and I agreed that the dump truck was the favorite and should be the focal point of the mural. 

She wanted big and clunky trucks. And even though my son isn't a truck man, I had a great time with these little images. I didn't have to worry about making them exact replicas, just fun ideas of the actual trucks. It  was great!

The bedding only had four truck, so I snatched these images from a book that the family had. I felt the cement mixer fit right in with the construction trucks. However, I know that the John Deer is a farm truck, but how adorable is he? So cute. Who doesn't love green and yellow! He is a classic.

It is a great compliment to have someone ask me to return time and time again. It's neat to have a body of work in someone's home.

#1 Client; Firehouse and African Murals

It all started with the most adorable twin boys you have ever seen. Their mom wanted something special to go on their playroom walls. Something different. Thanks to the twin's aunt, who knew my husband, my name was suggested and that's where it all began.

 Then it was time for the boys to graduate from their cribs to big boy beds. 

 Each twin had to have their own stool to match their nautical bathroom. It's all about time management. Get both kids brushing at the same time and the night time routine goes much faster! Or maybe have twin sink stools is just way too cute not to do!

This is in their baby brother's room. I painted really sweet frogs on the wall of the nursery a few years ago (I will post a before and after when the trucks are complete). But something all baby boys do, they grow up... To complete the room with his new big boy bed we needed to add some trucks. Although the frogs were  adorable, it was really awesome to hear the excitement from little brother when he saw the truck on his wall. I love it when I please the parents, but making the kids happy- AWESOME feeling!

My Little Bitty Girl's Nursery

 I found this great fabric on sale and went from there. What doesn't start with a great sale? 

 I made the curtains and the crib skirt. Although sewing is still pretty new to me. Thankfully they are high so you can't see my crooked seams. And I made a "quilt" and pillows. The word quilt is used rather loosely. But I had to try and do something else with the extra fabric. Looks great on the chair when you are far far away!  

 Then did a mural below the chair rail pulling out the flowers from the fabric.

Finishing off the room I did a few pieces of artwork.

Although it seems silly to call it a nursery now that she is so big! Here she is with her new baby cousin. She wasn't jealous when I held the baby, but she did insist on sitting on my lap too. Silly girl.

Nursery Tree

The sweetest little baby girl. 

This is my little niece. There are many times that I have felt so lucky to have the talent that I have. This is one of those times. Sometimes I struggle with words to express how I feel for someone. And for this more then special little girl I was so honored that her Mommy let me come and be apart of her nursery. 

 So here is her little tree. I can't wait for her to come home and see it.

More Murals

These are just a few more samples of the murals that I have done.

I wanted to add a few more murals to show a little varity of what I have already done.